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September 8 2022,
THE BIG IDEA
Happy fall and greetings from WeedWeek’s new HQ in Long Beach, California.
Let’s get to it:
- Exclusive: We tested top Calif. prerolls for potency inflation
Plus lots more.
I’ll be at the Benzinga conference in Chicago next week. Say hello.
Alex
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WHAT YOU MISSED IN WEEDWEEK CALIFORNIA PRO
A WeedWeek test of seven California preroll brands suggests potency inflation is close to ubiquitous in the product category.
- The seven brands we tested include some of the top selling brands in California: El Blunto (Albert Einstone’s), Field (Glass House), Jeeter (DreamFields), KingRoll (StateHouse), Lowell, Pacific Stone and Raw Garden.
Of the seven brands (and nine total products) included, all of them tested below the THC levels on their label. The implied potency inflation on various products ranged from 14% to more than 500%.
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LATEST Cannabis Industry Jobs
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Canix
VP of Engineering at Canix (YC S'19)
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Colorado Sales Director
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Director, Social Media
UP TO SIX STATES COULD LEGALIZE IN NOVEMBER
The Hill looks at the six states that could legalize in November:
- South Dakota’s bill would legalize without creating a market. The idea is to avoid the lawsuits that killed the REC initiative the conservative state passed in 2020.
- Arkansas’ board of electors recently derailed a REC initiative, but activists are taking it to the state supreme court.
- Deep blue Maryland is voting on a REC constitutional amendment that would bypass Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, who is ambivalent on legalization.
Marijuana Moment - Missouri’s REC proposal, like Maryland’s, would expunge some past pot convictions. The Kansas City Star has more.
- MED state North Dakota is likely to vote on REC.
- Oklahoma’s Supreme Court could put off the REC vote.
AP - NORML’s Paul Armentano criticized Nebraska’s Supreme Court for killing a MED ballot initiative.
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QUICK HITS
National:
- Politico discusses why weed companies still can’t make money.
- E-cigarette brand JUUL was ordered to pay a nearly $500M fine to resolve an investigation into whether it marketed to youth. Some saw the smaller than expected fine as a good omen for the cannabiz.
N.Y.Times - MJBiz looked at the rivalry between trade groups U.S. Cannabis Council and National Cannabis Industry Association.
- A poll found, for the first time, that more Americans smoke weed than cigarettes,
Business:
- Green Sentry CEO Brady Cobb discussed buying out MedMen in Florida.
Orlando Weekly - Abner Kurtin, CEO of MSO Ascend Wellness, was charged with battery in Miami.
The Deep Dive - The U.S. SEC is suing Instagram celebrity Dan Bilzerian’s Ignite International brand to compel compliance over a subpoena involving potential accounting fraud. The company says it’s also being investigated by the U.S. Justice Department. Read the complaint. (Legal research supported by Unicourt.)
Law360 - NFL great Jim McMahon discussed his brand.
AZ Inno
State and local:
- The LA Times has a big story on the illegal market’s vast scope and related environmental and labor problems.
- Grown In checks out a grey-area pot mecca on the New York/Canadian border.
- I reported on armed officials conducting unannounced water inspections in Humboldt County.
WeedWeek - Oregon released proposed rules for its new psychedelics program.
- San Francisco decriminalized psychedelics.
Vice
Health and science:
- Among all types of agriculture, a study found wildfires are particularly detrimental for weed.
EcoSphere
Fun and interesting:
- @_chaseh_ used AI to manifest Dark Brandon legalizing it.
NOTABLES
Company Milestones:
- Low dose beverage Cann raised several million from adult beverage fund InvestBev.
- Uncle Arnie‘s parent Fly Beverage is expanding to Oregon.
- Cookies Miami had a big first week. It’s owned and operated by TRP.
Respect My Region - Cookies is also opening a branch of its Lemonnade retailer in Denver.
Westword
Job moves:
- SC Labs named Hrish Jain, founder of Ananda Strategy, to its board.
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