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In today’s newsletter:

• Is Cookie’s Batman partnership legal?
• Cameo?

Happy weekend,

Alex

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“The fucking {Batmobile} pulled up to Cookies Melrose.”

Co-branded Cookies and Batman gear, which first dropped in March, is apparently the product of a licensing deal between DC Comics and Cookies SF, the clothing company founded by Cookies cannabis CEO Berner. 

The deal is noteworthy for the caretakers of a cartoon character letting it anywhere near the plant. It’s noteworthy in the other direction as well: Most cannabis companies stay away from anything that might get them unwanted attention for kid-friendly advertising.

Is the deal legal?

It depends who you ask.

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PLUS: The latest from Sacramento, an oasis in SoCal’s weed desert, and so much more.

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A story in MG Retailer suggests Cameo, an app for buying recorded greetings from celebrities, has potential as a pot marketing tool. The platform offers a variety of business services, such as cross-posts to celeb feeds, and it has yielded some strong results, such as driving “immense” ROI for MSO Columbia care: 

It’s “an interesting case study on the power of the platform as an alternative sales channel, but it’s too soon to tell if the video platform is going to become a leader in cannabis influencer marketing. Aside from the obvious ROI, the company’s seemingly cannabis-friendly attitude is certain to attract many a brand and content creator.”

 Read the whole thing

Federal: 

• Of $6B in aid for farmers, none goes to one particular crop.
  Leafly
• Legalization supporter Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) won her primary against a legalization opponent.
  Marijuana Moment

Business:

• After layoffs at tech unicorn Dutchie, Forbes reports that some investors are looking for the exit.
• A post at Seeking Alpha suggests MSOs are headed for a cash crisis.
• Safe Harbor Financial exec Tyler Beuerlein hears consumers have figured out how to “charge back cashless ATM transactions.“
• Customer loyalty program SpringBig went public on the Nasdaq.
• Newsletter Cannabis Confidential reflected on what’s next after 16 terrible month for pot stocks.
• Soaring cannabis use may lead Michigan to ban fake urine.
  MLive
• An Illinois judge allowed cleared the way for dozens of craft growers to start planting.
  MJBiz
• Retailers are increasingly discounting product.
  MJBiz
• A report from New Frontier Data and the Cannabis Marketing Association says the cannabiz struggles with marketing.
• The DEA prevailed in a federal lawsuit about hot hemp enforcement. 
  MJBiz

States:

• New rules have New York farmers ripping out their crop.
  Grown In
• Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear appointed a legalization advisory panel.
  Forbes
• Maine’s legal market has been more successful than other states at pushing out the illegal market.
  Marijuana Moment
• Vape sales can resume in Pennsylvania after a court ruling.
  Green Market Report
• Cannabis Equipment News checks out the Wisconsin Cannabis Expo.

Community:

• After two months in the hospital following a serious bike accident, New Cannabis Ventures founder Alan Brochstein went home.

Criminal Justice:

• A Connecticut bus driver has been charged with 38 counts of reckless endangerment after he blacked out behind the wheel. He said he didn’t know the gummies he’d been snacking on were infused.
  AP
• Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia was extended by at least a few weeks.
  CNN

Fun and interesting:

• Jackie Bryant is tired of brands that don’t like cannabis users.
• There’s a new Cannabis & Movies club. I can’t figure out how it works.
• A French activist claims to be the first to train bees to make honey from weed.

• OG Colorado dispensary Buddy Boy is shutting down.
  Westword
• Dosist released its new battery. 
• Bongmaker Puffco has a new Sherlock pipe shaped bong called the Proxy. (Pictured)

• MSO Grown Rogue‘s COO Tom Fortner is retiring. Adam August will transition from CFO of a subsidiary to SVP.
• Sensi Media Group named former High Times editor Jen Bernstein executive editor of the multi-state lifestyle publisher.
• Professional development platform SeedTalent named Greg Healy Chief Product Officer.

• The Council for Federal Cannabis Regulation is hosting a June 30 webinar on lab and testing fraud.
• Tech firm Meadow is hosting the Cannabis M&A Summit on June 22 in SF. Meadow also celebrated the sales at SF’s Carnaval Street Fair.
• The Hood Incubator is holding a 16-week Cannabis Justice Accelerator for industry pros who want to become more involved in ending the war on drugs.