October 28 2022,

THE BIG IDEA

Hi all,

It’s been a busy few days at WeedWeek. The Jeeter lawsuit based on my reporting got picked up by the L.A.Times, CNBC, Stephen Colbert and elsewhere. I’ll return to that story next week. 

In the newsletter:

  • The Juul-ization of weed
  • SCOOP: Trulieve faces union compaint in Arizona
  • Lots more

Read up,

Alex

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WHAT YOU MISSED IN WEEDWEEK CALIFORNIA PRO

 

juul
@everdropofficial

Juul Labs, the signature brand of the last decade’s e-cigarette craze, had had a tough fall.

Last month, it agreed to pay nearly $440M to dozens of states for marketing to teenagers. It awaits an FDA decision on whether it can continue selling its products and has reportedly called on two investors in a bid to stave off bankruptcy. Starting next week it faces a class action trial against school districts nationwide.

What got Juul in this much trouble, of course, was selling mango and crème brulee flavored nicotine juice pods. But despite Juul’s struggles, some high profile California brands are selling vapes that edge closer to the third rail for any adult product: appealing to kids.

Does the cannabiz need another problem?

DON'T MISS THE NEW WEEDWEEK JOB BOARD

LATEST PRESS RELEASE

Native Roots Launches Gol
Native Roots Launches Gold Label: Small Batch, Handcrafted Cannabis
Denver, CO, USA (Newsworthy.ai) Thursday Sep 22, 2022 @ 7:00 AM Mountain — Native Roots has officially launched its Gold, Onyx and Green cannabis labels, comprising 25 strains and now available at the leading independent dispensary chain’s 20 locations across...

SCOOP: TRULIEVE FACES UNION COMPLAINT IN ARIZONA

An Arizona union filed a complaint this month alleging MSO Trulieve has interfered with workers’ right to organize at a Phoenix-area dispensary.

The complaint, alleges that for six months the company has “interfered with, coerced and restrained employees in the exercise of their section 7 rights by among other things terminating [name] because of his union and protected activities; by denying employees a pay increase; by telling employees that they will not get additional employee discounts because of their union activity.” 

“The allegations are false,” Steve Vancore, a spokesman for Trulieve said. “Worse than that, the union is seeking to protect an employee we let go due to his abusive behavior in which he sent a derogatory text to a co-worker.”

Vancore said the union was not aware of text’s contents and declined to provide it. Attempts to reach the worker were not successful.

Martin Hernandez, organizing director of UFCW99 in Phoenix denied that Wade was fired for an abusive text. “Workers deserve due process and this employee was denied any process other than termination,” he said.

“[This] defense of abusive behavior toward another employee, which [the worker] has not denied, is inexcusable,” Vancore responded.

“Workers here and at cannabis dispensaries around the country deserve due process and justice,” Hernandez wrote. “These workers are fighting for, dignity and respect on the job.”
 
Asked Trulieve’s view of unions, Vancore wrote, “Trulieve strives throughout our organization to create a positive, safe and rewarding work environment for all our employees with industry leading salaries and benefits.”
 
Related: Green Market Report looked at how Lorna McMurrey’s death could change the Massachusetts industry

QUICK HITS

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NOTABLES

Exstax
Courtesy of ExStax

Job moves:

Products:

  • Arizona vape company ExStax has developed stackable vape cartridges. (Pictured.) They allow users to puff a “stack” of vapes as high (as it were) as their battery can handle. This High Times article suggests that they may be stackable with nicotine cartridges as well, but I don’t see the company promoting that. 

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