Hi all,

Here’s something super cool that happened this week: Brian “Box” Brown’s Legalization Nation comic strip featured our recent story about the draft of a deal between Shryne Group and a social equity partner in Oakland.   

In the newsletter:

• Conservatives blame pot for mass shootings

Happy weekend,

Alex

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Two tech startups upending cannabis retail

The cannabiz’s unique circumstances demand creative thinking. And it’s becoming increasingly clear that some of the things that work in cannabis could change the way things get done in the mainstream economy.

Two retail tech startups, both of which have traction in California, show how cannabis could push mainstream retail…

Read the story 

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A reprieve in Sacramento

In May, Gov. Newsom’s budget blueprint zeroed-out the hated cultivation tax but proposed raising the excise tax from 15% to 19%, a move the industry strongly opposes.  

The state legislature’s proposal, which dropped last week, is “far more preferable” to the cannabiz, lobbyist Amy Jenkins, president of Precision Advocacy said.

Find out how

A number of right wing commentators are blaming cannabis for violent crime, including mass shootings. This WSJ editorial cites the work of Alex Berenson, the former N.Y.Times reporter who wrote the anti-weed book “Tell Your Children.”

• Berenson later pivoted to the pandemic and was declared the “pandemic’s wrongest man” by The Atlantic and got himself kicked off Twitter. (Berenson has sued.)
  WSJ, Politico 
• The commentators, who include former secretary of education Bill Bennett and Fox News’ Laura Ingraham.
  @justinbaragona, The Wrap

A majority of Republican favor REC legalization.
FiveThirtyEight

Business:

• Business Insider profiled Berner, whose Cookies is now the first billion dollar cannabis brand.
• The Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) held a closed-door meeting to discuss the road ahead for legalization.
  Marijuana Moment 
• MJBiz looks at how climate change will affect where and how to grow.
• Karson Humiston, CEO of HR company Vangst, called out an Oklahoma executive for a misogynistic and transphobic email. Vangst also published a report on LGBTQIA+ representation in the cannabiz.
• A former chief of staff has sued Foundation of Cannabis Unified Standards (FOCUS) alleging unpaid wages. FOCUS didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
  Law360
• Leafly highlights Canadian brand Censored Edibles’ new penis-shaped gummies. They come in banana and cola flavor.

State and local:

• Canna Law Blog weighed in on New York’s proposed regulations. So did attorney Marc Ross, head of the ESG practice at law firm Vicente Sederberg.
• Delaware lawmakers failed in a bid to override Gov. John Carney’s (D) veto of a legalization bill.
  WHYY
• MSO Jars filed a lawsuit against Detroit’s new REC ordinance.
• In Nashville, a family holding company hosted a discussion on the future of weed in Tennessee.

Criminal Justice:

• The FBI says it has broken up a national weed smuggling and unemployment fraud ring.
  Sacramento Bee

International:

• Ukraine’s health minister said the war torn country will likely legalize MED.
  High Times
• A new law in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai) would punish displays of cannabis leaves and related images.
  Gulf News

Fun and interesting:

• Critic Jimi Devine goes off on the “great cannabis microdosing PR conspiracy.“
  High Times
• A Colorado town may change its name to Kush.
  Denver Post
• Thrillist checks out the country’s best weed museums.

• In Massachusetts, delivery platform Lantern inked a partnership with equity delivery service Doobie.
• “Last mile” delivery tech platform OnFleet raised $23M.
• ERP software shop Canix raised $10M.
• Vendor managed inventory platform Distru Connect launched in several states.
• Green Flower Media is partnering with Climb Credit to help students finance Green Flower career training classes. 

• Health Advance named David Katz CEO of its new CBD wine brand 66° Beverage Company.
• Vertosa, which makes active ingredients used in infused products, named Manon Daoust, a former exec at spice company McCormick, and investor James Pelligrini, of booze-oriented VC Goat Rodeo Capital, to its board. 
• The Parent Company named former MedMen exec Roz Lipsey EVP, operations and wholesale. 
• Retailer Harborside named Kavi Bhai VP, financial planning and Angela Pih, VP, marketing. Bhai was previously CFO and Colorado-based house of brands Bellrock. Pih has previously headed up marketing at brands Papa & Barkley and Cannacraft.

• Andrew Watson, CEO of data platform Happy Cabbage Analytics posted about the perils of too much data, with an example from the 1600s.
• Journalist wants to know what you think is the best celebrity brand.