Montana is bringing in serious money through recreational cannabis just in the first days that it has been officially legal.
Recreational Cannabis in Montana Brings in .5M
Source: Dope Magazine
legal cannabis
See The Cannabis Super Bowl LIII Ad Rejected By CBS
January was a month packed with cannabis and hemp related news, from big companies going public on major stock exchanges, to the filing of marijuana re-scheduling bills into Congress, to cannabis investments from former NFL star Joe Montana and former Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz. However, no single news item got as much press coverage as Acreage Cannabis’ rejected Super Bowl ad.
Basically, what happened was this multi-state U.S. cannabis company submitted a public service announcement video spot touting the benefits of medical marijuana, for CBS to consider airing during the Super Bowl – at the token price of at least $5 million. Quoting its broadcast standards, CBS rejected the request.
Backlash was immediate, with virtually ever major (and not so major) news outlet in the U.S. reporting on the issue.
Acreage Holdings’ Head of Communications, Howard Schacter, told DOPE Magazine that, as a cannabis industry leader, a company with one of the largest footprints in the country, they have a responsibility to use their platform to “fight for what’s right as it related to the cannabis industry.”
Schacter continues, “There’s nothing more important than educating Americans, who have not yet experienced the benefits of this plant, as well as call[ing] regulators who still need persuading to get on the train to action.”
Adding to these comments, Greg Rovner, CEO of Heally, noted that, “It’s frustrating that legal cannabis use is still thought of, by some, as something to be ashamed of. We know the positive effects that cannabis is having on millions of peoples’ mental and physical health and hope the corporations will soon wake up to the benefits of holistic medicine.”
“No Stunt”
The rejection of Acreage Cannabis’ PSA, many argued, was a blessing in disguise for the company. The press it got from it is invaluable, they said.
“Either way, Acreage doesn’t lose in trying to buy Super Bowl commercial time. Even in losing their bid for a commercial, Acreage wins the press headlines and draws attention to the hypocrisy of the NFL and CBS who embrace messages of alcohol and prescription drugs, despite evidence surrounding the health and economic impacts that prescription drug and alcohol abuse are having on our communities,” added Kevin Provost, CEO of cannabis investment fund Greenhouse Ventures.
Provost goes on to say, “What’s unfortunate is that millions of veterans and parents of children with disabilities are likely watching the Super Bowl, and CBS missed a huge opportunity to champion an effective solution for underserved populations who would benefit from Acreage’s message the most – our veterans and children.”
By means of conclusion, Schacter voiced: “While we certainly weren’t surprised by CBS’ decision, we absolutely believed that a spot that was about education and a public service, versus promoting our brand and our products, would tip the scales. We were fully prepared with our checkbooks to pay $5 million or more to have this important message told … We don’t know exactly what our plans are for next year, but we will continue to push for the continued mainstreaming of the industry and public acceptance.”
See the video originally posted on Green Entrepreneur below:
The post See The Cannabis Super Bowl LIII Ad Rejected By CBS appeared first on DOPE Magazine.
See The Cannabis Super Bowl LIII Ad Rejected By CBS
Source: Dope Magazine
Massachusetts Could See Cannabis Cafes in the Near Future
Cannabis enthusiasts in Massachusetts could soon be given the option to legally consume the plant in public in cafes and lounges, after the State Advisory Board’s public safety subcommittee voted to recommend such activities be legalized. NBC Boston reports that the measure to recommend legal social consumption spaces passed by a 5-2 vote. The same board also unanimously voted to allow legal home delivery of cannabis products.
While adult-use recreational cannabis is now legal in ten states and Washington D.C., consumption in public spaces is still off-limits, usually punishable by a fine if caught. These restrictions on cannabis consumption are often frustrating to advocates of the plant medicine, considering there are no shortages of the public consumption of tobacco and alcohol.
Walpole Police Chief John Carmichael was one of the only two parties who voted no at the committee meeting, trotting out the same antiquated prohibitionist rhetoric that we’ve seen debunked countless times. Carmichael claimed legal cannabis cafes and lounges would lead to more intoxicated drivers on the roads, which is a claim that has been proven false time and time again.
Chief Carmichael also claimed that cannabis cafes would be targets for robberies, which is a talking point we haven’t seen much of, and a curious one at that. Are liquor stores, bars and tobacco shops higher targets for robberies? It’s a bit of a surprise that Carmichael didn’t bring up increased youth cannabis usage and overconsumption, which are two other prohibitionist talking points that simply hold little to no water.
The recommendation from the public safety committee to legalize public cannabis consumption now makes its way to another layer of unnecessary bureaucracy for final consideration, which is the Cannabis Control Commission. The five-member panel oversees all of the regulations for the state of Massachusetts.
“The commission would need to reopen and amend its current regulations to allow for social consumption and delivery licenses in the commonwealth,” Maryalice Grill, the commission’s press secretary, said in a statement.
Many cannabis advocates would likely argue that it should be left up to the taxpayers whether they want legal consumption spaces, but that’s how the state currently operates. Massachusetts came close to legalizing public cannabis consumption spaces when the plant was first legalized for recreational purposes back in 2017. The state governor shot down cannabis cafes then, but now the idea is resurfacing. Will public consumption of cannabis be legal in Massachusetts? Only time will tell.
Massachusetts Could See Cannabis Cafes in the Near Future
Source: Marijuana Times
An Oregon Bill Could Cause New Conflict with the Federal Government Over Legal Cannabis
There are a lot of cannabis related bills making their way through legislature right now – but one that is expected to be introduced soon in Oregon takes a leap that could lead to federal interference on a new level if it becomes law. The bill would make it legal for wholesalers to export dried cannabis to other states in the country where cannabis is legal – which is entirely illegal under federal law no matter which way you look at it.
As it stands there are very few protections for the cannabis industry to prevent the federal government from coming in and shutting things down simply because they can, and in the end those protections rely on states keeping their legal cannabis within their own borders. While the bill would only allow wholesalers to sell to states where cannabis is currently legal – like Washington and California – it still goes against the guidelines set by the feds that have kept them out of legalization so far.
“There are plenty of markets that would be thrilled to have world-class cannabis,” said Adam Smith, founder and director of the Oregon-based Craft Cannabis Alliance, in an interview with the paper. “But prohibition keeps us from sending it into those markets.”
Why, if it could cause such conflict with the federal government, would Oregon lawmakers be looking to take things to this new level and test waters with exporting cannabis? Mostly to help solve a problem of their own, which is an extreme oversupply.
There is currently an excess of roughly 1.3 million pounds of cannabis sitting around in Oregon since there is no limit on cultivation licenses in the state. With more growers than necessary to keep up with the supply and demand, there is far more cannabis being grown than can be consumed by those living in the state. With licenses still being issued, this is a problem that isn’t going to go away on its own.
However, Oregon isn’t the only state with an overabundance of cannabis since legalization. While the industry often starts off with a slump in supply right after sales begin, eventually this evens out, prices drop and suddenly there is more bud than imagined just sitting on shelves – so exporting might be harder than legislators imagine.
It is uncertain if this bill will gain enough support to make it to the governor’s desk for a signature – or if the governor would consider passing the legislation if it got that far. However, if it does make it that far, then there is a strong possibility that it would be challenged by federal law in some form or another.
An Oregon Bill Could Cause New Conflict with the Federal Government Over Legal Cannabis
Source: Marijuana Times