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Wolf Pac Cannabis: The Best Buds on Federal Boulevard

January 21, 2019 by Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Wolf Pac Cannabis – Denver, CO

A small dispensary on South Federal, Wolf Pac Cannabis is quite easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there. Having recently celebrated its one year anniversary, it’s already one of Denver’s best-kept secrets. Although the building itself doesn’t particularly stand out, the layout inside is nice and cozy, and the flower is so good that you’ll never be able to drive past the building without wanting to go inside. I like the fact that it isn’t too crowded and has ample nearby parking, as it’s a little outside the city. It’s also in the best part of town if you’ve got the munchies and are craving some dim sum or a big warm bowl of pho.

The People

The employees at Wolf Pac were warm and friendly, even though I showed up right before closing on a Sunday night. Having never visited before, they were quite enthusiastic to show me the selection, as well as their best-selling products. They cultivate most of their flower, but have also been sourcing some more exotic and unique West Coast strains. If you’re as lucky as I was, you might get to meet Yogi, the store French Bulldog — Yogi, if you’re reading this, I love you.

The Product

Upon seeing their flower for the first time, I instantly understood why so many of my friends drive out of their way to buy herb from Wolf Pac. Even though their product selection as a whole is excellent, it’s evident that flower is the star of the Wolf Pac show. For this caliber of cannabis, their prices are ridiculous! Depending on the strain, you can get an ounce of flower for less than $100 out the door. A couple of strains from the ‘Exotic’ shelf that stood out to me included Biscotti, Gelato, Sunset Sherbet, Forbidden Fruit and Chem de la Chem. I also noticed a few of my favorite brands out of the corner of my eye, including Binske (live resin, pâte de fruit and chocolate bars), Coda (chocolate bars, bath bombs, essential oil roll-ons), Green Dot and Xiaolin Cannagars.

“For this caliber of cannabis, their prices are ridiculous! Depending on the strain, you can get an ounce of flower for less than $100 out the door.”

The post Wolf Pac Cannabis: The Best Buds on Federal Boulevard appeared first on DOPE Magazine.

Wolf Pac Cannabis: The Best Buds on Federal Boulevard
Source: Dope Magazine

Moto Perpetuo Farm: Where Sustainability Is Key

January 21, 2019 by Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Oregon’s Moto Perpetuo Farm prides itself in organic farming, not only of cannabis but of produce. “We operate two locations, in Willamette Valley and in Southern Oregon, mostly due to the subtle climates,” notes David Hoyle, who operates the Willamette Valley facility.

Hoyle says that Moto Perpetuo has a simple philosophy: operating a sustainable, organic farm that’s part of the community. Since 2000, the farm has been supplying organic vegetables, fruits and herbs to local farmers markets and restaurants, but in 2016 the farm became state-licensed and began planting cannabis. “For us, sustainability and reducing waste are important, not only as farmers, but as people,” Hoyle remarks. “We take care of our families, and our employees and their families, and we take care of our farm because it’s our home; it’s our world here.”

Moto Perpetuo’s practices include planting crops using native soil. “We only plant in ground soil, which we amend with minerals and organic nutrients,” Hoyle describes. “Of course, we harness the power and energy of the sun, so we don’t have massive electricity use like traditional indoor grows.” Hoyle also says that the farm supplements their hogs’ diets with trimmed cannabis leaves: “This is a closed-loop model to reduce our waste. Plus, the diet of the pig can affect the flavor of the fat and meat, from acorns to hazelnuts, so we decided to try it.”

“For us, sustainability and reducing waste are important, not only as farmers, but as people …” – David Hoyle, Moto Perpetuo Farm operator

The use of cannabis leaves to feed hogs was featured in a now-viral culinary video on Eater, a social media foodie site, which showed chefs butchering and tasting cannabis-fed pork.

When it comes to the numbers, Hoyle said they have around 100 strain varieties and phenotypes of cannabis, ranging from hybrids, indicas and sativas. “We do two to three harvests per year at our Northern farm — each one is 3,000 plants. Smaller plants, faster cycles. But at our Southern farm, it’s bigger, full-season plants, 12 feet tall by 12 feet wide.”

The post Moto Perpetuo Farm: Where Sustainability Is Key appeared first on DOPE Magazine.

Moto Perpetuo Farm: Where Sustainability Is Key
Source: Dope Magazine

Grow Sciences: Dedication to Research Results in High-End Cannabis

January 19, 2019 by Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Grow Sciences – Arizona

It’s easy to see what really matters at Grow Sciences, as co-founders and co-owners Matthew Blum and Michael Cuthriell, CEO, love talking about it. “I often hear everyone here saying, ‘Our flower, ourconcentrates,’” shares Blum, who is also the head grower. “It is one team, it is one family, operating toward one goal: elevating Arizona’s game to the next level … and being super scrupulous business operators at the same time, and doing things the right way. That’s really what Grow Sciences was founded on … being a learning facility, where we know we’re going to make a ton of mistakes, but we’ll learn and forward the industry, not just copy what other people have done.”

The Product

Extraction tech, Jacob Karp shared a flower rosinthey’re working onthat reminded me of John Bayes’ Green Bodhi line I was lucky to enjoy in Oregon. Blum then discussed a top-end live hash rosin delight whose equivalent I’m told commands $100-150 a gram in California, coming soon to the Arizona market. Proud of their research and development process, Blum says they toss out entire batches that don’t measure up, refusing to risk patient health. “Transparency is one of the items we sell to them,” he says, referencing the tours they give to dispensary agents and partners. “You can come here, see the medicine you’re going to be ingesting into your lungs, stomach, wherever, and know you’re actually getting something we’re not going to kill you with.”

The Business

Grow Sciences secured their current facility in April 2017 andmoved in their geneticsline that December. They came to market in May 2018 and recently completed the expansion of their current grow site—but they’re not done yet. “We are a B2B2C company, so we work hard to have a direct relationship with our customers,” notes Cuthriell, who runs the post-production and executive side of the business. “Investing in our own dispensaries is a natural progression, as we believe we can share our story better than anybody.”

“It is one team, it is one family, operating toward one goal: elevating Arizona’s game to the next level …” – Matthew Blum, Grow Sciences co-founder, co-owner and grow scientist

The post Grow Sciences: Dedication to Research Results in High-End Cannabis appeared first on DOPE Magazine.

Grow Sciences: Dedication to Research Results in High-End Cannabis
Source: Dope Magazine

The Hot Box: Ranking Every New NFL Coach in 2019

January 18, 2019 by Staff Writer Leave a Comment

The Final Four in the NFL is set: the Kansas City Chiefs will host the New England Patriots while the Los Angeles Rams will battle the Saints in New Orleans.

But we’re already looking ahead. Our crystal ball has the capability to look waaaaaypast the NFC and AFC Championship Games, beyond the Pro Bowl, and, heck, even further than the Super Bowl. This crystal ball can see the likely outcome for all eight new coaches that were hired.

Below we’ve ranked the new hires, from first to worst.

1. Cleveland Browns: Freddie Kitchens

The fast-rising assistant coach started the 2018 season as the QB coach for the Cleveland Browns, and, now, less than a year later, Kitchens is the head man in charge in Cleveland.

The former interim offensive coordinator quickly proved that the Browns’ talented offense was being held back by Hue Jackson. Kitchens transformed the lowly Browns into one of the most entertaining teams in the NFL, and not because of how laughable they are.

The Browns have blue-chip talent throughout the roster, and a young core that should continue to develop. It’s no sure thing, but Kitchens could be cooking in Cleveland as early as next season.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bruce Arians

Only a year ago, Bruce Arians retired from coaching the Arizona Cardinals and rode off into the sunset as a CBS color commentator. And now Arians has brought the Cardinals to Tampa, the offensive mastermind is tasked with turning around a talented but young offensive squad, while turning the Bucs defense into a playoff caliber group.

Arians, who has dealt with health issues, is a year-to-year proposition in the NFL, but he’s worth the risk — especially if he can help Jameis Winston realize his potential.

3. Green Bay Packers: Matt LaFleur

LaFleur’s first year as offensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans left a lot to be desired, but there’s no questioning LaFleur’s resume.

The Packers new coach learned under Jay Gruden, Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay. Green Bay will hope that running the LaFleur will match the success of those offensive masterminds while letting star QB Aaron Rodgers operate the Shanahan/McVay offense.

The success of this hire will depend largely on if Rodgers buys into the young LaFleur as coach.

4. New York Jets: Adam Gase

Gase’s tenure with the Dolphins might not look great, but the former Miami coach continues to get the most out of the talent on his roster.

The Dolphins routinely had one of the least talented rosters in the league, but Gase was able to overperform.

He might not be a player’s coach who gets along with everybody, but Gase should be able to help Sam Darnold reach the next level of his development.

Unfortunately, Gase might be on a short lease, depending on if the Jets are able to have a successful year in 2019.

5. Arizona Cardinals: Kliff Kingsbury

One of the biggest surprises of the hiring cycle was the Cardinals hiring former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury.

Despite having a losing record in college, Kingsbury is an offensive wizard. He’s been able to develop players such as Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield and Case Keenum while in the college ranks. His next task will be to turn Josh Rosen into a franchise QB.

Although the Kingsbury hire might be slightly confusing, he’s a talented play caller who won’t have to deal with non-NFL talent on defense. Kingsbury is the epitome of a boom-or-bust coaching prospect.

6. Cincinnati Bengals: Zac Taylor

After sixteen seasons as the Bengals coach, Marvin Lewis is no longer in charge in Cincinnati. Rams QB coach Zac Taylor will lead the rebuild for the Bengals.

A big theme this offseason was trying to capture the magic that Sean McVay brought to Los Angeles. Taylor has learned under McVay and the Bengals are hoping that he can replicate that success.

The Bengals are run differently than any team in the league, so Taylor should have some job security but it won’t be easy to win in Cincy.

7. Miami Dolphins: Brian Flores

In charge of the Patriots defense, Flores has rumored to be a hot coaching candidate for years — and the Dolphins love to poach coaches from fellow AFC East teams.

The Dolphins are already reportedly considering tanking the 2019 season to get one of the highly sought after QB prospects.

A talent-depleted team, Flores has a lot of work ahead of him.

8. Denver Broncos: Vic Fangio

Fangio has long been one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL, and his hiring as a head coach is long overdue.

Unfortunately for the former Bears DC, Fangio has a tough hand in Denver.

The Broncos have an aging defense that’ll most likely improve under Fangio, but it’s the offense — and the staff — that could torpedo his tenure.

Fangio — along with general manager John Elway — will need to overhaul the offense and find a franchise QB. And their offensive coordinator pick, Gary Kubiak, won’t be there to help them.

The post The Hot Box: Ranking Every New NFL Coach in 2019 appeared first on DOPE Magazine.

The Hot Box: Ranking Every New NFL Coach in 2019
Source: Dope Magazine

Northern Berry: Relaxing, Hashy Blueberry Favorite

January 18, 2019 by Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Northern Berry by Full Moon Farms

A visit to Full Moon Farms during fall harvest led to a discovery: Northern Berry is the farm’s house favorite flower, a union of two famous indica strains, Blueberry and Northern Lights #5. This sustainably sun-grown flower’s purple hues indicate its relaxing effects and echo its enticing aroma: the essence of fresh, sweet blueberries grounded by undertones of earthy hash spice. The top terpene in blueberry, caryophyllene, mainly found in sativa strains, may balance some users. Furthermore, Northern Berry is sticky and full of resin — great for pressing fruity rosin. Sharing a joint of this berry delicious indica power plant relaxed muscles after a long drive, and the resultant munchies led us to devour a healthy meal.

Available At…

The Humboldt County Collective: 1670 Myrtle Ave., Eureka, CA 95501

RCP Sacramento: 1508 El Camino Ave., Sacramento, CA 95815

Up North Distribution: 5550 W End Rd., Arcata, CA 95521

The post Northern Berry: Relaxing, Hashy Blueberry Favorite appeared first on DOPE Magazine.

Northern Berry: Relaxing, Hashy Blueberry Favorite
Source: Dope Magazine

Tetra Cannabis: Elevated Cannabis Experience Just Around the Corner

January 18, 2019 by Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Tetra Cannabis – Portland, OR

Tetra Cannabis is an 18-month-old dispensary located on 40th and Belmont in SE Portland, a mere block from Peacock Lane, the official “Christmas Street” of Portland. Hopefully, some of you found your way to Tetra last month before you walked the blocks of lights for a little boost of the season’s electrifying effects! Both the owner and the company hired to create the store’s interior design wanted to elevate the cannabis experience; the result is a colorful, crisp, modern atmosphere that doesn’t feel cold or elitist. It’s an environment where you instantly feel comfortable while you peruse, learn and purchase.

The People

Brought to life by an entrepreneur with multiple Portland-based businesses, Tetra was conceived from a professional point of view. The owner hired on Kyler, now the general manager, as a cannabis consultant, who helped in the final layout and design of the store. Kyler says he and the budtenders love Tetra’s close-knit neighborhood feel and the connections they’ve made with their regular customers. Half the staff hails from prohibitionist Idaho, yet could answer any cannabis trivia question tossed their way, which gave me some sort of perverse satisfaction…

The Product

A recommendation from the budtenders at Tetra include Journeyman’s Couch Potatoes, chocolate-covered, cannabis-infused potato chips. Kyler also likes Happy Cabbage, a solventless extract, and was sure to mention that Tetra sells an in-house, terpene-rich oil for $12 and only $9 on Saturdays. Flower is proudly exhibited under sparkling glass counters, echoing an entomological display. Way cool! And if you’re from out of town with no gear in sight, no worries — a wooden box of $3 pipes is at the register for your convenience!

“Half the staff hails from prohibitionist Idaho, yet could answer any cannabis trivia question tossed their way, which gave me some sort of perverse satisfaction…”

The post Tetra Cannabis: Elevated Cannabis Experience Just Around the Corner appeared first on DOPE Magazine.

Tetra Cannabis: Elevated Cannabis Experience Just Around the Corner
Source: Dope Magazine

What Would Legal Cannabis Mean for New York City?

January 17, 2019 by Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Earlier this year, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his support of a regulated program for recreational marijuana. Many believe it’s only a matter of time until cannabis is legal on the streets of America’s biggest city. But what effect would legalization have on the Big Apple? According to a city budgetary executive, it would be more than just a financial windfall.

The Big Apple is where Bob Dylan cemented his place in folk history and Shawn Carter began his ascent from crack dealer to nine-figure rapper and business mogul. It’s where Jimi Hendrix solidified his status as a rock star and Jerry Seinfeld developed the backdrop for the most successful sitcom in American history.

Could New York also become the largest U.S. city with legal cannabis?

Signs point to yes. A New York State Health Department study released in July 2018 painted a positive picture of legalizing marijuana, and a NYC comptroller study projected a tax windfall of $336 million for New York City and $1.3 billion for the state. After calling the plant a “gateway drug” in 2017, governor Andrew Cuomo has gotten with the times and is now open to a recreational market in New York. State legislators are expected to discuss concrete plans for legalization in the next few months.

What could this additional cash buy for Empire City?

To find out, I talked to Daniel D. Miller, MPA, deputy executive director of New York City’s Board of Education Retirement System. He is responsible for developing policy guidelines and allocation strategies for over $6 billion in city assets.

Miller told me that legalizing cannabis would have a significant social impact on the city, in addition to its fiscal boon.

“Using the comptroller estimate as a baseline and accounting for savings from enforcement, legal marijuana would have a fiscal impact of $372.4 million on New York,” he said. “The additional revenue would impact communities disproportionately affected by marijuana arrests.”

The Financial Impact of Legal Cannabis in New York City

Miller explained how this extra money could make a serious difference in the city’s social programs.

“$20.6 million alone could be used to expand the city’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) by 10,000 slots. This would keep at-risk youths off the streets and provide them with income during the summer.”

According to the program’s website, SYEP provides youth employees to city employers at no cost. The effect of an additional 10,000 employees in the city, even for just the summer months, would be significant.

Miller also said revenue from legal cannabis could help support NYC’s Comprehensive After School System, which currently runs 900 programs that 97,000 students participate in. These programs offer young people recreation and academic development that is critical to their success as adults.

“Increased funding also has the additional impact of saving parents money on for-profit after school programs,” he said.

But the city program that needs the biggest financial windfall is also its most significant: The NYC subway system, run by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). Over 5.5 million people squeeze into city subway cars every weekday. And as most of them will tell you – probably with a few four-letter words strewn in – the subway system is less than reliable. According to The New York Times, the MTA could need as much as $60 billionto get back to an acceptable service level.

Cannabis alone wouldn’t be a one-shot solution to raise this type of money. Almost nothing would, but combined with already-proposed steps like congestion pricing for drivers and fare hikes for subway riders, legal weed could be a key step out of the Manhattan-sized fiscal hole the metro is currently trying to claw its way out of.

Extra money could also make the subway more accessible to those who need to get around. Launched in the first week of January, the city’s Fair Fares program allows working New Yorkers at or below the poverty level to purchase discounted fare cards.

“The current Fair Fares budget allocates $106 million to launch the program for half-priced MetroCards for subway and local bus service,” Miller said. “With additional funding the city could double the number of city residents eligible to 1.6 million.”

What About Social Justice in New York City?

Outside of its additional tax revenue, the biggest impact legal cannabis would have on Gotham is by far on marijuana-related arrests, which disproportionately impact communities of color.

The New York Times summed it up perfectly in a headline from a May 2018 studyof the racial disparity in NYC marijuana arrests: “Surest Way to Face Marijuana Charges in New York: Be Black or Hispanic.” Their data found some alarming trends. Despite roughly equal rates of use among whites and minorities, on the island of Manhattan, being black makes you 15 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana.

NYPD has tried to defend this injustice by stating that more complaints about marijuana are made in neighborhoods with larger populations of blacks and Hispanics. But the Times debunked that claim: They found that cops in Brooklyn’s Canarsie neighborhood, which is 85 percent black, made arrests for marijuana four times more often than in Greenpoint, which is four percent black, despite both precincts receiving about the same number of calls from that lame old dude down the hall.

“Since stop and frisk has been severely reduced, marijuana possession has become the de facto issue between police and young people of color,” Miller said.

Fortunately, in 2018 the city took big strides towards throwing out this racist policy for good. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in June that the NYPD would cut arrests for smoking in public by 50 percent, allowing people without a prior arrest for a violent crime to receive a summons instead of being handcuffed and taken to a station.

According to POLITICO, arrests for marijuana possession in New York City dropped 90 percent between September 2017 and September 2018. Legalizing cannabis would make the practice of arresting someone in New York for possessing the plant a thing of history, relegating it to America’s vast inventory of racist relics like Plessy v. Ferguson and the Three-Fifths Compromise.

Considering it would bring significant revenue to important public programs and do away with a law enforcement practice used unfairly against people of color, maybe it’s time for New York to let the Statue of Liberty’s torch illuminate more than just the path to freedom.

The post What Would Legal Cannabis Mean for New York City? appeared first on DOPE Magazine.

What Would Legal Cannabis Mean for New York City?
Source: Dope Magazine

A Pisos State of Mind: Giving Back When the Grass Is Green

January 17, 2019 by Staff Writer Leave a Comment

In Nevada’s first full year of taxable pot sales, $27.5 million tax dollars are now being spent on school funding, as well as $42.5 million for the state’s “rainy day” fund. While this is promising, there are still thousands of people out there who do not share in these gains because of their education, income or lack of mobility. Pisos dispensaryin Las Vegas realized this vast social and economic challenge and decided to do something about it.

Since its inception, Pisos has had a generously charitable mindset when it comes to those who have less. “We all have challenges in our lives, but we need to put things in perspective and help those who may have it more difficult than us,” says co-owner Chad Christensen when discussing Pisos’ Pay It Forward Program, which helps those in low-income communities pay for their groceries and goods.

The shophas also been a firm supporter of our military and veterans. In August of last year, Pisosdonated a $27,000 check to Veterans Village, a transitional and permanent housing residence for United States veterans operated by SHARE, a nonprofit organization. They also donated another $10,000 this past Veteran’s Day to fund housing for female veterans. These types of contributions help build homes and provide education, job training and physical and mental health programs for those who might never receive it otherwise.

“We all have challenges in our lives, but we need to put things in perspective and help those who may have it more difficult than us.” – Chad Christensen, Pisos co-owner

Canned food drives and cash donations are also run year-round. During Thanksgiving, Pisosstaff volunteered at a local soup kitchen to help feed those without a home and a warm meal. Pisos alsorecently chose one of the poorest schools in Las Vegas and donated 40 computers and computer carts so lower-income families could have access to the same education and technology as neighboring schools.

In the current federal landscape, nothing is deductible in the cannabis industry. Not charities or nonprofits — nothing. These donations are not for write-offs. Every contribution made by Pisos comes from the heart. I’m writing this piece in hopes that more dispensaries will follow suit and start their own programs to help groups who need our support. Pisosis setting the standard in Nevada for humanitarianism and philanthropic work, and with the help of more like-minded dispensaries, we can support even more at-risk communities in the years to come.

The post A Pisos State of Mind: Giving Back When the Grass Is Green appeared first on DOPE Magazine.

A Pisos State of Mind: Giving Back When the Grass Is Green
Source: Dope Magazine

Hump Day High: A Romantic Getaway to a Dark Sky Community with the CannaSexual

January 16, 2019 by Staff Writer Leave a Comment

“This is where they keep the stars,” my boyfriend whispered in my ear. His arms encircled me as I gazed upward, eyes wide, mouth agape. All I could say was, “Wow!” over and over again.

Polyamory life usually means splitting or working around holidays, so since B was going to be spending NYE with his wife, we decided to go away for an overnight getaway the weekend prior. He chose the location, a quaint inn in Borrego Springs, California, because it boasted in-room fireplaces, beautiful views and a clothing-optional heated pool and hot tub.

As I began researching the locale, I learned the real reason he chose it — Borrego Springs is in the middle of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, which is designated as an international “Dark Sky Community.” This means they actively curtail light pollution so you can see infinitely more stars with the naked eye than you could in a typical city. We could actually see the Milky Way from our patio. There are about 15 of these Dark Sky locations in the United States, and we’re lucky enough to live about an hour and a half from one of them.

He got to my house at 9 a.m. on Saturday. We couldn’t check in until 3 p.m., so we had to occupy our time somehow. I made breakfast, then we cuddled naked in bed for an hour, then had sex for two, then cuddled more. At some point lunch happened. We arrived in the afternoon with luggage in hand — two suitcases each. This may sound like overkill for one night, but we always approach packing with a “more is more” mindset. One of my suitcases was filled with nothing but sex toys, lube and lingerie. The other one held my VapeXhale and some Galactic Jack flower, incense, tea lights, essential oils, a diffuser and some fuzzy warm things, because the desert gets cold at night!

As an eager service submissive, I took charge of the unpacking and setting up process while B showered and relaxed. Once the room was arranged to my liking, we had sex for another hour. Then we donned our fluffy cotton robes, took a few puffs from the vape, turned on the gas fireplace and went to check out the hot tub and watch the sunset. It was glorious. The sky was streaked in pink and orange and the stars started appearing right away. We soaked for a bit in the blissfully hot tub, naked, then meandered back to the room for more sex. By the time we took our next break, the sky was pitch black. He led me out to the patio with blankets and a sleeping bag and held me as I looked up at the stars in wonder. I touched the Tiffany chain and lock around my neck (my anniversary gift last year) and passionately proclaimed that I was his in every conceivable way. God, I love that man.

We stayed up until 2 a.m. having sex, making love, touching souls and flying through the universe together in every way we could think of. Toys, hands, mouths — nothing was off-limits. It was magical. One of the most romantic and connective nights we’ve ever spent together. Wow.

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Hump Day High: A Romantic Getaway to a Dark Sky Community with the CannaSexual
Source: Dope Magazine

Key to success? Hiring a Full-Time Compliance Officer

January 15, 2019 by Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Almost every week, there is a new report of someone breaking with a state cannabis commission regulation and getting nailed.

Issues arise generally in three areas: security/safety, pesticides, and packaging.

Most recently, it was pesticides, from an investigation completed by the California Bureau of Cannabis Control on December 21 of Sequoia Analytical Labs in Sacramento. The bureau claimed the lab was faking results for four months about inadequate pesticide testing on cannabis products.

That means nearly 850 batches – tens of thousands of pounds of flower, edibles and marijuana products – will have to be returned and either destroyed or retested. Quoted in an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, Tony Daniel, the chief revenue officer with Steep Hill Labs in Berkeley, said the incident is “that doomsday scenario that everybody has been anticipating.”

“Everybody up and down that chain is going to want their money back, and not everyone’s got 25 to 50 grand to cover a recall,” Daniel said.

Then there is the case of ForwardGro, which became the first cultivation operation licensee in Maryland in mid-2017. After a six month investigation and 17 witness interviews, on December 17 the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) issued a consent order stating that the company used some of the banned pesticides listed by MMCC.

During that investigation, the commission also found additional compliance violations: failure to ensure employees used adequate personal protective equipment when they were spraying crops with the unauthorized pesticides, and failure to have appropriate security measures in place as required by the commission’s regulations when plants were moved to an area without security cameras.

As a result, ForwardGro has agreed to pay a fine of $125,000 within 30 days of the issuance of the consent order, serve a 24 month probation period, make critical changes in its leadership structure (which meant getting rid of CEO Mike McCarthy), and offer refunds on any flower or pre-roll products produced by ForwardGro before May 31, 2018.

The consent also noted: “The respondent shall ensure an expanded role for its compliance officer in the management and operations of the respondent’s business reporting directly to the CEO … and create a revised compliance officer job description …”

To some industry watchers, companies that get in trouble about compliance are even deeper behind the eight ball than they realize. “If you don’t start with that compliance at the core of everything you do, it is very difficult to catch up,” Joe Hodas, CEO of General Cannabis Corporation, said at a presentation during the 2018 Marijuana Business Conference in Las Vegas, adding that the cannabis business is a compliance business. “You are putting your business at risk if you don’t have someone focused on compliance on a day-to-day basis. If you are not compliant you will not be in business.”

What will probably go down in cannabis history as the biggest compliance failure to date occurred with Sweet Leaf in Denver, where undercover Denver police found that budtenders there were doing multiple daily cannabis sales to the same buyer, in violation of regulations. The city revoked 26 Sweet Leaf licenses in total: seven retail licenses, six medical center licenses, seven medical cultivation licenses, one infused products manufacturing license and five retail cultivation licenses, effectively putting Sweet Leaf out of business. “The biggest lesson learned from that experience was that you are being watched, you are being observed,” Hodas said. “If you think no one is looking, that can come back to bite you.”

Now with other states opening up recreational sales – ten so far, with New Jersey, New York, Vermont and other states on the cusp – and more regulators getting in the mix who have never had to regulate an agriculture commodity the way that cannabis has to be regulated, things could get tricky fast.

California, where adult use cannabis sales began on January 1, 2018, is still tweaking rules and regulations, ready to roll out the final version of the state’s cannabis regulations on January 19, 2019. “California dispensaries I think are having some trouble because of this sudden shift from a sort of gray market, loose framework to this very strict framework,” Kyle Sherman, founder and CEO of Flowhub, a point of sale software supplier, said during a presentation at the 2018 Marijuana Business conference in Las Vegas. “Now having to integrate compliance is actually really difficult because people are so set in their ways.”

To a business already deep in the red just to open its doors with all the capital equipment investments and license fees, adding another full-time employee can seem like an unnecessary burden. A quick search on a jobs site shows compliance officers annual salary as high as $80,000.

Hodas advised hiring someone as a compliance officer who not only knows and understands the particular state regulations, but how to create institutional compliance. “You have to choose a person who understands how to integrate that into the culture – in sales, in product development, whatever. They need to understand culture and messaging.”

Everyone needs to be onboard with compliance, Hodas said, not just the assigned compliance person. “The compliance person is that one person responsible for checking every box and every label and those parts and pieces what I would call end-of-the-funnel stuff,” he said. “You can set that person up for failure because there will be mistakes made.”

So what can be done now? Sherman said that more technical assistance in developing new applications for getting and reporting data is already impacting how cannabis businesses make compliance work better. But he also advises to just try to understand the spirit of the law. “If you know what that law is intended to do, go with that.”

The post Key to success? Hiring a Full-Time Compliance Officer appeared first on DOPE Magazine.

Key to success? Hiring a Full-Time Compliance Officer
Source: Dope Magazine

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