McConnell trains his sights on the intoxicating hemp ‘loophole’ 👀

“Science is about pattern recognition, discernment, and humility. When someone with no public health training offers sweeping conclusions from loosely interpreted stats, they’ve confused confidence with competence,” Dr. Ben Caplan, a physician and cannabis expert, wrote in his Substack newsletter, in response to a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed from writer Charles Fain Lehman which argues that cannabis legalization has been a “disaster.” 

“Lehman’s argument is a textbook example of what happens when the ‘bozo filter’ breaks down — when selective reading and ideological bias pass for insight.”

Read the WSJ piece here, and Dr. Caplan’s rebuttal here.

Sen. Mitch McConnell reportedly wants to close the intoxicating hemp ‘loophole’ 🛑

Sen. McConnell (R-KY) is reportedly planning to introduce language into the Senate's upcoming Appropriations Bill that matches language in the House version, which could completely close the intoxicating hemp ‘loophole’ — which allows products containing THC to be sold in every state, until lawmakers started reeling it in last year — created by the 2018 Farm Bill. McConnell originally championed the 2018 bill, when he was still Senate Majority Leader. The bill's text has not yet been publicly released, but Marijuana Moment has details from sources close to McConnell. Read more about the House bill here and the impacts on hemp.  

Maryland launches state-owned cannabis incubator 📈

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced plans for the first ever state-owned cannabis incubator facility to support the state’s “social equity micro licenses,” in early July. The facility will support “up to 110” small (cannabis) business owners in growing, processing and storing their products.

California seizes $4.9 million worth of illicit cannabis 👮

The California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) on July 8 said that a state-wide operation against illegal cannabis resulted in $4.9 million worth of illegal product seized. The raids involved the DCC, Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, City of Los Angeles Department of Building & Safety, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Irvine Police Department. Targeted counties included Irvine, Modesto, North Hollywood, and Turlock, with plants, edibles, firearms and more recovered from the seizures.

Maryland town to vote on new cannabis establishment 🙋‍♂️

The small town of California, Maryland, will hold a vote on July 10^th to decide on approving a second cannabis dispensary (Southern Waves Dispensary) in the area. Recreational cannabis sales began in Maryland in July of 2023.

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Oregon cannabis lab shuts down 📴

Green Leaf Lab founder and CEO Rowshan Reordan said on LinkedIn that the cannabis testing lab is exiting Oregon, due to “sustained industry pressure to produce fraudulent test results,” and the state’s lack of oversight and enforcement. Reordan said Green Leaf California will remain operational. Oregon’s cannabis testing woes mirror those of Massachusetts, which suspended a lab’s license July 1 after a lawsuit from MCR Labs accused eight competitors of fraudulent results. Read more in our June 7 newsletter. 

Curaleaf buys out minority partner in European business 💸

Curaleaf announced it bought out its minority partner in Curaleaf International Holdings, giving it full ownership of its European operations. The deal, which closed on July 2, helps the company streamline decision-making and double down on international growth. Curaleaf International was previously owned by a single institutional investor. The company’s stock climbed about 3% as of mid-afternoon Tuesday.

Organigram-owned Canadian cannabis beverage brand launches in the US 🍻

Collective Project, a Canadian cannabis beverage brand recently acquired by Organigram, launched in the US with sales in 25 states. Organigram says they expect the THC beverage market to reach $4 billion by 2028.

FLUENT pushes into the Empire State 🗽

The recently rebranded FLUENT, a Florida-based cannabis firm, announced the rebrand of the Kingston, New York dispensary it took over when it acquired RIV Capital in December of last year. The company is rebranding its three other New York dispensaries under the FLUENT name as well. 

And more:

• Ohio cannabis brand Terrasana will open a new dispensary in Parma. 

Study: Nearly 40% of Californians consumed cannabis in the last three months 🌿

Nearly 40% of Californians smoked cannabis in the last three months, per a new study from researchers at the University of San Diego. The survey also found that 77% reported obtaining cannabis from licensed dispensaries, and the vast majority reported improvements in their emotional, physical, and mental well-being. The survey’s first results were reported in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

The majority THC potency labels are inaccurate for cannabis flower 🤔

A new study from the University of Colorado found that nearly 60% of cannabis flower products sold at Colorado dispensaries had THC levels that were more than 15% off of what the label claimed. Concentrates were much more accurate — 96% were within that 15% margin. The study is another data point that many cannabis testing labs are either flawed or succumbing to industry pressure to juice THC content. The study was published in the journal Nature on July 2.