Hezekiah Allen has been a staple of marijuana lobbying in Sacramento, California, for more than four years as head of the Emerald Growers Association and then the renamed California Growers Association (CGA). But now he’s moving on to spearhead a new holding company to promote cannabis cultivation cooperatives. Allen announced his resignation as executive director of […]
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More illegal cannabis businesses raided in Los Angeles area
Law enforcement agents in the Los Angeles area continue to crack down on unlicensed cannabis retailers this week, with the Los Angeles Police Department serving one warrant at an illegal shop in Mission Hills on Tuesday and sheriff’s deputies raiding 13 shops in East L.A. The crackdown should benefit licensed operators that argue they lose […]
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Nearly a fifth of California marijuana products failing testing standards
Close to 20% of marijuana products in California have failed tests for potency and purity since the state started requiring the checks on July 1 – a rate some in the industry say has more to do with unrealistic standards and technical glitches than protecting consumer safety. Testing has been especially tough on cannabis-infused cookies, […]
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How ‘thousands of pounds’ of California cannabis may be left out of the legal supply chain
The regulatory whirlwind that swept through California’s marijuana industry since the newly regulated market launched in January continues to fan many companies’ anxieties – especially those smaller farmers that are more focused on cultivation than mainstream business savvy.
In particular, the state requirement that all growers use licensed distributors as middlemen to get their product to market has resulted in a bottleneck in many rural marijuana farming areas, especially Trinity County, which is famously remote and therefore was a perfect stomping ground for illicit cannabis growers for decades.
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California cannabis tech firm Treez closes $11.5 million funding round
Treez, an ancillary cannabis tech company based in Oakland, California, raised $11.5 million to help fund its expansion. The company offers a point-of-sale software system that currently serves more than 100 MJ retailers. In a news release, Treez said Monday the $11.5 million represented an “oversubscribed” Series A funding. That brings to $15 million the amount of […]
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California marijuana company Canndescent closes $13 million funding round
California marijuana cultivator Canndescent announced Thursday that it has closed a $13 million Series C Convertible funding round to help finance the company’s expansion into new state markets. The company also will use the money to bankroll a second cannabis brand and new product lines. Canndescent, which already specializes in pre-rolled joints and premium cannabis […]
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California’s 2018 legislative session a ‘mixed bag’ for marijuana businesses
The 2018 California legislative session in Sacramento – which wound to a close Aug. 31 – was a blend of highs and lows for licensed cannabis companies, with some major victories scored literally on the last day while other high-profile bills died. Some wins for marijuana businesses involved changes to the provisional licensing process and […]
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California political groups launch website to shoot down statewide marijuana delivery
Three heavy-hitting political organizations in Sacramento, California, announced a new website Friday in a push to convince state regulators to abandon plans to allow marijuana delivery statewide. The cannabis industry largely supports the statewide delivery policy, arguing it’s necessary to guarantee access for homebound medical marijuana patients. It also would boost sales by reaching municipalities […]
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California cannabis regulators revoke four business licenses
California marijuana regulators revoked the licenses of four MJ businesses after the municipalities where those companies were located nixed their operations. The four account for only a handful of the 433 California marijuana companies that have seen their temporary business licenses canceled, revoked or expire, according to new information posted online by the state Bureau of […]
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California Marijuana Notebook: Delivery battles and regrouping after July 1 transition
Product recalls. Threatened lawsuits. At least one criminal case against an unlicensed retailer as well as an unlicensed delivery firm.
That’s a lot – but far from all – that’s currently happening in California’s marijuana industry.
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California targets cannabis delivery firm in second enforcement action
The California Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) on Tuesday announced its second enforcement action against an unlicensed marijuana business, targeting an illegal MJ delivery company in Sacramento. In a news release, the BCC said the Cannaisseur Club – a delivery company that had previously advertised on sites such as Weedmaps – was shuttered after an investigation […]
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California begins enforcement against unlicensed marijuana businesses
California cannabis regulators have started to demonstrate there are teeth behind the state’s new rules. Here’s what you need to know: A 47-year-old Orange County resident was arrested Friday by local police for “unlawfully operating a marijuana dispensary” in Costa Mesa, according to a news release from the state Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC). The […]
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Capitalizing on the CBD surge.