Barring any more unforeseen hurdles, medical cannabis sales in Louisiana might begin as soon as next month. But before the state gives the greenlight, it needs the all-clear from testing labs. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry is holding off on authorizing sales until pesticide tests ensure no MMJ products are contaminated, according to Baton […]
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Louisiana medical marijuana grower opens commercial facility
GB Sciences said it has opened its commercial cultivation center at Louisiana State University, which will enable the company to increase by fivefold its production capacity for the state’s medical cannabis program. The announcement comes a month after GB Sciences settled a dispute with the state over the facility. The company also said it is starting some […]
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Louisiana medical marijuana grower plans ‘limited release’ of product in May
A Louisiana medical cannabis cultivator is planning to release a limited amount of product in May, which could temporarily alleviate some frustration from the ongoing delay in the program’s rollout. However, it’s still not clear when sales would begin. GB Sciences, which has the contract to cultivate medical marijuana for Louisiana State University, will release […]
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Louisiana medical cannabis grower OK’d to up production; no start date for sales
Louisiana’s agriculture department and a state-sanctioned medical marijuana grower broke through one of the key regulatory logjams keeping MMJ off pharmaceutical shelves. However, it remains uncertain when sales might begin. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain said Friday that regulatory paperwork and background checks were completed that will allow Louisiana State University’s medical marijuana grower to move […]
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Louisiana regulators allege LSU medical cannabis cultivation team violated law
An ongoing dispute has intensified in Louisiana, pitting regulators against one of the state’s medical marijuana cultivation teams, but it’s unclear whether the quarrel will further delay an MMJ program that’s been slow to get off the ground. In a letter Monday, the state’s Agriculture Department told Louisiana State University’s AgCenter and its cannabis-growing partner, GB […]
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First medical cannabis crop in Louisiana passes lab tests
The initial crop of legal medical marijuana in Louisiana has made it through the first round of laboratory testing, clearing an important checkpoint to legal sales. The cannabis grown by GB Sciences passed each laboratory inspection conducted by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Baton Rouge TV station WAFB reported. The medical marijuana was tested for potency, […]
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Marijuana business sues Louisiana after state nixes its testing lab application
A New Orleans-based company is suing the state of Louisiana, claiming that its application to be an independent medical cannabis testing laboratory was improperly rejected. The lack of an independent testing lab is the latest development to delay Louisiana’s medical marijuana program, which was initially expected to become operational in late 2018. Product now isn’t […]
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Louisiana medical marijuana sales won’t begin before May
Another delay of Louisiana’s medical marijuana program means MMJ products likely won’t be available in the state until May at the earliest, according to The Times-Picayune of New Orleans. The lack of an independent testing lab in large part has been holding up the program, which initially was expected to launch in late 2018. More […]
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Louisiana cannabis grower raises questions about state’s MMJ testing blueprint
Louisiana’s only operating medical marijuana grower is uneasy about the state’s plan to test the crop itself instead of using third-party laboratories. The president of licensed grower GB Sciences Louisiana, John Davis, said the Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s new regulatory scheme complicates procedures such as appealing contested test results. “If I disagree … or […]
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New cannabis business takes over Louisiana MMJ grower contract
Pennsylvania-based Ilera Holistic Healthcare is taking over the contract to grow medical marijuana on behalf of Louisiana’s Southern University for the state’s MMJ program. Shreveport TV station KTBS reported that the company with the initial contract – Advanced Biomedics – never became operational because of disputes between the owners. Ilera bought the 68% stake in Advanced […]
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Louisiana medical marijuana sales delayed by lack of testing lab
A failure to find an independent testing lab will delay medical marijuana sales in Louisiana at least until January, roughly two months after the market was originally anticipated to launch. The lack of an independent lab also means Louisiana’s Department of Agriculture department will handle product testing for now, The Advocate reported. GB Sciences, one […]
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Louisiana’s first medical cannabis harvest to start this week
The first legal crop of medical marijuana in Louisiana is set to be harvested this week. However, testing is still necessary before product can ship, and the state hasn’t yet selected a third-party laboratory. The licensed grower working with the Louisiana State University Agriculture Center, GB Sciences, expects to start the drying process by next week, The […]
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