Marijuana Business This Week: Vermont hemp hearings, Michigan cannabis warning labels, Medicine Man update & more

Get realistic market forecasts, state-by-state insights and benchmarks with the 2024 MJBiz Factbook member program, now with quarterly updates. Make informed decisions.


Here are some notable stories and events to watch for in the coming days:

VERMONT HEMP HEARINGS: The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (AAFM) will hold its first public hearings to discuss the rulemaking process for the state’s hemp program.

The hearings are scheduled for Thursday in Brandon and Friday in Newport.

According to the official state website, the AAFM must adopt rules establishing how the agency will conduct research within its hemp program and set requirements for the registration of growers of hemp crops and processors of hemp and hemp-infused products.

The AAFM submitted the proposed hemp rules to the secretary of state’s office on May 17. The last day for public comment is July 5.

MICHIGAN WEIGHS WARNINGS: Testimony is expected to continue this week in Michigan on legislation that would require putting health warning labels on marijuana products.

According to Kalamazoo TV station WWMT, the bill, sponsored by Republican Reps. Thomas Albert and Daire Rendon, calls for the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to ensure the labeling is implemented.

The labels would carry this message:

“Warning: Use by pregnant or breastfeeding women, or by women planning to become pregnant, may result in fetal injury, preterm birth, low birth weight, or developmental problems for the child.”

MEDICINE MAN UPDATE: Medicine Man Technologies, the Denver-based vertically integrated cannabis operator, has scheduled a corporate update call for investors on Tuesday.

CEO Andy Williams, Chief Operating Officer Joe Puglise and board chair Justin Dye will be on the call to take queries from investors and to discuss the firm’s future and pending acquisitions.

Earlier this month, Medicine Man agreed to acquire Los Sueños Farms, Colorado’s largest cannabis grower, and MesaPur, a local manufacturing and dispensary company in the state.

CALIFORNIA COMMITTEE CONVENING: California’s Cannabis Advisory Committee will hold three subcommittee meetings on Thursday and a full committee meeting the next day in Los Angeles.

On Thursday:

  • The Subcommittee on Equity will discuss topics including state and local definitions of a social equity applicant; business development and educational services for applicants; income limits for applicants; state equity programs versus local equity programs; and funding for social equity programs.
  • The Subcommittee on Delivery will examine recommendations related to cannabis delivery operations, including balancing local control and patient access; disclosure of premises address on delivery receipt; and operating hours for delivery services.
  • The Subcommittee on Testing Laboratories will look at topics such as CBD and industrial hemp safety standards, testing regulations and standardization; reference standards and stability testing; illicit market activity and enforcement; and taxation.

On Friday, the full committee hearing will review the issues discussed and actions taken by the three subcommittees the previous day.

MISSOURI MMJ SIGN-UP: Only weeks after the dispensary license application process began, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on Friday will begin accepting applications from patients for medical marijuana ID cards – a key step for getting the MMJ industry off the ground.

The Columbia Missourian reported the department moved up the date to begin the process six days earlier than the original July 4 deadline.

EXPIRING LICENSE SCORECARD: There are 55 cultivation licenses set to expire this week in California, according to an analysis of state license data by Marijuana Business Daily.