Month: October 2024

The International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC) is once again bringing its flagship conference, Europe’s largest and longest-running cannabis B2B event, to Berlin on April 29th-30th, 2025. The event will be held at the iconic Estrel Berlin Hotel.

ICBC Berlin 2025 could not be timelier, with Germany’s legal cannabis industry currently undergoing a historic expansion. Starting on April 1st, 2024, cannabis became legal for adults to cultivate, possess, and consume in Germany. Additionally, as of July 1st, 2024, aspiring cultivation association operators can apply with their local regulatory authorities in Germany.

Regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot projects are another major component of Germany’s legalization model and are expected to launch by the end of 2024. Associations and pilots will likely proliferate in many parts of Germany by the end of next year. Competition is going to increase significantly within Germany’s industry, and a great way to stand out in the crowd and establish your cannabis brand is to exhibit at and/or sponsor ICBC Berlin 2025.

“Europe is by far the most exciting place on the planet for cannabis policy and industry right now. Germany is leading a continental revolution and creating opportunities that we have never witnessed before and may never

Read More Here...

A lawsuit filed on behalf of eight licensed New Mexico cannabis companies alleges that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) unlawfully seized state legal cannabis products and cash, violating the companies’ Fifth Amendment rights.  

The lawsuit was filed by law firm Greenspoon Marder, which said in a statement that “The federal government is fully aware of the legitimacy and prevalence of state-legal cannabis, and these businesses are paying federal taxes like any other businesses.”   

“Yet, despite this recognition, federal agents are unjustly seizing property without any regard for due process. This isn’t a legal gray area – CBP’s newfound policy is a blatant and arbitrary violation of rights and is completely unacceptable in a system that claims to respect state sovereignty and the rule of law.” — Greenspoon Marder’s cannabis team in a statement 

Earlier this year CPB reportedly seized more than $300,000 worth of cannabis products from state-licensed operators in New Mexico during routine checkpoints in the state’s southern region. CPB contends that the seizures are legal under federal law because cannabis is a Schedule I drug under

Read More Here...

Police in Canada on Tuesday announced they had taken down an organized crime group believed to have produced tens of thousands of counterfeit candy bars, resembling popular name-brand products, that contained cannabis and psilocybin mushrooms, ABC News reports. Police said they seized more than 120,000 cannabis-infused products resembling brand-name products and more than 6.6 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms in the bust. 

Police said the bust included 1,740 psilocybin capsules, more than 400 psilocybin chocolate candies, 2.2 pounds of pressed cannabis resin, over 500 pounds of flower, more than 19 pounds of concentrates, over 5,000 vape cartridges, counterfeit cannabis-laced honey, five vehicles, two ATM machines containing cash, an estimated 164 master cases of contraband tobacco equating to 82,000 packs of cigarettes, over $400,000 in cash, and a shotgun. 

In a statement, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) authorities described the products as resembling “professionally manufactured, packaged, and quality-controlled products” that were “produced in the highly unsanitary, and heavily contaminated modular trailers.” 

“A preliminary assessment of the edibles also indicates that they had been treated with unknown amounts of THC, and likely cross-contaminated with other drugs and substances present in the trailers where they

Read More Here...

The trial over Nebraska’s two medical cannabis ballot initiatives began Tuesday in Lancaster County District Court, highlighting ballot measures in the state, the different groups involved in the campaign, and notary publics, the Nebraska Examiner reports. Both proposals – which together if approved by voters would legalize medical cannabis in the state – remain on ballots but the trial outcome could invalidate the election results. 

Attorneys for John Kuehn, a former state senator and former State Board of Health member who filed the lawsuit, and Secretary of State Bob Evnen, a defendant in the lawsuit, sought to frame the case around whether the medical cannabis campaign followed state rules. In a legal brief in the case, Evnen, along with Attorney General Mike Hilgers, contend the campaign engaged in “fraud” and the “malfeasance” of notaries involved “strips the presumption of validity” of thousands of submitted signatures. During arguments on Tuesday, Deputy Solicitor General Zach Viglianco claimed that the campaign cheated in obtaining signatures. 

Sydney Hayes, an attorney for the ballot sponsors, argued that plaintiffs don’t have enough evidence of “fraud” and that, at most, one petition contains 706 questionable signatures while

Read More Here...

Table of Contents

Register Here

Join us for a post-election breakdown: “Post-Election Cannabis Wrap – Smoke ’em if you’ve got ’em”

As the dust settles (hopefully) from the 2024 U.S. elections, the cannabis industry stands at the threshold of potentially transformative changes. Join us on November 7th at 12 PM Pacific for an engaging discussion on the ramifications of the legal landscape of cannabis, post-election. We will cover everything from the Presidential and Congressional races, to the handful of pending state ballot measure results in Florida, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Oregon.

Post-election Q&A webinar details:

Vince Sliwoski will guide the discussion with seasoned industry veterans Aaron Pelley and Fred Rocafort. Collectively, these experts bring a wealth of industry knowledge and experience, ensuring a comprehensive analysis of what lies ahead for the cannabis industry.

Whether you are a cannabis entrepreneur, investor, or simply keen on the future of cannabis legislation, this discussion is designed for you.

Prepare your best questions and join us for deep insights into:

How the election outcomes are expected to reshape federal and state cannabis policies, including with pending Schedule III proposal. The potential for new market openings and business opportunities in

Read More Here...

A judge in Queens ruled Tuesday that the New York City law enabling local law enforcement to crack down on unlicensed cannabis sales, dubbed Operation Padlock to Protect, is unconstitutional, according to Green Market Report.

In his opinion on the ruling, Queens County Superior Court Justice Kevin J. Kerrigan wrote that when police forcedly closed the Queens-based retailer Cloud Corner, they had violated the shop owner’s right to due process. Specifically, Kerrigan said that New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda’s decision to ignore an official recommendation against the shop’s permanent closure — stemming from the fact that Cloud Corner had not been open for business when police conducted their raid on the shop — was a “clear violation of due process under the law.”

“The Court acknowledges that the unlicensed sale of cannabis within the City of New York represents an enormous public health concern. This decision should not be interpreted to condone such unlicensed activity. However, summarily shuttering a business for one year, despite the fact that it was exonerated from allegations of illegal activity stands against the cornerstone of American democracy and procedural due process.” — Kerrigan, in the opinion

A spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams’ (D) office said

Read More Here...

Colorado-based Green Dragon, a multi-state cannabis company with operations in Colorado and Florida, will shut down operations by next year, according to a KDVR report.

DP Holdings Colorado LLC, the holding company behind Green Dragon, filed notices on October 16 with state officials in Florida and Colorado to warn of impending layoffs. Per the report, Green Dragon’s layoffs will affect all company positions including cultivation, processing, and retail roles, and the layoffs will cover 59 positions in Colorado and 113 in Florida.

The company is also shutting down 17 dispensaries in Colorado and 39 dispensaries in Florida, and the company is expected to sell off its 400,000-square-foot medical cannabis cultivation facility in Florida.

The folding of Green Dragon follows the company’s 2021 merger with Eaze Technologies, Inc. — a cannabis tech firm once valued at $700 million — but Eaze’s assets were purchased at auction in August, and the company’s CEO Cory Azzalino announced a few weeks ago that the company will “wind down operations” by the end of the year with layoffs coming for nearly 500 employees.

Additionally, the closure follows a recent downturn in Colorado cannabis sales: the state reported just under $109 million in sales through August

Read More Here...

As the 2024 election approaches, BGM recognizes the pivotal role it could play in shaping the future of cannabis legalization across the United States. Matthew Schweich, the Executive Director of the Marijuana Policy Project and a prominent cannabis reform advocate, offered insightful commentary on the potential impacts of the election on cannabis policy. Schweich’s observations reveal that no matter the outcome of the election on November 5, significant developments for the cannabis industry are likely, but challenges remain. In this blog, we’ll delve into Schweich’s key points and explore the election scenarios that could reshape the future of cannabis legalization in the United States.

In this blog, we explore Schweich’s perspective on the possible election outcomes and what they could mean for cannabis businesses nationwide. We share our perspectives and provide insight into the ever-changing cannabis industry landscape that BGM helps clients navigate every day.

Bipartisan Support for Legalization: A Milestone in 2024

One of the most striking aspects of the 2024 election, according to Schweich, is that both major presidential candidates from the Democratic and Republican parties support cannabis legalization. This bipartisan backing marks a significant shift in U.S. political dynamics. As Schweich remarked, “That’s something that I think

Read More Here...

C4 USA, the trailblazer in high-quality cannabis cultivation, proudly announces an unprecedented leap forward, expanding its operations to over 100,000 square feet of mature canopy. This monumental achievement marks a new chapter in C4 USA’s quest to dominate the cannabis industry, redefining the future of cannabis cultivation on a scale that few can match.

This is not just another expansion. This is a game-changer. By doubling down on innovation and cutting-edge technology, C4 USA has created a facility that sets new benchmarks for quality, consistency, and production capacity. With this expansion, the company can now meet soaring demand while elevating the consumer experience with premium, top-tier cannabis like never before.

“Our expansion to 100,000 square feet is a monumental milestone that underscores our ambition and ability to lead this industry,” said David Bernard, Chief Operating Officer of C4 USA. “We’ve invested in the best talent, the best technology, and a meticulous approach to cultivation that sets us apart. This isn’t just growth—it’s a revolution in how cannabis is produced, and we’re just getting started.”

The expanded cultivation facility, located in Cathedral City, is now one of the largest and most advanced cannabis production centers in California, equipped with cutting-edge

Read More Here...

Table of Contents

Election Day is next Tuesday, November 5. I have plenty of thoughts! Today I’ll stay in my lane, though, and focus on the cannabis state ballot measures.

The voting states this time around include Florida, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. I’m aware of one other jurisdiction is doing work around the edges– namely, Oregon’s Measure 119 on unionization for certain types of cannabis licensees (more on that one here). But today we will focus on the four “new regime” measures.

With cannabis polling so favorably nationwide, you may be wondering why only four states are voting to change the plant’s legal status. I explained in a 2021 post:

Something important to understand about cannabis legalization is that only 21 states allow citizen-approved ballot initiatives. The manner in which Colorado, Washington, Oregon, California, etc., first legalized cannabis for medical or adult use simply isn’t available in a majority of states.

See: Cannabis Ballot Measures are a Sucker’s Game: Notes from South Dakota, Mississippi, Nebraska and Florida (“Sucker’s Game”).

Because most states that can legalize cannabis via direct voter action have already done so, we are left with a few “try, try again” jurisdictions. To wit,

Read More Here...