Legislative & Licensing Update: August 11, 2022
Cannabis Application Anticipation, Proposed Rules & Ballot Initiatives
Continued application anticipation in NY. Proposed rules and comment period in NJ. Consumption lounge news in NV. Ballot initiative confirmation for adult-use in MO, but initiative setbacks in AR. Strong advocacy efforts in MS force a county-level vote to overturn a ban on medical businesses. Mixed messages for licensing progress in FL. Plus cannabis retail experts speak at Cannabis Conference in Vegas on August 23. Get the full details below.
Just announced: A Cannabis Control Board (CCB) meeting is scheduled for Monday, the 15th at 12pm ET. (Fingers crossed they announce the Conditional Retail dispensary window, which we expect to open on September 1 based on the rollout cadence thus far).
Office of Cannabis Management also published the scoring criterion for the CAURD applicants.
Lastly, catch Canna Advisors’ VP Bob Wagener at the Hamptons Cannabis Expo on August 20 and 21 in East Hampton.
In New Jersey, newly proposed rules include licensing procedures for delivery, distribution, and wholesale businesses, and the public comment period runs until September 30. And, Canna Advisors’ Russ Hudson will host an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on New Jersey Cannabis Business Licensing on August 11 at 11 am MT / 1 pm ET. If you missed the live event, you can watch the recording.
Oklahoma won’t be an active licensing state for long with their application moratorium going into effect at the end of this month.
Good timing for a reset in Oklahoma, as nearly 100 medical cannabis products — including flower, concentrates, cartridges, and pre-rolled joints — have been recalled.
Nevada consumption lounge rules are final and 20 new consumption lounge licenses are expected to be available this fall, with half earmarked for social equity applicants. Nevada’s lounges will operate more like bars by selling single-use products rather than requiring customers to bring their own cannabis.
Mississippi awarded more licenses, now up to 93 Dispensary licenses, 7 cultivations, 2 micro cultivations, and 3 processors.
Ballot Watch
The proposed Arkansas recreational marijuana amendment’s name, and ballot title were rejected by the state Board of Election Commissioners, and legalization advocates have since asked the Arkansas Supreme Court to overrule state election officials’ decision to reject a ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana.
The Legal Missouri 2022 campaign announced that its citizens’ initiative petition qualified for the Nov. ballot and exceeded the required minimum needed.
Lincoln County, Mississippi activists collected enough signatures to force a ballot vote to overturn the Board of Supervisors’ decision to ban medical cannabis businesses.
In Wisconsin, city and county voters will see nonbinding marijuana legalization advisory referendums on their local ballots in November. The results won’t immediately change cannabis policy, but they could send a message to state lawmakers.
The Harker Heights, Texas City Council voted to place a marijuana decriminalization initiative on the November ballot.
The Detroit, Michigan City Council voted to place a measure on the November ballot to revise recreational marijuana business rules.
Florida (for 2024!) – A new Florida marijuana legalization initiative backed by Trulieve would let existing medical cannabis companies sell to all adults over 21. The measure doesn’t allow home cultivation. It allows — but doesn’t require — additional businesses to be licensed. And there are NO provisions for expungement of prior cannabis records or social equity.
States to Watch for Cannabis Progress
Also in Florida, the OMMU has been approving NEW locations for current licensees but still has not made an award of the ONE Pigford license, which were submitted in March (after waiting several years for the application period to open). An additional license application window is expected around Q4 of this year.
General Cannabis News
At the federal level, Biden’s DOJ says medical marijuana patients are too ‘dangerous To trust’ in motion to dismiss Florida’s Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried’s lawsuit on 2nd amendment gun rights.
Cannabis Business Times’ Cannabis Conference, on August 23-25 in Las Vegas will award Tommy Chong with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his longtime contributions to advancing and normalizing cannabis culture and advocating for legalization.
Our own Sumer Thomas will also be at Cannabis Conference speaking on an all-women panel on Retail Facility Design & Buildout For Optimal User Experience & Aesthetic.