First reported by the Los Angeles Times, the geographically small city of West Hollywood plans to rebrand itself as a cannabis mecca, or as “Emerald Village”—a name coined by a cannabis trade group of the same name. At less than two square miles in size, the city is packing in cannabis businesses, and could reinvent itself as the “Amsterdam of the far West.”

“Welcome to the Emerald Village, the capital of cannabis culture,” the organization says on its website. “We invite you to explore all the gems West Hollywood has to offer in this golden age of cannabis including culinary, wellness, entertainment, nightlife, art and personalized experiences.” Emerald Village calls itself the “official marketing organization for licensed cannabis businesses in West Hollywood.”

West Hollywood is currently home to just six dispensaries, but city officials plan to approve as many as 40 cannabis permits over the course of the next year.

West Hollywood is already home to one cannabis retailer for every 5,959 residents—a much higher concentration of cannabis businesses than even Los Angeles. West Hollywood Community and Legislative Affairs Manager John Leonard told Los Angeles Times that the city received over 300 applications for just eight licenses to operate dispensaries in 2018.

It would be a rebrand from West Hollywood’s current status as the LGBTQ “main street” of Los Angeles—with over 21 gay bars on Santa Monica Blvd alone. But the city’s high focus on retail is ideal for cannabis brands as well.

Current member organizations of Emerald Village West Hollywood include Alternative Herbal Health Services (AHHS), The Artist Tree, CALMA, LA Patients and Caregivers Group (LAPCG), MedMen and Zen Healing Collective.

“I really see it as a place that can redefine what the image of cannabis is to the general public,” Kelly Lyon, of The Artist Tree told CBS News. “It would be awesome to be able to have a business where you can appreciate art. If yoga is more your thing, you can walk down the street and do that while you consume and everyone is sort of bringing a different idea to the table.”

It makes sense—considering that West Hollywood is already a pioneer in cannabis culture. A few years ago, Lowell Farms opened what it called “America’s first cannabis restaurant,” a café serving cannabis-infused foods.

“From the first cannabis café in the United States to entertainment and art venues enhanced by cannabis, West Hollywood’s Emerald Village is home to the most unique and creative cannabis experiences in the world,” Scott Schmidt, Emerald Village Executive Director told WeHoville. “The Emerald Village is ready to welcome travelers who will appreciate our imaginative cannabis experiences alongside our iconic LGBT nightlife, entertainment, world-class hotels, award-winning restaurants and strong sense of community.”

The development is being driven in part by celebrities. The Parent Company—Jay-Z’s massive cannabis enterprise—recently purchased the female-run CALMA, a West Hollywood dispensary according to an October 4 press release. Patricia Arquette plans to open an edible lounge in the Flaming Saddles building—the same building where Prince recorded “Purple Rain.”

Woody Harrelson launched numerous attempts to become involved with cannabis businesses in West Hollywood, getting denied a dispensary permit in 2016. Bill Maher is also getting involved in the business plans.

Clothing and fashion stores are also getting involved. Fred Segal’s flagship Sunset location, which sits on the West Hollywood-Los Angeles border area, hosted a cannabis pop-up that drew The Freak Brothers cast Pete Davidson, Blake Anderson, John Goodman, Andrea Savage, Phil LaMarr and Danny Gendron.

The post West Hollywood Aims to Rebrand as ‘Emerald Village’ with 40 New Permits appeared first on High Times.

The post West Hollywood Aims to Rebrand as ‘Emerald Village’ with 40 New Permits appeared first on Paradise Found.

Cannabis regulators in New Jersey announced this week that the state would begin accepting applications for marijuana business licenses next month, more than a year after voters in the state legalized recreational pot in the 2020 general election. At a meeting of the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) on Tuesday, officials revealed applications for adult-use marijuana cultivators, processors and testing labs. 

The agency also announced that it will begin accepting applications for recreational cannabis dispensaries on March 15, 2022. Applications for cannabis delivery services, distributors and wholesalers will be accepted at a later date once regulations for those business types have been drafted and approved.

Applications from businesses owned by women, veterans and minorities will receive priority review, as will companies owned by individuals who have been arrested for a marijuana-related offense or who live in economically disadvantaged areas or municipalities with a disproportionate rate of cannabis-related arrests. Applications from microbusinesses with 10 or fewer employees will also be reviewed on a priority basis.

Regulators have not established a deadline for applications to be submitted and will instead accept them on a continuing basis. New licenses for cannabis cultivators issued through February 2023 will be capped at 37, but there will be no limit placed on other license types. Applications for adult-use cannabis business licenses will be available online, and the commission will host an informational webinar for potential applicants on November 30.

New Jersey Regulators Behind Schedule

New Jersey voters legalized adult-use cannabis with the approval of Question 1 in the November 2020 general election, which passed with 67 percent of the vote. The law set a September 2021 deadline for the CRC to begin accepting applications for business licenses. Regulators missed the deadline, however, and instead announced that they were establishing the process to accept the applications at a later date.

The legislation also mandated that legal sales of recreational cannabis begin by mid-February of next year or within six months after the commission adopted its initial regulations. But in September, Democratic Governor Phil Murphy said that the launch of dispensary sales would also likely be delayed.

“First or second quarter from a medical dispensary and then a little bit behind that from a standalone retail shop,” Murphy said. “I think there’s a very good chance, assuming the medical dispensaries can prove that they’ve got enough supply for their patients, that they’ll be able to participate in the adult use of cannabis before there are actually retail establishments independently set up, but this is coming.”

Medical Marijuana Approved in 2010

Medical marijuana was legalized in New Jersey in 2010, with the first regulated cannabis dispensaries opening two years later. Last month, the CRC announced 14 new licenses for medical marijuana cultivators and vertically integrated businesses. The applications for the new businesses were originally submitted in 2019, but awarding the licenses was delayed by legal action challenging the rules governing the process.

CRC chairwoman Dianna Houenou said at the time that the agency had awarded five more cultivation permits than originally planned in 2019 because of increasing patient demand for regulated products.

“The current alternative treatment centers have not kept pace with patient need,” said Houenou. “We constantly hear from patients that prices are too high and that there are too few dispensaries with too few product options. The situation has not changed with the legalization of recreational cannabis. Our priority is to our patients and increasing the planned number of medicinal cannabis operators in the market will greatly benefit them.”

Applications for additional medical marijuana dispensaries are also pending with state regulators. At Tuesday’s meeting, CRC executive director said that all applications have already been scored and the new licenses will be awarded once the results have been compiled.

“We are trying to move these as quickly as we possibly can,” Brown said.

The commission also took public comments to establish guidelines for labeling regulated cannabis products at this week’s meeting. Those testifying on the subject recommended that the commission adopt a label with a consistent shape and image to warn consumers that a product contains THC. They advised against using wording on the labels, noting that individuals who do not read English may have difficulty comprehending the text.

Regulators also accepted public testimony on cannabis edibles, which so far have not been regulated by the commission. Advocates called for access to edibles for consumers who do not wish to smoke.

“Any form of edibles should be permitted, as long as the regulatory procedures are followed,” said Ken Wolski, co-founder of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana in New Jersey. “Anything a patient needs should be available to them.”

The post New Jersey Set to Accept Cannabis Business License Applications appeared first on High Times.

The post New Jersey Set to Accept Cannabis Business License Applications appeared first on Paradise Found.