Eaze—California’s largest cannabis delivery service, once valued at $700 million and backed by Snoop Dogg—now faces foreclosure.

SFGate reports that it follows an ownership battle in court for the once-mighty delivery service that’s dragged on for over a year. 

WeedWeek reports that the company defaulted on a loan issued by tech investor Jim Clark. Clark, who founded Netscape, among other entities, invested in Eaze and took over a role on the company’s board of directors since 2021. In August 2022, a shell company co-owned by him issued a $36.9 million loan to Eaze that gave Clark power to seize control of Eaze if it failed to meet monthly revenue requirements laid out by Clark’s company, according to a 2023 lawsuit filed by other Eaze investors.

Clark currently is foreclosing on the company and demanding all collateral owned by Eaze, according to the court filing. Cory Azzalino, Eaze’s CEO, told SFGate that the foreclosure is the result of a dispute among the company’s investors. The investors believed they could be losing their equity rights to the company. 

In another lawsuit, Clark allegedly misrepresented the company’s financial status to attract more investment in the company, but that lawsuit was dismissed by a San Francisco judge in November 2023.

But Azzalino clarified that the foreclosure would not affect the company’s immediate operations and said Eaze is still in a “healthy financial position.”

San Francisco-based Eaze launched in 2014 by Keith McCarty to deliver medical cannabis to patients across California. But two years later, as the company grew, McCarty stepped down from his position as CEO. Several spinoff companies launched such as EazeMD, a service that helps people get a recommendation for medical cannabis from a doctor, and Eaze Insights, a research company. Eaze Wellness, on the other hand, provides products infused with CBD.

“As California’s largest legal cannabis marketplace, we bring enjoyment and convenience to our customers, break down barriers to access, and cultivate community in everything we do,” the company states. “With nearly 8 million cannabis deliveries to-date, we are committed to creating a more diverse and sustainable industry through our Momentum business accelerator, Social Equity Partners and Eaze Compassion Programs.”

“Eaze’s mission is to deliver good with the goods,” the company states, describing its social equity values. “We believe the legal cannabis market can help address some of the biggest problems facing America and supports social and economic initiatives around key issues important to the cannabis community. Every day, we work to embody the values of increasing access, supporting patients, and addressing harm caused by the War on Drugs. 

In 2019, Eaze had to scale back ambitions after projecting it would sell $1 billion worth of cannabis in 2020 to less than $500 million in gross transaction value.

Strikes and Unionization at Eaze Mount Up

Unionization efforts have clashed with Eaze leadership. MJBizDaily reports that 500 of the company’s delivery drivers and depot employees in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and Northern California were ready to walk off the job after negotiations fell apart last March to secure the first labor contract between staffers and the San Francisco-based delivery company.

Last April, nearly 600 workers at 11 depot locations owned by Eaze, a cannabis-delivery company in southern and northern California, threatened to strike over pay and conditions.

United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) applauded the strike after members rejected Eaze’s final union contract offer. Former driver Ron Swallow and his co-workers unionized with near unanimous support in March 2023.

“They cut our mileage rate. We’d been hired at 56 cents a mile and then they cut it to 42 cents,” Swallow told The Guardian. “That cost drivers $300 to $700 a month on average, depending on how much you drive and that was pretty annoying. It was also the first time in my whole life I’ve ever come to a job and then been told I was going to get paid less.”

Swallow explain other issues he ran into while working for the company.

“They wanted to offer us 45 cents and we of course said no to that because it didn’t get us back up to where we started out. We’re very united,” said Swallow. “When you join with a union, you just become the union, the people working become that and that is one of the coolest things that I’ve seen, drivers come together just being supportive of each other and our staff as well, because our staff is underpaid, too.”

Eaze of Sacramento also joined the Teamsters. Last March, delivery drivers at Eaze in Sacramento voted unanimously to join Teamsters Local 150.

California’s cannabis industry as a whole has hit some major hurdles. MedMen, the largest cannabis distributor in California once worth billions of dollars, declared bankruptcy last month. In addition, dispensary chains have faced similar clashes with union memes.

The post Eaze Faces Foreclosure Amid Legal Challenges first appeared on High Times.

The post Eaze Faces Foreclosure Amid Legal Challenges appeared first on Paradise Found.

Martha’s Vineyard is an island off the coast of Massachusetts that’s known for its 23 miles of scenic hills and beaches. It’s a popular destination for summer vacationers enjoying the quaint Victorian architecture, as of July 2021, it had one medical cannabis dispensary (Fine Fettle Dispensary) which until recently was also the only cannabis cultivator on the island, in addition to one adult-use only dispensary (Island Time) which opened in August 2021.

The cost of living is high in Martha’s Vineyard, and for business owners, it’s expensive to transport goods from the mainland across the Vineyard Sound (aka the stretch of ocean that sits between Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Martha’s Vineyard). For cannabis businesses, it’s also federally illegal to have cannabis products delivered from the mainland.

Recently, the owner of Island Time, Geoff Rose, filed a lawsuit against the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) regarding a rule that bans him from transporting cannabis by boat from the mainland. “For more than 11 years, my efforts have centered on providing safe and responsible cannabis to local residents and visitors alike,” Rose explained to the Vineyard Gazette. “I’m hoping that the court will mandate the commission take immediate action to allow us to transport the product from the mainland.” He added that the rule puts a burden on him as a business owner, since he can only sell cannabis that he cultivates on the island.

This rule was put in place because of state and federal regulations about cannabis being moved across water or through airspace. Rose’s lawsuit claims that Vineyard Sound is still within the state’s jurisdiction.

Earlier in May, the other dispensary and sole owner of the island’s only cannabis production license, Fine Fettle Dispensary, announced that it would be shutting down operations. “Very sadly, we have had to make the decision to slow down and then ultimately shut down operations on the Vineyard,” Fine Fettle Dispensary president Benjamin Zachs said to the Vineyard Gazette. Up until now, Island Time obtained all of its cannabis products from Fine Fettle Dispensary.

To bypass this new change, Rose inquired with the CCC about ordering cannabis from the mainland, but the CCC rejected the idea, stating the limitations of violating federal law. In March, Rose had cannabis delivered by boat anyway, and the products were delivered on a Steamship Authority ferry, which is run by the U.S. Coast Guard and falls under federal authority.

The unnamed supplier that Rose worked with later received a warning. He was told not to sell the products delivered via ferry, but that order was later lifted, and Rose was able to sell out of all of the products.

Last week, Rose officially closed his dispensary and told customers that he is unable to receive any new product. “We will reopen when we are able to source products from the mainland,” Rose wrote. “I am hopeful for a resolution soon that will result in more products, choices, and value for you, our valued customer.” 

Through the lawsuit, Rose is calling for the Suffolk County Superior Court to grant an injunction so that he can have cannabis delivered to the island. “[Island Time] is being starved to death by the Commission’s arbitrary, unreasonable and inconsistent policy against transporting marijuana and marijuana products over state territorial waters,” Rose explained, warning that his employees will seek other jobs if his business is closed for two weeks or more.

On May 9, the CCC met to discuss the situation and potential courses of action. Not only would the lack of delivery cause Island Time to close permanently, but it would also leave medical cannabis patients living on the island without any access to medicine. “If we do nothing, you are going to have 234 patients with no medical access on the Island. That’s the reality of it,” said commissioner Kimberly Roy.

Additionally, local resident Sally Rizzo filed an affidavit with the supreme court as well. “If I have no retail source of marijuana for my medical needs, my quality of life will suffer significantly,” she wrote. “I am unwilling—and should not be compelled—to risk purchasing untested marijuana from the illicit black market or purchasing marijuana from the Massachusetts mainland and transporting it to my home via the Steamship Authority to treat my documented medical condition.” 

The commission itself didn’t provide any comment to Vineyard Gazette due to ongoing litigation, and only verified what the current law allows or doesn’t allow. “At this time, transportation of marijuana from the Commonwealth mainland to the island counties is not one of those accommodations,” the CCC stated. “To the extent permitted by law, the Commission has been discussing what may be possible in terms of extending additional accommodations to these licensees and will be scheduling a public meeting on Martha’s Vineyard within the next month to continue the conversation.”
However, there are examples of products being delivered in some other states, such as New York, where ferry delivery over water is still counted as “ground transport.” Similar rules are in place for the delivery of cannabis from mainland California to Catalina Island.

The post Martha’s Vineyard Dispensary Sues To Allow Delivery of Cannabis From Massachusetts Mainland first appeared on High Times.

The post Martha’s Vineyard Dispensary Sues To Allow Delivery of Cannabis From Massachusetts Mainland appeared first on Paradise Found.

Rolling with one of the first legal delivery services on the East Coast.

The post Boston weed delivery man Devin Alexander blazes a trail appeared first on Leafly.

The post Boston weed delivery man Devin Alexander blazes a trail appeared first on Paradise Found.

Benzinga loves how much we work to serve you, dear reader.

The post Leafly awarded ‘best consumer weed platform’ of 2023 appeared first on Leafly.

The post Leafly awarded ‘best consumer weed platform’ of 2023 appeared first on Paradise Found.

You get two pounds and four mature plants at home. Huzzah.

The post Minnesota just legalized cannabis: Here’s what you need to know appeared first on Leafly.

The post Minnesota just legalized cannabis: Here’s what you need to know appeared first on Paradise Found.

Judging by the events of last week, drugs might be easier to find in prison than on the street. At least two major drone delivery operations flying drugs on demand into prisons were shut down by federal agents in the past week. Drones delivered not only weed, but spice/K2 drugs that mimic weed, butane oil, and an assortment of other drugs and contraband items.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California posted a press release on Thursday, announcing that four defendants have been indicted in schemes to deliver drugs into prisons via drone.

• Michael Ray Acosta, 48—already an inmate at Pleasant Valley State Prison—is charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs and will face federal racketeering charges.
• Jose Enrique Oropeza, 34, of Colton, California, is charged with conspiracy to own and operate an unregistered drone and several other charges.
• Rosendo Rene Ramirez, 34, of Sacramento, is charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs with an unregistered drone and several other charges, compounded by the use of firearms.
• David Ramirez Jr., 34, of Sacramento, is charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs and several other charges.

“According to court documents, between Jan. 1, and Dec. 10, 2021, Acosta used a contraband cellphone to coordinate multiple drone deliveries of contraband into Pleasant Valley State Prison and other prisons across the state,” the attorney’s office wrote, adding that the other three men operated the fleet of drones to deliver the drugs.

“Oropeza, Rosendo Ramirez, and David Ramirez Jr. flew drones over the prisons and dropped packages of contraband into the prisons. Acosta and his associates would then recover the contraband for further distribution throughout the prison population. The packages that Acosta helped to smuggle into the prisons included methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, cellphones, cellphone accessories, butane oil, and various other items.

If convicted of conspiracy charges, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years to life in prison and fines of up to $10 million. If convicted of possession with intent to distribute drugs, the defendants face a statutory penalty of five to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. Since Rosendo Rene Ramirez is a felon and possessed a firearm, he faces additional charges that could tack on another 10 years and fines to his sentence.

More Drones Used to Deliver Drugs

Meanwhile, another team of criminals allegedly used drones to deliver drugs into the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth. In this operation, six more were indicted on drug charges.

All six people face an assortment of conspiracy and drug possession charges. Dale Gaver III and Melvin Edwards—already in prison on other charges—allegedly arranged with four more people outside the prison to deliver drugs. Between August 2020 and May 2021, drugs on demand were available, and inmates into the prison yard could order specific drugs, The Wichita Eagle reports.

• Dale Gaver III, 35, originally of Omaha, Nebraska.
• Dale Gaver II, 54, originally of Omaha, Nebraska.
• Joshua Hamilton, 37, originally of Omaha, Nebraska.
• Rex Hill 33, of Riverside, California.
• Melvin Edwards, 44, of Riverside, California.
• Tamarae Hollman, 36, of Riverside, California.

This drone delivery operation involved men who allegedly delivered drugs into prison via drone, The Sacramento Bee reports. In this case, drones delivered spice/K2 drugs, marijuane, cigarettes, and cellphones into the prison.

This prison is especially notable because it housed the first people to be arrested for weed under the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act.

Court documents do not list the names of attorneys for the defendants.

The post Drone Operations Delivered Drugs into Prisons, Leading to 10 Indictments Combined appeared first on High Times.

The post Drone Operations Delivered Drugs into Prisons, Leading to 10 Indictments Combined appeared first on Paradise Found.

More discovery, and more deals for an epic 4/20, all from Leafly.

The post What’s new to do on Leafly this April 2023? appeared first on Leafly.

The post What’s new to do on Leafly this April 2023? appeared first on Paradise Found.

News, strains, and weed for even better delivery.

The post What’s new to do on Leafly for March 2023? appeared first on Leafly.

The post What’s new to do on Leafly for March 2023? appeared first on Paradise Found.

Santa Claus is coming to town—this year, loaded up with cannabis deliveries available at locations in Southern California. Give the gift almost everyone wants this holiday season: weed.

For the time period beginning December 19 and running through Christmas Eve on December 24, Emjay will send a cannabis delivery courier dressed as Santa Claus to deliver orders throughout Los Angeles and San Diego. It’s one of the most creative holiday sales gimmicks we’ve seen in a long time within the cannabis retail space.

In the spirit of the Christmas season, Emjay is trying a different marketing approach this year, giving the company and its leadership a chance to be extra festive.

“We’re always looking for ways to use the Emjay platform to uplift people’s cannabis experience, and so we’re happy to have Santa dressed couriers delivering orders to our customers this holiday season,” said Chris Vaughn, CEO of Emjay. “Having Santa couriers is an exciting and festive addition to our offering and for delighting our customers this time of the year.”

Emjay encourages customers who receive a Santa delivery to take a picture of them and tag Emjay’s Instagram account via Stories (which has been targeted by Instagram Community Guidelines by Meta).  If you do so, Emjay will then DM you for a gift for your next purchase.

In addition to the possibility of receiving a Santa courier, Emjay is also offering curated holiday Kushmas Bundles with $144 or more worth of product on sale for $80, discounts on select products, along with food and toy drives, giveaways, and customer appreciation days at their brick-and-mortar stores in Los Angeles and San Diego.

Kushmas Bundles are available in several options with reindeer names: Rudolph, Comet, Blitzen, Dasher, Donner, Prancer, etc., each coming with a mix of flower, edibles, and other cannabis products. They feature high-end cannabis products from brands such as Lowell Farms, Kurvana, and so on.

Emjay launched in 2019, growing to become one of the leading California-based cannabis delivery and retail platforms. Emjay also opened retail locations in Los Angeles and La Mesa, California. One of the company’s main selling points is to provide prices comparable to prices you’d see at the counter at a dispensary.  

“… Whatever you choose will be brought by one of the most professional couriers in the industry,” the company states on its website. “For us, the entire experience matters—from how you view our curated list of products to how they end up in your living room.All of the weed. None of the markup. A better experience. Because we’re Emjay, and we’re the best cannabis delivery service in the world.”

Santa Claus Roots

Holiday marketing gimmicks are nothing new, especially in the cannabis industry. High Times Magazine has explored the topic in detail—usually when someone dressed as Santa gets into trouble. In North Pole, Alaska, voters in 2015 rejected a measure that would have banned dispensaries in the town.

There may even be a psychedelic connection between the Santa Claus origin story and psychedelics. In the December, 1979 issue of High Times Magazine, the late counterculture correspondent for the publication Glenn O’Brien examined the connections between Santa Claus and a specific kind of psychedelic mushroom: fly agaric, aka the toadstool that conquered the universe. In fact, O’Brien argues, the mere existence of Santa could be related to a shaman in Lapland who ate Amanita muscaria. 

For more cannabis holiday gift ideas, check out The Ultimate High Times Holiday Gift Guide 2022.

The post Santa Claus to Deliver Weed, Courtesy of Emjay appeared first on High Times.

The post Santa Claus to Deliver Weed, Courtesy of Emjay appeared first on Paradise Found.

Toronto’s weed smokers, vapers, dabbers, and edibles munchers don’t even have to leave their couches to re-up anymore. On Sunday, Uber Eats announced a new partnership with Leafly, that’s us, to deliver weed from three stores: Hidden Leaf Cannabis, Minerva Cannabis, and Shivaa’s Rose.  Torontonians 19+ can place orders from local licensed cannabis retailers in […]

The post Uber Eats in Toronto adds weed to its delivery offerings—awesome appeared first on Leafly.

The post Uber Eats in Toronto adds weed to its delivery offerings—awesome appeared first on Paradise Found.