The Portland Pickles—a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat team based in Portland, Oregon—will become the first sports team in the U.S. to legally sell THC products at live sports events.

The baseball team announced Tuesday an exclusive partnership with Cycling Frog, makers of hemp-derived THC-based seltzer drinks. The team began selling the infused drinks at Walker Stadium in Portland on June 18. Cycling Frog was founded in 2021 and sells a range of hemp-derived, full-spectrum cannabinoid products including THC seltzers, gummies, softgels, and microdose mints

The Oregonian reports that Cycling Frog’s drinks contain 2 mg of THC and 4 mg of CBG per can and will be available in passionfruit and lemon flavors inside the ballpark.

“The Portland Pickles have a responsibility in the sports industry to take leaps and set a precedent of innovative partnerships,” Ross Campbell, VP of Business Development for the Pickles, said in a statement. “As we saw in 2019, becoming the first team to ever partner with a CBD company, and quickly teams all the way up to the Major League level across sports follow suit.”

Since Cycling Frog’s drinks contain hemp-derived THC, people who purchase them must be 21 years of age or older to purchase. How is this legal? According to a statement, the Pickles have consulted on regulations with the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) and Portland Parks and Recreation, which owns the stadium.

The Portland Pickles play at Walker Stadium when they play home games.

KGW reports that the seltzers will be sold at three different locations throughout the stadium: The Jack Daniels Party Deck Bar, Dillon’s Hideaway Bar and a third standalone pop-up inside the gates. People must be 21 years old or older to purchase. 

Stephen Colbert Name-Drops Portland Pickles and THC Drinks

Stephen Colbert even got in on the action, following the news about the Portland Pickles. During the Thursday episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Toward the end of his opening monologue, Colbert joked about it being the first day of summer, which means baseball.

Colbert joked about the New York Mets, the McDonald’s mascot Grimace throwing out a first pitch at one of their games, and this not being the first time a McDonald’s mascot helped out the New York team.

“Back in 1986, the Hamburglar was their coke dealer,” Colbert said. Switching to baseball’s minor leagues, “and the minor leagues of drugs,” he went on to note that the Portland Pickles have become the first sports team to legally sell THC products at games..

Colbert then said Portland Pickle fans “won’t be sparking up in the stands, you’ll be sparkling up, because instead of smoke-able products, they’ll be selling THC-based seltzer drinks.”

The Portland Pickles X account posted a clip of the video.

Colbert then went on to say that Coca-Cola used to be infused with cocaine, so a THC drink really isn’t all that far-fetched.

That might sound odd, Colbert said, “but remember, Coca-Cola used to have cocaine in it, and ginger ale originally contained the blood of a redhead.”

Cannabis Sales in Portland

Cannabis sales in the city of Portland fell in 2022. According to an OLCC database, Portland, Oregon area pot sales hit the lowest number of sales in three years. However, some experts blame the drop in sales on the temporary pandemic hump.

In June 2022, retail cannabis shops across Multnomah County, the state’s most populous area, made the lowest monthly profit they have since early 2019—hitting just $27,000 on average.

The price of cannabis flower is the lowest it’s been since April 2019. The county’s average gram sells for just $4.29 a gram—quite a bit lower than you’d find in most other states. Some have blamed the drop in value on Oregon’s oversupply problem, while others say the state’s oversupply problem wasn’t quite so bad as reported.

Portland residents bought $21 million worth of flower in July 2020, in the middle of the pandemic—and it was the most cannabis ever purchased in the state in a single month.

In general, cannabis sales increased at a steady pace since they began in 2016, but they skyrocketed in 2020, partly due to working from home and stimulus checks. In the span of only five months, cannabis sales in the county  increased by 79%. On average, cannabis shops raked in $48,000 per month in Multnomah County during the month of July 2020. But sales plunged shortly after, marking the lowest number recorded since June 2019.

Now that cannabis will be available at Portland Pickles games, local residents in the area can now have another way to get THC-infused products.

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Rhode Island will offer a cannabis training program that prepares workers for industry, providing the skills they will need to thrive in the workforce.

According to a May 29 announcement, Rhode Island’s labor department will fund a cannabis training program to accommodate the bustling industry. The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) is launching an eight-week Cannabis Training Program, working together with the state’s Division of Workforce Partnerships.

This 45-hour training program is free of charge, and it’s funded by the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training’s Real Jobs RI initiative. The training program begins Tuesday, July 9 at CCRI’s Liston Campus in Providence. Classes are held online and in person with curriculum taught by skilled teachers to provide students with a foundational knowledge of the entry-level jobs. The classes will provide students with the skills they need, and the applicable regulations. Students can also visit local businesses and receive employment assistance. 

The pilot cohort program will first enroll 15 students. Those interested can sign up for an interview by filling out the program inquiry form. The flexibility of the course scheduling and free tuition ensures the program is “equitable and accessible to those from communities that have been impacted by the criminalization of cannabis,” according to CCRI Director of Industry Partnerships Stacy Sullivan. 

“CCRI’s Division of Workforce Partnerships is always looking to be responsive to employer needs and we are proud and excited to create a training for this emerging industry,” said Division of Workforce Partnerships Vice President Jennie Johnson. “We look forward to having a hand in creating a robust cannabis workforce.”

More community colleges and four-year schools are offering cannabis certificates, so CCRI plans to help people interested in the state’s cannabis workforce industry. The United States’ cannabis labor market has grown exponentially each year since 2017 with the number of cannabis jobs increasing from 321,000 in 2021 to 428,059 in 2022. After adult-use recreational cannabis was legalized in Rhode Island in 2022, the number of available cannabis jobs in the state increased by 45 percent to 1,649 in 2023. There’s also 118 jobs in Rhode Island that list “familiarity with the cannabis industry” as a required skill with more than 100 cannabis-adjacent businesses, including CBD retailers, and 62 licensed cannabis cultivators currently in the market. By next year, cannabis is projected to become a $45 billion industry in the United States.

Founder and CEO of EZHire Cannabis Jacob Carlson and Certified Commercial Cannabis Expert Melissa Rutherford were instrumental in developing the curriculum and will teach courses in the program’s pilot cohort.

“Having the ability to learn job skills in a new industry is important and having CCRI embrace cannabis education is a boon to Rhode Island residents interested in determining if this emerging marketplace is right for them,” Rutherford said. “The class will introduce students to the legal cannabis industry and discuss how skills as varied as culinary, customer service, and risk management can all be applied in this growing field.”

“The question of how people are supposed to learn skills about jobs that didn’t exist legally in a highly-regulated industry always puzzled me. How are legal cannabis businesses supposed to find trained employees? That’s why this partnership with CCRI makes sense for us at EzHire Cannabis,” Carlson said. “We are seeing more need for entry-level workers, which aligns well with community college programs, both from a cost and training level.”

Rhode Island’s Cannabis Industry Grows

Adult-use cannabis sales in Rhode Island have been surging. During the state’s first year of adult-use sales, which ended last December, the Office of Cannabis Regulation says that sales “have steadily increased almost monthly over the past year, and the estimated sales for Fiscal Year 2024 is $76 million.”

“That sales estimate, if met, would translate into more than $15 million in state and local revenue: $7.6 million from the state’s 10% cannabis tax, $5.3 million from the 7% sales tax and $2.3 million from the 3% local tax,” the station reported, noting that the Office of Cannabis Regulation “estimates that, in October alone, more than $7 million worth of recreational cannabis products were sold statewide.”

Rhode Island lawmakers passed a bill in 2022 that legalized adult-use cannabis for people ages 21 and older, and it became the 19th state in the U.S. to do so.

The bill, which legalized possession of up to one ounce of cannabis for adults and also permitted possession by adults of up to 10 ounces is permitted in a private home, was approved by members of the state General Assembly in May of 2022. The measure also established the framework for legal, regulated recreational cannabis sales in Rhode Island. The new training program will help people decide where they fit in the industry.

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Make Way for Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) recently shared that the state collected $1.8 billion in cannabis sales during 2023. The figure reflects a combined total of recreational cannabis sales ($1.56 billion) and medical cannabis sales ($225 million). That’s a significant increase between total sales from 2022, which landed at a total of $1.49 billion ($1.42 billion for adult-use sales and $260.2 million for medical cannabis sales). “This continued growth confirms that Massachusetts’ regulated marijuana industry is still a maturing market,” CCC acting chair Ava Concepcion said in a press release. “As more retailers and delivery licensees come online, flower prices start to stabilize, and the stigma surrounding cannabis slowly dissipates—legal, tested products are becoming more accessible, affordable, and approachable than ever before, and that’s reflected in the multiple sales records licensees broke in 2023.”

Sales from December 2023 showed the highest amount of sales collected for a single month at $140.1 million, surpassing the previously highest month for sales since August 2023. Massachusetts’s adult-use cannabis industry was approved by voters in November 2016, and sales first began in November 2018. Over time, the cost of cannabis flower has greatly decreased, with the CCC recording the price of an average ounce at $14.13 in December 2020 that dropped to $5.66 per ounce as of December 2023. In year-to-date milestone statistics for Massachusetts’s adult-use cannabis industry, which began in December 2018, it collected $1 billion in sales in October 2020, $2 billion in August 2021, $3 billion in April 2022, $4 billion in December 2022, and $5 billion in August 2023. 

Sales, Jobs, & More!

Ever since Michigan launched adult-use sales in December 2019, the state has become one of the fastest growing cannabis industries. Following the release of December 2023 sales data, the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) shared that the state collected a total of $3.06 billion in combined adult-use and medical cannabis sales in 2023, which is major growth compared to sales collected in 2022 ($2.3 billion in combined sales). CRA executive director, Brian Hanna, told WGVU Public Media that the continued success of Michigan’s adult-use cannabis industry is due to a few factors, including cannabis tourism. “We are a state that has an adult use program surrounded by states that don’t,” Hanna told the news outlet. He also added that based on the $3.06 billion from 2023 cannabis sales, that would equate to $305 per capita, or an average amount per person.

Sales aren’t the only increase seen in the Michigan cannabis industry, as Hanna told Crain’s Detroit that there has been an increase in job opportunities as well. 

“As we head into 2024, the CRA continues to focus on transparency and communication, working with stakeholders as the industry continues to grow,” said Hanna. “We’re committed to supporting Michigan’s cannabis licensees who currently employ over 35,000 employees, a 23% increase from December 2022.”

State in Decline

Data published by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) on Feb. 1 in its monthly licensing report show a continued decrease in overall active cannabis business licenses, as well as patient numbers. While OMMA data from February 2023 shows that the state once had 11,974 active cannabis business licenses in total, that number has decreased to 8,025 licenses as of February 2024. This total includes 4,347 cultivator licenses, 2,293 dispensary licenses, 1,248 processor licenses, 98 transportation licenses, and 26 lab testing licenses.

Oklahoma voters made it clear that they don’t want adult-use legalization when they rejected Oklahoma State Question 820 in March 2023, but February 2024 data shows that medical cannabis patient numbers are also dropping as well. In February 2023, Oklahoma had 369,468 active medical cannabis patient cardholders and 1,554 caregivers, and 2024 numbers reflect a decrease to 345,308 licensed patients and 1,304 caregivers.

In response to significant oversaturation in the cannabis industry, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed House Bill 3208 in May 2022 to implement a moratorium on cannabis business licenses. The ban was extended in May 2023, and is currently set to last until at least August 2026. However, according to an OMMA-commissioned report called “Cannabis Public Policy Consulting” that was published in June 2023, Oklahoma still had 32 times more cannabis than necessary in order to meet the demand of approximately 355,000 medical cannabis patients (the OMMA’s patient number for that month).

Parity in Pricing

Both legal and illegal Canadian cannabis prices are nearly the same, according to a recent data revelation. A company called Deloitte, which offers audit, consulting, tax, and advisory services, alongside publication collaborator Neobi, recently published a report entitled “Clearing the Smoke—Insights into Canada’s Illicit Cannabis Market.” The research report evaluated 624 legal and 57 illegal online stores in Canada between May and June 2023. One of the study’s most notable observations included a flower price comparison from both legal and illegal stores—which stated that the price difference showed that illegal flower was only 20% cheaper. When reviewing varying flower prices between one gram and up to 28 grams, the average price from illegal cannabis was $6.24 per gram, compared to $7.96 per gram for flower in legal stores. 

“The gap in prices has considerably narrowed since the last pricing comparison performed by Statistics Canada in Q4-2019, when illicit flower products were priced 55% lower, with the current average price at $5.73 per gram for the legal market—indicating that declining prices in the legal market may have contributed to more capture of the market,” authors of the report explained. 

Other findings included how legal stores had fewer stock keeping unit (SKU) counts (538) compared to illegal websites (918). When examining the breakdown between product percentages, legal storefront inventory included 25.6% flower, 25% pre-rolls, 16.1% edibles, 13.1% extracts, 11.1% vapes, 6.6% beverages, 2.2% topicals, 0.3% seeds, and 0.0% for other psychedelics that are currently illegal. Illegal store inventory looks quite different though, with 36.9% of all inventory being flower, followed by 2.6% pre-rolls, 15% edibles, 32.7% extracts, 4.3% vapes, 0.5% beverages, 0.9% topicals, and 7.1% other psychedelics.

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On May 17, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed 20 bills prior to the end of the legislative session. One of which was House File 2605, which establishes regulations regarding hemp-derived consumable products that contain THC.

The passage of HF-2605 includes new restrictions and penalties applied for hemp-derived consumable sales, manufacturing, and possession. Now, such products may only contain 4 mg of THC per serving, or 10 mg THC per container on a dry weight basis, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch. It also requires that warning labels be adhered to those products, which can be sold to adults over 21, and prohibits the use of synthetic THC.

Many people reached out expressing their opposition to the bill, and called for Reynolds to reject it. Prior to signing HF-2605, Reynolds explained that she considered both sides of the argument for and against the bill. “I have concerns about this bill and have heard from individuals and groups on both sides of the issue,” said Reynolds. “Ultimately, I am signing it into law to protect minors from dangerous and intoxicating products. At the same time, we’ve taken steps to ensure that children who are resistant to medications and suffer from seizures and other medical conditions continue to have access to consumable hemp alternatives for relief.”

In early April, HF-2605’s floor manager, Sen. Dan Dawson, explained that the bill is a necessary update to the Iowa Hemp Act. “The medical cannabidiol program actually puts an individual with a doctor to get these products, that’s the biggest distinction,” Dawson said. “The Iowa hemp program has none of those barriers there. So if we want to protect Iowans with these products… there has to be some type of guardrails on here, to make sure that the medical cannabidiol program is the program that we can direct Iowans to when they have one of these diagnosed conditions.”

In March, Rep. John Forbes expressed concern for the possible “unintended consequences” for patients who rely on hemp-based medicine that’s not included in the state medical cannabis program. “I think we’re not hitting the nail on the head here, when it comes to being able to help Iowans that are seeking out this as an alternative to maybe taking other prescription medications, and increasing quality of life, helping them,” Forbes said at the time.

During that same meeting, Sen. Tom Shipley, who helped create the Iowa Hemp Act when it passed in 2019, said he saw opportunities for loopholes. However, he was more than happy to support HF-2605 as a way to improve upon the current act. “We found out some people could find an angle to get around things and do things that are not good for Iowans,” said Shipley. “And I just want to stand up in support of Senator Dawson’s bill to try and close some of these loopholes that even I could figure out were coming.”

Following Gov. Reynolds’ approval, many others welcomed the new regulations. “This has created a lot of awareness about these products, and it’s put things in place that were necessary,” said Alec Travis, owner of the Iowa-based brewery Field Day Brewing, which offers THC-infused beverages. “Having a small cap while people get used to these products is probably good.”

Earlier in February, House Study Bill 665 was introduced, which would give the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services the ability to regulate consumable hemp products. “We thought we were dealing with the intoxicating aspect, only to find out that there are ways to get around that,” said Rep. Steve Holt. “So it’s sort of the wild, wild west out there in a lot of ways, with THC-infused drinks being able to be served to minors, a lot of other things going on that are not acceptable.” The bill has not received any further hearings after February 19. 

Similar hemp regulations are also being pursued by other states, such as Georgia. Earlier this month, Gov. Brian Kemp signed Senate Bill 494, which “makes changes to the framework for hemp regulation in Georgia to allow the Georgia Department of Agriculture to have greater oversight and enforcement power and adds labeling, packaging, and marketing requirements to protect children from misleading and dangerous marketing.” 

At the signing ceremony, Kemp explained that hemp cultivation is rapidly growing. “The vast majority of the jobs and the vast majority of the investment that have been created by these great private-sector companies … have been located outside the metro-Atlanta counties, creating opportunities for Georgians to succeed no matter what their zip code,” Kemp said.

Additionally, Kemp signed Senate Bill 420 as well, which prevents a “foreign adversary” from owning agricultural land. “As valued members of our state’s number one industry, Georgia’s farming families deserve our enduring support as they face unprecedented challenges, including having to navigate disastrous federal energy policies, attempts by foreign adversaries to acquire farm land, and theft of property,” Kemp said. “We are tackling these challenges head on, and I want to thank our legislative partners for their work on these important issues.”

On May 17, GOP House representatives recently published a 942-page draft version of the 2024 Farm Bill. Although still a work in progress, the draft currently includes a revision of the word “hemp” and provides numerous separate categories to label cultivators growing hemp for the purposes of animal feed, fiber, or non-food-based production of grain, seed, or oil.

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Ohio is finally moving forward with a plan to implement adult-use cannabis sales in the state.

Ohio voters approved Issue 2 in November 2023, making it the 24th state to legalize adult-use cannabis. According to the new state law, adults can possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and grow up to six plants at home (with a 12-plant total per household as long as two adults live there). It also implemented a 10% tax on all cannabis purchases. These changes took effect starting on Dec. 7, 2023.

At the time, Rep. Jamie Callender said that the delay in implementing a plan for legal sales was “…to make sure we’re thoughtful, that we’ve had adequate time to look at it and deal with the things that don’t go into effect immediately.”

While it’s legal to purchase cannabis in Ohio, there’s currently no legal place to do so, until now. The Ohio Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) met on May 13, where it discussed and approved new rules to allow medical cannabis dispensaries to sell non-medical cannabis products.

According to AP News’ recent coverage of the news, the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control (DCC) superintendent, Jim Canepa, said that applications would be made available no later than June 7. “I don’t want to give anyone false hopes,” Canepa said. “We’re following the timeline in the initiated statute. We have a small but mighty staff, but there’s bandwidth there.”

The Ohio Cannabis Coalition’s (OCC) spokesperson, Tom Haren, added a comment explaining that the DCC has been “working tirelessly” to meet the various deadlines for sales. “Our members have obviously been anticipating the rollout of adult-use sales,” Haren said of the OCC team’s recent work. “They’ve been working on getting processes in place, making whatever changes they need to to procedures. We’re really excited.”

Canepa explained that allowing medical cannabis dispensaries to sell adult-use products is just one set of rules necessary to fully flesh out the program as a whole. The deadline for these rules is Sept. 7, 2024.

More recently Callender said that this slower but controlled pace is exactly what he was hoping for.

Just after Issue 2 was approved by voters, Gov. Mike DeWine called on legislators to immediately amend the law before it took effect on Dec. 7, 2023. “My recommendation to the General Assembly is that they take action to make sure that both rights are protected,” said DeWine. “People have a right to smoke it. People have a right to consume it. But also that everybody else’s who doesn’t choose to do so is also protected with their rights as well.” The Senate applied changes such as prohibiting home cultivation, reducing the possession amount, and increasing taxes from 10% to 15%.

However, these changes didn’t take effect because the House adjourned before a vote could be made. House legislators said that the Senate was going against the “will of the people” by attempting to change the Issue 2 law after voters voted on the topic. Over time, both the Senate and the House appear to mostly be in agreement. “We’ve gotten past a lot of the fears that many of the senators and the governor’s office had originally—and have gotten to the point where they’re saying ‘Oh, yeah, this is gonna work,’” Callender said. 

Callender added that more issues need to be addressed, because they’re “not consistent with what voters voted on.” This includes changes necessary for child safety packaging, restrictions on cannabis marketing, and protecting business owners. “I think at this point we’ve gotten past a lot of the fears that many of the senators and the Governor’s Office had originally, and we’ve gotten to the point where they’re saying, ‘Oh, this is going to work,’” Callender said.

Ohio-based cannabis business owners are excited to see the program moving forward. Ohio Capital Journal spoke with edibles maker Phoebe DePree about the recent announcement. “It’s exciting for us because that adds an element of convenience to consumers. It’s a real opportunity for us,” DePree said.

Brian Vicente of Vicente LLP called the progress “a sensible starting point for the Buckeye state” when the draft rules were first released. “Unlike recent legalization states like New York that opted to draft legalization regulations from scratch, the Ohio rules clearly borrowed ideas from earlier states—resulting in a refreshing level of sophistication and understanding of the needs of both cannabis consumers and business owners,” Vicente told High Times in April. “These regulations include commonsense ‘best practices’ for businesses in important areas like waste disposal and quality assurance, which should lead to a smooth roll-out and ongoing operations. Consumers will be able to access cannabis from stores until 11 p.m. and through drive-up windows, which will foster widespread access.”

According to the Associated Press, the DCC still needs to file the new rule with JCARR, followed by the Legislative Service Commission, and Secretary of State office, before May 22.

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A new report from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) shares a variety of facts about the state’s medical cannabis program, which launched in May 2019.

According to the Arkansas Advocate, dozens of storefronts have opened over the past five years, and an estimated 102,000 medical cannabis patient cardholders have approved.

In total sales, medical cannabis has generated $1.1 billion since 2019 but for this year alone, the state collected approximately $68 million (between January through March), and just $45 million between February and March.

The report shows that $31.32 million was collected in medical cannabis annual revenue in 2019, which jumped to $181.8 million in 2020, $264.9 million in 2021, $276.3 million in 2022, and finally $282 million in 2023.

Although sales reported in 2024 so far (approximately $2 million less than in 2023), there has been an increase in products sold, with 13,804 sold in 2023 and 17,240 in 2024 so far. This noteworthy observation, according to Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration spokesperson Scott Hardin. “That’s a reflection of the more competitive pricing, which is great news for patients,” Hardin said.

An estimated $127 million in cannabis tax revenue has been collected over the past five years (approximately $5 million came from February and March 2024 alone). The law sets aside 4% of cannabis taxes to help provide meals for students who are on free or reduced lunch programs. The amount of cannabis products in pounds has steadily increased over time as well with 4,735 pounds sold in 2019, 28,021 in 2020, 40,347 in 2021, 50,547 in 2022, and 62,227 in 2023.

When medical cannabis sales first began in 2019, only 11,000 patients were approved cardholders. One year later, cardholder numbers increased to approximately 43,000, and finally the most recent cardholder number has surpassed 102,000. “The pace of it has varied, but the fact that we’ve consistently increased to where we are today with more than 100,000—it’s going to be interesting to see going forward if that continues over the next couple of years,” Hardin said. Current cardholder data shows that most patients use medical cannabis for post-traumatic stress disorder, followed by intractable pain.

An estimated 53%, or 92,494 cardholders, are women, according to data reported in June 2023. Additionally, patients between the ages of 25-44 hold the most cards than any other age range, and in terms of race, 84% of cardholders are white.

The DFA doesn’t show sales data for April at the moment, but Hardin noted that $2 million in sales were collected on 4/20 alone, which is three times more than the daily average (about $750,000).

Arkansas Cannabis Industry Association president, Bill Paschall, has become a mainstay in cannabis policy and regulations. He told the Arkansas Advocate that he has often spent days chatting with legislators to keep them up to speed with what’s going on in the world of weed.”

Although Paschall didn’t have any experience in medical cannabis previously, he has spent the past five years understanding the industry. One of his most important observations is that medical cannabis in Arkansas hasn’t led to any harmful effects on society. “The fears that people expressed when this first passed in 2016 have not come to bear,” said Paschall. “We’ve not seen social upheaval or spikes in kids with drug issues due to medical marijuana. … The industry is well regulated in Arkansas, and because it’s well regulated the folks who buy medical marijuana can have confidence in what they’re buying.”

Natural Relief Dispensary owner David Berman manages the second top performing dispensary in the state, having sold 1,067 pounds of cannabis products in February and March 2024. According to Berman, a majority of the products sold at his dispensary is flower. “Most of our patients are just used to that consumption method,” Berman said. “But as our market matures, we’re educating them on the other consumption methods like edibles, vape cartridges and concentrates.”

Currently, Arkansas allows for a maximum of 40 dispensaries statewide, while only 38 operating dispensaries. The remaining two slots for dispensary licenses have been delayed for approval to do recent litigation.

First involves Green Springs Medical Marijuana Dispensary in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which had its license revoked on May 2. The Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division (ABC) stated that multiple violations, including selling 1,800 products that had expired, as well as failure to keep the processing area clean and sanitary, and more. “When a dispensary ignores warnings, violations and guidance offered by ABC, the only remaining option is revocation,” said ABC division director Christy Bjornson. “We anticipate an appeal and look forward to presenting our case to the board.”  

Green Springs Medical Marijuana Dispensary owner Dragan Vicentic told the Arkansas Advocate that he plans to appeal the decision. “I thought the fine amount would be reduced because of my satisfactory explanation, and the next thing I knew, the director asked for a revocation of the license, which I thought was very extreme,” Vicentic said.

Arkansas advocates are working on expanding the state medical cannabis law through the ballot measure called “The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Expansion Initiative.” If the initiative is included on the November 2024 ballot and passed into law, it would allow adults over 21 to cultivate seven mature and seven immature plants at home, expand the type of people who would be allowed to certify patients, remove fees for cardholder applications, and allow cards to last for three years instead of just one before needing to reapply.

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Medical cannabis is at odds with adult-use cannabis industries in most states where recreational cannabis is legal. This is also the case for New Jersey, where its medical cannabis program patient numbers have decreased significantly.

According to a recent report published by the New Jersey Monitor, patients believe that the medical program isn’t being maintained. The news outlet spoke with Michael Wiehl, a local patient, about his concerns. “It’s like they’re not even faking an effort anymore, like feigning interest in saving the program. It just seems like there’s so much more they can do, and I don’t understand why they stopped caring about the medical program,” Wiehl said. “They just did.”

New Jersey’s medical cannabis program (established by the law also called the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act) went into effect in January 2010, and later adult-use cannabis sales began in April 2022. Data reported on April 15 shows that there are roughly 80,000 medical cannabis patients in New Jersey, although at its peak, the state had more than 129,000 registered patients as of May 2022.

Medical cannabis sales have also decreased in recent years as well. Once at a height of $226 million brought in in 2022, 2023 numbers show that the state only collected $124 million. Adult-use sales on the other hand have continued to rise, with 2023 numbers showing $675 million.

The New Jersey Monitor stated that medical cannabis patients have access to extended dispensary operating hours, reserved parking, medical-only sales, are exempt from some taxes, and can purchase more cannabis products.

Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey director Ken Wolski explained that medical cannabis needs to be a “very real part of health care in New Jersey” in order to keep it operating.

Leaders of the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC), such as executive director Jeff Brown, have said that they’re looking into a course of action to support its medical cannabis program with “an unwavering commitment to patient access.” This included a move to reduce medical cannabis card fees from $200 to $10, and giving patients a digital card for free.

However, the CRC has stated that the reason for the decrease in medical cannabis patient enrollment is because patients must sacrifice paying for medical cannabis in lieu of the cost for higher priced doctor appointments. “Despite what the NJ-CRC has done so far—eliminating registration fee and requiring Alternative Treatment Center to preserve priority access for patients—patients are seemingly leaving the program because they cannot afford the fees they are being charged by some doctors,” Brown explained.

State law requires that doctors certify patients who qualify for medical cannabis. This includes patients suffering from conditions such as epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder, glaucoma, cancer, anxiety, chronic pain, opioid use disorder, and more. There are approximately 1,500 doctors who are allowed to certify patients, but many of them are not taking new patients at this time.

During the pandemic, legislation was passed to enable telehealth renewal for medical cannabis patients. This costs between $100-$150, and $150-$200 for a physical visit. Doctors are permitted to require patients to renew this fee anywhere between every 90 days or up to once a year. “We hear from [patients] that the significant obstacles they are facing are centered around costs that are outside the purview of the NJ-CRC: cost associated with the fees charged by doctors to provide authorization forms, and the cost of cannabis and cannabis products,” Brown added.

Legislators have attempted to pass bills that would have extended insurance to cover medical cannabis costs such as this, but none have been passed. Most recently, Assembly Bill 898 (introduced by Rep. Verlina Reynolds-Jackson in January 2024) would “subsidize purchase price of medical cannabis for registered qualifying patients enrolled in Medicaid or NJ Family Care programs.”

Wiehl also told the New Jersey Monitor that legislators should introduce a bill to help cover bills related to doctor’s visits, or expand the number of doctors who can certify patients for medical cannabis. He stated that he spends $15,000 annually on medical cannabis for himself, and would like to see legislation help patients avoid such high prices. “$1,200 a month and that’s on the cheap side. This is a lot to ask someone to pay for their medicine. If it could get covered by insurance, that’d be great, but if the medical program goes away, that’s never going to happen,” Wiehl said.

Unlike other states with medical and adult-use cannabis programs, New Jersey does not permit home cultivation. Wolski and Wiehl told the news outlet that changing the law to make growing legal could potentially lead to an increase in patients. Wiehl added that if specific products were limited to medical-only patients, such as high dose edibles or THC beverages, it could offer more incentive to keep people applying for medical cards.

Wiehl added that while the CRC has done its job well, he believes that the program might “wither away and die” if nothing changes. The state is home to 73 adult-use dispensaries and only 52 medical cannabis dispensaries, which forces patients to end their cardholding status and just become adult-use consumers. “[The CRC] let everyone come in and open up all these rec shops without forcing them into the medical side,” Wiehl said. “You let all this happen, you didn’t do anything to stop it, and now we’re here. At this point, let’s just wrap it up and move everything over to the recreational side. It’s backwards, and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”

Brown has confirmed that the CRC isn’t going to just abandon patients, and that a current review is being conducted. “We are reviewing the medicinal cannabis rules and looking for ways we can better serve patients within the purview of Jake Honig Law,” Brown said. “We believe in the capacity of cannabis in medical treatment—and Jake Honig’s Law guarantees access for patients in New Jersey.”

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In the midst of blossoming cannabis and CBD reform throughout the West, hemp-derived cannabinoid products are increasingly taking center stage as legislators continue to raise red flags surrounding the lack of regulation and intoxicating potential of these products.

Just in the past several months, a number of states have moved to introduce new policies to limit or ban the sale of psychoactive hemp-derived cannabinoid products, like delta-8 THC. Similarly, many are calling out some of the issues surrounding the regulatory gaps surrounding hemp-derived products in the market.

Among them is CBD Oracle, a consumer research company aiming to improve safety and transparency surrounding cannabis products. 

Most recently, it turned its attention to CBD gummies and other hemp products available for purchase on Amazon.com. While the company notes that Amazon will “tell you confidently” that they do not allow CBD gummies on the platform, CBD Oracle’s new independent analysis on such products begs to differ.

A Look at Amazon’s Approach to Hemp and CBD Products

While Amazon doesn’t technically allow CBD products, CBD Oracle suggests that sellers on the site largely get around this obstacle by avoiding the term “CBD” and instead using “hemp” on packaging and in product descriptions. 

Neurogan CEO Jan Brandup said that Amazon’s “hemp products” are not related to actual hemp and rather use the term as a sales tactic.

“It’s alarming how easily consumers are deceived into trusting these products, just because they are sold on a reputable platform like Amazon,” Brandup said. “The best case is they may drain your wallet.”

Sunday Scaries CEO Mike Sill agreed, adding that many of the products on Amazon automatically lack credibility and ultimately quality due to the nature of the platform’s regulations.

“When you search for ‘CBD gummies’ on the platform, no reputable brands populate in your search results,” Sill said. “The reason for this is that credible brands like Sunday Scaries, Charlotte’s Web and cbdMD are not allowed to sell on Amazon without being banned.”

Rather, Sill said these companies engage in “brand burning,” meaning that once they are banned from Amazon, they essentially rebrand with a new name and packaging only to reupload the same products to the site and continue sales.

“Their business model doesn’t include a focus on building a reputable brand and providing the highest quality and safest products to consumers; they are just looking for a quick sale and will do whatever is necessary to stay ‘live’ on Amazon,” Sill said.

So what exactly do Amazon “hemp” products contain?

Investigating the Contents of Amazon’s ‘Hemp’ Products

In an effort to analyze the specific contents of CBD products on Amazon, the company purchased 56 of the most popular hemp products on the site and tested them through InfiniteCAL Labs. Most of the products (80%) were gummies, with eight tinctures, two topical creams and one pack of mints. A majority (89%) also made specific numerical claims regarding dosage.

Around 30% (17 of 56) of the products tested contained CBD, averaging 547 mg per package. However, there was a large variance in CBD quantity between products, with a minimum of 28 mg of CBD and a maximum of 1,582 mg. While CBD Oracle notes that this at least shows Amazon isn’t being totally dishonest about some of these products containing hemp and hemp compounds, it still violates Amazon’s policies and may not be legally compliant.

THC is also banned from Amazon sales, though six (11%) of the tested products contained the cannabinoid with the three containing the most comprised primarily of delta-8 THC. While all of the products were under the THC threshold set by the 2018 Farm Bill, the three delta-8 products “had very high quantities of THC” with 641, 2,507 and 3,028 mg per pack. The product with the highest amount of THC had 76 mg per gummy.

The majority of tested products (35 of 56 products, or 62.5%) contained no cannabinoids at all with more than a third (24 of 56 products, or 43%) containing no hemp.

InfiniteCAL Lab Manager Dr. Erik Paulson explains that hemp is typically infused into consumable products through hemp seeds, which contain no cannabinoids, or through extractable material pulled out of leaves, stems or buds — generally to create cannabinoid-infused products.

“Simply put, if you buy ‘hemp’ from Amazon it is likely that you will actually be buying an expensive jar of gummy bears. Gelatin and sugar, priced at a premium,” CBD Oracle notes in the report.

The report also confirmed that a whopping 96% of tested products did not advertise an accurate dosage.

“If we assume the dosage listing refers to cannabinoids (and not just the total mass of hempseed oil), just two products were confirmed by lab testing to have a dosage within 10% of that listed on their labels,” the report states. “They contained an average of just 25% of the advertised dosage. In most cases, this was less than advertised, but one product primarily containing delta-8 THC had twice the promised dosage.”

In addition, 52% of the products appeared to make an unapproved medical claim, and almost 95% of products did not provide Certificates of Analysis (COA), typically considered an essential for reputable companies selling hemp products.

A Growing Issue and Potential Solutions

While the report focused on Amazon products, CBD Oracle notes the prevalence of this trend, as other companies like eBay, Walmart and Alibaba carry similar products — sometimes the exact same options.

Authors note the potential ramifications of selling these products, beyond safety and health concerns, in that it could undermine the broader hemp and cannabis industries and the reform progress so many are actively pushing for.

“Amazon has demonstrated that they don’t understand the difference between hemp seed oil and hemp extract that contains cannabinoids,” said Forge Hemp’s Kelly Lombard. “As long as sellers are vague about a product’s contents, Amazon doesn’t seem to care. This is problematic because U.S. consumers need more information about hemp and CBD, not less. Amazon’s convenience and return policy may entice more consumers to try hemp products, but if their experience is negative, that hurts the industry.”

CBD Oracle also lists some potential solutions to remedy these issues, though they largely fall on Amazon to either adhere to more strict verification and COA guidelines, if not completely remove any products making false claims. They note that customers tend to have limited impact and that individual efforts to combat or report these products may ultimately result in frustration and wasted time. 

Authors also cite that the current model, a blanket ban on CBD encouraging companies to be dishonest and actively work around it, may not be the answer.

“Even establishing a bare minimum requirement for hemp sellers — showing an up-to-date lab report — would be enough to send the snake oil sellers running for the hills,” the report concludes. “Will you be able to pretend that CBD isn’t available on your platform? No. But customers who are buying CBD on your platform — who already exist, like it or not — would be much, much more likely to get safe products that offer what they say on the label.”

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Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced Tuesday that it will begin to crack down on the illegal sales of cannabis flower across Minnesota as the state’s adult-use market takes form. The Star-Tribune reports that the OCM entered into an agreement with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to add inspection capacity for illegal sales of cannabis flower.

Minnesota is the 23rd state in the nation to legalize adult-use cannabis for people 21 and older. In doing so, the state also legalized the sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid consumer products, a unique provision, but selling raw cannabis flower is currently illegal because OCM has not yet issued any cannabis business licenses, and hemp sellers must also be licensed. 

When Minnesota legalized adult-use cannabis, the Minnesota Legislature included statutory provisions, Minnesota Statutes, chapter 152.0264, making the sale of cannabis illegal until a business is licensed by OCM.

As seen in many other states, many retailers have taken advantage of the legal loopholes regarding hemp derivatives, but the state is pushing back against unlicensed businesses. Just a week ago, on March 7, the OCM issued an enforcement notice designed to warn retailers about selling full-strength hemp products. The OCM stated that it has received complaints of retailers selling full-strength cannabis flower under the guise of being hemp. Hemp is legal only within THC limits specified by state and federal law.

The OCM, in alignment with federal law regarding hemp under 7 CFR 990.1, will consider the total concentration of THC post-decarboxylation—the process that converts THCA to delta-9 THC to produce an intoxicating effect. The examination of raw flower products will include reviewing the certificate of analysis.

Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 342 defines Minnesota’s cannabis market, empowering the OCM to ensure compliance. Minnesota Statutes, chapter 342.09, subdivision 4 prohibits the retail sale of cannabis flower and cannabis products “without a license issued under this chapter that authorizes the sale.”

A Warning to Flower Sellers in Minnesota

The OCM reiterated its stance on flower that is being sold by retailers without a license.

“Our primary goal at the Office of Cannabis Management is to ensure a safe, legal cannabis industry that protects public health and provides accurate, reliable information to adult consumers,” said Charlene Briner, OCM interim director. “This interagency agreement gives us capacity to conduct inspections during this transitional implementation period, and more fully integrates the work of the MDH inspectors who will eventually transition their work to OCM.”

MDH inspectors who inspect retailers selling legal hemp-derived cannabinoid products will begin simultaneous examination of w flower products being offered for sale to ensure those products are hemp and not cannabis.

“While this is a temporary issue that will no longer exist once businesses are licensed to sell cannabis flower, OCM’s commitment to ensuring an industry that abides by all legal requirements is steadfast and ongoing,” said Briner. “We are confident that by providing clear expectations and guidance to businesses, the majority of operators will choose to follow the law.”

The crackdown of raw flower products will mean that inspectors will look for the product’s certificate of analysis for test results on total THC. Per federal law and under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp flower must contain 0.3% or less of delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. Products exceeding 0.3% delta-9 THC in dry weight are considered marijuana and are therefore illegal to sell.

Penalties for Selling Flower Illegally

So what are the penalties involved for sellers of illegal flower? Retailers caught selling flower and who are in violation of the law could be faced with embargo of product and fines of up to $1 million for violating state law. Additionally, a violation could impact a person’s ability to receive a license for a cannabis business in the future. 

Per Minnesota Statutes, 342.09, subdivision 6, OCM may assess fines in excess of $1 million for violations of this law. Likewise, under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 342.19, OCM is empowered to embargo any product that it has “probable cause to believe . . . is being distributed in violation of this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter[.]”

The OCM encourages retailers to vet products that they are selling to ensure that the products are legal. The OCM has sent a letter to all retailers registered with MDH to alert them that inspections of raw flower will begin immediately.

In a December 2023 bulletin, Minnesota’s health department issued a similar warning, noting that the agency inspected 167 retailers offering hemp-derived cannabinoid products between August and November and found that more than one in three (39%) of the shops were selling illegal high-potency products. Under Minnesota law, hemp edibles and beverages sold in the state must not exceed 5 milligrams of THC per serving and no more than 50 milligrams per package.

Licensing for cannabis retailers is expected to roll out later this year, and state officials aim to launch cannabis sales in 2025.

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A study conducted in Canada and recently published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence shows that beer sales have declined since legalization began in 2018. The study involved researchers from the College Pharmacy at the University of Manitoba, School of Pharmacy at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto.

The study, which was published on Feb. 27, shows that beer sales in Canada have dropped significantly. “Canada-wide beer sales fell by 96 hectoliters per 100,000 population immediately after non-medical cannabis legalization and by 4 hectoliters per 100,000 population each month thereafter for an average monthly reduction of 136 hectoliters per 100,000 population post-legalization,” authors wrote. A hectoliter is a unit of measurement frequently used in reference to wine, beer, grain, or other agricultural goods, and is the total of 100 liters (1 liter is approximately 0.26 liquid gallons).

However, researchers also explained that cannabis legalization did not cause any reduction in spirit sales (which covers whisky, rum, gin, tequila, liqueurs, and vodka).

Additionally, researchers believe that cannabis use could potentially lead to higher alcohol use in some people, specifically “those with greater sensation-seeking behaviors.” However, they also wrote that some consumers are substituting cannabis in the place of alcohol. 

Data on beer and spirits sales in Canada were taken from the Beer Canada and Spirits Canada resources. Beer Canada provided details about approximately 90% of total Canadian beer sales, while Spirits Canada showed sales in relation to whisky, rum, gin, tequila, liqueurs, and vodka but did not include ready-to-drink cocktails. Beer sales were reviewed between January 2012-February 2020, and spirits sales were examined between January 2016-February 2020.

The study reviewed results in all Canadian provinces. In Manitoba and Ontario, researchers saw the most significant decline in beer sales, while cannabis did not affect beer sales in Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. Provinces referred to as Western provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan) “saw the largest reductions in average monthly beer sales which ranged between 228 and 505 hectoliters per 100,000 population over the post-legalization study period.” In Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island), there was “no significant immediate or lagged impact of cannabis legalization on beer sales.”

Researchers called this study the “first quasi-experimental evidence” on the shift in beer and spirits sales in Canada after the launch of adult-use cannabis, with three key points. “First, Canada-wide beer sales dropped after the legalization, but there was no change in spirits sales,” researchers wrote. “Second, the reductions in beer sales were seen in all except the Atlantic provinces with the four Western provinces experiencing relatively larger declines than the Central provinces. Third, the legalization was associated with a decline in canned and kegged beer sales, but we found no reduction in sales of bottled beer.”

Furthermore, the study asserts that consumers aren’t using alcohol and cannabis together. “While increased use of cannabis is not necessarily harmless and further research is needed to understand the health effects of the switch from alcohol to cannabis, the reduction in beer sales associated with the non-medical cannabis legalization suggests that individuals are likely not using alcohol and cannabis concurrently,” authors stated.

In the study conclusion, researchers summed up their most important findings. “We found that non-medical cannabis legalization was associated with an immediate decline in beer sales,” they stated. “Furthermore, beer sales continued to decline in the post-legalization period, suggesting that individuals are moving away from beer towards legal cannabis. These declines in beer sales were most pronounced in the four Western provinces. Meanwhile, we found no change in spirits sales following the legalization.”

Many people have found that substituting alcohol for cannabis is beneficial across the board. 

Celebrities such as Hulk Hogan shared in August 2023 that he swapped both opioids and alcohol for CBD. “At first, I was confused because I’d never used CBD,” Hogan said. “I didn’t understand the health aspects of what it can do for you as far as energy, sleep or getting off hard drugs or pharmaceuticals slowly and winding down are concerned. It took me a while to figure it out because I am a little slow. I had to do a lot of research and do my due diligence. I figured this was something that really would benefit a lot of people that needed help—and I know it will.”

Many other studies, such as one published in the journal Alcohol in November 2023, shows that abstaining from alcohol consumption can undo the effects of cortical thinning in the human brain. Other studies have explored how cannabis states have helped reduce consumption of both tobacco as well as alcohol.

Some states view cannabis as different than alcohol, so much that last December in Connecticut, alcohol sales were not legally allowed to be sold on Christmas and New Year’s Day, but cannabis was.

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