420 with CNW — Future Cannabis Impairment Testing May Rely on Brain Scans

Legalizing cannabis has brought forth a ton of benefits: the state-legal industry has created hundreds of thousands of new jobs, generated billions of dollars in revenue and filled state coffers with billions of cannabis tax dollars. This money has been used to fund plenty of social-equity programs designed to help the underprivileged as well as communities that were disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. However, making recreational cannabis legal has made traffic policing much more difficult.

While we have a relatively accurate way of testing how drunk an individual is, no such test exists for cannabis. At best, current tests can tell whether or not you have cannabis in your system, not your level of intoxication. Since THC, the main psychoactive chemical in marijuana can stay in your blood for up to 36 hours and in saliva for up to 48 hours, a joint that you smoked over the weekend could realistically show up in a THC test on Monday night as you leave work.

This is far from ideal. With lawmakers considering federal cannabis legislation, the traffic police will need an accurate means of determining a driver’s level of THC intoxication. Based on a new study from Massachusetts General Hospital, this technology may be based on brain scans. After scanning and analyzing the brain activity of 169 cannabis users before and after giving them either THC or a placebo, the researchers found that by scanning patients’ brains, they could reliably identify those who were intoxicated by determining the presence of THC.

The participants who got THC and reported that they were intoxicated displayed a specific brain activity signature, the researchers say. On the other hand, the participants who received the placebo and reported no intoxication did not exhibit this signature. Finally, the researchers used this data to train computers to recognize the specific brain signature and were able to match participants who self-reported feeling intoxicated with those who were “clinically assessed” as being impaired with 76% efficiency.

The Center for Addictive Medicine’s doctor Jodie Gilman says that while this technology definitely needs more research, the center believes it would be an objective and practical solution to the current THC testing problem. At the moment, available breathalyzer tests only show the presence of THC, not the level of THC impairment; the two are completely different things. Consequently, Gilman says, we are sorely in need of a THC testing method that checks for impairment and doesn’t penalize people for simply using cannabis.

When such an accurate test for marijuana impairment is developed, the entire cannabis sector, including industry players such as BevCanna Enterprises Inc. (CSE: BEV) (OTCQB: BVNNF) (FSE: 7BC) could gladly support any action taken to keep impaired people off our roads.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to BevCanna Enterprises Inc. (CSE: BEV) (OTCQB: BVNNF) (FSE: 7BC) are available in the company’s newsroom at http://cnw.fm/BVNNF

About CNW420

CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern – our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.

To receive instant SMS alerts, text CANNABIS to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)

For more information please visit https://www.CNW420.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

Do you have questions or are you interested in working with CNW420? Ask our Editor

CannabisNewsWire420
Denver, Colorado
http://www.CNW420.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com

CNW420 is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.

CannabisNewsBreaks – InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM) Expands Rare Cannabinoid Product Portfolio to Launch CBT

InMed Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: INM), a leader in the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of rare cannabinoids, today announced that it has launched B2B sales of the rare cannabinoid cannabicitran (“CBT”) into the health and wellness sector. According to the update, CBT is the first of several new product launches the company has planned for the first half of 2022. “We are delivering on our objective to launch additional rare cannabinoids in early 2022 in response to inbound demand. By midyear, we expect to have at least four rare cannabinoids available for the health and wellness markets, positioning us as a leading large scale supplier of high quality rare cannabinoids in these sectors,” said Shane Johnson, SVP and general manager of INM subsidiary BayMedica. “The launch of CBT further demonstrates our ability to produce rare cannabinoids at commercial scale, an achievement that very few companies have been able to accomplish. We are pleased with initial demand, and we expect to grow sales over the coming quarters as we continue to expand our product portfolio of rare cannabinoids.”

To view the full press release, visit https://cnw.fm/njkXM

About InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc.

InMed Pharmaceuticals is a global leader in the development, manufacturing and commercialization of rare cannabinoids. Together with its subsidiary, BayMedica, the company has unparalleled cannabinoid manufacturing capabilities to serve a spectrum of consumer markets, including pharmaceutical and health and wellness. InMed is also a clinical-stage company developing a pipeline of rare cannabinoid therapeutics and dedicated to delivering new treatment alternatives to patients that may benefit from cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical drugs. For more information, visit www.InMedPharma.com and www.BayMedica.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to INM are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/INM

About CannabisNewsWire

CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) CannabisNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, CNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. CNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, CNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. CNW is where news, content and information converge.

To receive SMS text alerts from CannabisNewsWire, text “CANNABIS” to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

Do you have questions or are you interested in working with CNW? Ask our Editor

CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
Denver, Colorado
www.CannabisNewsWire.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com

CannabisNewsWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.

420 with CNW — Mississippi Mom Believes Legalizing Medical Cannabis Would Transform Epileptic Daughter’s Health

We don’t know a lot about how cannabis affects the body, although anecdotal accounts and preliminary research shows that cannabis has some therapeutic ability. However, the consensus among most experts is that we need more research on cannabis. In the meantime, what we do know about the controversial plant is significant enough.

Studies have found that cannabis can reduce seizures suffered by children with intractable epilepsy. Furthermore, the FDA has approved a CBD-based drug called Epidiolex to treat two rare and severe forms of pediatric epilepsy: Dravet Syndrome and Lennox Gastaut Syndrome.

Gaining access to such cannabis-based epilepsy drugs is an entirely different story. As it stands, 36 states have legalized medical cannabis use. While that may seem like a lot of states, millions of Americans still cannot access medical cannabis. In Ocean Springs, Mississippi, Allie Byrd waits with bated breath as the conversation around medical cannabis in Mississippi continues. Her five-year-old daughter Avalyn May suffers from an ultra-rare disorder that causes daily seizures and requires a ton of seizure medication to alleviate.

In a Facebook post that has now been shared hundreds of times, Byrd says she noticed something was amiss in 2018. After exhibiting symptoms including chronic vomiting, Avalyn May was diagnosed with a super-rare genetic brain disorder called STXBP1. The condition is so rare that only around 800 children in the entire world have it. Avalyn May has to take 16 pills every day to control the condition. She became a nonverbal child after the seizures started, and although the medications reduce the number of seizures she suffers, they have serious side effects.

After joining a group for parents whose children had the same genetic disorder, Byrd became close to a parent who informed her of THC’s potential in curing seizures. The parent moved to Colorado, where both medical and recreational cannabis are legal, and put her child on a THC treatment. Except for monthly flare ups, the child is “almost entirely” cured of the seizures and doesn’t use any seizure medication. With this information, Byrd hopes that her daughter will also respond positively to a cannabis-based treatment.

Unfortunately, Mississippi still doesn’t have a medical cannabis program. Although voters approved medical marijuana in the 2020 ballot, the vote was overturned by the Supreme Court due to a procedural issue. Governor Tate Reeves and the legislature are currently debating the details of the final medical cannabis bill. If passed, the bill will be life-changing for little Avalyn May, Byrd says. In the meantime, all she can do is hope.

If the cannabis legalization bill is eventually passed, patients such as Avalyn May could potentially benefit by taking their cannabis medicine with the help of state-of-the-art dose measuring devices, such as those commercialized by entities like RYAH Group Inc. (CSE: RYAH).

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to RYAH Group Inc. (CSE: RYAH) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/RYAH

About CNW420

To receive instant SMS alerts, text CANNABIS to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)

For more information please visit https://www.CNW420.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

Do you have questions or are you interested in working with CNW420? Ask our Editor

CannabisNewsWire420
Denver, Colorado
http://www.CNW420.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com

CNW420 is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.

420 with CNW — Top National Intelligence Official Eases Cannabis Restrictions on Federal Employees

In a new memo, Avril Haines, director of National Intelligence, stated that federal employers should be discrete when it comes to individuals with marijuana investments in their stock portfolios and shouldn’t flatly reject security clearance applicants over past use of marijuana.

Haines stated that even with more states legalizing cannabis across the country, its use by individuals in positions that required national security clearance remained an area of concern, noting that the herb’s use should be considered in the application process. She explained that the illegal use of the controlled substance could raise security concerns about a person’s trustworthiness and reliability to hold a sensitive position or access classified information, as well as their willingness or ability to comply with regulations, rules and laws.

The internal memo, which was distributed to almost 100 agencies in December 2021 appears to give some leeway on this, stating that while an individual’s past use of cannabis and federal law on cannabis remain relevant, they shouldn’t be the sole determinant on the decision of an individual’s eligibility to hold a sensitive position or access classified information.

This is a major policy development as there has generally been an abstinence requirement for prospective federal workers who require security clearance at different agencies of one to two years.

Haines notes that the policy may be amended further in the future if a change to federal law concerning cannabis use is made. The memo adds that in the meantime, federal employment adjudicators should explore other factors outside the past use of cannabis to determine whether that particular concern should determine an individual’s employment eligibility. These factors may include the likelihood that the person will continue using cannabis and their frequency of consumption.

A spokesperson from the Director of National Intelligence’s office recently revealed that increased legalization of cannabis at the local and state levels had raised questions on how the federal government treated a person’s involvement with cannabis to determine eligibility to access classified information and for national security positions.

With regard to marijuana-related investments, this new memo stated that eligibility to hold a sensitive position or access classified information may be negatively impacted should a person directly and knowingly invest in business ventures or stocks that relate to cannabis retailers and growers, because the growing and distribution of cannabis remains illegal under federal law. The memo notes that despite this, individuals who didn’t invest in the marijuana space knowingly shouldn’t be penalized automatically. It adds that adjudicators should assume that the person didn’t knowingly invest in a cannabis-related business for indirect cannabis investments.

This guidance is likely to bring some relief to individuals who were hesitant to invest in cannabis or cannabis-related companies such as Simply Sonoma Inc. for fear of being penalized by the federal government.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Simply Sonoma Inc. are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/Sonoma

About CNW420

To receive instant SMS alerts, text CANNABIS to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)

For more information please visit https://www.CNW420.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

Do you have questions or are you interested in working with CNW420? Ask our Editor

CannabisNewsWire420
Denver, Colorado
http://www.CNW420.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com

CNW420 is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.

CannabisNewsBreaks – Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Provides Comments Regarding Study Examining Cannabinoids and SARS-CoV-2

Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator in drug-delivery platforms, has commented on a recent study that indicated that cannabinoids have the potential to prevent as well as treat infection by SARS-CoV-2. The comments came from lead research scientist Dr. Richard van Breeman, who granted an interview with vice.com discussing the independent study. In his comments, Breemen observed that smoking or vaping of cannabis was likely not effective, but oral delivery was, causing Breeman to recommend oral administration of cannabis compounds. Lexaria is keenly interested in the study because the company is actively engaged in research with its exclusive DehydraTECH(TM)-powered cannabinoid formulations, which include an advanced oral DehydraTECH-CBD formulation. “Lexaria has led the conversation for years related to oral delivery of cannabinoids and is a world-leader through its pioneering drug delivery technology, DehydraTECH, in more effective delivery of cannabinoids to the human bloodstream through oral means,” said Lexaria Bioscience CEO Chris Bunka in the press release.

To view the full press release, visit https://cnw.fm/HA6VH

About Lexaria Bioscience Corp.

Lexaria Bioscience’s patented drug-delivery technology, DehydraTECH(TM), improves the way active pharmaceutical ingredients (“APIs”) enter the bloodstream by promoting more effective oral delivery. Since 2016, DehydraTECH has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to increase bioabsorption with cannabinoids and nicotine by 5 to 10 times — and in some instances by as much as 27 times — compared to standard industry formulations, as well as reduce time of onset from one to two hours to minutes and mask unwanted tastes. The delivery systems are also being evaluated for orally administered, anti-viral drugs; nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (“NSAIDs”); PDE5 inhibitors; and more. DehydraTECH has also evidenced an ability to deliver some drugs more effectively across the blood brain barrier. Lexaria operates a licensed in-house research laboratory and holds a robust intellectual property portfolio with 23 patents granted and more than 50 patents pending worldwide. For more information about the company, please visit www.LexariaBioscience.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LEXX are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/LEXX

About CannabisNewsWire

To receive SMS text alerts from CannabisNewsWire, text “CANNABIS” to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

Do you have questions or are you interested in working with CNW? Ask our Editor

CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
Denver, Colorado
www.CannabisNewsWire.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com

CannabisNewsWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.

CannabisNewsBreaks – Grapefruit USA Inc. (GPFT) Announces Initiatives to Transform into Leading Multinational Cannabiotech Company

Grapefruit USA (OTCQB: GPFT), an innovative California-based cannabiotech company, today outlined its optimism for the new year, execution of existing plans and new initiatives as the company evolves in response to constant, rapid changes in the cannabis sector on its path to becoming a leading multinational cannabiotech. Among the highlights, the company reported that it expects to file for approval of its Notice of New Cannabis Product (“NNCP”) with Health Canada later this week. NNCP approval is a mandatory prerequisite to the launch of sales of Grapefruit’s patented Hourglass time-release, technology-powered THC+CBD-infused topical delivery cream in licensed retail outlets throughout Canada. “2021 was a very complicated year for Grapefruit as we struggled with the difficulties engendered by the simultaneous glut of cannabis flowers, reduction of demand and logistical disruptions caused by the worldwide pandemic,” said Bradley J. Yourist, Grapefruit’s CEO and co-founder. “Nevertheless, the company exhibited its fundamental value and resilience by emphasizing further development of our disruptive Hourglass technology and line of Hourglass-based products. Recently, we have been very busy organizing our strategic corporate plans and initiatives for the new year and beyond. We have put in place foundational initiatives that will transform Grapefruit into a multinational cannabiotech company. While we recognize that our share price has softened over the last few months, we made a conscious decision to not issue any press releases until we felt the time was right. However, now our new initiatives have been formulated and have commenced, our corporate plans are in place, and we will be updating our shareholders with respect to the above articulated points on an ongoing consistent basis so they can share in the excitement and growth of Grapefruit throughout 2022.”

To view the full press release, visit https://cnw.fm/jYHe5

About Grapefruit USA Inc.

Grapefruit’s corporate headquarters is in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. Grapefruit holds California permits and licenses to both manufacture and distribute cannabis products in the Golden State. Grapefruit’s extraction laboratory and manufacturing and distribution facilities are located in the industry-recognized Coachillin’ Industrial Cultivation and Ancillary Canna-Business Park in Desert Hot Springs, located on the extension of North Canyon Road, approximately 14 miles north of downtown Palm Springs. For more information about the company and its operations, visit www.GrapefruitBlvd.com.

About CannabisNewsWire

To receive SMS text alerts from CannabisNewsWire, text “CANNABIS” to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

Do you have questions or are you interested in working with CNW? Ask our Editor

CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
Denver, Colorado
www.CannabisNewsWire.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com

CannabisNewsWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.

CannabisNewsBreaks – Marijuana Company of America Inc. (MCOA) Inks Distribution Deal with Realize Hemp Drinks

Marijuana Company of America (OTC: MCOA), a diversified holding company with operations and investments throughout the cannabis industry, and cDistro, its wholly owned subsidiary, has entered an agreement with Realize Hemp Drinks. The agreement outlines plans to begin nationwide distribution of the award-winning Realize Raspberry Drink Mix infused with CBD & THC. cDistro distributes CBD brands, including smoke- and vape-shop-related products to wholesalers, c-stores, specialty retailers and consumers throughout North America. In addition to the Raspberry Drink Mix, cDistro will also be selling and distributing the new Citrus-Mango Drink Mix. Made with CBD and THC, both drinks contain less than 0.3% THC and are legal under the 2018 farm bill. “We are excited for cDistro to begin its sales and distribution efforts on behalf of Realize Hemp Drinks,” said Marijuana Company of America CEO and chair Jesus Quintero in the press release. “Once again as part of our new initiatives, this represents our growth, and the overall role we play as an intrinsic part of the future in the cannabis marketplace. We are thrilled to introduce innovative new products to the cannabis community and directly to cDistro’s nationwide retail customers. As the cannabis market continues its expansion into various sectors, we are poised to meet the needs of the market at every point.”

To view the full press release, visit https://cnw.fm/nKDyZ

About Marijuana Company of America Inc.

Marijuana Company of America operates and invests in the cannabis sector directly. The company’s wholly owned operations include the following: CDistro, one of the THC, hemp and CBD cannabis industries’ fastest-growing distribution companies; hempsmart(TM), a premium CBD company; and VBF Brands Inc., a cannabis nursery cultivation facility in Salinas, California, that is a cultivator and distributor utilizing its own growing systems to produce desirable cannabis clones. The company’s core mission is to leverage its experience and access to capital to identify and invest in acquisitions with unique growth potential in the cannabis and CBD marketplace. For more information about this company, visit www.MarijuanaCompanyofAmerica.com.

About CannabisNewsWire

To receive SMS text alerts from CannabisNewsWire, text “CANNABIS” to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

Do you have questions or are you interested in working with CNW? Ask our Editor

CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
Denver, Colorado
www.CannabisNewsWire.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com

CannabisNewsWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.

CannabisNewsBreaks – Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (CSE: RWB) (OTCQX: RWBYF) to Centralize Distribution for ‘House of Premium Brands’ in Michigan

Red White & Bloom Brands (CSE: RWB) (OTCQX: RWBYF) is a multistate cannabis operator and house of premium brands. The company, via its RWB Michigan LLC wholly owned subsidiary, has closed on a lease assignment for a 15,000-square-foot manufacturing/processing and distribution facility in Warren, Michigan, and has been issued both medical and adult use (aka “recreational”) licenses. “This Warren facility allows us to centralize distribution for our ‘house of premium brands’ in Michigan and finally report all of our Platinum Vape(TM) wholesale sales on a much less confusing and straightforward basis,” said RWB CEO and Chairman Brad Rogers. “We will be expanding the wildly popular Platinum Vape brand to include gummies and chocolates to capitalize on the existing brand equity we command in Michigan. The facility provides the production capacity to expand sales of our award-winning brands from the 250+ Michigan dispensaries that carry them to the state’s 400+ dispensaries.”

To view the full press release, visit https://cnw.fm/zJfcN

About Red White & Bloom Brands Inc.

The company is positioning itself to be one of the top three multistate cannabis operators active in the U.S. legal cannabis and hemp sector. RWB is predominantly focusing its investments on the major U.S. markets, including Michigan, Illinois, Massachusetts, Arizona and California with respect to cannabis, and the U.S. and internationally for hemp-based CBD products. For more information about the company, visit www.RedWhiteBloom.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to RWBYF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/RWBYF

About CannabisNewsWire

To receive SMS text alerts from CannabisNewsWire, text “CANNABIS” to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

Do you have questions or are you interested in working with CNW? Ask our Editor

CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
Denver, Colorado
www.CannabisNewsWire.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com

CannabisNewsWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.

420 with CNW — California Disburses $100M in Support of Cannabis Business Development

Last week, officials in California announced that the state had allocated $100 million in funding for the development of local cannabis markets, which would initially be used to help marijuana businesses become fully licensed. The California Department of Cannabis Control distributed the funds to 17 counties and cities where there are unequal numbers of provisional cannabis licenses. Some funding was also directed to areas with established social equity programs. This comes months after the department’s announcement that it was accepting applications for the local jurisdiction assistance grant program.

The temporary licensing category was scheduled to expire on Jan. 1, 2022, before the deadline was extended to afford localities additional time to meet environmental requirements and complete the permitting process. Nicole Elliott, director of the Department of Cannabis Control, stated that the grant funding being given to the local jurisdictions would help meet the needs of these communities as well as assist both the local and state governments to achieve their short-term and long-term goals.

The primary purposes of the funding include the following:

Assist in completion of environmental evaluations and new initiatives for renewable energy and water protection.
Facilitate the integration of IT systems to streamline license processing.
Provide funds for the hire of additional staff to process significant workloads associated with business transitions into the regulated marijuana market.

The department also provided examples of how different localities had proposed to use the funds. For instance, the county and city of San Francisco stated that they would use the funds to create new staff positions that would support the efficient and quick processing of marijuana permits. In its proposal, Los Angeles stated that it would use the funds to employ more personnel to administer California Environmental Quality Act processes as well as help licensees complete locally administered processes to achieve licensure annually.

Similarly, Long Beach proposed that it would use a portion of the funding to support technology improvements, website design and training as well as hire consultants and staff to help streamline local processing applications and permitting processes. In a separate move, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development plans to award $35 million for a Marijuana Equity Grants program for local jurisdictions, which has been designed to assist local equity program efforts to support equity licensees and applicants.

In New York, the governor announced last week that her administration would establish a public-private fund that would be used to promote social equity in New York’s growing cannabis market.

The entire cannabis industry in California, including players such as Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (OTC: NUGS), may be happy that the state is taking steps to ease the formalization process of entities that have been finding it hard to regularize their operations in accordance with state law. This will level the playing field for all concerned.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (OTC: NUGS) are available in the company’s newsroom at http://cnw.fm/NUGS

About CNW420

To receive instant SMS alerts, text CANNABIS to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)

For more information please visit https://www.CNW420.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

Do you have questions or are you interested in working with CNW420? Ask our Editor

CannabisNewsWire420
Denver, Colorado
http://www.CNW420.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com

CNW420 is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.

420 with CNW — CPG Trends That Marijuana Businesses Should Consider Implementing

Since the pandemic begun, there have been shifts in consumer purchasing habits with emerging technologies and packaging innovations such as digitization, remote analytics and AI leading to the development of a new level of company efficiencies. While not every packaging innovation can be applied to marijuana firms, some trends transforming the consumer packaged goods sector should be considered, including the following:

AI and Digitization

Digitization is helping improve product traceability and develop packaging automation efficiencies in the consumer packaged goods sector. The marijuana sector doesn’t have industry software solutions that allow them to collect, organize and analyze their packaging and production performance automatically. This addition would do all this while helping streamline operations significantly.

Contract packaging

Contract packaging allows companies that aren’t ready to financially invest in equipment to decrease packaging labor by contracting out some of their services to other entities. Contracting another business to assemble their goods into finished products allows companies to concentrate on other aspects of what they do. Contract packaging can also help save on costs.

More efficient packaging technologies

The objective of packaging automation in the consumer packaged goods sector is efficiency and speed. While marijuana product manufacturers don’t necessarily need to perform at the same speed as other sectors, efficiency is still important to automation practices.

As more automation companies continue to customize for marijuana needs, we may see the use of more efficient technology. Senior VP of ActionPac Scales & Automation Amelia Dishion stated that learning how to adapt automation equipment that is already in use to fit the needs of marijuana could help. Dishion gave the example of vertical bagging, which is a user-friendly, efficient and fast packaging process that uses flexible, thin packaging for various products.

Given that marijuana packaging regulations require a thick film of material for packaging, the machines could be adapted for marijuana regulations to enable them to package marijuana items such as pre-rolls and single-use grams.

Sustainability

A 2020 report by McKinsey shows that consumer packaged goods brands are focused on using biodegradable and recycled packaging options in response to consumer outcry on the impact of plastic packaging on the environment. While sustainable packaging hasn’t yet been adopted on a large scale in the marijuana industry, manufacturers may soon adopt it as the trend is expected to continue as coverage on environmental damage and climate change caused by consumerism grows and more steps are taken by countries around the globe to shift to a green economy.

There are signs that the marijuana industry is waking up to these CPG packaging principles given that companies such as Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) are already utilizing some of the techniques above to gain a competitive edge.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/FLGC

About CNW420

To receive instant SMS alerts, text CANNABIS to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)

For more information please visit https://www.CNW420.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

Do you have questions or are you interested in working with CNW420? Ask our Editor

CannabisNewsWire420
Denver, Colorado
http://www.CNW420.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com

CNW420 is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.