420 with CNW — Study Finds Illinois Was Fifth-Top Cannabis Tax Earner in 2020

A study that was carried out recently found that in 2020 the state of Illinois generated $175 million in cannabis sales tax, which is the fifth-highest amount in the country. This amount makes up 0.4% of the state’s total 2020 revenue.

At the moment, 16 states across the nation have now fully legalized cannabis, with 11 of these imposing retail sales taxes on cannabis and cannabis products. The study, which was released by the U.S. Drug Test Centers, also found that youth and adult usage of cannabis grew in the past year.

The state of Illinois had initially awarded 75 cannabis dispensary licenses last year. However, current published reports show that a proposed legislation that would afford minorities as well as the poor a chance to enter the cannabis industry since they were excluded in the initial round and that would double the number of licenses, may soon be introduced.

Last month, State. Rep. La Shawn Ford got together with a group of minority marijuana applicants and announced plans for a measure that would establish nearly 115 new cannabis shop permits. A story covering that announcement was published in the Chicago Sun-Times, stating that advocates of the proposed measure noted that there was no licensed cannabis business that had an individual of color as a majority owner.

The study also discovered that since 2015, cannabis usage had grown by double digits in every state, with the state of Nevada claiming the number 1 spot at 119%. Additionally, adults who viewed cannabis as a dangerous substance had decreased to 25%.

Among the states that have legalized marijuana, including Washington DC, the study observed a decrease in youth usage in half and a rise of the same in the remaining eight states. However, the study found no direct correlation between the usage of marijuana by the youth and legalization.

In addition to this, the study also discovered that since 2015, youths aged between 12 and 17 and adults in the state of Illinois who used cannabis “in the last month” had grown by 4% and 39% respectively.

Earlier in December 2019, the City Council of Kankakee County approved a law that would permit the regulation of adult-use marijuana business organizations. The city is allowed to have a single licensed retailer. In the same year, the Kankakee County Board also voted in favor of prohibiting cannabis sales in unincorporated areas of the county. The executive committee will be re-examining this issue during its next meeting this April.

It may be reasonable to assume that as states earn large sums of money in the form of taxes on marijuana, the different cannabis companies such as Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) are also, hopefully, turning a decent profit rather than suffering under the yoke of taxes.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/GLDFF

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.

420 with CNW — Nevada Legislative Committee Approves Bill Allowing Marijuana Consumption Lounges

Last week, a legislation to permit on-site cannabis consumption lounges was approved in an Assembly committee in Nevada. Backed by Speaker Pro Tempore Steve Yeager, the bill would establish two new categories for marijuana business licenses in Nevada. One of the categories would cater for independent marijuana consumption lounges and the other for retail marijuana consumption lounges.

Under the social use legislation, existing retailers will be allowed to apply for retail consumption lounge licenses as well as sell products to individuals aged 21 or older, which could be ingested on-site. However, independent lounges will be required to have cannabis products their clients consume delivered from a licensed retailer as the lounges will not be allowed to sell marijuana.

In addition to this, the committee approved an initiative that would ensure that the THC concentration in an individual’s blood would not be the only measure used to determine impairment while driving. This comes after no scientific evidence highlighting a link between active impairment and the amount of THC metabolites found in the blood was discovered.

That said, holders of independent licenses may enter into contracts with adult-use retailers to sell their products or make a request to regulators to sell the marijuana they (the licensed lounge) produce.

Additionally, the legislation stipulates that the Cannabis Compliance Board will be in charge of setting fees for license applicants and formulating regulations for on-site consumption facilities. It should be noted that businesses that qualified to be social equity applicants would pay reduced fees. The bill also states that any individual who has been afflicted by prior laws that made activity relating to marijuana illegal will be deemed to be a social equity applicant.

Before the bill was advanced through the Assembly Committee, Yeager suggested that a revision be made to the legislation ensuring that products bought at the aforementioned establishments could not be taken from the facility.

Earlier in 2019, the city council of Las Vegas approved a rule that allowed consumption sites within the city limits. In the same year, Alaska enacted regulations that would allow cannabis users the option to use on-site at dispensaries, making it the first state in the country to do so.

The state of Colorado approved a measure soon after this that legalized cannabis hospitality establishments and marijuana tasting rooms, where individuals aged 21 and above could freely use marijuana. Affording consumers this option and introducing new license types could further increase cannabis tax revenues in the state of Nevada.

Companies that hold cannabis licenses in Nevada, such as Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF), are likely to watch closely how the eventual licensing of consumption lounges will impact the industry in general.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/GLDFF

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 — How New Cannabis Law in New York Could Impact Medical Marijuana

As March drew to a close, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in New York, making it the 15th state alongside the District of Columbia to allow adult-use cannabis. The legislation will allow adults over age 21 to possess up to 24 grams of cannabis concentrate and 3 ounces of cannabis flower; adults will also be allowed to grow up to six cannabis plants at home. Additionally, the bill will automatically expunge prior cannabis offenses that are now considered legal.

Medical cannabis patients in New York will be happy to know that the adult-use bill will also have positive implications for the medical marijuana sector. For starters, it will allow doctors to prescribe cannabis for a lot more medical conditions than current legislation allows. At the moment, state law allows doctors to only prescribe medical cannabis to patients with certain qualifying conditions. According to the state department of health, the new law will allow doctors to prescribe medical cannabis for any medical condition that they feel warrants that kind of treatment.

Additionally, the new bill will also allow medical cannabis patients to grow their own marijuana at home, giving rural patients who have to travel miles to get their medical cannabis a reprieve. Penelope Hamilton Crescibene, for instance, has an autoimmune disease called Sjögren’s syndrome that causes her chronic pain. A rural customer living in Genesee County, she would be forced to travel all the way to Buffalo or Rochester to pick up her medical cannabis prescription, traveling for around two hours every time.

With the new recreational cannabis legislation in place, she can now grow her own cannabis at home. She will now have much more control over the medical cannabis she consumes, including the specific genetics that would benefit her the most and whether or not the cannabis will be grown organically. Allaying fears that increased access to cannabis would lead to overuse, Steuben County Health Commissioner Darlene Smith says that patients who are dealing with chronic pain and disability are more likely to use their cannabis as per their doctor’s instructions to ensure it lasts until their next prescription.

On top of increasing patient access to medical cannabis, the new recreational cannabis bill allows designated caregivers to pick up medical cannabis for patients under age 21, and it abolishes the $50 fee patients were required to pay to obtain a medical cannabis card. Patients will also be able to pick up enough medical cannabis for 60 days at once, up from only 30 days’ worth of cannabis that is presently allowed.

The reforms being made to the cannabis policies at state level in various jurisdictions appear to ease the environment within which companies such as Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) attempt to serve the different needs of the populations within those jurisdictions.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/GLDFF

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.

CBDNewsBreaks – Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) Closes on Majority Ownership of Plant-Based CBD Skincare Brand

Golden Leaf Holdings (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF), a premier, consumer-driven cannabis company specializing in retail, production, processing, wholesale, and distribution, has closed on the purchase of its majority ownership in Fifth & Root Inc., a California-based, nationally recognized CBD skin-care brand. Fifth & Root noted that it hopes the move will allow the company to provide innovative CBD products nationwide through the largest and best beauty retail partners in the country. The purchase agreement noted that GLDFF will pay total consideration of up to $1,687,500 for 80% ownership of Fifth & Root. The consideration will consist of $250,000 cash payment paid at closing and up to 30,666,666 common GLH shares. Designed with a “GenZennial” customer in mind, Fifth & Root is sold in major retail locations such as Ulta Beauty, Nordstrom, Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters as well as online. “The acquisition of these distribution channels greatly increases the company’s visibility and reach, and continues to advance our ‘Crawl, Walk, Run’ strategic approach,” said Golden Leaf Holdings CEO Jeff Yapp in the press release. “As we look forward to the eventual federal legalization of cannabis, Fifth & Root’s commerce platform and partnerships will position the company favorably to capitalize on the evolving marketplace. Fifth & Root, a leader in CBD beauty, offers an exceptional line of clean and innovative products. We’re thrilled to add them to Golden Leaf Holdings’ portfolio of products and look forward to growing this brand within the burgeoning CBD skincare space.”

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

About Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd.

Golden Leaf Holdings is a premiere, consumer-driven cannabis company specializing in production, processing, wholesale, distribution and retail, with seven dispensaries in Portland, Oregon. The company is committed to developing a dynamic portfolio built around the recognized brands of Chalice Farms, with a focus on health and wellness. Markets served include Oregon, California, Nevada and Washington. For more information about this company, visit www.GoldenLeafHoldings.com.

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

About CBDWire

CBDWire (CBDW) is a specialized information provider focused on (1) reporting CBD-related news and updates, (2) releasing CBDNewsBreaks crafted to keep investors abreast of the latest and greatest in the CBD market, (3) refining and enhancing corporate press releases, (4) delivering end-to-end distribution and social media services to client-partners and (5) constructing effective corporate communication solutions based on the unique requirements of CBD companies. CBDW is exclusively positioned in the burgeoning CBD sector with a proven team of journalists and researchers working to deliver high quality content to an expansive target audience of investors, consumers and industry news outlets. Our dissemination network of over 5,000 downstream distribution points allows us to deliver unparalleled reach, visibility and recognition to companies operating in both cannabidiol and the wider cannabis space. CBDWire (CBDW) is where CBD news, content and information converge.

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

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

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CBDWire website applicable to all content provided by CBDW, wherever published or re-published: https://CBDWire.com/Disclaimer

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

CBDWire (CBDW)
Denver, Colorado
www.CBDWire.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CBDWire.com

CBDWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.

420 with CNW — Can Cannabis Expire?

If you prefer buying the maximum permitted amount of medical marijuana and storing it on your own instead of having to make a trip to the store every time you need to replenish your supply, there are a few things you need to know before doing so.

First off, you may be curious to know whether marijuana expires. While it does not expire, weed can become moldy. Old or moldy cannabis can affect you, especially if you suffer from underlying medical conditions. Even individuals with no underlying medical issues can suffer health complications if they consume moldy cannabis.

Marijuana that has been improperly stored may have a weaker potency and may also have a different texture, taste and feel. To ensure long-lasting freshness and an amazing experience, keep these things in mind.

To begin with, you need to know how long marijuana stays fresh.

If you store your marijuana in the right way, it can remain suitable for anywhere between six months to one year. After this period, dried marijuana will begin to lose its aroma and potency. Research has found that marijuana loses 16% of its THC when stored for an entire year, with the THC level continuing to drop the longer it remains in storage.

Marijuana stored for two years will lose 26% of its THC; storing it for an additional year results in the loss of 34% of THC. So if you don’t plan on consuming your marijuana within a six -month period, then there’s no need to purchase it.

But how can you tell if your marijuana is old to begin with?

The good news is, you don’t have to be a marijuana connoisseur to know. The smell will be the first thing you need to check out. Depending on the strain you get, the taste and smell may be different. However, marijuana that is too old will have a different aroma and scent from when it wasa purchased.

If you notice no difference in smell, then look at its appearance. If your cnnabis is too moist or too dry, or it crumbles when you break off a part of it, then it’s too old for you to consume.

So, how can you properly store your marijuana?

It is important to note that light, humidity, temperature and oxygen all affect your marijuana, so don’t store your cannabis in plastic bags. Instead, use a glass jar to store your weed in. Ensure you seal it tightly and store the jar in a dark, cool and dry place.

Learning how to store cannabis is vital. It would be a pity to buy premium quality product from organizations such as Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) and have it lose its potency because of improper storage.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/GLDFF

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 — How Data Analytics Is Proving Invaluable in the Marijuana Industry

After decades of prohibition, marijuana is finally legal in some form in more than 30 states. The industry has made impressive progress, creating thousands of job opportunities and providing states with millions of dollars in much-needed tax revenue. With Democrats now controlling the Senate, House and White House, the country may see lawmakers pass federal cannabis legislation in the next few years, removing most of the roadblocks that have kept the industry from advancing and ensuring its growth.

Aside from access to financial service, one factor that will redefine the industry as it grows and matures is data analytics (“DA”). With the sector still in its infancy, DA presents a great growth opportunity for cannabis companies over the next few years. Industries such as banking, retail and airlines have leveraged data collection to great success, and the state-legal marijuana sector can do the same. But why is data analytics so important, and how can it help cannabis businesses?

Branding is important for any company that wants to carve out a nice market share for itself, and branding is dependent on data collection and analytics. Customers trust and will return to reputable brands, meaning cannabis businesses that want to stand out from the pack and thrive in an oversaturated market will need brand differentiation. DA will allow for trend analysis, helping cannabis businesses to ascertain which products they should produce as well as the market segments they should target, whether it is pre-rolls or high-potency concentrates.

Market segmentation has allowed companies such as Coca-Cola to create different lines of successful products for different markets. Not every product will succeed in every market, and finding the perfect product for each market segment will ensure customers buy your products. By leveraging data analytics, cannabis companies can utilize transactional data, seasonality and trend forecasting coupled with regional and demographic data to find the market segments they are best suited to serve.

Loyalty programs tend to keep consumers loyal to a certain brand, even if the consumers have to pay slightly more. Airlines and the hospitality industry have taken great advantage of this, using a variety of loyalty programs to ensure customer retention and to promote the growth of their brands. To do this, these sectors have invested a great deal in data analytics, and cannabis companies ought to do the same. Especially since the data clearly shows that there are market segments that would love to support a cannabis brand of high quality coupled with a loyalty program.

Thanks to a more liberal government, the cannabis industry is poised for massive growth over the next few years. Cannabis businesses that invest in data analytics from day one will have a greater chance of success.

With five successful brands to its name, Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) is a true definition of a marijuana company that is leveraging data analytics to its full advantage.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/GLDFF

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 — NY Medical Cannabis Firms Propose That Legislature Allow Them to Kick-Start Recreational Market

As the state of New York contemplates legalizing cannabis for recreational use, medical marijuana companies are working on persuading the state’s legislature to afford them a stake in the new market. Rather than wait for new marijuana growers to begin from the ground up, the medical marijuana companies stated that they could utilize their already existing infrastructure to provide the new market with a boost.

The New York Medical Cannabis Industry commissioned a pair of reports that assert that allowing medical marijuana firms into the recreational marijuana market in the state as soon as possible would jumpstart new employment opportunities and provide the industry with a boost.

Ngiste Abebe, who is the vice president of medical marijuana company Columbia Care and also happens to be the group’s president, stated that by using the infrastructure and knowledge of the existing providers, New York could bring economic growth to the state at a crucial time in its recovery while also strengthening its reputation as a progressive leader.

Democrats in the state are currently negotiating a system for taxing and regulating the production and sale of cannabis for adult recreational use. The Democrats involved on the issue are confident that they could come to a full legalization agreement by March’s end.

However, this may not be so easy to achieve given that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has a different proposal to legalize cannabis, which conflicts with the legislators’ measure. In the recent past, the governor has clashed with legislators over how the tax revenue generated from the new recreational cannabis industry should be utilized.

There may still be hope though. With Connecticut, Vermont and New Jersey having legalized marijuana, the state of New York is under new pressure to legalize the drug. Legislators in the state are seeking new ways to generate revenue in the long term from the new industry.

Reports estimate that, depending on demand, the annual revenue potential of the state of New York’s recreational cannabis market will be between $300 million and $700 million. Analysts forecast that the state’s recreational cannabis industry will reach its maximum revenue potential three or four years after legalization.

This is where medical marijuana companies come in. The companies assert that they could use their infrastructure, which is already in place, to help supply the new recreational market in the state at the beginning, until more growers enter the market. The companies also noted that they already had the means to grow more marijuana as well as the equipment needed to test its potency, to package products and to distribute them to retailers.

However, they would need authorization from the legislature to enter the recreational market, which some legislators are not buying, arguing that keeping the recreational and medical cannabis industries separate is the best option.

As lawmakers in the Empire State discuss the finer details of cannabis legalization in the state, companies in other jurisdictions that have regulated cannabis markets are reaping massive benefits. Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF), for example, registered 42% year-over-year growth in the third quarter of 2020, a sign of better things to come.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/GLDFF

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 — Could Cannabis Legalization in Mexico Force a Federal Policy Change in Washington?

Mexico may soon become the biggest legal cannabis market in the world after the country’s Chamber of Deputies approved a legislation last week that would legalize recreational sales of cannabis. The Senate is expected to support the legislation in the days to come.

Mexico president Andrés Manuel López Obrador from the MORENA party strongly supports the bill. The president is expected to sign the legislation in the coming days.

Many speculate that this move may pressure President Joe Biden to federally legalize the plant in the United States as well since the country will be sandwiched between the two largest legal cannabis markets globally: Mexico and Canada.

To put it into context, Mexico has a population of roughly 130 million people. Legalizing marijuana at the national level would make it the biggest country to do so as the other two nations that have done so, Uruguay and Canada, have a 3.4 million and 37.6 million people respectively. Even when combined, however, their populations don’t make up even a third of Mexico’s population.

Director of the Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center Andrew Rudman mentioned that, with many of the U.S. House members representing states with legal marijuana markets, the federal government of the United States may be pressured to legalize or decriminalize the plant or at least, loosen restrictions on it. Earlier in December, the U.S. House approved bills that would do away with past cannabis convictions and end federal penalties for cannabis possession. With Democrats being the majority in the Senate under the Biden administration, the likelihood for cannabis restrictions being loosened has increased. However, some marijuana policy watchers are doubtful that there will be a huge change made with regard to federal policy any time soon.

The president’s stance on the matter doesn’t seem too positive on the federal legalization front either. President Biden has stated that he wants to broaden medical research on cannabis and end criminal penalties but does not support full legalization of cannabis. On the other hand, Vice President Kamala Harris was a sponsor of the Senate version of the legislation that the House approved in the last session.

Despite his stance on full cannabis legalization, President Biden nominated Xavier Becerra, who up until recently was the California Attorney General, to be the Health and Human Services secretary. Becerra is a strong backer of cannabis legalization, and many are hopeful that under his leadership, Health and Human Services could revise its 2015 outlook that stated that cannabis had no medicinal benefits.

Many companies have opted to operate within the state-legal cannabis markets as they wait for any reforms to be implemented at the federal level. One such entity is Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) which, through its five brands, is thriving in California, Nevada and Oregon.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/GLDFF

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 — Pennsylvania Governor Announces Marijuana Pardons

Legal cannabis hasn’t just provided states with millions of dollars in tax revenue at a time when their coffers were running low, it has also given people who were shackled with cannabis convictions a new lease at life. Although the decades’ long war on drugs was meant to take down the criminal enterprises behind the illicit drug trade, it is ordinary people who were by and large law-abiding citizens who suffered the most. For most cannabis legalization proponents, marijuana legislation would remove cannabis-related offenses from their records, ridding them of the stigma associated with a criminal record.

In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf has announced a round of pardons that will include individuals with prior nonviolent, cannabis-related convictions. The governor, who is known for his pro-cannabis views, has already pardoned a total of 310 people, 69 of them being part of a program that was granted expedited review to overturn prior marijuana-related charges. Dubbed the Expedited Review Program for Nonviolent Marijuana-Related Offenses, the program was launched in 2019.

According to Wolf, the 310 convictions gave the affected individuals an opportunity to put their cannabis-related “crimes” behind them and allowed them access to additional opportunities while they lived their lives without the shadow of a cannabis conviction constantly dogging them. He noted that pardons for nonviolent, cannabis-related offenses were expedited, reducing what usually took years to just a couple of months.

Six pardons are currently being held for additional review while Wolf denied 13 others. All in all, Pennsylvania’s governor has signed off on 1,559 pardons since 2015, more than any governor in the last two decades. Of these pardons, 95 were from a group that was part of the Expedited Review Program for Non-Violent Marijuana-Related Offenses. Secretary of the Board of Pardons Brandon Flood says that by establishing an accelerated evaluation process for specific individuals requesting pardons for minor offenses, the state Board of Pardons broke with administrative tradition.

Although the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons initially made this expedited review program available for individuals with nonviolent, cannabis-related offenses on their records, the board will soon extend the program to include additional nonviolent, low-level and nonsexual crimes, Flood says.

Wolf made his commitment towards pardoning cannabis offenders clear back in 2019 when he supported efforts to fully legalize recreational cannabis in the state. Although a legal recreational cannabis market has so far eluded his grasp, he is still a fervent advocate for cannabis reform, supporting cannabis legislation and granting pardons to individuals with cannabis-related convictions on their records.

While Pennsylvania has so far not enacted a law creating a legal recreational marijuana market, other states, such as Oregon, have established markets, and many companies are flourishing in the state. Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF), for instance, has a whopping five brands through which it offers premium cannabis products to savvy consumers in the markets where the company operates.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/GLDFF

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 — Virginia Lawmakers Scramble to Reconcile Marijuana Legalization Bills Before Deadline

Legislators in Virginia spent last week trying to bring together Senate and House cannabis legalization bills in an attempt to reach an agreement on matters such as criminal penalties and business licensing before a looming legislative deadline.

Each chamber had approved its own legalization measure earlier in the month, based on a plan that was introduced at the start of the year by other leaders of the state, who had in 2020 pledged to legalize marijuana. The two initiatives are similar in many ways but have a few differences that span various topics.

Both initiatives — SB 1406 and HB 2312 — would permit individuals who are 21 years and above to grow up to four marijuana plants and buy up to an ounce of cannabis. Additionally, both retail sales and commercial production would be state regulated, while tax imposed on the legal cannabis industry would be directed to various investments.

Both legislations would also establish a new body whose purpose would be to regulate marijuana instead of having the alcohol authority in the state do so. However, the proposals had been amended as they made their rounds through the respective chambers, which brought about the differences. For instance, the House bill would not remove any penalties till later in 2024, which would align with legal sales launching, while the Senate proposal would legalize personal possession of cannabis later in 2021.

Additionally, while both measures would give regulators the power to limit the amount of business license holders in the state, the Senate proposal would limit grower licenses any person can hold while the House proposal would limit individual license holders to just five licenses each, to help prevent the monopolization of the market by large cannabis firms.

Other differences include how violations under the new legislations would be punished. The Senate bill suggested that penalties for consuming marijuana in public be brought down to a misdemeanor instead of the $25 fine that is currently imposed. However, the proposal would criminalize consumption of marijuana in a car that was moving, even if the person is consuming a marijuana edible.

On the other hand, the House proposal would subject a $25 fine for minors who were found with marijuana, in addition to being referred to a treatment program or substance education. Additionally, the Senate proposal would subject a $250 fine for first offenders and jail time or criminal charges for certain convictions.

It should be noted though that, under both measures, the state of Virginia’s first legal adult-use marijuana sale wouldn’t take place until 2024, regardless of whether the state’s legislators approved a reconciled legalization measure in the near future or not.

Meanwhile, plenty of cannabis firms are thriving in states that have legalized marijuana in some form. For example, Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) registered revenue that exceeded its 2019 total revenue by the third quarter of last year.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/GLDFF

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.