420 with CNW – THC may be More Therapeutic than CBD, Study Finds

From the reports in the media and what people discuss, one is led to believe that CBD (cannabidiol) contains all the medicinal benefits in the cannabis plant while THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) symptomizes everything that is bad about cannabis since it is psychoactive. However, the findings of a recent study may turn this popular belief on its head.

According to a study whose findings appeared in the Scientific Reports Journal, THC seems to have a higher link with the relief of disease symptoms when compared to CBD.

The researchers from the University of New Mexico studied the data provided by medical cannabis users in the U.S. regarding various aspects of the medical cannabis that they consumed. The ReLeaf app allows patients to indicate various things, such as what they are suffering from, what marijuana strains they are consuming, how they are consuming that marijuana and what effects they notice after consuming medical cannabis.

The researchers looked at the data and found that the patients who used marijuana strains that had higher levels of THC when compared to the CBD content reported superior symptom relief unlike those patients whose medical marijuana had low levels of THC and higher levels of CBD.

Sarah See Stith, one of the co-authors of the research commented that their study was important in light of the fact that not enough information is given to patients when they want to try medical cannabis for their conditions.

Stith pointed out that almost all patients get a recommendation from a doctor and are on their own in terms of selecting the products to use. Some of those patients rely on their prior experience when they used to consume recreational marijuana. Others talk to family and friends while some go to the internet to educate themselves about medical cannabis. The staff at medical cannabis dispensaries are often poorly trained, so they cannot be relied upon to give dependable advice on the appropriate medical cannabis products for patients.

Stith thinks that their research findings can help to initiate a discussion and further research into how cannabis works to treat or provide symptomatic relief.

This research is also important because it comes at a time when the U.S., the UN and other international bodies are on the verge of deciding whether to reschedule cannabis or leave it in the most restrictive categories of the national/international treaties controlling narcotic substances.

Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) and Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) welcome this research and hope that those findings will be considered by those who formulate cannabis policies and regulations in Washington.

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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.

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420 with CNW – Federal Reserve Boss Asks Congress for Clarity on Cannabis Banking

Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, has asked the federal government to provide clarification on matters of banking services for the cannabis industry. Powell made these comments while addressing the Finance Committee of the U.S. Senate.

He was referring to the difficulties that financial institutions face as they wish to serve cannabis businesses in states that have legalized the substance, but those same institutions feel hamstrung by federal banking laws that still regard marijuana as an illegal substance.

It is not just banks and credit unions that are in this difficult position. Even supervisors and regulators face the same dilemma because it isn’t clear where they should draw the line between what is permissible under state law and what aspects of the federal banking laws to implement or place on the backburner.

When asked a follow up question, Jerome Powell also revealed that the clarification provided should also put the record straight on issues of insurance for the marijuana industry.

As things stand, the cannabis industry is still unable to obtain insurance in the same way that other businesses can. This is a serious problem because it denies the cannabis industry the protections provided by insurance.

This isn’t the first time that the Federal Reserve boss is expressing these sentiments. He is on record to have stated the same concerns during a press conference last year. Powell is reported to have said that while his work has nothing to do with cannabis, the institution he leads is concerned about the nascent industry because of the possible impacts to the financial sector if things aren’t handled correctly.

Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary, has also expressed a desire to see the banking concerns of the cannabis industry addressed. He went as far as saying these issues top the list of the matters that his department is concerned about.

If the indicators coming from Congress are anything to go by, 2019 may well be the year when the concerns of Mnuchin and Powell (as well as the cannabis industry) get addressed. A subcommittee of the 116th Congress is already holding hearings at which different stakeholders, such as marijuana businesses, are providing their submissions on matters of cannabis banking.

These hearings arise out of a bi-partisan bill that seeks to make it possible for cannabis businesses to keep their money in banks without any fear that the federal government will act against them or victimize the banks that have accepted to do business with the cannabis companies.

Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) and Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) will be extremely relieved if the calls by the Federal Reserve boss and the Treasury Secretary result in concrete steps to ease banking for the cannabis industry in the U.S.

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420 with CNW – Judge Faults Walmart in Arizona Medical Cannabis Case

A federal judge in Arizona has faulted Walmart for dismissing an employee who tested positive for cannabis even after that employee informed her employer that she had a valid medical marijuana card issued by the state.

It all started when Carol Whitmire sustained an injury while doing her work in one of Walmart’s stores in May 2016. Whitmire, who had worked with the same company for eight years, was immediately rushed to receive medical care after the accident. Blood and urine samples were also taken for analysis as part of Walmart’s policy.

Whitmire informed the HR department about her status as a medical cardholder after that incident and she continued to work after she recovered. However, she was terminated in July for being in contravention of Walmart’s policy on drugs.

Consequently, Whitmire sued Walmart for discrimination and wrongful dismissal. Walmart responded by telling court that it had a right to dismiss Whitmire due to her positive drugs test results.

However, court disagreed and pointed out that Walmart failed to prove that the positive drugs test indicated that Carol Whitmire had been working while intoxicated with marijuana. Had Walmart provided such proof, the court may have considered their assertion that they had good faith in terminating Whitmire.

Whitmire’s attorney, Joshua Carden, applauded the decision of Judge James Teilborg. Carden said that the judge had set a precedent that paved the way for private right-of-action lawsuits under the Arizona medical marijuana laws.

Joshua Carden revealed that the court would soon set a date for delivering its ruling regarding the possibility of reinstating Whitmire, as well as determining how much is due to her for damages and costs for the suits she filed.

Walmart was also glad that the federal court dismissed some of the claims made by Carol Whitmire in her suit. The company reiterated its ceaseless efforts to provide a safe environment for all its customers and associates.

Cases like Carol Whitmire’s are likely to crop up frequently because there is a lot that is still not known about cannabis. For example, for how long can someone remain impaired after consuming cannabis? Part of the reasons why Walmart couldn’t be justified to fire Whitmire is that it wasn’t clear whether a positive drugs test meant that Whitmire was under the influence while at work. Until scientific studies resolve this grey area, employers and employees will not be certain where the boundary is.

All in all, Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) as well as Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) welcome the judgment that made it clear that patients using medical marijuana legally will not lose their jobs just because they test positive for cannabis.

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Cannabis Cultivators Profit from Growing Legal Market

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The growth the legal cannabis market has created has turned cultivation facilities into invaluable assets.

The cannabis market is predicted to generate $146 billion in revenues by 2025.
Legal changes are accelerating this expansion in the United States and beyond.
Cultivation facilities are fundamental to this growth, providing the raw materials for the cannabis industry.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures (OTC: NUGS) (NUGS Profile) recently announced plans to establish a multi-acre cultivation facility in California to meet market demands. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is increasing its cultivation space through the acquisition of Natura Naturals Holdings. In addition, the need to equip cultivation facilities is fueling growth for hydroponic suppliers such as GrowGeneration Corp. (OTCQX: GRWG). Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) has issued a letter of intent to acquire Whistler in an effort to increase cultivation. Meanwhile, Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) is looking beyond North America, cultivating new markets in Europe.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Cannabis Cultivation Provides Prime Opportunity

The continuing growth of the cannabis industry has created a powerful investment opportunity around cultivation sites. These farms are the bedrock of the industry, producing the raw materials that are essential to both medical and recreational customers around the world. Given the balance of supply and demand, companies with cultivation sites can practically guarantee themselves a market for their product.

One of the reasons behind the high value of these sites is the continuing development of cannabis-friendly regulations. State and federal laws becoming more cannabis friendly, and as that happens, the industry appears destined for substantial growth.

Potential of the Cannabis Cultivation Market

The growth of the cannabis sector has led to the rise of companies such as Cannabis Strategic Ventures (OTC: NUGS), a holding company for cannabis industry start-ups and growth-stage enterprises that is moving into cannabis cultivation in Northern California. Such companies are keen to talk up the potential of the cannabis market, and unlike some other sectors, cannabis shows every sign of living up to the hype.

The global market for legal marijuana was valued at $9.3 billion dollars in 2016. By the end of 2025, the market is forecast to reach $146.4 billion. That’s staggering growth for an industry that didn’t even exist legally a mere 20 years ago and that has only recently started to attract substantial investor attention.

The largest part of the market is currently medical cannabis and cannabis-derived wellness products. Medical use provided cannabis with its foot in the door of the legal economy, thanks to its applications in providing pain and nausea relief, but the potential has exploded from there. Legalization has allowed better research into the effects of cannabis’ active ingredients, in particular tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). The plant is used in a wide variety of health and wellness products tailored to increasingly specific customer bases, such as Cannabis Strategic Ventures’ Fitamins brand, formulated to relieve muscle pain in athletes.

The breakthrough research is driving demand for cannabis in various forms. The plant itself can be preserved and smoked for medical and recreational effects. Plant derivatives are used in a wide range of pills and ointments. And CBD and THC oils can be vaped or used in even more products.

As it becomes easier for companies to legally process cannabis, these companies are exploring making cannabis edibles. The changes are even fostering a surge in the production of hemp, a variety of the cannabis plant that doesn’t contain high-inducing quantities of THC. And in addition to being used in the manufacture of CBD products, hemp is also used to make textile products.

Legal Changes for Cannabis

The societal clamor for access to cannabis’ derivative benefits is driving new waves of legislation, including the legalization of recreational cannabis in several U.S. states as well as countries such as Uruguay and Canada. Across the United States, 70 to 75 percent of the cannabis trade is reportedly still in the hands of criminals, while in states with legalization, only about 30 percent of the activity continues to be criminal, according to Grand View Research. The potential to reduce the income of criminals, increase tax revenue and tackle drug abuse through public health measures are all fueling a movement that could drive even more radical growth in the legal cannabis market over the next generation.

The wave of cannabis-friendly legislation has allowed companies such as Cannabis Strategic Ventures to get their businesses started and access a broad legal customer base. Other legislation has maintained a lower profile but is equally important for the industry. In December, the 2018 Farm Bill belatedly passed through Congress after months of negotiations. In the process, it lifted the ban on commercial hemp, making it far easier for cultivators to produce this form of cannabis.

Even in states where the cannabis industry is already legal, legislation is becoming friendlier towards the industry. The California legislature has proposed a temporary reduction in taxes for cannabis businesses to help them make inroads into the illegal industry. For California-based companies such as Cannabis Strategic Ventures, this is great news as it frees up capital for further expansion and provides the incentive to continue operating in a friendly state.

More Cultivation

Under the circumstances, venturing into production was a natural move for Cannabis Strategic Ventures. With the industry growing and the legal landscape looking friendlier than ever, the company is preparing to break ground on a major new cannabis cultivation site.

The six-acre site in Northern California — dubbed the NUGS Farm — will establish the company as a direct producer and position it to make the most of the potential the market has to offer.

“Establishing the NUGS Farm and securing these licenses are significant milestones for Cannabis Strategic Ventures,” said Simon Yu, CEO of Cannabis Strategic Ventures. “As the cannabis industry expands, and as we work to make cannabis legal on a federal level, Cannabis Strategic Ventures will be in position to touch on all areas of cannabis production.”

Though the main purpose of the farm will be to cater to Californian cannabis users, the largest market for the plant in the United States, the move is also a significant step toward wider operations.

“They say that the way California goes, the direction of the country goes,” added Yu. “We are optimistic that federal regulations will become more cannabis friendly in the near future and are excited for the positive impact it can have on our company.”

With more than 20 licenses for the cultivation, manufacturing and distribution of cannabis within California, Cannabis Strategic Ventures appears to be perfectly positioned to leverage opportunities within the state. In addition, these strategic moves may ideally prepare the company for expansion prospects throughout the rest of the country.

The Rise of the Cannabis Companies

The changing cannabis landscape has led to the emergence of several major players in the industry.

Many of the most important companies are based in Canada, where federal-level legalization and a large market for cannabis have made it easier for businesses to develop. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is one of the industry leaders, a pioneer in the cultivation, production and distribution of cannabis and its derivatives. With affiliates and subsidiaries in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and most recently Latin America through Tilray Latin America SpA, the company is developing a global presence. It is also expanding within Canada and has recently announced a pending acquisition of Natura Natural Holdings Inc., a multimillion deal that will give Tilray an extra 662,000 square feet of growing space.

The rise of cannabis companies is proving a boon for the suppliers of cultivation equipment as well, especially those specializing in hydroponics. Among those to profit is GrowGeneration Corp. (OTCQX: GRWG), a seller of hydroponic systems and the associated nutrients. Like Tilray, GrowGeneration has developed enough financial power to use acquisition as a route to growth. It recently obtained all the assets of Denver-based Chlorophyll Inc., increasing its influence across the United States.

Another of the big Canadian companies, Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB), has also demonstrated the importance of increasing cultivation space. A large part of the rationale behind its recently announced letter of intent to acquire Whistler was the desire to get hold of that company’s two production facilities. These facilities are expected to produce 5,000 kilograms of quality cannabis a year, providing Aurora an avenue to increase its market share.

Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) is looking beyond its immediate market. Though legalization is not as widespread in Europe as in North America, change is also expected there in the long term, and the company is positioning itself to make the most of this. It has established subsidiaries in the United Kingdom and Poland to make the most of the very different situations in those two countries. In Poland, the company has passed through a regulatory process that will allow it to import and sell its cannabis in the country for medical use. In the United Kingdom, where the door has only just opened a crack to the use of cannabis derivatives in the most extreme medical cases, the company has formed a joint venture with a local research group, placing Canopy Growth as one of the first cannabis companies operating in the United Kingdom.

The market for cannabis is expanding as attitudes and laws change. This momentum may drive a need for more product and thereby provide promising opportunities for companies with cultivation facilities.

For more information on Cannabis Strategic Ventures, visit Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (NUGS)

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.

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420 with CNW – Cannabis should be Reclassified Internationally, Says World Health Organization Committee

According to a leaked letter written by the World Health Organization’s Director General (Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus) to the UN Secretary-General, marijuana should be rescheduled from the most restrictive categories to less strict categories in all international treaties.

The recommendations in this letter were scheduled to be released publicly last year in December but this didn’t happen for unknown reasons.

According to the recommendations of the expert committee that studied the matter, whole-plant marijuana and marijuana resin should be removed from schedule IV (the most restrictive category) and left in schedule I.

The World health Organization also wants to be categorical and state that any cannabis products that contain less than 0.2 percent THC content aren’t subjected to any international controls. Previously, CBD didn’t appear anywhere in the international treaties that categorize different substances, so it was unclear what the position of the international body was on this substance. The letter now puts this matter to rest.

These recommendations will go to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs where 53 nations will cast a vote either to adopt the recommendations or reject them. Several countries, such as China and Russia, are expected to vote against the recommendations due to those countries’ history of being unwilling to see reforms in drugs laws.

However, other countries, such as Uruguay and Canada are certainly going to vote for reclassification, as will other European and South American countries where medical cannabis is legal.

It is harder to predict which way the U.S. vote will go. President Trump is quoted to have said that his administration respects the right of U.S. states to enact and implement their own marijuana laws, but the federal government has been reluctant to reform its own cannabis laws. One will therefore just have to wait and see how the U.S. representative at the UN votes when these recommendations are tabled.

While the recommendations contained in that WHO letter will not create any major legal shockwaves, they do have potentially serious political implications.

For starters, the rescheduling recommendations are a tacit admission that the UN and other world bodies made a grave error to classify marijuana as a substance that has no medicinal value. This decision seems to have been based on political considerations rather than being rooted in scientific data.

Secondly, the recommendations will embolden many countries to pass their own marijuana laws, as has been the case in the dozens of countries around the world that have legalized medical cannabis despite the current classification of marijuana as a substance with no known medical value.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS), Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) and the cannabis industry in its entirety are waiting with bated breath to see how events will unfold worldwide once the recommendations of the UN are passed.

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420 with CNW – Florida Governor wants Smokable Marijuana Ban Ended

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has spoken out against the medical marijuana law and threatened to step in decisively if the legislature doesn’t amend that law to permit patients to smoke medical cannabis.

The Republican Governor wants the state to have a new law that puts an end to the ban on smokable marijuana and also loosen the restrictions on the licensing conditions for treatment centers. DeSantis wants this law by mid-March.

The Governor feels that Florida voters spoke clearly enough when they approved medical marijuana, so the legislators should pass legislation that is in line with the wishes of the people. A reported 71 percent voted to legalize medical cannabis in 2016.

DeSantis says that he will drop the state’s appeals against the rulings made regarding the smokable cannabis ban as well as the legal challenge to the licensing requirements. This step will leave the courts to make a binding decision that will compel the regulators to change the existing provisions of the medical marijuana law.

However, the Governor doesn’t want to use the judicial system to effect change. Instead, he would prefer to see the necessary changes made by the legislative arm of the state, but he will have no other choice if the legislators don’t do as required within a few weeks after the new session opens on March 5.

The appeals DeSantis refers to were launched by the previous Governor (Rick Scott) after a circuit court decided that the ban on smoking medical cannabis was unconstitutional. Scott is now a Senator and DeSantis replaced him as Governor.

DeSantis spoke during a media address with John Morgan, a personal injury lawyer who sued the state over the ban on smoking medical cannabis. Morgan remarked that the no smoking issue wasn’t a joking matter and that it will be overturned one way or the other.

In response, the new Republican legislative leaders in the Senate and the House promised to work with the Governor in order to secure the necessary changes to the medical marijuana law.

It is good to see that the Governor is exerting his weight in order to help patients to have as many different ways to consume medical cannabis as is possible. Actually, the smokable cannabis may be the most affordable option for many of those patients, so keeping it off the table may impose a financial strain on people who are already struggling with serious medical conditions. The entire marijuana industry, including Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) and Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI), supports the position taken by Governor DeSantis.

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420 with CNW – Liquor Sales Unaffected by Marijuana Legalization, Study Finds

There were fears that the legalization of adult-use marijuana in different U.S. states would trigger a decline in alcohol sales as consumers switch to marijuana instead of taking alcohol. Numerous reasons, such as the hangovers associated with alcohol consumption, were cited as factors that would impact alcohol sales once cannabis was legalized. However, a recent study conducted by the Distilled Spirits Council has found that no such slump in sales has occurred in the three states where recreational cannabis has been legal for the longest time in the U.S.

The alcohol trade association reported that the trends in alcohol sales remained consistent regardless of marijuana legalization in Washington, Oregon and Colorado.

The Distilled Spirits Council analyzed the per-capita alcohol consumption data in the three states from two years before legalization occurred to four years after legalization.

The data showed that the sales of spirits increased by 3.6 percent in Oregon and 7.6 percent in Colorado.

However, wine did not fare the same way in all the three states. Washington registered a drop in sales during the time studied by the Council. At the same time, an upward trend was noticed in wine sales in Oregon and Colorado.

Beer sales have generally been declining for over a decade, and the analysts weren’t surprised to find that beer continued to lose its market share to spirits and wine even after marijuana became legal for adult-use in the three states.

Vivien Azer, one of the analysts who pored over the alcohol sales data commented that lower-end beers faced the greatest risk of losing their market share because they were largely consumed by lower-income Caucasian men who often faced a choice between buying cannabis and taking a beer. The data shows that cannabis is emerging as the winner when such a choice has to be made.

Wines and distilled spirits appeared to be insulated from such pressures because they tend to be consumed by higher-income earners who can afford to consume marijuana and their favorite alcoholic drink. Besides, cocktails are increasing in popularity among women, so that demographic alone can keep the sales of wines and spirits up.

All the same, many industry watchers are cautioning that it is still early days to conclude that marijuana will not eat into the market share of alcohol. Different generations and demographics are likely to respond differently when marijuana becomes an option for them. As recent polls show, marijuana is clearly becoming a favorite across the board. Industry players like Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) and Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) hope that such goodwill translates into the spending of disposable income on marijuana.

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420 with CNW – Marijuana Law Changes in Mexico and Canada May Finally Change Texas Attitudes

The legalization of marijuana in Canada, and the impending legal change to marijuana laws in Mexico now leaves Texas isolated as the only jurisdiction in that area where cannabis isn’t legal. This “engulfment” is likely to generate sufficient pressure to cause a change in Texas sooner rather than later.

Already, public opinion in the state has shifted in favor of lesser punishment for those found in possession of small amounts of cannabis.

Moreover, Kim Ogg, the Harris County District Attorney, entered office in 2017 and started a new program in which small-time cannabis offenders would avoid jail time and a criminal record if they enrolled for a drug education class and stayed clear of re-arrest on similar charges.

This “diversion program” has also been replicated in at least one other Texas county. Ogg reasoned that it wasn’t helpful to devote badly needed resources to hunting down, prosecuting and incarcerating people on minor drugs charges and yet those resources could be put to better use to make communities safer by dealing with other pressing law enforcement issues, such as stemming the growth of child sex abuse online.

In a parallel measure that shows where Texan law is going, the state legislature passed a law in 2015 enabling doctors to prescribe CBD oil for patients whose conditions were unresponsive to the existing conventional drugs.

That law in effect shows that medical marijuana isn’t far off from being legally available as a complementary treatment beyond the narrow description provided as that bill was passed.

Interestingly, Texas also has the distinction of having the cities where the highest amount of cannabis is consumed despite the existence of prohibitionist laws. Research has it that Houston consumes approximately 21 metric tons of marijuana annually. This makes the city rank at number four on the list of the top ten cities in terms of marijuana consumption around the country.

Dallas is also in the top 10, coming in at number seven with an annual consumption of approximately 15 metric tons of cannabis.

So, where is all that weed coming from if no cultivation is allowed in Texas?

In the past, smugglers met the demand by moving cannabis from Mexico to the Lone Star state. However, the relaxation of cannabis laws in the states neighboring Texas has provided a domestic (U.S.) source for the Texas cannabis black market.

In fact, consumers now prefer the superior quality of marijuana produced within the U.S. rather than the crop from Mexico that doesn’t conform to any quality standards. It is now known that licensed growers in the states where medical marijuana is allowed produce much more than what can be consumed within those states. The excess product finds its way into the black market, and this reality has been causing federal prosecutors sleepless nights.

Wouldn’t it be wiser for Texas, and the federal government to legalize cannabis in order to end this cat and mouse game with the black market? Such a decision would ease many of the legal minefields in the way of Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV), Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) and the entire cannabis industry.

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420 with CNW – Upscale Cannabis Gear Selling Like Hot Cakes in New York

As the buzz around cannabis legalization in different jurisdictions gathers steam, savvy entrepreneurs are cashing in by bringing innovative marijuana accessories to the market. “Higher Standards” is one such store that is cashing in on the heightened interest in marijuana.

The store is housed in the prestigious Chelsea Market in Manhattan. Higher Standards caters to foodies and tourists who want a gift or a rare cannabis accessory as they head off to jurisdictions where marijuana consumption is legal.

One of the most expensive and rare cannabis accessories that you can buy at this store is a glass pipe shaped like a skateboard. This pipe goes for a cool $6,000. Cannabis infusers, cannabis rolling papers and glass containers for matches are other products you will find when you visit this high-end establishment.

Higher Standards has been in New York for more than a year. How can this be possible when recreational cannabis is yet to be legalized?

Sasha Kadey, the chief marketing officer of Higher Standards, explains that the company doesn’t touch the cannabis plant, so it enjoys some leeway that wouldn’t have been possible if Higher Standards was handling cannabis directly.

In New York, there seems to be a silent policy through which such companies that don’t “touch the plant” get a wink and a nod to continue conducting their business. The same mischievous wink is extended to customers who buy the accessories on offer as they are told that the products are for “tobacco use only”.

That knowing wink seems to be bringing good tidings of what is to come for Higher Standards since the store set its own single-day sales record on Black Friday, then went on to crash that record on December 8.

With things looking up, the store has plans to open five more locations, including one that will be in Atlanta. The Atlanta one is expected to open just in time to cash in on Super Bowl Sunday.

Meanwhile, New York is in advanced stages of legalizing recreational cannabis. This move will bring more fortune in the way of dealers of accessories, like Higher Standards. For example, word is that MedMen intends to open an outlet just outside Chelsea Market. This will bring cannabis customers right to the doorstep of Higher Standards, and sales are expected to soar.

Before that happens, however, people seem to be snatching accessories off the shelves of the outlet and business is booming. That seems to be what happens wherever cannabis is permitted. Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) and Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) say kudos to Higher Standards for contributing to cannabis culture.

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420 with CNW – Alaska Credit Union Opens Its Doors to Cannabis Businesses

Credit Union 1 in Alaska has announced that it will begin a pilot program of offering financial services to cannabis businesses in the state. This pilot program is scheduled to start in the first six months of 2019.

The step taken by Credit Union 1 is a brave one because the majority of the financial institutions in the country are hesitant to have cannabis businesses as clients due to the prohibitions at the federal level. Credit Union 1 is chartered at the state level.

The Credit Union revealed that it was driven by security concerns when making the decision to pilot offering banking services to the cannabis industry. James Wileman, the CEO of Credit Union 1, said that they didn’t have any moral or political opinion about cannabis when deciding to get involved in providing banking services to marijuana businesses.

Officials from the tax division of Alaska welcomed the decision taken by Credit Union 1, calling it “extremely good news.” They are right to feel that way, because it will be much easier for the tax authorities to collect their dues once there is a clear paper trail to track all the sales in the state.

Alaska is already enjoying massive tax returns from the marijuana industry. For example, the state received approximately $11 million in taxes from January up to September this year.

Marijuana businesses are also excited by the opportunity, and they are wondering why it took so long for a financial institution to take the plunge and welcome cannabis businesses. Many are wishing they could participate in the pilot program instead of waiting for the services to be rolled out to more businesses sometime in the future at the successful conclusion of the pilot program.

The situation in Alaska shows how slowly systems change in order to accommodate new realities. For example, voters approved recreational marijuana in 2014 and the state started issuing retail licenses in 2016, but not a single cannabis company has been able to get any form of banking services.

However, it was just a matter of time before the allure of the resources in the cannabis industry became too strong for the banking industry to ignore. Chances are high that many other financial institutions will be watching the developments at Credit Union 1 before coming to the table as well.

Cannabis companies like American Premium Water Corp. (OTC: HIPH) and Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) welcome the pioneering efforts of Credit Union 1 and other financial institutions that are trailblazers in their jurisdictions in terms of providing essential financial services to this nascent industry.

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