3 Blind Mice

A Note from one of our staff members @ CB420.com

This latest announcement of the CCC about picking up and moving, reminds us of a shell company that moves around and around. Can you imagine? It's bad enough the rules change everyday, now the CCC, controlled by woman, are making amateur mistakes such as changing location, domain addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses etc. Talk about hampering access!!!

Every day it's something else. No doubt you can see where this is going. Now, City's and towns want to establish their own Cannabis Commissions, so they can jump on the ride and have fun too!

Why not, let the bickering begin so the feds will come in and shut the entire train wreck down. You already saw how fast a governor but a ban on vaping, instantly. A federal grand jury is already investigating the agreements that marijuana shops have negotiated with their host communities. Boston's mayor submitted a bill to establish it's very own Cannabis Commission. Let's really complicate this and start fighting amongst one another just like in politics. Hey, after all it's what we're good at. Attention employees, I have an idea, Let's Move, change our phone numbers, email addresses, and hamper access!

Its just result of inexperienced self appointed members keeping the street level dealers thriving. Who the heck is going buy cannabis from a dispensary when you can grow your own says John of Salem. I bet the individual who thought of that brain storm got a raise or a huge bonus. "Yea right, I'm going to spend my hard earned money in a cannabis dispensary, when I can cultivate my own or go to a wholesale supplier because of the massive surplus of cannabis that exists" says another individual we spoke to. Mayors on the take, Mayors who want their stake, where does it end!

Naturally these blunders occur when people with no cannabis experience are allowed to appoint themselves to an entity which actually controls cannabis regulations! These woman in charge never purchased cannabis on the street, have no knowledge of the street networks, nor do they even use cannabis. All they're going to do is collect big money, change the rules daily, hold their monthly get together's, workshops, and seminars and complicate the process to the point where "IT"S JUST NOT WORTH IT"

The illegal delivery trade rules today.

Because of the CCC's delay in rolling out delivery, you have hundreds of private delivery services already running TAX FREE. Humans are creatures of habit and will not give up a reliable established dependable delivery connections when the CCC decides to roll out delivery in say, 2 years! The current drivers / dealers are dancing the Irish jig! It took Massachusetts 13 years to collect sales tax on web sales, lets hope they follow the same timeline.

Whats going on in California as we speak is insane. On a MASSIVE SCALE illegal delivery services and street dealers are putting the lights out of dispensary's and sanctioned delivery services. It's is a huge problem with 10 million surplus pounds of cannabis that no one can get rid of, because to many grow licenses were issued for a fee (Greed prevails every time) ..

Dispensary values are plummeting in CA. and the same will happen here. Who wants to be escorted by police into a facility, shuttled here, shuttled there,spoken to rudely by rental cops. Stand here, move along, keep it down, it's communism with a twist. Visiting these dispensary's is a very uncomfortable experience. No one wants to be talked down to buy rental police at the entrance way of a dispensary's. These people act like cannabis users have no other choices.

Most of them need a dramatic attitude adjustment.

We have visited them all and they are so over policed with so many rules, no one really enjoys the experience. You can walk into a package store, purchase a quart of Jim Bean with no resistance, hell you can even be under age in some instances. Alcohol,100 times more deadlier of a drug then cannabis, yet you can go and purchase it unmolested on every corner in America. We live in a backward compatible world.

It's sort of like this, on December 6th 2019 every single cellular phone owner in the the US will have to throw away their current smart phone because they are not 5G compatible. You spent $1000.00 in November of 2019 for the latest Apple smart phone WITH NO 5G SUPPORT. Don't you think the company's knew what they were doing? After Dec 6th those new phones will be worthless, no one will want them, or buy them. Everybody wants 5G 2 GIG download speeds. The same thing will happen to the poor bastards who spent millions to open dispensary's only to find that the creatures of habit will go the stores as a fad at first, but will eventually fade back to the street vendor who is unregulated, not taxed, does not have to jump through hoops of fire to get a simple license, which allows them to offer a cheaper, faster, better service.

Yea the street always wins, and, they come to your house in less then 2 hours with your order which is much cheaper then dispensary's because it's TAX FREE!

"Content on Us" Lisa Hitchcock Cannabis Business Evaluation Expert.

Number Of Banks Working With Marijuana Businesses Levels Off, Federal Data Shows

The number of banks and credit unions that service the marijuana industry largely leveled off in the last quarter, according to new federal data released late last week. And that market trend could reflect shifting expectations among financial institutions about the likelihood of Congress approving cannabis banking legislation.

While the House did eventually pass the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, which would shield banks that accept marijuana business clients from being penalized by federal regulators, that vote happened just five days before the end of the fourth quarter of the federal fiscal year and not prior to the summer recess weeks earlier, as had previously been expected.

Marijuana Moment first reported that a vote was imminent about two weeks prior to the House action.

It’s possible that banks were waiting to see the congressional action before further servicing the market and were disappointed that the Democratic-controlled chamber did not act on the legislation before lawmakers broke for the summer break. Previous quarters have seen significant upticks in the number of banks and credit unions working with marijuana businesses, especially since the end of 2018.

But this last quarter, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) reported that 563 banks and 160 credit unions were serving cannabis companies as of September 30, compared to 553 banks and 162 credit unions at the end of the previous quarter. That’s a small increase for banks and a slight dip for credit unions, signaling a shift in pace as lawmakers work to get the bipartisan banking bill to the president’s desk.

Lost Vape Sales Create New Opportunity for Edibles

While it seems to be products from the illicit market that are making people sick, the crisis is weighing on the legal market. In Colorado, vape products accounted for 19.4% of total cannabis sales on August 23, but they had dropped to 12.4% of sales by September 23.

Consequently, one of the topics I wrote about was how even though vaping sales may decline, we could see an increase in edible sales.

"Edibles are a good introductory product for people who are new to cannabis, but they are even better products for those who want to stop using vaporizers."

It's difficult to track if the vaping issue will increase edible sales directly; increased access, better products, and more consumer education about the products are all reasons edible sales could increase.

But early data shows edible sales have climbed in four states while vaping sales are down in those same four states.

A federal grand jury is investigating the agreements that marijuana shops have negotiated with their host communities,

U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling addresses reporters after the arrest Dana Pullman and Anne Lynch.

November 5th 2019

A federal grand jury is investigating the agreements that marijuana shops have negotiated with their host communities, the Boston Globe reported Monday. The Globe reported that U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling’s office has subpoenaed a range of documents related to host community agreements, including early drafts of agreements, records of discussions between businesses and municipal officials, records relating to former municipal officials seeking marijuana permits, and other documents. The Globe reported that Eastham, Leicester, Newton, Northampton and Uxbridge all confirmed receiving subpoenas, and it is likely the investigation stretches beyond those communities.

Host community agreements have long been controversial. Although state law caps the size of community impact fees that marijuana businesses can pay at 3% of revenue, some agreements require additional donations and other contracts blatantly exceed that cap. There have also been reports of a number of politically connected individuals receiving marijuana licenses.

The Cannabis Control Commission maintains that it does not have authority to regulate host community agreements, and commissioners have asked the Legislature for that authority.

The U.S. attorney’s office previously charged Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia with soliciting bribes from marijuana companies in exchange for letters of municipal approval. Marijuana is still federally illegal, despite state legalization.

Many towns demand extra payments from pot shops despite law's restrictions

Nov 4th 2019

A Business Journal review of 34 host community contracts between marijuana dispensaries found that 24 cities and town require the businesses to make additional payments beyond the cap of 3 percent cap of annual revenues stipulated in the law. The Cannabis Control Commission cited "anecdotal'' evidence of municipalities putting excessive financial demands on companies wishing to locate within their communities, further slowing the already delayed rollout of the state's voter-approved recreational marijuana law.

Retail marijuana stores had been expected to begin opening on July 1 in Massachusetts, but none have so far and it could be at least several more weeks before the first ones begin operating.

Under the law, cities and towns may charge pot businesses for reasonably anticipated municipal costs related to such things as increased traffic or police protection. But host community agreements are not allowed to assess fees that exceed 3 percent of the total annual revenues of the business, and not for any longer than five years.

Why Grow Operations Should Produce as Many Strains as Possible

There seems to be no end to development and improvement of cannabis genetics. Laboratories continue to tweak and advance crops’ effects, taste, and aesthetics, piquing the interest of growers and consumers across the country. With genetic enhancement, growers now, more than ever, aim to diversify crops and bring numerous high-end strains to market.

Growing multiple strains requires multiple structures or rooms, but to truly maximize crop diversity and bring a wide range of products to market, many grows must produce multiple strains in a single space. Let’s take a look at why grow operations should consider producing as many strains as possible. Then, we’ll examine how growers in any region can set up a profitable operation producing dozens of different strains.

More strains mean more customers

Today’s cannabis market offers thousands of products for consumers to use. This has led to varied, but specific, preferences when it comes to purchasing, whether consumers prefer recreational or medicinal products. In order to become renowned, growers need more than good branding and a high-end product. They must meet the specific needs of as many consumers as possible by growing numerous strains and creating a diverse product line known for quality across the board.

From a recreational standpoint, this means appealing to consumers who prefer the heady high of a sativa, those who seek a relaxing strain of indica, and customers who are looking for hybrid strains. Medical users want help with specific ailments, so having strains that can address depression, anxiety, muscle spasms, pain, insomnia, or any other medical need will help businesses attract more market share.

As a side note, producing several strains allows growers to become better at their job. Gaining experience with as many strains as possible helps growers learn more about the plant and can provide new tricks for growing and troubleshooting. Growers can take pride in what they’ve accomplished and separate themselves from other cultivators by operating a complex setup that’s successfully cultivating multiple strains. On top of that, being able to produce dozens of profitable strains is good bragging material.

The setup

To start, growers must establish multiple spaces, and they should outfit each with smart controllers. This will organize the operation and make it easier to address the needs of each strain. Best of all, controllers enable operations to automate many of their tasks, leading to much lower labor costs.

It’s usually best for growers to get a controller for each greenhouse or grow room, but more ambitious souls may use a single controller across their entire operation. Controllers collect data from strategically placed sensors, then interpret the collected data and make the necessary environmental adjustments based on the grower’s preferences.

Will Kacheris, who designs custom greenhouse systems for GrowSpan Greenhouses, pointed out, “Indoor and outdoor sensors can use real-time weather data and greenhouse data to predict the need for heating and cooling, further increasing the efficiency of the systems and preventing overheating or over cooling.”

This means if the environment becomes too cold, the heating system will be turned on; if nutrient levels become too low, a shot of solution can be added to the irrigation line automatically. These are just two examples of the many ways smart controllers make a grower’s life easier.

Growers should group similar strains together and put them in the same greenhouse or grow room. Group indica plants with other indica plants and sativa plants with other sativa plants, broadly speaking. Indica strains tend to be shorter and bushier in nature, while sativa strains are taller and lankier. By grouping like strains together, growers can create a nice, even canopy where all the plants receive proper lighting and none are blocked out by plants that naturally are taller or more robust.

Grouping strains by their nutritional needs also is a good idea. This allows fertigation automation and ensures crops get the nutrients they need when they need them.

Introducing an automated fertigation system will enable operations to be super-specific with nutrient plans. When paired with smart controllers, fertigation systems allow growers to focus on specific nutritional needs of each individual strain without depending on increased labor. In a closed fertigation system, the water is recirculated and electrical conductivity and pH meters constantly monitor the water.

Kacheris described how controllers make managing different strains in one room much easier: “To further diversify growing room uses, fertigation controllers can even split rooms into separate zones, allowing physically similar strains with different nutrient requirements to be grown in the same space.”

When nutrient levels become too low, automated systems automatically dose the water with the grower’s preferred nutrient solution. The systems provide precise nutrient delivery, ensuring crops always are nourished properly, eliminating nutrient waste and human error, and making it easy for operations to reach their highest-quality harvest on a consistent basis.

Growers who aim to produce multiple strains and experiment with new strains should look for the most forgiving growing method. This will help mitigate any less-than-ideal harvests and empower growers to try new plants and techniques without worrying about their operation’s viability.

For both cultivation and financial reasons, establishing a strain-separation operation with greenhouses makes sense. By utilizing multiple structures, operations can organize and group their crops by strain while taking advantage of smart controllers and automated fertigation.

Greenhouses provide the complete environmental control of an indoor room but let growers utilize natural sunlight. This can save tens of thousands of dollars on operating costs. When used correctly, the combination of greenhouses and proper environmental control systems allow for growth of high-quality pot at a low cost per gram. This potential for peak profitability provides operations with more room to play and helps growers feel a little more confident when experimenting with new strains.

If a business is going to make it big in this market, it must meet the needs of as many consumers as possible. To do this, operations must produce as many strains as possible without losing quality or profitability. Utilizing smart controllers and greenhouses allows cultivators to organize their grows better in order to produce multiple strains. When integrated correctly, such systems allow businesses to achieve their peak revenue.

What’s in Your Pocket? Small Denver Company Makes Waves in the Cannabis Industry

PYPTEK

July 10, 2019

It’s an early rise for those of us hitting the pavement in the cannabis industry. Wiping off a daze that mirrors the after effects of a big rip, we begin to glance over the highlighted and noteworthy headlines of recent cannabis publications:

“Colorado Marijuana Sales Top $6 Billion”
“Canada’s Pot Exchange Gets Some Competition”
“An Estimated $5.2 Million the First Day of CA Legal Sales”

It’s incredible the international attention cannabis has received in recent years, especially when taking into consideration the industry’s history. Still listed as a Schedule I drug, the decriminalization of cannabis began only two years ago in 2017 following California’s 1996 Compassionate Use Act. Although some taboos people have clung to for decades remain, the perceptions have begun to shift. This can be attributed to an emergence of medicinal benefits linked to the treatment of neuropathic pain, debilitating medical conditions, and associated symptoms that have been heavily linked to cannabis use. This lends only a glance at where the industry is headed. While navigating the cannabis landscape can be complicated, one foundational element remains: the industry is full of growth potential.

In 2012, Matt Greenberg and James Humes turned in their keys to the traditional day job arena and joined the cannabis industry. Instead of jumping into growing and horticulture, they planted their roots into the hard goods market. PYPTEK, a manufacturing company dedicated to creating the next generation of glass and metal pipes, emerged in 2013. ‘PYP’ and ‘TEK’ both serve as an abridgment of their full definitions, pipe & technology. The marriage of two distinct industries was designed to set in motion PYPTEK’s larger mission: to set a high-water mark in the industry for products, professional excellence, and customer satisfaction.

For PYPTEK, it’s all about the user experience. A new kind of pipe—stylish, durable, clean and high-end—was designed to take consumers on their next adventure. Where you begin matters, but the bigger question that remains is where are you going? PYPTEK sought to establish their creations as the products everyone should be carrying, hence the naming of their flagship pipe as the “Pocket.” Carefully designed to fuse all the benefits of a premium glass pipe with the durability of aircraft-grade aluminum, the Pocket delivers an authentic smoking experience.

Three compatible concentrate kits unlock the Pocket’s hidden gems which lend adaptability for the everyday user. The smooth and sleek aesthetic of the Pocket gives a nod back to other iconic pieces that many might recognize, helping bridge the generational ties of the consumer marketplace.

Maintaining an ever-expanding collection of hard goods is the nature of keeping up with the industry, and they’ve done well in showing their versatility. Their line currently houses four vintage editions of the brand: the Titan, Nano, Dreamroller, and Pocket. Recently PYPTEK also confirmed rumors around the addition of a Bubbler, and there are whispers of exciting new products on the horizon. As PYPTEK moves forward into a bright future, they remain unwilling to compromise their values. They manufacture all parts and pieces, from start to finish, in the USA. This approach and attention to detail has allowed PYPTEK to maintain their high standards of excellence and a commitment to consumer confidence that is unmatched.

Vaping-Related Illness - Applying Lessons Learned From The E-Cig Market

Nov 1st 2019

In recent weeks, a growing number of respiratory illness cases associated with nicotine or cannabis vaporizer cartridges have been reported, leading to increasing concern among cannabis cartridge consumers, regulators, and medical experts. The vast majority of these reports are linked to cartridges that were produced and obtained in the illicit and unregulated market, or that were adulterated by consumers. The small number of cases that have so far been associated with legal cannabis products have not shown definitive links to those specific products. Although cannabis vaporizers and nicotine e-cigs are not the same, there are important commonalities that we can learn from given that the nicotine e-cig market has been around for over a decade. Learn more in this blog by NCIA's Cannabis Manufacturing Committee.

THE ISSUE

Furthermore, similar cases of respiratory illness have not been reported in Europe, where the regulations governing vapor products are different. Even if, as we suspect, it is confirmed that the source of the current problem is limited to illicit-market products, there are valuable lessons to be learned to ensure the future safety of licensed vapor products and preserve our ability to promote vapor products as a viable and beneficial method of consuming cannabis.

Although cannabis vaporizers and nicotine e-cigs are not the same, there are important commonalities that we can learn from given that the nicotine e-cig market has been around for over a decade. First, it is essential to acknowledge the differences. Although some people view all vaping through the same lens, vaping cannabis and nicotine are as different as drinking alcohol and coffee. The formulations are vastly different in their chemical compositions, and usage patterns of cannabis consumption are far less intensive than those of nicotine e-cigs, which tend to be used many times throughout the day. Notwithstanding those differences, the principles of operation are the same; a heating element is generally used to aerosolize a stored liquid without combustion.

THE RISK

Moreover, in both cannabis and nicotine cartridges, the target active ingredient is typically combined in formulation with other organic compounds. These include glycerol (VG) and propylene glycol (PG) that are more commonly used in nicotine-containing cartridges and dictate the viscosity of the liquid. And flavorants, typically terpenes in the case of cannabis, are included in the formulation to provide particular taste and aroma characteristics.

Nicotine e-cigs have had numerous public health concern moments, some real and some manufactured, but one particular issue is especially illustrative to cannabis manufacturers. In the early days of e-cigs, some smaller e-cig manufacturers added diacetyl to their formulations in order to create flavored e-liquids with buttery notes. Those manufacturers assumed diacetyl to be safe because it is classified as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by the FDA (we eat it on our popcorn for goodness sake). Nevertheless, that GRAS classification was provided for ingestion, not inhalation. In fact, diacetyl had already been discovered to cause bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as “popcorn lung,” in popcorn factory workers in the early 2000s. And although no one was reported to have been hospitalized or died, the discovery of diacetyl in nicotine vapor products cast a cloud over the entire e-cig industry, even for those companies who employed scientists, practiced good product stewardship and developed internal lists of ingredients that led them to only include ingredients that had low inhalation toxicity risk profiles. This example illustrates that it is in our interest to ensure that all cannabis vapor product manufacturers understand that compounds that are characterized as GRAS are not necessarily safe for inhalation purposes and that an additional level of risk analysis must be performed.

THE SOLUTION

We must ensure vapor product safety because the potential of cannabis vapor products to deliver the necessary medicine to patients without the harmful byproducts of combustion must not be undermined by industry missteps or the loss of public trust. Again, using nicotine e-cigs as an example, we know that vaporization can eliminate the byproducts of the combustion of plant materials. In one study, approximately 1,000 times less harmful chemicals like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde were measured in e-cig vapor when compared to combusted cigarette smoke¹. Designed with the proper materials, protocols, and formulations, nicotine vapor products can have a very low-risk profile relative to combusted cigarettes. In fact, one nicotine vapor product has been evaluated as low risk enough to have been approved by the MHRA (UK equivalent of the FDA), thus adding to the evidence that, generally speaking, vaporization can be considered safer than combustion. Of course, confirmatory studies need to be done with cannabis but combined with the ability of vapor products to deliver fast-acting, precise doses of formulations that can be tailored to an individual’s needs, the importance of vaporized cannabis as a low-risk method of consumption is real.

With this in mind, we, as an industry, must develop standards and best practices. Doing so will build consumer trust while also providing guardrails that still allow for innovation. Other industries have done precisely this, including the fragrance and food additive industries. Moreover, if we do not develop our standards and only react to state regulations, which can tend to lag, we run a higher risk of similar problems in the future. A few simple principles can be applied to this problem.

Test what goes into your body. In the case of vapor products, that is the vapor. In other words, we should test the aerosol, not just the liquid that goes into the cartridge. Labs in the e-cig industry already do this type of testing, and the methods can easily be adapted to cannabis products.
We should develop a list of analytes that have low inhalation toxicity risk profiles.
Stick close to what nature gave us. People have been smoking cannabis for thousands of years, and we have not seen similar health problems. As a matter of fact, we can say that the risk profile for cannabinoids and terpenes in the amounts typically consumed via smoking cannabis is low². However, we do know that some compounds that naturally occur in cannabis can pose a safety risk at high enough concentrations. So until we have more data on inhalation toxicity for all terpenes and minor cannabinoids, we should practice caution when creating novel formulations. In other words, try to remain close to the amounts found natively in the plant in order to preserve the same risk profile.
Whether or not required by state regulations, be transparent, and list all ingredients. This will not only help consumers better understand what ingredients are safe — it will help capture their long term trust.

FIRST CANNABIS OPERATION IN SALEM MA. SLATED FOR SALE

SALEM — Alternative Therapies Group, the only recreational marijuana seller open on the North Shore, is in the process of selling to a new owner.

Company CEO Chris Edwards confirmed Wednesday that ATG has "signed a deal to sell the business," but to date they "have not applied for regulatory approval yet."

The news came after Edwards appeared before the City Council in Haverhill Tuesday night, where he presented a bid to open a marijuana retailer on Amesbury Road in that city. The issue was tabled amid questions of who would own the business, in part because of inconsistencies in the business' application — it appeared there was a name change of the company from Haverwell Market to TGIG LLC. An online search indicated it was a Las Vegas company, not a Massachusetts company.

Edwards, who would not comment Wednesday on Tuesday night's hearing, said the Haverhill proposal is a separate entity and is not connected to ATG at all. He said businesses with the ATG name are being sold to a new ownership group who will retain the business name.

Those businesses include the Salem shop at 50 Grove St., a planned retail shop in Salisbury and an existing marijuana grow facility in Amesbury, as well as a planned retail shop there.

"Nothing is really changing aside from the ownership. They will still operate as Alternative Therapies Group," Edwards said. "Same team, same products."

Edwards declined to discuss additional details on the pending sale of ATG, including identifying the buyer, ahead of the company's application to the state.

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll and Ward 6 City Councilor Beth Gerard, who represents the part of the city in which ATG is located, also declined to comment Wednesday on the pending sale, citing a lack of specifics.

Salisbury officials did not respond to a request for comment regarding the potential change of ownership.

ATG was the first medical marijuana dispensary to open in the state in 2015, and it was the third to launch recreational sales at the end of 2018. The business launched with an appointment system and a host of parking restrictions and traffic plans. The advanced planning gave the business a smooth retail launch, and even opponents of recreational marijuana said they were pleased with the rollout.

But in February, an inventory glitch meant the shop had to suspend all recreational marijuana sales. Retail operations resumed in early April, and a lifting of all purchase limits and appointment requirements came about a week later.

News of the possible sale comes as ATG gears up to open a retail store on Elm Street in Salisbury. As of this week, the business is waiting for a green light from the Cannabis Control Commission to commence operations. The company has worked out launch plans with Salisbury police.