Highly Objective’s Post

Binghamton, New York, is preparing for the opening of two new cannabis dispensaries, with locations on the east and west sides of the city. One of these dispensaries, Cotton Mouth Dispensary, plans to operate out of a former A&W restaurant on Court Street but is still awaiting license approval from the New York State Office of Cannabis Management. The second location, set to open at 242 Main Street in a building previously used by Dianels Paint and Decorating, has already received necessary approvals under the name Vivid Wellness LLC. The city is actively working to promote legal cannabis businesses while shutting down illicit shops, as the latter fail to contribute tax revenue. Legal cannabis retailers provide a 3% tax on sales, which is expected to generate $175,000 in tax revenue for the city in 2025. Mayor Jared Kraham emphasized the importance of these legal businesses in contributing to the city's economy and deterring illegal operations. Residents have expressed mixed feelings about the proliferation of cannabis dispensaries. While some, like resident Kaleb Carpinelli, support the safer access to cannabis products provided by licensed shops, others, such as Binghamton University graduate student Myo Win, are concerned about increased cannabis use among younger generations and its potential societal impacts. As the city moves forward, Cotton Mouth Dispensary is still awaiting state approval before opening, while Vivid Wellness is on track to begin operations soon. The developments represent part of Binghamton’s broader efforts to regulate cannabis sales, enhance public safety, and generate economic benefits through a burgeoning legal cannabis market. https://lnkd.in/g2nBRSE7

Health Canada | Santé Canada owns this problem because the cannabis being sold in unlicensed dispensaries comes from unlicensed growers. Public Safety Canada | Sécurité publique Canada owns this problem because BILL BLAIR himself told me that the Cannabis Act would be enforced. One of the many inducements the federal government made to WIISAG to invest in the legal market a their pilot project partner. Solicitor General | Solliciteur général Ontario Provincial Police Law Society of Ontario Toronto Police Service Attorney General | Procureur général in Ontario ALL own this problem. So does Office of the Premier of Ontario as one of their officials told us that the retail laws would be enforced when we were contemplating investing in the legal market. I CAN NOT IGNORE THIS ISSUE UNTIL WIISAG STAkEHOLDERS GET THEIR INVESTED CAPITAL BACK !!!!! Pressing for government accountability and justice is an issue of honour and respect towards those who believed in our vision to me. LACK OF ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES is no excuse. All levels of government, and their proxies like OCS Ontario Cannabis Store Finance Canada / Finances Canada are making BILLIONS. Enforcement would pay for itself and expand the market so that excise taxes can be lowered. LACK OF WILL IS NO EXCUSE, BUT SEEMS TO BE THE POSTURE . In my area of focus, outdoor farms on First Nations reserves with NATIONS as partners, the benefits were communally shared. I have confirmed that the First Nations in Ontario with the largest unlicensed cannabis operations have not made money, operators have made and kept it all. (Where does that money go? Laundry?) The same goes for the illicit shops on main streets off reserve that keep coming, operators pointing to 'Sovereign Rights' keep all the money, with no money flowing to First Nations. Having lived this dreadful experience and thought about it every day for 5 years I have potential solutions that should be considered. Hon. Mark Holland, PC, MP is too busy I guess. Maybe Greg Orencsak will take up the honour of the Crown when he gets into HC role? The Cannabis Regulation bureaucrats in HC today don't seem to have any sense of equity, justice or accountability for those in charge in 2019 (even though some of them were there then) Where are Canopy Growth Corporation Tilray Brands, Inc. Organigram Inc Aurora Cannabis Inc. and the legal industry? Their shareholders deserve market integrity. https://lnkd.in/drDs3jji

🌿 Addressing Ontario's Unlicensed Cannabis Stores: A Call for Cohesion 🌿 At Spiritleaf Scarborough, we are closely monitoring Ontario's latest efforts to tighten regulations around the growing number of unlicensed cannabis stores. With $31 million earmarked for enforcement, the province is stepping up to safeguard the integrity of our industry and ensure consumer safety. This push highlights the need for more synchronized efforts between local and provincial authorities to maintain a fair and regulated marketplace. As part of the Ontario cannabis community, it’s essential we stay proactive and involved in shaping a compliant industry landscape. Explore the full discussion on Ontario's strategy here: https://lnkd.in/gJQNkZDk What are your thoughts on these developments? How do you see them impacting our industry? Share your insights below. #CannabisRegulation #OntarioCannabis #SpiritleafScarborough #CommunityEngagement

The new law in Maine, L.D. 40, is set to transform the cannabis retail experience by July, making it similar to alcohol shopping. The law, which will pass without Governor Janet Mills' signature, removes at-the-door ID checks, permits minors to enter stores with a guardian, allows for off-premises samples, and abolishes the requirement for opaque packaging. This shift aims to de-stigmatize the cannabis shopping experience, which has been marked by stringent security measures like cash payments and strict ID checks that excluded even those who forgot their IDs or had underage children with them. The new law will also reduce operational costs for businesses, streamline regulatory processes, and remove some criminal-like treatment of cannabis operators. It promises a more welcoming environment and higher business efficiency, although it faced initial resistance from state and public health officials over concerns about endorsing underage cannabis use. https://lnkd.in/gpK3bPqm

Here is another example of how local governments can make it near impossible to operate a cannabis business in #california. Mark Ponticelli the owner of peoples remedy dispensary in #modesto, needs to pay the county’s of #stanislaus an annual fee that was set at $600,000, or 8% of gross sales, whatever was largest, in the original August 2020 development pact with Peoples Remedy and was supposed to rise to $700,000 on an assumption of escalating cannabis sales. But sales began to slide and have kept sliding. Most local governments think that cannabis businesses are a magical cash cow that they can tap to pay for whatever they want. When legalization started we were so happy to be able to operate above board that we were willing to except any regulations or taxes. They are clearly not working and it is time for reform. Thank you @ken Carlson from The Modesto Bee for the local update. #cannabisindustry #cannabiscommunity #cannabisnews #cannabiseducation #cannabispolicy #cannbislaw https://lnkd.in/gnggiZNK

In New York, only two cannabis retailers, Smacked LLC and Royal Leaf NY LLC (Statis), are delinquent on their bills out of 171 operational shops. The state’s strategy to list delinquent retailers seems successful in ensuring financial stability in the cannabis supply chain. The report highlights ongoing market challenges and the evolving situation for cannabis businesses in New York and beyond. https://lnkd.in/gE--6bM6

Matthew Krupp, the co-founder of Canterra NY, Western NY's first cannabis e-commerce platform and delivery service, is facing the imminent danger of having his business shut down due to the OCM's refusal to extend Temporary Delivery Operator licenses. This decision has far-reaching consequences that extend beyond just one business. If Canterra is forced to end it's delivery service, the impact will be significant: Job losses: Canterra currently employs 45 individuals who will lose their livelihoods. Economic impact on local farmers and economies: Canterra works with local farmers and processors who rely on the company's business model to sustain their operations. Potential increase in unregulated cannabis market activity: Without legal delivery services like Canterra, consumers may turn to the unregulated market, undermining the goals of the MRTA. Matt has every right to be critical of the OCM's handling of this situation. The lack of communication, inconsistent policies, and failure to support the MRTA's objectives have left entrepreneurs like him in an impossible position. As a business owner, he is doing everything in his power to save his company and protect the livelihoods of those who depend on it. We must stand with entrepreneurs like Matthew Krupp and demand that OCM extend TDO licenses. Here's what you can do to help: - Contact your state representatives and senators, urging them to support the extension of TDO licenses. - Write letters to the Governor's office, emphasizing the economic importance of cannabis delivery services. - Participate in local town halls and public OCM meetings to voice your concerns. - Use social media to raise awareness and show your support for businesses like Canterra. - Sign and share petitions calling for the extension of TDO licenses. By supporting these businesses, we are not only protecting jobs and local economies but also ensuring that the MRTA's vision of a well-regulated, equitable cannabis industry becomes a reality. Share this post, contact your representatives, and show your support for the hardworking entrepreneurs who are the backbone of this industry. https://lnkd.in/eUPAPMez

LCBO dividends almost $3 BILLION per year to Ontario. Cannabis is at fraction of that now, with the price compression, be interesting to see where it ends up in total dollars OCS and other sources can push up to province. Closing Illegal dispensaries and online should at least double Ontario revenues. Enforcement of physical and online sales has been and is more than self funding in Ontario. Between tax and revenue recovery, fines, penalties, seizures, hundreds of millions of NEW money can flow to Ontario EVERY YEAR. THIS incremental money from having a market with integrity should also force a substantial reduction in excise taxes, leaving more money for legal producers, manufacturers and dispensaries. The LEGAL cannabis industry has to be profitable at every stage of the value chain. Five years of negligence and disrespect to the capital investors and operators had vaporized by problems now being addressed is five years of negligence that Ontario Government | Gouvernement de l’Ontario and Government of Canada Health Canada | Santé Canada must address. As a fiduciary of a company that was induced to invest in the process of securing a License I will NOT STOP pursuing financial compensation and remedies

Newsom just signed and vetoed a bunch of cannabis bills. Here are a few: 1 - AB-1775 (signed) will allow licensed consumption lounges to sell non-alcoholic beverages and food, as well as tickets for live events. This will be a big change for consumption lounges, though to be fair there are not many in California and cities will also have to authorize them. 2 - SB-1059 (signed) will stop cities from including excise tax and sales and use tax in their definitions of "gross receipts" for purposes of taxing retailers. This should give retailers a much needed break - albeit not nearly enough - on local taxation. 3 - AB-1111 (vetoed) would have allowed certain small cultivators to obtain "small producer event sales licenses" to sell cannabis at certain licensed events. It really makes little sense why this was vetoed, as the pool for sales would have been definitionally very small. This certainly isn't exclusive of all the cannabis bills Newsom signed or passed this week, but these are some of the bigger highlights.

🌿 Addressing the Shadow: The Challenge of Illicit Online Cannabis Sales 🌿 As Canada’s cannabis market matures, illicit online sales continue to challenge the balance, outpacing efforts to curb their spread. These operations not only undercut legal businesses with unchecked product offerings and aggressive online marketing but also pose significant risks to consumer safety and public health. At Spiritleaf Scarborough, we are dedicated to promoting a safe, regulated environment that prioritizes quality and transparency. Our efforts go beyond merely competing; we aim to educate and advocate for stricter enforcement and smarter regulations to protect and advance the legal market. 🤔 How can the industry and regulators collaborate more effectively to outpace illicit markets and ensure the integrity of our legal cannabis framework? Please leave your thoughts below and support your local legal dispensary! #SpiritleafScarborough #CannabisIndustry #RegulatoryChallenges #CannabisCommunity https://lnkd.in/ghdCk-we