Updated 3/23/2019 “The voters have the easy part. For them, it’s a simple yes or no vote to legalize either medical or adult-use cannabis in their states. But that’s when the hard work really begins: developing a regulatory system that brings the black or gray market into the light.” Read more, Marijuana Venture. Life as a Marijuana Activist, here.
Are you interested in Cannabis & Hemp? Check out the film festival, #CICHFF 2019 being held Sunday, April 14, 2019 from 3-9 PM at The Bug Theater, 3654 Navajo Street, Denver, Colorado. Learn more. Submissions and tickets are available courtesy of FilmFreeway. Check out all three film festivals, Infinite Perimeter Films.
Are pot-infused concerts coming to Denver? Read here, here. According to the Westword, a month after it finally opened, and over a year after it first started working to attain a social pot use license, Vape and Play suddenly closed in early March. Meanwhile, Honey Pot Lounge withdrew its special cannabis event applications with the city after the owner of the location where it had proposed holding those events objected to the plans.
“The owners of the property at 1801 Market Street, which was listed as the site on the permit application filed with the city, say they hadn’t heard of any plans for cannabis-friendly concerts, and ‘will not allow any event of that kind’ to go on there.” Read more.
Check out Rules Governing Marijuana Designated Consumption Areas, here, Denver Medical MJ Licenses, here. Turn Over a New Leaf, Marijuana Convictions Expungement, here. A new report conducted by Freedman and Koski, a Colorado consulting firm, which advises local governments on the implementation of marijuana legalization, has Illinois lawmakers interested in legalization. Read here. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, “A fully-matured adult-use marijuana program in Illinois could produce between $440 million and $676 million in annual revenue, and the expected demand would be far greater than the state’s current supply.
Check out The Union: The Business Behind Getting High (2007). “Every facet of the regulated cannabis industry became functional in the wake of hurried and imperfect choices made by voters, elected and government officials, and businesses, even in the face of overwhelming public support for cannabis reform. …To date, the implementation of cannabis policy has been achieved in a divisive political climate, under incredibly tight timeframes, and with limited resources.” Read this report.
“The long history of United States drug policy has been to pursue political agendas and ideology rather than promote sound public policy.” Read more. “The need for capital is a growing concern among cannabis businesses in Colorado. Since traditional lines of loans and debt are not available for cannabis business owners, they have relied on personal wealth and friends and family money to start and grow their businesses.
“The Colorado cannabis market has been viewed by many as a model for legalization. That model is at a critical turning point as other states and countries close in on the accomplishments achieved in Colorado. ” Read more, Forbes. The Dolce Canapa cannabis farm sits at the tippy-top of a mountain in Mendocino County, California, with stunning views that stretch for miles across the base of the Emerald Triangle. Steve Amato has owned the property for several years, and as he points down to various carved-out patches of land on the surrounding hillsides, he sounds both uneasy and hopeful.
“These hills used to light up at night, with all the greenhouses that are scattered around …But these last two seasons we’ve seen fewer and fewer lights. I guess they’re getting out of the game.” Steve Amato
“What is craft cannabis? …From the handling of seeds and clones to precision drying and curing control, Craft Cannabis is more of an art than just a production product.” Read more.
States like Oregon have faced the challenges of dramatic oversupply, encouraged by too many licensees producing far too much product for the market. “When Oregon lawmakers created the state’s legal marijuana program, they had one goal in mind above all else: to convince illicit pot growers to leave the black market.” Read more.
Last year, we were honored to host a private post-festival live screening of Jeff Eichen’s Lifers Madness the Movie, which stars Tommy Chong. Congratulations to last year’s Semi-Finalists, Finalists and Award Winners! For #CICHFF 2018, we received 67 submissions and provided 30 awards for our first season. Warm thanks to our guests, sponsors and judges! Submit now.
Also in the news: the Supreme Court issued an important opinion regarding copyright registration.