Hemp Regs Rumors & Pro-Weed Police

Plus: Submit Lonely Hearts now!

Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Time to read: About 5 minutes. Contains 1,215 words.

Good morning!

Or afternoon, depending on where you are. I’m writing from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where my boyfriend’s family has an annual hang. My first few times here, figuring out how to transport small amounts of flower to share was a priority. These days, they don’t need my help—they’re busting out packs of THCA pre-rolls that smell as strong as anything I brought from Oregon. I smell it more often at the beach and on the hotel balcony, too. The discussions of Farm Bill amendments potentially cracking down on the proliferation of Delta 9 and THCA intoxicating products have permeated dinner conversations as well, which I’ll get to in a minute. 

As promised: The next round of Lonely Hearts submissions kicks off now! Originally created as a Valentine’s-themed dispatch to help readers connect with one another, the Lonely Hearts Board for Cannabis Entrepreneurs has become a special fixture that connects likeminded brands with entrepreneurs seeking specific opportunities. The Board is open to all to post and all to read and share, no paid subscription required.

A few of the connections birthed from the board over the years:

• This cool pipe came into existence through a creative agency responding to a post from a designer wanting more work in the weed world.
  

• Brands have found creative directors and brand strategists they needed to execute well-timed rebrands/zhuzhed-up launches.
  

• Two PR whizzes were able to go out on their own by working with a couple of clients they met through the Board.
  

• New Rituals was able to secure sponsors for a cool, cannabis-centric wellness event last 4/20.
  

• More than one content creator has posted their specialties and preferred platforms and received numerous new clients.
  

You can see how it works via these past Boards. To join in the fun, simply send a short description of who you are and the service/collaborator you seek/offer to stickybitsyo@gmail.com by end of Monday, June 17. Please include “Lonely Hearts” in the subject line. 

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Limited Edition Zig-Zag Rollers Club Velour Tracksuit.

One-Hitters: Cannabis News at a Glance

• New Farm Bill discussions continue. On Friday, The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture completed its markup of the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2024 (aka the new Farm Bill, which is the legislation that ushered in the CBD and Delta 9/10 booms) and passed the proposed legislation 33-21. A key amendment is the split of the definition of hemp: “Industrial hemp” is defined as hemp grown for fiber, food, or non-cannabinoid products, and then “hemp” as in grown for cannabinoid extraction for intoxicating delta 8 or delta 9 THC products for human or animal consumption. There are many more possible amendments (possibly much more disruptive ones) to come before the 2018 Farm Bill expires September 30. I.e. the possibility that THCA would have to be included in the “less than .3% THC” measurement for all hemp products, which is what the Drug Enforcement Agency is advocating.
  
  

• It’s not hemp industry vs. cannabis industry—it’s just survival. A lot of the coverage of these hemp regulation discussions paints a picture of one pitted against the other, with the legal cannabis industry keen on closing the 2018 loophole that birthed intoxicating hemp THC products they now compete against. In reality, many legal companies have hemp plays at this point to get a piece of that less regulated pie. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that — there’s an argument they’re the best people to do so, with experience doing things by the book. For many, hemp = a more optimistic path towards profitability compared to the brutal odds in saturated legal markets, and they don’t deny a need for better regulation of the hemp realm. I think it’s less about about us vs. them, and more of everyone being interested in a safer hemp game and less of such a prohibitively costly burden on licensed companies trying to do things legally without going out of business.
  
  

• New York’s head of cannabis steps down. In the fallout of the damning report on the missteps of New York’s legal rollout, the head of the Office of Cannabis Management has submitted his two week notice. Some peers blame Governor Kathy Hochul more than Chris Alexander for a lack of the right infrastructure to succeed.
  
  

• Nicki Minaj detained in the Netherlands for cannabis possession. While Amsterdam is known for being cool with cannabis, it’s still an illegal drug to transport across international borders. She was released soon after paying a "reasonable" fine—the bigger inconvenience was likely the postponement of her scheduled concert in Manchester.
  
  

• Daily cannabis use surpasses daily alcohol consumption for the first time in the US. Is that a good thing? While cannabis is objectively less damaging to health than alcohol, this is not exactly the kind of metric that we’re going for. Alcohol is still more widely used. This data just shows that there are more daily cannabis consumers than there are daily alcohol consumers—neither of which represent a moderate, healthy consumption rhythm free of negative effects.
  
  

• A Sopranos cannabis play. Stevie Van Zandt, the actor who played the well-coiffed Silvio in the acclaimed HBO series, launched a cannabis line in the Michigan market called Silvio’s Stash in collaboration with Primitiv, the company founded by former Detriot Lions Calvin Johnson Jr. and Rob Sims.
  
  

• New Hampshire progresses towards adult use legalization. This could be the first time a Republican-controlled legislature establishes a regulated and taxed adult-use marketplace. The Senate-approved bill is currently headed back to the House for concurrence, before heading to Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who acknowledges the majority of the state is pro-legalization.
  
  

• Even cops don’t see a reason to stop interstate commerce between legal states. The Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC) and the Oregon Coalition of Police and Sheriffs (ORCOPs) both officially endorse a bipartisan bill to end federal cannais enforcement in legal states. The Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) 2.0 Act would legalize interstate cannabis commerce between legal states and native tribes, normalize Internal Revenue Service (IRS) policy for the industry and contemplate a federal tax-and-regulate framework for the legal industry. It’s doubtful to proceed through Congress, but it’s a good headline to have in the mix.
  
  

• High Times assets are up for sale. From their West Hollywood store to the desirable URL “420.com” and intellectual property that includes the High Times Cannabis Cups, several pieces of the High Times pie are up for grabs before heading to auction. High Times was pushed into receivership after failing to repay $28.8 million to lender ExWorks, which went into receivership as well, according to Green Market Report.
  
  

• The AAPI culture, food, and cannabis collective, Mogu Magu, is throwing a Filipina-centric “Pinay Par-TAY” in Los Angeles on June 9. Co-hosted alongside cannabis marketing luminary Geraldine Mae Cueva, this flower-friendly celebration of Filipino culture and flavors with feature a DIY adoBOWL station by Chef Wendy Zeng, Dear Flor gummies, Moonmade Farms flower, live music and more. DM Mogu Magu to reserve your ticket (ASAP!). 
  
  

• CBD beauty company Saint Jane launched a mineral SPF sunscreen. It is interesting to see a cannabis-centric brand drop a product that doesn’t contain cannabinoids, but the moisturizing, reef-safe formula seems to have good feedback so far.
  
  

• A wrap for your body from Zig Zag. Although I can’t remember the last time I rolled a joint with a Zig Zag, I don’t think those bright orange packs or their cheery, kerchiefed visage will ever go out of style. Can I see myself wearing a bright orange velour tracksuit emblazoned with the branding? Not so sure. But I love the energy. Only 420 pieces were made, and they don’t plan on making more. 

Until next time,
Lauren Yoshiko