The Broccoli Report
Monday, September 27, 2021
Time to read: 6 minutes, 44 seconds. Contains 1347 words.
Good morning!
Just like that—it’s autumn. Leaves are turning, I’m craving pho noodle soup and Charlie Parker, and as the breeze chills, my feisty cat is more interested in cuddling. With nostalgic fall feels come thoughts of sungrown farmers tending to big, beautiful plants nearing their peak; those crisp mornings spent clearing away fan leaves and preparing for harvest. I hope anyone out there working on a sungrown operation is stretching every hour and making time for topicals on their hands at night.
One announcement before we get to the news: This Friday, we’re ascending. We shall lift up, up, and away into the heavenly clouds for a no-holds-barred interview with Dieux co-founder and skincare savant Charlotte Palermino on the clinical testing process and why it mattered for Dieux’s products made with cannabinoids. The rule of thumb in our biz has been that we can’t make “medical claims” in product copy related to any cannabinoid, but what happens when one puts in the time (and works with scientists) to prove those claims? Be sure to subscribe for Friday dispatches to catch this one.
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One-Hitters: Cannabis News at a Glance
CBD brand Black Dahlia just unveiled Alchemy: a pair of intriguing additions to the emerging realm of cannabinoid-infused fragrances. Excitant, which translates to “woke” in Latin, is a refreshing mix of bright lemon, ginger, bergamot, cardamom, and cedarwood, while Somnium, or “sleep” in Latin, features more floral notes like neroli, jasmine, peony, and rich patchouli. Developed with Kaya Sorhaindo of “olfactive agency” Studio Folie, the scents are executed very well. More than including CBD as a buzzy ingredient, it’s interesting to see how the brand is using terpenes and cannabinoids to create a sort of multidimensional, aromatherapeutic experience with each spritz. Both fragrances are available now for $170 each at BlackDahlia.co. (Presented in partnership with Black Dahlia).
Holy crap: The SAFE Banking Act was successfully added to the FY22 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). I know it’s odd to see legislation protecting banking rights for legal cannabis businesses shoved into a defense bill, but let’s be real—a defense bill is much more likely to be approved before a standalone federal cannabis legalization bill. Once it passes the House, the bill’s final outcome will be determined in the Senate’s conference committee. This could be huge.
Illegal cannabis business continues to threaten the legal industry in more ways than one, and licensed operators are losing their patience with state regulators to get things under control. One California retail chain is suing the state’s Department of Cannabis Control for essentially turning a blind eye to the massive amount of illegal business happening behind the guise of legal distributor licenses. The suit alleges that rogue distributors buy huge amounts of legally grown marijuana at wholesale prices and sell it out of state or inside California through unlicensed channels. These “burner licenses” are the talk of the state right now, following reports of one anonymous tip about this exact kind of arrangement that led to a surprise DCC inspection of distribution company Blue Tree LLC. The investigation is ongoing, and no charges have yet been filed, but Leafly got their hands on 800+ inbound and outbound orders for this article and found “abnormal traffic—large weight discrepancies between what’s been reported coming in versus going out.” So much responsibility and costs are put on the operators’ shoulders—I’m glad they’re holding the regulators’ feet to the fire on this one. According to the DCC, state inspectors conducted only 50 inspections of 1,179 distributor licensees in 2020. I know—COVID-19—but still: yikes.
Chicago’s City Council passes a vital rewrite to the extremely restrictive zoning regulations for downtown cannabis businesses. Now there are more eligible properties in a greater area, and dispensaries no longer have to participate in a zoning lottery to be approved. Next, regulators need to figure out the most equitable way to dole out the licenses there.
Orchid Ventures, Inc., launched a new software platform designed for use in 510 thread batteries, POD systems, and disposable vaporizers that uses age verification. By pairing the device via Bluetooth or USB, a parent or older sibling, for example, can ensure the device won’t operate without facial recognition that matches the saved IDs in the software. Using technology to control who can turn on an electric vaping device is an interesting concept. However, will it stop the inevitable TikTok trends of high schoolers vaping next to napping parents? Secure stash areas still make more sense to me here.
Field Trip rolling papers drops a powerful new pack titled the Burn Book, featuring papers printed with the actual legal text enacting cannabis prohibition. While you roll up and burn down these symbolic papers, Field Trip will donate the real profits from the packs through direct partnerships with the Last Prisoner Project and other organizations fighting to restore civil liberties.
The FDA and the CDC addressed Delta-8 THC officially for the first time, issuing warnings about the potential risks in consuming this unregulated substance. From December 2020 to July 2021, the FDA said it has logged 22 adverse events reports from people who’ve experienced symptoms such as “vomiting, hallucinations, trouble standing, and loss of consciousness.” The agencies reminded consumers that D8 products have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA for safe use “in any context.” However, that’s all they did—no federal bans or regulatory plans were proposed.
Black-owned cannabis brand Viola launched its own education platform: The Harrington Institute, powered by the Cleveland School of Cannabis. The curriculum teaches the technical aspects of growing, processing, and selling cannabis, as well as the business side of the industry, so students can identify the right entry point for their individual interests. The Cleveland School of Cannabis will host the first of several information sessions about the Harrington Institute on September 29, with registration opening October 6. Classes will officially begin November 8.
Weed sightings at the Daytime Beauty Awards: Pure Beauty won the Zen Award, and Beboe took home the Sleeping Beauty Award.
Cannabis made a gourmet appearance at the recent Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado, where the founder of culinary cannabis magazine Kitchen Toke debuted her new CBD company, Red Belly Honey. The honey is made by bees fed a patented “hemp nectar” containing full-spectrum, whole-plant hemp, so it really is the first true hemp honey (to my knowledge, at least). Over the course of the festival’s five Grand Tasting sessions, attendees enjoyed venison lemongrass skewers with a Red Belly Honey nuoc cham emulsion, and corvina ceviche topped with coconut Red Belly Honey snow.
A new cannabis newsletter for legal, curious consumers debuts: One Weed Please, “for people who get high sometimes but haven't figured out how to navigate the overwhelming marketplace.”
Pennsylvania’s second annual Cannabis Fall Marketplace is happening October 2–3 at Renningers Farmers Market in Kutztown. Over 50 vendors will gather alongside live music and cannabis-centric panels for the free event.
TOAST, a charming addition to Philadelphia’s women-owned, weed-friendly boutiques, just opened a smokeshop full of artful tools, accessories, and whimsical odds-and-ends like this rainbow-sprinkled bubble candle.
Puff Herbal Smokes unveiled a whole brand refresh for Puff Herbals, with new and improved herbal spliffs that pair each of their three herbal smoking blends with specific strains of hemp flower. It's now packaged in compostable pouches, too.
After receiving a Revelry X Higher Standards smell-proof fanny pack for review and proceeding to use it as a primary Summer Purse, I have a newfound appreciation for odor-proofed stash bags. I don’t have to give an aromatic disclaimer when I hop in a Lyft after running errands; no tense moments in the lobby moving past less weed-friendly neighbors. My black canvas crossbody piece is great, but it’s very utilitarian—as are most other smell-proof bags. That’s why I’m stoked to see House of Puff’s new dainty, baby-pink contribution to the category: the chenille Crosby Pouch. Consumers deserve a smell-proof solution that goes with every outfit.
To purses that never smell like weed and perfumes that do,
Lauren Yoshiko