Two things as we get to this week’s newsletter.
Thing 1 | Shout out to Canadian Bianca Andreescu on winning the US Open in stunning fashion.
Thing 2 | Cannabis + Technology, presented by Business of Cannabis, is coming up on Sept. 27. We have assembled an amazing line-up of speakers for our program, world class partners and presenters and a uniquely Canadian venue. We are on pace to sell out, so get your tickets today.
Vaping is the boogey-man of the week. With a series of high-profile and devastating incidents and death in the US, Health Canada is warning Canadians about the risks of vaping (especially unregulated vapes) and (we think) probably worrying many in the cannabis industry here about the impact this will have on the bottom line come Legalization 2.0.
It also prompted this from long-time advocate/industry insider/industry watcher David Brown:
Your weekly dose of CannTrust news…
180 or so employees lost their jobs this week at CannTrust… why? Well…
In addition to growing in unlicensed rooms, it seems that CannTrust also violated their license by growing with “black market” seeds at their Pelham facility.
Which brings us to this laugh-worthy understatement “regulator problems”…
From one understatement to (perhaps) and overstatement from the Interim CEO of Canopy Growth: Interim CEO Says Canopy Growth’s ‘Never Been Better’
In other big financial news, Aurora unloaded their shares of TGOD (The Green Organic Dutchman) last week – netting Aurora a cool ~$90 million.
Organigram received Health Canada approval for expansion… (For those that have never seen the Organigram facility – watch when BofC went to Moncton, New Brunswick.)
Something that should have caught the eye of cultivators large and small this week, this little ditty from the MJBizDaily: Illinois Restricts Marijuana Electricity and Water Use
From the (non-CannTrust) cannabis and law enforcement file…
400 pounds of Canadian cannabis was seized at the US border after someone tried to bring it into New York State (or was it into Bonify?).
From our Business of Cannabis friends in Massachusetts: the Mayor of Fall River (home of chef Emeril Lagasse) has been charged with trying to extort cannabis companies in that City.
In non-CannTrust employment news, the head of the Ontario Cannabis Store is stepping down following a transition period.
Speaking of retail cannabis. Would-be national retailer Fire + Flower announced it would not seek to partner (or pay to partner) with Round 2 retail cannabis lottery winners in Ontario.
From the medical file: Veterans Affairs Canada says they spent $75 million on medical cannabis for veterans last year – a number that is increasing in the current year. Amen to that.
Want to learn more about Cannabis + Technology, watch Jason Moscovici from ROBIC on BofC Live from last week.
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