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Happy Friday Pre Rollers! Welcome to another edition of The Pre Roll, the cannabis newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on the industry happenings you need to know.

Here’s what we’re rolling up this week:

• Amazon, Uber, and PayPal lobby on cannabis

• Biden rescheduling efforts draw strong support from voters

• Hemp advocacy organizations seek FDA regulation

…and more. Let’s get to it.

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🚨 Roll Call

Business

Leading lobbyists. Three prominent tech companies — Amazon, Uber, and PayPal — disclosed lobbying on cannabis, according to recently filed quarterly reports. All active lobbying registrants are required to file such reports with the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Secretary of the U.S. Senate.

The issues of note for each company are outlined below:

• Amazon — States Reform Act; Cannabis Administration & Opportunity Act

• Uber — Secure And Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act; Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking (SAFE) Banking Act of 2023

• PayPal — Issues related to banking services for cannabis-related businesses

All of these companies see clear value in backing federal cannabis legislation, particularly as it relates to banking and payments, and the opportunities it would open up. Amazon has been vocal in the past about supporting cannabis policy reform, and Uber has indicated it could get into cannabis delivery as federal laws change (something it has already piloted in Canada).

Policy

Biden’s best bud. A recently conducted survey of likely voters revealed strong support (58%) for President Joe Biden’s efforts to reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. Voters in the 18-25 age demographic signaled the strongest levels of support.

Perhaps most noteworthy is the finding that impressions of President Biden improved by double-digit points (+11) upon understanding the impact of such a move.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finally released the 252-page document outlining its recommendation to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.

However, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), conducting a cannabis scheduling review of its own, confirmed that the DEA has final say in any scheduling decisions, regardless of input from HHS.

This is something to keep an eye on as it could have major implications for the upcoming election.

Policy

Hemp in the House. The U.S. Hemp Roundtable, in conjunction with 27 other state and federal advocacy organizations, including the National Cannabis Industry Association, penned a letter calling on the House Energy and Commerce Committee to hold a hearing concerning FDA regulation of the rapidly growing hemp market.

The groups are hoping to address the challenges faced by the U.S. hemp industry.

🇺🇸 State of the Industry

Florida: Governor Ron Desantis, who recently suspended his presidential campaign, predicts the recreational cannabis legalization measure will be on the ballot in November.

Maine: A proposed bill would allow on-site cannabis consumption similar to a brewery for beer.

Minnesota: The new adult-use cannabis law is still at least a year away from being implemented, per to state officials.

New Jersey: Regulators unanimously approved rules to authorize dispensaries to have cannabis consumption lounges.

New York: Governor Kathy Hochul suggested replacing the cannabis potency tax with a weight-based tax to reduce the burden for cultivators, processors, and distributors.

📊 Business

Union Square Travel Agency rebrands, first in NYS with second location

The premier NYC legal cannabis retailer has a new and improved name, The Travel Agency: A Cannabis Store, and is set to become the first cannabis retail brand in the state to build and operate multiple retail locations when its new Downtown Brooklyn location opens soon across from the Barclays Center.

💻 Tech

CannaHauler launches first cannabis load board in U.S.

The cannabis transport management software company established the nation’s first cannabis-specific load board to connect shippers and transporters in Mississippi’s medical cannabis market, with plans to expand into Michigan and Missouri soon as well.

Kiefa gets $2 million from investors

The cannabis SaaS platform announced the closing of its $2 million seed round led by Bienville with participation from Alaris Capital.

🌏 Around the World

Canada: Nearly 70% of cannabis consumers report to ‘always’ get cannabis from a legal or licensed source.

💨 Quick Hitters

• Police discovered $35,000 worth of cannabis products during a bust in Corona, California.

• A California woman avoided life in prison for the fatal stabbing of her boyfriend by arguing she suffered from a cannabis-induced psychosis, instead getting two years probation and 100 hours of community service.

📚 What We’re Reading

• In a New Cannabis Landscape, a Navy Veteran Battles for Racial Equity (The New York Times)

• Peaches, Houseplant and Willie's Reserve – cannabis brands and the high flyers behind them (CBC)

• Our Fraught Love Affair With Cannabis (The Wall Street Journal)

• MedMen Meltdown: Cannabis Retail Giant's Stock Hits Zero (Westside Current)

🎙️ Potcasts

• Bettering the World with Cannabis with Mark Cozzi (Cannabis Advocate Podcast)

• Treez COO and President Suresh Khanna (Cannabis Tech Talks)

🔎 Job Board

• Director of Customer Success

  • Flowhub

  • $130,000—$160,000

• Account Executive

  • Fernway

  • $75,000—$115,000

• Social Impact & Communication Specialist

  • Green Thumb Industries (GTI)

📨 Puff, Puff, Pass Reeferal Program

Stay tuned for more cannabis industry news next week!

💚,

The Pre Roll Team

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