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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:

• STATES Act reintroduced by bipartisan group of legislators

• Updates on HHS scheduling recommendation to DEA

• ESPN to produce Brittney Griner documentary

…and more. Let’s get to it.

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🚨 Roll Call

Policy

STATES Act 2.0. A bipartisan group of House legislators reintroduced an updated version of the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act, a bill first presented in 2018. The legislation aims ensure that each state, along with Washington D.C., U.S. territories, and federally recognized tribal nations, has the right to determine for itself the best approach to cannabis within its borders.

Key components of the STATES Act:

• Amends the Controlled Substances Act to no longer cover cannabis manufactured, produced, possessed, distributed, dispensed, administrated, or delivered in compliance with State and Tribal law

• Provides federal support and assistance for enforcement to states that opt to maintain prohibition

• Bars the distribution of cannabis to anyone under the age of 21 other than for medical purposes

• Prohibits employment in the industry to anyone under the age of 18

• Regulates cannabis products through Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure products meet the standards for contaminant testing, manufacturing expectations, and marketing practices

• Forbids distribution of cannabis at rest areas and truck stops

• Instructs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the effects of marijuana legalization on traffic safety

• Addresses financial issues caused by federal prohibition and proclaims businesses in compliance with the bill will no longer subject to section 280E of the Internal Revenue code

The entire text of the bill can be read here.

Policy

HHS scheduling update. More than 250 pages of documents have been released by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS) regarding its cannabis scheduling recommendation to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Much of the content focuses on the scientific and medical evaluation undertaken.

The documents were distributed by lawyers Matt Zorn and Shane Pennington, who co-author the On Drugs blog and subsequently gave an in-depth analysis of their reading of the information provided.

New broke in September suggesting HHS was recommending for cannabis to be moved from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. Given the latest details, Pennington believes that will ultimately be the case.

The scheduling review process was initiated at the direction of President Joe Biden in October 2022.

Business

Brittney Griner doc. ESPN and Disney Entertainment are teaming up with Brittney Griner to develop a documentary about the two-time Olympic gold medalist and nine-time WNBA All-Star.

Griner made headlines when she was arrested for cannabis possession at an airport in Moscow, and later sentenced to 9 years in Russian prison. She was finally released as part of a controversial prisoner swap after being detained for nearly 10 months.

Additionally, Griner will sit down for her first exclusive interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts.

Premiere dates and further details on the projects are set to be announced at a later date.

🇺🇸 State of the Industry

Alabama: Integrated licenses were awarded to five companies to allow them to cultivate, process, transport, and dispense medical cannabis; Trulieve Alabama was selected as the single minority-owned recipient required by law.

Arkansas: The state surpassed $1 billion in medical cannabis sales since the program commenced in 2019.

Massachusetts: The Cannabis Control Commission voted to change delivery regulations, removing the need to have two employees present when making cannabis deliveries.

New York: Governor Kathy Hochul says the state expects to open a dozen new adult-use dispensaries by the end of the year.

📊 Business

4Front debuts exclusive flower brand

The vertically integrated, multi-state operator announced the launch of cannabis flower brand, The Hunt, expanding its brand portfolio and adding to its growing offering of high quality, affordable flower with rare, limited, and small-batch phenotypes.

🤝 Deals

CannMenus joins forces with Nugget Data

The Chicago-based cannabis retail analytics firm acquired the Canadian cannabis tech company, creating an unparalleled source of retail insights covering 90% of all licensed dispensaries across the U.S. and Canada to further shape the way businesses and consumers interact with cannabis data.

💻 Tech

KayaPush partners with Treez

The people management platform for HR and payroll revealed an integration with the enterprise commerce technology platform to help retailers streamline operations, increase revenue, and drive profitability.

🏆 Awards & Honors

2023 Strain of the Year (Leafly): Permanent Marker, an indica-dominant hybrid strain from Seed Junky Genetics, was selected by a group of world-class cannabis experts for the honor given to a cannabis strain that demonstrated unparalleled breakthrough market impact among the more than 6,000 strains in the Leafly strain database.

🌏 Around the World

Canada: A new bill in Ontario is seeking to combat the illegal cannabis market, keep communities safe, and protect children and youth by banning cultivation of recreational cannabis in homes that offer childcare services, increasing the number of stores that licensed retail operators and their affiliates can operate from 75 to 150, exploring different enforcement options against illegal online cannabis sales, and more.

💨 Quick Hitters

• Recreational cannabis sales begin in Santa Monica on December 14.

• Chicago liquor stores, including household names like Binny's and Garfield's, are selling THC-infused drinks.

• Investigators from New York’s Office of Cannabis Management and Department of Taxation and Finance seized 812 pounds of flower, 701 pounds of edibles, and 61 pounds of concentrate, with an estimated value of $7,284,986, from 71 shops suspected of selling unlicensed cannabis in November.

• Desert Hot Springs, California extended temporary cannabis tax cuts.

📚 What We’re Reading

• The Biden Campaign Needs to Pivot to Marijuana (Bloomberg)

• Stiiizy’s founder built an L.A. cannabis empire, while being landlord to illegal dispensaries (Los Angeles Times)

• Shaq Humorously Blames ‘Damn Cannabis’ After Calling Tyrese Haliburton by Wrong Name (Sports Illustrated)

• 710 Labs Makes Artisan Cannabis For Every Type Of Stoner — Here’s Our Full-Line Review (UPROXX)

• Cannabis taxes have not solved Colorado’s budget woes (Colorado Public Radio)

• Politicians, farmers, retailers decry decision to end Cannabis Growers Showcase (NY Cannabis Insider)

🎙️ Potcasts

• Why we’re (cautiously) excited about New York again (High Rise)

• Budding Regulations: Navigating the Cannabis Regulatory Landscape (Regulatory Oversight Podcast)

• It's Xzibit and Tammy the Cannabis Cutie from Lasagna Ganja (Here Weed Go!)

🔎 Job Board

• General Manager, Illinois

  • OGeez!

  • $130,000—$160,000

• Cannabis Sales Account Manager

  • Wyld

  • $125,000

• Account Manager

  • Leaf Trade

  • $55,000—$70,000

📨 Puff, Puff, Pass Reeferal Program

Stay tuned for more cannabis industry news next week!

💚,

The Pre Roll Team

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