🌿 Cannabis commences in Ukraine, Morocco’s mass pardons, and Eaze rebrands

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.

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

• Cannabis commences in Ukraine

• Morocco’s mass pardons

• Eaze rebrands

…and more. Let’s get to it.

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🚨 ROLL CALL

Policy

Cannabis comes into play. The legalization of medical cannabis in Ukraine officially went into effect last week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill to legalize cannabis for medical use earlier this year, a move that had growing support for its potential impact to help cope with war-related medical conditions.

In December of last year, the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, voted in favor of legalizing medical cannabis.

Recreational use of cannabis still remains strictly prohibited.

Policy

I beg your pardon. King Mohammed VI of Morocco pardoned close to 5,000 people convicted or wanted on charges linked to illegal cannabis cultivation.

In a statement to Reuters, Mohammed El Guerrouj, head of Moroccan cannabis regulator ANRAC, proclaimed the move was made in order to let farmers "to engage in the legal process of cannabis cultivation to improve their revenue and living conditions."

Morocco is hoping to establish itself as a leader in the global cannabis industry. According to the United Nations, it is one of the largest producers of cannabis worldwide.

The medical, cosmetic, and industrial use of cannabis has been legal since 2021, but recreational use is still not allowed. Moroccan regulators reported numbers from the first legal cannabis harvest, which took place in 2023.

Business

A new brand delivered. Cannabis delivery platform Eaze unveiled a complete rebrand this week, including a new universal design system and a revamped website. The company says the entire effort took two and a half years to finish.

Eaze last made a big splash with a brand refresh and accompanying ad campaign in 2020.

🇺🇸 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

California: More than 2.2 million illegal cannabis packages marked with a forged seal were seized as part of a recent operation.

Massachusetts: The state cannabis equity fund surpassed $27 million.

Minnesota: More than half of applicants in the early cannabis license period were from out-of-state; military veterans and those with prior cannabis convictions were the groups with the largest percentage to qualify for social equity status.

South Dakota: Lawmakers voted to increase the annual fees for medical cannabis business licenses by 70%.

Wyoming: A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit attempting to overturn a ban on the sale of Delta-8 products.

💼 BUSINESS

Sunburn secures investment from Poseidon

The Florida-based vertically integrated cannabis operator raised an undisclosed amount from the cannabis venture capital fund.

🤝 DEALS

E2P takes Truss Beverage from Tilray

The food and beverage private equity firm made the acquisition from the prominent cannabis and alcohol CPG company.

💻 TECH

Dutchie and BioTrack join forces in Florida

The cannabis point-of-sale system announced an integration with the state’s recently mandated cannabis seed-to-sale tracking system to ensure product safety and regulatory compliance for cannabis businesses.

💨 QUICK HITTERS

• The first cannabis bakery and cafe in Detroit is opening soon in the Corktown neighborhood.

• A cannabis decriminalization proposal will be on the ballot in Dallas for the November election.

• Canopy Growth CEO David Klein is set to retire at the end of the fiscal year and a comprehensive selection process is underway to find his successor.

• Rapper Wiz Khalifa’s eponymous cannabis brand Khalifa Kush is expanding to Europe.

📚 WHAT WE’RE READING

• Let Indiana voters decide on cannabis legalization (The Indianapolis Star)

• Will Nevada cannabis, gaming industries converge? Don’t bet on it, experts say (The Nevada Independent)

• Colorado Banned His Ear-Shaped Edibles, but Mike Tyson Returns With Boxing Gloves (Westword)

• The Cartoonist Drawing Cannabis Legalization into the Spotlight (stupidDOPE)

🎙️ POTCASTS

• Where Cannabis Is Catching Alcohol Off Guard (VinePair Podcast)

📽️ VIDEO OF THE WEEK

🔎 JOB BOARD

• Business Development Representative

  • Sweed POS

  • $70,000—$100,000

• Accountant - Retail & Operations Audit Manager

  • Jushi

• CPG Product Marketing Coordinator

  • Lazarus Naturals

📨 PUFF, PUFF, PASS REEFERAL PROGRAM

Stay tuned for more cannabis industry news next week!

💚,

The Pre Roll Team

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