August 2018

Illinois State legislators passed a bill that potentially would allow thousands of patients to receive medical mari- juana as an alternative to highly addictive opioids, a move that could provide a notable boost to MMJ sales. The approval by the Illinois General Assembly reflects how states increasingly are embracing the idea of com- bating opioid addiction with MMJ. New Jersey and Penn- sylvania both have added opioid addiction as a quali- fying condition, and New York's health department is planning a similar move. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner still must sign off on the legislation before it can become law. He has 60 days to decide. Maine Legislators voted to override Gov. Paul LePage’s vetoes of two medical marijuana bills. The move is a big win for MMJ businesses in the state since it gives them more say in how they operate as well as more flexibility, said Sen. Eric Brakey, the sponsor of one of the bills. One measure, LD 1539, will become law 90 days after the state’s legislative session ends, and LD 238, drafted as an emergency bill, becomes law immediately. One provision eliminates qualifying conditions and allows doctors to recommend medical marijuana for any medi- cal reason – a move that could boost MMJ sales. Maryland Medical marijuana sales in Maryland slowed to a crawl during the first weekend of June because of a glitch in the state’s MMJ tracking system. The state’s tracking program provider, Florida-based seed-to-sale firm Franwell, blamed the slowdown on a new feature the company installed in its Metrc software. Franwell had introduced an enhancement that enables patients to track how much cannabis they purchased in a 30-day period as well as how much they are allowed to buy before hitting their limit. The new feature overwhelmed the Maryland system at peak times, causing it to slow down. The Metrc system also is used in California, Nevada, Colorado, Alaska, Ohio and Michigan. Massachusetts Regulators announced the first cultivation license for the recreational marijuana program. Sira Naturals in Milford received approval from the Cannabis Control Commission for a Tier 3 cultivation license, which will allow the company 10,000-20,000 square feet of indoor grow space. Sira Naturals is vertically integrated and operates a cultivation and product manufacturing facility as well as three dispensaries in Cambridge, Somerville and Needham. The company has been culti- vating medical marijuana in Milford since 2016. 24 • Marijuana Business Magazine • August 2018