Cannabis Consumption Lounge Licenses In Nevada
Last year, Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) signed a bill from Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D) legalizing consumption lounges in Nevada.
In June, The Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) approved regulations that allow cannabis consumption lounges to have their licenses and operate in the state. Since then, existing retailers were waiting to apply for a license category to incorporate lounges into their existing operations.
On October 14, the CCB started accepting applications, for the state’s first-ever cannabis consumption lounge licenses, closing submissions on October 27. The state's cannabis regulators received 100 applications during that short submission window. Among them, “20 applications were from existing retailers, 50 from independent lounge applicants, and 30 from independent social equity applicants,” read an official announcement.
Additionally, “the CCB anticipates the first lounges to be licensed and able to open in early 2023,” the CCB Board announced via Twitter (NYSE:TWTR).
Today, the CCB released final figures regarding the open application window for cannabis consumption lounge licenses.
— Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (@NevadaCCB) October 31, 2022
The CCB anticipates the first lounges to be licensed and able to open in early 2023. pic.twitter.com/ut3F66I37u
“The CCB will now review all independent cannabis consumption lounge applications to ensure applicants have met all necessary requirements.” When it comes to lounges at existing dispensaries, “there is no competitive selection process required,” reads the CCB announcement. “Upon receiving final inspection, licensure, and approval by the Board, retail cannabis consumption lounges may open.”
Also, there will also be stand-alone lounges that could contract with a retailer to purchase and prepare ready-to-consume marijuana products for resale at brand-new facilities, reported Marijuana Moment.
Flowers Out of the Market in Colorado
The Department of Revenue and Department of Public Health and Environment of Colorado recalled nearly 200 batches of cannabis flower after it discovered “potentially unsafe levels of total yeast and mold,” including the fungus aspergillus, particularly harmful to people with weakened immune systems who can experience lung and sinus infections after breathing in spores.
State regulators said the tainted product originated from Living Rose Wellness, a medical marijuana dispensary in Colorado Springs, the state’s second-most-populous city. A local initiative is pending a vote in Colorado Springs that will determine whether the city's medical marijuana dispensaries can be converted into recreational marijuana dispensaries.
What Happened: Despite state requirements, 154 batches of flowers from Living Rose, grown between September 2021 and July 2022, were found untested. However, the state did not say how untested cannabis was sold, nor did it indicate any potential punishment for the lapse.
New Mexico Cannabis Education
The University of New Mexico (UNM) is launching a new online course titled “Cannabis Compliance and Risk Management Certificate,” dedicated to navigating the states’ marijuana rules and regulations. It’s a “valuable experience to become an in-demand cannabis compliance professional,” states the UNM website.
Max Simon, CEO of Green Flower, a California-based company, is behind the new class. “There’s a funny joke in the cannabis industry that people think they’re in the cannabis business, but they’re actually in the compliance business,” Simon said.
According to the program’s website, the class is divided into 3 sections:
- The cannabis industry as a whole
- Framework for assessing and managing risks in a business setting
- Risk management and how to properly identify and mitigate gaps in a commercial cannabis business’s control of activities
“This program is really training people to become professionals in understanding those cannabis compliance needs, assessing any risks within the business, and then ultimately, making sure that these cannabis businesses are totally compliant in the most efficient way” Simon added, who also believes the knowledge provided in the class is in high demand across the state.
The first session begins Monday, November 7th. The class is open to anyone – you do not have to be a UNM student to enroll. Moreover, interested people can register through Friday, Nov, 12. Arnold expects another session will begin in January. "Anyone who completes the compliance course is eligible for discounts on other cannabis industry courses," Arnold concluded.
California Cannabis Regulators Seek Proposals From Public Universities
The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) is soliciting proposals from California public universities for research projects studying the implementation and effects of cannabis legalization.
To that end, the DCC allocates $10 million annually for the state's public universities to research and evaluate the impacts of marijuana.
In this round of grant funding, the DCC is prioritizing funding for certain research topics that increase the understanding of cannabis in the Golden State.
"It is the Department’s hope that the research resulting from these grants will advance the body of scientific knowledge about cannabis and prove beneficial not only to California policymakers but also to those across the nation and the world," reads the official announcement.
Eligibility: "Eligible Geographies: State of California. Projects may occur on the state or federal lands," reported the California Grants Portal.
Get your daily dose of cannabis news on Benzinga Cannabis. Don’t miss out on any important developments in the industry.
Photo: Courtesy of manish panghal on Unsplash
