by Grow Up Conference | Oct 23, 2024 | Media Partners, Psychedelic News Wire
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health disorder caused by an extremely terrifying or stressful event, either by an individual witnessing it or being a part of it. This disorder may last anywhere between months to years, with individuals experiencing intense physical and emotional reactions when the memories of trauma are unearthed by triggers.
Estimates show that in the United Kingdom, 1 in 10 individuals will experience post-traumatic stress disorder in their lifetime. Currently, roughly 30% of patients who suffer from severe mental health conditions find that traditional therapies aren’t effective for them.
Now a team of researchers in Cambridgeshire are carrying out trials looking into the potential benefits of psychedelics and empathogens in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The researchers are considering psychedelic use because the drugs are known to alter how an individual perceives reality. These drugs, also referred to as hallucinogens, make an individual hear, feel, and see things that don’t exist. Additionally, psychedelics are known to target certain areas of the brain, changing their processing of sensory input.
The team is a collaboration between Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Cambridge, and Cambridge University Hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust. Those involved include research staff and clinicians from the NIHR Cambridge Clinical Research Facility and the Windsor Research Unit.
The researchers, whose initiative is focused on mental health treatment, has obtained a Home Office license to carry out the trials. Their objective is to help patients who’ve gained no benefit from conventional treatments like antidepressants and talk therapy.
Various studies have already shown that some psychoactive drugs, when administered by trained specialists in controlled environments, can enhance quality of life and aid in recovery.
The researchers’ initial study has been sponsored by Transcend Therapeutics and will focus on assessing the effects of a rapid-acting neuroplastogen dubbed TSND-201, on patients with PTSD. TSND-201 is a non-hallucinogenic formulation which the researchers hope could provide a new avenue of hope for patients who’ve not benefitted from traditional treatments.
Transcend Therapeutics is a neuroscience-focused clinical-stage firm focused on developing psychoactive drugs for neuropsychiatric illnesses.
Affiliated assistant professor at the University of Cambridge, Dr. Liliana Galindo, stated that she was optimistic about the potential of this study in addressing persistent mental conditions. Galindo, who’s also a consultant psychiatrist, added that they were excited to join the growing field of psychedelic research with this new collaboration and help to develop a new generation of neuropsychiatric therapies.
With many other entities, such as atai Life Sciences N.V. (NASDAQ: ATAI), engaged in studying the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, the likelihood that approved treatments made from these substances become available soon is high.
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PsychedelicNewsWire (“PNW”) is a specialized communications platform with a focus on all aspects of psychedelics and the latest developments and advances in the psychedelics sector. It is one of 60+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN that delivers: (1) access to a vast network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to efficiently and effectively reach a myriad of target markets, demographics and diverse industries; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets; (3) enhanced press release enhancement to ensure maximum impact; (4) social media distribution via IBN to millions of social media followers; and (5) a full array of tailored corporate communications solutions. With broad reach and a seasoned team of contributing journalists and writers, PNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that want to reach a wide audience of investors, influencers, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, PNW brings its clients unparalleled recognition and brand awareness. PNW is where breaking news, insightful content and actionable information converge.
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by Grow Up Conference | Oct 23, 2024 | Media Partners, Stratcann
Manitoba is extending its review of licences that allow some convenience stores to sell cannabis.
Earlier this year, Manitoba announced that it was pausing its “controlled access” licensing, which allowed cannabis sales in convenience stores, until October. In an announcement reported by the Canadian Press, the province is extending that moratorium for another 18 months, to December 31, 2025.
Such controlled access licences allow for cannabis to be sold in convenience stores and gas stations that carry other non-cannabis products. According to provincial rules, businesses holding a controlled-access licence may allow young persons to enter the store, but cannabis must not be visible or accessible.
“This is a very important issue, and the province wants to make sure we get this right,” said Glen Simard, the minister responsible for the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation, in a written statement, as reported by the Canadian Press.
“That’s why we are extending the pause to continue our consultations.”
Some cannabis retailers in the province have, in the past, expressed concern about such licences. Melanie Bekevich, the owner of Mistik Cannabis in Winnipeg and a member of the Retail Cannabis Council of Manitoba (RCCMB), told StratCann in April that the organization had met with the Manitoba government to express their concerns with how these licences are being issued.
When the moratorium was first announced, Edwardo Famakin, a spokesperson for Manitoba cannabis producer WOWKPOW, told StratCann that he and his partners were “blindsided” by the announcement as they were in the final stages of receiving approval for an agreement with Manitoba retail/gas station Domo to supply the chain with their locally-produced cannabis products.
At the same time, Raj Grover, the CEO of High Tide Cannabis, which operates several Canna Cabana cannabis stores in the province, said he had concerns that the licences were being granted in ways that may not have fit with the intention of the rule.
“We applaud Manitoba’s new NDP government for confirming today that it will place a six-month moratorium on new controlled access cannabis retail licences,” said Grover in April. “These licences were intended to provide access to legal cannabis in rural communities without an established legal retail cannabis store; however, many of the controlled access licences were granted to convenience and grocery stores within downtown Winnipeg. We hope that the six-month review will help establish important guardrails to ensure that these licences are limited to underserviced communities only, as was originally intended.”
Related Articles
by Grow Up Conference | Oct 22, 2024 | Media Partners, The New Agora
www.natureofhealing.org
Since ‘hindsight is 20/20,’ what happened in 2020?
NikolayF.com from Pixabay” width=”300″ height=”200″>In 2020, the new, experimental mRNA injections rolled out as a premeditated response to Coronavirus. What was on the package inserts of the products?
Nothing.
The inserts were blank. This way, companies could not be held liable for any ill effects following injection. It’s called indemnity, an exemption from penalties.
Fast forward to 2024. Eureka! Suddenly scientists know what was in those Emergency Use Authorized (EUA), FDA-unapproved COVID injections!
Nanotechnology Through a Needle
hakan german from Pixabay” width=”300″ height=”212″>According to an Argentinian study, scientists discovered 55 undeclared chemicals and metals not listed on package inserts. The study published last week in the International Journal of Vaccine Theory, Practice, and Research discloses:
Among the undeclared chemical elements were detected 11 of the 15 cytotoxic lanthanides used in electronic devices and optogenetics. In addition, among the undeclared elements were all 11 of the heavy metals: chromium was found in 100% of the samples; arsenic 82%; nickel 59%; cobalt and copper 47%; tin 35%; cadmium, lead and manganese in 18%; and mercury in 6%. A total of 55 undeclared chemical elements were found and quantified…
James Lyons-Weiler, Ph.D., a member of the journal’s editorial board said, “Individually, these chemicals are known to cause neurological, cardiovascular and immunological damage.”
What is not disclosed? Metals and chemicals are required for nanopolymers. Delivered through a needle, they target specific areas of the body for ‘connectivity’ to the Internet of Things.
Disclosure & Implied Consent
No matter where the information is found in the media, whether in an article, social media, cinema, documentary, or hidden in a medical journal study, the architects who create toxic products must disclose the information somewhere, whether perceived positively or negatively. Of course how you perceive the information is up to you.
In 2020, social media tracking of information suggests 43% of content retrieved on Google was antivaccination in nature. However, today, it is nearly impossible to find a negative campaign against the jab.
As long as the deed is visible, it has been exposed, even if it is after the fact. This is called implied consent.
No response is considered to be silent acquiescence. This means that by your non response, you have agreed to the methods used.
When hindsight is 20/20, it means “too little, too late.” The deed is done.
Biodigital Convergence
There is another purpose to the disclosing information after the fact; that is to misdirect an investigation. Four years later, mRNA is old information since, in the Information Age, old news happens yesterday, not four years ago.
bob matus from Pixabay” width=”184″ height=”300″>For at least two decades, scientists and governments have been paving the way toward Transhumanism, the merging of humans and machines. The way to Transhumanism is through Biodigital Convergence. Read more here.
In the coming years, biodigital technologies could be woven into our lives in the way that digital technologies are now. Biological and digital systems are converging, and could change the way we work, live, and even evolve as a species. More than a technological change, this biodigital convergence may transform the way we understand ourselves and cause us to redefine what we consider human or natural.
In the Covidian Age, “CORONA” represents the addition of metamaterials, to augment humans and upgrade the system with faster speeds to run more applications. According to a 2021 study in the American Journal of Bioinformatics Research, “corona is a non-communicable disease spread worldwide through wireless sensor technology…
To The Metaverse!
The positive side of Hindsight is Foresight. Instead of looking to the past, we can focus on what is unfolding now, and into the near future.
Biodigital Convergence leads to Smart cities, Cognitive(C40) cities, Blockchain, Reverse engineering, Digital Twin, Self-assembly nanotechnologies, the Internet of Bodies, and more… in the connected future of the Metaverse.
Micah from Pixabay” width=”300″ height=”182″>If Biodigital Convergence sound like a Virtual Reality, then you are one step closer to your Avatar. Will you become an Avatar in the Metaverse? Watch the feature film, Avatar for disclosure.
The architects of converging technologies want everyone to live a Metaverse of their construction.
Of course, disclosure is found openly, in Sci-fi movies, and fiction. However, for a drier presentation, it is also found in a slideshow from the 2022 International Electrotechnical Commission. For current and future standards that will run The Convergence, read the 480-page report on the National Nanotech Initiative (NNI).
The NNI recently celebrated its 20th birthday. This proves that mRNA nanotechnology is old news. It does not discriminate against gender, sex, race, or religion. This global initiative seeks to incorporate everyone, everywhere. They have our consent through silent acquiescence.
The concept of ‘vaccine status,’ along with related vaccine science and laws are mere propaganda and distraction. These are symptoms of past strategies that lead to future ‘connectivity.’ Unfortunately, focus on vaccines is exactly where architects want people to be.
Foresight might be fuzzy, but without it, we are left scrambling in the past.
Copyright © 2024 Nature of Healing | All Rights Reserved |
by Grow Up Conference | Oct 22, 2024 | Cannabis News Wire, Media Partners
A recent study published in the Cannabis Research Journal challenges the outdated stereotype that cannabis users, often labeled as “lazy stoners,” are less active. The research shows that medical cannabis promotes increased physical activity in individuals with chronic health issues, while recreational marijuana boosts physical activity even more, particularly in those without chronic conditions.
The study examined data from adults aged 18 and over across the United States between 2016 and 2022. The researchers analyzed information collected by the CDC’s Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System, which conducts nationwide phone surveys focused on health-related behaviors, preventive health services, and chronic illnesses.
One of the key findings was that people who reported using cannabis were more physically active than those who didn’t, but this difference was most pronounced in areas where cannabis is legally available, either for medical or recreational use. The study did not find a strong link between medical marijuana use and increased physical activity. However, physical activity was a more common reason for recreational use.
The authors suggest that when people use cannabis to enhance physical activity, it might be because it helps them focus, boosts enjoyment, or strengthens the connection between the mind, body, and spirit. Cannabis may also aid in rehabilitation by enhancing sleep and lowering discomfort.
Although medical cannabis users did not list physical activity as a primary reason for use, the researchers proposed that cannabis might indirectly help those with chronic illnesses stay more active by alleviating some of their symptoms.
Paul Armentano, Deputy Director of NORML, commented on the study, highlighting how it goes against long-standing assumptions about cannabis users. He noted that the results challenge the false stereotype that marijuana consumers are unmotivated or lazy. He also expressed disappointment that these misconceptions have often shaped public health messages and have contributed to stigmatizing responsible marijuana use.
The study’s conclusions align with some previous research on the relationship between physical activity and cannabis use. For instance, a similar study conducted in Canada this year found that adults aged 18 to 50 who used cannabis were neither more inactive nor more intensely active than non-users.
However, the research did note a slight increase in light physical activity following marijuana use. The authors of that study argued that their findings contradicted concerns that marijuana use promotes a sedentary lifestyle. They emphasized that the traditional “lazy stoner” image fails to account for the many ways people use marijuana today.
According to another study published in February, people who use cannabis walk more often than non-users or e-cigarette users. The same study also discovered that cannabis users had the same likelihood of engaging in fundamental physical activities like strength training as non-users did.
Additionally, 2019 research suggested that people who use marijuana before or after exercise experience better workouts and recover more effectively. Overall, the growing body of research challenges traditional assumptions about marijuana users, showing that many incorporate it into an active and health-conscious lifestyle.
The entire cannabis industry, including leading companies like Tilray Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) (TSX: TLRY), may be pleased that yet another misconception about marijuana use has fallen apart in the face of rigorous studies conducted to understand the true effects of the substance.
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CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of an article each business day at 4:20 p.m. Eastern – a tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. The concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.
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by Grow Up Conference | Oct 22, 2024 | Grow Opportunity, Media Partners
(CNW) Montreal – The Good Shroom Co Inc. (TSXV: MUSH), an emerging cannabis company, announces the launch of DYP’s, an innovative THC-infused pouch product, in Alberta, Canada’s second-largest cannabis market. The Good Shroom Co operates a portfolio of brands in Quebec, where it sells a wide range of products. The introduction of DYP’s is a key component of the company’s national expansion strategy.
DYP’s are discreet, easy-to-use pouches designed to be placed between the lip and gum, delivering 10mg of THC per pouch, the maximum legal dose. This product is the first of its kind in Canada, offering consumers a smoke-free, affordable, and convenient way to consume THC. The product is arriving in Alberta this week, with distribution scheduled to begin next week.
The decision to launch DYP’s is driven by three key factors:
- Discreet and Familiar: DYP’s resemble popular nicotine pouches like Zyn and Zonnic which are well established in Canada, making them a familiar option for consumers. The format is discreet and easy to use, offering an alternative to more traditional cannabis consumption methods.
- Competitive Pricing: At a retail price of approximately $20 per unit (10 pouches per unit), DYP’s offer consumers an affordable way to consume THC, with each 10mg dose priced around $2.
- First-to-Market Advantage: DYP’s are the first THC-infused pouches available in Canada, positioning The Good Shroom Co at the forefront of this new category in the cannabis market.
The pouches will initially be available in two flavors, Wintergreen and Honeydew, with additional flavors planned for Ontario in early 2025. As new opportunities arise in other provinces, the company plans to expand distribution nationwide.
“We are thrilled to bring DYP’s to market in Alberta,” said Eric Ronsse, CEO of The Good Shroom Co Inc. “This product launch represents an important milestone for our company and for the Canadian cannabis market. DYP’s offer consumers a convenient, affordable, and familiar way to consume THC, and we believe the strong feedback from our sales team demonstrates the potential of this new category.”
The Good Shroom Co’s sales team has been actively engaging retailers to create awareness around the product, and initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
Product Highlights:
- Discreet THC-infused pouches, placed between the lip and gum
- 10mg of THC per pouch, the maximum legal dose
- Available in Wintergreen and Honeydew flavors
- Retail price: ~ $20 per unit (10 pouches per unit)
- Launching in Alberta with plans for expansion into Ontario in 2025
The Good Shroom Co Inc. operates primarily in Quebec, where it manages a portfolio of brands that offer a range of cannabis products. DYP’s are the company’s first major expansion outside Quebec, forming a key part of its national growth strategy.
by Grow Up Conference | Oct 22, 2024 | Media Partners, Psychedelic News Wire
Interest in psychedelics has increased these last few years after numerous studies found that the drugs may possess therapeutic benefits. For instance, studies have found that ketamine could help reduce symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder while managing suicidal ideation.
Studies also found that psilocybin could help manage symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder.
Now new research has investigated the role that psychedelic trips play in healing, with a focus on psilocybin and ketamine. These drugs often induce profound subjective experiences when consumed, with scientists positing that these experiences may contribute to their therapeutic effects.
To explore the link between therapeutic outcomes and the subjective effects of psychedelics, the investigators carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis involving data obtained from electronic databases like EMBASE, Web of Science, and PubMed.
They focused on studies involving the use of psilocybin and ketamine in treating substance use disorder and depression. In total, the investigators reviewed twenty-three studies, eight of which focused on psilocybin.
The subjective effects of the psychedelics used in these studies were measured using different tools, including the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale, which centered on ketamine’s effects.
Their meta-analysis revealed that subjective effects had a limited influence on therapeutic improvements in disorders like substance use and depression, with psilocybin’s impact being a bit stronger than that of ketamine. Based on this, the investigators suggested that the subjective effects induced by psilocybin could be more directly associated with its therapeutic benefits as compared to ketamine’s dissociative effects.
They also observed differences between the conditions being treated, noting that in both psilocybin and ketamine studies, the correlation between therapeutic outcomes and subjective effects was stronger for substance use disorder than for depression.
In substance use disorder treatments, the subjective effects accounted for 60% therapeutic improvement for psilocybin and 54% for ketamine. This suggests that the perceptual and psychological changes caused by these drugs play a more substantial role in treating substance use disorder, in comparison to depression.
In their report, they suggested that these psychedelic experiences may play a modest but not insignificant role in the effectiveness of psychedelic therapies.
The investigators also discussed some limitations in their study, which included the fact that their analysis was based on a small number of studies. This, they explained, limited generalizability of their findings. They also collated correlated coefficients, which made it hard to determine causality.
The investigators reported their findings in npj Mental Health Research. Authors of the study included Albert Dahan, Tijmen Bostoen, David Dadiomov, and Jack D. C. Dahan.
As further information becomes available from psychedelic industry entities like Mind Medicine Inc. (NASDAQ: MNMD) (NEO: MMED) (DE: MMQ) in the course of conducting their R&D activities, the role that psychedelic trips play in healing is likely to become clearer.
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by Grow Up Conference | Oct 22, 2024 | Grow Opportunity, Media Partners
Vancouver-born Margaret Brodie, CEO of Rubicon Organics, recalls scrubbing the farmhouse on site of their Delta, B.C. property, two kilometers from the Pacific Ocean, prior to a Health Canada visit. The property purchased, previously a pepper farm, is now home to a global brand leader in organic cannabis. “I’m a big believer in living where your business is,” says Brodie, noting the nearby wildlife and blueberry farms.
After receiving their license in 2019, Rubicon Organics launched the Simply Bare brand, unaware of the uphill battle that Covid – the stressors and uncertainties – would bring. “It’s been one foot in front of the other,” says Brodie, “do something, do it well, and focus in your lane.”
Their three flagship bands Simply Bare Organic, 1964 Supply Co. and Wildflower helmed by the VP of marketing and new business, Mathieu Aubin, in conjunction with an all-female c-suite, satisfy consumer needs by focusing on premium cannabis flower certified by the Fraser Valley Organic Producers Association (FVOPA) along with vapes, edibles and topicals under their brands.
Over the past year, the Rubicon team has invested in building their intellectual property database, with data collection from their scaled living soil operation, ensuring they are global leaders in premium organic cultivator, “using the power of the sun,” says Brodie.
However, the CEO describes organic as a feature rather than a benefit. “So the weed has to be great,” she says. “Our view is that the organic living soil makes the terpenes and flavour experiences better, but is has to be premium cannabis, not just organic, to sell at premium prices.” This speaks to the company’s reputation with consistent quality products. Otherwise, they don’t go to market.
At times, “we’ve had to make really difficult decisions,” says Aubin. “We have not put some crops out there; we’ve had to cancel POs. We’ve had moments of taking financial hits in order to never compromise on quality standards and our brand promises.”
What’s most important?
Earlier this year, Rubicon Organics launched a line of full spectrum extract vapes. “That was a big deal for us,” says Brodie. “And we sat around the table and said, ‘what is the most important thing? Is it the lowest cost input or is it putting the best quality product out there to show people how good the product can be from great flower inputs and capture consumer love and loyalty?’ That’s been our approach.”
Having a financially prudent team also lends itself to a stronger company as people have better job security. “I don’t have an executive assistant,” she says. They spend the extra time, do the work themselves, and ensure that their resources stay focused on the business. “We like to say we’re a business that’s in cannabis, not a cannabis business.” The data-driven CPG company stays true to principles like taking time and being best in market rather than first to market.
Proudly a cannabis company, Brodie explores the marriage of legality and respecting the legacy. “You know,” she says, “my first day with [founder] Jesse McConnell, I said something about the black market, and he just turned to me and said, ‘let’s be clear on what got us here.’ It was such a powerful thing for me.” To work at Rubicon, employees do not need to consume cannabis, but they do need to love and respect the standard of work being done there.
Rubicon Organics has three flagship brands: Simply Bare Organic, 1964 Supply Co. and Wildflower. They also provide the cannabis market with product offerings such as full spectrum resin vapes, edibles and topicals under their brands.
House of brands
Simply Bare and 1964 Supply (the year Professor Mechoulam discovered the THC molecule, and the Beatles first came to North America) make up their strong flower brands.
Simply Bare, with its delightful new Fruit Loopz flower, focuses on new genetics in a more premium offering, while 1964 is their “legacy recruiter,” bringing known legacy genetic into the legal market. “We strongly believe genetics is the way of the future in the cannabis business,” says Aubin. “You need to have strong, consistent genetics. An outstanding genetics library is critical to success.”
Brodie frequents the facility herself, and once a week, the leadership positions and the quality team also take a “crop walk,” evaluating the plants as well as safety hazards or maintenance risks. “We make sure everyone’s on the same page because we’re an agriculture business, and we grow rainbow crops.”
From a risk perspective, the fluctuating elements’ impact on the crop growing multiple strains in a single area requires a keen eye and a cohesive management team. The unusual rainbow cropping greenhouse style, stacked with living soil cultivation, signals highly unique IP in a successfully institutionalized and scaled operation. “It means that we’ve got the strength in business overall, and we’re creating scaled premium and organic IP in Canada that we’re really proud of.”
Growing for people who love cannabis, Rubicon opted for full spectrum extract resin vapes in order to illicit a “true flower experience.” All of their main cultivars ¬ Comatose, Blue Dream, Gelato #41 – are all now available in 510 vape format; “the taste is very similar to the flower experience,” says Aubin.
Growing with CPG portfolio management
Aside from keeping the company in the best possible financial position, by refinancing debt that will prepare the business for the upcoming years, Brodie and her team look to expand their enterprise in conjunction with other excellent operators.
Margaret Brodie has worked in the cannabis industry for nine years, having received numerous awards for her talent & leadership skills.
Brand expansion will occur with “great growers, great contract manufacturers, and great partnerships,” she says. “We want to actually help build our partners’ businesses as well so that we’re building a great industry in Canada.” From an investor and company management side, it’s called “the three-legged stool,” including suppliers, customers and then franchises – a concept their board of directors understands well.
Rubicon is close with other producers akin to their mission statement as it is their collective purpose to grow the premium segment of the market. “The more premium growers succeed, the bigger that piece of the pie will become. The industry is still too young for us to be real competitors,” says Aubin, citing the industry’s sustainability and longevity incentive.
Brodie is also a board member of the Cannabis Council of Canada (C3), and works closely with other neighbouring organizations in cannabis, investing again in the cannabis community, and “having impact that is authentic to our values,” without, of course, confusing kindness for weakness.
Having spent nine years in the industry, Brodie knows the struggle, “and some days I think I should have taken the job with the pretty office looking out over the water,” she says. “You know, we started out at my kitchen table, and now we have 185 full-time employees and 75 contractors that come through the facility almost daily.” Brodie thrives by returning economic development to the city and the country at large, while helping to grow the global industry.
The international advantage in Canada is not lost. Without limiting Canadian cultivation licenses like they do in Europe, it is, in a sense, fair game – fierce competition. And the result “forces the good businesses to be better much more quickly,” she says, “and that’s one thing Canada hasn’t realized: what a good industry we’re going to end up with.”
Regulatory optimism
While the encouragement felt post-Gazette recommendations was reassuring, the issue of excise tax in Canada continues to be the number one inhibitor for cannabis product businesses. “Even though we pay our excise taxes, if we could drop the price for the consumer, we could actually sell more of our premium flower,” says Brodie. The sale of inventory at low costs as a result of paying over 40 per cent in taxes was apparent last year, to the market’s detriment. And while Canada may be on the rebound, still in this sector, “our biggest competition is the grocery store bill,” she says, not necessarily the other cannabis companies.
On top of excise, the LP is also paying an excessive 2.3 per cent fee to Health Canada on their top line revenue. Another key challenge in the cannabis industry is the disparity in regulations compared to other sectors, where more harmful products are not subject to the same strict oversight.
“And look,” says Brodie, “I’m a chartered accountant; I’m an officer of the company. But we’re playing the long game. We’ll compete in any market, whatever rules are put in front of us, and we’ll play fair.”
by Grow Up Conference | Oct 22, 2024 | Media Partners, Stratcann
While on the campaign trail way back in January 2014, Justin Trudeau spoke about his plan to legalize cannabis and added some reasons why, including this one:
“We are funnelling millions upon millions of dollars each year into organized crime and criminal gangs. We do not need to be funding those organizations.”
Now, as Canada witnesses the sixth anniversary of its historic end to cannabis prohibition, it is evident that the legal industry is, at best, co-existing with a thriving black market. At worst, there is a clear indication that illicit cannabis has a choke-hold on cultivators, manufacturers, and retailers, who are trying to follow a laundry list of regulations, taxes, and incredibly slim margins.
A perfect example of a sector in need of immediate assistance is our retailers. In theory, the presence of legal cannabis stores in neighbourhoods across the country should be a deterrent for unlicensed brick-and-mortar locations because trained eyes, such as law enforcement, can tell the difference between them. For some provinces, however, the illegal stores are not only in plain sight and openly advertised, they are eating the legal retailers’ lunch by stealing many of their customers.
“It appears the number of [illegal] stores is on the rise,” said Paul McGovern, President of Vertie Cannabis, a licensed retailer at 180 Carlton Street in Toronto.
McGovern was not quick to point the finger at anyone in particular and added that this is a complex issue. He also said that the level of organization and enforcement is seemingly different from province to province.
“Some provinces have given a lot of thought to the matter and are doing things to try and keep a lid on the unlicensed market. I would say there are others, like Ontario, that are not.” He added that it seems enforcement of this problem has taken a back seat in his market, but he does not blame the police.
“The level of police resources today are strapped [as it is] with so many other public realms,” he said. “It’s important to be fair to them. It’s not easy, and as this thing snowballs and gets worse and worse we’re looking at a really big problem.”
What’s the plan?
McGovern said one of the culprits that triggered this proliferation of illegal stores was a lack of planning from a higher level than law enforcement. “The only funding, to my knowledge, is a mere $33 million over 3 years for the OPP to do some very minimal targeted enforcement.”
He added that in BC, as an example, there is a dedicated enforcement team, the Community Safety Unit (CSU), which comprises a group of special constables. These officers were not taken from police resources and they operate with the help of retired investigators and others who understand the laws and how to enforce them. They have had a successful response and
McGovern is well aware of that. “If we had even a fraction of that in Ontario, we wouldn’t be talking about the problem we are today.”
Another retail operator, Sativa Bliss, with stores in various Ontario cities, has also had direct experience with this problem. “One of my locations, in St. Catherines, was a victim of an illegal cannabis store,” said Jazz Sarma, Owner of the chain. “Thankfully, we were able to work with the city there and get it shut down.”
Sarma said that he and other local retailers in St. Catherines came together, approached the mayor, and got the job done. “They haven’t come back. They say they only do delivery now.”
The store was almost directly across the street from Sarma’s, and it most certainly affected his business, which he said dropped by as much as 50 percent.
It’s not me, it’s you
A few years ago, when legalization was basically at the toddler stage, it was easy to say that the customers didn’t know the difference between legal and illegal stores, but we’re six years old now.
“Some people may tell you they don’t know if it’s legal or not, but it’s kind of obvious once you start shopping at a legal store and then you go to an illegal one,” said Sarma. He added the reason people go to illicit stores is cheaper products, no taxes, and, in some cases, they sell other illegal drugs as well.
This illicit activity is not just relegated to brick-and-mortar either: delivery services have also been affected.
Mike Dunn is the co-owner of 1922 Cannabis, a retail store and delivery service at 120 Sherbourne St. in Toronto. He was so busy trying to compete with illegal delivery services that he was almost unaware of the sheer amount of unlicensed stores cropping up. What he did notice is that retail cannabis customers were seemingly vanishing from his particular area, and he later found out it was because illegal stores were taking them.
Dunn went through the numbers based on his experience and estimated that some of these stores could be making over $150,000 per month. “They’re doing it through high-volume, low-quality transactions.”
To the city’s credit, Dunn said that recently, seven stores that he is aware of were raided, the products seized, and the locks changed on the doors. He feels the real test of the system will be how fast they re-open. “My hypothesis is that within the next three or four days, they will be back open,” he said. “Right now they are closed but I have seen people in both of them and yesterday I saw someone drilling at the locks at one location.”
The good news is for now, with these stores closed, business has improved for 1922. “We’ve had a huge increase in foot traffic. We’re probably up about 30 percent. I’d say everyone in the area that’s got a legal door has probably seen an increase.”
What does the city say?
StratCann reached out to representatives at the City of Toronto, and their response revealed a need for the province to review the Cannabis Control Act, which has not been updated since before legalization.
“In March, 2024 Toronto City Council requested the Province of Ontario undertake a comprehensive review of the Cannabis Control Act, 2017, in consultation with municipalities, including roles and responsibilities, funding, and enforcement, and addressing unlicensed cannabis establishments,” said Shane Gerard, Senior Communications Coordinator. “The Cannabis Control Act, 2017 has not undergone a comprehensive review since it was introduced seven years ago.”
He added that the province is responsible for licensing and regulating private cannabis retail stores through the AGCO, who in-turn enforce the regulations. Further, Gerard said that the city does, in fact, go after property owners.
“The City can, and does, file charges against property owners who are in contravention of the Cannabis Control Act. Individuals charged can face fines of up to $250,000 and face imprisonment of two years (minus one day).”
The city also pointed out that the current Cannabis Control Act provides limited authority to municipal by-law officers.
“These officers do not have arrest powers and are not permitted or trained to use force while carrying out enforcement activities. This makes the enforcement of unlicensed cannabis dispensaries challenging and presents health and safety risks to officers.”
Whatever the reasoning, be it inefficient funding for police resources, lack of planning, less diversity and advertising for legal products, or other factors, it’s clear the legal cannabis industry is struggling to be the choice for Canadians.
Although no timeline was given by Mr. Trudeau back in 2014 when he said he wanted to stop illegal profits from cannabis, there is a sea of people from coast to coast working hard in the legal sector who hope this happens much sooner than later.
~This is the second in a series StratCann has published on the illicit cannabis market in Canada. The first is on the online illicit cannabis market.
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by Grow Up Conference | Oct 21, 2024 | Media Partners, Stratcann
The AGLC is reminding the Canadian cannabis industry that cannabis product samples may only be provided by provincially-registered cannabis representatives within retail stores.
The provincial cannabis regulator (Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis) sent out a memo on October 18 to all cannabis licensees, representatives, and suppliers, reminding them of the province’s rules around cannabis sampling.
While the AGLC allowed cannabis sampling in 2023, cannabis suppliers must be registered with the AGLC as “cannabis representatives,” and samples can only be provided by those representatives directly to retail cannabis store licensees in retail cannabis stores.
These product samples, reminds the AGLC, are for licensee use only and may not be provided directly to a licensee’s staff or the general public.
The memo also notes that “AGLC inspectors attended recent cannabis industry events and observed Cannabis Representatives and Cannabis Suppliers providing cannabis product samples to event attendees.”
Trina Fraser who works with many clients in the cannabis industry as a partner at Brazeau Seller Law in Ottawa, says she has some initial questions about the new guidance provided in the memo.
“The clarification that samples can only be provided within retail cannabis stores (thereby prohibiting the provision of samples at industry events taking place outside of a retail store) is new,” Fraser tells StratCann via email. “That said, it has always been clear that the quantity limit is on a ‘per licensee’ basis (as opposed to a ‘per budtender’ basis), making compliant distribution at events challenging.
“It is interesting, though, that they say samples are ‘for licensee use only and may not be provided to a licensee’s staff’,” she adds. “Most licensees are corporations. How does a corporation “use” cannabis? Who exactly are you providing the sample to, if not to a staff member?”
Randy Rowe, CEO and President of the Grow Up Conference and Expo, which held its two-day industry conference and trade show in Edmonton in September, said he’s surprised by the memo and is prepared to take all steps necessary to ensure his event and its attendees remain compliant.
“I agree that there needs to be strict processes for handing out samples,” says Rowe, who has worked with other provinces to ensure that all his events carefully track any sampling activities that may occur at his trade shows—information he’s happy to provide to regulators as well as brands.
“It’s not affordable for smaller craft growers to compete with larger producers that can go store to store providing samples,” adds Rowe. “Holding events that allow compliant sampling is essential for brands to get their product to as many retail cannabis store licensees as possible. By allowing compliant sampling, brands can hit hundreds of retail stores in one day, saving thousands of dollars.”
Jen Meyers, CEO & Founder of Alberta-based micro processor Zelca Ltd., tells StratCann that she would prefer to see the province find a way to regulate sampling at events because it’s more cost-effective for smaller companies like hers rather than needing to hire a marketing agency to visit hundreds of stores across the province.
“Do you know how hard it is to get to all the stores? It’s very nice to be able to go to an event and talk to 30 retailers in an hour. They can’t just kill that, altogether. How can I, as a small producer, get out to all those stores if I do want to give them samples?”
The AGLC lists more than 700 licensed cannabis retailers in the province.
Kendra Richter, an assistant manager at the Calgary Co-op Cannabis says she’s open to guidance, but is left with more questions than answers with the way the memo is worded.
“I agree that there needs to be strict processes for handing out samples. The surprise here is this feels over and above the initial cannabis sampling policy. It’s interesting that they put this policy in place and let it run for over a year and are now adding to it in this way.”
Two key pieces she’s reaching out to the AGLC to get more clarity on is the requirement that samples be provided to the licensee, rather than a store owner, manager, or buyer, and if the part about samples not going to employees applies to store managers like herself, as well.
“The way this has been presented is as if it’s just making sure we’re aware [of existing policy], but I think more questions need to be asked so we can know what this really means.”
Alberta’s rules for cannabis sampling allow for a maximum size of 3.5 grams of flower or its equivalent in other product types. For products that are not available in that small of SKU size, the smallest available product may be used instead. Records of all samples provided must be retained for six years and are subject to AGLC review upon request. Each product may be sampled no more than twice in a calendar year.
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by Grow Up Conference | Oct 21, 2024 | Media Partners, The New Agora
Overcoming ‘Designer-Chaos’
at a Critical Moment for the Human Race
By Julian Rose
Order Out of Chaos – ‘E Pluribus Unem’- thanks to its being imprinted on the US Dollar bill, is a well known epithet. It is accompanied by a pyramid in whose apex is embedded the all seeing Eye of Horus.
You won’t find a more stark symbol of the ambition of the globalist power complex than this.
But as familiar as it is, it is worth reminding ourselves that this message is so brazenly printed on the bank note of the US currency because that country’s banking empire was designed to lead the take over and domination the world.
With the creation of The Federal Reserve as a public/private banking institution in 1913 came the financial means to fund the US as the new global hegemon, taking over where the British left off.
The Rockefeller family encapsulated US elite ambitions to bring into reality a ‘New World Order’ with US power brokers at the helm. Thus the despotic call for ‘Full Spectrum Dominance’.
Once joined up with the European Rothschild’s, a banking superpower was born that financed both the fascist and the ‘allies’ military industrial project, fully exploiting the power of the ‘divide and conquer’ formula during two world wars and beyond.
The objective was to not only get rich from war but also to crush the life out of the broad swathe of humanity whose instincts were essentially peaceful.
In order to be successful, this process – incorporating as it does general population reduction – needed to instil ‘chaos’ into the very foundation of society at a global level.
The instilling of chaos on a global level is a long term affair. It has to eat its way into the heart of relatively stable national institutions; cultures; established socio economic trading patterns; environmental protection; agriculture; the arts; education and of course standard financial practices.
What I think we can safely say is that this process of totally undermining the stability of planetary existence and the basic equilibrium of human life is only now coming into its full expression.
It needed to absorb every nation state of the Western world, of Eastern Europe and Asia and the great majority of Southern hemisphere land masses and peoples, before having the capacity to fully dictate terms on the global stage.
Such unbridled megalomania was encapsulated in the initiative known as The Project for the New American Century, established as a ‘think tank’ in the mid 1990’s, but actually operating as a global policy maker.
The human and collateral damage done since this time has been massive. However the US has bankrupted itself in the process, both economically and psychically. The bottom has fallen out of the world policeman’s beat – with the baton having been taken up by the shadow government hierarchy which is no longer identified with any particular land mass.
The deep state hierarchy was actually ‘in charge’ all along, but the US was chosen to be the front for its ambitions.
The global lockdowns achieved via mass promotion and indoctrination of the Covid scam are the most stark example of this one world dictatorship manoeuvring itself to exert the latest forms of chaos into every corner of the planet.
Chaos, taking the form of war fermentation, is now manifesting in Ukraine, Israel/Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and seeks to draw in Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and pretty much the whole of the Middle East.
The devastation takes different forms elsewhere, but is equally harsh. It can, and does, take the form of planned weather destabilisation leading to excess heat and excess precipitation, causing desertification and flooding of both populations centres and prime agricultural land.
Not just this, but the more precise targetted weaponising of weather via HAARP and scalar weapon activation leads to earthquakes, fires and tornadoes reeking their destruction on chosen targets.
Who is not questioning the origins of hurricanes Helene and Milton whose devastation of South and central Florida and into the Carolinas, brought misery and chaos to millions of residents?
Death tolls from such incidents are rising inexorably – and they are not examples of anthropogenic global warming doing its worst, as the super hyped ulterior motive of global warming/climate change is continuously rolled-out to insinuate.
This false flag global warming gaslighting was devised by the same hegemons who devised the world wide ‘order out of chaos’ destabilisation package.
No one should fall for their deeply sinister ambitions to bring humanity to its knees and to exact every last ounce of material and energetic reward in the process.
So here we are today, faced by the further manifestation of chaos at the hands of a small demonic elite whose insentient, compassionless state of being allows them to commit every kind of murderous homicide and genocide with apparent impunity.
We the people have to confront this reality head-on. There is no escaping it. And the first major problem we have is that the majority don’t believe in the existence of insient psychopaths.
They look into their own emotional repertoire and don’t find that particular ailment. So they conclude it can’t be true.
The life haters are, in most peoples eyes, just crazed or sick humans having a murderous spree inadequately dealt with by inept, self satisfied governments.
If it were the case that only a bunch of crazed humans were on the loose, the damage suffered by this planet and its people would be a small fraction of what it is.
No, those in control of the proliferation of chaos are much darker, more cunning and much more single minded. Out of their chaos is supposed to emerge ‘The New World Order’ – ‘Order’ out of chaos.
Have a good look around and you will see that the ‘new order’ is slyly being pushed into place under the protection and distraction of increasingly chaotic surface events – and it’s not even covert any more.
Klaus Schwab and his henchmen at the Wold Economic Forum have already announced the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Green Deal to be part of ‘A Great Reset’.
They are proud to declare that under this new order “You will own nothing and you will be happy”.
Add to this the advent (this September 2024) of ‘The Pact for the Future’ United Nations summit in which all UN signed-up world leaders nodded their approval of a common position in the shared digitalisation, centralisation and exploitation of global power. In Shwarb’s terms, putting into effect ‘you will own nothing we will own everything’.
We are entering a critical point in the inexorable rolling-out of a plan whose blueprint was hatched a good deal earlier than the privatisation of the Federal Reserve. Even before the creation of the Bank of England in 1694; an enterprise established specifically to enable Britain to go to war with France.
It matters not what the origins of this take over are. What matters is that the preliminary manifestation/actualisation of it has arrived and is encircling us even as I write.
What action are we taking? What action are we to take to derail this behemoth?
This is not a story in a book, a podcast, a news headline or a social media alert. It’s none of these. It’s actual – and without realising it the majority are helping to drive the beast on.
By failing to actively involve ourselves in the struggle to confront the agents of chaos and control, we leave the door open for their take-over of our lives. We become causal agents in the deliberately inflicted destitution, the droughts, the floods, the wars, the environmental degradation, the fear – the lack of a resolution.
For many this is an uncomfortable admission to digest. But its indigestibility doesn’t mean it isn’t true.
Coming face to face with intentional chaos demands a heightened level of discernment, including an awareness that intentional disruptions also spawn unintended consequences for their perpetrators. These also become part of the often unseen/unnoticed action/reaction matrix.
In order to wake-up to this fact – using scientific terminology – we have to shift from a linear Newtonian mind set to a state of holistic quantum awareness. Otherwise we cannot understand what it is we are involved with.
Quantum made us realise that we are no longer observers of events – we never were – we are part of them. We cannot now regress back to a state of tunnel vision ignorance.
We can no longer simply wonder what will happen – from a distance. Our ‘onlooker’ misdirected energies are a significant factor in what’s driving the whole tragic drama.
Our involvement is implicit. So we have no option but to renew our efforts to resist, to keep on exposing injustice, lies and deception – while taking actions that lay the foundations for a redeemed, restored and resonating planet.
Unseen by us, and on another plain, such actions provoke a major transformation – a reversal – of the top down control system’s grip on world affairs.
That time line is not yet expressed as a complete metamorphosis, but that is coming. The rate at which it advances depends upon how purposefully we collectively direct our energies to the task at hand.
The more of us who engage in positive, courageous counteractions to the perpetrators of the death wish, the sooner will their ambitions be punctured, deflated and destroyed.
But holding back, hiding from reality and continuing to support the already deeply corrupted socio economic and political status quo, runs directly counter to our redemption. It simply aids the suffocating agenda of our anti-life oppressors.
This is why I stated the unpalatable truth that under these conditions we become causal agents of the process of destruction. Complicit in aiding and abetting the dark agents of a dehumanised world.
Yes, it comes down to something as starkly contrasting as that. We are either working every day for the emancipation of humanity and all living beings, or we are supporting their agonising demise.
Each one of us individually must get to grips with this (inconvenient) truth.
That will draw us closer together. Even if this togetherness is not spacial, but spirit based, it will be enough to shift the entire dark side agenda and get the forces behind the great turning into the driving seat.
So you see, the future is in our hands. Embrace this. Act with sincerity and courage. Raise the level of your mental, spiritual and physical commitment to confront evil at every turn. Because at this time – and at all times – nothing matters more.
Julian Rose is an early pioneer of UK organic farming, a writer, broadcaster and international activist. He is author of the acclaimed title ‘Overcoming the Robotic Mind’. Do visit his website
www.julianrose.info for further information.
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