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Energy companies were hit by a new storm over prices today after it was claimed their average profit per customer had jumped to £125 a year.
Ofgem's latest price report indicated profits on a standard dual fuel deal had risen from £15 in June following a spate of price hikes in recent weeks.
The average dual fuel bill now costs £1,345 and although Ofgem expects profit margins to drop next year, chief executive Alistair Buchanan said it was "not the case" that customers could be confident that prices are "being set by companies competing in a fully competitive market".
Rising wholesale prices have been cited by suppliers for the recent spate of tariff hikes and while Ofgem said such prices had risen by 40% to £115 per customer over the past year, it added that a combination of confusing tariffs, poor behaviour from energy suppliers and lack of transparency meant that "radical change" was still needed in the sector.
As a first move, a new simplified standard tariff will be introduced. There are more than 400 different tariffs available at present but in future firms will have to offer a no-frills version featuring just the unit price for energy used and the standing charge.
Energy firms hit back at Ofgem's claims today and said the methods used by the regulator to calculate their profit margins were wrong.
Perth-based SSE said it "did not recognise in any way" Ofgem's calculation of profits of £125 for a dual fuel domestic customer and estimated the figure for its own customers at £62.
British Gas also said Ofgem was wrong and its methodology "flawed".
"Our own audited accounts show that, for the first six months of this year, our margins per dual fuel household were £24 after tax. In 2011, profits will be lower than 2010," the firm said.
Industry lobby group Energy UK also criticised the Ofgem calculations.
Director Christine McGourty said: "A snapshot of profits every few months does not provide a realistic picture of the average profits over a year of companies in the sector.
Energy Secretary Chris Huhne, who is due to meet energy companies, consumer groups and the regulator on Monday to ensure that households are given help in saving money on their energy bills this winter, welcomed Ofgem's review proposals, which could come into force by next winter.
He said: "Both the Government and Ofgem are working to boost transparency in billing and increase competition in the energy market to help keep prices down."
Ofgem confirmed today that for the new simpler bills it will set the standing charge while each supplier will only have one "no frills" standard tariff per payment method, per fuel.
The regulator hopes this will enable households to tell at a glance whether they can save money by switching supplier or moving to a new deal.
All other, more complex, tariffs must have a specified end date and fixed terms and conditions. Automatic rollover at the end of the contract will be banned but there will be no other restrictions.
Consumer groups gave a cautious welcome to the proposals.
Consumer Focus chief executive Mike O'Connor said: "Consumers are faced with a thicket of energy tariffs that can seem designed to confuse all but the most persistent and numerate consumers. More than 60 new tariffs have appeared so far this year, despite all the pressure for fewer and simpler tariffs," he said.
Which? added that the proposals would help remove some of the complexity and confusion in the energy market.
Further measures for business customers, easier access to the wholesale market, and ways to make energy company accounts more transparent will follow over the next three months, Ofgem said.
Rising utility bills helped push consumer price inflation up to 4.5% in August and are forecast to send it close to, or even above, 5% next week as more of the recently-announced increases come into effect.


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Relax Gaming, an igaming aggregator and exclusive content provider, has integrated its online slot game portfolio with online operator Pinnacle.
Best-performing internal vendor titles, such as Money Train 2, Snake Arena and La Fiesta, have already been made available to Pinnacle players as part of the deal, as well as a wide selection of aggregated games from their studio network.
Relax’s platform offers a variety of content from its partners Silver Bullet and Powered By Relax, including innovative suppliers such as ReelPlay, Kalamba Games and Fantasma Games.
Therefore, the arrangement with Pinnacle adds another reputable online casino brand to the Relax Gaming distribution network and is based on a period of strong growth during which the supplier secured big business across the industry.
Daniel Eskola, the CCO at Relax Gaming, said: “Pinnacle is a name in the fast growing industry. And, we are excited to provide the operator with a wide range of content that is proven to increase customer engagement and retention. ”
Eskola added: “We are committed to offering the best casino games on the market with speed and efficiency. This partnership is the result of our quality service ”.
Steve Wells, Pinnacle’s Casino and Gaming Director, also commented on the deal being made official. “We have a very ambitious expansion plan for our casino and it is vital to be able to rely on creative and high-performance content, such as that offered by Relax Gaming.”
According to Wells, “Relax creates some of the most exciting and engaging products in today’s igaming industry and it’s great to be able to share them with our players. We are looking forward to a successful and long-term collaboration ”.
About Relax Gaming
This year, Relax Gaming celebrated its 10th anniversary, marking a decade of service provided to the world’s leading online casinos.
In addition, the company provides its partners with a growing portfolio of more than 1,500 in-house and third-party studio games through simple and rapid integration.

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Anyone wishing to dodge restrictions on the use of the internet and VPNs in China and elsewhere now has a new weapon in their armory.
Chameleon is a new product from Golden Frog, which is a global company specializing in security and privacy applications and software. With Chameleon, internet users can scramble OpenVPN meta data packets in such a way that they can no longer be detected using typical anti-VPN packet inspection methods.
That means people in China, and anyone visiting the country, can keep one step ahead of the restrictive, so-called Great Chinese Firewall, which is notorious for blocking access to a raft of popular Western websites.
In recent years, the Chinese authorities have also got wind that many people were using VPN services to bypass its online restrictions. The state’s response was to target VPN traffic, using packet inspection methods to detect and block the use of such systems.
According to Shawn Price, a teacher at an educational facility in China, Golden Frog’s Chameleon is at the present time the only product of its kind that consistently beats the internet strangulation efforts of the Chinese government. “Chameleon helps me [access the web]…in an easy way so I can remain productive,” she said.
While China may be the chief international villain so far as internet blocks are concerned, users in countries like Russia, Turkey, and Iran may also find Chameleon to be of great benefit.
Employing 256-bit encryption that conforms to the OpenVPN standard, Chameleon is an attractive choice for users of Windows, Apple Macintosh, and Android systems alike. Furthermore, the product does not significantly slow down the traffic passing through it, so there is minimal impact on the browsing experience.


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Leading a professional networking site must mean you know your p's and q's and have some social grace. So, it makes sense that LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner is beloved by his employees.
In fact, Weiner is so well-liked that he has been crowned the highest-rated CEO for 2014.
The honors come via hundreds of thousands of employee surveys across all industries submitted to company-review site Glassdoor. Every year, the site tallies up the votes and publishes the rankings of the 50 highest-rated CEOs in the US for companies with at least 1,000 employees (see full list below).
This year, Weiner received a "perfect 100 percent approval rating," according to Glassdoor. Last year's winner, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, fell several spots to No. 9 overall -- down from a 99 percent approval rating to 93 percent.
Weiner took the helm of LinkedIn in 2009, after being Yahoo's Network Division executive vice president. He has since seen the professional networking site go public and swell its member base to 259 million users. Over the past year, Weiner has focused on new strategies like emphasizing content and mobile apps to attract a wider variety of business users. In December, LinkedIn was also voted the No. 3 best company to work for in the US.
"The CEO is what helps spread the culture. He emphasizes culture," one LinkedIn associate Web developer wrote of Weiner on Glassdoor. "Colleagues are top notch as developers, collaborators, and acquaintances. Leadership is excellent. Perks are amazing," another LinkedIn employee wrote.
Of the Top 50 highest-rated CEOs, 14 come from tech companies, including Google's Larry Page in 10th place, Salesforce's Marc Benioff in 12th place, Apple's Tim Cook in 17th place, Amazon's Jeff Bezos in 32nd place, and more. This makes tech the top industry represented on the list. Last year, 20 tech CEOs made the list, but a few have dropped off, such as Oracle's Larry Ellison and Dell's Michael Dell.
This year, a female tech CEO also made the Top 50: Yahoo's Marissa Mayer squeezed in at No. 49 with a 79 percent approval rating.
"Marissa is cool and taking bold steps to move the needle," a Yahoo senior developer wrote on Glassdoor. "Presently she has tail winds beneath her wings. Good for general morale."
While Glassdoor's list is a survey, it's voluntary rather than scientific. The figures come from employees who actively go to Glassdoor's site to rate their companies and bosses. Glassdoor said this Top 50 CEOs report includes only CEOs who received at least 100 employee ratings over the past year. The average CEO approval rating on Glassdoor for all CEOs is roughly 65 percent to 70 percent.


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Friday, October 3, 2014
FinCEN Issues Geographic Targeting Order Covering the Los Angeles Fashion District as Part of Crackdown on Money Laundering for Drug Cartels
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced the issuance of a Geographic Targeting Order (GTO) that imposes additional reporting and recordkeeping obligations on certain trades and businesses located within the Los Angeles Fashion District. The GTO will enhance law enforcement’s ongoing efforts to identify and pursue cases against persons and businesses engaged in the illicit movement of U.S. currency to Mexico and Colombia on behalf of prominent drug trafficking organizations.
The GTO, which will go into effect on October 9, was sought by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, which is working with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation division (IRS Criminal Investigation) to fight money laundering schemes designed to allow international drug cartels in Central America and South America to reach drug proceeds generated in the United States.
Extensive law enforcement operations have revealed evidence that money laundering activities and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) violations are pervasive throughout the Los Angeles Fashion District, which includes more than 2,000 businesses. Much of the money laundering is conducted through Black Market Peso Exchange schemes, also known as trade-based money laundering, in which drug money in the United States is converted into goods that are shipped to countries such as Mexico, where the goods are sold and money now in the form of local currency goes to the drug trafficking organizations.
On September 10, more than 1,000 federal, state and local law enforcement officials were in the Fashion District, where they executed dozens of search warrants and arrest warrants linked to
businesses suspected to be engaged in money laundering schemes and evasions of required BSA reporting. Criminal investigations have revealed evidence that many of these businesses are routinely accepting bulk cash as part of schemes involving black market peso exchange and trade-based money laundering on behalf of DTOs based in Mexico and Colombia. During the Sept. 10 enforcement action, HSI special agents seized what was ultimately determined to be more than $90 million in currency. The cash was found at various residences and businesses stored in file boxes, duffel bags, backpacks and even in the trunk of a Bentley.


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THE CANNABIS TECH SPACE IS HEATING UP; AND THE CONTENDERS ARE …
The pandemic has resulted in heightened use of technology and e-commerce solutions across industries, and cannabis is no exception. With in-store cannabis sales taking a backseat due to lockdowns and social distancing measures, cannabis consumers have taken to online ordering of marijuana for home delivery or curbside pick-up. Apart from MSOs/SSOs that are experiencing a surge in their sales, technology companies focused on offering e-commerce and related solutions to the cannabis industry are emerging as the biggest beneficiaries of this trend. These companies are typically preferred by PE/VC investors looking for disruptive non-plant-touching ancillary plays. The growing investor interest in this segment is reflected in the $55mn+ in equity financing and $250mn in credit financing deals closed by cannabis tech companies in last month. We discuss the key names below.
Leading the pack is B2C cannabis e-commerce player Dutchie which processes 33% of all online cannabis purchases in North America and closed a $35 million Series B funding round last week. Oregon-based Dutchie is one of the cannabis industry’s leading and fastest-growing e-commerce providers, allowing consumers to order cannabis from local dispensaries from the comfort of their home. With a dispensary network totaling 1,300 outlets (25% of North America total), Dutchie processes 75,000 orders a day with $2.3 billion in annualized gross merchandise value (GMV). Sales through the Dutchie platform account for one-third of all online cannabis purchases in North America and 10% of the global total. Cannabis users require a certain level of information – product category, THC levels, photos, product description and comparison, etc. – to make informed buying decisions and Dutchie fills this information gap by integrating its platform with dispensaries’ point-of-sale systems to provide up-to-date inputs on cannabis merchandise that is compliant with local regulations. The company’s co-founder Ross Lipson has experience running B2C e-commerce businesses as he launched and sold food order company GrubCanada.com to Just-Eat Canada in 2012. Dutchie raised $35 million in a Series B round (total $53 million so far) last week from existing and new investors including Howard Schultz, Casa Verde Capital, Thirty Five Ventures, and Gron Ventures. The company aims to use the proceeds to expand its dispensary footprint and double its headcount to 200+ with a special focus on scaling and strengthening the engineering team and people in client-facing roles. With traditional e-commerce players like Amazon.com (AMZN) staying out of the cannabis market due to the federal illegality of marijuana, Dutchie has the opportunity to establish itself as the dominant B2C cannabis e-commerce player.
LeafLink stands out among cannabis wholesale marketplace providers. LeafLink’s B2B marketplace allows brands, distributors, and retailers to streamline the ordering process and spend less time on administrative work. The company operates in 26 territories across North America, allowing 5,000+ retailers to order wholesale cannabis products directly from 1,500+ brands, and processes $2.8 billion+ in annual orders. LeafLink Financial (the company’s supply chain financing arm) closed a $250 million senior secured credit facility with a private commercial lender last month and intends to use the proceeds to solve the capital crunch in the industry value chain by eliminating costs and optimizing flow of cash between retailers, brands, and distributors. LeafLink is backed by Thrive Capital, Nosara Capital, and Lerer Hippeau, and has raised more than $51 million in venture funding to date, putting it in a strong position to compete against peers like Cannabase and Kush.com.
springbig and Fyllo are the other cannabis tech names for investors to track. springbig offers customer-loyalty and communications solutions for dispensaries and cannabis retailers. Its CRM programs capture key customer data and integrate with existing dispensary POS systems. It also develops custom cannabis loyalty software to help retain customers and sends targeted and personalized SMS campaigns based on customer interest with a 99% open rate. springbig’s userbase has grown more than 10x to 21 million in last 18 months. It is currently used by 1,400+ retailers in the U.S. and Canada and counts the majority of U.S. MSOs as its clients. The company raised $11.5 million in a Series B round earlier this month, led by TVC Capital, with participation from KEY Investment Partners, Argonautic Ventures, HALLEY Venture Partners, and Salex Capital. Fyllo, on the other hand, offers data, media, and compliance solutions for highly regulated industries like cannabis. Its flagship offering is the Fyllo Compliance Cloud, which includes 1) a regulatory database to unify and streamline regulatory research, 2) a compliance automation solution, and 3) a media activation solution that helps in planning, executing, and analyzing media campaigns. The company recently launched Fyllo Data Marketplace which aggregates data cultivated from cannabis companies including delivery services, loyalty programs, e-commerce platforms, and POS and CRM platforms. Data from this marketplace gives marketers access to millions of unmodeled consumer profiles across hundreds of categories that can be leveraged for ad targeting, optimization, and custom segmentation. The company closed a $10 million Series A2 round on August 12 (total $26 million so far), led by existing investors JW Asset Management and K2 & Associates, with participation from Arcadian, Salveo Capital, and Phyto Partners.
Adult-use cannabis sales remain steady even as unemployment bonus ends. Though the U.S. government’s temporary lifeline to tens of millions of unemployed workers expired, sales of recreational marijuana products have proved resilient. The $600-a-week unemployment benefit ended July 31, and Congress failed to pass an extension before leaving for its August vacation. The weekly boost brought the disposable income of many recipients to near “normal” – in pre-pandemic terms. But in the two weeks since the benefits ended, sales of recreational marijuana in key markets remained stable, even posting a visible increase during the first week, according to data provided by Headset. It’s difficult to assess why that would happen, according to Liz Connors, director of analytics for Headset, but “it is still very early after the expiration.” Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
State treasurers group lobbies for marijuana banking in coronavirus bill. A coalition of state treasurers across the country are urging Congress to include cannabis banking reform in the next coronavirus relief stimulus package to give the economy a needed infusion of capital while protecting marijuana workers who currently handle mostly cash transactions. The U.S. House did include the SAFE Banking Act, which would enable financial institutions to serve cannabis-related businesses without fear of federal reprisal, in the relief bill that passed in May. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican who has long held anti-marijuana views, sharply criticized House Democrats for including cannabis in the bill. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
Cannabis and COVID: Changes, advances, and opportunities. From a purely business and regulatory standpoint, the pandemic has provided some in the cannabis industry with quantum leaps forward in operations and service, and many of them may likely become the new norm. Momentum and shift in consumer behavior, need and the shifting perspective of healthcare providers is affecting more state regulators. They’ve worked with the cannabis industry to modify and adjust operational rules as needed to ensure medicinal access during the ever-changing COVID climate. One of the biggest operational changes has been an increase in the facilitation of online ordering and curbside pickup to help keep patients safe. Read More (Cannabis Industry Journal)
The cannabis industry’s ‘essential’ upside from COVID-19. The designation of the cannabis business as essential caught some states and some state officials off guard. Being declared essential was the proverbial feather in the hat of the industry, and a strong vote by the federal government that cannabis businesses were crucial to the survival of not only the economy but the people and patients who depended on it. Except there was, and is, still a problem. That essential business designation ran into federal roadblocks that no other essential business had to deal with, when cannabis businesses were denied financial assistance in the form of small business disaster loans of up to $2 million. In any case, it’s clear that, overall, COVID has provided a sort of boon to the cannabis business as consumers stocked up early and often. In Colorado in late March, for example, flower sales were up over 80 percent compared to an average Monday, according to cannabis data company Headset. Read More (The Fresh Toast)
The cannabis recession test. In an economy that’s been on the downturn since mid-March, not many Sacramento businesses can report a spring of sunny sales numbers. Two cannabis companies that Jeffrey Dillon co-owns — Stillworx Cannabis Refinery and Condorz, a distributor — are among the few. The COVID-19 pandemic brought more clients to Condorz, which Dillon says he and his business partner started in November 2018 under another name. He’s not alone among local cannabis businesses, which are reporting revenue that held steady amid the biggest economic slide since 1929. Opinions in the industry vary on whether that will continue as the jobs blowout erodes consumer spending even more. But even if the pessimists are right, Sacramento’s marijuana companies may be better positioned to hold steady through this crisis than others around the state and country. Read More (Comstock’s Magazine)
STATE AND REGULATORY NEWS
60% of Republicans support Kamala Harris’ proposal to legalize marijuana nationwide: Poll. A majority of Republicans support Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ proposal to legalize marijuana nationwide, according to a new poll. The poll, which was conducted by Data for Progress, found that 60 percent of Republicans say they support the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or MORE Act, which was introduced by Harris in the Senate, where it is awaiting action. According to the poll, among all likely voters, the MORE Act received 62 percent of support. The poll surveyed 1,235 likely voters from May 8 to 9 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percent. Read More (L.A.Cannabis News)
Court refuses to reject suit challenging marijuana’s listing as Schedule 1 drug. A lawsuit challenging marijuana’s federal classification as a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act remains alive after a federal appeals court denied the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s request to dismiss the suit. The lawsuit, filed in May by a group of scientists and veterans, is part of an effort to claim that such a designation is unconstitutional based on marijuana’s possible medical use. Plaintiffs in a separate suit recently filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court on the issue. The cases, if plaintiffs prevail, could have enormous implications on the legalization of marijuana federally, perhaps compelling the DEA to reschedule the plant. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
Top state cops tell congress to legalize marijuana as new poll shows strong voter support. Four state attorneys general and about 50 other current and former law enforcement officials sent a letter to congressional leadership endorsing a federal marijuana legalization bill and urging that a vote on the legislation be held on the House floor next month. The push comes as a new poll shows that 62 percent of likely voters, including 60 percent of Republicans, support the bill and its provisions. Part of the solution, they said, would be passing the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act. Read More (Marijuana Moment)
Arizona adult-use marijuana initiative clears final legal hurdle. The Arizona Supreme Court ruled that a voter initiative that would legalize a commercial recreational marijuana program in the state will appear on the November ballot, removing the final legal challenge. In a last-ditch effort to keep the issue off the ballot, opponents had argued that the initiative summary had failed to outline a host of changes that would be made to state law, including that a proposed 16% excise tax on marijuana sales could not be raised. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
Vermont legislature revisits bill to legalize cannabis sales. Earlier this year, the Vermont House and Senate approved separate versions of S.54, legislation that would establish a taxed-and-regulated system for legal cannabis sales, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic kept lawmakers from working out the differences in their proposals before sending a final bill to Gov. Phil Scott. Now, the bill is again moving forward in the legislature, Burlington Free Press reported, as the House and Senate started a meeting in a Committee of Conference August 19 to reconcile the differences in their versions of the bill. Once completed, the bill will be sent to the House and Senate for majority vote, and if approved, it would then be sent to Scott to be signed into law or vetoed. Read More (Cannabis Business Times)
Demand for product in the Michigan marijuana market continues to exceed supply. The Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) recently issued its Monthly Report for June 2020, providing sales, licensing, and production data for the state’s medical and adult-use cannabis markets. After sales boomed in May in both the adult-use and medical sectors of the market, growth was observed to slow in June. On the adult-use side it remained robust, however, while retail revenues largely plateaued in the medical market. Overall, total adult-use and medical cannabis sales in Michigan in June amounted to over $90.3 million, up by 7% compared to over $84.4 million in combined revenues in May. Monthly medical cannabis sales continued to outpace those in the adult-use sector, but only slightly, with medical cannabis sales accounting for 50.5% of the total in June. Read More (Cannabis Benchmarks)
Local marijuana bans in California keep illicit market alive and block revenue, study shows. Local bans on marijuana businesses in California are helping the illicit market to thrive and are depriving the state and municipalities of tax revenue that could help offset economic losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new study. The report analyzes the financial impact from the 75 percent of cities and counties that have implemented cannabis market bans despite the 2016 statewide vote to legalize the plant for adult use. “In benchmarking California’s legal cannabis sales performance against other states that have legalized recreational cannabis sales, the state generally does not fare well,” it says. Read More (Marijuana Moment)
California cannabis tax revenues soar as industry gets going, but black market still dominates. California cannabis tax revenues in the second quarter soared 32.6% from a year ago, to another record of $208.4 million (not including revenues collected by cities and counties). Over the first two quarters combined, cannabis tax revenues, at $414 million, were up by 44% from the same period in 2019 and by 150% from the same period in 2018. This activity – not weed per se, which has always been a big popular business in the state, but the switch from black-market weed to regulated and taxed weed – has had a growth rate like hardly any other in the state at the moment. Read More (Wolf Street)
California wildfires claim several marijuana farms, threatening growers with financial losses. The series of wildfires ravaging Northern California have inflicted major damage on several marijuana farms, with possibly more outdoor grow operations threatened in the region. “There are a ton of farms that are located in the fire’s path. No one’s out of the woods yet. This is just starting,” said Keala Peterson, whose small, family-run cannabis operation, Sweet Creek Farms in Sonoma County, was damaged by the fires. Peterson said her cannabis crop isn’t insured, and she estimated her family will likely absorb about $150,000 in losses, perhaps more, if they aren’t able to salvage the unburned marijuana that has yet to fully flower. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
Bigger is not always better for cannabis companies trying to survive pandemic. Cannabis companies are learning that to survive the pandemic, bigger is not necessarily better. Specialized operations and a narrow geographic footprint are buoying marijuana providers such as Trulieve Cannabis (TCNNF) at a time when the broader industry is struggling with falling demand and capital constraints. That’s a shift from a few years ago, when exuberance in the market pushed cannabis companies to expand their reach across the nation in a hasty land grab, which has left many onetime heavyweights overextended. Companies with a broader reach got “punished” last quarter, said Joe Caltabiano, a cannabis entrepreneur who recently left the company he co-founded, Cresco Labs (CRLBF). With the industry shift, “you’re starting to see a separation of winners and losers.” Read More (BNN Bloomberg)
U.S. cannabis spot index up 0.7% to $1,527 per pound, September forward up $50 to $1,450 per pound. The simple average (non-volume weighted) price increased $8 to $1,776 per pound, with 68% of transactions (one standard deviation) in the $963 to $2,589 per pound range. The average reported deal size decreased to 2.1 pounds. In grams, the spot price was $3.37 and the simple average price was $3.92. The average reported forward deal size was 29 pounds. The proportions of forward deals for outdoor, greenhouse, and indoor-grown flower were 41%, 33%, and 27% of forward arrangements, respectively. Read More (Cannabis Benchmarks)
Legal pot has never been cheaper: StatsCan. Canadian legal cannabis prices fell to their lowest level since the drug was first legalized in the country, according to Statistics Canada for the month of July. The consumer price index for recreational cannabis fell to 89.2 in July, the lowest level since StatsCan began tracking legal pot prices. Prices have declined by 10.8 percent since January 2019, when the national data agency first started to track inflation data for cannabis. Read More (Statistics Canada)
Canadian recreational marijuana sales reach record CAD $201 million in June. Canadian retail sales of adult-use cannabis crested yet again in June, increasing 7.9% over the record set in May. Monthly retail sales grew in every Canadian province, reaching nearly CAD $201.1 million ($152.1 million), new figures from Statistics Canada show. The national monthly increase reflects natural market growth and improved capture of consumers away from the black market, said Theo Zunich, president and CEO of YSS Corp., which operates 16 licensed retailers in Alberta and one in Saskatchewan. “I think if you look at stats over the last year or so, they show that the more retail outlets you have, the better adoption of the legal market you’re seeing by the population,” Zunich said. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
Canada accused of cannabis ‘protectionism’ by blocking imports – even as exports soar. The Canadian government is being accused of insulating domestic cannabis producers against foreign competition by not allowing imports of medical marijuana. And at least one foreign government plans to make a formal appeal to federal officials in Ottawa, Marijuana Business Daily has learned. Industry sources say Health Canada, the government body tasked with regulating imports and exports of cannabis, has not allowed commercial medical cannabis into the country, often with little or no explanation. That has set the stage for unfair competition, some executives and government sources say, while at the same time depriving Canadian patients of lower-cost medical cannabis alternatives. Exports from Canada of cannabis for medical and scientific use have soared in recent years, but the country evidently does not allow the importation of commercial volumes. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
Canadian medical cannabis showing signs of contraction. Despite remaining a focus for many licensed producers, trends in the Canadian medical cannabis sector show it contracting for the most part, with no bottom reached just yet. The number of medical clients increased during the first year of legalization, but starting in September 2019 we have seen huge declines in registered patients, led by increase in recreational retail outlets, increased product variety (including Cannabis 2.0 items), and falling prices. In October 2018, two provinces – Alberta and Ontario – were home to 78% of the country’s active registered medical cannabis clients. Alberta currently has 73,000 medical cannabis clients, down 19% from October 2018. Ontario currently has 171,000 medical cannabis clients, 1% lower than the number registered in October 2018. Another dataset that illustrates the downward trend in Canada’s medical market is the number of monthly medical cannabis shipments from licensed producers to patients. There is a clear downward trend from October 2018 to February 2020. However, that trend was disrupted notably in March 2020. Read More (Cannabis Benchmarks)
Acreage wins motion to block Maine city from favoring residents. Acreage Holdings (ACRGF) continues to prevail in its legal efforts to thwart Maine and, now, its largest city from favoring homegrown businesses in the state’s impending adult-use market. A federal judge ruled that Portland can’t enforce scoring criteria that give licensing preference to locally owned marijuana businesses, Law360 reported. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen granted a request for a preliminary injunction against the city filed by NPG, which does business as Wellness Connection, Maine’s largest medical cannabis operator. In her ruling, the judge indicated that Portland would have a difficult time legally justifying its licensing scheme. Portland officials had countered that regardless of how the scoring came out, Wellness would still be in control of a lucrative medical marijuana license in the city. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
Flower One appoints Salpy Boyajian to its board of directors. Flower One Holdings (FLOOF) announced the appointment of Ms. Salpy Boyajian to its board of directors. Ms. Boyajian officially joined Flower One in October of 2018 following the acquisition of NLV Organics, which she co-founded in 2014. She currently serves as Flower One’s chief operating officer, Nevada Operations and was one of the original winning applicants granted cannabis licenses by the State of Nevada. Ken Villazor, president and CEO of Flower One, said: “Since the formation of Flower One, Salpy has provided executive oversight of our Nevada operations team including, most recently, guiding our business successfully through the partial re-opening of Nevada’s economy since early June subsequent to earlier COVID-19 restrictions instituted by the State.” Read More (Flower One)
Florida REIT AFC Gamma raises $80 million to lend to cannabis companies. AFC Gamma raised $80 million that, coupled with a $40 million credit line, gives the West Palm Beach, Florida, firm approximately $120 million to lend to marijuana businesses. According to a news release, more than 20 large family offices participated in the equity raise. It was AFC Gamma’s first close of a $200 million investment vehicle. The REIT’s extra funding could prove useful for an industry battling funding challenges amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to a news release, AFC Gamma has already provided debt financing for five cannabis companies, including retailers, cultivators and processors. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
Organigram joins Medical Cannabis by Shoppers Inc. and TruTrace in effort to track source and genetics of cannabis used by medical patients. Organigram Holdings (OGI) announced that it has partnered with Medical Cannabis by Shoppers on Phase 2 of Shoppers’ Pilot Program powered by software partner TruTrace Technologies. The program is designed to genetically finger-print all participating cannabis products, tracking them throughout the supply chain, from genome to patient, in order to provide real-time information about the composition of each cannabis product used by Medical Cannabis by Shoppers customers. Organigram will provide cannabis products to Shoppers for use in the tracking program. Read More (Organigram)
Liberty Health Sciences announces strategic partnership with Seed Junky Genetics to bring unique cannabis strains to Florida. Liberty Health Sciences (LHSIF) announced a partnership with Seed Junky Genetics (SJG), a California-based pioneer in the cannabis industry, to sell and distribute its world-renowned and potent assortment of award-winning cannabis strains. SJG has developed an unparalleled amount of varieties of genetics and is a leader in cannabis cultivation, excelling in the smokable flower category. Liberty plans to roll out a variety of SJG products to all of its Florida locations between November and December of this year. Read More (Newswire)
Neptune introduces Mood Ring cannabis brand for Canadian market. Neptune Wellness Solutions (NEPT) introduced its proprietary Mood Ring cannabis brand for the Canadian market. The Mood Ring brand and product line will officially launch in select Canadian markets this fall to meet consumer demand for high-quality, affordable and environmentally friendly cannabis products. Mood Ring will use Neptune’s proprietary cold ethanol extraction process technology to create full spectrum extracts for the company’s tincture and capsule products and newly implemented solvent-less extraction for THC concentrates. These processes allow Mood Ring to provide consumers with all of the cannabinoid and terpene benefits of the plant with a significantly lower environmental impact, requiring significantly less energy use when compared to CO2 extraction. Read More (Newswire)
Cansativa chosen as sole distributor of German-grown cannabis. Cansativa won the German distribution tender, becoming the sole distributor of all cannabis that will be grown in Germany for medical purposes during the next four years, the company announced in a news release. The company, located in the Frankfurt Rhine-Main Region, will provide logistics, wholesale and distribution services to the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM). To do that, Cansativa will deliver to German pharmacies the cannabis flower grown by the German subsidiaries of Canadian-based Aurora Cannabis and Aphria, as well as Germany-headquartered Demecan. The distribution application process suffered some delays, but the plan remains to start supplying German-grown cannabis flower to pharmacies before the end of 2020. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
Expert grape growers aim to become the leading cannabis cultivator for the biotechnology industry. When Paul and Margaret Caracciolo founded Mill Station Vineyards in Sonoma in 2008, they imagined a modest semi-retired life parlaying their careers in the biotechnology industry to perfect their winemaking craft. As scientists, they immediately started experimenting and optimizing their growing operations on 8 1/2 acres of ultra-premium grapes. Neighboring vineyards took notice of their expertise and started buying their grapes in volume to make some of the most coveted Pinot Noirs available from the Russian River Valley. “My wife and I both work in the biotech industry,” Caracciolo recounted. “As scientists, we look at Sonoma as a laboratory. We develop standard protocols for the way that we approach cultivation — everything from the soil, the water and fertilizers are precisely calibrated to create high-quality grapes.” Read More (Benzinga)
Curaleaf Q2 revenue increases 22% sequentially to $117.5 million. Curaleaf Holdings (CURLF) saw record managed revenue of $121.4 million during the second quarter. That’s up by 120% year-over-year and 16% sequentially. In addition, record second-quarter pro forma revenue amounted to $165.4 million, while total revenue was $117.5 million. The Wakefield, Massachusetts-based company also posted record first-half managed revenue of $226.4 million. It achieved record adjusted EBITDA of $28 million. That’s a sequential and year-over-year change of 40% and 534%, respectively. Read More (New Cannabis Ventures)
Cresco Labs reports record revenue of $94.3 million, 42% QoQ growth in Q2 2020. Cresco Labs (CRLBF) reported that its revenue rose sequentially by 42% to $94.3 million in Q2 2020. The company also said on its earnings conference call that it achieved positive free cash flow in the month of June. Analysts at Yahoo! Finance on average expected revenue of $76 million. The company delivered a net loss of $4.7 million, which was less than last year’s net loss of $13.4 million for the same time period. Cresco said that its revenue increased sequentially by more than 30% in every U.S. market, with the exception of Massachusetts. Read More (Cresco Labs) and More (Green Market Report)
Delta 9 reports $25 million in net revenue for first half of 2020. Delta 9 Cannabis (VRNDF) released its quarterly and half-year earnings report for fiscal 2020. The Winnipeg, Manitoba-based company disclosed that its second-quarter and six-month net revenue amounted to $8.9 million and $24.8 million. That’s a year-over-year increase of 46% and 71%, respectively. John Arbuthnot, Delta 9’s CEO, said they are “pleased with the continuation of strong growth in top line revenue,” adding that results “demonstrate another quarter of profitability.” The company’s net income from operations was $1.7 million in the second quarter, versus a loss from operations of $1.1 million in the same period of 2019. Read More (Benzinga) and More (GlobeNewswire)
TerrAscend reports strong Q2 2020 net sales of CAD $47.2 million and adjusted EBITDA of CAD $11.4 million. TerrAscend (TRSSF) reported its financial results for its second quarter ending June 30, 2020. The company’s net sales increased 169% to CAD $47.2 million during Q2 2020 from CAD $17.6 million in Q2 2019. Adjusted EBITDA stood at CAD $11.4 million, or 24% of net sales in Q2 2020. Based on the ongoing strength of the company’s operations, TerrAscend anticipates full year net sales of at least $192 million driven by second half 2020 net sales growth of at least 34% versus the first half of 2020 and 109% year over year. Read More (Newswire)
THC free CBD for veterans reports > 400% increase in sales during COVID-19. Patriot Supreme, the veteran-owned company behind 0.0% THC CBD for veterans and military families, has reported a substantial increase of 432% in its online sales since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent years, the company has developed a full line of CannaSafe Certified CBD oil products created for veterans struggling with both mental and physical disabilities. The company states that it expects sales growth to continue, particularly with the recent approval of an amendment by Congress, which will allow military service members to use products containing hemp and its derivatives, including CBD. Read More (Extraction Magazine)
Struggling economy might signal time for cannabis businesses to seek out real estate deals. The COVID-19 crisis and ensuing economic downturn have created opportunities for cannabis companies to finagle deals on real estate belonging to mainstream businesses or marijuana firms that are scaling back or even closing their doors. Other cannabis companies are simply hoping their landlords will lower rents to fill vacant properties or to avoid losing existing marijuana tenants. Marijuana businesses that are seeking to acquire properties owned by distressed companies must be quick to move on such opportunities, according to experts who spoke with Marijuana Business Magazine. And cannabis companies hoping to find relief on their rent payments or seeking to use their properties to raise capital need to look at potential legal and debt ramifications. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
The cannabis industry needs banking now. The Democrats want to reintroduce tenets of the failed Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act into the newest round of Coronavirus legislation — under the guise that it’s related to cannabis as a COVID-19 therapy. The SAFE Banking Act is filled with hopeful possibilities. Simply put, the U.S. needs the SAFE Banking Act, the global cannabis industry needs the SAFE Banking Act, and post-COVID economy needs the SAFE Banking Act. Without banks, state-compliant cannabis businesses can’t accept credit cards, acquire loans, set up deposit accounts, write checks, run payroll or pay taxes. All this currently enables money-laundering, presents a safety hazard, and prohibits the U.S. from keeping pace with nearly all of its neighbors in the Western Hemisphere in the new commercial global cannabis economy. Read More (Forbes)
Barbarians at the gate: Institutions are buying U.S. cannabis stocks. In late July, Investopedia discovered that U.S. institutions began to accumulate U.S. cannabis stocks on behalf of their clients. That may not sound like a big deal but for the ardent industry followers among us, it’s seismic. Investopedia has long spoken about the perception of cannabis as an asset class shifting from denial to migration, and that being driven by a thundering herd of U.S. investors. While these institutions’ compliance officers could change their minds about allowing access to the sector, the more likely read is that when you see an elephant or two, the herd isn’t far behind. Legitimate growth at reasonable multiples with an expanding total addressable market would excite any investor but for small-cap growth managers, it’s their lifeblood; and those animal spirits have now been unleashed. Read More (Investopedia)
Red White & Bloom Brands announces $15 million bought deal public offering of units. Red White and Bloom Brands announced that it has entered into an agreement with PI Financial Corp. and Eight Capital to act as co-lead underwriters, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters, pursuant to which the underwriters will purchase, on a bought deal basis, an aggregate of 20,000,000 units of RWB at a price of $0.75 per unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $15,000,000. The net proceeds of the offering will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. The units will be offered by way of a short-form prospectus in all provinces of Canada except Quebec, and such other additional jurisdictions in Canada as agreed to by the company and the underwriter. Read More (GlobeNewswire)
Green Thumb Industries to sell 10 million shares. Green Thumb Industries (GTBIF) has filed an S-1 with the SEC to enable it, once the registration is effective, to sell 10 million shares. The company, which moved to U.S. GAAP accounting earlier this year and began filing with the SEC then, is describing it as its “initial public offering of securities in the U.S.,” as all of its previous sales have taken place in Canada. GTBIF suggested that the capital will be used to increase its capitalization and financial flexibility , allowing it additional working capital and funding capital expenditures. It may also use a portion to fund investments and acquisitions. The company didn’t specify an underwriter and said that it will sell securities directly to investors. Read More (New Cannabis Ventures)
Planet 13 raises CAD $15 million selling units at CAD $3.70. Planet 13 Holdings (PLNHF) announced that it has entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters co-led by Beacon Securities Limited and Canaccord Genuity pursuant to which the underwriters have agreed to purchase, on a bought deal basis, 4,060,000 units in the capital of the company at a price of CAD $3.70 per unit for aggregate gross proceeds to the company of CAD $15,022,000. The net proceeds from the offering will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. Read More (New Cannabis Ventures)
Medical marijuana sales soar amid COVID-19, making Pennsylvania one of the nation’s fastest growing cannabis markets. During the last six months, the size of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program has surged due to the anxiety-producing effects of COVID-19 and some favorable changes to regulation. “The program is doing really well,” said Chris Woods, CEO of Terrapin Care Station, a cannabis grower and processor upstate in Clinton County. “Pennsylvania really has become the model for what medical marijuana programs should do across the country,” said Woods, of Terrapin. “Obviously, there have been a few problems. But the Department of Health and the governor have worked hand-in-hand to increase supply to patients, and increasing patient access has accelerated things.” Read More (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Iowa medical cannabis businesses face profit woes amid heavy restrictions. Iowa’s 2-year-old medical marijuana program is struggling to become financially viable, constrained by low THC levels, high prices, minimal physician participation – and more. While most marijuana markets across the country have experienced robust demand during the coronavirus pandemic, Iowa’s MMJ sales have been weak. Patients have struggled to renew and register their MMJ cards because of complications related to the pandemic, and two of five dispensaries have shuttered their doors. Sales are on pace to reach only $3.2 million this year, according to state data through July. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
DEA proposes hemp and CBD rules to comply with crop’s legalization. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) unveiled proposed rules for hemp and CBD to put the federal agency officially in compliance with the 2018 Farm Bill. The four main amendments include: 1) Adding language stating that THC does not include “any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that falls within the definition of hemp.” 2) Removing any CBD drug product from Schedule V status that has been approved by the U.S. FDA and contains CBD “derived from cannabis [with] no more than 0.1% … residual tetrahydrocannabinols.” 3) Removing import and export controls over hemp and its derivatives. 4) Modifying the definition of “marihuana extract” to exclude substances that contain less than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis. Read More (Marijuana Moment) and More (Cannabis Business Times)
New York says USDA hemp rules ‘unrealistic,’ bows out of plan to regulate. Calling federal rules for regulating hemp “unrealistic” and “unreasonable,” New York agriculture authorities say they won’t try to regulate the crop, telling hemp farmers they’ll have to rely on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s looming rules on hemp production. In a letter to farmers, New York Agriculture & Markets Commissioner Richard Ball said that the state is giving up on regulating hemp because the USDA hasn’t changed them to make them easier to administer. The result is that USDA, not in-state authorities, will be charged with regulating hemp production in New York after November 1, when the national rule is set to take effect. Read More (Hemp Industry Daily)
The FDA wants to test thousands of CBD products on the market. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is moving forward with plans to understand and oversee the booming CBD industry. A new call for bids is seeking a contractor to collect and assess samples of products containing CBD and other cannabinoids (outside of the state-legal cannabis market.) The purpose of these studies will be to develop a better understanding of the quantities of CBD and associated cannabinoids and their distribution,” according to the FDA. The contractor will collect 1,000 to 3,000 samples of CBD products on the market later this year and in early 2021. Read More (Cannabis Business Times)
Schumer urges USDA to aid hemp producers by delaying regulatory deadlines. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has called upon the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to delay the issuance of a final rule for the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program until 2022, and allow states to continue to operate hemp pilot programs as authorized under the 2014 Farm Bill. In a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, the Senate’s top-ranking Democrat argued that hemp farmers are having difficulty adapting to the department’s interim hemp regulations. “The timing of implementation of the Interim Final Rules, especially during the COVID crisis, will create extreme disruption in this nascent industry,” Schumer wrote. Stating that current compliance costs are “suffocating for the emerging industry,” he added that the cost for reporting would be around $17,363.40 and that testing could cost producers around $700 per sample — which is only half-correct. Read More (New Frontier Data)
The FDA is hiring a contractor to study thousands of CBD products. FDA is looking to award a contract to help study CBD as the agency develops regulations for products containing the non-intoxicating cannabinoid. In a notice, FDA said the chosen company will provide support with “collecting samples and assessing the quantities of CBD and related cannabinoids, as well as potential associated contaminants such as toxic elements, pesticides, industrial chemicals, processing solvents and microbial contaminants, in foods and cosmetics through surveys of these commodities.” FDA said that the results of the studies “will not only be reported to Congress, but will also be used to guide the development of future policy” and will help to “develop a better understanding of the quantities of CBD and associated cannabinoids and their distribution.” Read More (Marijuana Moment)
As hemp harvest nears, U.S. farmers face uncertainty about regulations. A lingering stalemate between state and federal regulators over rules for growing hemp is leaving farmers without strong direction as they head into a harvest season unsure about the rules that will govern them. The stalemate intensified when New York, one of the largest hemp producers with some 29,985 licensed acres this year, told its hemp growers it would bow out of trying to meet U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rules that start November 1. New York Agriculture & Markets Commissioner Richard Ball gave farmers the news in a letter August 14 – a day before the deadline for states to submit plans to the USDA. A few days later, Colorado, another major hemp producer, had its plan returned for revisions and clarification, underscoring the difficulty many states are facing in adapting to the new regulations. Several more states have been ordered by USDA to change their proposals. Read More (Hemp Industry Daily)
Smokable hemp: A market opportunity in legal limbo. With rates for CBD hemp biomass eroding dramatically and fewer processors willing to pay cash for such raw material, smokable hemp flower has since last year become a more prevalent production target among growers seeking higher commodity prices. According to data collected in a latest Hemp Benchmarks Spot Price Index report, as of July the price for a pound of smokable CBD hemp flower was nearly 20 times that of a pound of hemp biomass, if assuming a CBD potency of 10% for the latter. However, approaches to regulating smokable hemp are uneven across different states and nonexistent in some, creating confusion and difficulties in the market. Read More (Hemp Benchmarks)
CBD beverage maker teams with Pepsi NY to tackle New York City market. A New Jersey company that makes CBD-infused seltzers has an agreement with the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of New York to get the product in New York City grocery stores, convenience stores and bodegas. Hillview, a hemp and marijuana producer based in Pequannock, New Jersey, said the deal lands it in all five New York boroughs plus Long Island and Westchester. The Kaló-branded seltzers contain hemp-derived CBD and retail for $40 per eight-pack. “Plant-based beverages are extremely innovative and growing fast,” said Reginald Goins, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of New York’s president and chief operating officer. Read More (Hemp Industry Daily)
National retailer The Vitamin Shoppe putting new emphasis on CBD. One of the nation’s largest chained retailers of health supplements, The Vitamin Shoppe, is leaning into its CBD experiment with expanded plans to carry more ingestibles and topicals. The retailer says that strong demand prompted a move to ratchet up CBD displays in some 572 locations in 39 states, plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico. The new “CBD HQ” sections come a year after the retailer started selling edible CBD supplements and drops despite repeated warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that such products are illegal. Read More (Hemp Industry Daily)
High Tide to acquire Meta Growth, creating major Canadian cannabis retailer. High Tide (HITI-CA) is acquiring competitor Meta Growth, creating an entity touted as Canada’s largest cannabis retailer. The combined companies will operate 63 retail stores across Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan, according to a news release. There are plans to grow to approximately 115 locations by the end of 2021. Meta Growth shareholders will receive 0.824 High Tide shares for each Meta share held. “Both companies have complementary retail footprints and similar proven operational efficiency models,” Meta Growth CEO Mark Goliger said in the release. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
Inventory growth of Canadian cannabis edibles/beverages far outpaces sales. Packaged inventory of cannabis edibles in Canada has increased much faster than sales in recent months, according to fresh data from the country’s federal health department. Federal license holders, provincial distributors and retailers were sitting on roughly 6.3 million packaged units of cannabis edibles products as of May. That compares to sales of about 1 million units. Health Canada defines packaged inventory as cannabis held in stock by a cultivator, processor, distributor or retailer that is packaged for sale to consumers. Edibles inventory has risen 85% since March, whereas sales for medical and nonmedical use grew only 29%. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
Pot-infused drinks hopeful for heyday in U.S. Canopy Growth’s (CGC) plan to launch cannabis-infused drinks in the U.S. marks the latest attempt by a marijuana company to position itself for a possible weed beverage boom. The Ontario-based company has licensed rights to its cannabis drinks line in the U.S. to Acreage Holdings (ACRGF), which is expected to soon provide more details. The move comes at an opportune time – the pot industry is hopeful for U.S. legalization as soon as 2021 and Americans are drinking less alcohol during the coronavirus pandemic. Read More (BNN Bloomberg)
Massachusetts cannabis company to dump $2.6 million worth of vape pens. Massachusetts-based marijuana business Temescal Wellness plans to destroy more than 40,000 vape cartridges, worth $2.6 million, that have sat unused after the state temporarily banned marijuana vaping during the 2019 health crisis linked to the hardware. “People are just not comfortable with these products, and they’re not comfortable with any company that would sell these products,” Temescal chief executive Ted Rebholz told The Boston Globe. Other cannabis companies in the state might also be destroying product, but the trend is not clear yet. Read More (Marijuana Business Daily)
Niche product sales rising in Canada. Canadians decided to try something new in May, according to new figures released by Statistics Canada. Cannabis topical sales increased by 71.4% and cannabis seed sales increased by 59.1%. While they may not make up a large portion of total sales, these numbers show that Canadians are starting to get more curious. In April, only 1,736 units of cannabis topicals were sold, however, in May sales shot up to 6,068 as new products entered the market. Similarly, April saw only 1,798 units of cannabis seeds sold, but that number rose to 4,397 in May. Read More (Cannabis Retailer)
EU cannabis marketers face packaging challenges. Despite the twin constraints of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and a regulatory pause on CBD applications for inclusion to the EU’s Novel Food Catalogue, there remains a strong upward trend in Europe’s CBD and medical cannabis industries. The U.K. market alone in 2019 was valued at £300 million ($356 million) by the Centre For Medicinal Cannabis, while New Frontier Data projects the EU CBD market (i.e., 27 countries, not including U.K.) to reach €8.3 billion ($9.9 billion) in 2020. As the market matures and grows, questions of marketing and packaging come increasingly into play. The pandemic may further change packaging and point-of-sale preferences. Euromonitor International’s research manager, Marguerite LeRolland, has reportedly suggested that COVID-19 may yet increase demand for the demonstration of safety, provenance, and transparency of ingredients in beauty products. Read More (New Frontier Data)
UK CBD company begins construction on production facility. London-based cannabis investment company World High Life says its CBD subsidiary Love Hemp has started construction on a bigger production facility. The company said the 3,500-square-foot facility will enable Love Hemp to increase production of its products including oils, cosmetics and capsules from the current 8,000 units per day to 43,000 units. Completion of the facility is expected in February. “This expansion further increases our capabilities in striving to exceed customer and consumer requirements while improving storage and production capabilities, lead times and ensuring the safety of our staff,” Love Hemp CEO Tony Calamita was quoted as saying. Read More (Hemp Industry Daily)
German vape market forecast to decline ahead of new ad rules, data shows. The CBD vape market in Germany had been expected to decline in coming years even without the restrictions and advertising bans for non-nicotine e-cigarettes that take effect in 2021, analysts say. According to market researchers at CBD-Intel, the German CBD vape product market – estimated at $11 million this year – is expected to decline to around $8.4 million by 2025. The analysts projected the decline before the country decided that CBD vapes will face new advertising restrictions next year. “Our assumption is that the format (of CBD consumption) is niche and lacks the characteristics and acceptance for mass-market adoption,” Nate Erskine, head of market data at CBD-Intel, told Hemp Industry Daily. Read More (Hemp Industry Daily)
Mexican president: Country’s Congress free to decide on hemp legalization next month. Mexico’s president says he won’t interfere with legislation to legalize marijuana and hemp when the country’s Congress takes up the bill next month. The comments from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador during a news conference are significant because he previously indicated his administration’s focus was on regulating hemp for medicinal use, not creating a market for recreational and industrial cannabis. The president said his administration is “respectful of the division and balance between powers” and that lawmakers “are going to decide freely” whether to pass the legislation. Read More (Hemp Industry Daily)
Purdue University and hemp biotechnology company develop quantitative THC field test. Hemp Synergistics LLC, a Pennsylvania-based hemp biotechnology company, has partnered with Purdue University Northwest to develop a new THC rapid field test kit for law enforcement to distinguish hemp from marijuana in less than five minutes. The test, called TRU (THC Recognition Unit), has the ability to measure the amount of THC in a cannabis sample up to 1%. Ron Fazio, a former forensic scientist and the current chief operations officer at Hemp Synergistics, says the test also indicates if the sample contains more than 1% THC, although it cannot detect the specific amount beyond that. Read More (Cannabis Business Times)
P.L. Light Systems introduces new HortiLED TOP 2.0. With an efficacy of 3.3 μmol/J, the HortiLED TOP 2.0 delivers energy savings by reducing energy consumption by as much as 40% versus traditional HPS systems to deliver the same light levels. The optional remote dimming allows for integration with compatible control systems, where light output can be dimmed on a relative scale, based on lighting schedules and/or variable light requirements, enabling control of light levels and energy consumption. The HortiLED TOP 2.0 offers two spectrums designed for optimal spectral efficiencies in both supplementary and sole source lighting applications. Constructed from aluminum and LEDs, the HortiLED TOP 2.0 requires minimal maintenance and is designed for the harsh conditions of indoor growing. Read More (Cannabis Business Times)
LEGAL & IP
How does a cannabis retailer protect its brand names and logos? Brand names and logos can be protected through trademark law. You can acquire certain trademark rights simply by using your brand name or a logo in association with your goods or services, but generally speaking those rights are geographically limited and difficult to enforce. The trademark application process isn’t easy; there are many steps and it can take 2-3 years to get registered. Not all trademarks are registrable either. That’s why it’s extremely important to conduct due diligence on your proposed trademark before you invest in it. Don’t forget your trademark must also comply with s. 17 of the Cannabis Act, i.e. it can’t be appealing to young persons or evoke a lifestyle of glamour, recreation, excitement, vitality, risk, or daring. Read More (Cannabis Retailer)
Geographic branding – Is weed the new wine? Terroir is the essence of a region distilled into a distinct expression of a plant. Wine, cacao, coffee, and tobacco are only a handful of examples of how the accumulation of soil, climate, terrain, and even the cultural landscape develops into a discernible essence of a final product. The push to document the terroir of cannabis is simply the next logical evolution of this idea, and one already well underway in California. The push to protect the quintessential spirit of cannabis cultivation in California is the first of what will surely become a worldwide phenomenon. Cultivators have successfully pushed for Appellation of Origin protections for the Emerald Triangle and beyond. Perhaps inspired by the success of the Napa Valley Vineyards, these cultivators and advocates are banking on regional weed as the new wine. Read More (Cannabis Tech)
CANNA CAPITAL MARKET TRENDS
CANNA PRICES – WEEKLY TREND
CANNA BRANDS AND PRODUCTS RANKING – STATE IN FOCUS: NEVADA
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Fox deal to boost Cell C video suite
Cell C has clinched a deal with US firm Fox Networks Group that will add more video content to the mobile network operator’s entertainment platform.
This week, Cell C entered the highly competitive video-streaming market through the launch of its video-streaming platform called "black".
Its partnership with Fox Networks Group Europe & Africa will result in Fox Sports and National Geographic, among others, added to black’s content portfolio. The video-streaming platform will also be the first in SA to air FOX+, the new on-demand service from the Fox Networks Group.
"Fox Networks Group is uniquely positioned in Africa to deliver a single bouquet of best-in-genre entertainment to our platform partners," said Adam Theiler, executive vice-president of Fox Networks Group Europe and Africa.
Fox Networks Group "delivers brands that resonate" with fans, he said.
According to Cell C, black gives customers a diverse suite of content including renting or buying the latest movies, on-demand viewing plus gaming and live television channels.
Cell C has also launched internet data bundles that will enable customers on selected packages to buy 1GB of data from as little as R7.50.
In addition to debit and credit cards and vouchers, Cell C customers will be able to use their prepaid airtime to buy content.
"The cost of data has often been cited as a barrier to entry for customers wanting to stream or download content using their mobile data," said Jose Dos Santos, Cell C’s CEO. "The black data products will address this challenge."


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In a move that is causing a buzz in financial circles, Overstock.com just became the first major online retailer to accept bitcoin as a means of payment on their website. A partnership with Coinbase, the San Francisco-based bitcoin currency exchange company, made it possible. Coinbase is taking the lion’s share of the risk in the agreement with Overstock. Before an Overstock customer makes a payment in bitcoins, Coinbase sets an exchange rate, immediately converts the buyer’s bitcoin into dollars, and transfers the dollars to Overstock. So Overstock never holds any bitcoin.
Why would a tiny company like Coinbase take such a risk? Emily Change on Bloomberg Television’s “Bloomberg West” interviews Coinbase CEO, Brian Armstrong in the video below.
To learn more about how you can participate in my bitcoin economy business venture, go to “What is Bitcoin“.


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With the advent of ubiquity for virtual reality (VR) technology, everybody seems to be putting out aggregate technology that has VR as foundation. One of these is 360-degree video, the kind you can view from your headset and turn your head to see different aspects of said video, which has been around for a while now. What is truly groundbreaking is the capability to stream 360-degree video live – and Youtube has just announced it will allow people to do that now.
Imagine your friends being at a football game, but you’re at home sick and in bed. But you have a VR headset and great internet at home, and they have a 360-degree camera (and great LTE connection) at the game. Imagine being able to view a 360-degree video live stream exactly from where your friends are, seeing what they are seeing and hearing what they’re hearing. Imagine the possibilities.
Youtube has announced that apart from their normal annual live streaming of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival this year, they will be live streaming select artists in 360-degree video. Talk about experiencing concerts from the convenience of your home.
Youtube is also bringing out streaming of spatial audio – that is, listening to audio as close to real life as possible, with all the spatial nuances and volume changes that come with 360-degree directional audio. This is all great technology that is coming to fore with VR technology and the amount of internet bandwith we can get. It’s a great time to be alive.


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Molson Coors has announced that it has secured the exclusive rights to distribute, sell and market Scottish craft brewer BrewDog's products in Northern Ireland.
BrewDog's Punk IPA will be available on draught in pubs and bars across Northern Ireland while a range of packaged products such as Punk IPA, Elvis Juice, Punk AF, and Dead Pony will be available to purchase in off-licences.
"We both share a passion for bringing great tasting beers to consumers, so BrewDog is a natural fit within our growing portfolio of premium beverages," said Jordana Busby, Northern Ireland customer director, Molson Coors.
"At Molson Coors, our mission is to improve the consumer experience by championing choice, which means we must have exciting brands in our portfolio, such as BrewDog, that deliver for our consumers no matter the occasion, in their local pub, with a meal at home or in a city centre bar or restaurant," he added.
'Shortening The Gap'
The partnership will add further depth to Molson Coors’ offering in Northern Ireland, which also includes other long established brands such as Coors Light and Carling, the brewer said.
"At BrewDog, our mission has always been to make other people as passionate about great craft beer as we are. That ethos is not only rooted in the DNA of our team and brand, but also in our partners," said Gordon Buchanan, regional manager for Europe, BrewDog.
"We want to work with those who offer quality and choice for consumers, with premium products that disrupt the category and change the way people think about amazing beer. The partnership with Molson Coors gives us the chance to do just that - shorten the gap between our beer and the people who want to drink it," he added.
© 2020 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. Click sign-up to subscribe to Checkout.


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EQS-News Enapter AG publishes preliminary figures for financial year 2022
EQS-News: Enapter AG / Key word(s): Preliminary Results
Enapter AG publishes preliminary figures for financial year 2022
- Adjusted forecast for turnover and annual result met
- Turnover in 2022 increases by 75 % to 14.7 million euros
- Order book offers high visibility for 2023 and beyond
- High demand for AEM electrolysers worldwide, especially for AEM Multicore
- Turnover expected to double to around 30 million euros with EBITDA of -10 to -11 million euros in the 2023 financial year
Berlin (24 March 2023); According to preliminary figures, Enapter AG (ISIN:DE000A255G02) achieved sales of 14.7 million euros in 2022, after 8.44 million euros in the previous year.
EBITDA was around -10.7 million euros (previous year: -7.62 million euros) and the annual result was around -12.8 million euros (previous year: -8.7 million euros). The development of turnover and
earnings in 2022 was thus in line with the company's own expectations.
The order backlog at the end of 2022 was around €13.5 million, of which around €9.1 million will fall into FY 2023.
Customer enquiries increased strongly in 2022, so that a pipeline of around 433 million euros has
currently formed (as of 31.08.2022: 342 million euros).
Enapter is experiencing very high demand for its products. Especially the demand for the AEM Multicore has increased noticeably.
For 2023, Enapter expects EBITDA to be in the range of -10 to -11 million euros on revenue of around 30 million euros, thus maintaining the earnings expectation for 2023 last published on 10 February 2023.
The year 2023 will be significantly characterised by the further expansion of production capacities for the electrolyser model EL 4.0 at the site in Pisa/Italy. Here, production has been continuously increased since October, thus meeting the growing demand for the electrolyser of the latest generation. Thus, in the fourth quarter of 2022 alone, Enapter delivered more than 1,200 EL 4.0 electrolysers to customers. In addition, Enapter will assemble the first prototypes of the AEM Multicore product, Enapter's megawatt-class electrolyser, at its site in Saerbeck/Germany. In 2024, it is planned to reach pre-series maturity of the Multicore and to deliver further units to customers. In the future, it is planned to produce the hydrogen stacks of the Multicore, with their special requirements for the megawatt class, in series in Saerbeck.


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Princess Cruises has decided to cancel the Baltic cruises the cruise line had planned for this summer. The trips, which were planned for enchanted princesshave been removed from the Princess Cruises website.
Many customers have also received notices from their travel agents and Princess Cruises, indicating higher demand in the UK and the commercial considerations this entails. This news comes after the cruise line had already suppressing calls to Saint Petersburg, Russia on 24 routes.
Cancellation of Enchanted Princess Baltic cruises
The removal of St. Petersburg, Russia from the itineraries of major cruise lines is hurting the popularity of these cruises. The Russian port is a highlight for thousands of cruisers every year.
Due to the changing situation in Eastern Europe, cruise lines are eliminating the stopover. This is now affecting the commercial viability of cruises in the Baltic region, particularly with three ships scheduled to sail in the region. outraged enchanted princessthese are princess of the islands and sky princess.
Princess Cruises in a letter to guests: “Please note that due to commercial considerations related to this ship’s full Baltic cruise season, coupled with higher demand for cruises from the UK, we have made the difficult decision to cancel your upcoming journey on Enchanted Princess.”
Read also: Royal Caribbean decides to remove calls to Russia
Princess Cruises offers guests the option of receiving a 100% full refund of monies paid for future cruise credit or a full refund of the full amount paid. Guests will need to notify Princess Cruises of their choice by April 15 or the cruise line will automatically convert the cruise fare to FCC.
Baltic cruises on board princess of the islands and sky princess should always go as planned.
An enchanted princess is spending the summer in the UK?
If customers can change their enchanted princess cruising to another ship depends on where it will sail. The cruise line has already confirmed that the final destination of the 25-day voyage from the United States to Europe has been changed.
Initially, the nearly month-long trip, originally called Scandinavia and Baltic Great Adventure, was to culminate in a week of navigation in the Baltic Sea. From now on, the cruise will be called a Scandinavia and Western Europe passage, ending in Southampton, UK.
Princess Cruises said in another letter to guests: “Please note that due to rollout changes, your 25-day trip to Scandinavia and the Baltic on Enchanted Princess departing Saturday, April 9, 2022 will now be Scandinavia and Western Europe passage. 25-day crossing to Scandinavia and Western Europe and will end in Southampton, UK, rather than Copenhagen, Denmark, on Wednesday May 4.“
All voyages between May and August 2022 on board enchanted princess are still blocked on the Princess website. It is still unclear which Princess cruises will offer aboard Enchanted Princess.
Norwegian Cruise Line was the first major cruise line to cut calls to Russia and also just canceled the Baltic season for the Norwegian Getaway.


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EU Chief Financial Officer Blake Jorgensen believes the publisher should receive more credit for the way it handles studio acquisitions, in a line that is likely to chill the spine of anyone still facing it. to the loss of countless studies the company has lost.
During yesterday's financial report (transcribed here), Jorgensen praised the recent acquisition of publisher Codemasters for $ 1.2 billion. Currently, the studio’s latest F1 title exceeds sales expectations, a success that Jorgensen demonstrates by how quickly Codemasters was able to integrate with EA’s publishing and marketing efforts.
"It is the testimony of an exceptional game development team that was able to produce the right assets, to produce the right marketing materials to help us drive this business and the teams working together," he said. Jorgensen. "And you know what? I don't think we get enough credit for that."
The real victory for EA is the developer of Apex Legends Respawn. Apex Legends attracted more than 13 million weekly active players last season, with EA forecasting “exceptional growth” for the actual battle. Of course, the publisher would like to take their share of the credit for this boom.
"Respawn has obviously driven the incredible development of Apex, but they have partnered with us very well to drive what it is now; it will reach nearly $ 2 billion in business in two years. This is unprecedented. in our industry, I'm not sure we can get enough credit for that. "
This, of course, sounds immediately in light of how many studios EA has closed even in its own recent history. Dead Space may receive a new version, but only four years ago the publisher shut down the creator of the Visceral Games series. Not to mention painful places like the creator of Command & Conquer, Westwood, or Pandemic Studios, which close before they can realize their vision of Star Wars Battlefront 3.
Even the so-called EEA poster boy, Respawn, has at times been brutal to the publisher. Apex Legends may have hit hard, but it’s hard to forget the famous release of Titanfall 2, with EA choosing to release the less established shooter between its own Battlefield 1 and Activision’s Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. Predictably, Titanfall 2 failed to meet sales expectations.
EA could be doing well for their acquired studies right now. But there are still many reasons to be suspicious, things will not go south if F1 or Apex do not meet expectations.


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The grand finale for Miss Tourism World will take place tomorrow in Vietnam, in the northern province of Vinh Phuc.
Uganda’s own Vanitah Faith Busingye, a Miss Tourism Beauty Queen, will represent Uganda and battle for the top crown with 70 other girls from all over the world.
Busingye has been in Vietnam for the last three weeks, and preparations for the grande finale have been taking place.
According to the beauty queen, she is more than ready to promote Uganda as one of the best tourism destinations, and if all goes well, she will bring the crown of Miss Tourism World 2022/23 to Uganda for the first time ever.
In 2021, Busingye took part in the Miss Tourism Uganda Beauty Pageant and emerged fourth, though she became the judges’ favorite and was crowned Miss Tourism Heritage.
This year, the pageant organizers chose Busingye to represent Uganda in one of the biggest tourism beauty pageants in the world.
The Miss Tourism World Pageant was started 31 years ago, and since then, it has been named one of the top five beauty pageants in the world. The pageant is meant to promote tourism and culture globally.


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Corrugated materials manufacturer Georgia-Pacific announced that its facility in Chicago has fulfilled the requirements of the International Consolidated Standards for Food Contact Packaging from the American Institute of Baking (AIB). This means that Georgia-Pacific’s Chicago facility has been deemed to be safe for the manufacture of packaging that may come into contact with food.
The Georgia-Pacific facility received the recognition after its February 2012 inspection, joining the more than 15 other Georgia-Pacific Packaging facilities throughout North America that have met these criteria.
“Safety and customer focus are part of our DNA and everything we do,” Robert Frazier, quality manager at Georgia-Pacific Packaging, said in a statement. “We understand the important role our packaging plays in the safety and quality of our customers’ products. We have worked hard to achieve this goal as part of our commitment to continuous improvement.”


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BLOOMFIELD HILLS (WWJ) – Police, fire and EMS were called scene of a Starbucks coffee shop in Bloomfield Hills that was evacuated after two employees fell ill.
It happened late Wednesday afternoon at the store on Woodward Ave. near Square Lake. People who work in the area said the shop was completely cordoned off while firefighters investigated.
According to Bloomfield Hills Assistant Fire Chief Mike Morin, two employees reported there was an odor in the air that made them sick.
“The complaint was a little shortness of breath and some irritation to the throat, and that was the only complaint that we had at the time,” said Assistance Fire Chief Mike Morin.
There were others in the store when it happened.
“At this point they’ve not had any other symptoms or complaints. I don’t know if any…patrons were in there a that time,” Morin added.
The two affected employees were taken to a local hospital for observation.
Meanwhile, Morin said, emergency crews were testing the air for anything for radiation to Freon. Nothing was immediately found.
Buildings on each side of the coffee shop, which is located in a strip mall, were also evacuated and tested.


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The Apple Vision Pro, Apple’s foray into mixed reality (MR), is rapidly gaining momentum. Just weeks after its launch, the device has amassed a stunning 1,000+ dedicated spatial apps, showcasing the tech community’s embrace of this innovative hardware. But that’s not all – Apple is also making waves with its metaverse integration plans, further solidifying the Vision Pro’s position as a frontrunner in the MR space.
App Explosion: A Thriving Ecosystem for MR Experiences
Remember the initial 600+ apps at launch? Well, prepare to be impressed! The Apple Vision Pro now boasts over 1,000 spatial applications, designed to provide users with immersive mixed-reality experiences. This rapid growth signifies the thriving developer community actively building for the platform, ensuring continuous content enrichment and diverse experiences.
Beyond dedicated apps, the Vision Pro retains compatibility with over 1.5 million existing iOS and iPad apps. This broad compatibility ensures users have access to a vast library of content and functionalities, seamlessly blending the familiar with the groundbreaking.
Metaverse Integration: Stepping into New Realities
Apple isn’t just building hardware; it’s shaping the future of interaction. Victoria VR, a leading metaverse developer, recently announced a dedicated Vision Pro app slated for release in Q2 2024. This app will unlock new avenues for virtual engagement and interaction, further bolstering the Vision Pro’s appeal for metaverse enthusiasts.
Powering the Future: Technology that Impresses
At the heart of the Vision Pro lies Apple’s powerful M2 chipset and R1 chip, delivering a seamless and responsive MR experience. Dual micro-OLED displays with 100Hz refresh rates guarantee stunning visuals, essential for immersive experiences.
The device runs on the visionOS, seamlessly integrating with other Apple products and services. Additionally, AirPlay, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.3 support offer diverse connectivity options, enhancing your MR adventures.
A Premium Experience, A Strategic Price Point
The Apple Vision Pro, with its advanced features and capabilities, comes at a premium price of $3,499. While this might seem steep for casual users, it targets early adopters and tech enthusiasts seeking cutting-edge technology that redefines digital interaction and entertainment.
Conclusion: The Future is Mixed, and Apple’s Leading the Charge
With its rapidly expanding app ecosystem, metaverse integration plans, and powerful technology, the Apple Vision Pro is setting new standards in the MR landscape. This innovative device is poised to shape the future of how we interact with the digital world, and it’s only just begun its journey.


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Having cut the first steel for Norwegian Bliss back in October 2016, Norwegian Cruise Line has celebrated another major milestone in the construction of its 16th cruise ship. On Saturday the third Breakaway-plus ship touched water at the Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany and was floated out to the shipyards outfitting dock.
Onlookers were at hand as Norwegian Bliss, the third ship in the line’s Breakaway-Plus class, was assisted by five tugboats during her float out this weekend. After leaving the building dock, Norwegian Bliss was moved to the shipyard’s out-fitting pier to be fitted with its funnel.
The ship will remain in the shipyard port until its passage through the river Ems up to the North Sea, which is scheduled for the second weekend in March. In the meantime, further outfitting work will continue together with testing and acceptance procedures by the ship owners.
At the same time, the approx. 1,600 crewmembers will start their training on board, as the cruise ship will be welcoming its first guests mid April 2018.
Norwegian Bliss is custom built for the ultimate cruising experience and boasts an array of exhilarating activities, delectable dining options and show stopping performances.
To learn more about the exciting new features onboard NCL’s new flagship visit “Norwegian Cruise Line reveals new features for Norwegian Bliss“
After a transatlantic cruise and a Panama Canal transit, the ship will sail north along the West Coast, reaching Seattle for the start of the summer cruising season. Norwegian Bliss will sail weekly seven-day Alaska cruises each Saturday from Pier 66 in Seattle, offering guests the premier way to see America’s last frontier. From November 2018 onwards she will offer stunning Caribbean sunsets as she sails seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruises each Saturday out of Port Miami.


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Three Places To Get Deals On Cannabis
Kratom grows naturally in the Southeast Asian countries of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Kratom comes from a plant native to Southeast Asia. I think the only onerous work that comes with this idiosyncratic wine is the problem to what most shoppers assume “Aussie Shiraz” is. From a single estate vineyard on the SE Ridge of the Mt Lofty Ranges comes this characterful Shiraz. Donald Trump – in feedback he later said were sarcastic – posited injecting bleach as a doable cure. LEXINGTON, Ky. – An Amish farmer in Kentucky is asking President Donald Trump for a pardon after he was sentenced to six years in federal prison for mislabeling homemade herbal products. BISHKEK – Kyrgyzstan will use a herbal tonic to deal with COVID-19, its well being minister said on Friday after his president praised the treatment – despite warnings from a medical expert that it contained a potentially lethal poison. Tanzania’s former president John Magufuli, who died in March, denounced them as part of a Western conspiracy to take Africa’s wealth, whereas ex-U.S.
The findings come as no shock to David Bailey, a pharmacist and professor emeritus at Western University in London, Ont., who has studied pure well being merchandise and the way in which they will work together with prescription drugs. The Lavender CBD Lotion is made with CBD isolate together with coconut, aloe, and lavender extracts, which all come collectively in a strong healing blend. But really, so many teas come with a ridiculous quantity of packaging so this is an added bonus! Skincare infused with full-spectrum hemp extracts are rich in phytocannabinoids resembling CBD, minor cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, and a small amount of THC. These lotions and creams additionally contain CBD, minor cannabinoids, and terpenes nevertheless with out THC. Topical lotions and creams are two of the preferred forms of using CBD externally and are commonly made from CBD hemp extracts. PRETORIA, South Africa – A substance present in Oscar Pistorius’ bedroom was an “herbal remedy” and not banned, his defence lawyer mentioned Wednesday, after police claimed they discovered two packing containers of testosterone and needles within the Olympic athlete’s home.
’t find any gingko DNA at all in the bottle,” mentioned Steve Newmaster, an integrative biology professor at the university who was the first writer on the paper. People shopping for herbal merchandise have to know they may not be getting what they’re paying for – they usually may be ingesting one thing they aren’t anticipating, mentioned Newmaster, who can also be the botanical director of the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, which is the home of the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding. Cubans have additionally set up teams on social media to barter medicines or other merchandise for these they need, whereas the black market is thriving on the streets and online. And in line with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 1,500 mg of CBD has been safely taken by mouth daily for as much as 4 weeks. She stated Canada has comparatively new rules meant to enhance the standard of natural well being products sold in this country and she believes the situation is healthier than it was in the past. Topicals are for exterior use solely and can be utilized both as part of your beauty regimen for a dose of antioxidants or used more regionally on the skin for extra targeted relief. To realize the total advantages of hemp full-spectrum products offer a wider range of helpful properties. Go for all-pure, natural, U.S.-grown components whenever obtainable – you’ll get all the benefits of the ingredients with out the chemicals and pesticides. Products free from parabens, sulfates, alcohol, and harmful chemicals can ensure your merchandise are safer and good in your skin too.


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An engineer and beekeeper in New England has developed a system using radar and vibrational sensors to detect when a hive is being robbed by a rival colony, or when some of the bees are about to leave and start their own colony. That should create a buzz among beekepers! Plus: IKEA has just published a digital "scrapsbook" intended to help people turn leftovers into new meals and not into food waste.
A sensor developed at MIT uses a set of microneedles to push through packaging and determine whether the food inside is safe to eat, which could prevent food waste and help head off outbreaks of salmonella. Plus: did you know China is apparently home to several thousand glass footbridges, where you can walk across and see what's underneath?
A team of engineering students at Harvard is teaming with a startup called Savormetrics to develop a device that can tell us when avocados will be ripe. It's one step on the way to solving the costly problem of food waste. Plus: a project in Belgium called #ArtGenetics is learning about the evolution of fruits and vegetables through classic paintings.
From now on, the phrase “fast food wrapper” might only refer to hungry MCs.
We may be taking a big step forward in the effort to stop food waste! A research team at Imperial College London has developed food freshness sensors that can be embedded in the packaging of meat and fish and detect the gases that show up when food spoils.