Friday, December 16, 2022

Investor Ideas #Potcasts 641, #Cannabis News and #Stocks on the Move- (CSE: $CURA.C) (OTCQX: $CURLF), (Nasdaq: $HITI) (TSXV: $HITI.V)

Investor Ideas #Potcasts 641, #Cannabis News and #Stocks on the Move- (CSE: $CURA.C) (OTCQX: $CURLF), (Nasdaq: $HITI) (TSXV: $HITI.V)

 

 


Delta, Kelowna, BC, December 16, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire), investorideas.com,  a global news source covering leading sectors including marijuana and hemp stocks and its potcast site  release today’s podcast edition of  cannabis news and stocks to watch plus insight from thought leaders and experts.

 

Listen to the podcast:

https://www.investorideas.com/Audio/Podcasts/2022/121622-StocksToWatch.mp3

 

Read this in full at https://www.investorideas.com/news/2022/cannabis-potcasts/12161CURA-HITI.asp

 

Hear Investor ideas cannabis potcast on iTunes  

 

Hear the investor ideas potcast on Spotify

 

Today’s podcast overview/transcript:

 

In today’s podcast we look at a few public company announcements, changes to Canadian Cannabis Act as well some recent cannabis related news.

 

Last week, Health Canada announced that amendments to the Cannabis Act and its regulations concerning cannabis research and testing, and cannabis beverages have been approved and are now in force as of December 2, 2022. A copy of the final regulations, as well as the Regulatory Impact and Analysis Statement is expected to be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, on December 21, 2022.

 

These amendments follow extensive engagement with stakeholders, universities, researchers, health authorities, cannabis industry associations, cannabis licence holders, provinces, territories and the public. They aim to facilitate research and testing, and also amend the public possession limit for cannabis beverages to bring them in line with other cannabis products.

 

Notably, these amendments:

       Increase the public possession limit for cannabis beverages to a level that is similar to other forms of cannabis, such as solid edible cannabis products (i.e. gummies or chocolate). Adults in Canada are now able to possess up to 17.1 litres (equal to 48 cans of 355 ml each) of cannabis beverages in public for non-medical purposes, which is up from approximately 2.1 litres (equal to five cans of 355 ml each) under the previous rules. Existing controls that mitigate the risks of overconsumption and accidental consumption, such as child-resistant packaging and strict limits on the amount of THC per container, remain in place;

       Change how Health Canada regulates non-therapeutic cannabis research with human participants, helping make the process of conducting this research easier, while still maintaining appropriate public health and safety controls;

       Allow analytical testing licence holders and federal and provincial government laboratories to produce, distribute and sell reference standards and test kits, to increase access to cannabis testing materials and thereby support access to a quality-controlled supply of cannabis; and

       Broaden the educational qualifications for the Head of Laboratory, a position that is required for an analytical testing licence and is responsible for all cannabis testing activities that occur at the licensed site.

 

Transition periods are provided to reduce potential impacts on existing research licence holders conducting research with human participants, and on processing licence holders who produce cannabis beverages. The Cannabis Act serves as a flexible legislative framework that adapts and responds to the needs of Canadians.

 

Health Canada will continue to engage with stakeholders and pursue initiatives to address ongoing and emerging public health and safety issues to improve the cannabis framework so that it meets the needs of Canadians while continuing to displace the illicit market.

Quick Facts

       The Cannabis Act (the Act) came into force on October 17, 2018. With the Act, the Government of Canada legalized and strictly regulated the production, distribution, sale, import and export, and possession of cannabis.

       The Minister of Health and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions launched the legislative review of the Cannabis Act on September 22, 2022. The review is being conducted by a five-member independent, expert panel, who will report their final conclusions and advice to the Ministers by Spring 2024.

       Health Canada's Forward Regulatory Plan provides information on regulatory initiatives that Health Canada aims to propose or finalise in the next two years, including those pertaining to the cannabis framework.

 

Associated Links for More Information:

       Backgrounder: Amendments on cannabis research and testing, and cannabis beverages

       Canada Gazette Part I - Notice of intent

       Canada Gazette Part I

       Cannabis Act

       Cannabis Regulations

       Cannabis in Canada

       Cannabis Exemption (Food and Drugs Act) Regulations

 

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CSE: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF), a leading international provider of consumer cannabis products, announced that its third "The Farmer's Select" product collaboration is now available across California in partnership with Autumn Brands, a woman-and-family-owned farm nestled on the coast of Santa Barbara County.

 

Autumn Brands cannabis is grown using sustainable farming techniques, natural sunlight and 100% no-spray cultivation. Utilising a closed-loop watering system, Autumn Brands ensures that no water is wasted during the growing process and all organic waste is composted. This focus on quality, consistency and sustainability ensures nothing but the best cannabis reaches consumers.

 

Select's latest collaboration transforms Autumn Brands' top-quality, limited-batch cannabis flower into the same Select Elite Live Oil that customers know and love. The limited-edition product line is now available at dispensaries across California in three strains including Jetlato (sativa), Pineapple MAC (hybrid) and Banana Jelly (indica).

 

"We are proud to align ourselves with a conscientious, high-quality cultivator like Autumn Brands that prioritises not just the consumer and the community but also the environment," said Matt Darin, CEO of Curaleaf. "With each Farmer's Select partnership, we aim to highlight the skills of innovative growers, talented extractors and craft operators that are vital to the success of the California cannabis industry. This program is another example of how operators both large and small can work together to creative a quality product and an inclusive, diverse industry."

 

"California has fostered a rich cannabis marketplace, and we believe that industry leaders should recognize the people, brands and businesses that make it all happen. We are thrilled to be a part of The Farmer's Select Program and support Curaleaf's efforts to uplift smaller, licensed operators across the state," said Autumn Shelton, CFO and Co-Founder of Autumn Brands.

 

Formally launched in July 2022, The Farmer's Select program is an ongoing series of limited-edition collaborations with craft farmers and diverse operators in California. The program reflects Curaleaf's commitment to providing premium products to consumers while uplifting smaller operators across the Golden State. Select previously partnered with Sonoma Hills Farm in April 2022 and Delighted Farms in July 2022 – both limited-edition product lines sold out in less than two weeks.

 

The Select Elite Live Autumn Brands collaboration is now available at dispensaries across California while supplies last. For more information on product availability, visit www.selectbetter.com/find-us or visit one of the participating retailers below.

 

Merrco Payments Inc., a leader in cannabis payments, and Gratify Payments Inc., the BNPL platform for payment companies, announced the launch of buy now pay later for Ontario cannabis retailers - a Canadian first. Gratify is a buy now pay later platform that offers a new way for retailers to meet consumer demand through payment plans. BNPL from Gratify helps cannabis retailers sell accessories and other high-ticket items, and helps consumers use the payment method that best suits them.

 

"Buy now pay later has been an exciting addition to how Canadians want to pay," said Fern Glowinsky, Merrco President and CEO. "Today, we're pioneering cannabis payments yet again and supporting cannabis retailers with new payment options just in time for the holiday season."

 

Features and benefits of Buy Now Pay Later from Gratify include:

      Help cannabis retailers offer more payment options to their customers

      Match the same range of payment experiences available in retail

      Keep up with consumer demand for payment method choice at the check out

 

"The cannabis retail industry is maturing, and consumers expect the same payment

experience they get elsewhere," says Ryan Brough, CEO of Gratify. "We're proud to help cannabis retailers in Ontario be first in Canada to accept buy now pay later."

Gratify BNPL will be available starting Dec. 12, 2022, for cannabis retailers served by Merrco in Ontario. For more information, visit www.merrco.com/bnpl.

 

High Tide Inc. (Nasdaq: HITI) (TSXV: HITI), a leading retail-focused cannabis company with bricks-and-mortar as well as global e-commerce assets, announced that it has begun selling cannabis seeds in the United States, initially through its wholly owned subsidiaries Grasscity and Smoke Cartel, which are the two most popular e-commerce platforms for consumption accessories in the world.2 The Company plans to expand seed sales to additional online retail platforms within its portfolio in 2023.3 This launch comes on the heels of the American Drug Enforcement Agency's recent official determination that cannabis seeds fall under the legal definition of hemp and can therefore be sold openly in the United States.

 

"With our entry into this new and exciting complementary vertical, we continue to extend and strengthen our integrated value chain, providing our customers with a complete cannabis experience, in addition to the opportunity to further enhance our consolidated gross margin profile. This new business venture will greatly expand our U.S. customer base, which already sits at 2.4 million through our ancillary cannabis business lines, and sets us up well to take advantage of federal legalization in the United States when it comes. This further diversification into the U.S. seeds market also strengthens our Canadian discount club model, as this new vertical is expected to generate significantly higher gross margins than our core brick-and mortar-business, which will help us continue to offer unbeatable prices to our Cabana Club members," said Raj Grover, President and Chief Executive Officer of High Tide.

 

"GrassCity and Smoke Cartel, due to their top SEO rankings, organically built over the last twenty-two and eight years, respectively, generate some of the highest online traffic in the consumption accessories space, which is why it makes sense for us to leverage this strength as we launch this new vertical in the United States. Innovation has always been a cornerstone of High Tide's strategy, and today's announcement is yet another example of how we will never stop looking for ways to enhance shareholder value while differentiating ourselves from the competition," added Mr. Grover.

 

Lastly today, a quick look at two recent news pieces related to the cannabis industry.

One from the Washington Post, comparing the risks associated with alcohol and cannabis, and another from the BBC, on a man committing manslaughter due to “cannabis-induced psychosis”.

 

I point to both of these to highlight the current rhetoric surrounding high-THC cannabis and the many supposed “unknown risks” involved with it, as well as how both the media and the medical community in general continue to perceive and view cannabis.

 

Both articles skew heavily towards the “dangers” of cannabis and seem to overplay the influence cannabis has on individuals as well as both demonstrate the use of specific word usage to suggest a greater danger than is factually proven.

 

When looking at the cannabis industry, one cannot disregard these top trending news pieces as one offs or as obvious scare propaganda as the impact they have on the masses as well as legislators is very real and very damaging to the success of the industry as a whole.

 

Often these singular cases are used as evidence against the industry when the conversation comes to decriminalisation or rescheduling and I have often discussed the one-sided nature of the cannabis discussion when it comes to research and medical evidence. The lack of credit given to independent researchers, often those who are not federally funded, combined with an overselling of the “dangers” and “risks” of high-THC product from mainstream news organisations can be viewed as the biggest indicators of where the industry currently is and where it is heading in the near future.

 

Many who have supported this industry since the grass-roots days have voiced their disappointment on the direction the industry has taken in the last few years with Canadian federal legalisation as well as individual state legalisation.

 

While I think most of us hope to see this industry follow in the footsteps of craft beer and boutique wineries, what we are seeing is a growing push to have this industry completely handed over to mega-pharma corporations. If that does happen most of the safety and natural medical benefits this industry has provided so far may fall into the same category of prescription medications soon enough.

 

When looking at continuing to invest in cannabis, we should all be considering not only what looks to be the short term and long term winners within the space, but also where we all want the space to go as it evolves. If cannabis becomes just another pharma product will the fight for legalisation and medical access be lost? Will that mean that in the end, government and corporate propaganda couldn’t be beaten?

 

Investorideas has tried many times to promote the idea of investing not only in your financial future, but also the future of ideas. When considering your next cannabis investment, please consider the future of cannabis as a whole and what the industry is meant to represent, not just as a short or long term money maker, otherwise it makes much more sense to invest in gold, silver and oil.

 

Investor ideas reminds all listeners to read our disclaimers and disclosures on the Investorideas.com website and that this podcast is not an endorsement to buy products or services or securities. Investors are reminded all investment involves risk and possible loss of investment.

 

About Investorideas.com - Big Investing Ideas

We publish breaking stock news, stock research, guest posts and create original top rated investing podcasts, plus sector tag articles featuring up and coming companies and industry leaders.  Investor Idea’s original branded content includes the Crypto Corner Podcast , Play by Play Sports Podcast , Cannabis News and Stocks on the Move Podcast ,  Cleantech and Climate Change Podcast,  Exploring Mining Podcast , Betting on Gaming Stocks Podcast and the AI Eye Podcast.  We also create free investor stock directories for AI and tech, biotech, cannabis, cleantech, crypto, defense, gaming, health and wellness, mining, oil and gas, sports and water. 

 

The Investorideas.com podcasts are also available on Apple Podcasts ,  Audible , Spotify, Tunein, Stitcher, Spreaker.com, iHeartRadio, Google Podcasts  and most audio platforms available.

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com

Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp

 

Investor Ideas does not condone the use of cannabis except where permissible by law. Our site does not possess, distribute, or sell cannabis products.

Friday, December 9, 2022

Investor Ideas #Potcasts 640, #Cannabis News and #Stocks on the Move- Cannabis legislation in the US, cannabis retail sales in Canada and the US

Investor Ideas #Potcasts 640, #Cannabis News and #Stocks on the Move- Cannabis legislation in the US, cannabis retail sales in Canada and the US

 


Delta, Kelowna, BC, December 9, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire), investorideas.com,  a global news source covering leading sectors including marijuana and hemp stocks and its potcast site  release today’s podcast edition of  cannabis news and stocks to watch plus insight from thought leaders and experts.

 

Listen to the podcast:

https://www.investorideas.com/Audio/Podcasts/2022/120922-StocksToWatch.mp3

 

Read this in full at https://www.investorideas.com/news/2022/cannabis-potcasts/12091Legislation-Retail-Sales-Canada-US.asp

 

Hear Investor ideas cannabis potcast on iTunes  

 

Hear the investor ideas potcast on Spotify

 

Today’s podcast overview/transcript:

 

In today’s podcast we look at some of the recent news regarding cannabis legislation in the US, cannabis retail sales in Canada and the US and how these developments have impacted the markets.

 

This week’s major cannabis news saw shares of many cannabis multi-state operators (MSOs) tumbling down on reports that legislation that would legalise banking services for marijuana companies in the US is now unlikely to pass the Senate by the end of the year.

 

Attempts to include a version of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, which would prevent federal banking regulators from imposing penalties on banks and other financial institutions for providing services to legal cannabis businesses, in the must-pass annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) were opposed by Republican leaders.

 

Democrats had pushed for the inclusion of cannabis banking language in the NDAA, however, the NDAA was released on Tuesday without any references to cannabis, crushing any hope that legislation for legalising marijuana banking would pass by year-end.

A version of the NDAA with the language of the SAFE Banking Act included was approved by the House earlier this year. This is a story that has played out in the House and Senate several times over the past few years as many investors and cannabis operators are well aware of.

 

The SAFE Banking Act as a standalone piece of legislation has attracted broad bipartisan support to date and it is understood Republicans opposed the use of the NDAA as a vehicle for this reform.

 

The market reacted negatively to the news, with the AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF down 8% and the AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF falling 4.5% at mid-morning on Wednesday.

 

This was a change from the stock rally we saw early Monday following last week’s news of President Joe Biden making history on Friday when he became the first American president to sign marijuana-specific reform legislation into law.

 

Biden affixed his signature to the bipartisan Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, the White House announced.

 

The landmark legislation, which is intended to make it easier for scientific researchers to study the plant, also calls on the federal government to look into the potential therapeutic benefits of marijuana and could thus help steer the ongoing rescheduling review Biden launched in October.

 

Co-sponsors of the bill include Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dianne Feinstein, D-California, as well as key members of the House who support marijuana reform, including U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, Nancy Mace, R-South Carolina, and Dave Joyce, R-Ohio.

 

The first marijuana reform bill to be passed by both chambers of Congress after it cleared the Senate last month via a process called unanimous consent, the bill allows research universities – including those that receive federal funding, which, to date, have been wary of dealing with the federally illegal drug – as well as private companies to acquire U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration licences to grow and handle cannabis for research purposes.

 

There are currently only seven institutions with DEA permits to grow cannabis for research.

The bill also directly instructs the federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to research “the therapeutic potential of marijuana,” though it also requires the agency to study how cannabis might impair the development of adolescent brains as well as the ability to operate a motor vehicle.

 

Something to consider is as more federal organisations and Universities are able to access cannabis for research purposes, we could see the research quality deteriorate as one recent Harvard Study shows.

 

This recent study implies that cannabis is as effective as the placebo effect, though upon further reading we can see that the study actually drew no real conclusions in the end.

The active treatments used in these studies included two main cannabinoids in marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD), and the prescription drugs nabilone (Cesamet), dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros), and nabiximols (Sativex). The products — and the placebos — were given as a pill, spray, oil, or smoke or vapour. The researchers found that participants receiving active treatment and participants receiving placebo reported similar levels of pain relief.

 

Ted J. Kaptchuk, director of the Program in Placebo Studies and The Therapeutic Encounter at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, says the findings from this well-done study aren’t surprising. "With the exception of opioids, most pain-relieving medications are barely better than a placebo," he says.

 

In fact, in clinical trials of common pain medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen, placebos provide about as much pain relief as the actual drugs. That’s not to say active medications don’t have physiological effects. Rather, the effects of a placebo rival or mimic those effects. They just work through different neurobiological pathways, Kaptchuk explains.

 

While allowing Universities more access to cannabis research may seem a benefit to the cannabis industry on the face of it, we have seen over recent years the quality of many University studies deteriorate due to a variety of factors such as the involvement of political ideologies, corporate sponsorship and a general trend of conformity amongst University students and faculty.

 

Another factor of Biden’s cannabis research bill is this specific wording which “requires the agency to study how cannabis might impair the development of adolescent brains as well as the ability to operate a motor vehicle.”

 

This has been another element we have seen blown out of proportion often in mainstream media and from federal organisations in Canada and is often used as an excuse to limit the access of cannabis to strictly pharma based companies, supposedly the only companies deemed “safe” for handling such “potentially dangerous substances”. This can also be used against recreational access even though certain research does point to cannabis use actually being the safe choice over alcohol, a federally legal substance across the globe, in that cannabis users often avoid driving while impaired, unlike alcohol users who feel emboldened to drive, and that cannabis users often choose safe ride alternatives far more often than alcohol users.

 

There is also the discussion of safety for children, even though this bypasses the discussion of cannabis as an effective medicine for many children suffering from autism and epilepsy or the recent research connected to antidepressants, a drug often prescribed to youths, which has been shown to have drastic negative side effects, unlike cannabis which as of yet has not been linked to any developmental issues amongst youths.

 

In recent Canadian news, Canadian cannabis producers and brands increasingly are, in effect, paying Ontario retailers for shelf space and other special treatment for their products, according to industry executives.

This is also the case in almost all other provinces in Canada.

Many executives allege the effective use of so-called slotting fees threatens the survival of hundreds of independently owned retailers and craft cultivators, who lack the money and resources to finance such pay-to-play schemes.

 

The monthly fee can amount to tens of thousands of dollars or more, according to one industry source who declined to be identified for competitive reasons.

 

Slotting fees, common for decades in traditional retail, are a relatively new phenomenon in cannabis in both the United States and Canada.

 

In Ontario, regulators prohibit producers and brands from paying retailers for favourable “material” treatment.

 

What no-one seems to be addressing is that this is largely due to the strict laws surrounding the cannabis industry when it comes to branding, advertising and marketing. Many within the industry are well aware of this reality and see this is their only competitive access point when dealing with the retail market.

 

Lastly, Connecticut’s first legal cannabis shops will open next month.

 

The Department of Consumer Protection announced Friday morning that it has notified some of the existing medical marijuana dispensaries in the state that they can begin selling recreational pot to all adults 21 and over as soon as 10 a.m. on Jan. 10.

 

“We know that many people are excited to participate in this marketplace, whether as a business or a consumer, and we encourage adults who choose to purchase and consume these products to do so responsibly once sales begin on January 10,” DCP Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull said in a written statement.

 

Customers will be able to buy up to a quarter ounce of cannabis at a time. DCP said purchase limits will continue to be reviewed over time and help maintain adequate supply for both adult-use consumers and medical marijuana patients, who can purchase up to five ounces of cannabis per month.

 

DCP is advising medical patients to purchase any necessary medication before Jan. 10, or at one of the nine medical-only dispensaries in the state, as long lines and traffic are expected during the opening weeks of adult-use sales.

 

Connecticut’s recreational market is launching four years after Massachusetts became the first state on the East Coast to open legal pot stores. Recreational sales began in New Jersey in April and New York is on the precipice of launching its legal market. Rhode Island gave the green light to its existing medical marijuana dispensaries to sell recreational pot starting Dec. 1.

 

While this is a benefit for the state and will allow greater access for more consumers, note that yet again, the medical industry takes a backseat to recreational sales.

 

About Investorideas.com - Big Investing Ideas

We publish breaking stock news, stock research, guest posts and create original top rated investing podcasts, plus sector tag articles featuring up and coming companies and industry leaders.  Investor Idea’s original branded content includes the Crypto Corner Podcast , Play by Play Sports Podcast , Cannabis News and Stocks on the Move Podcast ,  Cleantech and Climate Change Podcast,  Exploring Mining Podcast , Betting on Gaming Stocks Podcast and the AI Eye Podcast.  We also create free investor stock directories for AI and tech, biotech, cannabis, cleantech, crypto, defense, gaming, health and wellness, mining, oil and gas, sports and water. 

 

The Investorideas.com podcasts are also available on Apple Podcasts ,  Audible , Spotify, Tunein, Stitcher, Spreaker.com, iHeartRadio, Google Podcasts  and most audio platforms available.

 

Visit the Podcast page at Investorideas.com: https://www.investorideas.com/Audio/

 

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/

Investor Ideas does not condone the use of cannabis except where permissible by law. Our site does not possess, distribute, or sell cannabis products.