Portland, Ore, June 18, 2020 -PRESS RELEASE- At its regular monthly meeting on June 18, 2020, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission moved to extend the ability of licensed cannabis retailers to continue curbside delivery, and took the first step towards adopting rules that would ban non-cannabis additives from inhalable cannabis products. Commissioners also approved six marijuana violation stipulated settlement agreements.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic the OLCC, in order to promote social distancing required under Governor Kate Brown’s executive orders, approved a temporary rule allowing licensed marijuana retailers to make “curbside delivery” within the immediate vicinity of their licensed retail store. That temporary rule expires in September 2020 and cannot be extended with another temporary rule.

Because the duration of the pandemic remains unknown, measures aimed at accommodating social distancing requirements and minimizing person-to-person contact remain critical to protecting public health. The proposed rule provides licensed marijuana retailers flexibility in how they can deliver to consumers at their licensed premises.

In the fall of 2019, several Oregonians suffered from the outbreak of vaping-associated lung injury linked in part to inhalable cannabis products.  As of March, 2020, Oregon had 23 reported cases of VALI, including two fatalities. VALI has been tentatively linked to some additives combined with cannabis oil. 

Commission staff are attempting to address consumer product safety concerns by prohibiting all processed non-cannabis additives from being added to inhalable cannabis products. Non-cannabis vaping additives are used in cannabis vaping products for a variety of purposes, including dilution, flavor and effects.  However, non-cannabis additives are not necessary to make a vape product work with vaping technology.

Although the additives may be generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for ingestion, the same cannot be said for their inhalation. There is no regulatory body that evaluates the safety of these ingredients when inhaled, and additive makers do not disclose all their ingredients due to trade secret concerns.

The commission also ratified violation fines and suspensions based on stipulated settlements (detailed information on specific cases can be found here on the OLCC website)

LAS VEGAS, Nev., June 22, 2020 /CNW/ -PRESS  RELEASE- Flower One Holdings Inc., a cannabis cultivator and producer based in Nevada, announced June 22 a partnership agreement with Lift Ticket Laboratories. Through this partnership, Flower One will become the exclusive brand production partner for the Lift Tickets brand in the state of Nevada, bringing all of Lift Tickets Laboratories' award-winning pre-roll products to Nevada. Additionally, Lift Tickets Laboratories will be implementing proprietary pre-roll production methods and techniques at Flower One's flagship greenhouse facility to augment the company's pre-roll manufacturing capabilities.

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"The team at Flower One is very excited to partner with Lift Ticket Laboratories, an industry leader in pre-roll innovation and manufacturing. Their product quality, user experience, and list of brand collaborators is second-to-none and will make excellent additions to the Nevada market and our Company's brand portfolio," said Kellen O'Keefe, Flower One's chief strategy officer.

Lift Ticket branded products are expected to hit shelves in Nevada this summer, including collaborations with other Flower One brand partners such as Cookies and Heavy Hitters. Lift Ticket products include 2-gram infused pre-rolls, 1-gram infused pre-rolls and half-gram infused pre-rolls as well as a variety of multi-packs featuring glass tips and other custom formulations that highlight their signature papers, flower and a variety of concentrates. 

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -PRESS RELEASE- Rubicon Organics Inc. announced June 22 that it has signed a product supply agreement with Canacur GmbH, a medical cannabis distributor incorporated in Nuremberg, Germany. Pursuant to the agreement, Canacur shall purchase dried cannabis from Rubicon for an initial term of three years, with two optional two-year extensions available. Rubicon expects its first exports to be made in the first half of 2021, pending European Union and good manufacturing practices certification.

“We are excited to bring our high-quality cannabis to German medical patients,” stated Jesse McConnell, CEO of Rubicon Organics. “This milestone agreement with Canacur provides another route to market and access to the fast-growing German medical market.”

As part of the agreement, Canacur has agreed to provide Rubicon up to $700,000 as advance payment for product, which will be secured behind existing secured lenders on the company’s facility in Delta, British Columbia. This advance payment assists Rubicon to prepare for EU-GMP processing and certification