SACRAMENTO - PRESS RELEASE - Assemblymembers Rob Bonta (D-Oakland) and Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) issued the following statement on the Governor’s Revised Budget and Legislative Analyst’s Office release of cannabis-related tax revenue:

“In January, state excise tax and cultivation tax revenues were projected to be $175 million for the first two quarters of the year. The actual amount collected in the first quarter of 2018 was only $34 million. If the current trend holds, the state will be over $100 million short of the projection.

“Now, the Governor’s revised budget projects the state will collect $185 million for the 2017-2018 fiscal year and revenue will increase to $630 million for 2018-2019. According to the Department of Finance, this forecast is based on data comparisons with Washington and Colorado and operates under the assumption that more businesses will obtain licenses to operate in the coming months. However, state data actually shows a concerning decline in new business licensing.

“California’s experience in legalizing adult-use cannabis is unlike any other state that has preceded us. The size and complexity of our illicit market means that legal businesses will continue to be financially undercut by operators who do not comply with the law by securing licenses or paying taxes.

“As evidenced by the low tax revenue from the first quarter of the year, we believe the high tax rate currently assessed on licensed businesses will continue to limit the tax revenue. Because illicit operators are able to offer significantly lower prices, many consumers are not buying from legal businesses.

“Going forward, California needs to temporarily lower the tax burden on licensed businesses, as we have proposed in Assembly Bill 3157. Further, the state must take robust action against the illicit market. Governor Brown’s proposal to form a team at the Department of Justice is a good start. However, we must also give local governments resources to shut down illicit operators.”

PRESS RELEASE - The list for pesticides that can be used on cannabis without being a violation of the Pesticide Applicators' Act has been updated. Please note the following products have been added:

• Mycostop Biofungicide
• Pycana

To view the updated list, click here for a pdf or click here for an Excel form.  For questions regarding this change, contact Laura Quakenbush at (303) 869-9060 or email Laura.Quakenbush@state.co.us.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is currently reviewing pesticide labels upon request and maintaining a list of products whose label it has reviewed that it believes could be used on marijuana without violating 35-10-117(1)(i), as long as the applicator follows the label directions.

READING, Pa. - Pennsylvania's medical marijuana advisory board has put forth new regulations regarding medical marijuana use and treatment, according to the state Department of Health.

"We have expanded the program," said Berks County District Attorney John Adams, who is a member of the advisory board. "The program is to treat people with very serious medical problems."

The governor's office and the Health Department are expected to release more information on Monday, and it will include the implementation of the flower form of medical marijuana being available in state dispensaries this summer, to be consumed in vapor form.

"We've also expanded the number of diseases that can be treated with medical marijuana," said Adams. 

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Top photo courtesy of Adobe Stock

(Chicago, IL) - PRESS RELEASE - Heathcare Marketing Report has announced that Illinois-based Cresco Labs is the first cannabis company ever to be awarded a National Healthcare Advertising Award. Cresco was presented the Silver Award for a poster design as part of their “State of Relief” education-based campaign. The goal of the campaign was to try and normalize the cannabis industry for those seeking relief with an alternative form of medicine in Illinois.

“We wanted people to see medical cannabis as just another form of medicine in Illinois, without the traditional stereotypes that come with it,” said Cresco Labs CEO Charlie Bachtell. “Our goal was to create an eye-catching campaign appealing to a mainstream audience that didn’t scream ‘marijuana’  We created the new messaging for the regulated cannabis industry–it’s professional, it’s regulated, …it’s normal.”

Cresco’s “Sandwich” poster, designed by Tom, Dick & Harry Creative Company, pictured a white plate with an open-faced, Illinois-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  The copy read, “Welcome to a State of Relief. Medical cannabis offers a new way for Illinois residents to seek relief from symptoms of over 35 conditions, like diminished appetite.”

The state of relief awareness campaign consisted of several pieces of creative that were used as posters, flyers, print advertisements and digital marketing elements to educate residents about Illinois medical cannabis program. In addition to the Silver Award, several other creative pieces of this campaign received merit awards in this competition.

In the 35-year history of the Healthcare Advertising Awards, the organization has never awarded a business in the medical cannabis industry. Healthcare Marketing Report had a national panel of judges who reviewed all entries based on creativity, quality, message effectiveness, consumer appeal, graphic design and overall impact. This year over 4,000 entries were received, making the awards one of the ten largest national advertising award competitions.

“It’s always an honor when our work is recognized by our peers. But it’s especially satisfying to produce award-winning communications for a brand that’s doing great things–in an industry that’s doing good,” said Greg Reifel, Managing Partner, Tom, Dick & Harry Creative Co.

Cresco Labs is one of the five largest medical cannabis operators in the country with state-of-the-art operations in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Nevada. One of their core values is to educate patients about the use of cannabis for their medical condition and normalize the acceptance of it as a form of medicine.

Photo courtesy of Cresco Labs