Santa Rosa cannabis dispensary Sonoma Patient Group has agreed to pay $40,000 in fines and civil penalties for not providing sufficient state-mandated warning information about potentially cancer-causing substances in products at its Cleveland Avenue retail store, Sonoma County District Attorney officials said.

In a settlement reached with prosecutors May 10, the dispensary also will hold an educational event to ensure other cannabis businesses in the county understand how to comply with the California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly known as Proposition 65, which requires businesses provide clear warnings to consumers about substances that could cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

The case started in 2017 with a complaint from the Sacramento-based Center for Advanced Public Awareness, a private consumer safety company that looks for Proposition 65 violations.

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This article originally appeared in the April 2018 issue of Cannabis Dispensary. To subscribe, click here.

As a business owner, you want the world to know about your products and services. And today, there are more ways than ever for potential customers to discover your dispensary. One of the best ways to reach clients is through a thoughtfully managed media presence.

Working with the media doesn’t come naturally to most, but because the media is such a powerful communications tool, business owners need to be prepared for the next time a reporter calls—or you call them.

Here are tips on how to prepare for and handle three common media interactions.

1. Be Prepared When the Media Comes Knocking

Let’s say cannabis news breaks on pending legislation, banking or security, and the local news station contacts you or your staff for a comment. Now what?

First, you need a policy in place that instructs employees on how to handle such calls. Such a policy typically designates a single individual to handle all media inquiries. (This ensures that your dispensary is providing a consistent, thought-out message to all outlets.) This person should get all of the information from the reporter, including the story angle and reporter’s deadline.

While an interview request can be a great opportunity, there are several questions to ask yourself before rushing to say “yes.” For example: Are you an appropriate voice for this story? If the topic is a legal land-mine or you don’t like how the reporter is framing the story, it is perfectly acceptable to decline.

Ask the reporter ahead of time for the basic theme or topic on which she wants you to speak. You can even request to see the planned questions ahead of time, but not every media outlet will be willing to provide them.

To read the full article in Cannabis Dispensary's April 2018 issue, click here.

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Cura founder and President Cameron Forni has been named CEO of the company, after former CEO Nitin Khanna stepped down in late May, according to a company press release.

“Personal allegations against Nitin that arose several years before the company was founded have become a distraction for the company’s mission,” newly named CEO Cameron Forni wrote in a press release this week. “We are announcing the changes today to continue the incredible work several hundred of our employees have done to build a company and work environment that we’re all very proud of. Nitin is stepping down as of today [May 30]; however, this is a natural progression due to Nitin’s decision to pass off operational leadership responsibilities four months ago, and the transition has been in the works for some time.”

In 2014, Khanna filed a civil settlement with a woman who had accused him of raping her in 2012, according to a Portland Business Journal report. 

Founded in Portland, Ore., in 2015, Cura distributes its cannabis oil products in multiple states. Cura’s Select Oil cartridge line led the corporate expansion to a $400-million valuation at the start of 2018. The company recently picked up Montel Williams’ Lenitiv line of hemp-derived CBD products.

Jonathan Franks, vice president of Lenitiv Scientific, provided this statement to Cannabis Business Times: “The founders of Lenitiv Scientific believe that the actions taken by Cura today are a powerful expression of its values. We take allegations like these very seriously and we expect all with whom we do business to do the same. That said, these allegations pre-date Cura and are entirely unrelated to its business. Cameron, Amy and the line staff have our full confidence going forward as they work to make Cura an even better company.” 

In April, Cura announced that it would enter the impending legal cannabis market in Canada. The decision to seek licensure in Canada could ultimately grant Cura an opportunity to export its products to additional international markets. “My team and I are more than excited to contribute to the Canadian cannabis ecosystem in 2018,” Forni said at the time.

Detroit will be home for several thousand marijuana enthusiasts and entrepreneurs this weekend when CannaCon hits the Motor City.

“Michigan has some up and coming laws that are being changed,” said Joe Kennedy, sales manager for the convention, which will be held on Friday and Saturday at Cobo Center. “So we have two days of seminars with top people in the industry.”

The marijuana market in Michigan is poised to explode. The state is expected to start issuing licenses for medical marijuana businesses next month. And Michigan voters could see a proposal to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use on the Nov. 6 ballot.

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