Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has announced plans to pardon 2,732 low-level cannabis possession convictions through an executive order on Oct. 1, according to The Denver Post.

The move comes after the passage of House Bill 1424, which allows the governor to pardon convictions involving the possession of up to 2 ounces of cannabis, which is the current legal limit for those registered in Colorado’s medical cannabis program, the news outlet reported.

The pardon will also apply to convictions in state courts through 2012 that involve up to 1 ounce, which aligns with the adult-use cannabis law that voters approved in 2012, according to The Denver Post.

The governor’s office worked with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to identify eligible convictions, the news outlet reported, and those eligible will not have to apply to have the convictions pardoned.

Although the pardon will not expunge or seal the records associated with the convictions, the convictions will be removed from individuals’ public records and will not show up in background checks conducted by the public, according to The Denver Post. The convictions will still appear in background checks conducted by law enforcement, but will have a note regarding the pardon, the news outlet reported.

SMITHS FALLS, ON and NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2020 /CNW/ - PRESS RELEASE - Canopy Growth Corporation and Acreage Holdings, Inc. announced today that following the implementation of their amended arrangement, Acreage has developed a plan to market Canopy Growth's diverse beverage portfolio in the United States. 

Leading with legal adult-use markets in Illinois and California, Acreage anticipates launching Canopy Growth's select, sessionable THC beverage formulations in summer 2021. In addition to selling products in its own dispensaries, Acreage will access existing distribution channels through strategic corporate relationships.

"We have had an incredibly successful introduction into the Canadian cannabis-infused beverage industry with over 1.7 million cans of our THC-infused RTD beverages, like Tweed's Houndstooth & Soda and Bakerstreet & Ginger sold to date," shared Canopy Growth CEO David Klein. "We introduced a new product category to cannabis consumers that we knew had the potential to disrupt one of the most mature industries and since launching in Canada, Canopy Growth now owns 5 of the top 6 SKUs in the beverage category with a 74% market share. We are excited for Canopy's beverages to be introduced to the U.S. market next summer."

"We see THC-infused beverages as a game-changer in U.S. cannabis, and we are excited to launch Canopy Growth's unique beverage offerings to our core markets offering the greatest growth potential next year," said Bill Van Faasen, interim CEO of Acreage Holdings. "We are already working on our beverage production capabilities, and look forward to tapping the wealth of experience and research Canopy can offer following its successful entry in the category last year."

The companies look forward to bringing a sessionable infused beverage offering to U.S. consumers that will more closely liken itself to current beverage-alcohol serving sizes.

Helping Texans access the benefits of medical cannabis is an important goal for Surterra Texas, one of the state’s vertically integrated medical cannabis licensees, and the company has made strides lately with its efforts to bring telehealth services and cannabis-infused lozenges to the state’s patient base.

Texas’ massive size, as well as its requirement that doctors in the medical cannabis program be board-certified specialists, make it challenging for patients to find and visit a physician who can prescribe medical cannabis, according to Surterra Texas President Marcus Ruark.

This led the company to partner with Heally to bring telehealth services to patients across the state to help them see a doctor and potentially get a prescription for medical cannabis from the comfort of their own homes.

“Obviously, that’s very helpful in a large state like Texas, but it’s also helpful in these COVID times,” Ruark tells Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary. “Anything we can do to make things easier for patients is a win for Texas.”

The telehealth services have been well-received by both patients and doctors, he adds, and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), which regulates the state’s medical cannabis program, has been very supportive of telemedicine.

Photos courtesy of Parallel

Surterra Texas’ efforts to expand patient access don’t stop there—the company recently launched a new product line of cannabis-infused lozenges, the first non-tincture form of medical cannabis in the state.

The lozenges, part of Surterra’s Relief product line, also represent the company’s first THC-dominant medical cannabis products, Ruark adds, featuring a 1:9 ratio of CBD to THC.

The typical concentrations of tinctures in the state have been high in CBD, he says, such as a 19:1 CBD to THC product, as well as more balanced ratios of 4:1 CBD to THC or equal ratios of 1:1 CBD to THC.

“Access to THC-dominant medication can be very helpful for certain patient groups—patients with cancer or patients who are experiencing pain from some of their approved and treatable conditions,” Ruark says. “This is a very helpful ratio for them.”

To support the production of the lozenges, Surterra Texas has expanded its production space and equipment, and has also hired additional staff.

“We’re fortunate that the program is expanding, the patient base is increasing, and we are able to grow and hire,” Ruark says.

One of the company’s goals is to provide patients with a diverse set of product offerings, he adds, so patients can find a formula and delivery method that works for them.

“One of the things about medical cannabis is it can be fairly personalized, and each person, each patient, can find a different ratio or a different way to consume medical cannabis than someone else,” Ruark says.

Evolving with an Expanding Market

Texas launched its medical cannabis program in 2015, with the first sales taking place in 2018. At first, the only treatable condition was intractable epilepsy, but in 2019, the legislature significantly expanded the list of qualifying conditions. Ruark estimates that roughly 2 million Texans are now eligible for medical cannabis under the current set of treatable conditions.

The Texas Legislature meets every two years and kicks off its new legislative session in 2021, and Ruark says additional expansion of the medical cannabis program is possible next year.

Earlier this month, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said he would like to see the program expand, as reported by KXAN.

“I would certainly expand medical marijuana,” he said, according to the news outlet. “If it’ll help somebody, I’m for it. Whatever it is. I mean, a toothache, I don’t care. If it’s a cure, if it [alleviates] pain, we should be able to use that.”

Surterra Texas, as well as other medical cannabis licensees in the state, have conducted polling to gauge public perspectives on the medical cannabis program, Ruark says, and those results have also shown support for expansion.

“I think Texans are wanting this and the state is doing a great job of expanding the program every two years, learning from what other states are doing, and providing a state-regulated and state-licensed program that’s bringing medical cannabis across the state,” he says.

As the program continues to expand, Surterra Texas is focusing on cannabis education and awareness for both patients and doctors to educate them not only on the company’s specific product offerings, but also medical cannabis in general.

“One of the really great things about this industry is … the degree to which we’re always learning, and the science and the benefits are always improving,” Ruark says.

Looking ahead, Surterra Texas plans to continue bringing new product categories to the market as it focuses on the overall expansion of both the company and the program.

“In terms of our future, I do think it’s all about expansion,” Ruark says. “It’s about providing more patients with access, providing more education to patients and doctors, and working with the state and legislators to increase the number of patients who can access the medicine across the state."