Ohio regulators are considering whether the state needs more medical cannabis dispensaries, according to a Cleveland.com report.
Officials announced Nov. 12 that they will base their decision on the distance of existing retailers from patients’ homes, the news outlet reported.
According to a recent state survey, 38.25% of patients enrolled in Ohio’s medical cannabis program travel up to 10 miles to a dispensary, while 42% of patients travel 10 to 30 miles, Cleveland.com reported.
Officials from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy are analyzing data from the state’s prescription drug database, which includes information about medical cannabis purchases, to compare the locations of dispensaries to patients’ addresses, according to the news outlet.
When Ohio legalized medical cannabis in 2016, the Board of Pharmacy divided the state into regions and allocated a set number of dispensaries to each, Cleveland.com reported. The state currently has 52 operational dispensaries and five more that are working toward opening.
Paul | Adobe Stock
Judge Allows Illinois Regulators to Rescore Cannabis Applications
Sangamon County Judge Adam Giganti denied a request to bar officials from rescoring the applications, which now allows the controversial licensing process to move forward.
Sangamon County Judge Adam Giganti has allowed Illinois regulators to rescore cannabis applications as part of the state’s controversial licensing process to issue 75 new dispensary licenses, according to the Chicago Tribune.
On Nov. 12, Giganti denied a request to bar officials from rescoring the applications, ruling that the plaintiffs have not shown that they will be irreparably harmed by allowing the licensing do-over to continue, the news outlet reported.
Giganti’s ruling comes after three finalists included in a licensing lottery to win one of the coveted retail licenses filed a lawsuit over Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan to offer unsuccessful applicants a second chance to qualify for the lottery.
Illinois regulators announced in September that 21 social equity applicants would be included in the lottery. A group of companies behind some of the unsuccessful bids then filed a federal lawsuit, alleging political motivation behind the number of businesses included in the lottery. Pritzker then announced that unsuccessful applicants could amend and resubmit their applications, or ask the state to rescore them if they believed a mistake was made during the initial scoring process, which caused the three finalists to sue.
After the Illinois Supreme Court declined to hear the case, the plaintiffs filed the lawsuit in lower court, where a judge ordered regulators not to rescore the applications while the case played out.
In the latest ruling, Giganti wrote that an injunction would disrupt and delay the awarding of the dispensary licenses, and that the “public interest” favors allowing the rescoring to proceed as planned, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Going Greenhouse the Fohse Way
SPONSORED: The masters of LED exploring new solutions to old problems.
“Build innovative products, operate sustainably, and inspire the best among our industry”
Those words are not just platitudes, they are the way the folks at the Fohse Company have approached their craft since day one. They knew that taking on the High-pressure Sodium (HPS) legacy in the grow lighting industry would be a challenge, but one that needed to be undertaken. In 2016, it was time to take down this dogma and unearned loyalty to HPS lighting and reimagine what LED lighting could do at the same time.
Fohse’s Chief Technology Officer, Alex Gerard along with his partners Ben Arnet (President) and Brett Stevens (CEO) got to work on solutions to the deficiencies they found in the landscape of grow lights for the cannabis industry. Gerard, bringing almost two decades of experience from the medical industry and the military, took his engineering and automation skills that had been honed while working on defibrillators, welding components, and laser markers and set them loose on building a prototype of a highly efficient LED grow light. After two years of research and development, resulting in the creation of a suite of grow lighting fixtures, the team at Fohse was ready to introduce their product, along with their vision of what grow lighting should be able to deliver to folks in the horticultural industries.
“When everyone else was trying to figure out how to make their lights more efficient to lower the electric bill, we were trying to get higher yields” the leadership team at Fohse recounted. The Fohse team refused to take part in the losing strategy of just trying to make cheaper fixtures and instead vowed to design fixtures that operate with higher efficiency “pound for pound” than anything out there on the market. They unveiled their first product line at Toronto’s 2019 Lift and Co. Cannabis Expo and have hardly been able to keep up with the overwhelming response and demand for their innovative product line. The Fohse folks have been in a growth mode ever since. They have designed lighting solutions for large growing operations across the United States and North America and are going more global every day with their network of distributors.
After taking on the cannabis industry by storm less than two short years ago, the Fohse Corporation is now breaking into the greenhouse grow space with their lighting fixtures, the O6i and the brand-new Pleiades lights. Field tested and modified in a real-world hemp greenhouse; these lights were designed with one goal: increase yields. In addition to their proven performance in the cannabis industry, these models are perfect for the indoor produce and floriculture industries as well. Whether growing fruiting crops like tomatoes or cucumbers or foliar and floral crops like poinsettias or mums, these products will become the industry standard just like Fohse products have become in the world of indoor cannabis production. Either of these innovative fixtures can be incorporated into existing greenhouse architecture or are perfect for new design-builds.
Now, the Fohse company manufacturers innovative grow lighting for all types of crops and growing spaces. “Fohse,” an acronym for the Future of Horticultural Science and Engineering, is also a play on the Greek word for light, “fos.” The future of grow lighting is exactly what American-engineered Fohse products are. The O6i and the Pleiades fixtures are just the latest in a string of innovative lighting products for the horticultural industry.
The O6i Fixture
The O6i is the perfect fixture to replace old, inefficient HPS grow lighting. There is no retrofitting of greenhouse electrical infrastructure needed as the O6i can just be plugged into existing outlets. It is powerful at 1200 watts, but much more compact than most HPS systems at only 16” x 8” x 13” (40 cm x 20 cm x 33 cm). Like all Fohse’s lighting products, these burn much cooler than traditional HPS lights. Aircraft-grade aluminum heat sinks, and high efficiency variable speed fans maintain the O6i’s LED lights operating at their optimum levels. These fans have an estimated useful life of 175,000 hours. With cooler running fixtures, the service life of Fohse lighting fixtures will far exceed their inefficient HPS counterparts.
Dimmable, with a photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) of 2400-3000 µmol/s, the O6i does not just put out more light, it packs more photons into each footprint, distributing bundles of light more effectively than inferior fixtures. This greater photon density leads to more carbon assimilation, which means more biomass, which creates thick, lush canopies of any crop. Fohse uses best-in-industry LED lights made by the Cree Lighting company for their O6i fixtures. These awesome fixtures reimagine what efficient greenhouse lighting looks like.
The Pleiades Fixture
The very latest in the arsenal of Fohse’s unique and dynamic offering, the Pleiades fixture is unlike any other before. The sleek design of the Pleaides fixture means that the fixtures themselves will not cast shadows onto the crop canopies. These small vector, low wattage (320w) lights are so narrow that they can fit into the profile of greenhouse trusses or other elements of the structure. Traditional grow lights create shadows, either from the sun or from the position of other grow lights in the room. Pleiades fixtures reduce the incidences of these shadows.
Like other Fohse lighting products, the Pleiades fixtures are highly efficient. Their cooling mechanisms keep the fixtures running at peak performance without raising the electric bill. The specific amount of light called for by any crop or any stage of a particular crop’s development can be met with these dimmable and programmable lights.
Both the O6i and the Pleaides fixtures can be programmed so that any grower can optimally harvest not only the crop that they are growing, but light as well.
Pictured: Green Life Productions. If growers' success with Fohse's other models is any indication, the O6i and Pleiades models will certainly disrupt the greenhouse lighting market.
Light Harvesting
The concept of “light harvesting” in greenhouse settings is relatively simple; create the conditions for the most amount of light possible for optimal crop growth and allow for the crops to capture it. Fohse lighting products are ideal for this practice. These models both, the O6i and the Pleiades, are bundled with sensors that respond in real time to the actual light conditions in the greenhouse or grow room. These sensors measure the ambient light and when the pre-programmed matrices for optimal photon levels are not met, the lights respond accordingly.
If a cloud rolls by, the lights increase their intensity to make up for this temporary deficiency. As sunlight levels fluctuate over the course of each day, and over the span of the seasons, these fixtures pump out the appropriate amount and intensity of light to make up for it. Fohse fixtures can self-adjust to as little as one-tenth of one percent of output in real time based on the conditions in the greenhouse. The plants never even know that the sun is not fully shining on them at all times. Older HPS lighting is either outright not dimmable, or does not have the range that these Fohse lights have been able to attain. Their dimmability is not linear and they lose efficiency as they step down in power. This does not happen with the O6i or the Pleiades fixtures. The Fohse fixtures can actually mimic natural sunlight in a way not ever achieved before by commercial grow lights.
Other Fohse products
While the O6i and the Pleiades represent the cutting edge in commercial greenhouse grow lighting, they are not the only quality grow lights that the Fohse team produces. Consider some of their other options if you do not grow on a large, commercial greenhouse scale.
A3i – the flagship model, the A3i is an all-around workhorse and suitable for grows of all sizes
F1V – this model is designed to give the same incredible results as Fohse’s other innovative grow lights but is ideal for vertical growing operations.
The Aries – this small, but mighty grow light is perfect for the hobbyist or home grower.
The engineers at Fohse would love for you to give them a chance to show you how their lighting will outperform any of their competition. They can provide anything from a demonstration of their products, to coming to your location and quoting for modifications of an existing system, to fully engineering a totally programmable and monitored system unique to the distinctiveness and idiosyncrasies of each individual greenhouse or grow space. In your “due diligence” phase the Fohse team can connect you with growers who have made the switch to Fohse lighting products so you may learn, see, and hear from them firsthand how changing over to Fohse fixtures has increased their production and profits.
Selecting Fohse fixtures for your growing operation is an investment in your success with tangible ROIs. The photon footprint of a Fohse fixture is superior to any other comparable grow light. Simply put, you will get much higher and more uniform delivery of PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density) with a Fohse fixture, which will mean higher yields and more sellable crop per square foot than any of their competitors.
Visit Fohse.com to see the specs of the Pleiades, the O6i and all of their other quality products. Find out for yourself why the team at Fohse has never had to buy back a single one of their fixtures for failing to deliver on the promise of higher yields and they never will.
State Regulators Start 'Cannabis Regulators Association'
The group will help navigate cannabis regulations at the federal, state and local levels.
PORTLAND, OR. – PRESS RELEASE – State cannabis regulators from across the United States have announced the formation of a non-partisan organization, the Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA), to better share institutional knowledge and regulatory best practices. Cannabis regulators from 19 states have joined in filing documents to establish CANNRA, which is being created in order to assist federal, state and local jurisdictions that have approved or are weighing legalization of cannabis.
“The Cannabis Regulators Association will provide a much needed forum for regulators to engage with each other to identify and develop best practices, create model policies that safeguard public health and safety, and promote regulatory certainty for industry participants,” said Norman Birenbaum, CANNRA’s inaugural president.
For years, cannabis regulators across the country have relied on each other to share regulatory experiences, institutional expertise, and to provide assistance navigating the numerous evolving policy and regulatory issues associated with legalizing and regulating cannabis. Often the first step for state and local jurisdictions weighing legalization is to engage with regulators from established markets and programs. However, there has never been an organization to facilitate these interactions or help stakeholders find objective data and evidence-based approaches to policymaking and implementation.
The Cannabis Regulators Association is not an advocacy group and takes no formal position for or against cannabis legalization, but rather seeks to provide government jurisdictions with unbiased information to help make informed decisions when considering whether or how to legalize or expand regulated cannabis.
CANNRA will facilitate communication and information sharing between subject matter experts in regulatory approaches for industrial hemp, medical cannabis and adult-use cannabis. This will include exchanges with research organizations, public health officials, policymakers, legal authorities, advocacy groups and cannabis industry participants.
“The association will strive to create and promote harmony and standardization across jurisdictions which choose to legalize and regulate cannabis,” said Birenbaum. Birenbaum currently serves as the Director of Cannabis Programs for New York State. “The Cannabis Regulators Association will also work to ensure federal officials benefit from the vast experiences of states across the nation to ensure any changes to federal law adequately address states’ needs and priorities,” he said.
CANNRA founding members include the principal cannabis regulators from 19 states: Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington.
“I am proud that the nation’s first Cannabis Regulators Roundtable meeting was hosted by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) in April 2017 with just the first four states to legalize adult-use cannabis: Washington, Colorado, Oregon and Alaska,” said WSLCB Director Rick Garza. “The future was clear then that more states would soon follow. Today, this body is in position to provide regulatory guidance to the federal government should it move towards declassification of cannabis and legalization nationwide.”
Additional state regulators are expected to soon join CANNRA; CANNRA anticipates providing membership opportunities for county and municipal cannabis regulators in the near future. Membership is limited to regulators and representatives from relevant government offices. Membership in CANNRA is not available to industry participants or advocacy organizations.
CANNRA members will be able to access a national registry of member regulators, resources for cannabis policy development and staff training, and will have the ability to access, and participate in, the development of model standards and best practices for cannabis regulation.
Members will also be eligible to attend exclusive “Regulator Roundtable” conferences and programs, and receive legislative analyses, policy tracking data, and bulletins on current issues and events in the cannabis industry and regulatory arena.
CANNRA’s executive officers will include Birenbaum, Director of Cannabis Programs for New York State, as President; Rick Garza, Director of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, as First Vice President; Jim Burack, Director of Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division, as Second Vice President; Andrew Brisbo, Executive Director of Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency, as Third Vice President; and Tyler Klimas, Executive Director of Nevada’s Cannabis Compliance Board, as Secretary Treasurer.
“Our intent in forming this organization is to have CANNRA serve as a resource for policy makers, elected officials, researchers, and other stakeholders to engage with regulators from across the country and receive unbiased information and recommendations regarding the impact and implementation of cannabis policies,” said Birenbaum.
For more information about the Cannabis Regulators Association or to inquire about membership, please visit www.Cann-RA.org or email info@Cann-RA.org.
Grow America Builders Announces New National Sales Executive
David Shutan will lead sales for the cannabis facility construction company.
Highwood, IL— November 12, 2020 — PRESS RELEASE — Grow America Builders has announced the newest member of their team. David Shutan will handle all aspects of the sales process, from gathering requirements through developing detailed bids based on each company’s specific requirements and ensuring clients’ needs are met.
“We knew after our first meeting with Dave that he would be a perfect fit for Grow America Builders. We consider ourselves truly fortunate that we found someone with his work ethic, talent and skill. We are confident that Dave will be instrumental in facilitating collaboration in the complex process of going from concept to completion in the building of facilities to support cannabis businesses,” said David Fettner, managing partner of Grow America Builders.
Before joining Grow America Builders, Shutan served as Senior Business Development Representative for Evive, a technology company focusing on employee engagement and as National Proposal leader for Cordant Health Solutions.
This new hire underscores Grow America Builders’ commitment to deliver the highest level of service in the cannabis facility construction field.
Grow America Builders offers over 25 years of expertise in construction projects of all types and has completed projects for industry leaders throughout the country.
Legislative Map
Cannabis Business Times’ interactive legislative map is another tool to help cultivators quickly navigate state cannabis laws and find news relevant to their markets. View More