About On the Net

The author of this article is Richard Keyt, an Arizona business law attorney who is the creator of this Arizona medical marijuana law website. Connect with Richard at 480-664-7478 or on Google+

The State of Texas Marijuana

Dallas Observer:  “The people of Gunter needn’t worry though. High-THC marijuana, either for medicine or pleasure, isn’t legal here yet. But it’s coming, advocates say, perhaps sooner than many people expect — maybe by 2019. Maybe sooner. Five years at the outside. Reformers insist that isn’t a pipe dream, and please don’t ask what they’re smoking. Stoner jokes are passé. Marijuana, for the desperately ill and for everyone else, is serious business.”

By |2016-04-16T10:41:46-07:00April 12th, 2016|Stories & Articles|Comments Off on The State of Texas Marijuana

Are the Feds Going to Legalize Marijuana?

Findlaw:  “The Legalize It crowd got a bit of a boost last week, as news outlets published a letter from the Drug Enforcement Administration to Sen. Elizabeth Warren. In it, the DEA said it will review marijuana’s status as a Schedule 1 banned substance, sometime before the middle of this year. The DEA has performed these reviews before, but never in a climate so conducive to reclassification, with major newspapers calling for the agency to move pot to a “less restrictive category that better reflects both its danger and the undeniable facts on the ground — that nearly half the states in the nation allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes, and several allow it to be used recreationally.” So is the DEA about to decriminalize weed?

By |2017-02-04T07:33:05-07:00April 11th, 2016|Federal Dispensary Attacks, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Are the Feds Going to Legalize Marijuana?

Arizona Marijuana-Legalization Group Wants 1,500 Pot Shops

Phoenix New Times:  “An alternative Arizona marijuana-legalization campaign made up of passionate cannabis users is aiming sky-high with its permissive proposal, but would voters really go for it?  Arizonans for Mindful Regulation, a grassroots organization that has a small army of volunteers but little money, is making a final push to make the ballot this November with its initiative that would allow up to 1,500 retail-shop licenses statewide to be issued by the end of next year. It would ban limits on cultivation or distribution licenses. Colorado, by comparison, now has about 950 medical-marijuana and recreational marijuana retail outlets.

By |2016-04-16T10:47:19-07:00April 4th, 2016|AZ Legislation, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizona Marijuana-Legalization Group Wants 1,500 Pot Shops

Oregon Law Allows Oregon Taxpayers to Deduct Pot Expenses

JD Supra:  “Measure 91, officially called the Control, Regulation, and Taxation of Marijuana and Industrial Hemp Act, passed by Oregon voters, appears to have alleviated some of the impact of Code Section 280E as it relates to Oregon taxable income. Specifically:

  1. Section 71 of Measure 91 provides that Code Section 280E does not apply for purposes of determining Oregon taxable income or loss under our corporate income tax regime. This provision sets forth no specific effective date. So, in accordance with Sections 81 and 82 of Measure 91, it became effective on July 1, 2015.
  2. Section 74 of Measure 91 provides that Code Section 280E does not apply for purposes of determining Oregon taxable income or loss under our individual income tax regime. This provision of Measure 91 specifically provides that the change became effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2015.”
By |2016-03-19T07:05:32-07:00March 19th, 2016|Stories & Articles, Tax Issues|Comments Off on Oregon Law Allows Oregon Taxpayers to Deduct Pot Expenses

Arizona Patients Cultivate Marijuana in Their Homes

Phoenix New Times:  “As cannabis advocates debate whether a proposed Arizona legalization law allows counties or towns to ban home growing, attempts to regulate home cultivation of medical marijuana have failed.  The inability of counties to control home cultivation by qualified medical-marijuana patients gives insight into how the planned legalization measure may work for those who want to grow their own. . . . The rural counties of Apache and Gila approved ordinances in 2011 that also require patients to obtain a permit even when growing discreetly in their own homes. Yet, as officials confirm, no patient in either county ever applied for a permit.”

By |2016-03-19T06:57:17-07:00March 19th, 2016|Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizona Patients Cultivate Marijuana in Their Homes

Arizona Medical Marijuana Patients at Risk for Eviction

Tucson News Now:  “Medical marijuana may be legal in Arizona, but using it can still get you kicked out of your home.  Some Valley landlords have provisions in their leases that specifically ban medical marijuana use, even by card-holding patients, and a violation can result in eviction.  Vince Borinsky said he was evicted from a Mesa apartment complex in 2011 for using and growing medical marijuana, even though he had a state-approved medical marijuana card to do so.”

By |2019-06-18T19:55:54-07:00March 9th, 2016|Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizona Medical Marijuana Patients at Risk for Eviction

Arizona DHS Posts the New Application for an Arizona Medical Marijuana Dispensary License

The Arizona Department of Health Services just posted the Medical Marijuana Program Dispensary Registration Certificate Application and related documents on its website.  If you are interested in applying for a license to operate a new Arizona medical marijuana dispensary then you need to study the application and related documents and begin the work needed to prepare all the documents and file the application.  ADHS has not yet announced when it will accept applications, but it does warn that it will accept new applications for only TEN WORKING DAYS after it begins accepting applications.

The application states:

“In accordance with A.R.S. § 36-2804, nonprofit medical marijuana dispensaries shall register with the Arizona Department of Health Services (Department). The Department may not issue more than one nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary registration certificate for every ten (10) pharmacies that have registered under section 32-1929, have obtained a pharmacy permit from the Arizona Board of Pharmacy, and operate in the State. As per A.A.C. R9-17-304, dispensary registration certificate applicants must submit to the Department an application in a Department-provided format (the Dispensary Registration Certificate Application). The Department will accept Dispensary Registration Certificate Applications for 10 working days.”

The packet includes a checklist, the application and a document called “Documentation of Property Ownership.”  The latter document must be signed by the owner of the real estate on which the dispensary will be located.

By |2017-02-04T07:33:05-07:00March 3rd, 2016|Dept Health Services, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizona DHS Posts the New Application for an Arizona Medical Marijuana Dispensary License

Duke Rodriguez + Ultra Health + Nevada’s Paiute Tribe + Pot = ?

Albuquerque Journal:  “A New Mexico medical cannabis producer this week announced a joint venture with the Las Vegas Paiute tribe to build a large growing facility and two dispensaries on tribal land in Nevada.  Duke Rodriguez, founder of Ultra Health LLC, said the $5 million project could serve as a model for a similar deal in coming months with a pueblo in New Mexico.”

See the tribe’s press release.

See also “Las Vegas Paiutes’ newest venture: medical marijuana” that said, “Ultra Health is working with more than 20 tribes, some of whom have signed letters of intent pending completion of the regulatory process, Rodriguez said.”

By |2016-03-01T19:20:51-07:00March 1st, 2016|Stories & Articles, Zoned Properties & Duke Rodriguez|Comments Off on Duke Rodriguez + Ultra Health + Nevada’s Paiute Tribe + Pot = ?

Tea Party Stages debate on Arizona Marijuana Legalization

Eastern Arizona Courier:  “Medical marijuana dispensary owner J.P. Holyoak debated Pinal County Attorney Lando Voyles over legalizing marijuana for recreational use at an event at Victory Theater, sponsored by the Graham County Tea Party and Graham County Republican Women Club, on Feb. 19.  Holyoak called himself an “unapologetic conservative Republican” who also happens to be the chairman of the Marijuana Policy Project-sponsored initiative to regulate marijuana like alcohol. Holyoak was previously against marijuana but, after seeing how the plant improved the quality of life for his ill daughter, Reese, he thrust himself into its advocacy.

By |2016-03-01T19:37:50-07:00February 29th, 2016|AZ Legislation, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Tea Party Stages debate on Arizona Marijuana Legalization

Arizona House Bill 2410 Would Require Dispensaries to Grow Inside

Arizona House Bill 2410 sponsored by Republicans Vince Leach, Bob Thorpe, Mark Finchem, Anthony Kern and David Livingston would require that all medical marijuana grown by Arizona medical marijuana dispensaries be grown inside enclosed facilities.  The propose law would modify Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-2801.6 as follows:

“Enclosed, locked facility” means a closet, room, greenhouse or other enclosed, roofed area that has a hardened covering and that is equipped with locks or other security devices that permit access only by a cardholder.”

The proposed change in the statute is indicated above in text that is bold and red.

By |2016-02-28T11:03:52-07:00February 28th, 2016|AZ Legislation, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizona House Bill 2410 Would Require Dispensaries to Grow Inside

Cracks Appear as Medical-pot Licenses up for Grabs

Arizona Daily Star:  “For the first time since May 2012, the state will accept applications for medical-marijuana dispensary licenses this summer.  The announcement by the Department of Health Services comes as Arizona patients spent $215 million on 19 tons of medical pot last year, nearly double the 10 tons purchased in 2014.  Even with record-breaking sales, lawsuits filed by business partners alleging breach of contract, mishandling of funds and other corporate malfeasance hint at cracks in the industry’s foundation.”

The story quoted yours truly:

“Medical-marijuana dispensaries are “extremely hampered” by a lack of easy access to banking services, said Scottsdale-based business lawyer Richard Keyt.

By |2016-02-28T10:36:12-07:00February 28th, 2016|Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Cracks Appear as Medical-pot Licenses up for Grabs

Oops! New Mexico Girl Scouts Mistakenly Sell Outside a Marijuana Dispensary

KRQE News: “The communications director for the Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails, identified as Carol Ann Short, emailed News 13 saying that selling outside medical marijuana dispensaries is against scout rules.  Short points to the 2016 Troop manual, which includes the following provision:

Booth locations are NEVER allowed at liquor stores, smoke shops, or medical dispensaries

Two local Girl Scouts set up shop at a unique location in Albuquerque on Saturday.  It’s that time of year — Girl Scout cookie season. The young ladies are back at it, enticing cookie-craving customers to hand over a few bucks a box.  Abby Sargent, a Junior Girl Scout, and Mary Jane Temer, a Brownie, sold their cookies outside Ultra Health, a medical marijuana dispensary on Menaul, on Saturday afternoon.”

By |2019-06-18T19:55:54-07:00February 27th, 2016|Stories & Articles, Zoned Properties & Duke Rodriguez|Comments Off on Oops! New Mexico Girl Scouts Mistakenly Sell Outside a Marijuana Dispensary

Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Program Receives Above Average Grade

KTAR News:  “Arizona’s medical marijuana program ranked above average compared to the rest of the country, according to a new report from Americans for Safe Access.  Arizona received a B-minus on the organization’s annual state report card. The Grand Canyon State scored high in every major category, except product safety.”

By |2016-02-28T10:41:10-07:00February 25th, 2016|Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Program Receives Above Average Grade

Arizona Marijuana Legalization Allows Patients to Grow Maybe

Phoenix New Times:  “League of Arizona Cities and Towns says cities won’t be able to ban home cultivation under the CRMLA. . . . Does a marijuana-legalization initiative expected to be on the ballot in November allow cities and towns to ban adults from growing their own marijuana?  Under the initiative, adults 21 and older could grow up to six plants, with a 12-plant-per-household maximum.”

By |2016-02-28T10:31:08-07:00February 25th, 2016|AZ Legislation, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizona Marijuana Legalization Allows Patients to Grow Maybe

Tucson Makes It Easier for Medical Marijuana Dispensaries to Expand

Tucson Weekly:  “It’s going to get a lot easier for medical marijuana dispensaries in Tucson to expand thanks to three zoning amendments the City Council passed Tuesday evening.  Here’s the good news:  Outdoor cultivation of medical weed is now allowed in industrial zones in accordance with state law. The Arizona Medical Marijuana Act says that outdoor growing is good to go only if the area is surrounded by 10-foot walls made of metal, concrete or stone that prevent outsiders from seeing the marijuana plants.”

By |2017-02-12T07:41:25-07:00February 25th, 2016|Stories & Articles, Zoning|Comments Off on Tucson Makes It Easier for Medical Marijuana Dispensaries to Expand

Arizona to Accept New Medical Marijuana Dispensary Applications

Phoenix New Times:  “The Arizona Department of Health Services just announced that it will begin taking applications for new dispensaries this summer.  This is the first time the state will be reviewing new applications for dispensary operating certificates since a lottery was held in 2012 that resulted the current roll-out in Arizona of nearly 90 medical-cannabis retail stores. . . . ‘The Department will accept dispensary registration certificate applications this summer, following the allocation process and requirements in rules.’ “

By |2016-02-23T06:43:28-07:00February 23rd, 2016|Dept Health Services, DHS Rules, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizona to Accept New Medical Marijuana Dispensary Applications

Arizona Department of Health Services to Accept New Applications for Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

After quietly removing its notice last year that said it will accept new applications for Arizona medical marijuana dispensaries, the Arizona Department of Health Services posted the following statement on its website:

“The Department will accept dispensary registration certificate applications this summer [2016], following the allocation process and requirements in rules. This announcement will be updated at least 30 calendar days before the date the Department begins accepting applications. More information will be posted on this Dispensary webpage as it becomes available.

By |2016-08-05T14:35:44-07:00February 19th, 2016|Dept Health Services, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizona Department of Health Services to Accept New Applications for Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

Duke Rodriguez New Mexico Marijuana Guru

The Albuquerque Journal wrote two stories about medical marijuana in New Mexico and former Arizona medical marijuana bad boy Duke Rodriguez.  The stories are:

Here are some quotes from the first story:

“Duke Rodriguez, the principal of Ultra Health, also expresses pride in the facility, where he grows 450 marijuana plants at a time, the maximum allowed under state Department of Health regulations.  But Ultra Health is not one of the state’s 35 licensed nonprofit producers authorized by the New Mexico Department of Health to grow and sell medical marijuana. . . . Ultra Health is unusual, if not unique, among the state’s marijuana producers in that it is not a New Mexico-based entity. Ultra Health is a limited liability corporation based in Scottsdale, Arizona”

Quotes from the second story:

“Duke Rodriguez, principal of Ultra Health LLC, first became involved in the medical cannabis industry around 2013 in Arizona.  He purchased the 11-acre marijuana-growing facility in Bernalillo in August 2014 on behalf of an Arizona corporation called Zoned Properties Inc. . . .

Ultra Health became the sole owner of the Bernalillo property as a result of a settlement reached in a lawsuit filed last year.

In March 2015, Zoned Properties filed suit in Arizona Superior Court against Rodriguez and Ultra Health in a dispute over business interests in Gilbert, Ariz., according to public records filed by the company.

In a settlement reached in July, Zoned Properties transferred ownership of the $2.7 million Bernalillo property to Rodriguez and Ultra Health, a company disclosure statement said.

Under the settlement, Rodriguez transferred ownership of a 48-acre property and growing facility in Chino Valley, Ariz., to Zoned Properties. Rodriguez also relinquished his ownership stake in Zoned Properties.

See “Zoned Properties, Inc. & Duke Rodriguez Lawsuits.”

Zoned Properties, Inc., published a quarterly consolidated financial statement for the nine months ending 1, 2015 that sheds light on Duke’s statements about his settlement with Zoned Properties, Inc.

On January 29, 2014, the Company entered into a purchase and consulting agreement (the “Ultra Agreement”) with Ultra Health, LLC., a related party due to common ownership and investments made by beneficial stockholders of the Company (“Ultra Health”), pursuant to which the Company was to acquire a 1,536 square foot modular building to be delivered and erected on the purchased land for total cash payments of $675,000. Subsequent to the purchase of this land and building, these real estate assets were transferred to Gilbert Property, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. In connection with the 1,536 square foot modular building discussed above, on April 10, 2015, the Company became a party to a certain case pending in the Superior Court of the State of Arizona in and for Maricopa County, Arizona styled, Zoned Properties, Inc. v. Duke Rodriguez, Ultra Health, LLC and Cumbre Investment, LLC (“The Defendants”), Case No. CV-2015-004225, wherein the Company alleges, among other things, that the Defendants, alone or in collusion with one another, breached a certain contract for the construction of the Gilbert building, and made material misrepresentations or had negligently misrepresented certain material elements upon which the Company relied, in purchasing the land upon which that building was to be constructed, which the Defendants failed to perform. The Company reviews it rental properties for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Based on this review, on December 31, 2014, the Company determined that the Gilbert building carrying value of $675,000 was not recoverable and recorded an impairment loss – related party of $675,000.  On July 9, 2015 and effective August 1, 2015, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with the Defendants that, among other things, settles the pending claims and grants mutual general releases. . . .

Zoned Properties, Inc. v. Duke Rodriguez, Ultra Health, LLC and Cumbre Investment, LLC On April 10, 2015, the Company became a party to a certain case pending in the Superior Court of the State of Arizona in and for Maricopa County, Arizona styled, Zoned Properties, Inc. v. Duke Rodriguez, Ultra Health, LLC and Cumbre Investment, LLC (“The Defendants”), Case No. CV-2015-004225, wherein the Company alleges, among other things, that the Defendants, alone or in collusion with one another, breached a certain contract for the construction of the Gilbert building, and had made material misrepresentations or had negligently misrepresented certain material elements upon which the Company relied in purchasing the land upon which that building was to be constructed, which the Defendants failed to deliver (See Note 3). On June 8, 2015, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the counterclaim. The motion to dismiss has been fully-briefed and was set for oral argument on August 7, 2015. On July 9, 2015 and effective August 1, 2015, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with the Defendants that, among other things, settles the pending claims and grants mutual general releases. Under the terms of the settlement:

1. On August 1, 2015, the Company transferred title to its Bernalillo, New Mexico property to Defendants. At June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the carrying value of this property was $2,719,658 and $2,737,863, respectively. In connection with such property, the Company forfeited quarterly straight-lined rental revenue of approximately of $287,000 through September 2024. For the six months ended June 30, 2015, rental revenues from this property amounted to $120,000. The Company did not have rental revenue from this property in the comparable 2014 periods.

2. The Defendants returned 2,496,054 shares of common stock to the Company and the Company cancelled such shares. On the Settlement Date, such shares were valued at $1,406,603 or $0.5635 per common share which represents the cost of the treasury shares purchased and retired.

3. The Defendants effectuated the transfer of four parcels of property in Chino Valley, Arizona to the Company which consists of approximately 48 Acres of land and the Company acquired an additional parcel in Chino Valley for $200,000 in cash. Based on an independent appraisal, on the Settlement Date, the fair value of property obtained, consisting of land, buildings and improvements, amounted to approximately $1,528,000.

4. The Company shall obtain water rights associated with property in Chino Valley, Arizona.

In connection with the settlement, on the Settlement Date, the Company did not record any settlement gain or loss.

 Zone Properties’ financial statement contains some interesting line items for a publicly traded company:

  • $297,695 revenue excluding revenue from related parties
  • $1,011,008 professional fees
  • $(976,579) loss from operations
  • $(1,145,170) net loss
By |2017-02-04T07:38:56-07:00February 15th, 2016|AZ Marijuana Law Lawsuits, Stories & Articles, Zoned Properties & Duke Rodriguez|Comments Off on Duke Rodriguez New Mexico Marijuana Guru

Arizona Pot Lovers Collecting More Money than Prohibitionists

Phoenix New Times:  “New reports show the finances of an anti-marijuana group lag well behind a pro-legalization campaign.  Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy (ARDP), led by Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, collected $90,095 in contributions from November 25, 2014, to December 31, 2015, according to campaign-finance reports released last week. After spending $19,000 of it on the fundraiser, legal fees, a website, and printed promotional materials, the group had $70,411 on hand by the end of last year.  Compared to financing of nearly a million dollars for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Arizona (CRMLA), the pot prohibitionists’ effort is getting steamrolled.”

By |2016-02-10T19:33:51-07:00February 10th, 2016|Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizona Pot Lovers Collecting More Money than Prohibitionists

A Guide to Internal Revenue Code Section 280E

The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) recently released a 280E white paper that explains Internal Revenue Code Section 280E. The paper has an informative frequently asked questions section.  All Arizona medical marijuana dispensaries should get a free copy of the paper.

By |2017-02-12T07:41:24-07:00February 9th, 2016|Stories & Articles, Tax Issues|Comments Off on A Guide to Internal Revenue Code Section 280E

Veterans Fight for Medical Cannabis

Cannabis Now:  Not long after arriving in Baghdad in 2004, Ricardo Pereyda began to see the war differently.  Today the 32-year-old former Army MP explains it simply, ‘It was so much about profiteering over there,’ he says, ‘I didn’t want to get blown up so someone else could profit.’  Pereyda may have avoided serious physical injury but he saw plenty of others who weren’t as lucky. . . . Like so many vets, Pereyda was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). . . . ‘My mind was in a dark and nasty place,’ he says.  He had about given up the idea of schooling when he learned about Student Veterans of America at the University of Arizona.”

By |2017-02-12T07:41:24-07:00February 6th, 2016|Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Veterans Fight for Medical Cannabis

State Rep Drops Bill that Could Have Ended Arizona Medical Marijuana

Phoenix New Times:  “State Representative Jay Lawrence (R-Fountain Hills) has withdrawn his bill that could have destroyed Arizona’s medical-marijuana program.  Lawrence’s bill, HCR 2019, would have stripped naturopaths and homeopaths of the right to recommend medical marijuana, even though those doctors write nearly 90 percent of the recommendations. His plan also called for patients to renew their cards every six months instead of every year, paying double the annual fees.”

By |2016-01-23T03:16:11-07:00January 23rd, 2016|AZ Legislation, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on State Rep Drops Bill that Could Have Ended Arizona Medical Marijuana

Republicans Introduce Bill to Limit Arizona Medicinal Marijuana

KTAR News:  “Republican lawmakers are trying to amend Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Act to make it more difficult for patients to access medication.  Their proposals include limiting which types of doctors can issue medical marijuana referrals, tightening restrictions on who can receive referrals and requiring patients to get new referrals more often.  But the proposals could conflict with the Arizona Constitution, which prevents the Legislature from altering voter-approved initiatives such as the Medical Marijuana Act, which has nearly 88,000 qualified patients.”

By |2017-10-07T09:56:03-07:00January 20th, 2016|AZ Legislation, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Republicans Introduce Bill to Limit Arizona Medicinal Marijuana

Arizonans Bought 19 Tons of Medical Pot in 2015

Phoenix New Times:  “Qualified Arizonans legally bought and consumed more than 19 tons of medical-marijuana products in 2015, spending about $215 million.  The Arizona Department of Health Services keeps a running total of dispensary sales and released its December report this week, allowing New Times to calculate last year’s totals. The DHS released similar information in a single report a year ago, showing that in 2014, about 60,000 patients bought 10 tons of cannabis products.”

By |2016-01-13T19:08:36-07:00January 13th, 2016|Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizonans Bought 19 Tons of Medical Pot in 2015

Will Medical Marijuana be Scottsdale’s next Big Industry?

Scottsdale Independent:  “We have two (2) medical marijuana facilities serving the 4,020 medical marijuana patients that reside in Scottsdale (according to the November 2015 DHS report).  . . . As of August 2015, DHS is allowing all dispensaries to move anywhere in the state they wish. Naturally, some and perhaps many of them want to move to Scottsdale. . . . the city has now received numerous inquiries and applications to open additional dispensaries in the Airpark.”

By |2016-01-10T08:29:37-07:00January 6th, 2016|Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Will Medical Marijuana be Scottsdale’s next Big Industry?

Arizona Doesn’t Require Testing Cannabis for Pesticides

Phoenix New Times:  “In Colorado, the past 16 weeks have seen 15 recalls of cannabis products because of pesticides, including the largest such recall last week.  The state’s one of several that now mandate or encourage testing of recreational marijuana for contaminants.  But in Arizona, the products of medical-marijuana sellers and cultivators never have been officially scrutinized. If the state approves recreational use in November, that’s going to change — with a likely increase in pot pricing.  Buds, concentrates like shatter, and edibles could contain relatively high levels of pesticides and other contaminants, and the state’s 85,000-plus qualified patients never would know.

By |2017-02-12T07:41:24-07:00January 5th, 2016|Colorado News, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizona Doesn’t Require Testing Cannabis for Pesticides

Oregon Credit Union Accepts Pot Businesses

USA Today:  “Securing something as simple as a checking account in the legal cannabis business can be nearly impossible.  That’s because banks are wary that federal agencies will slap them with money-laundering charges — despite assurances to the contrary. . . . But one credit union here has broken step with the banking industry. Maps Credit Union is the only financial institution in Oregon openly serving marijuana businesses”

By |2015-12-25T13:54:53-07:00December 24th, 2015|Banking Issues, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Oregon Credit Union Accepts Pot Businesses

DC Pot Laws & Brownies

Associated Press:  “A man accused of running a business known as ‘Kush Gods’ that openly sold marijuana brownies and other pot-laced edibles on the streets of Washington has been released from custody – and he’s anything but apologetic.  District of Columbia police announced Tuesday that Nicholas Cunningham, 30, and an employee, Evonne Lidoff, 18, were facing misdemeanor charges of marijuana distribution.”

 

By |2017-02-12T07:41:24-07:00December 24th, 2015|Marijuana Crimes, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on DC Pot Laws & Brownies

Arizona Will Not Consider New Health Conditions for Medical Marijuana Patients

Tucson Weekly:  “The state is failing to meet the requirement to allow new medical conditions. . . . In July 2015, the Arizona Cannabis Nurses Association filed for eight new conditions to be added to the program: traumatic brain injury, arthritis, Huntington’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, Parkinson’s, diabetes, autism and neuropathic pain.  As predicted, the AZDHS denied all eight petitions without a second thought.

By |2015-12-26T08:14:50-07:00December 24th, 2015|Dept Health Services, Stories & Articles|Comments Off on Arizona Will Not Consider New Health Conditions for Medical Marijuana Patients

How Bob Dole got America Addicted to Marijuana Taxes

Brookings:  “As states legalize marijuana, more marijuana businesses are opening across the country. An obscure 1982 brainchild of Bob Dole’s Senate Finance Committee, section 280E of the federal tax code, is hitting state-legal marijuana sellers in the pocketbook—right now. 280E, which says taxpayers cannot deduct costs of selling federally illegal drugs, is not just helping fund the federal government. It’s also hampering marijuana advertising and marketing—to the satisfaction of nervous parents, and to the consternation of profit-seeking marijuana promoters.  280E was more a political statement than a model of tax policy, and it can’t eliminate marijuana advertising. But it does discourage that advertising, so it may be one of the most useful marijuana tax laws we can imagine. And while some anti-advertising proposals run afoul of the commercial free speech doctrine, 280E is constitutional. So 280E may help slow down Big Marijuana. If so, an anti-advertising tax rule like 280E might come in handy if the public ever musters the strength to take on Big Alcohol and Big Tobacco.

By |2017-02-04T07:38:56-07:00December 18th, 2015|Stories & Articles, Tax Issues|Comments Off on How Bob Dole got America Addicted to Marijuana Taxes
Go to Top