Illinois marijuana Archives - Green Market Report

StaffOctober 31, 2023
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1min00

9 – Number of dispensary licenses in Illinois that are majority owned by women

When Illinois announced its social equity program, many observers expected it to the “gold standard” for diversity. But the state is still struggling to create opportunities for many, especially women. At the end of fiscal year 2023, which ended on Sept. 30, only nine dispensary licenses were majority owned by women. The state currently has 162 cannabis retailers, with dozens more locations not yet open.

Source: 2023 Annual Cannabis Report, Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation


StaffOctober 5, 2023
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4min00

The Daily Hit is a recap of the top financial news stories for Oct. 5, 2023.

On the Site

Empire State Expands to More Cannabis Retail Applicants

On Wednesday, the New York Office of Cannabis Management opened a 60-day window for cultivators, processors, distributors, microbusinesses, and retailers to apply for general licenses that would see the cannabis industry greatly expand across the state. Before this, only businesses owned by individuals with marijuana-related convictions or nonprofits with a history of serving currently or formerly incarcerated individuals were eligible to receive a license. Read more here.

Illinois Recreational Cannabis Sales Set Another Record

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation reported statewide adult-use sales of $139.5 million for September, marking the third-highest monthly sales since the state legalized recreational cannabis. However, while recreational cannabis sales surged, the state’s medical cannabis market slumped. Read more here.

Michigan Cultivator Sees More Demand For Outdoor Grows

Outdoor cannabis plants tend to be viewed as being lower quality. And cannabis grown outdoors generally fetches a smaller price on the market. Much of it ends up as biomass used to make distillate or edibles where the highest-quality flower isn’t as appreciated. But for one Michigan cultivator, growing outdoors offers an opportunity to set his product apart. Read more here.

Safe Supply Begins Trading This Week

A new company that seeks to provide a safe supply of narcotics, with an initial focus on coca leaves, has joined the Canadian Securities Exchange. Safe Supply Streaming Co. Ltd. (CSE: SPLY) began trading this week on the CSE under the trading symbol SPLY. Read more here.

In Other News

New Jersey Economic Development Authority

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority announced $12 million to help boost cannabis businesses. The funding is intended to go toward entrepreneurs from communities that have been impacted by the war on drugs, eliminating barriers to entry for startups in the industry. Read more here.

Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to the state’s top marijuana regulator, ruling that a Moore dispensary owner isn’t permitted to contest the qualifications of the state officer. In a brief and unanimous order on Monday, the justices said the proper party in such an action would be the state attorney general, a district attorney or a contestant for the office at issue. Read more here.

Nevis Brands

Nevis Brands Inc. (CSE: NEVI) secured an agreement with Blaze Life Holdings LLC to produce and distribute its Major brand products in California. Read more here.


John SchroyerAugust 4, 2023
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2min00

Illinois marijuana dispensaries have set a new bar for the year after topping $140 million in sales for July, according to state figures. The only other time the Illinois cannabis market sold that much in a single month was December last year, when sales passed $143 million.

But after that record-breaking month, sales toppled in January and February before rebounding in March and finally surging over the summer, according to data from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The Illinois market has had a tougher time competing ever since Missouri launched its recreational marijuana market in February.

But in July, sales were up almost $5 million from a year prior, when Illinois retailers sold $135.6 million, and increased almost $4 million from June this year, when sales hit $136.4 million.

For the entire calendar year so far, the Illinois marijuana market has sold $924.4 million.

In July, in-state residents accounted for the vast majority of sales, with $104.2 million, while out-of-state visitors bought $35.7 million in cannabis. The total number of products sold was 3.5 million.

The adult use market launched in January of 2020. Medical marijuana sales, which reached $27 million in June, are tracked by a different state agency, the Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer. Medical cannabis sales for July have not yet been released.


John SchroyerJuly 17, 2023
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4min01

An employee of Green Thumb Industries (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF) died recently while on the job at a grow operation in Rock Island, Illinois, raising additional questions about worker safety in the cannabis industry following another worker death last year in Massachusetts.

Though little is yet known about the Illinois victim or how she died, WeedWeek reported that the death took place in a “non-work area of the facility,” per a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Agriculture. And the Rock Island county coroner told the news outlet that the death is being attributed to natural causes and not the work environment.

GTI confirmed the death to WeedWeek and said last week the company was still working on confirming details surrounding the circumstances of the death, which it called a “tragic event” and said “our deepest condolences go out to her family.”

“However we have no reason to believe it was related to the work environment,” GTI said in a statement. “We are focused on supporting our team members and the family during this difficult time.”

WeedWeek reported that the woman who died was roughly 60 years old, and had recently switched from a desk job to one in a production area of the grow, according to a coworker identified as “Marv.”

Marv told WeedWeek that he had been subject to coughing fits while working in the GTI grow, and also said he received a “very threatening” call from a GTI human resources staffer after he posted on social media that a coworker had died.

Separately, an official with the Teamsters Local 777 told WeedWeek that the worker had died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

GTI is also still facing a number of federal labor complaints filed with the National Labor Relations Board by the Teamsters, in connection with a nearly two-week strike at three of GTI’s Illinois dispensaries.

The possibility that the GTI worker died from breathing-related issues runs parallel to reports that another cannabis cultivation worker employed by multistate operator Trulieve, who died in January 2022 at one of the company’s Massachusetts grows after suffering a reaction to “ground cannabis dust,” a report from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration stated.

That situation was ultimately settled by Trulieve for a fine of just $14,502.

It’s yet unclear whether OSHA will take on a new investigation into the most recent death at the GTI Rock Island facility, but GTI has been cited at least four times in the past by OSHA for various violations, WeedWeek reported, including two complaints filed just this year regarding the Rock Island grow. Both of those complaints are still open.

GTI spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday from Green Market Report.


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