Marijuana Legalization In Kansas, MMJ Patients In Florida, UK Hemp Company & Ontario Lawsuit

Kansas Prepares MMJ Bill

A special committee is preparing a medical cannabis legalization bill for the 2023 session.

Senate president Ty Masterson (R) acknowledges that the reform issue is "maturing," adding that any federal action would be further evidence of that. However, the issue is "not a priority," a spokesperson told the Wichita Eagle.

House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer (D) issued a statement criticizing the Senate president.

The third and final meeting of the committee is set for November 16, when members will finalize the committee’s proposal for the full legislature for the 2023 session.

The Wichita City Council recently green-lighted marijuana possession within the city limits, making the largest city in Kansas the least restrictive on cannabis possession statewide.

Governor Laura Kelly (D) continues to push for policy reform. Earlier this year she signed legislation allowing Kansans to obtain prescription medications derived from cannabis-related products.

Cannabis Entrepreneurs In Missouri

Amendment 3, the cannabis legalization initiative on the state ballot in November, would establish the rules around who can get a license to sell marijuana as part of the state’s recreational program.

The amendment, which requires the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to issue the same number of licenses for the recreational program as currently exists under the medical program, would also create a “microbusiness” licensing program for smaller entrepreneurs and businesses. This microbusiness license program is designed to help people to break into the market by selling or cultivating marijuana products on a smaller scale," reported the Kansas City Star.

Meanwhile In Florida: 'Compelling' Court Arguments Over Medical Marijuana Patients Lawsuit

After a recent court hearing in Florida, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said her legal team did a “compelling job” arguing before a federal judge about their lawsuit challenging the Justice Department over the federal ban on gun ownership by medical cannabis patients.

What Happened: In April, Fried filed a lawsuit since Florida medical cannabis patients are unable to buy or possess firearms because of federal policy. "Is unconstitutional and discriminatory," Fried said.

The Justice Department has faced criticism for its controversial arguments against the lawsuit, with the department contending that the statute clearly disqualifies patients from the right to bear arms because cannabis use, even under state law, remains illegal at the federal level.

The purpose of the hearing was to address the Justice Department's motion to dismiss. Formal consideration of those arguments would depend on whether the judge grants or denies the Justice Department's motion to dismiss. If the case is dismissed, the plaintiffs would consider appealing the decision to a higher court.

Fried said the case reflects the fulfillment of her 2018 campaign promise “that I was always going to protect our medical marijuana patients.”

Austrian Hemp Company Restructured, Will Continue Operating

Under a recently announced restructuring plan by Austria-based CBD company Deep Nature Project GmbH, creditors owed a total of €9.6 million will receive 20% of the money.

The payments will be made to the company’s 112 creditors in three installments over a period of two years, according to Austria’s Credit Protection Association (KSV) and the Alpine Association of Creditors (AKV), which both said the plan will enable the company continue to operate, reported Hemp Today.

The company, which makes CBD and CBG dietary supplements, cosmetics, hemp foods and animal feed supplements under the Medihemp, Sativa Beauty, and Vetrihemp brands, suffered a drop in sales from €8.2 million in 2020 to €5.7 million in 2021, according to AKV.

The company, which had a total of 38 products preliminarily approved by the Food Safety Agency (FSA), is now among roughly 450 producers awaiting approval of their products by the FSA under rules for new or “novel” foods.

Quasi-Criminal Charges For Canadian Company

After recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada, CannTrust Holdings Inc. CNTTQ was recognized as a company with a "high-flying" stock, but in 2019, Health Canada sanctioned the Vaughan, Ontario-based company for unlicensed cultivation and for providing inaccurate information to the regulator.

The trial began recently for the former CannTrust trio over charges including fraud and insider trading. Former chief executive Peter Aceto and two former directors are on trial in the Ontario Court of Justice, which were laid in June 2021 following a months-long investigation by the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) and the RCMP, reported the Financial Post.

The OSC alleges that approximately half of the total growing space at the facility was not licensed by Health Canada.

Quasi-criminal charges are heard in provincial court before a judge, and convictions in such cases can carry a prison sentences of up to five years and fines of up to $5 million. The men are accused, in part, of “efforts to conceal the illegal growing of cannabis at CannTrust over ten months in 2018 and 2019.”

However, none of the accusations against the three men have been proven in court. Through their lawyers, they denied the allegations and vowed to fight the charges.

Image by Benzinga