Smoke Signals

New Year, New Rules

No bones about it, 2018 was a rough one for the marijuana industry. Wholesale prices for marijuana plummeted and we saw the Oregon Liquor Control Commission halt new-license application processing in June, with no certainty if or when new licensees will get the chance to enter the market.

By Jeremy Dickman Jan 16, 2019

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Prohibition Arguments Cannalyzed: On Mexico Smuggling

Happy 2019, everyone! Let's kick off the New Year with another installment of our series "Prohibition Arguments, Cannalyzed," in which we examine arguments used by those who are anti-cannabis.

By Josh Jardine Jan 9, 2019

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New Year, Same Marijuana Business Frustrations

Oregon's over-supply of marijuana has been well publicized (around a million pounds of usable but unsold marijuana is being tracked by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission), and the backlog of applications with the OLCC for new producers, processors, dispensaries and wholesalers was more than 2,200 when the OLCC paused applications effective June 15, 2018.

By Jeremy Dickman Jan 2, 2019

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A Cannabis Year in Review

Whereas a cannabis columnist looks back at the industry

As 2018 draws to a close, let's follow up on some stories, assess where the cannabis industry stands—both Oregon's and on a national scale—and what we might expect in the new year.

By Josh Jardine Dec 26, 2018

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Farm Bill Puts Hemp on Par with Other Crops

Dec. 12 brought historic news for a relatively new and lucrative agricultural market when the House passed the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, informally called "the Farm Bill." As a result of the Farm Bill, hemp, the non-psychoactive version of the cannabis plant, will be removed from the Controlled Substances list, and federal law will officially recognize it as a traditional, agricultural crop.

By Jeremy Dickman Dec 19, 2018

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High Returns: Investing in Cannabis Stocks

People frequently ask me about investing in cannabis stock. My response is on par with asking a dog their take on the intricacies of German biodynamic farming: near zero comprehension, evidenced by a tilting of the head and possibly licking the face of the person asking the question.

By Josh Jardine Dec 12, 2018

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The Commodity that is Cannabis

Three days at the world's largest cannabis conference

I recently attended the annual MJBizCon in Las Vegas, the largest cannabis convention in the world, featuring 27,000 attendees from over 60 countries, 1,000 exhibitors, three days of speakers, break out lunches and after parties.

By Josh Jardine Dec 5, 2018

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State to County Commissioners: Arbitrarily Deny Cannabis Permits at Your Peril

Since Deschutes County has elected yet another anti-marijuana County Commissioner, it might be instructive to take a look at a recent Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals decision before you buy into the notion that pending marijuana land-use permits are dead in the water.

By Jeremy Dickman Nov 28, 2018

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