Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? Is Mary’s operation applying horizontal or vertical integration in order to grow? What’s the difference between the two? And why would she want to employ one or the other?

In this brief article, we’ll go over the differences between horizontal and vertical integration as well as discussing the benefits and drawbacks of each system of expansion.

Understanding Horizontal and Vertical Integration Is Especially Crucial In the Cannabis Industry

Understanding the difference between vertical and horizontal integration is especially important in the cannabis industry. This is because each state’s cannabis regulations are different. And even within each state, sometimes counties or individual municipalities have their own rules and regulations to follow.

Some states require vertical integration. In these states, retailers must grow and manufacture their own products. And some states actually forbid vertical integration. If you own dispensaries in these state’s, you’re not allowed to operate a cultivation facility.

A good example of a cannabis company that is growing horizontally is Ohio based dispensary chain Terrasana Labs who currently has three open locations in Ohio and are slated to expand.

A good example of vertical integration is Florida where cannabis companies were originally required to be vertically integrated — that is to grow, process, and manufacture all products that they sell in their dispensaries. (The vertical integration requirement may be changing due to legal challenges.) The three top licensed producer/dispensary retailers in Florida are Trulieve, Curaleaf, and Surterra Wellness.

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A Senate committee held a hearing on Tuesday to discuss ways for cannabis businesses operating legally under state law to obtain access to banking and financial services. At the hearing, Senators and witnesses including members of the cannabis industry focused on the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2019.

Under the measure, federal banking regulators would be prohibited from penalizing banks that choose to serve cannabis firms doing business in accordance with state law. Under current regulations, banks are subject to penalties under federal money laundering and other laws for servicing such companies, leaving the cannabis industry to operate in a risky environment heavy in cash.

The Senate’s version of the measure, (S. 1200) was introduced in April by Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, and has 31 co-sponsors. The House bill (H.R. 1595) was introduced by Democratic Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Oregon and is co-sponsored by 206 representatives. In March, the bill was approved by the Financial Services Committee and is expected to be considered on the House floor after the August recess.

Witnesses Testify at Hearing

In his testimony before the committee, Colorado Republican Sen. Cory Gardner, one of the co-sponsors of the SAFE Banking

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Children in London will soon have an outlet through which they can treat chronic illnesses with medical marijuana. 

The Sapphire Medical Clinic is set to open next week in the British capital, making it the first private clinic in the city to offer medicinal cannabis prescriptions to youngsters. It is slated to open its doors on August 1. 

The clinic has an ambitious directive, saying that it can prescribe marijuana for “all conditions acknowledged to benefit from it,” while promising to consult all families “with an open mind.” 

The opening of Sapphire represents something of a milestone in the United Kingdom, where medical cannabis was made legal last year but where it remains maddeningly out of reach for many patients who want the treatment. 

British home secretary Sajid Javid announced last year that doctors in the United Kingdom would be able to prescribe medical marijuana for patients, a decision that came after a long-running campaign inspired by two high-profile cases involving children who suffer from a form of epilepsy that is mitigated by the use of cannabis oil. 

“I have been clear that my intention was always to ensure that patients have access to the most appropriate course of medical

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On Monday night, Columbus City Council voted to make Ohio’s capital the state’s latest city to lower penalties for possessing marijuana. Monday’s vote came on the heels of a public hearing during which Columbus residents expressed their support for the decriminalization proposal. The approved ordinance significantly overhauls penalties for possessing marijuana in Columbus, Ohio.

Possession up to 100 grams now carries a fine of just $10, while possession between 100 and 200 grams carries a $25 fine. Neither possession charge carries the possibility of jail time, but possession over 200 grams would still constitute a felony under Ohio law. But unlike a recent decriminalization ordinance passed in Cincinnati, Ohio that cut provisions for criminal record expungement at the last minute, Columbus’ new decriminalization measure sets aside $120,000 to help people seal past marijuana convictions. The new rules are scheduled to go into effect in 30 days.

Columbus City Council Reduces Fines and Eliminates Jail for Marijuana Possession

Ohio’s largest municipalities aren’t waiting for state lawmakers to legalize cannabis. Instead, they’re passing their own decriminalization ordinances to reduce fines and penalties for marijuana possession. Columbus City Council’s move to decriminalize possession follows Cincinnati, which decriminalized possession up to 100 grams in

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Sure, there have been cannabis legalization bills proposed in the House before. But never have they been sponsored by the chairperson of the congressional judiciary committee. On Tuesday, that changed when New York Representative and judiciary committee chair Jerry Nadler announced the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act. Nadler was joined in the presentation of the proposed legislation by Senator Kamala Harris, a former California attorney general who is currently one of the leading candidates for Democratic presidential nominee in 2020.

Momentum is growing on Capitol Hill when it comes to federal cannabis legalization. Last week, the Senate scheduled a hearing on the SAFE Act, which would allow businesses operating within the bounds of their state laws access to national banks.

“Times have changed — marijuana should not be a crime,” said Harris. “We need to start regulating marijuana, and expunge marijuana convictions from the records of millions of Americans so they can get on with their lives.”

The MORE Act seeks to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, and would allow states to enact their own regulations as they are able to do with alcohol. Additionally, it would establish processes for expungement of past marijuana convictions, and

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The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia announced last week that it would begin offering a Master of Business Administration degree program focusing on the cannabis industry. The university is currently enrolling students in the Cannabis Industry Option MBA in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business program and will begin conducting classes online in September.

Founded in 1821 as the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, the first college of pharmacy in North America, the University of the Sciences now offers more than 30 degree programs from bachelor’s through doctoral degrees in the health sciences, bench sciences, and healthcare business and policy fields.

Andrew Peterson, the executive director of the University of the Sciences Substance Use Disorders Institute, said in a press release that the new degree program will help train business professionals for the quickly growing legal cannabis industry.

“There are many unique aspects to the medical cannabis and hemp industries, and those in this new industry have been testing the waters for the last few years,” Peterson said. “This new program will help to formalize those teachings for those currently in the cannabis industry, entering the field, or interested in other fields associated with the industry.”

Teaching the Business of Cannabis

The

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In Thailand, there is a long cultural tradition of using cannabis for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. Like many of its neighboring countries in Southeast Asia, however, Thailand has historically imposed harsh anti-drug laws that strongly penalize cannabis cultivation and use. But late last year, the nation of nearly 70 million people became the first in the region to legalize medical cannabis. And now, Thai lawmakers are pushing to develop policies aimed at creating a robust medical cannabis industry.

In a policy document released July 21 ahead of a key national assembly debate set for Thursday, Thai leaders call for accelerating research and developing technologies to bring marijuana, hemp and other medicinal herbs into the country’s medical industry. The policy document also sets out the unique goal of enabling all Thai citizens to grow and sell cannabis for medical purposes.

Thai Lawmakers Propose Policies to Jumpstart Medical Marijuana Industry

In March 2019, Thailand held its first election since the 2014 military coup d’état that installed coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha as prime minster. Following the controversial March elections, Prayuth held on to power to head up Thailand’s civilian government with a ruling coalition of 19 parties. One of the largest parties

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Update: The K9, named Jake, died over the weekend, according to local media.

Original Story: A prison K9 in Alabama required CPR after a contraband raid last week exposed the animal to synthetic marijuana.

The dog, named Jake, assisted a search conducted last Thursday at Staton Correctional Facility in Elmore County, Alabama. As the search unfolded, Jake came into contact with a “powdery substance,” Alabama.com reported, and quickly became unresponsive. He was then immediately transported to the prison infirmary before being taken to a local veterinary clinic. Ultimately, Jake was taken to the clinic at Auburn University. 

The substance was identified by a HazMat team as synthetic marijuana. Sgt. Quinton Jones, Jake’s handler, told local media that the dog “lost his balance and became unresponsive” after being exposed to the substance, and he credited the quick action of a pair of prison medical officials, who performed CPR and applied an IV in the prison courtyard, for saving his life.

“Without their immediate response to Jake’s condition, he would not be alive today,” Jones said. “They are heroes for saving his life.”

Jake’s condition is said to have improved on Friday, and he is expected to make a full recovery and

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The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) has issued its Progress Report of Legislative Updates for 2019. The best news of the year so far is legalization passing in Illinois and decriminalization in Hawaii, New Mexico and North Dakota. Here’s the MPP’s state-by-state breakdown, in alphabetical order.

Alabama to Georgia Alabama: Medical and decriminalization bills advance, but fall short; medical study approved Alaska: On-site cannabis use at regulated locations Arizona: Medical program improvements adopted; legalization doesn’t advance Arkansas: Decriminalization bill proposed, but dies; medical sales begin California: Numerous bills under consideration; legislature continues its work Colorado: Home delivery and hospitality bills enacted Connecticut: Bills to legalize, regulate and tax cannabis pass committees, but don’t receive floor votes Delaware: Legalization bill carries over to 2020; other reforms pass Florida: Gov. DeSantis signs legislation repealing the ban on smoking medical cannabis Georgia: Bill adds in-state access to low-THC medical cannabis Hawaii to Louisiana Hawaii: Decriminalizes the smallest amount of any decriminalization or legalization state Idaho: Decriminalization and hemp legislation dies; anti-ballot initiative bill vetoed Illinois: Land of Lincoln becomes the 11th state to legalize cannabis for adults Indiana: Marijuana policy reform bills introduced, but fall short Iowa: Medical-marijuana expansion thwarted by Gov. Reynolds Kansas:

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