Week of September 16 - September 22, 2023
Do you love data and staying up to date with the latest cannabis-related headlines? Are you searching for industry news to inform your institution’s approach to cannabis risk and compliance?
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Hashing Out the Truth
CRB Monitor’s database growth by the numbers.
Tier 1 Marijuana-Related Business Counts
Weekly Summary (September 16 - September 22, 2023):
73,739 1A MRBs + 3,811 1B MRBs = 77,550 total
1A MRBs
Tier 1A defined: Businesses in this tier literally touch the cannabis plant at some point along the supply chain from "seed to sale," and are generally licensed by a government agency or regulator. Effectively all of their actual or expected revenue is derived from the cultivation, production, testing or sale of cannabis.
1B MRBs
Tier 1B defined: Businesses that have a financial or controlling interest in a Tier 1A CRB. CRB Monitor generally considers 1B businesses as seemingly unrelated businesses highlighted as red flags by FinCEN in its marijuana banking guidance and are similar in nature to individual beneficial owners.
Marijuana Business Licenses
Note: Inactive licenses, unlicensed, and unknown licenses have been excluded. Total active licenses the week of Sept. 9 reflect the addition of approximately 2,800 existing licenses issued by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, which are duplicative of licenses issued by the state's cannabis licensing authority.
Beneficial Owners Count
Beneficial owners defined: For beneficial owners, each economic owner or controlling person is classified into one or more categories based on their relationship to the linked CRB including: (1) Owner/Investor, (2) Board Member, (3) Corporate Officer, (4) Executive, (5) Non-commercial Registered Agent or (6) Senior Manager.
News of Note
A selection of relevant cannabis-related news. Items marked with 
indicate links to licensed business profiles in the CRB Monitor database.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Marijuana operator Columbia Care rebrands as The Cannabist Co.
Adverse Media
RI judge rules Fire Ganja can’t sell products as regulators seek to revoke license
Oklahoma regulators close 5 operations, seize ‘untraceable’ cannabis
SEC Charges Texas CBD-Inhaler Company and Its CEO in Fraudulent Securities Offerings
Litigation
Vermont marijuana entrepreneur sues MSO Slang for fraud in merger deal
Creditors Foreclose on Assets of SNDL's Parallel
Cannabis-Tied Bank Fired CCO For Whistleblowing, Suit Says
RI Says Greenleaf Can't Nix CBA Over State Cannabis Law
NLRB Judge Orders Pot Co. To Bargain Under New Standard
Lawsuit accuses Arkansas law firm of misconduct in early days of medical marijuana
Legalization & Regulation
Cannabis Commission Chaos in the Bay State
Revised SAFER Act Banking Bill Filed
Top Wisconsin Democratic Senator Introduces Marijuana Legalization Bill
Oregon regulators to allow marijuana products with aspergillus
PA Senate Passes Bill Allowing Growers to Sell Directly to Patients
Minnesota cannabis director steps down after one day amid report she sold illegal products
House Democrats File Marijuana Legalization and Expungements Bill
Schumer Circulates Petition to Demand Federal Marijuana Legalization
GOP Sponsor of SAFER Act to Introduce Bill to Block FDA from Legalizing Cannabis
CA Governor Will Decide on 17 Marijuana and Psychedelics Bills by Oct. 14
The Congressional Research Service noted marijuana and psychedelics provisions in the defense act
Arizona regulators filed revised marijuana rules
Mississippi regulators filed revised medical cannabis rules
AG launches task force, tip line to combat illegal Oklahoma marijuana grows
Minnesota published guidance on hemp-derived derivative product testing
Missouri regulators release new guidance and form for final item approval submissions
PA regulators filed an updated list of pesticides that can be used on medical cannabis
Utah regulators filed revised medical cannabis rules
Licensing Related
Thrive Cannabis Marketplace Receives Approval for Cannabis Lounge in Nevada
Maryland cannabis businesses and applicants question timetable for approving licenses
Former Cannabis CEO Overseeing Connecticut Regulation Raises Eyebrows
Markets
Cannabis producer BZAM cuts 90 more jobs after TGOD merger
Medical cannabis treatment data company Kindly MD files for IPO
Square Enters Canada’s Cannabis Market Through Partnership with Jane
Anticipating DEA Rescheduling, Subversive Announces Launch of "LGLZ" Cannabis ETF
Aurora Transfers to Nasdaq Capital Market; Enters Into Repurchase Agreement
Curaleaf and MPX NJ employees in New Jersey voted to unionize
International
Denmark has destroyed more than 145,000 kilograms of legal cannabis
Thailand plans cannabis law rewrite to allow only medical sales
GrowerIQ Secures $1M in Funding from Government of Canada
Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) will be relisting CBN and THCV products