Week of September 22 - September 29, 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 22 - September 29, 2023):
74,995 1A MRBs + 3,816 1B MRBs = 78,811 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. For the week of Sept. 23, the jump in 1A MRBs was due to micro-business applications in Missouri.
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. For the week of Sept. 23, the jump in pre-licenses was due to micro-business applications in Missouri.
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
Vext to Acquire Two Ohio Dispensaries in $9.8M Deal
Adverse Media
Hightimes Agrees to $558,000 Settlement With SEC Over Stock Promotion Scheme
Michigan’s Former Cannabis Board Chair Sentenced to 4.5 Years in Federal Prison for Bribery
Oklahoma Cannabis Crackdown Continues With Dispensary Fines
Former TransCanna CEO Owes $1.2M For Blocked Stock Deal
Shango Products Recalled in Michigan for THC Limits, Packaging Violations
Litigation
Harvest of OH Files Explosive Response to Trulieve Lawsuit
Suspended Massachusetts marijuana chair sues as allegations emerge
Justices Decline To Revisit Precedential Cannabis Ruling
MediPharm Settles $9M Dispute with HEXO, Establishes New Deal with Tilray
Judge Cuts Claims In Fee Spat Against Colo. Pot Tracking Co.
Attorney Sues the Feds for a Copy of the HSS’s Marijuana Rescheduling Letter
Pot Company Owes $275K After Taking On Loans, Suit Says
Legalization & Regulation
With Bipartisan Support, Cannabis Banking Bill Heads to Senate Floor
Arkansas Judge Questions State Ban in Latest Hemp v. Cannabis Salvo
MA Auditor Scrutinizes Cannabis Commission’s Tracking System
Montana regulators posted guidance about new marijuana laws
D.C. Medical Marijuana Patients Could Submit Products For Testing Under Bill Sent To Mayor
California Governor Signs Psychedelics, Marijuana Testing Bills
Rhode Island regulators published guidance on approved marijuana products types
Texas Appeals Court Upholds Temporary Block Of Delta-8 Ban
How a cannabis bill stopped being about weed
66 NY Lawmakers Sign Letter Urging Governor to Allow Cultivators to Sell to Tribal Retailers
Licensing Related
Missouri Awards Nearly 50 Microbusiness Licenses
Trulieve Opening Medical Cannabis Dispensary in Evans, Ga.
New York to issue 1,500 more marijuana business licenses
Relative of deceased Alabama marijuana licensee defends family, Curaleaf
Oregon Regulators Announce Changes to Certificate of Tax Compliance Rule
Massachusetts hemp license renewal applications are due by December 1
Applications for D.C. Medical Cannabis Business Licenses Open Nov. 1
New York to issue 1,500 more marijuana business licenses
Minnesota count of hemp businesses reaches 1,250
North Dakota regulators filed revised rules on medical cannabis business fees
Markets
Montana marijuana lab closes over compliance-software concern
Teamsters Local 777 Secures Tentative Agreements at Five Cresco Dispensaries
Curaleaf Moves Toward Potential TSX Uplisting
Tim Conder appointed permanent CEO of marijuana MSO Tilt Holdings
Dragonfly Wellness medical marijuana dispensary workers in Utah vote to unionize with UFCW
Leafly Regains Compliance with Nasdaq Minimum Bid Price Requirement
Trulieve Announces Retirement of President Steve White
Canopy, Tilray Close Deals as One Shrinks and the Other Grows
Marijuana producer Organigram files C$500 million shelf prospectus
International
British Columbia cannabis stores can now receive samples from producers
MediPharm Labs Launches new GMP Products to the Australian Medical Cannabis Market