Week of February 17 - February 23, 2024
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?
You've come to the right place.
Hashing Out the Truth
CRB Monitor’s database growth by the numbers.
Tier 1 Marijuana-Related Business Counts
Weekly Summary (February 17- February 23, 2024):
75,983 1A MRBs + 3,946 1B MRBs = 79,929 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.
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.
Adverse Media
Mississippi Revoking Rapid Analytics’ License
Judge Bars Convicted Hemp Co. Exec From Securities Trade
Alaska Pot Dispensary Owner Charged With COVID Aid Fraud
'Gullible' Lender Wins $2.8M Judgment Against Cannabis Co.
Colorado Issues Warning for Qualis Cultivation Flower
California Regulators Recall Cypress Manufacturing Flower for Aspergillus
Roundtrip Flower Recalled in California for Aspergillus
Vermont Warns of Pesticides in Cognizant Sparks Flower
Litigation
$17M Eaze Penalty Casts Dark Shadow on Cannabis Credit Card Payments
Cannabis Workers Say Glass House Imposed Quotas, Didn't Pay Up
Bong Co. Can't Win Against Shop That Didn't Appear In Court
Cookies sued again by cannabis retail partner in $100 million dispute
Cannabis CEOs Wasted Wealthy Russian's Money, Suit Claims
Pot Cos. Say They'll Be Ruined Unless Detroit Facility Opens
Pot Shop Says Trade Group CEO Bungled License Bid
Tenn. Jury Sides With Cops Over Raids On Legal CBD Shops
Legalization & Regulation
States Not Waiting for Hemp Cannabinoid Lawsuits to Resolve
Arizona bill targets ‘predatory tactics’ toward marijuana social equity licensees
Maine bill seeks to stop large-scale illegal cannabis operations; opponents say it is flawed, racist
Congresswoman Says Rescheduling Could Set Full Federal Legalization Back ‘Another 50 Years’
Alaska regulators adopted changes to rules on marijuana business security interest transfers
New Hampshire House Passes Marijuana Legalization Bill
Bill introduced to target foreign ownership of Oklahoma land
Arkansas Attorney General Approves Revised Medical Marijuana Expansion Initiative
NM cannabis regulation bill aims to provide safer industry practices, protect consumers
Missouri regulators extend a variance for marijuana packaging and labeling compliance
RI Gov. Puts Marijuana Business Tax Deduction In Budget As Partial Federal 280E Workaround
Licensing Related
New York is Finally Back to Issuing Licenses
Ohio marijuana regulator plans to begin issuing recreational marijuana business licenses on Sept. 7
Ascend Wellness Agrees to Buy Second Cultivation License in Massachusetts
Black farmer medical marijuana licenses back in play for 2024 Session
Opinion: What to consider when buying a Florida medical cannabis business license
Markets
Massachusetts Cannabis Regulators Plan to Address Growing Vendor Debt
CanPay Strengthens Technology Behind Its Cannabis Payments Platform
Investigation finds evidence that cannabis consumers aren't being protected from pesticides
Schwazze Appoints Forrest Hoffmaster as Interim Chief Executive Officer
RI marijuana growers make campaign donations to legislative leaders and governor
Canadian recreational cannabis sales surpass CA$5 billion in 2023
Amuse Cannabis Workers Join Teamsters
Greenway Announces New CFO
Metrc Announces New Track-And-Trace Government Contract with Kentucky
Silver Spike Investment Reduces Cannabis Business Exposure with Deal to Buy Loan Portfolio
Marijuana lender AFC Gamma splitting into two companies
Aurora Cannabis appoints new chief financial officer, consolidates shares
International
Germany’s Parliament Approves Marijuana Legalization Bill
Canada cannabis wholesalers must garnish payments over unpaid taxes
Canadian government hiking cannabis regulatory fees in April
First-Ever Legal Exports of THC From Jamaica to the United States