Here's your week in local weed news, baby!
Maryland
Hoo boy did Curio get themselves in hot water this week! One of Maryland's first cultivators to open, holder of three licenses themselves, Curio Wellness filed a lawsuit Monday over Maryland's plans to issue more licenses to minority-owned businesses.
The idea was that Maryland was supposed to run a survey to see if more cannabis businesses were needed before issuing more licenses. They are skipping that step. I expect Curio's objection is purely financial.
But since MD is doing it in the interest of adding diversity like they always said they intended, the lawsuit was unpopular- even among other license-holders as nobody else joined the suit.
The Baltimore Sun reported that Curio has dropped the lawsuit after mounting pressure from social media and activists. Sounds like "Occupy Curio" is still on at their Timonium store today.
Washington DC
The long overdue SAFE Banking Act is a big step closer to passing after clearing the House Financial Services Committee by a vote of 45-15 this week.
This bill will allow state-legal cannabis businesses access to banking services like any other business (insurance too, possibly). Right now the US cannabis industry primarily deals in cash. Not only does that make tracking their financial records more difficult for tax purposes, it makes them targets for criminals.
I mean, most dispensaries are set up like little police outposts so you'd have to be out of your damn mind to try and rob one, but maybe you've got a whole crew and a Hans Gruber distraction planned. Right, and the only thing that stands in your way is me, a Gentleman in the wrong place at the wrong time, crawling around the air ducts of Nakatomi Tower with my feet full of glass and a gun duct-taped to my back. YIPPIE KI YAY MOTHER HUMPERS! That's what he said on a TV edit I saw.
Virginia
The Commonwealth is definitely not decriminalizing or legalizing marijuana this year, those bill have finally sputtered to their expected halt this week.
Twelve members of the notorious Jalisco New Generation Mexican cartel were indicted in Virginia. Authorities allege the group had recruited Mexican nationals to live in Axton and Winchester to aid in drug distribution- marijuana, heroin, and cocaine- throughout the Mid-Atlantic. One of them is nicknamed "The Barber." I'm guessing it's not for his sick fades. Yikes!
Bristol residents are leery of having their medical marijuana dispensary operate in the same space as a casino. The objections in this in-depth piece are heavily slanted against the casino. Community support for the dispensary is strong. Yay!