Category: Social Equity

Long-awaited Maryland lottery awards first social equity cannabis licenses, two counties still delayed due to litigation

Mar 25, 2024

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by

LJ Dawson

in Business, Featured, Maryland, Outlaw Report, Politics, Social Equity

After a 73-day delay, Maryland held its first cannabis lottery for adult-use licenses on March 14, 2024. The lottery awarded 174 lucky applicants dispensary, grower or processor licenses. This was the first opportunity for new businesses to enter the market since adult-use cannabis was legalized last summer. Until now, only existing medical dispensaries that expanded to…
Maryland to social equity cannabis license lottery goes live: WATCH NOW

Mar 14, 2024

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by

LJ Dawson

in Business, Featured, Maryland, Outlaw Report, Politics, Social Equity

WATCH the MCA cannabis license lottery live. The Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) announced lottery drawings for social equity cannabis licenses is being held. This is the first opportunity for new businesses to get adult-use licenses since legalization last summer. The lottery comes after a two and half month delay. It was supposed to be held…
Maryland to hold social equity lottery this week for cannabis licenses despite lawsuits

Mar 11, 2024

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by

LJ Dawson

in Business, Featured, Maryland, Outlaw Report, Politics, Social Equity

The Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) announced last week that the lottery drawings for social equity cannabis licenses will be held on Thursday, Mar. 14, 2024. This is the first opportunity for new businesses to get adult-use licenses since legalization last summer. The lottery comes after a two and half month delay. It was supposed to…
Multi-state cannabis operator fined $55,000 in Maryland for skipping ownership approval

Mar 7, 2024

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by

LJ Dawson

in Business, Featured, Maryland, Outlaw Report, Politics, Social Equity

Maryland cannabis company Holistic Industries Inc. was fined $55,000 for failing to get approval before transferring ownership interests in its subsidiaries. The Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) announced the consent order in February. They are a multistate operator. According to the companies own website, they have 15 legal stores in five different states including three in…
Maryland cannabis lottery faces potential new delay as social equity applicant sues MCA

Mar 5, 2024

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by

LJ Dawson

in Business, Featured, Maryland, Outlaw Report, Politics, Social Equity

A new lawsuit filed against The Maryland Cannabis Administration threatens to delay the lottery after another separate lawsuit failed to get an injunction in February. A previous lawsuit filed by Jeffery Jensen, a lawyer with a history of bringing social equity lawsuits against states, failed to get an injunction last month. Andrew Garrison, chief of…
Maryland is the next victim caught in California lawyer’s web of social equity cannabis lawsuits

Feb 11, 2024

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by

LJ Dawson

in Business, Featured, Maryland, New York, Outlaw Report, Social Equity

Maryland is the most recent victim of a California lawyer and cannabis entrepreneur’s serial suing of state cannabis social equity programs. Jeffrey Jensen filed a lawsuit on behalf of his wife Justyna Jensen, both of whom live in Pasadena, California. Jensen claims that the Maryland Cannabis Administration’s requirement of state residency to qualify for social…
The new D.C. entrepreneurs planning to grow your weed and make your rice krispie treats

Nov 25, 2023

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by

LJ Dawson

in Business, Featured, Outlaw Report, Social Equity, Washington, D.C.

The Outlaw spoke with four recipients of conditional cannabis licenses for growers and manufacturers in Washington, D.C. Since May 2023, 76 cultivation centers and 65 manufacturers applied to be licensed under D.C.’s medical cannabis expansion law, according to the Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration. The application round ended on Oct. 30 but businesses are still…
ABCA begins to wrangle D.C.’s wild west cannabis market

Nov 1, 2023

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by

LJ Dawson

in Featured, Maryland, Outlaw Report, Social Equity, Virginia, Washington, D.C.

The much anticipated third licensing round of D.C.’s expanded medical cannabis program opened this morning. By the end of today, the Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Board received 20 applications for retail licenses and one internet retailer license, according to the agency. The unlicensed operator application round is supposed to sweep up all the sketchy, sometimes…
MD hemp industry strikes back at new legal market; Mastercard tells banks to stop allowing recreational cannabis purchases; SAFE Banking alive but motionless as Congress hits recess

Jul 31, 2023

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by

LJ Dawson

in Federal, Maryland, Newsletter, Outlaw Report, Social Equity, Virginia, Washington, D.C.

Catch the Smoke: July 31, 2023 Please send all tips, comments and feedback to info@outlawreport.com. Mastercard shuts door on cannabis A loophole that allowed debit card users to purchase recreational cannabis with their debit cards has been shut down by Mastercard. This highlights yet again one of the industries biggest struggles: lack of access to…
24 D.C. social equity licenses conditionally approved; MD goes after hemp derived market; SAFE Banking Act stalled again

Jul 24, 2023

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by

LJ Dawson

in Maryland, Newsletter, Outlaw Report, Social Equity, Virginia, Washington, D.C.

Catch the Smoke: July 24, 2023 Please send all tips, comments and feedback to info@outlawreport.com. D.C. powers ahead with expansion Another 24 businesses were publicly listed and approved for conditional social equity licenses for cultivation and manufacturing licenses in the ABCA Board July 19 meeting. Their conditional licenses will allow them a year to meet full requirements and secure a…
39 D.C.conditional social equity licenses award in 1st round; D.C. council expands requirements; MD sales hit $21M in first adult-use week

Jul 17, 2023

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by

LJ Dawson

in Newsletter, Outlaw Report, Social Equity

Catch the Smoke: June 17, 2023 DC awards 39 conditional social equity licenses The first round of D.C. social equity licenses was awarded. Twenty cultivation centers, 18 manufacturers and one courier were granted conditional licenses, meaning they must still submit paperwork for location and undergo a public comment period before their licenses are final. An…
D.C. City Council listens, expands cannabis social equity license requirements

Jul 13, 2023

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by

LJ Dawson

in Featured, Outlaw Report, Social Equity, Washington, D.C.

The District of Columbia’s cannabis industry is coming out of the shadows after almost eight years functioning under the I-71 initiative – a law that allowed cannabis to be gifted in small amounts. A plethora of gray market shops appeared, selling all sorts of trinkets or services with a ‘gift’ of cannabis on the side. …