35 minute read
NE LEAF POT LAW GUIDE
from Sept. 2020 - NE Leaf - Issue 01
by Northwest Leaf / Oregon Leaf / Alaska Leaf / Maryland Leaf / California Leaf / Northeast Leaf
NORTHEAST LEAF’S GUIDE TO CANNABIS LAWS LEARN THE RULES OF THE REGION IN THIS HELPFUL EXPLAINER
STORY by MIKE GIANAKOS @MIKEGEEZEEY
The West Coast has arguably been the center of the Cannabis world since California’s landmark Compassionate Use Act of 1996, which pioneered state approved marijuana programs. While the Western states have dominated marijuana-law reform for decades, which in turn has emboldened breeders out West to create some of the industry’s most celebrated strains, the legalization movement is, at long last, heading East. The eight states represented by Northeast Leaf magazine - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont - are all guided by differing Cannabis laws. Since this is our inaugural issue, it’s the perfect time to break down the rules of the region. Marijuana has momentum and the East Coast is embracing the green rush, so things can change quickly. But for now, here’s how things stand in the Northeast.
CONNECTICUT
Medical ( 2012 ) Decrim ( 2011 )
Connecticut does not have a recreational Cannabis program. However, if Gov. Ned Lamont had his way, pot prohibition would be a thing of the past in the Nutmeg State. Gov. Lamont is dedicated to legalizing Cannabis for adult use in Connecticut. Earlier this year, he introduced a bill that would tax and regulate marijuana, allowing for licensed cultivators, retailers and manufacturers, while creating admirable social equity programs. Unfortunately COVID-related government shutdowns caused the bill to stall for the time being.
Lamont’s predecessor, Gov. Dan Malloy, signed legislation decriminalizing Cannabis in June 2011 and the state legalized medical marijuana the following year. Connecticut’s nearly 42,000 registered patients can purchase medicine at one of the state’s 18 licensed dispensaries and possess up to two and a half ounces per month. Patients have access to flower, concentrates, edibles, topicals and tinctures. However, the program does not allow for cultivation, public consumption or reciprocity. There are also no delivery options currently available for medical patients.
Residents without a medical card are offered some protections thanks to decriminalization efforts in the state. Adults 21 or older in possession of up to half an ounce face only a $150 fine - no arrest or jail time. However, possession of over half an ounce can result in jail time, even for a first offense. Cultivation or distribution of any amount of Cannabis in Connecticut is a felony. Those caught growing or selling less than a kilogram face up to seven years and/or a $25,000 fine. Mandatory minimums kick in for cultivation or distribution of a kilo or more, with first time offenders facing 5-20 years. State law includes a sentence escalator of three years for growing or selling Cannabis within 1500 feet of an elementary or middle school, public housing project or daycare center.
MAINE
Recreational ( 2016 ) Medical ( 1999 & 2018 ) Decrim ( 1976 & 2009 )
After decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of Cannabis in 1976, Maine was among the first states to embrace medical marijuana when voters approved a medical law in 1999. In 2018, the program was greatly expanded (despite veto attempts by then-governor Paul LePage). The new law increased the number of dispensaries allowed to better serve the 60,000+ patients in the state and removed the qualifying conditions list, meaning any condition qualifies if a doctor believes Cannabis would be helpful. Additionally, patients can now possess eight pounds of medical marijuana, up from two and a half ounces, and grow up to six Cannabis plants. Maine’s medical pot program also offers reciprocity for patients from other states.
With decrim and medical marijuana laws on the books, Maine voters legalized Cannabis outright through a ballot initiative in November 2016. The recreational law permits adults 21 and older to possess Cannabis (up to two and a half ounces) and concentrates (up to five grams), and to grow up to three mature marijuana plants. It also allows for retail sales of Cannabis products.
Maine was one of four states - along with California, Massachusetts and Nevada - that passed adult-use Cannabis laws in 2016. While those other states have long since implemented retail sales, Maine has lagged behind thanks to vetoes - and general obstinacy - from officials, particularly former governor LePage. Recreational Cannabis sales should have begun 40 days after voters approved the state’s legalization initiative. Unfortunately, Mainers were deprived of the ability to purchase pot under LePage’s tenure. His successor, Gov. Janet Mills, signed a bill that finally established a framework for recreational Cannabis sales in the summer of 2019. Now, after a delay of nearly four years, officials expect retail sales to begin on October 9, 2020
MASSACHUSETTS
Voters in Massachusetts opted to legalize Cannabis in November 2016. The law allows adults 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of Cannabis or concentrates when outside their home, and up to 10 ounces of Cannabis and one and a half ounces of concentrates inside their home. Adults can also cultivate up to six plants per person and 12 plants per household. Edibles are limited to five milligrams of THC per serving and cannot exceed 20 servings, or 100mg of THC total.
The Bay State now has a fully integrated recreational Cannabis program complete with retail sales. However, the adult-use law initially faced some interference from officials who did not support legalization. Legislation was created to allow local governments to ban dispensaries from their town and delay issuing licenses for them, which pushed the first retail sales of legal pot to November 2018. Nonetheless, by the end of 2019, in just a little over a year, retail sales in Massachusetts produced approximately $71 million in tax revenue for the state.
Voters passed the state medical marijuana law in November 2012 and the first dispensaries opened in 2015. Registered patients can purchase a 60-day supply of medicine, which is defined as 10 ounces of flower and one and a half ounces of concentrates, tax free. Many dispensaries in the state offer delivery services. Patients can also choose to grow their own medicine.
Gov. Baker inadvertently created a renewed interest in the state’s medical program when he ordered retail Cannabis shops to close in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The temporary shutdown caused a 245% spike in patient registrations, as medical dispensaries remained open during the outbreak. Recreational sales returned in May, but the total number of registered patients in Massachusetts is now over 70,000. >> Continues pg. 30
MED
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Medical ( 2013 ) Decrim ( 2017 )
If it were up to New Hampshire’s House of Representatives, the Granite State would join several of its New England neighbors in embracing marijuana. Earlier this year, the House passed a bill that focused on allowing adults to possess and cultivate Cannabis, a legalization compromise since a tax and regulate bill was deemed unrealistic. Unfortunately, the state’s Senate managed to kill the bill without voting on it, with an assist from COVID-related shutdowns.
While residents strongly support legalizing Cannabis - with recent polling indicating 68% of the population favors full legalization - progress in reforming marijuana laws has been slow in New Hampshire. The state became the last in New England to legalize medical marijuana in 2013. However, the law approved by thengovernor Maggie Hassan is considered one of the country’s strictest, as home growing was outlawed and only patients with the most severe conditions qualified for the program. Medical dispensaries eventually opened in 2016, but only four locations were allowed and delivery service is not an option. Current governor, Chris Sununu, approved legislation that expanded the state’s qualifying conditions list in 2017. Still, the program leaves a great deal to be desired. Medical patients in New Hampshire can possess up to two ounces of flower or concentrates, but cannot purchase more than that amount in a 10-day period.
While the Senate and Gov. Sununu do not support legalization, New Hampshire did decriminalize Cannabis in 2017 when Sununu signed a bill into law that removed criminal charges for possession of up to three-quarters of an ounce of Cannabis. Now, getting caught with small amounts of pot in New Hampshire results in a civil violation and a fine. Last year, the state passed a law that allows those who were charged criminally for misdemeanor marijuana possession before decriminalization to have their records expunged. MED
MED
NEW JERSEY
Medical ( 2010 )
New Jersey appears to be on the brink of big things as full marijuana legalization is on the horizon. However, just a few years ago, New Jersey arrested more people for pot offenses than any other state. And while attitudes seem to be changing, the state has not managed to decriminalize Cannabis - meaning simple possession can still result in jail time.
The state legislature has considered a number of legalization bills in recent years and the current governor, Phil Murphy, supports taxing and regulating marijuana in the Garden State. Despite several efforts to pass Cannabis legislation, the House, the Senate and the governor couldn’t agree on a plan. Fortunately, the issue will now go directly to the voters, who have the opportunity to legalize recreational Cannabis and implement a tax and regulate plan for New Jersey. Legalization is expected to pass by ballot initiative in November 2020.
The state managed to pass a medical Cannabis program in 2010 when thengovernor Jon Corzine signed the bill on his last day in office. Incoming governor Chris Christie opposed the program and slowed its implementation. The law established a strict list of qualifying conditions and capped dispensaries at six for the entire state. Patients were allowed to begin registering for the program in 2012 and the first dispensary opened later that year. In 2019, Gov. Murphy approved legislation to reform the program by expanding its qualifying conditions, improving access to medicine, increasing limits on the cultivation and sale of Cannabis, and allowing for home delivery.
Patients in New Jersey are allowed to possess up to two ounces of Cannabis and concentrates, but cannot purchase more than that amount in a 30-day period. Marijuana edibles are only available to qualified patients under the age of 18, and patients and caregivers are prohibited from growing Cannabis.
NEW YORK
Medical ( 2014 ) Decrim ( 1977 & 2019 )
After New York’s draconian Rockefellerera drug laws took effect earlier in the decade, the state decriminalized in 1977, making the possession of up to 25 grams of marijuana a civil infraction punishable by fine. Decriminalization caused marijuana arrests to drop off initially. Unfortunately, possession of any amount of pot in public view remained a criminal violation, and that loophole was exploited in New York City starting in the late ‘90s, when marijuana arrests skyrocketed. Those arrests disproportionately affected minorities in the city.
Last year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill that expanded and improved decriminalization in New York. Now, possession of up to two ounces - even if in public view - is a civil violation, punishable by a $50-$200 fine. Additionally, the law automatically expunges records for previous minor marijuana possession convictions.
New York came close to legalizing Cannabis in 2019. Unfortunately, the state legislature couldn’t agree on a plan to regulate marijuana and the initiative failed. After falling just short in 2019, many New Yorkers believed legalization would pass in 2020. However, the coronavirus pandemic impacted the legislative session this year and legalization efforts stalled.
New York legalized medical Cannabis for qualified patients in 2014. Unfortunately, the program is very restrictive, even after reforms in 2017 that added PTSD and chronic pain to the list of qualifying conditions. To date, 10 companies have been approved to operate dispensaries, resulting in 37 locations that service the state’s 110,000 registered patients. Incredibly, only non-smokable forms of medical marijuana are allowed under the program’s rules. This means that patients do not have access to medicine in flower form. Ground flower intended for vaporization is available, along with capsules, sprays, topicals and cartridges. The medical Cannabis law also prohibits marijuana edibles. Home cultivation is, likewise, outlawed.
REC
RHODE ISLAND
Medical ( 2006 ) Decrim ( 2013 )
Rhode Island’s General Assembly has consistently dismissed bills to legalize Cannabis since 2011. Most recently in 2020, Gov. Gina Raimondo included a plan to regulate Cannabis in her annual budget. However, lawmakers in the Ocean State will not approve the governor’s latest plan, which included a proposal to distribute recreational marijuana through state-run dispensaries. Gov. Raimondo views regulated Cannabis as a means to generate much needed revenue for the state. Rhode Island residents have been making the short trip to neighboring Massachusetts, where Cannabis is legal, to purchase pot.
Former governor Lincoln Chafee signed a decriminalization bill in 2012 that made personal possession of up to an ounce of Cannabis a civil offense, punishable by a $150 fine. The law took effect the following year. Previously, minor marijuana offenses resulted in a criminal record and possible jail time.
Rhode Island legalized medical Cannabis in 2006 when the legislature overrode a veto by then-governor Donald Carcieri. The state’s nearly 19,000 registered patients can purchase medical pot products tax-free at licensed compassion centers. Currently, there are three dispensaries operating in Rhode Island, but lawmakers recently approved adding six additional locations. State law prohibits delivery services and limits patients to purchasing no more than two and a half ounces every 15 days.
Registered patients are allowed to possess two and a half ounces of medical Cannabis products - flower, concentrate or edible - at one time. Patients can also choose to grow Cannabis and are permitted to have as many as 12 flowering plants and 12 seedlings. Those who grow their own marijuana are required to register the location of their grow with the state and tag their plants to comply with Rhode Island’s medical marijuana plant tracking system. Non-residents with medical Cannabis cards can purchase marijuana at Rhode Island’s dispensaries.
VERMONT
In 2013, Vermont removed criminal penalties for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. Five years later, it became the first state to legalize Cannabis through the legislative process when Gov. Phil Scott signed its adultuse bill into law in 2018. Adults 21 and older in the Green Mountain State can possess up to an ounce of Cannabis and five grams of concentrates. The law also allows for personal cultivation of “two mature and four immature marijuana plants” per household. Harvested Cannabis kept in the growroom doesn’t count toward the one ounce possession limit.
Sales of recreational Cannabis, however, are not allowed in Vermont. Since the state’s legalization bill passed in 2018, advocates have called on lawmakers to create a regulated system that would enable retail sales. A bill to regulate and tax Cannabis is close to being approved by the state legislature. The coronavirus pandemic has delayed their progress and, as we go to press, lawmakers have yet to reconvene. Still, many are hopeful a plan for sales can move forward this year. An economic report on potential retail sales in Vermont estimates the state could collect more than $175 million in tax revenue by 2025 if sales were implemented in early 2021.
Vermont legalized medical marijuana in 2004. Since the program began, the law has been expanded and improved. Bills that added qualifying conditions, an additional statelicensed dispensary and a delivery option for patients, passed in 2014, 2016 and 2017. Registered patients in Vermont can possess up to two ounces of Cannabis, and can grow two mature and seven immature plants. Medical marijuana sales in Vermont are not subject to tax and the state’s five dispensaries service around 4,500 patients. A sixth dispensary will be allowed to open when the state reaches 7,000 registered patients.
Illustration by Jurassic Blueberries
language barriers
Calling a particular product sativa or indica is much like describing a wine by its vine. It is interesting information if you enjoy plant morphology, but falls short when relaying the nuances of effect, aroma and taste.
Yet here we are today, drowning in the vagueness of these words. They are marketed on every item and muttered by the bulk of budtenders. From dispensaries to the mainstream media, we can’t escape these persistent plant identifiers.
The terms sativa and indica have come a long way from their original definitions: ones that focused on geographical origin and plant structure. Despite a constant flow of community conversation on the matter, they remain widely misused.
In a 1753 publication titled Species
Plantarum (one of the first works to present a system of scientific nomenclature), a
Swedish botanist named Carl Linnaeus introduced the name Cannabis sativa. At that time, Linnaeus described but one species of hemp (of the sativa variety). It wasn’t until
European naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck listed another in 1785 that the world was introduced to “Cannabis indica.”
A British Medical Journal piece by editor Geoff Watts explains that Lamarck originally distinguished Cannabis sativa from the indica variety “on the basis of several characteristics including their firm stems, thin bark, and the shape of their leaves and flowers.” In a 2016 publication called Cannabis Taxonomy: The Sativa vs. Indica Debate, Robert Clarke and Dr. Mark Merlin observe that Lamarck named the second species Cannabis indica - meaning ‘Cannabis from India’ - after the first wave of this “highly psychoactive plant” reached Europe. While Linnaeus observed the hemp-like, narrow-leafed, low THC characteristics of Europe’s plants being grown for fiber, Lamarck documented India’s wide-leafed, high-potency plants grown for hashish. The high-potency plants that were observed as “indica” may have something to do with the classification’s reputation as heavy hitting and sleepy. Originally grown for their fiber production and low THC, sativas became well known as light or uplifting.
This knowledge gives us insight into the way these words are used today. But our scientific evidence has grown a great deal since the 18th century, and we now have access to a neverending network of information at our fingertips. It’s easier than ever to learn about strain lineage, cannabinoids, terpenes, and the synergy of mechanisms like the entourage effect that affect the human body far beyond what simplified categories of Cannabis can relay.
So, why do brands and budtenders alike cling to terms taken from 18th century definitions? These classifications were never put down on paper as a way to describe effects and if they were, years of evolution and breeding would have rendered them obsolete in the 2020 market.
There’s no question that regulation has played a part in the industry simplification of classifying Cannabis. Companies can’t legally make medical claims and are limited in how they describe products. The State of Oregon doesn’t require terpene testing either, so many companies don’t see the need to test every product for a complete profile. With only parts of the puzzle (like THC and CBD) required on Oregon Cannabis labels, it is admittedly difficult to assess the outcome of particular products. “There are biochemically distinct strains of Cannabis, but the sativa/indica distinction as commonly applied in the lay literature is total nonsense and an exercise in futility. One cannot in any way currently guess the biochemical content of a given Cannabis plant based on its height, branching, or leaf morphology...It is essential that future commerce allows complete and accurate cannabinoid and terpenoid profiles to be available.”
-Dr. Ethan Russo
The solution? Consumer education and conscientious company branding. Educate your staff, encourage terpene testing and take time to use alternative product descriptors. Tempted to describe a strain’s effects as sativa? Try terms like uplifting, focused or energetic. Got an inclination to say indica? Try talking about sleepiness, heaviness or relaxation. There are a plethora of descriptors that will avoid rustling regulator’s feathers over medical claims. When thorough terpene testing isn’t available, there are many ways to read about common cultivar characteristics.
Clarifying that there is no need to throw out the terms sativa and indica should soothe any sour feelings this far into the conversation - after all, they are irrefutably relevant to growers and breeders identifying the morphological characteristics of plants. But drastically limiting the use of this tacky terminology on the consumer side would serve this and future Cannabis communities well. Generalizing the massive variety of benefits is damaging to normalization efforts, the medical movement and consumerism alike. Narrowing presentation down to sativa, indica or hybrid severely limits the long list of incredibly valuable effects Cannabis can provide.
Amanda Day is a multimedia artist and journalist based in Eugene, OR who has worked for Leaf Nation since 2019.
CANNA
PROVISIONS
Vision meets knowhow with the new vanguard of independent recreational Cannabis retailing in the Northeast.
For consumers of the Northeast’s legal recreational market, particularly in Western Massachusetts, Canna Provisions needs little introduction. If it’s needed however, try to imagine what happens when you mix deep and results driven expertise in Cannabis retail operations management with the freedom fighting Cannabis activist spirit, as well as a value system deeply focused on integrity, community and the deep humanism found at the center of Cannabis culture. That’s Canna Provisions.
>> Canna Provisions’ Holyoke location offers a gallery experience.
The operation is led by CEO Meg Sanders and COO Erik Williams, a duo recognized as two of the preeminent independent Cannabis retailers and entrepreneurs in the country after launching and operating a dozen or so Cannabis businesses over the last decade. With their stores in Lee, Easthampton (which is currently operating but awaiting an official name change to Canna Provisions) and Holyoke operating at full steam, the brand is actively creating a name for itself by thoughtfully executing a new vision for the retail experience in the Northeast.
“We’re committed to the beauty of providing customer service in the most thoughtful way possible,” says CEO Meg Sanders. “Canna Provisions provides an exceptional consumer experience no matter what your relationship is with the plant. We believe people should be assisted side-by-side with an experienced guide while exploring the different products available. We’re unique in that we simply meet consumers where they are on their Cannabis path and better their journey.”
And with well over 200 products (and growing) their guides have to know their stuff. Between state licensing, compliance and customer service training, staff and guides are continually training up on the product roster, common consumer questions and solutions, as well as a variety of additional programs and platforms. The average Canna Provisions guide has over 80 hours of training before hitting the floors. >> Continues pg. 36
continued from pg. 35 CANNA
PROVISIONS
The expansive and curated craft Cannabis menu is led in scope by Chief Marketing Officer Sean Curley - a known fixture for years in the Berkshires and greater New England Cannabis culture.
His niche sourcing in tandem with Meg and Erik’s reputations, relationships and experience bringing some of the more exciting products from bench to market in the national landscape, has become the hallmark of the brand’s place in the pantheon of Mass grass.
“We’re not just saying it, there is no other dispensary experience like this, period,” says COO Erik Williams. “Meg and I have done big things in Cannabis which can’t be taken away, and the only reason we got back into operations - after having done dispensaries several times already - was the opportunity to COO Erik Williams & CEO Meg Sanders make a big splash with Canna Provisions in a way nobody has done before or is doing in this state.”
He adds: “This is a company centered on customer service. I don’t know a thing we’re doing wrong, some we can do better, but there is nothing we’re not putting on the table for our customers.”
THE NEW STANDARD OF CANNABIS RETAILING IN NEW ENGLAND
Since opening the first Canna Provisions store in July of 2019, nestled just off I-90 on the Mass Pike minutes from the New York state border, there’s been a slew of big ‘firsts.’ Among them: the first brand with three adultuse stores under their management and the first adultuse store to open in Holyoke, Mass. - a soon-to-be stronghold of recreational Cannabis retailing courtesy of a mayor who sees the town as the future Amsterdam of New England.
Another hallmark is the boon of experience and hands-in-the-dirt knowhow of the growing Cannabis industry at large. Sanders and Williams earned their stripes in Colorado, Illinois, Florida, California and more, and have extensive experience launching Cannabis companies and brands across the United States. Sanders helped open one of Colorado’s first dispensaries in 2010 and was among key stakeholders who assisted then-Gov. John Hickenlooper and state officials in developing retail Cannabis laws. Williams, in addition to being a longtime political consultant across the country, served as Founder of the Connecticut NORML, where he led decriminalization efforts and was integral in passing Connecticut’s medical marijuana law through its legislature. Connecticut was the first state to pass medical Cannabis through the actual legislature, which changed everything. After 2012 came Illinois in 2013, then NY in 2014, then Florida in 2015 and so on.
>> The Easthampton location is a kind of psychedelic experience.
In short: if you have a state with legal craft Cannabis access in the US, Sanders and Williams have most likely had a direct role in it.
At the same time, their ascension as a new kind of dispensary in the growing Massachusetts scene has them continually in pole position as the lap car to watch. And that core attention to guided Cannabis purchasing experiences for consumers - versus simply slinging leaf via a transactional meat grinder counter service - is the key driver for their ongoing success.
Yet there’s still one secret weapon Sanders, Williams and Curley have yet to reveal until now…
CHEM DOG COMETH, AND HE’S BRINGING THE GENETICS
As much as Sanders and Williams can take credit for helping launch the stateby-state legal market to begin with, Chem Dog can take credit as the father of top shelf kind bud in America.
For those that need a refresher on who Chem Dog is and how his quarter-century of influence in Cannabis is still seen as a game changer, here’s a short version courtesy of a 2016 High Times feature by our own ‘Danny Danko’ - former cultivation editor for the magazine:
It’s June 1991 in Deer Creek, Indiana, and the Grateful Dead and their entourage are pulling into town for a two-night run...As the story goes, Chem met P-Bud and Joe Brand on the lot in Deer Creek and purchased an ounce of a strain called Dogbud for $500. Later, he asked Joe to mail a few more ounces to him in Western Massachusetts, one of which contained 13 magic seeds...When Chem got home from the tour, he popped the first four of the 13 seeds. One plant was a male and unfortunately discarded. The three females were dubbed “Chem Dog” (now known as the Chem 91), “Chem Dog A” (now Chem’s Sister)
CANNAPROVISIONS LEE 220 HOUSATONIC ST. LEE, MA (413) 394-5055 CANNAPROVISIONS HOLYOKE 380 DWIGHT ST. HOLYOKE, MA (413) 650-2500 THE VERB IS HERB EASTHAMPTON “...at the end of the day, it’s the 74 COTTAGE ST. EASTHAMPTON, MA (413) 327-9393 CANNAPROVISIONSGROUP.COM leadership and experience in the national market that serves as the star at the center of the “I really wanna bring quality and the most tasty and exclusive strains to the Massachusetts recreationCanna Provisions universe.” al market,” says Chem. “Being from Massachusetts drives me more to bring quality to the people. Trust Bay State, that Canna Provisions ticked off all the boxes. me we are going to be all gas, no wang.” and “Chem Dog B.” The 91 immediately became Additionally, Chem’s award winning the clone-only Chems and other very tasty favorites, the most desirable and went on to serve as a parent and masterful glass creations are being but the famously press-shy master grower doesn’t want for many of the most popular strains of the last 25 exclusively sold in western Massachusetts at to spoil the fun yet. “We’ll be starting with over 60 years, including Sour Diesel, OG Kush and their many Canna Provisions. The Holyoke store has different kinds of seeds of all different stuff from other offspring.” visually striking displays of upcycled former breeders. We’re going to do a huge pheno hunt of my
Fast forward through a lot of time and legal troubles manufacturing floor desks and cabinets seed stash I have been hoarding, too. It’s going to be associated with a long run in the black market, last of yesteryear reclaimed from within the a pretty sick pheno hunt,” he says. autumn, Chem Dog and Curley connected and a new 150 year old former paper mill. As the first But at the end of the day, it’s the leadership and expartnership was born. adult-use Cannabis retailer to open in the perience in the national market that serves as the star
“We’re doing our best to maintain the path black Paper City, the Independence Day opening at the center of the Canna Provisions universe. And market trailblazers like Chem Dog laid before us, and weekend demonstrated what over $1 milwith a swelling roster of employees, partnerships with demonstrate how we can now embolden those icons lion in investment back into a town and the craft farmers and onboarding of exciting new partners and top tier local players, and even begin to work historic property looks like in legal weed. like Chem Dog, it’s the vision of Sanders and Williams together with them for the benefit of the Cannabis The introduction of Chem Dog into that serves as the beating heart of the company. community at large,” says Curley. Canna Provisions 100-staff and growing “I chose to work with them after a few meetings,”
“We have a commitment to honor the culture and strong army is something of a full circle says Chem. “Seeing their vision and passion being the people and the trailblazers that came before us, for Sanders and Williams. They’ve seen in line with my own and we both want to provide the as well as the spirit of what voters of Massachusetts it all from seed to sale in every form in best possible product we can achieve. I think we can voted on when legalizing Cannabis via the passing of legal Cannabis, so the deployment of their do that together. Meg and Erik are not your average Question 4 in 2016.” expertise and embracing of Chem Dog’s owners, and if everybody [in Cannabis] had people
Chem decided, once assessing his own goals and mastery of the craft of cultivation means big like Meg and Erik running their business, this whole the road ahead for the craft Cannabis market in the things are on the horizon. industry would be in a way better spot.” No wang indeed. He says he’s planning some of
With cultivation centers in Lee and Sheffield currently DAN MCCARTHY is a longtime Boston area freelance journalist, Cannabis content creator and brand consultant, under construction, Canna Provisions’ first Director of and editor-at-large. His work has been featured in Esquire, DigBoston, The Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, The Boston Institute for Cultivation is itching to get his hands in the dirt. Non-Profit Journalism, VICE, Leafly News, Thrillist, Pacific Standard, Sensi Boston, and many others.
BLUEBERRY
GREENLEAF COMPASSION CENTER
Q&A | CEO JULIO VALENTIN
Ten years after receiving one of the first medical marijuana dispensary and grower licenses in New Jersey, a veteran of the military and law enforcement turned Cannabis pioneer is ready to speak about how he and his team took on the system and overcame the odds.
IN THE HEART of downtown Montclair, Greenleaf Compassion Center buzzes as a hub of essential medical Cannabis retail activity, even during a pandemic.
A line of patients, all masked and socially distanced, winds out the door and down Bloomfield Avenue as I sit down to talk to Julio Valentin about his long and winding road to become a successful Cannabis entrepreneur.
The lobby and waiting area of Greenleaf resemble a doctor’s office more than a headshop or typical dispensary. Patients wait to talk with trained specialists who help them choose the right strains from more than a dozen options. One of the first six licensed nonprofits in 2010, Greenleaf was the first up and running in December 2012 - and the only one in the heart of a city (the others are in industrial parks).
I ask Julio about the two-year delay in opening up.
“Gov. Corzine signed the medical marijuana legislation on his way out the door. Then the Christie Administration tried to sabotage and bankrupt the industry by making us jump through ridiculous hoops. When we first received the application, it looked like a Bible! We had to pay rent for over two years with no buildout on the dispensary or the grow location. We were forced to set up as nonprofits, but with no access to banking or loans.” >> Continues pg. 40
producer profile GREENLEAF COMPASSION CENTER continued from pg. 39 JULIO’S JOURNEY U L I O T E L L S M E H E WA S B R O U G H T U P “ O L D S C H O O L . ” He enlisted in the Army Reserve straight out of high school in 1987, joining the Newark Police Department in 1989. In 1997, he started the Eclectic Cafe in Montclair and retired from law enforcement three years later. Having the restaurant for 16 years gave him a unique foothold and he found Montclair to be safe, diverse and welcoming. When it came time to open Greenleaf Compassion Center, he knew it had to be in the heart of the town that had been so open and accepting. He also insisted on providing discounts to veterans and low-income residents. J “Many of my former law enforcement officer colleagues are very supportive,” says Julio when asked how those he used to work with perceive his new profession. “You’d be surprised how many of them understand that this is medicine. I’ve still never tried it. That might be hard to believe, but it’s true. I’ve seen it benefit friends and family, and I could see firsthand that the medicinal uses are real.” As the tears come, he continues, “My father, the most ‘old-school’ as you could meet, died just last February. I was able to help him and it took away a lot of his pain.” 40 I wanted to know more about what he has learned in his decade as a pioneer, and if he has advice for others looking to get into the business. “We had to teach the State everything about Cannabis,” Julio tells me. “We were the guinea pigs. You have to be very patient and continue to educate everyone around you as to the medical benefits and patients’ needs. We had over 60 employees at one point. That’s down to about 48 now due to the COVID pandemic, but it’s still a lot to manage, so be aware of how much real work goes into running a Cannabis business.”
EXPANDING PRODUCTS
Julio is all too familiar with the challenges faced due to overregulation by the State of New Jersey. “At the beginning, we could only grow three strains and only enough flower for registered patients,” he says. “At the time it was only around 2,000 people. Others had to shut down at times, but we’ve never failed our patients. Also, patients have to register with a single dispensary, but can change it all the time. It’s silly the way they set it up. They had no clue. When Gov. Murphy came in, he campaigned on making progress with medical marijuana, but he still wouldn’t let us open more dispensaries to take care of more patients. We still can’t make or sell any types of concentrates!”
Having heard rumors that Greenleaf was being sold to a large multi-state Cannabis dispensary corporation, I wondered why Julio was getting out of the business just as it seems to be gaining steam on the East Coast. He tells me that the rumors are true, although he can’t discuss the particulars. “Danny, recreational adult use of Cannabis will likely pass this year in New Jersey, with implementation starting next year,” he assures me. “We’re a ‘Mom-and-Pop’ - it’s just me and my partners - and these huge corporations are coming in whether people like it or not. We’re not going to be capable of keeping up with tremendously increased demands. I can see the writing on the wall and that’s why I’m selling.”
GREENLEAF COMPASSION CENTER 395 BLOOMFIELD AVE. MONTCLAIR, NJ (973) 337-5670 GREENLEAFCOMPASSION.COM
- J U L I O VA L E N T I N
CBD RICH AC/DC
G R OW I N G G R E E N L E A F
WE TAKE A 45-MINUTE RIDE TO THE GROW and meet up with Greenleaf’s Head of Cultivation, Ricardo Luis, for a rare and exclusive tour of the facility. The 7,000 square feet of different grow spaces were all built out in just two months.
They created a warehouse inside a warehouse, with all walls and ceilings built from four inch thick insulated panels and 16-gauge steel on both sides, as well as floor drains in each room.
There are eight flowering rooms, seven at around 500 square feet (16’x32’) and one at 900 square feet. Another 900 square foot room serves as a mother plant area and a separate clone room features fluorescent lighting to keep down costs and heat.
Ricardo explains that keeping things compartmentalized allows for perpetual harvesting and helps isolate any possible issues that can arise with mold or pests. New Jersey’s Department of Health monitors have access to the cameras in every room, 24 hours a day.
Reverse osmosis (RO) well water goes through multiple sediment filters and UV until true purity is achieved. Plants are grown in coco coir in three gallon air pots that sit in plastic trays for drainage. They are fed twice a day and flushed once a week through two drip emitters per plant. The plants stay in their vegetative stage for three weeks under metal halide (MH) lighting, until they’re ready to start the nine-week flowering process.
Flower rooms are lit with double-ended 1000- watt HPS lights and kept cool using a five-ton HVAC split with CO2 piped into rooms from a large tank outside the building. Two 180-190 pint dehumidifiers in each room, 12-inch exhaust with 12-inch HEPA filters and wall-mounted circulating fans keep air moving and the climate at ideal levels. Ricardo uses Autopilot units for temperature/humidity and CO2 level monitoring and control.
Asking Ricardo about Greenleaf’s harvesting and processing protocol, he shares the intricacies of the process he has fine tuned. “When the flowers are ready to harvest, we hang whole plants in our climate controlled drying room for one to two weeks. Then they’re broken down into branches for another one to two weeks, drying with temperature kept between 65-67 degrees and relative humidity at 50%. A free-flowing HEPA filter keeps things clean. After harvest, we decontaminate every inch of every room. Everything is removed and disinfected. Even the fans are taken apart. Everything.”
In the processing room, flowers are handtrimmed by a crew that works nonstop to ensure quality and freshness. Finished buds are weighed and packaged to prepare them for sale in the dispensary.
The new owners plan to expand the cultivation operations considerably, so keep an eye out for big changes coming to the New Jersey Cannabis marketplace.
