Census Bureau Delves Into Weed Business Growth, Alabama Cannabis Licensing Saga Continues And Other Reg Updates

Alabama Cannabis Licensing Saga Continues

Another Alabama medical cannabis business is taking legal action against the state regulator for its faulty cannabis licensing process, reported FoxNews.

Alabama Always LLC was not among the businesses the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission awarded the licenses to recently when it reopened the stalled process that was stopped in June and has been burdened by legal hurdles since then.

Now the medical marijuana operator is seeking a temporary restraining order to block the licenses from being issued.

The commissioners "retreated into executive session, only to emerge three and a half hours later and ratify a slate of applicants that it had voted on during executive session," Friday's filing stipulates. "It is painfully clear now that the Commission continues to believe that it can conduct its business privately and observe the (Open Meetings Act) only by violating it."

In July, Alabama Always, which invested $5 million in a Montgomery-based marijuana cultivation and processing facility, accused the commission of improperly deleting meeting recordings, which it considers to be key evidence for the case.

Inside The First-Ever Injunction Against A New Mexico Marijuana Business

New Mexico cannabis regulator filed its first-ever injunction against the marijuana business earlier this month for violating two significant rules, reported KOB.

A judge gave a green light for the Albuquerque-based dispensary Sawmill Sweet Leaf to close on Monday.

Why? The store was allegedly selling cannabis products that were bought outside of New Mexico, which is against the law. The business also used a closed-loop extractor without a license.

"We believed that also individually posed a great public risk," Robert Sachs, a Cannabis Control Division attorney said. "So taken together, you know, we thought that we needed to, you know, take a further step than we normally do."

No Weed For Judicial Staff: New Jersey's Chief Justice Blocks Marijuana Industry Employment

Working in the cannabis industry is off-limits for judiciary employees as well as those looking to work in a casino or bars, ruled Chief Justice Stuart Rabner recently, reported New Jersey Monitor.

Not Everyone Agrees

"Recognizing the litigation surrounding cannabis and the risk of judiciary employees or a judge or otherwise having any interest as operators obviously compromises partiality," said attorney Joshua Bauchner. "I think recognizing that, [Rabner] wants to ensure that there wasn't any kind of appearance of propriety in the face of all this litigation."

Census Bureau Delves Into Marijuana Business Growth

Meanwhile, to keep pace with the rapidly evolving business landscape, the U.S. Census Bureau is updating its survey of American companies by including comprehensive data on marijuana-related economic activity, reported Marijuana Moment.

The ongoing 2022 Economic Census is allowing businesses to acknowledge their involvement in the cannabis industry. This survey specifically asks about companies' operations during the previous year.

The "options to select cannabis as a primary business activity are available to retail and wholesale establishments," the bureau said on its website.

Additional survey responses seek to understand the economic contribution of marijuana products and services provided by cannabis businesses.

To learn more about the latest regulatory changes and challenges many marijuana businesses still face, join as at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago on Sept 27-28 for its 17th edition. Get your tickets today before prices go up and secure a spot at the epicenter of cannabis investment, culture and branding.

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