Gundersen took the helm of Maine’s cannabis regulation at a time when it was lagging behind Massachusetts – which also legalized adult use through a 2016 ballot question. Since then, Maine has emerged as a top weed producer in New England.
Erik Gundersen announced earlier this month that he was going to resign from his post. Less than a week later, his final day on the job was Friday, Oct. 7. Since then, OCP has yet to name a successor, but Deputy Director of Operations, Vern Malloch has been serving as interim director.
Maine’s getting a lot of looks from out-of-state investors. Is that because of a recent court ruling, or operators just doing it right?
A coalition of six organizations on the East and West Coasts joined forces this week to create the National Craft Cannabis Coalition.
Most Midwest states and New England sales totals generally stayed flat during the summer months.
The hammer finally dropped on Maine’s residency rule for medical operator ownership, after a federal appellate court found it in violation of the U.S. Constitution, striking it down.
Although a common refrain in states with nascent adult use markets is that the biggest competition comes from illicit sellers. In Maine, that competition largely comes from the medical caregiver market.
The case could also have crucial implications for cannabis’ current Schedule I status, because a ruling in favor of coverage for medical cannabis would indicate that cannabis has some medical benefit.
A significant change in the proposed rules would eliminate redundant tests for cannabis products. Edibles will also no longer be bound by the strict 10 mg limit for individual servings.
Industry experts like CannaBizIL executive director Pamela Althoff says May’s slight sales decrease isn’t a sign of bad things to come, but likely because workers returning to the office are consuming less cannabis than they would in the privacy of their own homes.
