Arkansas Allows for More Permits and Authorities Raid Fresno

LOS ANGELES - July 27, 2020 - PRLog -- California, city police, along with the state's Bureau of Cannabis Control, raid an illegal gathering of marijuana customers and at least seven different vendors in Fresno. Authorities seized more than 130 pounds of cannabis product, 2,000 dollars in cash, and six firearms worth over 70,000 dollars total from the illicit marijuana farmer's market. A complaint filed with the county's district attorney led to the bust, which experts predict is indicative of broader overall enforcement efforts. While many believe these types of events, along with illegal delivery services, are harder to detect, the recent raid is expected to be the first of many.

Rhode Island, Green Peaks Analytical of Warwick is awarded the first MMJ testing license in the state, in an effort to improve marijuana product safety for cultivators and dispensaries who have been conducting tests themselves or working with private labs. Green Peaks is a division of RI Analytical Labs, which have been testing water and soil for environmental compliance since 1976. The move comes as regulators open up the application process for six more cannabis retail licenses to supplement the state's three existing vertically-integrated companies.

In Arkansas, five medical cannabis cultivators sue state regulators over the issuance of three additional business licenses. While state law allows for eight grower permits to be granted, the plaintiffs argue rules stipulate they may be awarded only if existing cultivators fail to adequately supply dispensaries, and a new application round must be conducted to do so. This comes after the state's Medical Marijuana Commission approved three permits in June, following a lawsuit from one of those licenses, Carpenter Farms, over the initial application scoring process. The current suit is fighting for the three new permits to be voided.

Europe's largest independent cannabis company, EMMAC Life Sciences, is set to be listed on the Nasdaq following a merger with Andina Acquisition Corp. The non-binding letter of intent between the businesses will roll over the equity of EMMAC shareholders, making them collective majority owners of the combined public company.

Argentina's Ministry of Health announces several regulatory changes to the country's MMJ program, including the approval of home cultivation and authorization of pharmacies to produce and sell medical cannabis products. The new provisions are expected to improve access for Argentine patients, many of whom have been forced to turn to the illicit market since the country legalized medical marijuana in 2017, due to a lack of clarity surrounding the law. Other regulatory changes could expand qualifying conditions, prioritize scientific cannabis research, and increase output from government labs. The reforms are further expected to aid in the country's economic recovery following devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Written by Jacqui Verdura and Micah Tatum

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