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Republican majority leaders in the Wisconsin state legislature spoke loud and clear: cannabis legalization doesn’t belong in their state’s biennial budget.

Two years ago, they rejected Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ proposal to decriminalize adult-use cannabis and legalize medicinal cannabis. And when Evers introduced another proposal last month, to regulate and tax adult-use cannabis for the 2021-23 biennium, Rep. Mark Born and Sen. Howard Marklein, the Joint Finance Committee co-chairs, deemed it dead on arrival.

While there’s not much hope for cannabis legalization in the governor’s budget—an avenue that also has proved fatal in other states—Evers’ proposals have continued to fan the flame of debate in Wisconsin, where only cannabidiol (CBD) sale and consumption is legal. During a March 4 virtual luncheon hosted by WisPolitics, an online magazine and news service covering political and governmental news in Wisconsin, Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley and Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz were split on whether a medical cannabis measure would survive in a standalone bill.

“That could pass,” said Bewley, a Democrat who represents a rural district in the northern part of the state. “I think that nationwide this is something that all states are going to deal with. And I think we could approach it from the way that the governor did, which is to put it in the budget with all of these different aspects and ways.”

After rejecting Evers’ budget measure last month, Marklein said cannabis legalization is a significant enough policy change that it should be debated in the light of day on its own.

Last week, Bewley said medical cannabis legalization is a no-brainer. In 2019, a Marquette University Law Poll found that 83% of Wisconsin voters supported legalizing medical cannabis with a doctor’s prescription. It also found 59% supported adult-use legalization.

“I think the medical marijuana portion of it is the one that we all know is widely accepted,” she said. “I heard [more than] 80% of the people of Wisconsin are in favor of that. I believe that it could pass as a standalone. But, for now, it’s in the budget, in a larger form. But we will be seeing something happen on marijuana in the future.”

Bewley’s minority leader colleague in the lower chamber wasn’t so sure.

“I don’t know that I see it passing,” said Hintz, a Democrat who represents an urban district that encompasses Oshkosh. “Perhaps I see it getting further along. I know that I’ve talked to some of my Republican colleagues, both some who are more libertarian in nature, some who just recognize the benefits of medicinal marijuana, and certainly see and hear the public support.

“I’m an incrementalist in being reasonable. If we can get a hearing on it, answer some questions, maybe explain to folks who don’t understand, then we can get further and maybe we can get there. But it’s up to the legislature to decide that we want to join the majority of states out there; that we want to recognize that the public overwhelmingly wants this, and that attitudes and responses are changing.”

Neighboring states Illinois and Michigan both have adult-use cannabis programs, while Minnesota has a medical program, Hintz pointed out. To the southwest, Iowa is in the same CBD-only boat as Wisconsin.

In Evers’ budget proposal, he said legalizing adult-use cannabis is expected to generate more than $165 million annually in the state, beginning in the second year of the biennium. That extra revenue would hold extra weight if Wisconsin were in fiscal distress—it’s not. According to the MacIver Institute, a Wisconsin-based conservative think tank, the state’s general fund balance was roughly $1.2 billion in October 2020, which represented the largest year-end balance Wisconsin had seen in the past two decades.

That in mind, Hintz said the $165 million in potential revenue is nothing to sneeze at, but he doesn’t think that’s the reason state lawmakers should pass legislation in favor of adult-use cannabis. He said non-monetary factors and impacts also should be taken into consideration.

“I’m glad that [Evers] put it out there,” Hintz said. “I think just the proposal alone accelerates the discussion, and I think we will eventually get there. I just don’t know if it’s going to be in the next six months or in the next decade.”

Today is International Women’s Day—an opportunity to celebrate women have chosen to challenge the status quo, helping break down barriers for themselves and others. It’s also a moment where we look toward the future with hope for all the more we can achieve for women around the world by working together.

Each year on March 8, we honor this tradition by highlighting the women of Cannabis Conference, an impressive roster of women shattering glass ceilings, making space for themselves and other notable women in the burgeoning cannabis industry.  

This listing is just a start. As we continue to announce speakers for Cannabis Conference (Aug. 24-26, 2021, at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino), there will be plenty more women innovators, leaders, entrepreneurs and trailblazers to highlight—so keep an eye on CannabisConference.com for continued updates to our speaker roster.

 

Bennett

Theresa Bennett

Editor, Hemp Grower

Theresa Bennett is editor of Hemp Grower. She joined HG and Cannabis Business Times as associate editor in November 2019 after working for GIE Media’s Recycling Group of magazines. Prior to her time with GIE, Bennett was the K-12 education reporter for the Akron Beacon Journal. Bennett is also a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Modern Farmer and newspapers across the country.

 

 

Boyajian

Salpy Boyajian

Executive Vice President / Board Chairman, Flower One

Salpy Boyajian joined Flower One in October of 2018 following the acquisition of NLV Organics (NLVO), a renowned consumer brand and luxury cultivator she co-founded in 2014. Boyajian now serves as the company’s Executive Vice President and Board Chairman, having previously held the title of Chief Operating Officer. Before entering the cannabis space, she served as the Mental Health Director for several leading non-profits in Los Angeles, ultimately founding her own non-profit organization before relocating to Nevada.

 

Goldsberry

Debby Goldsberry
Executive Director, Magnolia Wellness, FLOR
Co-Founder, Berkeley Patients Group collective 

Debby Goldsberry is executive director at Magnolia Wellness, an award-winning dispensary in Oakland, Calif., and the managing director of the Berkeley Community Care Center dispensary at Amoeba Music. She co-founded the Berkeley Patients Group (BPG) medical cannabis collective in 1999, directing its growth for more than 11 years. In 2017, Goldsberry published her first book, “Idiot’s Guide: Starting and Running a Marijuana Business.”

 

Kowalski

Emily Kowalski
Vice President of Cultivation, LeafLine Labs

Emily Kowalski is the Vice President of Cultivation at LeafLine Labs, LLC, one of two medical cannabis companies serving the patients of Minnesota. She utilizes her 10-plus years of experience in propagation, greenhouse production, and outdoor nursery production to cultivate consistent, healthy cannabis in LeafLine’s state-of-the-art indoor facility. Kowalski never settles for status quo and digs deep into data to drive quality and efficiency within her operation.

 

 

Neiden Tomaselli

Cassie Neiden Tomaselli

Conference Programming Director, Cannabis Conference

Contributing Editor, Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and Hemp Grower

Cassie Neiden Tomaselli is a media professional with 10+ years’ experience generating print, web, video and podcast content for both trade and consumer markets. She now serves as Conference Programming Director for Cannabis Conference, where she works with the event’s Advisory Board and editorial teams from Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and Hemp Grower to craft high-quality education for industry events. Previously, Neiden Tomaselli served as Director of Marketing & Communications for Firelands Scientific, an Ohio-based medical cannabis company.

 

 

Ratliff

Alisia Ratliff, PMP
Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Victus Capital Ventures, LLC

Alisia Ratliff, the CEO of Victus Capital Ventures and licensed project management professional, is a technical conference speaker, esteemed author, and ambitious entrepreneur. Possessing over 14 years of leadership experience expanding over several industries—Ratliff effectively manages technical and executive teams cross-departmentally while simultaneously overseeing all business operations, including supply chain, manufacturing, laboratory operations and product formulation. Ratliff helps her clients avoid repeating failed business models and implement sustainable business strategies no matter the ever-changing regulatory environment.

 

Ruscitto

Andriana Ruscitto

Assistant Editor, Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary, Hemp Grower

Andriana Ruscitto was hired as an associate editor for Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and Hemp Grower in January 2021. Before joining GIE, Ruscitto attended Kent State University, where she worked in the university communications and marketing department, writing stories for the Kent State Today.

 

 

Schiller

Melissa Schiller

Senior Digital Editor, Cannabis Business Times & Cannabis Dispensary

Melissa Schiller joined the Cannabis Business Times team as an Assistant Digital Editor in June 2017 and now serves as Senior Digital Editor. Previously, she worked as an Audience Development Associate for GIE Media’s Ornamental Group of publications, where she managed the circulation for Cannabis Business Times, Garden Center, Nursery Management, and Greenhouse Management. She has also worked as a contributing writer and editorial assistant for a community newspaper and as a freelance writer for Northeast Ohio Media Group and Modern Tire Dealer.

 

Shreeve

Anna Shreeve
President, Urban Paragon, Inc., Targeted Intent, Inc., and The Bakeréé

Anna Shreeve is President of Urban Paragon, Inc., Targeted Intent, Inc., and The Bakeréé. Shreeve entered the medical cannabis industry seven years ago with her son, and she and her team opened The Baker, a division of Cookie Fam Genetics, a collaboration with legendary breeder “Jigga.” Shreeve’s group holds two recreational producer/processor licenses in Washington, and a recreational retail/processor license in Oregon.

 

 

 

Simakis

Michelle Simakis

Editor, Cannabis Business Times

Michelle Simakis is editor of Cannabis Business Times. She joined GIE Media in 2012 and most recently served as editor of Garden Center magazine, the leading trade publication covering the independent garden retail market. Under her direction, Garden Center expanded its Top 100 Independent Garden Centers List by devoting an entire issue to telling the stories of the leaders and companies ranked on the list. She also helped to launch the Garden Center Executive Summit, the educational conference for key-decision makers in the industry, and recently developed a the only daily e-newsletter in the market.

 

Skodzinski

Noelle Skodzinski

Editorial Director, Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary, Hemp Grower, Cannabis Conference

Noelle Skodzinski has 25+ years of publishing experience. She co-founded Cannabis Business Times with previous owner Tim Hermes in 2014. She has been named among the Top 50 Most Influential Women in Cannabis. Previously, she held numerous editorial leadership roles, including serving as editorial director of the Publishing Group at North American Publishing Co., where she oversaw two national business magazines, all digital content products, as well as the annual Publishing Business Conference and related events. In 2018 and 2020, Skodzinski was named one of the “Top Women in Media” by Folio.  

 

 

Wiseman

Hope Wiseman
Owner, Mary & Main Dispensary

Born and raised in Prince George’s County, Md., Hope Wiseman has always been passionate about serving her community. After spending a year at SunTrust as an Equity Institutional Sales Analyst, Wiseman decided to continue striving for excellence by pursuing her dreams of entrepreneurship. In Fall 2017, Wiseman became the youngest Black woman dispensary owner in the United States with the opening of Mary & Main dispensary in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She has been featured in Black Enterprise, Huffington Post, Blavity, and Cannabis Dispensary. Wiseman is also a speaker and consultant to those looking to enter the industry.

Late February and early March headlines prove that 2021 is picking up momentum on the cannabis reform front. Recent legislative moves in New Jersey and Virginia have piqued the industry’s attention, and North Dakota may work its way around past election losses to land a legislative victory in the near future.

We’ve rounded up some of the key cannabis headlines from the week right here.

• The major headline this week took place over the previous weekend, in fact, when the Virginia legislature sent an adult-use legalization bill to Gov. Ralph Northam’s desk. But the years-long timeline would implement the law only in 2024, something that’s fetched an outcry from cannabis advocates and industry observers. Read more 
  
• Denver may soon allow cannabis deliveries within the city, part of a broader overhaul of local regulations. The plan also includes a new batch of business licenses that would be set up specifically for social equity applicants. Read more 
  
• North Dakota, which has seen failed attempts to legalize cannabis through the ballot box, got some good news this week in the Statehouse’s passage of an adult-use bill. Read more 
  
• BDSA’s latest forecast puts the global cannabis market at the $56-billion mark in 2026. Read more 
• We’ve been following New Jersey’s rocky road lately, and this week contributor Raj Chander looks at how the state plans to consider social equity policies in its newly legal adult-use cannabis market Read more 
  

And elsewhere on the web, here are the stories we’ve been reading this week:

• NBC 12: After Virginia legislators passed an adult-use legalization measure last weekend, businesses are now preparing themselves for future licensing and sales (which are not expected to begin until 2024). Read more 
• FOX 17: On the other side of the Virginia state line, Tennessee hasn’t been able to get any traction on cannabis reform legislation. The newly proposed Tennessee Medical Cannabis Act might change that. Read more 
• 8 News Now: Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced eight appointments to the state’s Cannabis Advisory Commission this week. Read more 
• San Diego Union-Tribune: County supervisors are working on regulations for unincorporated areas under their jurisdiction, with plans to introduce new cannabis business permits. Read more 
• Cannabis Wire: The Bermuda legislature came close to legalizing cannabis, but the measure was shot down by the British overseas territory’s Senate. Read more 

 

LAS VEGAS, NV (March 4, 2021) – Cannabis Conference (August 24-26, 2021, at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino) today announces its education program, which includes 45+ sessions within four education tracks that will provide actionable takeaways about the most pressing issues plant-touching businesses currently face in the cannabis industry.

Some of the most highly anticipated sessions from this year’s program include:

• Federal Cannabis Legalization in the United States: What Will It Mean?
• In the Black: Become Cash Positive by Avoiding These Expensive Cannabis Business Mistakes
• Pest & Disease Prevention and Mitigation Strategies
• Turning Talk Into Action: How Cannabis Companies Are Developing Meaningful Social Equity Priorities
• If Not Potency, Then What? Cultivating For a Nuanced Chemical Profile
• Use Data to Boost Sales & Improve Inventory Management
• The Business of Extraction (Including Product and Solvent Selection)
• Marketing Strategies That Work, Even in the Most Restrictive States

Click here to view the full education program.

“Curated with our editorial teams at Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and Hemp Grower magazines, along with insights from the Cannabis Conference 2021 Advisory Board, we have created content to inspire every attendee, no matter whether they’re just starting out or more advanced in their careers, to take their businesses to the next level,” said Conference Programming Director Cassie Neiden Tomaselli.

In addition to dozens of sessions on everything from cultivation to facility buildout, operations, and retail and cultivation business strategies, Cannabis Conference will also feature 100+ exhibitors on its trade show floor, including experts in: horticultural lighting, nutrients, growing media, pest control, structures, drying and storage, IT services, marketing solutions, accounting and finance, POS software, packaging and labeling, and much more.

For additional information about Cannabis Conference 2021, including registration information, a current list of exhibitors and sponsors and more, visit www.cannabisconference.com. The deadline for Cannabis Conference’s lowest pricing is March 15, so take advantage of these rates and reserve your spot today. 

 

About Cannabis Conference

Cannabis Conference 2021, presented by the award-winning Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary, and Hemp Grower, is the leading educational provider for plant-touching businesses in the legal cannabis and hemp markets. The three-day event will be held at Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., on Aug. 24-26, 2021. The Cannabis Conference exhibition hall will feature industry-leading technologies, solutions and services for the professional cannabis cultivator and retail businesses. For more information, visit www.CannabisConference.com.