Marijuana
420 will land on Sunday this coming weekend, and while that’s also another important day for some, it certainly is a holiday for proponents of cannabis culture. As we’ve been doing around here at Hip-Hop Wired, we’ve put together a nice 420 cannabis gift guide to help shoppers decide on what products to procure to aid in their celebration.I’ve written extensively about how 420 got its start as a “holidaze” back in the 1970s in California, and I won’t bore you again with those details. However, check out this excellent History Channel article about the holiday and its origin.One thing I need to be clear about every time that I do a cannabis roundup is to make certain to stress that we all please take heed to our state and local laws in regards to cannabis usage. These products are meant for those over the age of 21.I also do not endorse high driving just as much as I shoot down drunk driving, and despite all of its wonderful therapeutic benefits, cannabis isn’t for everyone. While I use CBD and THC products in droves, I try to do so with the aim of aiding me in my daily life, not to just get high.Now that I’ve got that out of the way, I’m really excited to roll out this guide. I’ve included a handful of CBD products because I believe they should be part of the mix. I want to thank all of the publicists and their clients for assisting me in getting some eyes on your wares.NOTE: I will be updating this post until 4/17 COB.
1. 2Rise by herbOrder
Source:2Rise
2Rise is a CBD wellness brand produced by herbOrder as part of its innovative line of products that cover pain relief, workout recovery, and restful relaxation. I’ve been using the products for a couple of weeks now, especially the Sleep drops. This is a product I’d feel good about suggesting to anyone.
Learn more here.
2. Acreage’s The Botanist
Source:Acreage
Acreage’s The Botanist is a cannabis brand that covers all aspects of how the medicine can be delivered, including flower, tincture, vape, and concentrate options. Only available in IL, MA, NJ, NY, OH, and PA for now, with plans to expand to other states.
Learn more here.
3. A Golden State
Source:A Golden State
A Golden State takes the process of providing the best flower possible with unique strains meant for all manner of activities. The brand also specializes in solventless live rosin vaporizers, adding to their whole plant approach to cannabis. Currently only available in California.
Learn more here.
4. Betty’s Eddies Caramelt Away
Source:MariMed
Betty’s Eddies is one of the best-tasting edible products on the market. Check out this piece about their Caramelt Away product here.
Learn more about Betty’s Eddies and their other offerings here.
5. Blazy Susan High Roller Set
Source:Blazy Susan
Blazy Susan should be familiar to those who check out our roundups, and the Denver-based brand always has something cooking up for cannabis fans out there. From their High Roller Kit, to their variety of rolling papers, and their dazzling rolling trays among other accessories, tokers and dabbers alike will find something they’ll need with Blazy Susan.
Learn more here.
6. Bubby’s Baked
Source:Bubby’s Baked
Bubby’s Baked is all about transforming sweet baked bites into an infused experience you won’t soon forget. Full disclosure here: I tried out one of their high-dose cookies last week, and I slept like a sweet newborn. Check the store locator to see if Bubby’s Baked is sold near you.
Learn more here.
7. ButACake
Source:@ButACake
ButACake is a Black and woman-owned edible cannabis brand founded by trained pastry chef, Matha Figaro. We haven’t tried out the product, but considering Ms. Figaro’s story and what we’re all about at Urban One, we had to feature them. Hopefully, we can get our hands on some product soon.
Learn more here.
8. Cantrip
Source:Cantrip
Cantrip takes classic soda flavors and bumps up the excitement by adding hemp-derived Delta-9 THC to the can for a sweet, social buzz. They also offer THC seltzers in a selection of flavors. The cream soda? Very fire.
Learn more here.
9. Co2lors
Source:Co2lors
Co2lors focuses on vaporizer 510 thread cartridges and disposable all-in-ones that feature hash oil ramped up with tasty flavors like Pecan Pie, Blueberry Cobbler, Lemonade, and more.
Learn more here.
10. DaySavers NY Pre-Rolled Cones
Source:DaySavers
DaySavers is all about rolling papers and pre-rolled cones. Adding to their innovative lineup, the NY Pre-Rolled Cones are out now and would be a perfect gift for any New York-loving fan. They also have these dope “Filla-A-Blunt” pre-roll cones that should spark memories for those of us of a certain age.
Learn more here.
11. DaVinci IQ3
Source:Davinci
I’m still learning all there is to know about dry herb vaporizers, but one I found incredibly easy to use right away was the DaVinci IQ3 device. It does boast a rather large chamber, so if you’re looking to conserve flower, there might be choices out there that fit one’s needs. For me, I like big flavor, and the conduction heating brings everything to the front.
Learn more here.
12. Evermore Tall Seltzer
Source:Union Craft Brewing
Evermore Cannabis Company is an innovative cannabis brand based in Baltimore, and they partnered with fellow local brewery Union Craft Brewing for the THC-infused Tall Seltzer. I haven’t tried it out but since Maryland is a recreational state, I’ll be making a visit to grab a can.
Learn more here.
13. Fable
Source:Fable
Fable adds its name to the hat of the growing category of THC-infused canned cocktails, and we’ve featured the brand in previous times. Founders Kristin and Benjamin Kennedy created Fable in 2016 after experimenting with booze-free, botanical-boosted mocktails, but decided some hemp-derived Delta-9 was the final missing ingredient. Fresh tasting and effective, Fable deserves more light in the industry.
Learn more here.
14. FLORA+BAST THCA Flower
Source:FLORA+BAST
FLORA+BAST is a cannabis brand that takes the medicinal approach of using the plant properly very seriously. Combining overall wellness with cannabis isn’t a new concept, but FLORA+BAST is pushing the envelope in this arena. The brand’s THCA flower jars is their newest offering, along with their other standout products.
Learn more here.
15. Flower Union Artisan Gummies
Source:Flower Union
Flower Union Artisan Gummies focused on using the whole plant inside their edible product to produce true-to-flower effects. The brand employs Azuca’s TiME INFUSION® technology to bring about the desired effects in 5-15 minutes.
Learn more here.
16. Golden State Canna
Source:Golden State Canna:
Golden State Canna bills itself as California’s top cannabis delivery service, and the brand’s CBN Groovy Chews are made for those looking to ease into their evenings.
Learn more here.
17. G Pen
Source:G Pen
G Pen has been good to me as a brand overall, and their wide range of collaborations with Berner’s Cookies, B-Real’s Dr. Greenthumbs, and Mike Tyson’s Tyso 2.0 brands legitimizes them in my eyes. I’ve been sticking with my G Pen Dash+ pen, an easy-to-use dry herb vaporizer that’s clutch for short sessions. G Pen also has THCA flower for sale and I’m interested in trying them out.
Learn more here.
18. Grön
Source:Grön
Grön, founded by architect Christine Apple, is one of the fastest-rising edible cannabis brands around. The brand focuses on strain-specific needs such as sleep and relaxation, along with blends for energy and focus.
Learn more here.
19. Hometown Hero
Source:Hometown Hero
Hometown Hero and their hemp-derived Delta-9 products are part of a larger movement to keep the products federally legal despite the various roadblocks that tend to crop up. Founded by Lukas Gilkey and Lewis Hamer, Hometown Hero’s measured approach to providing quality, along with potent edible treats and vapes, is a delight to witness. They also have some of the tastiest edibles around, too.
Learn more here.
20. llicit Gardens Live Sauce
Source:Illicit Gardens
Illicit Gardens is all about the extracts game, and their Live Sauce is a high-terpene, densely-packed concentrate meant to deliver the biggest and best effects for those who dab.
Learn more here.
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Marijuana is legal in the state of California on the medical and recreational level but there are still rules and regulations in place despite this. Authorities in a California town have a major marijuana mystery on their hands after discovering a massive stash of the plant with a reported street value of $100 million.
According to a report from local outlet VVNG, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department entered a home in Oak Hills, just outside of Hesperia, Calif. On Monday, Dec. 9, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Marijuana Enforcement Team entered a home on a search warrant and discovered trash bags of cultivated and packaged products weighing around 90,000 pounds in total.
The property contained a large metal building that caught the eye of investigators, who later revealed the contents within via a statement.
Source: San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department / SBCSD
From the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department website:
On Monday, December 9, 2024, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Marijuana Enforcement Team served a search warrant at a residence along the 5000 block of Honeyhill Road in Oak Hills. The five acre property contained a newly built, 120’ x 40’ metal building, along the east fence line. Inside this metal building, investigators located over 3000 trash bags filled with processed marijuana, stacked over 12 feet high, from end to end of the building. The trash bags each weighed approximately 30 to 50 pounds.
Over the course of two days, the Marijuana Enforcement Team, San Bernardino County Code Enforcement, and California Fish and Wildlife Department, seized 51 truck loads of processed marijuana totaling over 90,000 pounds, with a market value of over $100,000,000.00.
No arrests have been made thus far.
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Photo: Getty/San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
Melissa Etheridge is facing a legal battle over her brief foray into the cannabis business, filed by two business partners in Northern California who claim that the singer “abandoned them” and left them in “financial ruin.”
The Grammy-winning songwriter, who rose to stardom in the 1990s with hits like “Come to My Window” and “I’m The Only One,” announced in 2019 that she would launch Etheridge Farms, which aimed to bring the benefits of cannabis to middle-aged women. “They’re looking to cannabis, and I want Etheridge Farms to be right there to answer what they’re looking for,” the singer said at the time.
But five years later, her former business partners now claim that Etheridge and her wife effectively torpedoed the company by refusing to support it. In a legal petition filed July 9 and obtained by Billboard, Josephine and D’Angelo Roberto say they’ve been “left with nothing.”
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“The Robertos trusted the Etheridges and invested their life’s work into the businesses,” writes attorney Christopher Frost of the law firm Frost LLP, representing the Robertos. “Unfortunately, their hard work did not end in a success story, but rather betrayal and abandonment.”
The filing is a demand for arbitration, which initiates a litigation-like case that will play out similar to a lawsuit. But such cases, often required under corporate operating agreements, are decided by an arbitrator behind closed doors rather than by a judge in an open courtroom.
Representatives for the Etheridges, including their attorney who received the arbitration demand, did not return repeated requests for comment on the dispute. Attorneys for the Robertos declined to comment.
A Budding Partnership
The Robertos (nicknamed Jozee and Cricket) say they met Etheridge and her wife Linda Wallem-Etheridge via mutual friends in Northern California in 2017, and that the foursome then hatched a plan to launch a series of cannabis businesses, including Etheridge Farms and Etheridge Botanicals. In a 2019 article in San Jose’s Mercury News, the singer said she had been inspired in part by using cannabis amid a battle with breast cancer in the 2000s.
“I came out of chemotherapy saying, I want to be an advocate for this, I believe in this as medicine so deeply,” she told the Mercury News. “I started looking around California going, OK, what do I need to do — I want to be part of this — I actually turned to my friends and said, I want to be the face of cannabis.” In that same article, Jozee was quoted as saying that the Etheridges “genuinely share the same values that Cricket and I share about health and wellbeing.”
According to legal filings, the group secured a rental lease in 2018 on a large facility in Soquel, Calif. to manufacture and distribute their products, and also locked down important regulatory licenses for that property.
The plan, according to the Robertos, was for the couple to contribute their extensive cannabis industry expertise and work on product development, while the Etheridges would use their celebrity status to promote the business, seek outside investors, and continue to support the business financially.
Left High and Dry?
But while the Robertos say they “devoted every ounce of their money, time and attention” to the businesses, they claim the Etheridges failed to do the same. They say she failed to promote the business, and then stopped supporting the business financially. According to legal filings, by 2020 that allegedly included failing to pay the rent at the Soquel facility as promised; when the landlord finally booted them, the Robertos say it cost the business crucial regulatory licenses that had been tied to that property.
“Despite their persistent efforts, following the Etheridges’ complete lack of engagement and financial support to the Etheridge entities, the LLC sales and performance eventually withered away,” attorneys for the couple write in the demand for arbitration.
The alleged breakdown in the business came amid great personal tragedy for Etheridge. In May 2020, the singer announced that Beckett Cypher, her son with former partner Julie Cypher, had died from causes related to opioid addiction. Months later, the singer launched the Etheridge Foundation to advocate for and support research into new treatments for opioid addiction.
Those tragic events are not directly mentioned in the new legal filings, but attorneys for the Robertos allude to them in making their case.
“The Etheridges suffered personal losses for which the Robertos have much empathy,” the couple’s lawyers write in their filing earlier this month. “However, notwithstanding these personal losses and given the challenges faced by the parties, the Etheridges ultimately decided to let all of the joint ventures ‘die on the vine,’ stopped covering expenses that they promised to pay, and left the Robertos in a much worse situation.”
In technical terms, the demand for arbitration accuses the Etheridges of breaching their fiduciary duty to the companies; breaching their contract with the Robertos; violating legal promises they made to the couple; and making fraudulent and negligent misrepresentations.
The pair are seeking an undetermined amount of damages, but say they’re entitled to at least $3 million: “The Robertos have not pursued this action and are not proceeding to arbitration for fame or fortune or as a vendetta,” their lawyers write. “Rather, they simply seek compensation for the suffering they have had to endure and the financial ruin they have experienced due to the Etheridges abandoning them.”
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
It’s 4/20! To help pot lovers get the celebration started, we’ve rounded up a list of weed gifts and weed accessories for stoners everywhere.
From air fresheners to ash trays and everything in between, see below for a list of the 13 best weed accessories designed for the cannabis lover in your life.
Plan on blazing up for 4/20? Apps like Gopuff, Eaze, WeedMaps and Leafly offer weed deliveries and snacks (in case you get the munchies). Doordash is offering 30% off hemp THC & CBD Items (max $20 off) when you use code: 30HEMP; offer expires on April 29.
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See more below.
Amazon
RAW Matte Black Murder’d Cigarette Rolling Tray | Size – Small |
Ready to roll up? This matte black rolling tray features a sleek finish, round edges and the Raw logo on the front. The rolling tray measures 10.8 x 6.8 inches.
Trending on Billboard
Edie Parker
Eddie Parker Glass Cherry Fruit Pipe
$71
$91
22% off
4/20 with a cherry on top! The Glass Fruit Pipe from Edie Parker is made from borosilicate glass and available in cherry, grape, banana and strawberry. Click here to shop handmade glass pipes from Etsy.
Loud Box 5 Pack Colorful Metal King Sized Pre-Roll Cone Holder
Looking for a discrete way to organize your joints? The Loud Box Case holds up to three cones or blunts at a time. The tin case slips easily into you’re a pocket, purse or backpack to keep your pre-rolls close by.
Amazon
Blazy Pink Cones 50ct Pack | Pink Rolling Cones |
$16.59
$19.99
17% off
For smokers who want to love all things pink, roll up Barbicore-style with Blazy Susan rolling cones. The pack includes 50 vegan and smooth, super thing burning cones.
Amazon
Sploofy PRO II – Personal Smoke Air filter – With Replaceable Cartridge
$18.99
$24.99
24% off
This smoke trapper is an an eco-friendly, personal air filter that’s useful indoors and outdoors. It has a rubber mouthpiece and a removable filter to eliminate smoke and smell. Hitting the road soon? Grab a travel size Smoke Buddy ($20).
Amazon
Alien Smoking Ashtray
You can’t get any higher than space, so why not get an alien ashtray? The ash tray measures 4 inches and can be mounted on a dashboard, table or another flat surface (with double-sided tape).
Edie Parker Gum Lighter
Nope, not gum — but still a must-have for smokers. The Big Edie lighter takes a page from the vintage Big Red gum design from the ’80s. It’s cool and cute and only $10 at Edie Parker.
OWLSTEM Grinder, 2.2 Inch Stronger Grip Biscuit Shape
This easy-to-use, handheld grinder grinds minces your marijuana in seconds, but if you’re tired of twisting and turning, let an electric grinder do the work for you.
The Food Has Weed In It Oven Mitt
A gift to bake up weed goodies. The Food Has Weed In It oven mitt has a matching apron that you can wear to your next cannabis cookout.
Smoke Cartel Dip Devices Dipper Vaporizer
A portable vaporizer that promises to deliver smooth hits and deep dabs on the go. The palm-sized vaporizer is available in chrome, charcoal, rose gold and rainbow. Save up to 30% off at Smoke Cartel.
Edie Parker Burn Clutch
$188
$250
25% off
The ultimate smoker’s clutch. Edie Parker’s Burn Clutch features a retractable lighter in the front, an interior pocket with satin lining and it’s large enough to fit all iPhones. This vegan leather clutch is available in several colors including black, white, red, metallic silver and the pea green croc design pictured above.
Amazon
Rolling Tray Stash Box
If you prefer a box to a bag, this bamboo stash box will keep your weed, rolling papers, pipes, lighters, wraps and more in one place.
Malin + Goetz
Malin + Goetz Cannabis Candle
Malin + Goetz Canabis Candle is described as a “rich, earthy scent” with top notes of bergamot, black pepper and orange. The slow-burn candle features middled notes of cannabis accord, muguet + magnolia and cedarwood, patchouli, sandalwood, amber + musk at its base.
For more cannabis-related products, check out our list of musician-backed CBD and THC brands.
Vice President Kamala Harris and rapper Fat Joe led a White House discussion Friday (March 15) on easing marijuana penalties, with Harris saying it’s “absurd” that the federal government classifies marijuana as more dangerous than fentanyl, the synthetic opioid blamed for tens of thousands of deaths annually the United States.
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Harris, a former state prosecutor in California, also criticized the federal classification of cannabis as “patently unfair.” The government currently is reviewing how it classifies marijuana, and Harris urged that the process be wrapped up as quickly as possible.
Fat Joe, a Grammy-nominated artist and philanthropist whose real name is Joseph Cartagena, moderated a subsequent closed-door discussion that included Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and individuals who received pardons for prior marijuana convictions.
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President Joe Biden has issued pardons to thousands of people for federal marijuana possession and commuted long sentences handed down for nonviolent drug offenses. In 2022, he urged governors to pardon state offenses. Beshear then invited people convicted of simple marijuana possession to apply for pardons in Kentucky. Biden launched the process to review how marijuana is classified in 2022.
A full seven in 10 U.S. adults favor legalizing marijuana, according to Gallup polling. Support for legalization is closer to eight in 10 among 18- to 34-year-olds, a demographic whose support for Biden, who is seeking reelection, has softened since he took office.
“I cannot emphasize enough that they need to get to it as quickly as possible and we need to have a resolution based on their findings and their assessment,” Harris said of the Departments of Health and Human Services and Justice, which are handling the review.
“But this issue is stark when one considers the fact that on the schedule currently marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin,” she said during the public portion of the meeting. “Marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin and more dangerous than fentanyl, which is absurd. Not to mention patently unfair.”
“So I’m sure DEA is working as quickly as possible and will continue to do so and we look forward to the product of their work,” the vice president said, referring to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid blamed for tens of thousands of deaths annually in America.
U.S. regulators are studying reclassifying marijuana shifting it from a drug that has “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,” known as “Schedule I,” to the less tightly regulated “Schedule III.”
Biden mentioned the marijuana classification review during his State of the Union address earlier this month. He said during a campaign appearance in Milwaukee this week that “no one should be jailed for marijuana.”
“If you’re just using, you should have that wiped off your record,” Biden said.
Cartagena opened the roundtable by saying he’s hot on the issue of price transparency in health care “but, today, when the vice president calls me, I stop everything.”
He got a little ahead of himself when he proceeded to dismiss journalists so the closed-door discussion could begin, prompting Harris to tell him to “hold on” because she had a statement to make, too.
Since the day he rolled into our lives in 1992 on Dr. Dre’s debut solo single, “Deep Cover,” Snoop Dogg has been laser focused on two things: bars and blunts. The famously high like every single day rapper, 52, shocked the world on Thursday (Nov. 17) when he made the most unexpected statement possible: he’s going to kick-y his sticky icky habit to the curb.
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“After much consideration and conversation with my family, I’ve decided to give up smoke,” Snoop posted to his socials. At press time there was no additional information on Snoop’s alleged sinsemilla cessation kick, and it was unclear if his dope holiday referred to just inhaling or if the Leafs By Snoop cannabis brand owner will trade his bountiful many-blunts-per-day count with edibles, tinctures or other weed-delivery methods.
In a nod to the seriousness of the nugs news, Snoop added, “please respect my privacy at this time,” alongside a photo of the glassy-eyed MC making prayer hands.
The post came as a shock to fans who are used to the sight of Snoop burning one — or 5 — blunts during his live shows, appearing on late night in a clearly buzzed state, or blunting the reality of fellow celebs like Ed Sheeran, who recently told Conan O’Brien that the D-O-G-G smoked him out so hard once that he “couldn’t see.”
Some fans were skeptical of the news, with one writing, “this is probably just gonna be some viral campaign where he launches his own line of vapes or edibles or something,” another adding, “today isn’t April Fools day Snoop” and a third bravely promising, “don’t worry Snoop, we your disciples will carry on your legacies… we’ll smoke on your behalf… stay strong for us.”
Snoop’s brand has been associated with his weed intake for so long it’s hard to imagine him doing junkets without his skunk. But in an interview with the Daily Mail earlier this year, Snoop hinted that becoming a grandfather may have “changed” him in several ways. “The main way is being concerned with how I live, how I move, the kind of people I’m associated with, because I want to see my grandkids grow old,” he said. “The only way I can do that is to take precautionary steps as far as how I move, who I hang out with, where I go out, my intake… I just don’t want to do this to my body anymore. I want to survive.”
Some of Snoop’s cheeba chums gave him props for his decisions, including Sean Paul (“Big Up mi bredda Snoop. I’ll keep it blazin’ in your honor 2nite”) and Meek Mill, who said he plans to follow Snoop’s herb holiday path. “Ima go to Dubai and completely stop smoking … ima follow snoop, my doctor said I got a lil bit emphysema in a chest if I don’t stop smoking it cuts my lifeline in half, I was addicted to the nicotine and this new weed got too many chemicals and too risky to play with my mental!” Meek tweeted.
See Snoop’s post and celeb reaction below.
Ima go to Dubai and completely stop smoking … ima follow snoop, my doctor said I got a lil bit emphysema in a chest if I don’t stop smoking it cuts my lifeline in half, I was addicted to the nicotine and this new weed got too many chemicals and too risky to play with my mental! https://t.co/NYAJ9BzJ6e— MeekMill (@MeekMill) November 16, 2023
Sean “P. Diddy” Combs never does anything halfway. On Friday (Nov. 4) the music/fashion/sprits/media mogul announced that he plans to make a major investment in the legal marijuana game with a $185 million deal to buy licensed weed operations in three states.
If approved, the deal would create the nation’s largest Black-owned and licensed cannabis company, a platform Diddy said he wants to use to increase Black participation in the field.
“It’s diabolical,” Combs, 53, told the Wall Street Journal about his desire to get into the pot business to help address long-running inequities that have seen Black people disproportionately arrested and jailed for marijuana crimes even as they make up a “tiny” percentage of the market for legal weed. “How do you lock up communities of people, break down their family structure, their futures, and then legalize it and make sure that those same people don’t get a chance to benefit or resurrect their lives from it?”
The Journal noted that in the quarter century since California first legalized medical marijuana cannabis has grown into a $27 billion legal business in the U.S. even as many Black entrepreneurs looking to get into the mix have said they’ve faced obstacles in finding financing, capital and banking services; Black cannabis entrepreneurs currently account for less than 2% of the nation’s marijuana businesses, which employs around 500,000 people.
“Two percent?” Diddy said. “All the years, all the pain, all the incarceration… To me, it was important to do a big deal like this.”
Diddy will dive in by purchasing the cannabis operations of Cresco Labs Inc. (valued at $1 billion) and Columbia Care Inc. (valued at $500 million), two of the biggest cannabis companies in the country. The buy-in — which includes a $110 million cash payment and $45 million in debt financing — will give the Bad Boy boss nine retail stores and three production facilities in New York, Massachusetts and Illinois, according to a release announcing the deal.
“My mission has always been to create opportunities for Black entrepreneurs in industries where we’ve traditionally been denied access, and this acquisition provides the immediate scale and impact needed to create a more equitable future in cannabis,” said Combs in a statement. “Owning the entire process — from growing and manufacturing to marketing, retail, and wholesale distribution — is a historic win for the culture that will allow us to empower diverse leaders throughout the ecosystem and be bold advocates for inclusion.”
The operations in the three states will give Combs the ability to grow and manufacture cannabis products and wholesale and distribute those branded products to licensed dispensaries in major metro areas including New York, Boston and Chicago, as well as operate retail stores in all three states.
“Today’s announcement is bigger than the Transaction – and it couldn’t come at a time of greater significance and momentum,” said Cresco Labs CEO Charles Bachtell in a statement. “We’ve seen executive power exercised to address matters of cannabis injustice, we’re seeing bi-partisan support for elements of federal reform, and we’re seeing some of the largest and most influential states in the country launch cannabis programs prioritizing social responsibility – this announcement adds to that momentum.”
Bachtell noted that the transaction is a major step toward closing his company’s previously announced acquisition of Columbia Care and their push for greater diversity of leadership and perspective in the market. “The substantial presence of a minority-owned operator in some of the most influential markets in the country being led by one of the most prolific and impactful entrepreneurs of our time is momentous… and incredibly exciting. We’re thrilled to welcome Sean and his team to the industry,” he said.
Columbia CEO Nicholas Vita added that, “These assets offer the Combs’ team significant market presence, enabling them to make the most impact on the industry as a whole. It’s been clear to us that Sean has the right team to carry on the strong legacy of these Columbia Care and Cresco Labs facilities, and we can’t wait to see how he helps shape the cannabis industry going forward through his entrepreneurial leadership and innovation.”
Though marijuana is legal in 19 states for recreational use by adults and in 39 states for medical use it is still illegal under federal law.
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