Snoop Dogg raising $25m for cannabis start-ups

Rapper and entrepreneur Snoop Dogg wants to be the toke of the legal weed business by trying to raise $25m to invest in cannabis start-ups.

Details are scarce because the artist is still in the process of raising funds, according to Techcrunch.

The marijuana connoisseur hopes to exploit the fast growing legal cannabis industry in the US, where many states have either legalised marijuana or decriminalised its possession. Last year, Factobook publisher Cannabusiness Media estimated that between $1.6bn and $1.9bn of legal weed was sold for medical in the US and another $600m to $700m was sold for legal, recreational use.

Should Snoop Dogg achieve his $25m target then the venture would sit alongside his other investments including Reddit.

He is not the only celebrity to looking to make money from the drug. Last year, it was announced that the Bob Marley estate had agreed to allow the late legendary musician’s face to be used to front the world’s first international marijuana brand. The company is to be based in New York and will sell creams, lotions and accessories all inspired by marijuana and Marley.

Snoop Dogg raising $25m for cannabis start-ups

New York City Cannabis Arrests Drop 75%

Cannabis arrests in New York Citynewyorkcity are down over 75% in December compared to the same time last year. In total there were 460 cannabis arrests last month, compared to 1,820 in December, 2013. The arrest are down due to a change in the way the city handles minor cannabis possession cases, which was announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio in November.
“Since the inception of our policy in 2014, marijuana enforcement activity is trending down in all categories”, Deputy Chief Kim Royster told the Associated Press.
The new policy has police ticketing individuals if they’re found in possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis – even in public display  – rather than arresting them and charging them with a misdemeanor. Consuming cannabis in public, however, remains an arrestable offense.

TheJointBlog: New York City Cannabis Arrests Drop 75%

Washington CUs Open 'Joint' Biz Accounts

By Michael Muckian

January 30, 2015


Humulus lupulus, or hops, an essential ingredient in brewing beer, is a close cousin to Cannabis sativa, or marijuana, long used both legally and illegally for medicinal and recreational purposes.

However, that botanical bond is not the reason the $195 million O Bee Credit Union, based in Olympia, Wash., chose to be among the first financial institutions to serve its state's budding recreational marijuana industry.

Chartered in 1955 to serve employees of Olympia Brewing Co., the credit union now serves the entire state of Washington.

“Credit unions were founded to serve the unserved,” Jenni Roberts, SVP/COO of O Bee, said. “Members told us they were thinking of getting into recreational marijuana and asked us to look into it.”

For those members, it wasn't just a matter of passing the pipe. They formed the vanguard of a newly legalized recreational marijuana industry and needed support from a financial institution to grow businesses designed to serve this emerging market segment, Roberts said.

For More see: Washington CUs Open 'Joint' Biz Accounts

Droga, chiusa l'indagine sulla "dama bianca": 28 arresti

Individuata un'organizzazione che, secondo gli inquirenti, aveva contatti diretti con i cartelli della droga sudamericani. l'inchiesta era partita a marzo con l'arresto a fiumicino di federica gagliardi, che nel 2010 era stata inserita nella delegazione per il g8 di toronto insieme all'allora premier berlusconi, non coinvolto nella vicenda 

napoli 28 gennaio 2015 Si è chiusa con 28 arresti e con il sequestro di beni per circa 4 milioni di euro l’indagine su un’organizzazione dedita al traffico di droga partita nel marzo scorso con l’arresto di federica gagliardi, la “dama bianca” inserita nella delegazione per il g8 di toronto insieme all'allora premier berlusconi. nel primo mattino di oggi guardia di finanza e polizia hanno eseguito una serie di misure cautelari nei confronti di presunti appartenenti alla rete, che secondo gli inquirenti aveva sede operativa a napoli, ramificazioni all’estero e contatti diretti con grossi cartelli sudamericani. l'ex presidente del consiglio non è coinvolto nell'indagine. la "dama bianca" l'inchiesta era partita il 13 marzo, quando all'aeroporto di fiumicino federica gagliardi fu bloccata all'arrivo da caracas con 24 chili di cocaina nascosti in uno zainetto e in un trolley. la donna era stata soprannominata la “dama bianca” quando, a giugno del 2010, fu vista scendere dal volo di stato che portava il premier silvio berlusconi e il suo staff a toronto per il g8 in canada. in molti si chiesero che ruolo ricoprisse nella delegazione italiana quella donna completamente vestita di bianco, che era presente anche alla visita del presidente del consiglio a panama in quello stesso anno. alla fine gagliardi risultò essere la responsabile della segreteria del segretario della regione lazio, allora governata da renata polverini. per giustificare la sua presenza al summit di huntaville fu spiegato che la "dama bianca", che aveva fatto parte del comitato elettorale della polverini, durante la campagna aveva avanzato la richiesta di partecipare ad una missione all'estero in caso di vittoria elettorale.   arresti e sequestri il gip del tribunale di napoli ha emesso 27 ordinanze di custodia cautelare in carcere e un provvedimento agli arresti domiciliari. i militari della guardia di finanza di napoli e i poliziotti della questura di frosinone hanno eseguito anche il sequestro di beni mobili e immobili, quote societarie e disponibilità finanziarie per circa 4 milioni. traffici con l'america del sud secondo quanto ricostruito dagli investigatori, i vertici dell'organizzazione avevano contatti diretti con i cartelli sudamericani, dai quali acquistavano grossi carichi di droga. lo stupefacente entrava in italia via terra e soprattutto tramite navi ed aerei. tra le persone coinvolte ci sono anche degli addetti alle pulizie dell'aeroporto di fiumicino e un agente della polaria. una volta nel nostro paese, la droga finiva in campania, dove andava a rifornire le piazze di spaccio. i corrieri nel corso dell'indagine sono stati arrestati diversi corrieri utilizzati per il trasporto della droga. fra loro secondo l'indagine ci sarebbe stata anche la stessa gagliardi. al momento dell'arresto sarebbe stata alla sua seconda "missione": in quell'occasione le sarebbero stati offerti come compenso 50mila euro. nel corso dell'inchiesta sono stati sequestrati complessivamente 93 chilogrammi di cocaina e 930 chilogrammi di hashish, per un controvalore al dettaglio stimabile in almeno 35 milioni.

Droga, chiusa l'indagine sulla "dama bianca": 28 arresti

7 celebrities looking to cash in on the cannabis industry's 'Green Rush'

• by 
 
• Tom Huddleston, Jr.

• @tjhuddle

 JANUARY 26, 2015, 3:07 PM EST

Celebrities look to cash in on a growing industry while entrepreneurs hope famous names will help their products stand out in a crowd.

While the alcohol industry has long had celebrities like Sean “Diddy” Combs and Bethenny Frankel endorsing brands, we’re just starting to see marijuana brands endorsed by musicians, actors and, well . . . Bethenny Frankel again.

Entrepreneurs across the U.S. are flocking to the burgeoning cannabis industry as more and more states pass legislation legalizing the sale of marijuana in some form. That proliferation of pot-related businesses means that business-owners are scrambling for ways to make their brand stand out in the minds of consumers. Cue the celebrities, who have been popping up across the marijuana industry recently with product endorsements as well as their own pot-related brands.

When you think of celebrities and pot, a host of well-known weed advocates likely spring to mind. Music icon Willie Nelson is an outspoken supporter of marijuana legalization who often throws his support behind political candidates with similar views. Meanwhile, actress and co-host of The View Whoopi Goldberg penned a column last year that details her love of her vaporizer pen — a tool for inhaling weed and other herbs — and comedian Sarah Silverman even showed off her own “vape” pen on the red carpet before attending last year’s Emmy awards.

In other words, there seems to be no shortage of celebrities who would surprise no one by jumping into the legal pot business. Here’s a look at several famous names who are already looking to cash in on the “green rush”:

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Photograph by Tom Hill — WireImage/Getty Images

Sure, the reggae legend has been dead for more than three decades, but he’s still a household name and his fondness for marijuana was no secret. At the end of 2014, Marley’s family teamed up with pot-focused venture capital firm Privateer Holdings to announce a series of cannabis strains inspired by the legendary singer as part of a brand called Marley Natural. Fans could be enjoying the Marley-branded pot later this year in areas where marijuana is legal in some form.

Billionaire investor and PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel appears to be a believer. Thiel’s investment firm, Founders Fund, recently committed “multi-millions” of dollars to a $75 million funding round for Privateer, which also counts a medical marijuana growing facility and a Yelp-like website for marijuana among its holdings.

7 celebrities looking to cash in on the cannabis industry's 'Green Rush'

Scrivialtuodirettore want to say thank you to the first greatest activist in the cannabis world law reform, an icon, an inspiration and bring him best wishes

Dope smuggler turned celebrity Howard Marks has revealed he has inoperable bowel cancer.

Marks, the grammar schoolboy from south Wales who ran an international drug-smuggling ring, was locked up in the toughest federal prison in the US but on his release became an eloquent campaigner for the legalisation of cannabis. His autobiography, "Mr Nice," was made into a film starring friend Rhys Ifans.

“Smuggling cannabis was a wonderful way of living – perpetual culture shock, absurd amounts of money, and the comforting knowledge of getting so many people stoned.”

- Howard Marks

Told he had cancer of the bowel last year, Marks has now learned it has spread to his lungs and liver and is inoperable. He has had eight courses of chemotherapy and according to The Observer has responded well, but says he accepts his time is probably running out.


"I've come to terms with it in my own way – which for me was about learning how to cry," said Marks, 69. "It's impossible to regret any part of my life when I feel happy and I am happy now, so I don't have any regrets and have not had any for a very long time."

Rhys Ifans played his friend Howard Marks in the film of his life "Mr Nice"(E1 Entertainment Films/The Press Association)

Marks is now being cared for in Leeds by his partner Caroline Brown and says his only regret about his adventurous life was the effect it had on his loved ones, including his four children.


"Smuggling cannabis was a wonderful way of living – perpetual culture shock, absurd amounts of money, and the comforting knowledge of getting so many people stoned.


"Prison took the wind out of the sails for a while, and was a terrible blow to my young family. However, I felt immensely lucky and privileged to have written a bestseller and then embarked on a career of performing in public, which allowed me to hang out with musicians, DJs and other lovers of dope. I have had an incredible life."


Celebrity friends including Tracy Emin, Keith Allen, Richard Branson and Peter Hitchens have all sent their best wishes on hearing the news. Zoe Ball and husband Norman Cook call Marks "a ray of sunshine in our lives".


Although the battle to legalise cannabis seems far from won, Marks admits to some satisfaction that even in the US the drug is now legal in some states – he just wishes people didn't have to be ill to use it.


"Of course the legalising of marijuana for medical purposes is to be welcomed, but personally I never wanted to have to wait until I had cancer before I could legally smoke. I want it to be legalised for consuming recreationally – and I'm pleased to see they have now done this in four US states. After my experiences at the hands of the US legal system, America is the last place in the world that I thought would be leading the charge."


A celebratory event both to raise funds for Marks' treatment and to set up a charitable foundation will take place at London's Kentish Town Forum on 27 February. Marks will attend along with Rhys Ifans, the Super Furry Animals and DJ Greg Wilson.

'Mr Nice' Howard Marks diagnosed with inoperable bowel cancer

10 Cannabis Startups That Have Raised Over $1 Million (Besides Privateer)

Carol Tice

Contributor

Legal cannabis gained a higher profile recently, after Seattle pot-investment firm Privateer Holdings closed a $75 million funding round. The deal included the first mainstream venture capital involvement in the sector, from Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund.

But there’s plenty of other VC interest in legal weed, and it’s likely just the beginning of investor interest in “potpreneurs.” Quite a few legal-pot startups are publicly traded penny stocks, so everyman investors can get a piece of the action, too.

At first, many VC investors wanted to remain anonymous with their pot investing, but now more are coming out of the shadows and publicly announcing their interest in the sector.

To give you an idea of the types of marijuana startups that are attracting venture capital, here are a dozen other cannabis startups that have raised over $1 million to date (data compiled by this reporter from CB Insights, the MoneyTree Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Crunchbase, and company research):

Leafline Labs ($12.4M) — This Minneapolis-based medical-marijuana startup has the involvement of several members of the family that owns nursery company Bachman’s Inc. Leafline is one of only two cannabis companies that Minnesota has licensed to operate in the state. Leafline raised its funding from 113 individual investors.

Four Twenty Investments ($10M) — A private investment firm based in Toronto, Four Twenty did a $10 million debt financing in December. The firm invested an equal sum in Nhale, a publicly traded grow-technology company based in Houston that plans to acquire other pot startups.

Palliatech ($10M) — This New York City producer of marijuana-based pain medicines is also a grower and distributor. PwC reports funders include Russian VC firm Gruppa Sputnik OOO.

Vida Cannabis ($9.39M) — The Ottawa-based pot producer most recently raised nearly $5.8 million in a private placement last July. Part of the funding went to purchase a secure, hydroponic production facility in Nova Scotia.

CannTrust ($3.79M) — A Canadian medical cannabis producer, CannTrust is owned and operated by pharmacists. It raised $1 million of its funding this month, CB Insights reports.

MedMen ($3.75M) — This provider of turnkey management services to the legal-pot industry is based in Los Angeles. MedMen raised all of its funding in November, to expand operations to Nevada and Illinois. Backers included Florida-based N Squared Management.

Agricare ($2M) — Chicago-based Agricare raised its funding in October, though funders weren’t disclosed. Besides its hometown, the company is also in the licensing process to set up operations in Peru, Ill.

Eaze ($1.5M) — Funding for this San Francisco pot-delivery app came from technology microfunder Fresh VC in November.

Aquarius Cannabis ($1.16M) — This marijuana branding company raised most of its funding from angel investors at its October launch, CB Insights reports. It’s based in the L.A. suburb of Woodland Hills, Calif.

Privateer holdings management

MassRoots ($1.1M) — A social network for the cannabis community, MassRoots most recently raised $500,000 in September. Funders in past rounds include The ArcView Group. which runs a website platform for facilitating cannabis investment, and Dutchess Opportunity Fund, a fund of global investment firm Dutchess Capital.

This list is far from comprehensive — it’s just a sampling of the types of pot-related businesses that are interesting investors at this point.

It’s notable that most of these startups aren’t based in the traditional VC hubs of Boston or Silicon Valley. Indeed, many pot startups are based in Canada, where medical marijuana is already federally legal.

10 Cannabis Startups That Have Raised Over $1 Million (Besides Privateer)

L' inaugurazione dell' anno giudiziario

Nella relazione del primo presidente la «preoccupazione per l’Italia schiacciata da problemi sociali, politici, istituzionali» e sulle politiche sugli stupefacenti:

«Droga, inutile la Fini - Giovanardi»

«Il problema dell’eccesso di carcerazione chiama in causa anche i giudici che non possono limitarsi a sollecitare sempre e comunque l’intervento della politica e del legislatore. È necessario che si assumano anche essi la responsabilità di rendere effettivo il principio del `minimo sacrificio possibile´ che deve governare ogni intervento, specie giurisdizionale, in tema di libertà personale». Anche per quanto riguarda il problema della droga, «La gravità della sanzione non assicura un effetto di deterrenza, sicché appare criticabile la tendenza del legislatore a inasprire continuamente le pene detentive» in materia di stupefacenti. Lo sottolinea il Primo presidente della Cassazione Giorgio Santacroce nella sua relazione. La Fini-Giovanardi non «ha prodotto alcuna contrazione dei reati in materia di droghe».«Droga, inutile la Fini - Giovanardi»

Cannabis crusader asks: Isn’t it time that regulated medical pot shops came to your town?

Attorney Randall T. Longwith sits behind the desk in his spacious, brick-walled Fullerton office like a general in a war room, flanked by zoning maps of the cities where he’s aiming to bring medical marijuana dispensaries next.

Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Westminster, Tustin, Placentia and Fullerton – they’re all on his maps.

Three months after Longwith’s Costa Mesa petition gained enough signatures to land a pot shop question on the November 2016 ballot, he has written similar initiatives for 10 more Orange County cities. The documents sit ready for marijuana advocates, who are eager to hit the streets, collect signatures and put the question to the people: Isn’t it about time that regulated medical cannabis shops came to your town?

But this time around, Longwith – a 45-year-old criminal defense attorney who says he makes a small chunk of his income from consulting for pot dispensaries – is taking a slightly different approach, encouraged by moves Santa Ana and Costa Mesa took in response to resident-backed initiatives.

In Santa Ana, after an advocate-backed pot shop initiative qualified for the November ballot, the city created its own marijuana measure, which ultimately won out and legalized a limited number of dispensaries.

In Costa Mesa, after two cannabis petitions received enough signatures to require an electorate vote, the City Council directed staff to pen the city’s own ordinance so that it would have control in determining regulations.

The retirement city of Laguna Woods was the first in the county to legalize dispensaries in 2008, but no property owner in town has agreed to lease space to a pot shop.

“I think cities recognize what’s happening,” Longwith said this week. “This is something that’s coming. … But we don’t want to force their hands. We want them to see that this is actually good for their city.”

So before he launches his petitions, Longwith is conducting pre-emptive, closed-door talks with five O.C. cities that either see the future as he sees it or are at least curious about what he has to say.

But D-Day is near.

Longwith has big goals to have six cities legalize medical pot shops within six months.

To do that, he’ll need to get moving soon, and he has suggested he may begin the ballot measure petitioning process soon after Santa Ana’s Feb. 5 cannabis dispensary lottery. By pulling the trigger, Longwith wouldn’t be able to put an actual ballot measure before voters within six months, but he thinks that he can escalate talks with cities and put a time frame on those discussions.


But are cities ready to listen?

CITIES SHIFT ON POT 

Orange County cities have a track record of opposing medical cannabis.

In 2007, Anaheim banned pot shops, and since then, the city has made it illegal for medical marijuana delivery services to make drop-offs in town – though that hasn’t stopped the Anaheim Convention Center from being the site of an annual medical marijuana expo.

In 2010, Dana Point chased dispensaries out of town by filing public nuisance lawsuits and winning $7 million in damages.

In 2011 and 2012, federal agents raided dispensaries in Garden Grove, Costa Mesa and Lake Forest after those cities asked for assistance in shutting down pot collectives.

But the landscape has shifted since those events.

Though the California Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that cities have the right to ban pot dispensaries, the decision since has inspired advocates in Los Angeles, Santa Ana and Costa Mesa to take the question directly to the people via initiative.

President Barack Obama, who long has said that marijuana should not be a priority for federal law enforcement, signed an action last month to defund the war on pot – thereby ending the raids of past years.

And after Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C., legalized recreational marijuana use in 2014 (following Colorado in 2012), California advocates project that a statewide ballot measure will pass in 2016.

Santa Ana Councilman Sal Tinajero said the confluence of events was enough to make him “see the train was coming,” and Santa Ana’s resident-backed initiative convinced him it was “time to play defense” by creating a city-backed measure. Acting more out of fear than support for pot shops, Tinajero became an advocate for local regulation and persuaded other council members to back the plan, as well.

“I said, ‘Just because you create an ordinance, doesn’t mean that you are supporting (marijuana),’ ” Tinajero said.

“We had to make a move to protect the quality of lives of our residents. ... Now, the majority of the council is saying, ‘Thank God we did this.’ Otherwise, the medical marijuana distributor would write the laws and dictate to us how they are going to operate. ...

“Imagine lobbyists writing your laws. That’s what it comes down to.”

Tinajero since has spread his advocacy beyond Santa Ana, encouraging the Costa Mesa City Council to create its own marijuana ordinance and initiating discussions with Westminster, Fullerton, Garden Grove and Anaheim.

In Westminster, one of the first cities Longwith plans to target, Councilman Sergio Contreras said he has come around to the idea that cities need to proactively address the spread of medical cannabis and prepare for the likely arrival of recreational marijuana.

“Cities must be ready to respond with responsible ordinances that keep them away from parks, churches, neighborhoods and schools,” Contreras wrote in a recent email.

Elsewhere, the reaction to Longwith’s plans and Tinajero’s advocacy has been less welcoming.

Anaheim Councilwoman Kris Murray said she supported her city’s ban, relating a story of a local rogue dispensary, at which the smoke and pungent smell of marijuana billowed out of the business into a day care center next door.

“Our residents have loudly claimed that they do not want this in Anaheim,” Murray said. “I can’t speculate whether (pot shops in Anaheim are) an inevitability. I certainly hope not. … But I can say it is not a business model that we want in our city. They are destructive to our neighborhoods and business centers.”

In Huntington Beach, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Katapodis expressed similar concerns and said his City Council had not discussed any looming arrival of medical pot shops.

Costa Mesa Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer sits somewhere in between.

The train may be coming, he said, but why expedite its arrival?

Righeimer’s chief concern is a lack of state oversight.

Without a cannabis equivalent of the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, he worries the only enforcement tool for cities will be code violations, leaving rogue operators to sell marijuana with near impunity. But if cities wait until 2016, when he expects recreational marijuana might be legalized, Righeimer thinks the state will be forced to create a regulating body to help cities control marijuana shops and medical dispensaries.

Why rush this decision, he asks, when help soon may arrive?

For Longwith, the answer is simple: because there are Orange County medical patients suffering right now who are unable to access the treatment they need.

PERSONAL MOTIVE 


It was 1989 when Longwith discovered his mom had been sneaking off to buy and smoke pot. He was furious.

That was also the year his mom died from an aggressive form of breast cancer.

Longwith found out about her marijuana usage after she died. After the double mastectomy, the radiation therapy, the bone marrow transplants, the chemotherapy, the hair loss, the loss of appetite and the mouth sores, the frail Yorba Linda “soccer mom” would pop on a wig, hop in her Ford Thunderbird and drive to a shady street to buy marijuana from gang members.

“That pissed me off,” he said of the lengths she had to take. “And we still have patients who are in dire need of this. It just needs to be regulated.”

Longwith agrees with Righeimer that medical marijuana could benefit from state oversight. He also agrees with Murray that poorly run pot shops can be a blight. And he understands some in O.C. see medical dispensaries as a farce for recreational use.

But he also knows that his client, Robert Taft Jr., a Costa Mesa marijuana advocate, regularly drives nearly three hours and 120 miles round-trip to San Bernardino County to buy cannabidiol oil (a non-psychoactive cannabis extract) for a local epileptic 10-year-old girl. The drug has helped the girl reduce her seizures from 1,000 per hour to six, Taft said.

Longwith said medical marijuana dispensaries need to open in all regions of Orange County to provide.

“I’m here for the patients,” Longwith said. “We don’t want to fight. We don’t want lawsuits. A lot of this is just to make cities have a robust discussion with us.”

Moments later, though, he again refers to his office as a war room, and it’s clear that bringing medical marijuana to Orange County cities will be part shove, part handshake.

“We have our (signature) gatherers, we’re holding them at bay right now,“ Longwith said. “They’re chomping at the bit to get going ...”

“But this is something that’s coming,” he added. “In 10 years, when you look back at Santa Ana, Tustin, Newport Beach, Irvine, they are going to wonder why we were so against this plan, and what a strange situation that we had a city without these facilities.“

Contact the writer: jgraham@ocregister.com 


Cannabis crusader asks: Isn’t it time that regulated medical pot shops came to your town?