Bend man joins growing secondary marijuana industry

REDMOND —Kelly Martin believes you don’t have to grow or sell marijuana to make money in the marijuana business.

He launched two companies in the past year that capitalize on legal, recreational marijuana in the Pacific Northwest. The oldest is DaKine 420 , a purveyor of fertilizers and processed coconut husks, in which marijuana is grown. Just finishing its first year, the company, which employs five in a 9,000-square-foot warehouse off SW Veterans Way, is set to clear about $700,000 in gross sales, Martin, 54, said recently.

Purple Haze Properties Also Scheduled To Appear At The High Times Business Summit In Washington, DC To Receive "High Times Trailblazer In The Cannabis Industry" Award

The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday edition that the Canadian pot business got a boost last month with the election of Justin Trudeau. The Globe's Mike Hager writes the Liberals promised to legalize marijuana, and one analyst expects that momentum behind the policy will take some of the starch out of the big banks' conservative approach to such businesses. Simon Fraser University economics professor Stephen Easton has estimated legalization could bring in $3-billion a year in tax revenue alone. In contrast, alcohol sales generated about $7.7-billion in total for both provincial and federal governments, while annual tobacco sales bring about $7-billion.

The gradual legalisation of cannabis across US states is a triumph for the American Dream, says Sarah Dunant.

There may soon be a new use for your Keurig coffee maker — brewing pot.

Canadian medical cannabis producer CannTrust has created a single-serve marijuana pod called the CANNCUP.

Like other pods on the market, the CANNCUP will contain your choice of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. But these capsules will have a little extra something — dried cannabis.

Pop one in your single serve coffee machine and it will brew up a hot drink spiked with "a standardized dose of medical marijuana," explains CannTrust CEO Eric Paul.

George Hackney Sr. finally received the call he had been waiting for. The Florida Department of Health told him on Monday, Hackney Nursery will join four other Florida nurseries in producing medicinal marijuana for the state.

It has been a long journey since spring of 2014, when Gov. Rick Scott signed off on the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act. The legislation divided the state into five regions with one license each to cultivate low-THC marijuana and process its oil into medicine to treat children afflicted with a severe form of epilepsy and cancer patients.

Next year promises to be action-packed in a variety of ways. Americans will be electing a new president, the make-up of Congress could once again shift, and more states are likely to be placing marijuana initiatives on their ballots to expand its use medically or recreationally (or both) as Ohio recently attempted with its November 2015 proposal.

A tiny northern Ontario First Nation has announced plans to get into the medical marijuana business.

The Wahgoshig First Nation, near Kirkland Lake, is partnering with an Ontario company called DelShen Therapeutics to convert a former forestry operation into a facility that will grow "pharmaceutical grade" pot.

The medical marijuana grown will be a strain developed in the Netherlands, specifically for medical purposes.

The entire operation is expected to cost $18-million. In a press release, chief David Babin said the First Nation has chipped in $2-million of that cost.

• CNN tested six pot products and one of them tested positive for high levels of  a neurotoxin called imidacloprid, which shouldn't be used on marijuana
• This led to more testing by state agencies and a voluntary recall of 2,362 pot products, all made and distributed by Tru Cannibis
• The state is looking for better ways to regulate 'buyer beware' pot market  

High levels of pesticides in marijuana products have resulted in voluntary recalls of thousands of pot products legally sold in Colorado, according to CNN.

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits has launched a premium cannabis-flavoured vodka in travel retail. 

Shotka was highlighted by Marie Brizard at last month’s TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes and is aimed at night clubbing fans aged from 18 to 28. The spirit, according to Marie Brizard, does not have the narcotic effects of the drug (also known as marijuana) but “stands out with its unique and unexpected taste”.