After being the first state to legalize medical marijuana almost 20 years ago, California is implementing regulations across the industry. Commentators have focused on the effective and efficient processes called for in the new regulations, which are anticipated to bring much needed clarity to a large network of companies and customers in the cannabis industry. As previously reported on Tracking Cannabis, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a set of bills in to law on Oct.

With almost a year left until election day 2016, a slew of proposals to legalize marijuana are already being floated in California, ushering in a referendum not just on whether to legalize pot in the world’s eighth largest economy, but how.

“A lot of money is going to be spent and it’s going to be a big show,” said Hezekiah Allen, head of the statewide California Growers Association, a cannabis advocacy group, of the dueling plans. “We’ll see how it goes. It’s a long time until election day.”

Eighteen proposed initiatives for legalizing cannabis had been submitted to the California attorney general’s office as of early November. Nine of those have been issued titles and summaries, allowing them to begin collecting signatures to qualify for next fall’s election.

San Francisco is feeling the Bern is more ways than one this November.

Billboard Top 10 Hip-Hop star and marijuana business mogul, Berner, debuts a documentary film on the origin of the blockbuster cannabis strain ‘Cookies’ to a live crowd of 1,000 technologists, venture capitalists, media and cannabis entrepreneurs November 21 in downtown San Francisco.

Berner is shopping an Anthony Bourdain-style cannabis travelog series called “Marijuana Mania”, to CEOs from tech, venture capital, media and cannabis at the New West Summit at the Parc 55 hotel next week. Smell the Truth is a media sponsor of New West.

Sanitizing and personal hygiene are a few of the critical aspects to preventing microorganism growth in food products.

There are many aspects to the cannabis industry that demand an owner’s attention: Compliance, great products, great people, great location, finances…. So is a focus on food safety a priority?

Yes, yes it is. And not just for infused products.

For starters, in some states like Colorado, it is required. In other states it will be required in the foreseeable future, and generally speaking, it is a vital component for a professional industry that continues to show the community that you are committed to creating safe products.

A clinic for potential medical marijuana users is expected to open in Burlington later this month.

Toronto-based Canadian Cannabis Clinics, a chain of clinics operated by a small group of investors, had hoped to open here on Nov. 10 but logistical issues have pushed it back to the week of Nov. 23, said lawyer Ronan Levy, one of the business’ directors and its general counsel.

The clinic will be located in Suite 302 in the medical professional building at 3155 Harvester Rd., east of Guelph Line.

The cannabis clinic is for people already using medical marijuana or those who might end up using it.

“The people who come to see us are quite sick,” said Levy.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 11, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson, the estate of Bob Marley, and Wiz Khalifa are all making moves in legal cannabis. But one entertainer is already the major big player. Billboard Top 10 Hip-Hop star and marijuana business mogul, Berner, has disclosed his pot-related projects gross $10 million per year.

New Zealand's agricultural exports are predicted to grow to $100 billion a year in the next 20 years and will be much more diversified than the current mix, which relies on dairy and forestry, says Ian Proudfoot, KPMG's global leader for agribusiness and food.

Speaking at an Auckland conference on farming and the future of food today, Proudfoot said that would mean increasing the compound annual growth rate for agricultural exports from 4.5 percent to 5.4 percent, but that will only happen with a cultural shift towards more value-add products.

Illinois has opened up medical marijuana dispensaries in several different cities. (Photo : Twitter Photo Section)

The first medical marijuana dispensaries in Illinois opened for business Monday, attracting the attention of patients from a variety of cities.

"It's a big surprise. I've been waiting forever for this to happen. It's a good thing. It's a good thing for everybody," said medical marijuana patient Michael Witfoth, from Chester, according to WSIL. There are currently eight state-licensed locations that provide medicinal marijuana to patients in Illinois.

Seeing investment capital support in any sector is an endorsement of future success and in recent months as political wins have continued to mount and community support continues to rally we have seen more and more private investments enter the cannabis industry.

The Juneau Assembly has established zoning for marijuana cultivation, processing and retail.

Pot entrepreneurs will be able to grow their crop in some low-density neighborhoods, outside the city’s urban service boundary. That includes parts of North Douglas, Thane and out the road.

Margo Waring, who lives on North Douglas, testified that she was concerned about the scale of commercial grow operations.

“We’re not looking at your backyard raised veggie bed. This is an indoor industrial activity,” Waring said.

Grow facilities, in the designated D1 areas, are limited to under 500 square feet or about the size of a two-car garage. Residents will be able to voice concerns with the city on a case-by-case basis if issues come up.