The innovative original equipment manufacturer solidifies leadership in intellectual property in the cannabis industry.
PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 18, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – Thompson Duke Industrial , a leader in cannabis oil vaporizer device filling and capping equipment, has been granted another patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). U.S. Patent No. 11,166,490 covers Thompson Duke's proprietary cannabis oil vaporizer device filling system, particularly adapted for filling sealed vaporizer devices.
"We are honored that the USPTO has once again recognized the novelty and authenticity of our technology here at Thompson Duke," said Chris Gardella, chief technology officer for Thompson Duke. "This latest patent is a reflection of our team's forward-thinking approach to the future of technology and innovation in the cannabis industry. We are excited to expand our intellectual property portfolio as Thompson Duke continues to provide inventive, automated filling and capping machinery to the cannabis industry."
The new patent protects Thompson Duke's innovative system for injecting liquid into a cannabis oil vaporizer device. Thompson Duke is an original equipment manufacturer pioneering the cannabis industry by designing, manufacturing and distributing a line of patented, cETLus-certified and GMP-ready filling and capping machines purpose-built for cannabis oil vaporizer devices. The company also offers a line of mouthpiece fastening machines and process performance and reporting data systems.
Thompson Duke also holds a U.S. patent for its cannabis vaporizer cartridge filling apparatus and method used for dispensing liquid into a container (No. 10,440,989).
To learn more, visit ThompsonDukeIndustrial.com .
The DCC must develop new regulations on or before Jan. 1, 2023.
California is working to develop statewide standardized cannabis testing to minimize inconsistencies in data from one lab to the next.
The move comes after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 544 into law Oct. 5. According to the bill text, the measure requires the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) to “establish one or more standardized cannabinoids test methods to be used by all testing laboratories” on or before Jan. 1, 2023.
“I believe it is a necessary step to standardize testing methods and procedures when all legal cannabis products are required to undergo testing and display those results for the consumers,” Jared Schwass, founder and managing partner Schwass Law Firm, told Cannabis Business Times in an email. “Unfortunately, many consumers currently rely heavily on the reported THC levels of cannabis flower, which has led to lab shopping. This puts pressure on all cannabis producers to find labs that can produce high THC levels and on the labs to find methods that produce such results.”
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Schwass said he think’s the state’s current testing regulations decrease consumer confidence, and believes the standardized method will help consumers be sure that the labels on cannabis products are accurate.
Looking ahead, Schwass suggests that when the state is developing the regulations, it might bring industry insiders into the fold to learn about other issues the state needs to address through the new regulations—such as the logistics around lab testing.
“For example, small producers (i.e., farmers and manufacturers) could benefit greatly if they were able to have their testing samples taken from their location before shipping their product to a distributor,” Schwass said. “This could save significant shipping costs, especially if a product fails testing. It also costs a significant amount of capital to start a lab and the state needs to ensure that the new standards won’t require large investments just to stay compliant. In the past, the state has failed to take insider input at the expense of the operators. I hope it is different this time."
The recent expansion marks the company's third Florida location and 19th in the U.S.
Green Dragon, a multistate cannabis operator, has expanded its Florida retail footprint.
In a Nov. 30 press release, the company announced the opening of its third Florida medical cannabis dispensary in West Palm Beach, marking its 19th location in the U.S.
© Courtesy of Green Dragon Inside Green Dragon's West Palm Beach dispensary
The West Palm Beach dispensary is located at 1695 Forum Place—next door to the Palm Beach Outlets. The location will serve customers from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. EST Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. EST on Sundays.
“West Palm Beach is a major hub in South Florida and with this storefront being conveniently located adjacent to the Palm Beach Outlets, we have a tremendous opportunity to provide new and existing patients in Florida with world-class quality cannabis products and become the area’s newest dispensary destination,” Alex Levine, Green Dragon chief development officer, told Cannabis Dispensary in an email.
Before Green Dragon's West Palm Beach expansion, it recently opened its 16th Colorado dispensary in Fort Collins by purchasing the existing Choice Organics license.
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Looking ahead, "Green Dragon is continuing to execute on an extensive growth plan in the Florida medical cannabis market and is currently on track to have 20 locations in Florida secured this year, with an additional 30 locations secured by the end of 2022," Levine said in the release. Some of these locations will open in Tampa, Ocala, Merritt Island, Titusville and Jacksonville.
The measures would decriminalize and legalize adult-use cannabis in the state.
Democratic Rep. Nima Kulkarni has pre-filed two cannabis bills ahead of Kentucky's 2022 legislative session to decriminalize and legalize adult-use cannabis in the state.
According to a recent article from WKYT, if approved, the measures would remove criminal penalties for small amounts of cannabis, allow adults 21 years and older to buy, sell or possess up to 1 ounce of cannabis, and allow ownership of up to five plants for personal use.
Kulkarni explained that while her second bill would remove penalties for possession of small amounts of cannabis, the retributions for the possession of more significant amounts would remain. Additionally, the measure would remove cannabis accessories from Kentucky's drug-paraphernalia statutes, according to the news outlet.
"I am sponsoring these bills for several reasons, any one of which should be enough for them to become law," Kulkarni said. "First, current cannabis statutes have needlessly and tragically ruined many lives, especially people of color who have suffered because of unequal enforcement. Second, thousands of citizens, from cancer patients to veterans suffering from PTSD, should have the right to use something that gives them the mental and physical relief they deserve without relying on stronger, potentially addictive medicine. Third, cannabis decriminalization would give the state a much-needed source of reliable revenue without raising current taxes a single cent.
“And, finally, polls have repeatedly shown a majority of Kentuckians backs decriminalization and allowing cannabis to be used responsibly by adults. Other states taking this step are reaping considerable benefits, and it's time for Kentucky to join them."
According to the news outlet, if three-fifths of the House and Senate approve the measures during the state's 2022 legislative session beginning in January, the measures would then go before voters next November.
This strategic raise will bolster Headset's innovative analytics services and expansion efforts.
SEATTLE, Nov. 30, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – Headset , a leading provider of data and analytics to the cannabis industry, announced that it has raised $3 million of new capital led by Althea, a private equity investment firm. Other participating investors are Poseidon Investment Management, a leading investor in the legal cannabis and hemp industries, and WGD Capital L.P., a cannabis focused venture fund.
As part of this financing, Headset also converted $5.6 million of bridge notes previously issued in August 2020 and April 2021 . Headset's unmatched scale of retail data is leveraged by thousands of organizations to make smarter decisions when it comes to the cannabis industry, and this round of capital will enable them to expand that reach.
"With this latest round of capital, Headset is able to achieve significant milestones in the industry, including the expansion of our market measurement services to all legal markets and launch new and exciting services designed to help organizations understand and activate consumer purchase behaviors at unprecedented levels," Headset CEO and co-founder Cy Scott said. "We are excited to be working with Althea who brings expertise in the areas of technology, analytics, CPG and cannabis."
Since its launch in 2015, Headset has been the leader in powering advanced and unparalleled analytics services for growing customer bases within cannabis, supporting retailers and dispensaries in over 30 territories, with market projections in the U.S. and Canada. The company continues to elevate the caliber of the cannabis industry providing precise data-driven insights to brands, dispensaries, retailers and organizations in the financial services and consumer packaged goods sector. This raise will deploy capital and ultimately enable Headset to quickly expand its market intelligence platform.
"At Althea, we partner with exceptional founders who are passionate about their people," Althea co-founder Don Stoltz said. "Cy Scott and Brian [Wansolich] have prioritized culture and collaboration while encouraging intellectual freedom. As Peter Drucker said, 'Culture eats strategy for breakfast.' We are thrilled to join the Headset family on the next leg of their journey."
"The Headset platform is unparalleled in its breadth, depth and real-time analytics, providing it with an enduring competitive advantage and growing business moat," Althea co-founder Eliza Gairard said. "As the industry matures, the importance of data and analytics will grow exponentially, and we believe Headset is uniquely positioned to win."
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