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Why States Need to 'Flick the Legal Switch' on Cannabis Amid COVID-19

Benzinga.com

OUR TAKEAWAY

“Cannabis is simply one of the few sectors that governments can identify where with the flick of a legal switch, revenue and employment can be found."

Insurance-Covered Cannabis in Germany sets Fourth-Quarter Record

MJBizDaily.com

OUR TAKEAWAY

The legal medical market in Germany gives us a glimpse into what legalization could look like in the United States. Insurance coverage for medical cannabis in Germany has been a game changer, and we believe it could be a massive industry tailwind in the United States. Insurance reimbursements for medical cannabis in Germany increased 70% in 2019 and reached a new high during Q4, according to data from the German National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds.

Legalization of Medical Marijuana in the South on the Rise

MJBizDaily.com

OUR TAKEAWAY

Efforts are underway to advance the legalization of medical use cannabis throughout the southern United States. The South has been slow to warm to the cannabis industry, but the region has promise given lower costs and potentially fewer barriers to entry for cannabis entrepreneurs.

States that have allowed marijuana businesses to remain open during coronavirus pandemic stay-at-home orders

MJBizDaily.com

OUR TAKEAWAY

Despite coronavirus quarantine orders across the country, cannabis has been declared an “essential service” by many states and cannabis businesses have been allowed to stay open (often by offering curbside pickup and delivery).

OUR TAKEAWAY

Culture of Compliance

Cannabis is here to stay, and we see being “long regulation” as a way to back the ultimate winners in an industry that has a massive market opportunity. Operators able to navigate the rapidly-changing regulatory landscape are in a pole position to capture market share in a growing, multi-billion dollar market vs. competitors that are unable to process regulatory change. Cannabis legalization throughout the United States generally has unfolded in a pretty consistent manner: A state legalizes medical use to treat a short list of conditions where cannabis generally has been accepted to be therapeutic.After getting comfortable with its initial medical use program, the state expands its list of qualifying conditions eligible for cannabis treatment.The state adopts full adult use (recreational) legalization of cannabis.The state updates and adds regulations as its medical and recreational cannabis programs evolve.