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Cookies Announces Global Partnership with Final Bell & 14th Round for Packaging and Co-Manufacturing

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Collaboration Between Cannabis Leaders Supports End-to-End Co-Manufacturing of Cannabis Products in California and Canada

CALIFORNIA: International cannabis lifestyle brand Cookies announces that vaporizer technology innovator 14th Round will serve as Cookies’ hardware and packaging partner, and 14th Round’s plant-touching sister company Final Bell will provide comprehensive co-manufacturing for all of Cookies’ cannabis products in California and Canada. These two new partners bring strategic advantages to Cookies as the company continues its global expansion, offering expertise in logistical and operational support, inventory management, automation equipment, manufacturing SOPs, and training and ongoing technical support for their respective manufacturing operations.

“We are excited to partner with Final Bell who will help Cookies’ global expansion plan by serving as both our packaging and co-manufacturing partner,” said Berner, Co-Founder and CEO of Cookies. “I have a great working relationship with Tom [Final Bell’s Co-Founder], and appreciate his vibe and energy, and everything he and the experienced Final Bell Team brings to the table.”

The relationship, successfully forged during the past few quarters, will soon debut upgraded packaging, a suite of state-of-the-art vaporization hardware, and the introduction of new pre-rolls, edibles, vape products, and concentrates. Consumers can expect to see all of these exciting and innovative products hit dispensary shelves in California and Canada initially, in Q1 of 2023, with additional products to follow.

The powerful partnership between globally recognized Cookies, renowned for its genetics, and creative vision under Berner, and 14th Round and Final Bell’s design and engineering acumen and end-to-end manufacturing capabilities, should lead to robust growth for Cookies as it continues to enter new markets and introduce new products across the globe.

Jeremy Green, Co-Founder of Final Bell and 14th Round, said, “We built Final Bell and 14th Round to service the needs of cannabis companies of the future: global brands that understand the value and necessity for streamlined supply chain management, continuous innovation, and co-manufacturing capabilities defined by strict and repeatable processes. No one epitomizes that concept better than Cookies and we are thrilled to support the growth of their business around the world.”

LA County Ask Public For Feedback On Cannabis Equity Program

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CALIFORNIA: The LA County Office of Cannabis Management is inviting the public to join an upcoming community meeting and help determine what an equitable cannabis industry in LA County looks like.

OCM, part of the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, is hosting four in-person Community Feedback Sessions during March as it develops the County’s future Cannabis Equity Program.

Feedback gathered from the sessions will inform final recommendations for the County’s future Cannabis Equity Program and follows the release of the County’s Cannabis Equity Assessment. The assessment evaluated current cannabis industry current practices and recommended ways to support equity in commercial cannabis licensing.

The sessions will give LA County residents, community organizations and business owners an opportunity to learn more about the assessment’s findings and to provide input on Cannabis Equity Program’s eligibility criteria, as well as resources and services that should be offered to those who qualify for the program.

The first session will be held on March 13, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the East Los Angeles Library. To register for upcoming Community Feedback Sessions and review the full Equity assessment on the website.

Spanish translation services, light food and refreshments and free on-site parking will be offered.

Those unable to attend an in-person session, an online feedback session will be held March 23, 2023, from 12– 1 p.m. Click here to register for the online session.

Former Top Official in Orange County’s Democratic Party Agrees to Plead Guilty to Attempted Wire Fraud and Admits to Bribery Scheme

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CALIFORNIA: The former executive director of the Democratic Party of Orange County has agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge for attempting to defraud one of her political consultancy firm’s clients. She further admitted in court documents that she agreed to bribe two members of the Irvine City Council – both on cannabis-related matters. 

Melahat Rafiei, 45, of Anaheim, agreed to plead guilty to one count of attempted wire fraud. She is expected to make her initial appearance in United States District Court in Santa Ana on February 6.

Rafiei is the principal and founder of Progressive Solutions Consulting, a Long Beach-based political consulting firm. Rafiei was a longtime leader in Orange County’s Democratic Party and formerly served as secretary of the California Democratic Party and state representative to the Democratic National Committee.

Bribery

According to her plea agreement, from April to June 2018, Rafiei agreed to give at least $225,000 in bribes to Irvine City Council members in exchange for their introducing and passing a city ordinance that would allow Rafiei’s clients to open a retail cannabis store in Irvine.

In April 2018, Rafiei presented a business opportunity to an individual who was then employed in the medical cannabis industry and offered to introduce the individual to an Irvine politician, identified in court documents as “Elected Official 1.”

The next month, Rafiei met with Elected Official 1 to discuss introducing an ordinance in Irvine that would legalize retail medical cannabis and ultimately benefit the individual’s business. At this meeting, Rafiei and Elected Official 1 told the individual and his business partner that they planned to use a separate member of the Irvine City Council – identified in court documents as “Elected Official 2” – to introduce the ordinance.

Following this meeting, still in May 2018, Rafiei asked the individual’s business partner to pay her between $350,000 and $400,000 in exchange for getting the cannabis ordinance introduced.

To avoid detection and mask the bribe payments to the Irvine elected officials, Rafiei planned to enter into legal retainer agreements with them. In June 2018, Rafiei caused a contract to be drafted between herself and Elected Official 2, the terms of which included a $25,000 retainer for “legal services.” Later, Rafiei explained to the individual’s business partner that Elected Official 2 had asked for approximately $25,000 and that Elected Official 1 had asked for $200,000.

Rafiei then instructed the business partner that the bribe payments would be disguised as attorney fees for legal services rendered to her various public affairs and campaign management companies. The payments had to be “maneuvered” in this way, she said, to circumvent the elected officials’ disclosure requirements.

Attempted Wire Fraud

In September and October of 2019, Rafiei falsely represented to a commercial cannabis company owner that, in exchange for a payment of at least $300,000, she would work to pass a cannabis-related ordinance in Anaheim that would benefit and be specifically tailored for the victim’s business. However, Rafiei already had been working on such an ordinance for other paying clients.

Rafiei then falsely represented to the victim that she would keep only $10,000 of the payment in exchange for her purported work. In fact, Rafiei intended to keep $100,000 of the payment.

Rafiei also falsely represented to the victim that $200,000 of the $300,000 would go to the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, when in fact, she intended to split the $200,000 equally between herself and an associate of hers who was not affiliated with the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce. She instructed the victim to pay the $300,000 to various entities whose accounts she controlled.

Once Rafiei enters her guilty plea, she will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

The FBI investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel S. Lim and Melissa S. Rabbani of the Santa Ana Branch Office are prosecuting this case.

Highway Cannabis Launches Flagship Store in Marina del Rey with Grand Opening Event to Feature All Day Music and Arts Festival

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CALIFORNIA: Highway Cannabis Company announced its flagship store in Marina del Rey, CA is open and is celebrating with a Grand Opening event for the community featuring music, art and food vendors open to the public and of legal age on Saturday, January 28th, 2023.

“We are so excited to finally introduce the Highway Cannabis store concept to the public,” said Chris Colón, Highway Cannabis CEO and Founder.  “We spent the past two years designing and building a brand rooted in California lifestyle and a customer focused retail experience.  We have built the largest private label selection of products by partnering with some of the best cultivators and co-manufacturers in the state of California.”

In addition to introducing Highway’s own private label portfolio across all categories, Highway has also set out to curate a third-party assortment of the industry’s top brands and most innovative products, always leaving the customer wondering what they’ll find on their next trip. Paving the way to provide the finest California-grown craft cannabis flower and boasting the world’s largest eighth, a 4g eighth rather than the standard 3.5g, Highway’s hospitality offers even more bud for your buck.

Highway’s Hula Mamma and Highway Gummies lines of chef-driven recipes, small batch confectionary edibles that are precision-dosed, made with all-natural, vegan, gluten-free, and preservative-free ingredients, and feature customized formulations to fit your ideal cannabis experience.

The Highway Pre-roll product line offers a selection of Highway indoor flower, rolled in a variety of sizes, packaging options, and potency levels to compliment any occasion.

The beautifully designed store features an open hospitality-driven shopping experience. From the patent-pending aromatic atomizers at the Blossom Bar for flower enthusiasts to up close and personal exploration in the Scorpion Dab Bar for concentrate connoisseurs, putting the customer front and center.  A brand-new sleek design with a streetwear ethos and raw aesthetic incorporated throughout.

“Our overall store design pulls a lot of inspiration from streetwear and the outdoors. You can see that through our sleek and minimalistic style, complimented by a material palette which includes a lot of exposed metals, raw concrete, and warm woods,” said Matt Fosburg, VP of Retail.

The location has plenty of parking for shoppers and for express pick-up. An adjacent creative event space, formerly Box City and directly across from Costco, will open later in the year and be used as a space where local artists, craftsmen, entertainers, small businesses, and charities of the Westside community can hold events and showcase products.  To give back to the community, Highway is waiving rental fees for local artists and charitable organizations.

The grand opening event taking place on Saturday, January 28th takes place: 13452 Washington Blvd in Marina del Rey from 1-10 pm.  Music acts from Brainstory to Beaux Gris Gris and the Apocalypse perform in the evening and food trucks and immersive experiences take place throughout the day.

California’s Cannabis Department Adopts Comprehensive Regulatory Changes

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CALIFORNIA – The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) announced that it has adopted a consolidated regulatory package that streamlines and simplifies the cannabis regulations, eases burdens for licensees, and enhances consumer protections. These regulations, which reflect community and industry input, are now in effect. The full text of the regulations can be found here.

“The adoption of these regulations represents DCC’s commitment to advance rational regulatory improvements that remove unnecessary and burdensome regulatory challenges for cannabis operators and advance protections for consumers,” said DCC Director Nicole Elliott. “I want to applaud the contributions of our many partners, including our licensees, public health officials, and local cannabis regulators for providing valuable feedback and input during this important process.”

This rulemaking action consolidates, clarifies, and makes consistent licensing and enforcement criteria for commercial cannabis businesses, in addition to other regulatory reforms.

The regulations maintain several provisions from the emergency regulations, as well as reflect critical changes that incorporate feedback from licensees and other stakeholders. Some of the key provisions in the adopted regulations that are now in effect are outlined below.

Enhanced consumer and youth protections 

  • Restricts harmful ingredients and youth-friendly flavoring in inhalable products (Regulations Sections 15000, 17303.1)
  • Expands prohibitions on marketing, advertising and merchandise attractive to youth (Regulations Section 15040)
  • Supports expanded access to safe and tested products through delivery into regions of the state with limited access to legal cannabis (Regulations Section 15418)
  • Requires employees on a licensed premises or handling cannabis to be age 21 or older (Regulations Section 15000.6)
  • Ensures cannabinoid content labeling on flower reflects common, intoxicating forms of THC (Regulations Section 15700)
  • Ensures testing laboratories are independent and free of conflicts of interest (Regulations Section 15004.1)

Simplifies state licensing requirements 

  • Removes requirement to provide extensive financial documentation (Regulations Section 15002)
  • Clarifies who must be disclosed as an owner of the cannabis business (Regulations Section 15003)
  • Removes requirement for businesses to continuously update lists of low-level investors (Regulations Section 15004)
  • Makes it easier for businesses to provide information required for CEQA review (Regulations Section 15010)
  • Simplifies process for changing license information (Regulations Section 15027)

Supports the success of licensed cannabis businesses through greater flexibility 

  • Provides outdoor cultivators with flexibility to utilize traditional light deprivation  without requiring a license change (Regulations Sections 15000, 16202)
  • Supports a more efficient distribution of products statewide (Regulations Section 15301) and with less environmental impact (Regulations Section 15306)
  • Provides distributors with the flexibility to quickly expand vehicle fleets in response to demand (Regulations Section 15311) while limiting the retrofitting required for secured storage areas (Regulations Section 15311)
  • Eliminates requirement for cultivators to weigh individual plants after harvest (Regulations Sections 15047.1-15052)
  • Permanently allows for curbside delivery practices which safely served customers during COVID-19 (Regulations Section 15402)
  • Allows consumption lounge operators to sell prepackaged food and beverages or allow carry-in of prepared food and beverages (Regulations Section 15407)
  • Expands opportunities for farmers and product manufacturers to participate in cannabis events and showcase products to consumers (Regulations Section 15603.1)

DCC has also put together technical guidance documents on inhalable products and tinctures and beverages, as well as a comparison chart intended to help licensees understand the new requirements

E-40 and Channel Tres Set to Top Lineup at Emerald Cup Harvest Ball 2022

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CALIFORNIA: The brightest minds of cannabis will descend to celebrate the beginning of the journey to the 19th annual Emerald Cup with the 2022 Harvest Ball.  The Emerald Cup is thrilled to announce E-40 and Channel Tres as headliners for the festival, bringing a whole new energy that will electrify the weekend and add an exciting element for attendees. Discovery has been a key focal point for this year’s Harvest Ball. The way in which cannabis embraces the discovery of different cannabis strains and brands was used as a source of inspiration for this year’s musical lineup. Taking place on December 10 and 11, 2022, at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, California, the two-day gathering and festival celebrate the peak of the harvest season, allowing access to the best of California cannabis while exploring a unique array of musical acts.  The 2022 lineup will deliver some amazing sets that align with past highlights including SantiGold, Rebelution, The Roots, Damian Marley, Big Wild, Keak the Sneak, and Cut Chemist. 

 

“The Emerald Cup has always been a highly curated cannabis marketplace with ‘new discovery’ avenues for culture and weed,” says Emerald Cup Founder Tim Blake. “Music and cannabis have been intertwined throughout the history of the Cup. We’re excited to announce this year’s musical line-up, featuring some of the hottest acts to discover – old and new. Check out the artists on our two music stages, they’ll surely keep you moving and grooving on the dance floor.”

  • Harvest Ball musical acts lineup announced with headliners Bay Area legend E-40 and Los Angeles-based artist Channel Tres converging at the 2022 Emerald Cup Harvest Ball

  • Additional music acts include (A-Z) Arise Roots, Canabliss, EAZYBAKED, Flamingosis, Joe Samba, Kamaiyah, Lee Fields, Satin Jackets, Smoakland + more.

  • Emerald Cup unveils Emerald Cup Sessions and Phase 1 of the music lineup that spans a variety of genres

  • 2023 Emerald Cup Awards judges and participants of the Small Farms Initiative at the 2022 Harvest Ball to be announced Monday, October 31, 2022

  • Weekend Passes are on sale now at www.theemeraldcup.com

 

Emerald Cup Announces 2022 Harvest Ball Small Farms Initiative Participants

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Emerald Cup Harvest Ball announces 10 Small Farms who will be awarded a booth space and receive a grant to participate in the 2022 Small Farms Initiative program at the 2022 Harvest Ball in Santa Rosa

CALIFORNIA:  As the Emerald Cup gears up for the highly anticipated 2022 Harvest Ball this December, the organizers are proud to announce the 10 craft and heirloom cannabis farms that will be participating in the 2022 Harvest Ball Small Farms Initiative. California state licensed Mixed Light and Outdoor farms with a canopy of 10,000 sq. ft. or less were able to apply for this opportunity, providing dozens of craft cannabis brands with access to the Emerald Cup’s engaged audience of California cannabis connoisseurs and more.

“We are so excited to bring back this opportunity to the 2022 Emerald Cup Harvest Ball as we continue to celebrate and support the small farmers that are the heart and soul of the cannabis community,” says Associate Producer of the Emerald Cup, Taylor Blake. “We received 101 applications to be a part of this year’s Small Farms Initiative which is 29 more than what we received last year, so this increase – in a year like we are in – feels significant and meaningful. This initiative has continued to connect small sungrown and mixed light cultivators across California and is giving hope in a time that it is really needed.”

2022 HARVEST BALL SMALL FARMS INITIATIVE PARTICIPANTS:

Selected Small Farms and Heirloom Cannabis Farmers:

NATYRE

These 8 Farms have been provided discounted booths in the Craft Cannabis Marketplace at the 2022  Emerald Cup Harvest Ball:

Gold Ridge Cannabis

Empowered by Emerald Cup founder Tim Blake, the Small Farms Council includes Michael Katz of the Mendocino Cannabis Alliance, Genine Coleman of Origins Council, Chris Anderson of Redwood Roots Distribution, Nicholas Smilgys of Mendocino Cannabis Distribution, Traci Pellar of the Mendocino Producers Guild and Brandy Moulton of Sovereign 707. The council worked with the Emerald Cup to evaluate license distribution among Northern California’s heritage cannabis-producing counties with active ordinances, allocating a proportional number of participants to each county.

Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce Targets Illegal Indoor Cultivation In Industrial Warehouses In Southern California In Second Operation

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CALIFORNIA: In continuing its aggressive crackdown against illegal cannabis operators threatening the environment, communities, public health, and the legal market, the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce (UCETF) took recent actions to shut down unlicensed indoor cultivation operations in large, industrial warehouses located in the San Fernando Valley.

Led by the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Governor’s Office of Emergency Services as well as several other local and state partners, the UCETF operation spanned two days and included a total of 13 search warrants served between October 18 and October 19 on unlicensed indoor cultivation operations in the Sun Valley suburb, outside of Los Angeles.

Officers eradicated 7,503 plants and more than 936 pounds of processed cannabis flower, worth an estimated retail value of close to $8 million. Using air monitors, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) detected high levels of banned, toxic chemicals at some of the sites.

“Criminal cannabis operators, like those we enforced against in this operation, jeopardize the health of their workers by using toxic chemicals to help fertilize indoor cultivations that undercut the legal market and present safety risks to consumers,” said DCC Director Nicole Elliott. “While DCC works hard to support the transition of legacy operators into the legal market, we have zero tolerance for this behavior and will work with our partners across state, local and the federal government to shut it down.”

Samples taken from unlabeled chemicals and extracted distillate will be tested. Laboratory results will be provided for use in building criminal cases. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power disconnected power at all locations, finding safety code violations at all 13 sites.

“This operation uncovers a perfect example of the disregard for health and safety and the lengths people will go to grow illegal cannabis,” said Charlton H. Bonham, Director of CDFW. “This type of activity is a huge threat and detrimental to the burgeoning legal market we are working to support.”

“This operation is another important step in protecting our communities. California is committed to working across all levels of government to take aggressive action against bad actors and criminal organizations,” said Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci, Director of Cal OES and the Governor’s Homeland Security Advisor.

Criminal investigations are ongoing and once completed, the cases will be submitted to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. In addition, cases for civil penalties may be submitted to the California Attorney General’s Office and the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, as appropriate.

“We are grateful for the partnership and collaboration of the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce in helping us tackle illegal cannabis operations in and around the Los Angeles area,” said Detective Travis Coyle of the Foothill Narcotics Division of the Los Angeles Police Department. “This is an all-hands on deck issue that requires partners from local, state, and federal agencies work together and we’re looking forward to the added support.”

Agencies participating in this operation included:

  • Department of Cannabis Control, Law Enforcement Division
  • Department of Cannabis Control, Compliance Division
  • California Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • California Department of Industrial Relations
  • California Department of Insurance
  • California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
  • California Department of Toxic Substances Control
  • Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
  • Los Angeles Police Department, Foothill Division

Enforcement activities are important in eliminating unfair competition, protecting natural resources, and safeguarding communities. Alongside enforcement efforts, the state is expanding access to tested cannabis products for consumers, including through a $20 million grant program approved in Governor Gavin Newsom’s FY 2022-23 budget that would allow DCC to grant cities and counties with funding to support the creation of cannabis retail access in areas that currently do not allow it.

The UCETF actively coordinates with federal, state, local and tribal agencies to disrupt the illegal cannabis market. Co-chaired by the DCC and CDFW and coordinated by the Homeland Security Division of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), the taskforce is bringing together more than two dozen state, local and federal partners to protect communities, consumers, and the environment.

California Attorney General Bonta Announces Eradication of Nearly One Million Cannabis Plants as Part of Interagency Effort to Combat Illegal Market

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CALIFORNIA:  California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the eradication of nearly one million illegally cultivated cannabis plants and the seizure of more than 200,000 pounds of illegally processed cannabis as part of the California Department of Justice’s annual Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) program. Since 1983, this 13-week program has eradicated more than 33 million illegal cannabis plants. Beginning this fall, this seasonal eradication program will transition into a year-round task force. The Eradication and Prevention of Illicit Cannabis (EPIC) task force will allow the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to build out its cannabis enforcement work and investigate and prosecute civil and criminal cases with a focus on environmental, economic, and labor impacts from illegal cultivation.

“California has the largest safe, legal, and regulated cannabis market in the world, but unfortunately illegal and unlicensed grows continue to proliferate,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “The California Department of Justice’s CAMP task force works tirelessly each year to eradicate illegal grows and reclaim our public lands, but shutting down these grows is no longer enough. With the transition to EPIC, we’re taking the next step and building out our efforts to address the environmental and economic harms and labor exploitation associated with this underground market. I want to thank all our local, state, and federal partners for their longstanding collaboration on CAMP and ongoing commitment to tackle this problem through the EPIC task force.”

“Collaboration is one of our best defenses in combatting illicit cannabis grows. Our continued partnership with the multiagency CAMP program aligns with our core mission to protect California’s native plants, fish and wildlife,” said David Bess, Deputy Director and Chief of the Law Enforcement Division for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Additionally, removing untested and potentially harmful cannabis products from the illicit market, helps the regulated cannabis market succeed, while providing another layer of public safety.”

“Illegal cultivation of marijuana on public lands continues to be a major problem for California. These illegal operations have a devastating impact on our environment and the health and safety of communities and public land users,” said Karen Mouritsen, California State Director for the Bureau of Land Management. “The BLM is proud to be a part of CAMP’s federal, state and local law enforcement partnership and its mission to protect our public lands and maintain public safety.”

“CAMP and the cooperative efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners play a vital role in sustaining the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands,” said Dylan Ragan, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Land Management’s Office of Law Enforcement and Security in California. “Working together, we bring a whole government approach to combating the damage caused by illegal marijuana cultivation on public lands. This cultivation threatens public lands by introducing dangerous pesticides, unlawfully diverting waterways, and involving drug trafficking organizations.”

“The USDA, Forest Service, Law Enforcement and Investigations (USDA, FS, LEI) has been a partner in the CAMP program for the entirety of its nearly 30-year history,” said Jeff Sadowski, Assistant Special Agent in Charge – Aviation and Special Operations, U.S. Forest Service. “The USDA, FS, LEI looks forward to a similarly exemplary relationship with the new EPIC program in continuing to pursue those who would damage our public lands through the illicit production of marijuana.”

Over the course of the 2022 season, CAMP teams operating in Northern, Central, and Southern California, conducted 449 operations, recovered 184 weapons, and removed nearly 67,000 pounds of cultivation infrastructure, including dams, water lines, and containers of toxic chemicals, such as carbofuran, methyl parathion, aluminum phosphate, zinc phosphide, and illegal fertilizers. Carbofuran, in particular, poses untold risks to public health. A lethal insecticide that is effectively banned in the United States, carbofuran remains on plants after application and seeps into soil and nearby water sources. Just a quarter teaspoon of carbofuran can kill a 600-pound lion.

In 2022, CAMP operations were conducted in the following 26 counties:

  • Mendocino: 18 sites, 190,018 plants eradicated
  • Riverside: 77 sites, 159,287 plants eradicated
  • San Bernardino: 41 sites, 138,815 plants eradicated
  • Lake: 51 sites, 97,677 plants eradicated
  • Kern: 53 sites, 77,837 plants eradicated
  • Siskiyou: 52 sites: 68,130 plants eradicated
  • Trinity: 22 sites, 46,632 plants eradicated
  • Monterey: 11 sites, 37,247 plants eradicated
  • Tulare: 30 sites, 27,020 plants eradicated
  • Shasta: 19 sites, 26,413 plants eradicated
  • San Benito: 1 site, 24,295 plants eradicated
  • Los Angeles: 20 sites, 23,492 plants eradicated
  • Sacramento: 4 sites, 17,973 plants eradicated
  • Fresno: 19 sites, 11,064 plants eradicated
  • Madera: 14 sites, 8,757 plants eradicated
  • Nevada: 2 sites, 8,279 plants eradicated
  • Mariposa: 11 sites, 5,761 plants eradicated
  • Ventura: 1 site, 2,370 plants eradicated
  • San Diego: 2 sites, 1,510 plants eradicated
  • Sonoma: 1 site, 1,407 plants eradicated
  • Santa Barbara: reconnaissance only
  • Santa Cruz: reconnaissance only
  • Santa Clara: reconnaissance only
  • Tuolumne: reconnaissance only
  • Humboldt: reconnaissance only
  • Stanislaus: reconnaissance only

CAMP is a multi-agency collaboration led by DOJ in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service; the U.S. Department of the Interior’s  Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service; the California Department of Fish and Wildlife; the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration; the California National Guard, Counter Drug Task Force; the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program; California State Parks; and other local law enforcement departments.

EPIC marks an evolution in DOJ’s cannabis enforcement work, reflecting the issues and concerns arising from CAMP operations each summer. EPIC will work in close coordination with DOJ’s Cannabis Control Section, Special Prosecutions Section, and Tax Recovery and Underground Economy (TRUE) Task Force to build investigations and prosecute civil and criminal cases.

World’s First Cannabis College Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Oakland’s Event of the Decade

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100% of Event Proceeds Will Fund Scholarships.

Luminaries, Elected Officials, Cannabis Industry Legends, and Celebrities will be in Attendance

CALIFORNIA: Time is running out to get tickets for the Event of the Decade. Oaksterdam University (OU), is celebrating its 15th anniversary on September 24th, 2022. OU first opened its doors in 2007 in Oakland, Calif. The school has over 80,000 alumni worldwide and is the most recognized name in cannabis education. The event will include a welcome by Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and OU Chancellor Dale Sky Jones; as well as attendees like D’Wayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Toné!.   

California Governor Gavin Newsom, who signed an important package of pro-cannabis law into effect just this week, will offer a video introduction to the Luminary Awards, recognizing important advocates in the cannabis movement.

Oaksterdam’s Nonprofit for Education (The ONE), a 501(c)(3), will produce the event in partnership with Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), and Cannabis Talk 101 iHeart Radio. All donations and sponsorships are tax-deductible. One hundred percent of the proceeds will fund scholarships and re-entry programs for those afflicted by marijuana prohibition who are trying to enter the cannabis industry. Other sponsors include Homegrown Cannabis Co., MJ Unpacked and California NORML.

“Homegrown Cannabis Co. has great respect and gratitude for Oaksterdam University, identifying OU as a kindred spirit with a shared mission,” says James Dunn, brand director for Homegrown Cannabis Co. “We are honored to sponsor this event in celebrating the fantastic achievements of Oaksterdam University.”

Dale Sky Jones, President of Oaksterdam University, states, “Our vision has always been revolutionary. The industry has come so far yet has a long way to go. We look forward to continuing to be at the forefront of education, legal and public policy advocacy, social impact, and leadership.”

The documentary, American Pot Story: Oaksterdam, is closing the 20th Annual Oakland International Film Festival. The film tells the unknown origin story of the people who took considerable risks to make cannabis legalization possible. The film celebrates the courageous heritage of the legacy cannabis industry.

The movement that started at America’s first cannabis college would impact the world. Join Oaksterdam University as they reflect on the City of Oakland’s rich history of civil disobedience. Celebrate years of dedication to this mission with an epic event at the historic Fox Theater.

Schedule:

    • 4:30 p.m. – Media Call
    • 5:00 p.m. – Doors Open – Red Carpet Interviews by Cannabis Talk 101 iHeartRadio
    • 5:00 p.m. – VIP – Exclusive Reception/Networking (Invite-Only)
    • 6:30 p.m. – Welcome by Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and OU Chancellor Dale Sky Jones; video introduction by California Governor Gavin Newsom with Luminary Awards
    • 7:00 p.m. – Screening of American Pot Story: Oaksterdam
    • 8:45 p.m. – Panel Discussion with Filmmakers & Dignitaries
    • 9:15 p.m. – After-Party for OU and OIFF