News

Around noon on November 20, 2017, mere hours after Denver Environmental Health announced a ban on the sale of kratom for human consumption in the city, DEH representatives stormed into the 5800 East Colfax Avenue branch of Myxed Up Creations, which had been selling the popular herbal pain reliever, and ordered stock valued in the thousands of dollars to be destroyed on the spot. Michael Gross, the shop’s attorney, who likened the action to “a commando raid,” managed to prevent the supply from being trashed, and now the agency’s own board is allowing the kratom in question to be transferred to Myxed Up’s sister stores outside the city limits after criticizing the way the matter was handled. But as many as fourteen other businesses in Denver weren’t so lucky.

At this writing, thirty states and the District of Columbia have legalized some form of marijuana, be it recreational, medical or both, with Colorado having been in the latter category for more than four years. Nonetheless, Facebook and Instagram continue to make it difficult for cannabis businesses to advertise and promote themselves on the platforms. The scenario causes frustration within the industry even as it forces marketers to come up with clever ways to get around restrictions.

We recently caught up with Ricardo Baca to talk about his transition from reporter to potrepreneur.

The Colorado Department of Transportation has partnered with the marijuana industry, community nonprofits, universities and other entities on a new approach to educating the public about stoned driving.

Hundreds of cannabis businesses took over the Colorado Convention Center earlier this week as the National Cannabis Industry Association held its Seed to Sale Show on February 7 and 8.

Moving away from CDOT’s “Drive High, Get a DUI” campaign of public service announcements and materials, the new initiative will ask Coloradans to participate in anonymous online surveys about their opinions and actions related to stoned driving.

Fourth Corner sued the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in 2015 over its refusal to issue the credit union an account. It lost in district court, but that decision was overturned in June 2017 by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The owners of the Coffee Joint will go before a hearing officer on Friday, February 9.

Tony Magee, who founded Lagunitas in 1993 on his wife’s stovetop in their Bay Area home, compared the start of his business to the early days of many cannabis operations.