HEXO - The Daily Hit: November 1 2022
The Daily Hit is a recap of cannabis business news for Nov. 1, 2022.
ON THE SITE
New York Regulators Roll Back Cannabis Testing Standards
New York cannabis regulators on Tuesday took a major step in easing testing lab safety standards for the upcoming recreational marijuana market, apparently in response to industry pressure regarding contamination thresholds. The Office of Cannabis Management notified licensed growers via email on Tuesday that “the Office has updated its Laboratory Testing Limits to remove the pass/fail limits” for bacteria, mold, and yeast. Read more here.
Nevada Receives 100 Cannabis Lounge Applications, Predicts Opening Early 2023
Nevada has taken another step toward becoming the first state with a solidly functioning cannabis consumption lounge industry that allows businesses both sell cannabis and have visitors smoke on-site. The state Cannabis Compliance Board announced Monday on Twitter that it had received a total of 100 consumption lounge applications before the submission window closed on Oct. 27. Read more here.
Hexo Reports $1 Billion Loss for Fiscal Year 2022
Hexo (Nasdaq: HEXO) reported net revenue for fiscal year 2022 of $191.1 million, up from $123.8 million from the fiscal year that ended July 31, 2021. Total revenue was $265 million, up 53% from the prior fiscal year. The net loss for the full year was an eye-popping $1 billion versus last year’s net loss of $115 million. Read more here.
Sol Global Continues Slow Exit from Cannabis
SOL Global Investments Corp. (CSE: SOL) (OTCPK: SOLCF) did not release any third-quarter revenue figures but instead noted its net losses. For the third quarter, the total loss from investments was $11.2 million versus a gain of $12.5 million for the same period in 2021. The company also reduced its stake in cannabis from 18% to 14% and is instead gravitating to companies like electric motorcycle company Damon Motors and robotic delivery company Kiwi Campus. Read more here.
Avant Brands Bids to Buy Flowr Corp. Subsidiary out of Bankruptcy
1000343100 Ontario Inc., of which Canadian cannabis producer Avant Brands Inc. (TSX:AVNT) (OTCQX:AVTBF) owns 50% of the issued and outstanding shares, has entered into a stalking horse purchase agreement to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares in the capital of The Flowr Group Inc., a subsidiary of The Flowr Corp. A stalking-horse bid is the initial bid on the assets of a bankrupt company. Other buyers can submit competing offers following a low-end stalking horse bid. Read more here.
Cannabis Activists Push for Psychedelics Renaissance
As the psychedelics industry’s disagreements with the federal government on a variety of issues continue to rage, the fight to make things right between the citizens of this country and their duly-elected officials over a federally illegal plant has been taken up by some of the same activists who led the charge for cannabis. Read more here.
IN OTHER NEWS
SNDL Acquires Zenabis Business
SNDL Inc. (Nasdaq: SNDL) announced today that, in the context of proceedings pursuant to the Zenabis Group’s filing under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada), it has successfully closed its acquisition of the Zenabis Business, pursuant to an approval order of the Québec Superior Court. Read more here.
Virginia
Marijuana remains in a legal gray area in Virginia 16 months after the state legalized the possession and use of marijuana for recreational purposes. But the state has not established a legal means of acquiring the product for nonmedicinal uses. Read more here.
Massachusetts
When Massachusetts lawmakers passed a package of reforms to the state’s marijuana business laws over the summer, their intent seemed clear: To crack down on municipalities charging cannabis operators unjustified “impact” fees, which are ostensibly meant to offset the negative effects of a marijuana business. But now, with the law scheduled to take effect next week, there is widespread disagreement over its implementation — and a likelihood that many cities and towns will for the time being continue to collect impact fees that exceed the new legal limits. Read more here.