Page 1 - Cannabis News Florida Novemebr 2019

GETTING STARTED: CANNABIS
I Want to Get Involved in the SPOTLIGHT:
Green Rush in Florida. Dawn Yarnell
How Do I Do It? Co-Founder
Green Palms Health
page 33 and Wellness
page 37

November 2019

2019 Cannabis Business Award’s Publication of the Year

Green Roads Expanding CBD

Offerings into Pet Arena

BY VANESSA ORR

When you start a company by first creating prod-
ucts that you give to family and friends, your over-
reaching goal is to make sure that what you’re provid-
ing is not only effective, but safe. And it is this same
concern for protecting the customer that has helped
Green Roads grow from a small, start-up business
Michael Liss begun at a kitchen table into the largest, privately Romeo Chicco
owned CBD company in the U.S. with products in
Tips for more than 10,000 retail locations nationwide. Paying Employees
Founded in 2013 by a licensed compound pharma-
cist and a cannabis entrepreneur, Green Roads’ prod-
Physicians ucts, which include topicals, oils and teas, have in the Cannabis
always set the gold standard for quality control and Danny Perdeck
Considering the consumer transparency. And now that same attention Industry
to detail and customer safety is being applied to a new product line—CBD for pets.
“Green Roads has always been focused on consumer safety, from children to sen-
Cannabis iors and now for products designed for our furry friends,” said Danny Perdeck, BY ROMEO CHICCO, CPA
cofounder and senior vice president of Business Development. “We take a lot pride
Opportunity in the products we create, and that our customers can trust that what it says is in bot- Paying employees who work for a
tle is what’s in the bottle.” cannabis employer should be no differ-
Green Roads was one of the earliest advocates for full-panel, independent lab test- ent than any other employer, with one
BY MICHAEL LISS ing on every batch, and was an early champion of putting QR codes on labels so that exception. One BIG exception.
ever single package could be scanned for traceability. Customers have successfully Marijuana is still a Schedule I drug, on
We are several years into Florida’s Continued on page 35 par with heroin and LSD and a violation
medical cannabis program. Patients and of the federal Controlled Substances Act
medical marijuana treatment centers are (CSA), making many companies nerv-
not being prosecuted. Further, we do not First Annual American College of ous about doing business with this
see other major setbacks for the medical industry. This includes banks, insurance
professionals who were the first to enter CBD & Cannabis Congress Designed companies and payroll processing servic-
into the cannabis industry. Now, many es such as ADP, Paylocity, and Paychex.
physicians are considering whether to A total of 33 states now allow marijua-
become a “qualified physician” (a “QP”). to Enhance Physicians’ Knowledge na use, whether it is for medical use like
The QP has the right to “issue a physi- Florida or fully legal like California. This
cian certification” authorizing “a quali- is a rapid change from just a few years
fied patient to receive marijuana and a BY VANESSA ORR ago when it was only legal for medical
marijuana delivery device from a medical use in 17 states and illegal for recreation-
marijuana treatment center.” These are Every day, people are going into their doctors’ al use across the country, which has led
all terms defined in a single law, Florida offices and asking about medical cannabis and CBD. to conflicts between state and federal
Statute §381.986, entitled “Medical use Finding answers, however, isn’t so easy. laws, hence the nervousness.
of marijuana”. Here are some tips to help “Medical cannabis is a growing, $5 billion industry, The lack of access to something most
physicians make an informed decision as and nationally, CBD is already a $2 billion industry, of us take for granted, such as banking,
to whether to become a QP: yet there are no CBD-focused medical societies that can be a real challenge. Many cannabis-
1) Understand your risk tolerance. If can help clinicians learn about it,” said Jordan related businesses must operate on a
you are the type of doctor who worries a Desnick, founder of the American College of CBD & cash-only basis as a result, which can
lot about liability, receivables, or land- Cannabis (ACCC). “Physicians don’t learn about lead to theft, loss due to mishandling
lords then you have to consider marijua- CBD or cannabis in medical school, or during their and, not to mention, making the payroll
na’s continued Schedule 1 status under internships or residencies, but patients are asking process a challenge. The IRS and U.S.
the Controlled Substances Act. Under about it on a daily basis, and the lack of knowledge Dr. Peter Grinspoon Treasury still want their payroll tax dol-
federal law, this whole industry remains puts both physicians and patients at risk.” lars on the wages paid, and for many, the
illegal. If you are going to worry about The American College of CBD & Cannabis use of a bank and a payroll service is
the government knocking on the door, (ACCC) serves as an educational platform for physicians and allied healthcare pro- almost a must.
letters from the DEA, etc., then you may fessionals to discuss and learn about the medical benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) and On March 7, 2019, a bill was intro-
want to stay away from this industry. medicinal cannabis. The ACCC supports clinicians in their practices and helps them duced to the U.S. House of
2) Understand the stigma. As a profes- optimize the medical benefits of CBD and medicinal cannabis for their patients. Representatives titled, “Secure and Fair
sional, you will be viewed differently by “The potential opportunities for physicians in the CBD realm are enormous,” Enforcement Act” or “SAFE Banking
your colleagues and patients. Certain added Desnick. “If they can recommend over-the-counter products for anxiety, sleep Act,” for short. The bill just recently
Continued on page 36 Continued on page 41 Continued on page 35