Ayr Wellness Inc. announced the opening of Liberty Health Sciences (LHS) Port Richey, the Company’s 42nd operating dispensary in Florida.

The dispensary is located at 9314 US Highway 19, Port Richey within Pasco County, which is home to a population of 560,000 people, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. The store brings LHS to the Gulf Coast city, which attracts visitors from throughout Florida and the U.S. for its lush landscapes and well-known 8,300-acre wilderness park.

The new location features LHS’s expanded selection of flower strains, in addition to the Company’s recently launched Origyn concentrates, Big Pete’s Cookies and Secret Orchard vape cartridges.

Jonathan Sandelman, CEO of Ayr, said, “We appreciate the wonderful reception that we’ve received from the people of Port Richey and look forward to introducing them to our high-quality offerings. We now have 42 stores open in the state, thanks to the hard work from our Florida team which continues to find excellent locations to plant our flag.”



The U.S. House approved the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act recently in a bipartisan 316-113 vote as part of the latest National Defense Authorization Act, a military spending bill. It’s the fifth time the legislation has been approved in the House as a standalone bill or an amendment as part of larger legislation. Since statewide cannabis reform has been enacted over the past four decades, cannabis businesses still are not fully tolerated, most evidently in federal restrictions, such as the way banking is restricted.

Representative Ed Perlmutter re-introduced the bill, as promised, saying that it would allow cannabis businesses to access the banking system—like any other industry—and would bring more money into the economy and offer the opportunity to create good-paying jobs. On September 21, the House Rules Committee approved the SAFE Banking Act as they sifted through over 800 amendments filed for the $778 billion FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to determine which ones will get a floor vote. As Representative Perlmutter sits in the Rules Committee, the move suggests he has influence.



Trulieve Cannabis Corp. announced the launch of a new line of high-quality cannabis concentrates made through hydrocarbon extraction. Live Resin, a high-terpene, single-source extract, is the first offering from Trulieve’s new hydrocarbon line.

Live Resin is created in Trulieve’s state-of-the-art hydrocarbon extraction lab using the Company’s proprietary blend of propane and butane on TruFlower that has been frozen immediately after harvest. The result is a strain-specific and full-spectrum concentrate that is exceptionally flavorful. It contains higher levels of cannabinoids and terpenes than other concentrates. Live Resin provides patients with a powerful and richly aromatic experience with a broader sensation of effects.

“We’ve spent the last year focused on developing products that highlight more than THC and CBD, creating terpene-heavy, full-spectrum, and single-source oil products including our TruWax concentrate and signature TruSpectrum cartridges,” said Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers. “Cannabis is an incredible medicine not only because of the medical properties of cannabinoids like THC and CBD, but because of every element of the plant. Having an opportunity to utilize an industry-leading technology like hydrocarbon extraction will allow us to expand our comprehensive product catalog and continue bringing innovative, natural, and, more importantly, effective relief to our diverse range of patients across Florida.”

Hydrocarbon extraction uses solvents to gently process cannabis, allowing for the retention of high levels of the plant’s original flavor and terpene and cannabinoid profiles at a lower temperature. By protecting the delicate properties of the plant from high heat, the process creates a consumption experience most similar to smoking whole flower cannabis.

Trulieve’s first hydrocarbon extracted concentrates, Live Resin in the popular Member Berry and Orchard Nectar strains, are available in .5g sizes throughout Florida. All of the extracts in Trulieve’s product line will be strain-specific, ranging across Indica, Sativa, and Hybrid products.

For more information, or to order online, visit www.Trulieve.com.



On September 21, Amazon disclosed that its earlier decision to end drug testing for cannabis also would be retroactive, allowing former employees and applicants penalized for testing positive for cannabis will have their eligibility restored and reconsidered.

Initially in June, Amazon’s position to end marijuana drug testing was widely celebrated but only mentioned future policy. However, the policy was recently clarified by Amazon’s senior vice president of human resources Beth Galetti, who said it also “reinstated the employment eligibility for former employees and applicants who were previously terminated or deferred during random or pre-employment marijuana screenings.” It is Amazon’s position that the state-level legalization movement has made it “difficult to implement an equitable, consistent and national pre-employment marijuana test program, showing it disproportionately impacts people of color and acts as a barrier to employment.”



By Vanessa Orr

As we’ve all become aware over the past couple of years, airborne contaminants can cause irreparable harm. This is something that medical cannabis growers have long known, as one of the most difficult parts of keeping plants healthy is preventing the spread of powdery mildew, botrytis, penicillium and other fungi that can be spread though the air as well as ventilation systems.

While some growers have attempted to use ozone to deal with these contaminants, it unfortunately depletes terpene strength. The secret, according to Bob Pietrangelo, vice president, Southeast United States, Sanuvox, is to use UVC radiation instead.

“Using UV radiation in the C band produces zero ozone, and at the proper intensity, can destroy any biological contaminant,” he explained. “It can eliminate powdery mildew, botrytis and more, while at the same time allowing terpenes to maintain maximum strength.”

By utilizing Sanuvox’s GrowSaver™ products in their ventilation systems, growers can eliminate the need for fungicides as well. Freestanding units are also available, and all of the units are custom-designed to fit the space involved.

Bob Pietrangelo, Vice President, Southeast United States, Sanuvox,

According to Pietrangelo, GrowSaver products can eliminate up to 99.9 percent of airborne powdery mildew every hour, and reduce fungicide use by up to 90 percent. The units also reduce labor costs related to the use of fungicides, help enrich terpenes and enhance aromas, and improve microbiological state testing compliance.

“Not only do growers save a lot of money by not having botrytis grow on plants, but they’re also making sure that there are no other biological contaminants in the building,” said Pietrangelo, noting that the same products that eliminate fungi also eliminate the COVID virus, which is spread through airborne aerosols that can stay suspended in the air for more than 16 hours.

“This is the exact same product that we use in hospital operating rooms to keep patients safe,” he added. “The same product that protects patients protects plants.”

Not only are the units useful for growers, but dispensaries can benefit from their installation as well. In addition to removing airborne contaminants, Sanuvox’s products also provide odor removal, drastically reducing cannabis odors from leaving grow buildings or dispensaries.

“We just did an installation at Aurora Cannabis’ 212,000 sq. ft. grow room in Canada, eliminating smells with the GrowSaver Odor Wall,” said Pietrangelo, noting that the local airport was complaining of the smell three miles away.

Return on Investment

The units are relatively easy to install; after cutting a rectangular hole in the ductwork, the UVC devices are placed inside and turned on. Freestanding units can also be mounted on walls.

“Then you just plug and play,” said Pietrangelo, adding that lamps need to be replaced every two years.

The units themselves are custom-designed, based upon the volume of air being moved and a facility’s square footage. “We do not do cookie-cutter installations; one size doesn’t fit all,” said Pietrangelo. “The units have to be calculated properly to work; otherwise you’re just losing money.”

Units can be built into existing building management systems, and can be designed for any type of facility from cultivation centers to medical offices. Sanuvox products are used extensively in Canada and the U.S. Midwest, though this is the company’s first foray into the Florida market.

“Our products are 99.999 percent effective and are designed for first-pass efficiency, destroying everything in the airstream,” said Pietrangelo, adding that air changes occur 12 to 20 times an hour in grow facilities.

“As for return on investment, the first harvest will probably pay for it in increased yield, increased terpene strength, and decreased use of fungicide,” he added. “That’s in addition to the health savings that occur when people aren’t getting sick from airborne contaminants.”

To learn more about Sanuvox’s medical and grower product lines, visit www.sanuvox.com.