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Meet the Aussie Cannabis Activist, Entrepreneur, & Hell Raiser Will Stolk – He Won’t Stop Until Australia Legalizes Cannabis

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Who projected pro-cannabis message on the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge?

In Australia, the cannabis industry is just starting to get on its feet. Although Australia still has restrictive cannabis laws, the situation is constantly changing. With medicinal cannabis legalized in Australia in 2016 and the Australian capital Territory’s recent decriminalization of cannabis on the 20th January 2020 Australia’s laws are slowly evolving, but it’s been a slow and grueling process.

However, ambitious cannabis activists and entrepreneurs are pushing legalization closer. One of the most well-known is a man named Will Stolk, who has a huge personality and quite a diverse resume.

Will Stolk who’s one part of the Who Are We Hurting? collective that’s been promoting cannabis legalization for the last five years. Formerly a pro-skier, Will Stolk knows what it takes to be determined and succeed against the opposition.

The “Who Are We Hurting” collective & Will’s personal advocacy has led him to become a major player in the cannabis industry in Australia and abroad. Currently on bail and awaiting trail for their last major publicity stunt where Will and the rest of the “Who Are We Hurting” collective used powerful laser projectors to project cannabis leaves, art and “Who Are We Hurting” on

Sydney’s iconic Opera House and The Sydney Harbor Bridge. He and colleague Alec Zammit were apprehended and arrested after they had just finished the stunt in the Sydney Harbor area on April 20th, 2022. The 2 are facing charges and will be attending court in Sydney Australia on December 20th, 2022.

Considering all of Will Stolks’ contributions to Australia’s cannabis industry—we decided it’s time

to catch up firsthand for an exclusive interview.

Q: Why is Cannabis Important to You?

I’ve loved cannabis since I first tried it when I was 15 at a ski training camp in Canada. It was really love at first toke and would become one of my greatest joys in life. It turns everything that I already love—like sex, skiing, surfing, traveling, eating—and makes it so much better. Not only that, but I have met all the most wonderful and important people in my life because of cannabis.

Now, I have lifelong friends who share the same passions and are as committed as I am to cannabis. Overall, I think I wouldn’t have this incredible life or the supportive people around me if the plant never existed. It also has many medical uses that have helped many people that I know personally both here in Australia and abroad. It is quite a remarkable plant and has been used for many thousands of years by people all over the world.

Will Stolk cannabis activist team

Q: What Projects Do You Have Going on In the Cannabis Industry Now?

Over the past few years we launched a few different cannabis related projects in the USA as recreationally legal states and countries that are of much more interest to me currently. One of our first projects was a full-blown recreational weed dispensary which we invested in called “Tioga Green” which is located high in the Sierra mountains near the famous Yosemite national park, we originally invested in that in 2019 in collaboration with one of my long time friends Cory Zila who is also a former pro skier. Cory and I traveled the world together doing competitions and shooting for magazines and movies, our life long friendship has been heavily based off the fact that we are both pot heads and much of our adult life was spent chasing weed in different countries around the world for it now to be legal and own a dispensary together is something teenage William would have been very proud of. Our second project was a hemp company for our furry friends called Inspired Paws.

The one I’m most excited about is a new health and wellness brand called Byron Bay CBD. Which we aim to be the first major Australian CBD company in the US and European markets. The brand is going to focus on CBD-based products like tinctures, balms, and cosmetics. We want the new CBD brand to have a luxurious, natural, and tranquil vibe. The inspiration for it comes from the incredibly chill place I’ve been living since I was 16 in Northern NSW, a bohemian beach town called Byron Bay which is world famous for its alternative lifestyle and beautiful nature with celebrities like Chris Hemsworth and Matt Damon calling it home just to name a few. .

Q: What About the Australian Cannabis Industry?

Soon enough, we’ll be up and running in Australia with CBD, as for medical cannabis we have huge plans but we have plans in the markets closer to recreational cannabis legalization like Germany first. We’ve learned so much in the US and plan to bring our knowledge to the Australian cannabis industry when and if we get closer to recreational cannabis being legal.

So far, we have plans inaction for farming, manufacturing, and making extracts from hemp and THC-rich cannabis. The only problem is, cannabis laws in Australia are completely backward and I don’t see that changing anytime soon if I am to be honest. The emerging markets of Germany and the rest of Europe as well as Mexico, Thailand and other Asian countries are first on our kill list. Australia has a lot of potential but at this point we are going to play the long game.

will stolk podcast

Q: What Do You Think About the State of Cannabis Laws in Australia?

They’re totally ridiculous of course. Everyone knows that the laws are outdated, and right now, it is my belief that the vast majority of people in Australia support full recreational cannabis legalization.

That wasn’t always the case, which is why the “Who Are We Hurting” collective have been huge cannabis advocates for many years. Getting involved with cannabis advocacy is so important because we need to get out there and evolve people’s minds about cannabis consumption.

Legal cannabis will never pass in Australia if we don’t speak up—so that’s what my friends and I have been doing for the past 6 or so years getting the word out through different crazy and zany stunts geared to capture attention for all the right reasons.

Case and point recent data revealed by the Australian Greens indicate billions of dollars of potential tax revenue from cannabis are being lost annually, money that could be spent on roads, hospitals and schools.

Colorado earned more than $260 million in tax revenue in 2016 after it sold more than $1.7 billion worth of marijuana, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue. We would like to see a similar model to be implemented in Australia.

Q: What Would You Say to Other Aspiring Cannabis Entrepreneurs/Activists Out There?

It’s like facing down a huge slope or a giant wave—you just need to go for it. The road is difficult, but you need to push through and make it happen. The thing is in Australia anyways , anyone who wants to get into the cannabis industry first needs to be an activist. Since the laws are still so old-fashioned, we need to change them first and foremost in my opinion.

That’s why we need people from our current and future generations to get passionate about cannabis. They need to get the word out and work towards building an exceptional Australian cannabis industry. There are already medicinal cannabis dispensaries popping up all over the place in major Australian cities and this is a great thing it is the building blocks for a huge future for cannabis down under. We are one of many down here who are pushing the legalization agenda, members of the Greens party, the Legalize Cannabis party and the people at Drive Change Australia are putting in loads of work to help make it easier and fairer for Australia’s medicinal cannabis patients. And I tip my hat to them without their ongoing support and hard work behind the scenes nothing would or will change.

Q: So Will, What’s Next on the Agenda?

Starting new brands, we launch our first Australian CBD brand Byron Bay CBD into the US market in early January we aim to become “The Guiding Light Towards Health & Wellness.” Other than that, experiencing new things, learning more about cannabis, and most of all continuing to be an activist. Getting cannabis recreationally legalized in Australia is one of my big life goals and is always at the forefront of my mind, and while this is for some financial gain the main reason is I just want to be able to light up a joint next to the ocean and not have to worry about getting arrested for it just like you can in California, Oregon, Colorado and many other legal states in the USA, so we can’t give up the fight until recreational cannabis is legalized down under.

This isn’t the last time you’ll hear about Will Stolk, since he’s always up to something, whether it’s with his cannabis brands, media, or advocacy. If you’d like to keep up with Will Stolk and see what he’s up to, then check out some of his ongoing projects: @willysworld69 @willysworldpodcast @ballinonabudgetmedia & @plucreative& check out their amazing CBD products hitting the market in January in North America @byronbaycbd or on their website www.byronbaycbd.

Source: https://cannabis.net/blog/interview/meet-the-aussie-cannabis-activist-entrepreneur-hell-raiser-will-stolk-he-wont-stop-until-austra.270319

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New Mexico cannabis operator fined, loses license for alleged BioTrack fraud

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New Mexico regulators fined a cannabis operator nearly $300,000 and revoked its license after the company allegedly created fake reports in the state’s traceability software.

The New Mexico Cannabis Control Division (CCD) accused marijuana manufacturer and retailer Golden Roots of 11 violations, according to Albuquerque Business First.

Golden Roots operates the The Cannabis Revolution Dispensary.

The majority of the violations are related to the Albuquerque company’s improper use of BioTrack, which has been New Mexico’s track-and-trace vendor since 2015.

The CCD alleges Golden Roots reported marijuana production only two months after it had received its vertically integrated license, according to Albuquerque Business First.

Because cannabis takes longer than two months to be cultivated, the CCD was suspicious of the report.

After inspecting the company’s premises, the CCD alleged Golden Roots reported cultivation, transportation and sales in BioTrack but wasn’t able to provide officers who inspected the site evidence that the operator was cultivating cannabis.

In April, the CCD revoked Golden Roots’ license and issued a $10,000 fine, according to the news outlet.

The company requested a hearing, which the regulator scheduled for Sept. 1.

At the hearing, the CCD testified that the company’s dried-cannabis weights in BioTrack were suspicious because they didn’t seem to accurately reflect how much weight marijuana loses as it dries.

Company employees also poorly accounted for why they were making adjustments in the system of up to 24 pounds of cannabis, making comments such as “bad” or “mistake” in the software, Albuquerque Business First reported.

Golden Roots was fined $298,972.05 – the amount regulators allege the company made selling products that weren’t properly accounted for in BioTrack.

The CCD has been cracking down on cannabis operators accused of selling products procured from out-of-state or not grown legally:

Golden Roots was the first alleged rulebreaker in New Mexico to be asked to pay a large fine.

Source: https://mjbizdaily.com/new-mexico-cannabis-operator-fined-loses-license-for-alleged-biotrack-fraud/

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Marijuana companies suing US attorney general in federal prohibition challenge

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Four marijuana companies, including a multistate operator, have filed a lawsuit against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in which they allege the federal MJ prohibition under the Controlled Substances Act is no longer constitutional.

According to the complaint, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, retailer Canna Provisions, Treevit delivery service CEO Gyasi Sellers, cultivator Wiseacre Farm and MSO Verano Holdings Corp. are all harmed by “the federal government’s unconstitutional ban on cultivating, manufacturing, distributing, or possessing intrastate marijuana.”

Verano is headquartered in Chicago but has operations in Massachusetts; the other three operators are based in Massachusetts.

The lawsuit seeks a ruling that the “Controlled Substances Act is unconstitutional as applied to the intrastate cultivation, manufacture, possession, and distribution of marijuana pursuant to state law.”

The companies want the case to go before the U.S. Supreme Court.

They hired prominent law firm Boies Schiller Flexner to represent them.

The New York-based firm’s principal is David Boies, whose former clients include Microsoft, former presidential candidate Al Gore and Elizabeth Holmes’ disgraced startup Theranos.

Similar challenges to the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) have failed.

One such challenge led to a landmark Supreme Court decision in 2005.

In Gonzalez vs. Raich, the highest court in the United States ruled in a 6-3 decision that the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution gave Congress the power to outlaw marijuana federally, even though state laws allow the cultivation and sale of cannabis.

In the 18 years since that ruling, 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized adult-use marijuana and the federal government has allowed a multibillion-dollar cannabis industry to thrive.

Since both Congress and the U.S. Department of Justice, currently headed by Garland, have declined to intervene in state-licensed marijuana markets, the key facts that led to the Supreme Court’s 2005 ruling “no longer apply,” Boies said in a statement Thursday.

“The Supreme Court has since made clear that the federal government lacks the authority to regulate purely intrastate commerce,” Boies said.

“Moreover, the facts on which those precedents are based are no longer true.”

Verano President Darren Weiss said in a statement the company is “prepared to bring this case all the way to the Supreme Court in order to align federal law with how Congress has acted for years.”

While the Biden administration’s push to reschedule marijuana would help solve marijuana operators’ federal tax woes, neither rescheduling nor modest Congressional reforms such as the SAFER Banking Act “solve the fundamental issue,” Weiss added.

“The application of the CSA to lawful state-run cannabis business is an unconstitutional overreach on state sovereignty that has led to decades of harm, failed businesses, lost jobs, and unsafe working conditions.”

Source: https://mjbizdaily.com/marijuana-companies-suing-us-attorney-general-to-overturn-federal-prohibition/

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Alabama to make another attempt Dec. 1 to award medical cannabis licenses

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Alabama regulators are targeting Dec. 1 to award the first batch of medical cannabis business licenses after the agency’s first two attempts were scrapped because of scoring errors and litigation.

The first licenses will be awarded to individual cultivators, delivery providers, processors, dispensaries and state testing labs, according to the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC).

Then, on Dec. 12, the AMCC will award licenses for vertically integrated operations, a designation set primarily for multistate operators.

Licenses are expected to be handed out 28 days after they have been awarded, so MMJ production could begin in early January, according to the Alabama Daily News.

That means MMJ products could be available for patients around early March, an AMCC spokesperson told the media outlet.

Regulators initially awarded 21 business licenses in June, only to void them after applicants alleged inconsistencies with how the applications were scored.

Then, in August, the state awarded 24 different licenses – 19 went to June recipients – only to reverse themselves again and scratch those licenses after spurned applicants filed lawsuits.

A state judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Chicago-based MSO Verano Holdings Corp., but another lawsuit is pending.

Source: https://mjbizdaily.com/alabama-plans-to-award-medical-cannabis-licenses-dec-1/

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