Complaints are being filed with the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) and the United States Security and Exchange Commission after WeedMaps was accused of allowing retailers from the blackmarket to advertise products and services on their website.
What Happened?
A Los Angeles cannabis delivery company noticed advertisements on WeedMaps.com that violated California state laws. The CEO of Canex, Jim Damask and CFO Joseph Bitzer previously complained to the WeedMaps executives about the issue but still has yet to notice any action taken by the website to fix the issue, they took their complaints to the DCC.
Jim and Joseph say that they have screenshots and documents to justify the following:
- Edibles with 1000 milligrams advertised by retailers .
“Edible cannabis goods may not exceed 10 milligrams of THC per serving and may not exceed 100 milligrams per package.
2.Cannabis companies weren’t including their state license number in advertisements on WeepMaps.
A requirement enforced by WeedMaps.com as of January 1 2020.
3.Cannabis delivery services operating outside of legal business hours.
4. Retailers were found using erroneous state license numbers on advertisements.
Why Does This Issue Matter?
As one of the largest cannabis advertisement platforms in the legal marketplace, WeedMaps is trusted by recreational and medical marijuana patients. The website is used as a resource for reliable and licensed products ,retailers, and licensed doctors. The alleged illegal activity is alarming to licensed businesses that go to WeedMaps for a marketing advantage over the blackmarket.
Damask and Bitzer recently spoke with John Schroyer, the Chief Correspondent for MJBizDaily.com:
“What we really want is for WeedMaps
suing..and if they can do the right thing then we’re happy.”
My Opinion:
I always use WeedMaps as a directory for unbeatable deals from delivery services. I enjoy the website because they make it easy to find good weed . I’d like to know that the products that I purchase through the retailers advertised on the sire are tested and compliant with CDCC regulations. The complaints made by CanEx makes me question the integrity of the website.Legal cannabis retailers are currently facing alot of uncertainty. They’ve been competing with the low prices of the blackmarket. The last thing those licensed retailers want to see is the retailers operating illegally being offered the same advertising opportunities as them. If WeedMaps allows licensed and unlicensed businesses to advertise on the same platform it only adds fuel to the fire.