Latest

This March, John Coyles, the MLB vice president of drug, health and safety programs, sent a memo to players about marijuana. He warned major and minor players alike that CBD, much as any other cannabis substance, was banned for baseball players. Echoing what the PGA Tour told golfers earlier this year, he said using CBD could elicit a positive drug test for marijuana.

“Claims of CBD products being ‘THC free’ are false and misleading,” Coyles wrote in the memo. “We have seen multiple positive drug tests…in the past year for THC that appear to have resulted from the use of CBD products, despite the product labels.”

He isn’t wrong, by the way. Last month, Ellipse Analytics tested 250 top-selling CBD products and found THC in 45% of them. Among products that labeled itself “THC free,” 21% of them were detected for THC. While baseball players don’t sustain the level of injury and inflammation as football players, they still need effective and safe pain management tools. What constitutes as safe and effective is under review, the Los Angeles Times reports, following the death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs.

The toxicology report found that Skaggs had the opioids fentanyl and oxycodone when he died by choking on his vomit, as well as alcohol. Opioids and cannabis are listed as drugs of abuse under the MLB’s current policy. Though players undergo routine tests for performance-enhancing drugs, they don’t receive regular testing for drugs of abuse. But in the minors, players have stricter testing and this season 13 players were suspended after test revealed drugs of abuse in their system. However, 80% of those suspended were due to marijuana.

Now the MLB and its players union have discussed the possibility of loosening its testing on marijuana, according to the LA Times. What happened to Skaggs has also opened the possibility of teams testing players for opioid use (team doctors can’t prescribe players opioids). Currently the two sides are now discussing whether players could use cannabis following surgeries, or whether they could use it as general pain relief.

“The parties have discussed whether to loosen baseball’s restrictions on marijuana—not specifically as a trade-off for opioid testing, but as part of the annual review of the sport’s drug policy, according to three people familiar with the talks but not authorized to comment publicly on them,” reports the Times.

Despite much fanfare, Denver’s attempt to help people shed the burden of minor marijuana convictions experienced a slow start.

Extremely slow.

In Denver, 60 people have successfully vacated their convictions in the city program’s first six months — less than 1% of the more than 13,000 eligible for expungement, according to city data. In Boulder, 11 people have cleared their record of the at least 4,000 people eligible, according to the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office.

Seven years after legalization and two years after state lawmakers passed a bill allowing expungement, city leaders and prosecutors are struggling to guide people through a complex process to erase minor pot convictions. The process can be lengthy and often requires digging through court records — if those documents can be found.

Ashley Kilroy, director of Denver’s Department of Excise and Licenses which oversees the city’s Turn Over a New Leaf program, said she is happy about Denver’s numbers. She expected turnout to be low based on the experience of other cities that have instituted similar programs.

“I think we did the best we could,” she said.

Hundreds more applied to the programs, but were ineligible because their case happened in other jurisdictions or because they were convicted of charges that don’t qualify for expungement. The city department has started working in the jails to contact people who may be eligible.

Convictions of even low-level marijuana offenses can affect people’s ability to get a job, secure a loan, gain admission to educational programs and their ability to travel, Kilroy said.

It’s difficult to point out exactly what caused the low turnout, Kilroy said. The city attempted to address barriers such as transportation by providing ride-share coupons and scheduled the clinics at different times so people with different work schedules could attend.

In a Denver city report issued last month, city attorneys said it’s often unclear who is eligible for the program under the law. The law allows expungement of criminal actions that would not be considered illegal after legalization.

“Without detailed records the nature of the charged violation may be unclear,” the report states. “For example, a conviction for the possession of drug paraphernalia may be related to marijuana, or it may be related to methamphetamine or cocaine.”

States that recently legalized marijuana have included provisions that would automatically expunge low-level marijuana convictions, said Sam Kamin, professor of marijuana law and policy at the University of Denver. States such as Illinois have put the onus on the state to automatically erase eligible convictions. But Colorado, being the first state to legalize, did not.

“Tying expungement to legalization is a relatively new phenomena,” Kamin said.

Some California prosecutors decided to automatically dismiss or reduce more than 54,000 marijuana convictions after applications for expungement there were lackluster. The prosecutors will use a computer algorithm to quickly identify the cases that are eligible.

In Colorado, however, people with convictions have to initiate the expungement process. In cities where no program exists, people often must hire a lawyer to file a motion for them. And the court processing fee is $65. They also must pay $28 for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to erase the conviction from appearing on background checks.

Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said it’s unclear whether Colorado prosecutors can unilaterally vacate convictions without defendants’ input.

“I don’t want to say it’s not possible but there are different schools of thought,” he said.

Expungement isn’t a simple process, Kamin said. Some people may have been charged with a crime that isn’t eligible for expungement — such as selling marijuana — but pleaded down to a lesser charge that is eligible. Some court files do not show exactly what drug the person was arrested for possessing, he said.

“You’re retrying this case many years later,” Kamin said.

One solution lawmakers could consider would be directing the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to clear all eligible convictions from their backgrounding system, Dougherty said. While it won’t affect the court cases, it would prevent the convictions from showing up on a background check.

Denver’s Department of Excise and Licenses estimated it spent $26,500 on staff time to plan and host five clinics. It also spent about $7,000 in court fees and for advertising. It did not calculate how much time staff spent processing applications.

Eric Escudero, spokesman for the Excise and License department, said the program is attempting to address some of the social injustices spawned by a decades-long war on drugs.

“It’s not going to take six months or one year to undo that,” he said.

California may have been the first in the country to pioneer cannabis law reform, but the Golden State is still struggling to eliminate the black market and sell affordable, legal pot, writes Erin Hiatt. 

In 1996, California voters passed Prop 215 to legalize medical marijuana. In the years immediately following its passage, medical cannabis was a small and largely unregulated affair. With the passage of SB 420, the state allowed for collectives and cooperatives to handle cannabis sales "not for profit," although California soon became known as the "wild west of weed" and an easy place to score a medical marijuana card. The state's cannabis industry became riddled with legal grey area, where cannabis companies on the scale from illicit to semi-legal essentially coexisted. 

With the passage of Prop 64 to legalize marijuana, California launched two parallel, legal markets: adult use and medical. But even so, the black market has not gone away, as proponents of the new law had hoped. Many argue that the industry is overregulated to the point of exclusionary, making if difficult for many players to either enter the industry, or to compete in it. The new program's pricey licensing fees, rigorous testing standards, hefty taxes, zoning restrictions, and altogether costly burden of getting involved have laid fertile ground for the illicit market to grow.

California is expected to ring in $3.1 billion in legal cannabis sales by the end of 2019. That's up from $2.5 billion last year. Any industry would be thrilled with an annual growth rate of 23 percent, but that $3.1 billion pales in comparison to California’s black market sales, expected to haul in more than $8 billion.  

Among other expenses like attorneys and licensing fees, legally compliant businesses often pay taxes exceeding 30 percent, and are unable to deduct employee payroll or other business deductions on their tax returns due to federal regulations — that extra business expense then falls on consumers. Black market operations simply don’t face the same expenses and can keep their prices lower. 

You can’t really blame California cannabis consumers if they are unknowingly, or even knowingly, buying from the black market. Even though there are 583 licensed pot retailers and 263 home-delivery outfits throughout the state, Weedmaps, the ubiquitous online tech company that connects users to local dispensaries, has been listing thousands of dispensaries and delivery services on is platform, making it difficult for regulated businesses to compete against the black market. 

So while cannabis regulators continue their work on sorting out cannabis tax structures and quashing illegal businesses, some cannabis companies are taking it upon themselves to step in and connect consumers with legal, affordable weed. 

Alice Moon is the director of communications at Splitbud, an online ordering platform that offers daily deals on cannabis products for consumers in the Los Angeles area — a.k.a. the world capital of cannabis. Moon thinks that the firm, which soft-launched in June and officially launched in August , could fill an affordability gap for consumers. “The price of cannabis went up in general, but especially the cost of legalization for retailers, brands and cultivators,” Moon told Civilized. “Their costs went up, so they’re passing that cost onto consumers. And we [Splitbud] really want to bring those illicit consumers into the [legal] market.”

Splitbud is a family-owned business whose name was inspired by the days when “you and your buddies would all pitch in and grab together. Everyone paid less and got more.” They offer some deep discounts — up to 65 percent — making some of the prices closer to the cost of weed in Colorado than in California. The company secures these deals by negotiating bulk pricing with cultivators and distributors. Some buds sell for $50 a quarter ounce, and they also sell edibles, prerolls, vaporizers, and concentrates. 

Moon explains that the site is easy to use, and it’s not necessary to be a Los Angeles resident to utilize the service. Simply go to the website, create a user profile, and submit your ID to certify that you are of legal age to purchase. The verification process takes anywhere from one to 24 hours, but once that’s completed, people can order for delivery or pick-up. 

Moon says that even though Splitbud is Los Angeles-centric, their delivery service covers a lot of ground, going as far east as Pasadena. “Right now, we’re working with two [dispensaries],” Moon said. “Marina caregivers, and Koreatown Collective. Consumers can either choose to pick up from those dispensaries same or next day. There is a $10 delivery fee, but with the discount and the daily deals, it makes up the difference.”

Splitbud is hoping they can make a long term impact, not only by connecting consumers with more affordable weed, but by helping them understand the benefits of buying cannabis from compliant businesses. “A lot of people lack awareness, and consumers don’t know if they’re buying from a legal business or not,” Moon said.

So far, their impact plans include street teams, utilizing social media influencers, posting content on the WeedTube (YouTube for weed), and an educational blog to connect consumers with information. Splitbud is also working on a social responsibility with an eye toward having more local engagement and impact. 

In the meanwhile, California lawmakers are still grappling with useful responses to improve the legal cannabis market while reducing illegal sales. Some ideas under consideration are fines for websites that advertise unlicensed pot shops, the creation of a state-sanctioned bank for compliant businesses, and a push to get more local governments to include legal businesses within their borders (76 percent of cities and 69 of California counties have banned cannabis stores). 

The importance of consumers having access to and buying from legal canna-businesses is coming more into focus, as the industry hit its first major crisis with the proliferation of counterfeit, illicit market vape carts that are suspected of sickening more than 1,080 people and claiming the lives of at least 23. 

Since Splitbud’s June soft launch, more than 3,000 people have signed up on the site, proving that consumers are eager to purchase tested, licensed, and safe products, especially when they are affordable. 

Other companies are trying different approaches to bringing consumers more affordable weed. There’s the discount weed brand Dime Bag from Loudpack Farms, who lower their price by cutting out the middleman and growing and processing their its own weed, and utilizing their own distribution networks. There’s also Flower.co, a membership-based cannabis wholesaler (anyone can purchase, but the best deals come through purchasing a membership), who sell in quarter ounces or more by delivery only. 

Moon says she would like to see stronger action from lawmakers to bring down the cost of legal weed. “It’s been a challenge for a lot of companies to operate because of the licensing [requirements,” she said. She would also like to see the legal industry regulated in a way that allows more companies to get involved and that protects those that are compliant. “I think illegal dispensaries need to be shut down," she said, "and the city needs to be more flexible with the licensing process." 

It’s estimated that over 1 billion individuals worldwide suffer from the debilitating pain of migraines. And now new research shows that CBD may help.

There is nothing quite like a migraine. The American Migraine Foundation (AMF) estimates that over 1 billion individuals worldwide suffer from the debilitating pain of migraines. With 1 in 5 women, 1 in 16 men, and 1 in 11 children all dealing with the life-changing effects of migraines, it’s no wonder CBD and marijuana are often brought up as a means of therapy.

Dr. Stephen Silberstein, director of the Headache Center at Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, recently published a piece with the AMF that showcased the benefits and risks of CBD and THC for those that experience migraines. He states, “If you have a lot of neck pain or soreness, it is perfectly reasonable to use CBD oil. It may even prevent nausea and vomiting,” symptoms often associated with a severe migraine episode. 

Dr. Silberstein also notes that while CBD and medical marijuana is not yet legal in all states, patients should consult their doctor and research where their CBD is made to ensure it’s labeled correctly. 

Do studies exist to showcase other benefits that CBD offers those that have migraines?  

A study from the University of Colorado, published in the journal Pharmacotherapy, showed that the frequency of migraines in patients who used cannabis dropped from 10.4 per month to 4.6 — a number that’s both statistically and clinically significant. Additionally, secondary findings showed that different cannabis delivery routes had different strengths: Smoked marijuana, which hits the bloodstream almost instantly, was best for treating acute migraines. On the other hand, edibles, which take much longer to metabolize, helped prevent headaches.

The Association of Migraine Disorders shared a first-hand account of Michelle Tracy, who explained her fear and hesitation to try CBD and marijuana to combat migraines. Her compelling story serves as a reminder that often, when patients are told, “there’s nothing else that can be done,” it can cause debilitating stress and confusion. Travis closes her story with, “I remain optimistic that there is even more help to be found as more research is conducted, and as marijuana becomes even more socially acceptable.” 

While CBD offers therapy above and beyond prescriptions, Mayo Clinic cites that patients need to be aware of risks as well. “Though it’s often well-tolerated, CBD can cause side effects, such as dry mouth, diarrhea, reduced appetite, drowsiness, and fatigue.” For those that spend days in the dark, it may be time to bring up CBD to their health care team to investigate if it’s a viable solution to their migraines. 

New this fall, Indiana farmers are harvesting thousands of acres of hemp for the first time in several decades. With the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill and Indiana Senate Bill 516, a select group of licensed farmers were approved to grow and harvest a hemp crop in 2019 as part of a research trial.

Several Indiana Farm Bureau members were among the select group who used this season was an opportunity to learn about the crop and the different markets for hemp, such as fiber, grain and oil.

Mark Boyer, Miami County farmer and owner of Healthy Hoosier Oil, planted 50 acres of hemp this spring. Boyer owns an edible oil company, and is incorporating food-grade hemp oil, which his customers will use for cooking, into his existing lineup of products, such as sunflower and canola oil. Because of Boyer’s experience with oils, he felt uniquely prepared to try the new crop.

“We have a food-grade, cold-press oil extraction facility on our farm where we extract oil that goes directly into distribution,” said Boyer. “I’ve been doing that for six years, and I learned that the only way hemp seed oil can be extracted for food grade is through cold press, and that’s exactly what I am set up to do.”

While Boyer grows a grain variety of hemp which later becomes oil, Jay Berry, Grant County farmer and owner of IGNITE Racing Fuel, is growing a fiber variety this year, which can be used for clothing, home interior products and even automotive interior, such as the reinforcement of door panels and passenger rear decks. Berry is heavily involved in the automotive performance industry and is seeing a lot of interest in hemp from the industry.

“A lot of my connections are in the racing industry,” he explained. “Hemp fiber is cheaper and stronger than something like carbon fiber, so just in the performance world there is a massive market that is interested in it.”

Other Indiana farmers are growing hemp for CBD, a popular oil in the wellness industry. The end-use of the hemp dictates different growing, harvesting and processing requirements. Both Boyer and Berry use the majority of their farmland to grow more traditional Indiana row crops, like corn and soybeans. They say there are many differences in the way they grow and care for hemp.

“Growing hemp is a lot more labor intensive than expected,” said Berry. “I’ve been through the field twice as many times as corn and beans.”

“People have joked that it could grow on a rock, but that has not been my experience,” echoed Boyer. “It has been very challenging to grow and it requires a lot of conditioning at harvest because it has to be harvested very wet.”

Jamie Campbell Petty, founder and strategic advisor for Indiana Hemp Industries Association and co-founder and executive director for the Midwest Hemp Council – a communication hub for farmers, processors and retailers – said that many farmers were not adequately prepared for the intense labor involved with growing CBD.

“Growing for CBD is, generally speaking, horticulture,” Petty said. “Many would like to convince you that hemp is a weed, and it will grow anywhere. That’s not true. Hemp is photosensitive, so it grows best in well-drained soil. It does not like wet feet. And, until we are further down the road with genetics, seed instability is an issue.”

For many Indiana farmers, the possibility of diversifying their farms with the addition of hemp is intriguing during a down farm economy. INFB President Randy Kron said there are a lot of exciting possibilities for hemp in the near future, but it’s not going to be a miracle crop for every farmer.

“Our most innovative farmers are always evaluating opportunities to diversify their farms for additional stability,” said Kron. “For some farmers, hemp will become just that. It’s an individual decision for each farmer whether hemp will work for their business, but it’s great to have another option for a crop.”

As with any new crop, farmers are learning about the viability of new markets to determine if growing hemp is a wise business decision for the future of their operation.

“We need to be sure we establish the markets and see where this has the potential to go,” said Boyer. “Hemp is exciting as it has so many diverse uses, but how many of those uses are economically viable for us, we just don’t know because we haven’t had the time to test it out. The markets will develop and we will get there, but it takes time and plenty of work.”

Boyer has become somewhat of a resource to other Indiana farmers because he had the opportunity to grow hemp in 2018 as part of an early research trial with Purdue University. He says farmers are contacting him more and more to learn about his experiences.

“There is a tremendous amount of interest from farmers,” he said. “I get calls nearly every day.”

Despite early challenges, the select group of farmers growing hemp this year is generally excited about the economic possibilities.

“Hemp has a very bright future, we just have to go through some growing pains and learn,” said Berry. “The first people to grow will learn and be able to pass on notes to other farmers so we can all improve.”

“Indiana could be a leader in this industry, but we must all collaborate and work together, to take lessons learned from other states, other industries so that we don't overproduce and we don't invest in excessive infrastructure,” Petty added.

Commercial hemp production is expected to launch fully in 2020 pending the approval of national regulations by the USDA and approval of Indiana’s state program.

The office of the Indiana State Chemist recommends that farmers interested in producing hemp in 2020 begin preparing all necessary details now. They recommend creating a business plan, getting contacts in place, and identifying any process or processors needed or specific varieties needed to meet buyer specifications as soon as possible.

Prevailing attitudes in Ireland still hold cannabis as a dangerous substance, in contrast to the support of strictly-controlled medicinal marijuana.

Despite being known as “The Emerald Isle,” cannabis remains illegal for recreational use in Ireland, while medicinal use has only recently been legalized and approved for specific conditions as a “last resort” treatment. Prevailing attitudes in Ireland still consider the marijuana plant as dangerous, in contrast to the support of strictly-controlled medical cannabis. Nonetheless, personal possession and consumption is treated as a minor offense. But could the Irish be softening their stance on cannabis and be in the early stages of legalization?

Cannabis has been considered an illegal substance in Ireland since 1934, although today the police in Ireland have wide discretion in the enforcement of marijuana possession laws. In 1996, cannabis was made an unscheduled drug, allowing for penalties less harsh than for other substances on the illicit market.

Hemp and CBD, however, are legal in Ireland, and similar to other markets, the CBD rush is happening in Erie as well; one industry expert estimates that CBD could create 80,000 jobs and revitalize moribund rural economies. The cultivation of the cannabis plant for hemp and CBD is strictly controlled, can not be grown alongside public roads or in public view, and cultivators are subject to Garda (police) vetting.

Like CBD and hemp, medical marijuana is legal but strictly regulated, with a five-year pilot program recently signed into law and expected to go into effect soon. The new law allows doctors to prescribe cannabis to their patients to treat specific symptoms arising from multiple sclerosis, chemotherapy, and epilepsy, and only when other methods to abate conditions have proved ineffective. The new program also allows for importation of cannabis, with eyes towards domestic sourcing. In some cases, the cost of cannabis would be covered by the patient’s drug plan.

Like in many western nations where cannabis remains prohibited but largely tolerated, cannabis is not overly difficult to obtain, although its recreational use is more taboo than in Canada, and much of the US and Western Europe. While medicinal marijuana was still under consideration, a group of Irish physicians penned an open letter to the Irish Times warning that the allowing of medicinal use would lead to the legalization of recreational cannabis, characterizing medical marijuana as a “Trojan Horse.”

There seems to be little to suggest Ireland will be legalizing recreational marijuana soon, but a curious legal loophole exists within Irish law; cannabis seeds are legal to sell, buy, and possess, for collecting purposes. Germinating and cultivating cannabis from those same seeds remains illegal however.

A proposal unveiled Wednesday for legal marijuana sales throughout New Mexico would use taxes to subsidize medical pot purchases for low-income patients and set aside money for police and loans to cannabis startup companies.

A panel appointed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, published recommendations for legalization that take cues from other states that regulate recreational marijuana markets.

The proposal would prohibit local governments from banning marijuana sales, though they could apply restrictions on business hours and locations, said Albuquerque City Councilor Pat Davis, who led the governor’s task force on legalization.

The provision is aimed at curbing illicit markets and keeping marijuana shoppers from traveling long distances.

The recommendations will now go to the Legislature for consideration.

Davis said several elements would set New Mexico apart from other states, in part by protecting its medical marijuana program from a potential exodus of patients — an outcome that has been seen in several other states.

“We’re going to use some of the revenue from recreational marijuana to reinvest … so we don’t lose those patients,” he said.

Medical marijuana is currently taxed on average at 7% but would become tax-free under the legalization proposal. Millions of dollars would be set aside to subsidize cannabis for low-income patients with qualifying medical conditions such as cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder or chronic pain.

All licensed recreational marijuana business would be required to serve the medical marijuana market, with priority given to patients when supplies are scarce.

The recommendations from the 23-member task force set the stage for a new push to authorize recreational use and sales of marijuana when the state Legislature convenes in January.

Bipartisan legalization legislation stalled in the state Senate earlier this year. The measure proposed state-operated marijuana stores as a way to limit the proliferation of storefront shops in small towns. It encountered resistance from existing medical dispensary owners.

Lujan Grisham has made her support for recreational marijuana contingent on finding ways to protect children and ensure roadway safety and effective workplace regulation.

The task force recommendations include a ban on marijuana ads on television, radio and mobile devices.

Nonsmoking marijuana products would be tested and labeled to show the concentration of psychoactive THC to try to reduce hospital visits linked to unintentionally high doses of THC.

Legal cannabis would be treated much like alcohol when it comes to the workplace. Workers currently must demonstrate that a long period of time separates intoxication and job duties.

To pay for safety and other initiatives, a 10% excise tax on recreational pot was suggested, with proceeds divided equally between state and local governments. Combined with taxes on sales and business transactions, that would mean an average markup of 17% for marijuana.

Initial annual revenues of $55 million were anticipated, a figure that officials have predicted could double within five years.

A cannabis venture fund would provide loans to low-income and small family owned businesses to start marijuana businesses and provide cannabis-industry job training at community colleges.

The recommendations would continue the state’s prohibition on growing marijuana at home without a specialized medical authorization, while decriminalizing minor violations. The task force endorsed automatic expungement of past cannabis possession convictions.

Currently, medical pot patients must register for a personal production license to grow up to 16 plants at a time — a figure that includes just four mature plants with ingestible flowers.

Regulators have given the thumbs-up to the opening of England’s first approved medical cannabis clinic.

While it will not the first private clinic in the country to prescribe medical cannabis it will the first to be approved by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – the regulator of health and social care services in England.

This comes as the U.K.’s tardy cannabis prescribing regime continues to fail those in need of cannabis, despite last year’s law change. The failure of the U.K. system to provide medical cannabis following last November’s shake-up means many patients have to rely on private clinics, with many paying over £1,500 a month for their cannabis medication.

Vital Lifeline

The MailOnline website reports that Sapphire Medical Clinic in London has now been given the green-light to start prescribing cannabis-based medicines. Managing Director at Sapphire Clinics, Dr Mikael Sodergren, told MailOnline that it has more than 50 patients on its waiting list for cannabis medicine.

He said that it ‘can now be the lifeline for GPs who are not permitted to prescribe themselves but who think their patients could benefit from medical cannabis’.

The European Pharmaceutical review website reports that Sapphire will create a registry of patient response and efficacy which can ‘contribute to the building of an evidence database which could provide information that enables the widespread adoption of medical cannabis’.

New U.K. Cannabis Group

Meanwhile, one of the few existing private clinics has been taken under the wing of a new organisation, namely; the Lyphe Group which has been spun out from European Cannabis Holdings. The Lyphe Group will be headed by Chief Executive Dean Friday and includes the The Medical Cannabis Clinics – the U.K.’s first chain of private clinics specialising in cannabis-based medicines.

Other businesses in Lyphe are the Academy of Medical Cannabis – an medics online learning platform, Astral Health, a bulk importer of medical cannabis products into the UK, and Dispensary Green – the UK’s first online home-delivery pharmacy for medical cannabis.

Dean Friday, CEO at Lyphe said that it now supports the entire process from training healthcare professionals to helping them embrace cannabis medicine, to providing the infrastructure for importation and fulfilling prescriptions. “Our integrated business model will help combat the disjointed system that currently inhibits patient access,” he added.