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ConfliCting reports on Cannabis
Is Puerto Rico cannabis industry up in smoke?
Conflicting studies on the sector pose serious doubts
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Madison Choudhry, Special to the Weekly Journal
Once taboo, entrepreneurs around the island have demonstrated they have a similar commodity on their mind. There are many names it is referred to –marijuana, weed, cannabis sativa– however, it seems the most common name used today is “opportunity.”
The perceived method of growing cannabis is an alluring prospect to many. The thought behind is that it merely requires a wavering degree of sun, water, and soil which in turn produces a hefty profit. However contradictory studies point to an alternative narrative.
In 2017, newly approved Act 42 stated, “a legal framework would be created for dealing with medical cannabis; establishing medical and scientific research within the federal regulatory framework.”
Proponents of Act 42 stressed the incentive of a 20% tax collection, a projected increase of the labor force, and a claim for less illegal drug activity. In addition, there was the added stipulation of a, “regulatory board which would monitor the cultivation, manufacturing, dispensing, operating laboratories, and transportation of medical cannabis. With the internet to supervise the medical cannabis industry in Puerto Rico.”
An Absent Board
That was the promise made in 2017. However, looking at the data today, “there has not been a single report published by the Board in five years. Not since its inception in 2017. Which is alarming considering the board is required to publish an annual report detailing the conditions of the medicinal cannabis market,” explained José Aleczer, President of Members of the Medicinal Cannabis Industry (MICaM, for its Spanish acronym).
The consequence of this oversight has lead to a staggering 277 dispensaries currently operating in Puerto Rico. From 2020 to 2021 alone the number of dispensaries jumped from 169 to 259. To put it in statistical terms, in one year the number of dispensaries in Puerto Rico increased by a whopping 53%.
Unfortunately, fact of the matter is that the increase in dispensaries has not implied an increase in the number of patients. Data from MiCaM reports an average of 432 clients per clinic compared to the ideal number which is estimated between 1,500 and 2,000 patients per clinic. In regard to the decreases in illegal crime activity Police Commissioner, Antonio López Figueroa, recently announced the seizure of, “2,000 marijuana plants, each six feet tall. In addition, the raid also included 33-gallon bags of marijuana ready for distribution.” Figueroa went on to say, “the production of this greenhouse seemed to be on an industrial scale. This operation is the largest hydroponic marijuana plantation seized by the police in Puerto Rico.”
Contradictory Studies
And yet, only recently a study published by Alliance for Responsible Regulation and Economic Development (ARRDE), which described itself as, “a non-profit organization with the main objective of advancing the discussion for the approval of the adult use of cannabis and its decriminalization,” reports that:
“82% of Puerto Ricans agree that it would be safer to buy medicinal cannabis. 61% agree that it will bring more jobs and bring
In fact,
From 2020 to 2021 dispensaries in Puerto Rico increased by a whopping 53%. more funds to the government 57% agree that it will reduce drug trafficking 63% agree it will reduce opioid addiction 62% agree it will help police focus on major crimes 60% agree it will reduce the number of people in prison needlessly”
Leaving many people to question, “well, which is it?”
“Is Puerto Rico’s cannabis industry a viable business opportunity or is it another saturated business waiting to implode?”
It seems the answer is, it depends. Mostly, on what study you read. For some entrepreneur the news is hardly comforting. To others the ambiguity leaves a space to ponder their future in the industry. With the uncertainty of the fiscal times, it begs the question, is the cannabis industry in Puerto Rico up in smoke? Or is there a chance for the smoke to still clear up?
José Aleczer, President of MICaM
Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz,
Licensed Architect and co-founder of the architectural firm Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón www.advfirm.com
CDBG-DR Gap LIHTC program: a solution for the affordable housing crisis
The reduction in adequate housing caused by informal construction and the destruction of the hurricanes, combined with a wave of displaced residents in need of housing, represents a major obstacle to Puerto Rico’s long-term recovery.
The CDBG-DR Gap for Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) Program was launched with the purpose of promoting the construction and rehabilitation of homes for families or elderly people on the island, and has since been crucial in the construction of thousands of housing units in Puerto Rico.
The CDBG-DR Gap for LIHTC provides gap funding for properties being developed with low-income tax credits. It is financed with funds allocated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and distributes federal income tax credits to affordable housing developers through state housing agencies. The developers sell the tax credits to investors to get funding for their projects. For each dollar invested on tax credits, investors save one dollar in taxes.
The LIHTC Program essentially works through three different entities. The first entity is the Puerto Rico Department of Housing (PRDOH). They are responsible for managing the CDBG-DR funds assigned to the island for the recovery of the disasters caused by Hurricanes Irma and María in 2017. The second is the Puerto Rico Housing Finance Authority (PRHFA), which manages CDGBDR funds to encourage affordable multi-family and/or senior rental housing construction through LIHTC project developer financing. And finally, the last entity is the developers who rehabilitate, redevelop, and manage the projects themselves.
Additionally, proposed projects that will be built under the LIHTC Program, take into consideration the use of materials and methods that promote the protection of the environment with the implementation of resiliency measures like EnergyStar® equipment, photovoltaic panels, emergency power generators, and security windows, among others. Furthermore, the LIHTC Program benefits the regional economy by supporting projects in areas that are within a reasonable distance of businesses, medical facilities, pharmacies, post offices, supermarkets, public transport, and recreational areas of the municipalities.
In our company, we’ve had the opportunity to help build affordable and resilient rental homes in Puerto Rico through the CDBG-DR Gap LIHTC Program. Our most recent project in Caguas, Emerald Vista, is a resilient community where everyone feels safe, connected, and proud. By working on this project, we have seen firsthand, how the LIHTC Program benefits people with low to moderate income living in the Island.
The LIHTC Program was described by HUD as “… the most important resource for developing low-cost housing in the United States and Puerto
Rico,” as it will benefit low to moderate income communities by increasing the number of affordable homes through new construction or rehabilitation projects. This promotes economic development, creates quality rental housing, and responds directly to the needs for housing by providing financing to viable construction projects.
Fundamentally, LIHTC Programs accelerate Puerto Rico’s recovery and allow for more people to have a safe and resilient home increasing their access to economic opportunities.
The author is a licensed architect and entrepreneur.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom. >Courtesy, The White House.
In fact,
Biden to award Medal of Freedom to Biles, McCain, Giffords
Nurse who received the first COVID-19 vaccine dose will also be honored
Darlene Superville – The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will present the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to 17 people, including actor Denzel Washington, gymnast Simone Biles and the late John McCain, the Arizona Republican with whom Biden served in the U.S. Senate.
Biden will also recognize Sandra Lindsay, the New York City nurse who rolled up her sleeve on live television in December 2020 to receive the first COVID-19 vaccine dose that was pumped into an arm in the United States, announced the White House.
Biden’s honors list, which the White House shared first with The Associated Press, includes both living and deceased honorees from the worlds of Hollywood, sports, politics, the military, academia, and civil rights and social justice advocacy. The honorees who’ll receive medals from Biden “have overcome significant obstacles to achieve impressive accomplishments in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to advocating for the most vulnerable among us, and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities, and across the world, while blazing trails for generations to come,” the White House said. The honor is reserved for people who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal public or private endeavors, the White House said.
Biles is the most decorated U.S. gymnast in history, winning 32 Olympic and World Championship medals. She is an outspoken advocate on issues that are very personal to her, including athletes’ mental health, children in foster care and sexual assault victims.
Lindsay became an advocate for COVID-19 vaccinations after receiving the first dose in the U.S. outside of clinical trials.
McCain, who died of brain cancer in 2018, spent more than five years in captivity in Vietnam while serving in the U.S. Navy. He later represented Arizona in both houses of Congress and was the Republican presidential nominee in 2008. Biden said McCain was a “dear friend” and “a hero.”
Washington is a double Oscar-winning actor, director and producer. He also has a Tony award, two Golden Globes and the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime
Honorees “have overcome significant obstacles to achieve impressive accomplishments in the arts and sciences… and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities, and across the world…
White House press release
Achievement Award. He is a longtime spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The other 13 medal recipients are: — Sister Simone Campbell. Campbell is a member of the Sister of Social Service and a former executive director of NETWORK, a Catholic social justice organization. She is an advocate for economic justice, overhauling the U.S. immigration system and health care policy. — Julieta Garcia. A former president of the University of Texas at Brownsville, Garcia was the first Latina to become a college president, the White House said.
— Gabrielle Giffords. A former U.S. House member from Arizona, the Democrat founded Giffords, an organization dedicated to ending gun violence. — Fred Gray. Gray was one of the first Black members of the Alabama Legislature after Reconstruction. He was a prominent civil rights attorney who represented Rosa Parks, the NAACP and Martin Luther King Jr. — Steve Jobs. Jobs was the co-founder, chief executive and chair of Apple Inc. He died in 2011. — Father Alexander Karloutsos. Karloutsos is the assistant to Archbishop Demetrios of America. The White House said Karloutsos has counseled several U.S. presidents. — Khizr Khan. An immigrant from Pakistan, Khan’s Army officer son was killed in Iraq. Khan gained national prominence, and became a target of Donald Trump’s wrath, after speaking at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. — Diane Nash. A founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Nash organized some of the most important 20th century civil rights campaigns and worked with King. — Megan Rapinoe. The Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women’s World Cup soccer champion captains the OL Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League. She is a prominent advocate for gender pay equality, racial justice and LGBTQI+ rights who has appeared at Biden’s White House. — Alan Simpson. The retired U.S. senator from Wyoming served with Biden and has been a prominent advocate for campaign finance reform, responsible governance and marriage equality. — Richard Trumka. Trumka had been president of the 12.5 million-member AFL-CIO for more than a decade at the time of his August 2021 death. — Wilma Vaught. A brigadier general, Vaught is one of the most decorated women in U.S. military history, breaking gender barriers as she has risen through the ranks.. — Raúl Yzaguirre. A civil rights advocate, Yzaguirre was president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza for 30 years. The Democratic president will present the medals at the White House next week.
Essence Fest is back in New Orleans after two-year hiatus
Chevel Johnson – The Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Black culture, in all its glory, was on display over the 4th of July holiday weekend in New Orleans as thousands converged on the city for the in-person return of the Essence Festival of Culture.
The multiday event began with a Thursday performance by comedian Kevin Hart in the Smoothie King Center, followed by ticketed concerts at the Louisiana Superdome Friday through Sunday. First-time headliner, rapper Nicki Minaj, performed Friday along with another firsttimer, country singer Mickey Guyton. Music icon Janet Jackson, who took the stage in 2010 and 2018, was the featured artist on Saturday and fan favorite, 80s R&B group New Edition, closed the event on Sunday. Other artists included Jazmine Sullivan, City Girls, Summer Walker, The Roots, The Isley Brothers, Method Man, Tems, Patti LaBelle and Stephanie Mills. In addition, free experiences were offered inside the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, including a tech summit, an opportunity for men called “In His Zone,” a marketplace highlighting local vendors, a food and wine experience, a beauty carnival, and the ever-popular gospel celebration.
Organizers encouraged all participants — whether in-person or virtual — to download the festival’s app and register through EssenceFestival.com. In addition, in-person participants were required to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination even though that requirement was dropped in March by the city since the pandemic had eased.
Festival organizers said “vaccination is for everyone’s protection” and proof of such was needed for admission.
The festival, much like others the city is known for, had been on an in-person hiatus since 2020 because of the virus outbreak but was held virtually in 2020 and 2021. Before that, it had been held in New Orleans every year except in 2006 when it moved to Houston while the Superdome was being repaired following Hurricane Katrina.
This year’s theme was “It’s The Black Joy For
Singer Janet Jackson was one of the performers at the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans along with headliners Kevin Hart, Nicki Minaj, Mickey Guyton and New Edition. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP, File) Me” and the 2022 festival was the brand’s first to offer a live component and the option to connect virtually. “As the nation’s largest festival by per day attendance, the Essence Festival of Culture is a staple that celebrates community and empowers equity,” Essence CEO Caroline Wanga said in a statement. “We are excited to welcome the family back to New Orleans and thrilled to connect with more of our diasporic family through new digital experiences.” Erika J. Bennett, chief marketing officer for Essence Ventures, was looking forward to what she described as a “reunion” that has attracted more than 500,000 visitors to its events in past years. “We know the festival is an opportunity for people, all over the world, to come together, to unite a culture, whether that’s through fashion or music or food or all the wonderful other ways we express ourselves. Particularly after some really hard years of not being together, our theme of Black joy, really resonated,” Bennett said. Bennett said their digital experience opened access globally and attracted more than 100 million online views. Essence, in its 27th year, started in 1995 as a one-time salute to celebrate the 25th anniversary “As the nation’s largest festival by per day attendance, the Essence Festival of Culture is a staple that celebrates
In fact, community and empowers equity.” / Caroline Wanga, The festival, CEO Essence much like others the city is known for, had been on an in-person hiatus since 2020 because of the virus outbreak but was held virtually in 2020 and 2021. of Essence magazine and was known as “a party with a purpose” with an original mission to give back to the community through free seminars designed to enrich women’s lives. It has since evolved into the world’s largest celebration of Black women, culture and community, organizers said. Bennett said Essence Ventures, the parent company of Essence, supports economic equity for people of color and works to ensure that through all of its brands as part of its purpose. “It’s important for us to support and uplift a city that’s embraced us for so many years,” Bennett said. “Through our marketplace and through Essence Eats, we have been able to generate a $2 billion economic impact, over nearly 30 years, to the City of New Orleans. And that is a bigger part, a deeper part of our overall mission.”
Gardening for corporate and individual wellness
Developing a corporate garden can improve employee morale
The Weekly Journal
Every time people explore different ways to save the Planet, such as gardening, they are unaware that these green activities have very positive effects not only on our planet, but also on our physical and mental health. Through the digital project “30 días de verdura”, Perla Sofía Curbelo, founder of Agrochic, continues to educate corporations and individuals to further promote the benefits of being in active contact with nature and being increasingly aware of the environment. By incorporating gardening into their lifestyle, each person can contribute to the protection and preservation of planet Earth throughout the year. This is precisely one of the goals of the annual “30 días de verdura” digital series, which consists of 30 articles related to “green” activities. Now in its ninth edition, this digital series contains a wealth of interesting information, such as Garden Break and
Corporate Wellness, to mention some of the most well-known topics. “Corporate wellness has become very common in these high-stress times. The combination of gardening and health in corporate activities makes more and more sense. Especially if the focus of employers is to contribute to the life experience of their work team,” Curbelo said. The horticulturist is currently offering talks and doing programs like Garden Break, “Un tiesto a la vez” (One garden pot at a time), Cocktail Gardening, and “enTIERRA el estrés” (Bury stress). “If work is on remote mode, employers can motivate the employees to have a green space in their home to take a Garden Break,” said Curbelo, who is a certified in Horticultural Therapist from the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Gardening and health at work
The development and integration of “green” initiatives, such as gardening projects, contribute to alleviate health problems that may have been affecting employees long before the pandemic, among them the burnout syndrome, which refers to “chronic stress in the workplace that has not been adequately managed.” Some green activities that you can integrate into the work environment to contribute to a culture of wellbeing in the workplace are: • Corporate Gardens Investing in trees and flowering plants to beautify the facades and surroundings of the company or business could reduce employee absenteeism and boost their morale. • Orchard in the company The corporate garden has the potential to become a space where employees get free food, share in activities to celebrate the harvest, and learn better eating habits. • Breathing Room
In fact, Surrounding ourselves with plants, even if it is to simulate that we are immersed in a garden or outdoor nature space, contributes to lowering our chronic alertness (negative stress) and helps Developing “green” us balance blood pressure. Our concentration initiatives, such as improves and our mood receives an energy boost. gardening projects, contribute to Tips from Perla Sofía alleviate health Take a Garden Break problems that may A Garden Break of 5, 15, or 30 minutes daily have been affecting contributes to our physical, mental, and spiritual employees. well-being. Also, science has validated that being in contact with nature contributes to our satisfaction, attention, productivity, and happiness.
Add greenery to your space
Greening every corner of your home or office space can transform your mood, promoting your wellbeing and even contributing to improve your quality of life. For more information about “30 días de verdura” digital series go to agrochic.com or visit its platforms on Facebook and Instagram.
Perla Sofía Curbelo, horticultural therapist
