EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 1754195
Filing Year: 2022
Filename: 1754195_10-K_2022_0000950170-22-004989.json

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Item 1. Business.
Overview
Trulieve Cannabis Corp. is a reporting issuer in the United States and Canada. The Company’s Subordinate Voting Shares (as hereinafter defined) are listed for trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange (“CSE”) under the symbol “TRUL” and are also traded in the United States on the OTCQX Best Market (“OTCQX”) under the symbol “TCNNF”.
Trulieve is a vertically integrated cannabis company and multi-state operator which currently holds licenses to operate in ten states and has received notice of intent to award a license in an eleventh state. Headquartered in Quincy, Florida, we are the market leader for quality medical cannabis products and services in Florida and we have market leading retail operations in Arizona and Pennsylvania. By providing innovative, high-quality products across our brand portfolio, we aim to be the brand of choice for medical and adult-use customers in all of the major markets that we serve. We operate in highly regulated markets that require expertise in cultivation, manufacturing, retail and logistics. We have developed proficiencies in each of these functions and are committed to expanding access to high quality cannabis products and delivering exceptional customer experiences.
All of the states in which we operate have adopted legislation to permit the use of cannabis products for medicinal purposes to treat specific conditions and diseases, which we refer to as medical cannabis. Recreational marijuana, or adult-use cannabis, is legal marijuana sold in licensed dispensaries to adults ages 21 and older. Thus far, of the states in which we operate, only Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Nevada have adopted legislation permitting the commercialization of adult-use cannabis products. Trulieve operates its business through its directly and indirectly owned subsidiaries that hold licenses and have entered into managed service agreements in the states in which they operate. As of March 16, 2022, we operated 162 dispensaries, with 113 dispensaries in Florida, 19 affiliated dispensaries in Pennsylvania, 17 dispensaries in Arizona, five dispensaries in California, three dispensaries in Maryland, two dispensaries in Massachusetts, two dispensaries in West Virginia and one dispensary in Connecticut, and we operated cultivation and processing facilities in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. As of December 31, 2021, we employed over 9,000 people and we are committed to providing patients and adult consumers, which we refer to herein as “customers,” a consistent and welcoming retail experience across Trulieve branded stores and affiliated retail locations.
Our business and operations center around the Trulieve brand philosophy of “Customers First” which permeates our culture beginning with high- quality and efficient cultivation and manufacturing practices, focus on the consumer experience at Trulieve branded and affiliated retail locations, at our in-house call center and where available at customer residences through a robust home delivery program. Our investments in vertically integrated operations in several of our markets afford us ownership of the entire supply chain which mitigates third-party risks and allows us to completely control product quality and brand experience. We believe that this is contributive to high customer retention and brand loyalty. We successfully operate our core business functions of cultivation, production and distribution at scale, and are skilled at rapidly increasing capacity without any interruption to existing operations.
Trulieve has identified five regional geographic hubs in the U.S. and has established cannabis operations in three of the five hubs: Southeast, Northeast, and Southwest. In each of our three regional hubs we have market leading positions in cornerstone states and additional operations and assets in other state markets. Our hubs are managed by national and regional management teams supported by our corporate headquarters in Florida.
Southeast Hub
Our southeast hub operations are anchored by our cornerstone market of Florida. Trulieve was the first licensed operator in the medical market in Florida with initial sales in 2016. Publicly available reports filed with the Florida Office of Medical Marijuana Use show Trulieve has the most dispensing locations and the greatest dispensing volume across product categories out of all licensed medical marijuana businesses in the state as of December 31, 2021. Trulieve cultivates and produces all of its products in-house and distributes those products to customers in Trulieve branded stores (dispensaries) throughout Florida, as well as via home delivery.
In accordance with Florida law, Trulieve grows all of its cannabis in secure enclosed indoor facilities and greenhouse structures. In furtherance of our customer-first focus, we have developed a suite of Trulieve branded products, including flower, edibles, vaporizer cartridges, concentrates, topicals, capsules, tinctures, dissolvable powders, and nasal sprays. This wide variety of products gives customers the ability to select the product that consistently delivers the desired effect and in their preferred method of delivery. These products are delivered to customers statewide in Trulieve-branded retail stores and by home delivery.
In Georgia, Trulieve received a Notice of Intent to award a Class 1 Production License from the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission in July 2021. The Notice of Intent to award is a notice of the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission’s expected contract award to Trulieve GA pending resolution of a protest process. If the contract is awarded, Trulieve GA will hold one
of two Class 1 Production Licenses in the state and will be permitted to cultivate cannabis for the manufacture of low tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC oil.
Northeast Hub
Our northeast hub operations are anchored by our cornerstone market of Pennsylvania.
We conduct cultivation, processing, and retail operations through its direct and indirect subsidiaries with permits for retail operations and grower/processor operations in Pennsylvania. These subsidiaries operate cultivation and processing facilities in McKeesport, Reading, and Carmichael, Pennsylvania to support our affiliated network of retail dispensaries and wholesale distribution network across the state.
We operate three medical dispensaries and conducts wholesale sales supported by cultivation and processing in Hancock, Maryland.
We operate two retail dispensaries in Massachusetts, serving medical patients and adult use customers in Northampton and adult use customers in Worcester. Our retail operations are supported by cultivation and manufacturing operations in Holyoke. We commenced wholesale sales in September 2021. Trulieve was the first to offer sales of clones supporting home grow for residents in the Massachusetts market in August 2021.
We operate a medical cannabis dispensary located in Bristol, Connecticut. Under Connecticut’s adult-use cannabis legislation, which was enacted July 1, 2021, Trulieve can seek regulatory approval to expand sales at this dispensary to include adult use sales.
We operate two medical dispensaries in Morgantown and Weston, West Virginia, supported by cultivation and processing operations in Huntington, West Virginia. Trulieve has been awarded and has acquired permits to operate up to a total of nine dispensaries in West Virginia.
Southwest Hub
Our southwest hub operations are anchored by our cornerstone market of Arizona. In Arizona, Trulieve holds a market-leading position, offering medical and adult use customers a wide range of branded and third-party products, including brand partner products, as well as offering wholesale across the state. We also serve medical and adult use customers in California. Trulieve conducts wholesale operations in Nevada and Colorado, serving the medical and adult use markets in each state.
Cultivation and Processing Capacity
Trulieve produces high quality cannabis flower for direct consumption and uses a variety of processes to transform this high-quality biomass into the extensive portfolio of products sold in our stores and in our wholesale channels. Our prominence in our cornerstone market of Florida demonstrates the quality and affordability of the product we produce at scale. With a focus on replicable, scalable operations, we have detailed design standards, standard operating procedures, and training protocols that are employed across cultivation sites to achieve a high level of consistency and quality.
In our cornerstone market of Florida, Trulieve cultivates, processes, and manufactures all cannabis products sold in our Florida dispensaries. In other markets including Arizona, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, we have achieved varying percentages of vertical integration with cultivation and processing operations to support our retail and wholesale businesses. Trulieve invests in a large number of in-house quality personnel as well as testing laboratories, both of which allow us to control quality in all aspects of our business while operating at scale.
We utilize various extraction techniques including super critical ethanol extraction, carbon dioxide extraction, hydrocarbon extraction, and mechanical separation. We have invested in light hydrocarbon extraction processes, allowing for concentrates that preserve the natural ratios of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other target compounds to better replicate the flower experience. Light hydrocarbon extraction also offers the benefit of greater extraction yields in many cases. In addition, we own CO2 extraction, distillation, purification and manufacturing technology used to produce a line of cannabis topicals and vapes featuring cannabinoids and a hemp-derived product line sold in Colorado.
Marketing and Community Outreach
Trulieve’s marketing strategies are developed to maximize the unique opportunities of the markets in which we operate. In medical markets, our marketing efforts are centered around education and outreach for physicians and medical patients. Our educational materials are designed to help physicians understand cannabinoid science, the high standards pursuant to which our plants are cultivated, the processes required for regulatory compliance, and how our products provide relief for their patients. Our dedicated physician
education team delivers in-person outreach to hundreds of physicians each month as well as immediate phone support through a dedicated physician education team member in our call center. Patients primarily learn about us through their physicians, patient-centric community events, and digital marketing. We participate in dozens of outreach and community events on a monthly basis. An engaged audience is captured through our digital content marketing and via multiple popular social media platforms.
In adult use markets, our marketing efforts drive awareness of the Trulieve brand as well as our branded product portfolio directly to the end customer. Our marketing towards customers who are more familiar with cannabis products requires different strategies that inspire, tap into relevant cultural moments in their lives, build community as well as educate on our products’ uniqueness versus our competitors.
A core element of our strategy centers around the distribution of branded products through our retail locations and wholesale channels. We strive to set a high standard for excellence and deliver excellent customer experiences in our retail locations. We have developed and acquired a portfolio of our own branded retail products that we cultivate, manufacture and distribute in our regional hubs. Trulieve brands include premium tier brands Avenue, Cultivar Collection, and Muse; mid-tier brands Modern Flower, Alchemy, Momenta, and Sweet Talk, and value tier brands Co2lors, Loveli, and Roll One. We have a dedicated research and development team focused on product development and technological innovation. Our R&D team evaluates new technologies and performs rigorous testing prior to recommending new products for introduction into production. The team monitors developments in the fast-paced cannabis industry and adjacent industries to help us remain competitive.
We have also developed relationships with brand partners that allow for the sale of partner branded products in select markets and retail locations. Brand partnerships include arrangements with Bellamy Brothers, Bhang, Binske, Black Tuna, Blue River, Connected, El Blunto, Love’s Oven, Moxie, SLANG, and Sunshine Cannabis.
It is our goal to generate brand loyalty by providing customers with industry-leading branded products and superior service in an appealing, approachable setting. We accomplish this goal through several key strategies: training; branded store experiences; brand awareness; multiple channels of distribution; our loyalty program and 360 brand activation that builds community across platforms.
Customer experience is an area of significant focus for Trulieve. We employ and continuously improve numerous training programs and methods to provide our front-line workers with the resources and information they need to provide customers with an excellent experience across all Trulieve locations. We offer specialized management training so there is daily reinforcement of customer experience best practices.
As part of our customer centric approach, in select markets we offer various purchase options, including phone ordering, online ordering, home delivery, and in store.
Our Truliever loyalty program provides customers the ability to earn points for dollars spent and receive discounts when their points exceed specified thresholds. Trulievers are also the first to be informed about special discounts or limited product releases and they are invited to exclusive promotions and events. We understand each consumer has unique communication preferences and capabilities. As such, we engage with customers and physicians through a variety of methods including email, text, social media and online chat. In all markets, we engage with various communities who may benefit, such as veterans, seniors, organizations that serve qualifying populations, and various health and wellness groups. Search engine optimization of our website also captures potential customers researching the benefits of medical marijuana, which offers another pathway to informative materials about therapeutic uses of cannabis, our products and how to legally access them.
Recent Developments
Harvest Acquisition
On May 10, 2021, the Company entered into an Arrangement Agreement (the “Arrangement Agreement”) with Harvest Health & Recreation Inc., a British Columbia corporation (“Harvest”), pursuant to which the Company agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding equity securities of Harvest (the “Arrangement”). On October 1, 2021 (the “Closing Date”), the Company completed its acquisition of Harvest pursuant to the Arrangement Agreement. On the Closing Date, the Company acquired all of the issued and outstanding subordinate voting shares, multiple voting shares and super voting shares (collectively the “Harvest Shares”) of Harvest. Pursuant to the terms of the Arrangement Agreement, holders of Harvest Shares received 0.1170 of a Subordinate Voting Share of the Company for each Harvest Share held. In total, the Company issued an aggregate of 50,921,236 Trulieve Shares, representing total consideration of approximately $1.4 billion based on the closing price of Trulieve’s Subordinate Voting Shares on September 30, 2021.
Prior to the acquisition, Harvest was one of the largest multi-state vertically integrated operators in the cannabis industry in the United States operating from “seed to sale.” Harvest is one of the largest operators in the state of Arizona, which is one of the largest medical and recreational cannabis markets in the country and one of the oldest regulated cannabis markets in the world. Harvest operates
facilities or provides services to cannabis dispensaries in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada and Pennsylvania. In addition, Harvest owns CO2 extraction, distillation, purification and manufacturing technology used to produce a line of cannabis topicals, vapes and gems featuring cannabinoids and a hemp-derived product line sold in Colorado. We expect the Harvest acquisition will have a significant impact on our results of operations and financial condition as of and for the fourth quarter ending December 31, 2021 and in future periods as we integrate Harvest’s business with our existing operations.
Other Developments
On December 24, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Company appointed Steve White as President of the Company.
On October 6, 2021, the Company closed its previously announced private placement of 8% Senior Secured Notes (the “2026 Notes”) for aggregate gross proceeds of $350.0 million and net proceeds of $342.6 million. The 2026 Notes were issued at 100% face value, bear an interest rate of 8% per annum payable semi-annually in equal installments until the maturity date, unless earlier redeemed or repurchased. The 2026 Notes will mature on October 6, 2026, and may be redeemed in whole or in part, at the Company's option, at any time, on or after October 6, 2023, at the application redemption price set forth in the indenture. The Company used a portion of the net proceeds to redeem certain outstanding indebtedness of Harvest, and intends to use the remaining portion of the net proceeds for capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes. On January 28, 2022, we closed a second tranche of our Notes totaling $75 million.
On September 29, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Company appointed Rebecca Young as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer (and principal accounting officer) of the Company.
On July 8, 2021, we closed the acquisition of Keystone Shops, which holds a dispensary license and operates dispensaries in Philadelphia, Devon, and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
On July 2 and June 28, 2021, we closed of the acquisition of certain assets of PCMV and Nature’s Remedy, respectively, including the rights to a Provisional Marijuana Retailer License from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission for an adult-use marijuana retailer in Framingham and a Final Marijuana Retailer License from the Cannabis Control Commission for an adult-use marijuana retailer in Worcester, and accompanying leasehold interests, permits and entitlements.
On June 9, 2021, we announced the closing of the acquisition of Solevo Wellness West Virginia LLC and its three West Virginia dispensary permits.
On June 3, 2021, Life Essence opened its first dispensary in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the City of Northampton. The dispensary serves both adult-use and medical marijuana patients.
On May 6, 2021, we announced the closing of the acquisition of Mountaineer Holding LLC, including its cultivation permit and two dispensary permits.
On April 12, 2021, we announced the closing of an underwritten, marketed public offering of 5,750,000 Subordinate Voting Shares at a public offering price of C$50.00 per share ($39.63 per share after giving effect to the conversion rate published by Bloomberg at 4:30pm ET on April 7, 2021 to convert Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars). The gross proceeds from the offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by us, were C$287.5 million (or $228.5 million after giving effect to the conversion rate denoted above). The net proceeds from the offering were approximately $217.9 million.
Corporate History
Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (formerly Schyan Exploration Inc.) was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) on September 17, 1940. It changed its name from “Bandolac Mining Corporation” to “Schyan Exploration Inc. / Exploration Schyan Inc.” on October 29, 2008.
On September 19, 2018, in connection with the Transaction (as defined below), Schyan Exploration Inc. / Exploration Schyan Inc. filed Articles of Amendment under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) to (i) effect the name change from “Schyan Exploration Inc. / Exploration Schyan Inc.” to “Trulieve Cannabis Corp.”, (ii) re-designate all of the then issued and outstanding common shares of the Company into Subordinate Voting Shares, on the basis that each one issued and outstanding common share was re-designated into one Subordinate Voting Share, and (iii) increase the authorized capital of the Company by creating two new classes of shares, an unlimited number of Super Voting Shares and an unlimited number of Multiple Voting Shares.
On September 19, 2018, in connection with the Transaction, Trulieve Cannabis Corp. continued into the Province of British Columbia as a corporation under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) and consolidated its issued and outstanding Subordinate Voting Shares on the basis of one post-consolidation share for every 80.94486 pre-consolidation shares.
On September 21, 2018, Trulieve Cannabis Corp. completed the Transaction and acquired all of the securities of Trulieve US (as defined below) by way of a plan of merger. Pursuant to the Transaction, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trulieve Cannabis Corp. created to effect the Transaction merged with and into Trulieve US and Trulieve US became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trulieve Cannabis Corp. In addition and in connection with the Transaction, 10,927,500 issued and outstanding subscription receipts of Trulieve US were exchanged for 10,927,500 Subordinate Voting Shares (3,573,450 of which Subordinate Voting Shares were immediately converted into 35,734.50 Multiple Voting Shares), 548,446 broker warrants of Trulieve US were exchanged for 548,446 broker warrants to purchase Subordinate Voting Shares at an exercise price of C$6.00, and 8,784,872 compensation warrants of Trulieve US were exchanged for 8,784,872 compensation warrants to purchase Subordinate Voting Shares at an exercise price of C$6.00. As a result of the Transaction, Trulieve Cannabis Corp. met the CSE listing requirements and the Subordinate Voting Shares commenced trading on the CSE under the symbol “TRUL” on September 25, 2018.
The Transaction
On September 11, 2018, Trulieve Cannabis Corp., Trulieve US and Schyan Sub, Inc., or Subco, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trulieve Cannabis Corp., entered into a merger agreement to effect a transaction, or the Transaction, whereby Trulieve US and Subco merged, and Trulieve US became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trulieve Cannabis Corp.
At the annual and special meeting of shareholders held on August 15, 2018 and in connection with the Transaction, Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (formerly Schyan Exploration Inc.) received approval to continue into the jurisdiction of British Columbia. Trulieve Cannabis Corp. filed articles of continuance pursuant to the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) and completed the continuance on September 19, 2018. Trulieve Cannabis Corp. filed articles of amendment on September 19, 2018 for the amendment to its articles providing for the re-designation of its common shares as Subordinate Voting Shares and to create a class of Multiple Voting Shares and Super Voting Shares on completion of the Transaction. The articles of amendment filed on September 19, 2018 also changed the Company’s name to “Trulieve Cannabis Corp.” (from Schyan Exploration Inc.).
In connection with the Transaction, Trulieve Cannabis Corp. consolidated its existing common shares on the basis of one Subordinate Voting Share for each 80.94486 existing common shares.
Prior to the Transaction, Trulieve US completed a brokered and a non-brokered subscription receipt financing, or SR Offering, at a price of C$6.00 per subscription receipt for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$65 million.
Holders of the subscription receipts that participated in the SR Offering on a non-brokered basis and whom were residents of the United States agreed to exchange the Subordinate Voting Shares issued to such holders on exercise of the subscription receipts for Multiple Voting Shares on the basis of one Multiple Voting Share for each 100 Subordinate Voting Shares.
In connection with the Transaction and pursuant to the SR Offering, a total of 7,554,050 Subordinate Voting Shares, 170,102.50 Multiple Voting Shares and 852,466 Super Voting Shares were issued and outstanding after completion of the Transaction, including Subordinate Voting Shares and Multiple Voting Shares issued to former holders of the subscription receipts issued in the SR Offering. Each Super Voting Share is convertible into Multiple Voting Shares at the option of the holder or upon certain triggering events. Each Multiple Voting Share, including those issued upon conversion of the Super Voting Shares, is convertible into 100 Subordinate Voting Shares at the option of the holder or upon certain triggering events.
The Subordinate Voting Shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol “TRUL” and trade on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol “TCNNF”.
Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (formerly Schyan Exploration Inc.) had no active business operations leading up to completion of the Transaction. In connection with the Transaction, it disposed of a mineral exploration property eight kilometers northeast of the town of Cadillac, Quebec.
Trulieve US was incorporated as a Georgia corporation under the name “George Hackney, Inc.” on January 25, 1990. On June 11, 2018, Trulieve US domesticated to Florida with the Florida Division of Corporations pursuant to Florida Statute 607.1801. On July 18, 2018, Trulieve US changed its name to “Trulieve, Inc.” On August 27, 2018, Trulieve US increased its authorized share capital to 25,000,000 shares of common stock and 20,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.001 per share. On September 11, 2018, Trulieve US approved a reclassification of the issued and outstanding share capital of Trulieve US whereby each issued and outstanding share of common stock was split and became 150 shares of common stock such that there were 986,835 shares of common stock of Trulieve US issued and outstanding prior to the closing of the Transaction.
Hackney Nursery, a predecessor to Trulieve US has been registered as a nursery in the State of Florida since June 2, 1981. On November 23, 2015, Trulieve US was awarded a license to operate in the State of Florida as a Medical Marijuana Dispensing Organization. Trulieve US filed a fictitious name application with the Florida Division of Corporations for the name “Trulieve” on March 20, 2016 and changed its name to “Trulieve, Inc.” on July 18, 2018. Pursuant to current law, Trulieve US is now a Medical
Marijuana Treatment Center in the State of Florida. Trulieve US is licensed to produce and sell medical cannabis in the State of Florida through the Florida Department of Health, Office of Medical Marijuana Use. The Department issued a license to Trulieve US on November 23, 2015.
Competitive Conditions and Position
The markets in which we operate are highly competitive markets with relatively high barriers to entry given the licensed nature of the cannabis industry. See “-Regulatory Overview” below for additional information regarding the impact of regulation on our business. Trulieve competes directly with cannabis producers and retailers within single-state operating markets, as well as those that operate across several U.S. markets.
The vast majority of both manufacturing and retail competitors in our markets consist of localized or regional businesses with operations in a single state market. Other multi-state cannabis operators compete directly in several of our operating markets. Aside from this direct competition, out-of-state operators that are capitalized well enough to enter those markets through acquisitions are also part of the competitive landscape. Similarly, as we execute on our regional hub strategy and expand across the U.S., operators in our future state markets will inevitably become direct competitors. Increased competition by larger and better financed competitors could materially affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We face additional competition from new entrants. If the number of consumers of medical and adult use cannabis in our markets increases, the demand for products will increase and we expect that competition will become more intense, as current and future competitors begin to offer an increasing number of diversified products. We expect to continue to invest in several areas, including product development and innovation, marketing and branding, sales and distribution and customer service and retention. Trulieve may not have sufficient resources to maintain investments on a competitive basis, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
See Item 1A - “Risk Factors” with respect to competition.
Key Business Objectives
Trulieve will continue to focus on achieving our vision and mission to be a leading customer-focused cannabis brand in the U.S., with depth in select markets with favorable attributes relative to our strategic vision. We aim to provide the highest level of cannabis products and customer experience through authentic and reciprocal relationships.
Our strategic priorities include the following:
• Developing exceptional customer experiences and building brand loyalty through:
▪Providing superb service, expedient transactions, frictionless returns; and
▪Innovating across product and consumer categories
• Continuing to execute on our hub strategy by:
▪Building additional scale and depth in our cornerstone markets of Arizona, Florida, and Pennsylvania;
▪Expanding operations as appropriate in new and existing markets; and
▪Pursuing organic license awards and strategic acquisition opportunities
• Distributing branded products through branded retail locations and wholesale network by:
▪Expanding distribution of branded products through branded retail locations;
▪Converting acquired, affiliated, and/or operated retail locations to Trulieve branded retail; and
▪Developing and expanding wholesale channels with initial emphasis on Arizona, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Pennsylvania markets
• Focusing on profitable growth and prudent capital allocation.
Trulieve Leases
We own or lease our facility locations including cultivation, processing, retail and corporate office locations. We do not have any one lease representing over 10% of our consolidated leasing costs and, as a result, do not consider any of our leases to be material. In Florida, we have 111 operational dispensaries, of which 109 are leased, and we have fourteen cultivation, manufacturing and distribution facilities, of which six are leased. In Arizona, we have seventeen operational dispensaries, of which thirteen are leased. In
California, we have five operational dispensaries, of which three are leased. We have a single operational manufacturing facility in Colorado that is leased. We have one operational dispensary in Connecticut that is leased. In Georgia, we own land that is in the process of being developed into a cultivation facility. In Massachusetts, we operate two operational dispensaries, both of which are leased, and operate two separate cultivation properties, one of which is leased. We have three operational dispensaries in Maryland, of which two are leased, and we also operate a cultivation, manufacturing and distribution facility on adjacent leased properties. In Nevada, we lease a single cultivation, distribution and manufacturing facility. In Pennsylvania, there are eighteen operational affiliated dispensaries, seventeen of which are leased, and there are three affiliated cultivation and manufacturing facilities, of which a portion of one is leased. In West Virginia, we have two dispensaries and a cultivation facility that are leased and we own real property where additional cultivation operations are being be developed.
Specialized Skills
We recruit talented individuals to join the Trulieve team. Our employees have a wide range of skill sets, including employees with PhD and master’s degrees. Many of our employees are college graduates and have specific skills related to their job function. We intend to continue to build out our research and development team with scientists and other technical specialists. We use a variety of recruiting techniques, including online resources as well as recruiting professionals, to assist with filling specialized roles.
Supply Chain
We have varying degrees of vertical operations in the markets in which we operate. In the Florida market, our operations are fully vertically integrated as required by state regulations. In other markets we may operate within one or more segment of the cannabis value chain. In the normal course of our business we purchase input materials and components that we utilize in the cultivation, processing, manufacture and distribution of our products. No individual suppliers represent a significant portion of our purchases or represent a material risk to our operations.
Brand Recognition and Intellectual Property
We have built brand recognition throughout our markets. One of our key business objectives is to build brand equity in the Trulieve brand name through our branded retail stores and interactions with our customers. We intend to rebrand acquired and affiliated locations over time as part of our plan to expand our branded retail reach. Trulieve maintains a consistent approach to the design of its retail stores and endeavors to create a uniform experience for its customers.
We regularly seek to protect our intellectual property rights in connection with our operating names and our brand names. The U.S. trademark statute, The Lanham Act, allows for the protection of trademarks and service marks on products and services used, or intended for use, lawfully. Because cannabis-related products and services remain illegal at the federal level under the Controlled Substances Act, we are not able to fully protect our intellectual property at the federal level; therefore, we currently seek trademark protections at the state level where commercially feasible. Nonetheless, our success depends upon other areas of our business such as product development and design, production and marketing and not exclusively upon trademarks and trade secrets.
We have developed proprietary cultivation techniques. We have also developed certain proprietary intellectual property for production best practices, procedures and methods. This requires specialized skills in cultivation, extraction and refining.
We rely on non-disclosure/confidentiality agreements to protect our intellectual property rights. Where commercially feasible, we will proactively seek intellectual property protection for newly developed brands as well as for expansion of existing brands across current markets and into new markets. We own several website domains numerous, social media accounts across all major platforms and various phone and web application platforms.
Year-Round Business
Our business operates year-round. Operations and sales trends in select markets where we operate do follow seasonal trends with various times of the year providing an opportunity for outdoor cultivation, seasonal impacts on sales in summer and winter months in markets in the Southwest and Northeast and promotional activity increases around specific industry and holiday events.
Diversity, Inclusion & Equity (DE&I)
We are committed to contributing positively to the legal cannabis industry. As a business that produces and distributes a product that many people- especially people of color - were arrested and incarcerated for in the past, we recognize the supreme importance of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the cannabis industry. As such, we have hired a Director of DE&I and continue to support a DE&I Committee comprised of executives, senior management, and employees throughout the Company. The DE&I Committee is charged with implementing and recording the efficacy of our efforts to recruit and develop diverse talent, implement company-wide diversity and cultural competency training, increase supplier diversity, engage in social justice initiatives and more.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
As a purpose-driven company, ESG is integral to our growth and corporate achievements. Our commitment to ESG makes us better planners, cultivators, and retailers, supports transparency and strong governance, contributes to improved safety and environmental performance, and strengthens our connection with local communities. We have established governance policies and management systems, such as our SAP system implemented last year, to codify our responsibilities and help manage risk across the company. We also implemented other measures including environmental safeguards at our cultivation facilities, recycling initiatives, and safety training for security personnel at our dispensaries.
Regulatory Overview
Below is a discussion of the federal and state-level U.S. regulatory regimes in those jurisdictions where we are currently directly involved, through our subsidiaries, in the cannabis industry.
Federal Regulation of Cannabis in the United States
The United States federal government regulates drugs in large part through the Controlled Substances Act or CSA. Marijuana, which refers to certain parts and derivatives of the cannabis plant, is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. As a Schedule I controlled substance, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, or DEA, considers marijuana to have a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug under medical supervision. According to the U.S. federal government, cannabis having a concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, greater than 0.3% is marijuana. Cannabis with a THC content below 0.3% is classified as hemp. The scheduling of marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance is inconsistent with what we believe to be widely accepted medical uses for marijuana by physicians, researchers, customers, and others. Moreover, as of December 31, 2021, and despite the conflict with U.S. federal law, at least 36 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have legalized marijuana for medical use. Eighteen of those states and the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam have legalized the adult use of cannabis for recreational purposes. In November 2020, voters in Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota voted by referendum to legalize marijuana for adult use, and voters in Mississippi and South Dakota voted to legalize marijuana for medical use, although South Dakota’s adult-use measure has been declared unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court. In 2021, the states of Connecticut, New Mexico, New York, and Virginia enacted laws legalizing the adult use of cannabis.
Marijuana is largely regulated at the state level in the United States. State laws regulating marijuana conflict with the CSA, making marijuana use and possession federally illegal. Although certain states and territories of the United States authorize medical or adult-use marijuana production and distribution by licensed or registered entities, under United States federal law, the possession, use, cultivation, and transfer of marijuana and any related drug paraphernalia is illegal. Although our activities are compliant with the applicable state and local laws in those states where we maintain such licenses, strict compliance with state and local laws with respect to cannabis may neither absolve us of liability under United States federal law nor provide a defense to any federal criminal action that may be brought against us.
In 2013, as more and more states began to legalize medical and/or adult-use marijuana, the federal government attempted to provide clarity on the incongruity between federal law and these state-legal regulatory frameworks. Until 2018, the federal government provided guidance to federal agencies and banking institutions through a series of DOJ memoranda. The most notable of this guidance came in the form of a memorandum issued by former U.S. Deputy Attorney General James Cole on August 29, 2013, which we refer to as the Cole Memorandum.
The Cole Memorandum offered guidance to federal agencies on how to prioritize civil enforcement, criminal investigations, and prosecutions regarding marijuana in all states and quickly set a standard with which marijuana-related businesses would comply. The Cole Memorandum put forth eight prosecution priorities:
1. Preventing the distribution of marijuana to minors;
2. Preventing revenue from the sale of marijuana from going to criminal enterprises, gangs, and cartels;
3. Preventing the diversion of marijuana from states where it is legal under state law in some form to other states;\
4. Preventing the state-authorized marijuana activity from being used as a cover or pretext for the trafficking of other illegal drugs or other illegal activity;
5. Preventing violence and the use of firearms in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana;
6. Preventing drugged driving and the exacerbation of other adverse public health consequences associated with marijuana use;
7. Preventing the growing of marijuana on public lands and the attendant public safety and environmental dangers posed by marijuana production on public lands; and
8. Preventing marijuana possession or use on federal property.
On January 4, 2018, former United States Attorney General Sessions rescinded the Cole Memorandum by issuing a new memorandum to all United States Attorneys, which we refer to as the Sessions Memo. Rather than establishing national enforcement priorities particular to marijuana-related crimes in jurisdictions where certain marijuana activity was legal under state law, the Sessions Memo simply rescinded the Cole Memorandum and other Department of Justice memorandums providing prosecutorial guidance on state and tribally authorized medical and adult-use cannabis activities and instructed that “[i]n deciding which marijuana activities to prosecute... with the [DOJ’s] finite resources, prosecutors should follow the well- established principles that govern all federal prosecutions.” Namely, these include the seriousness of the offense, history of criminal activity, deterrent effect of prosecution, the interests of victims, and other principles.
On January 21, 2021, Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was sworn in as President of the United States. President Biden’s Attorney General, Merrick Garland, was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 10, 2021. It is not yet known whether the Department of Justice, under President Biden and Attorney General Garland, will re-adopt the Cole Memorandum or announce a substantive marijuana enforcement policy. During his Senate confirmation, Merrick Garland told Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), “It does not seem to me useful the use of limited resources that we have to be pursuing prosecutions in states that have legalized and are regulating the use of marijuana, either medically or otherwise.” Such statements are not official declarations or policies of the DOJ and are not binding on the DOJ, any United States Attorney, or the United States federal courts. Substantial uncertainty regarding United States federal enforcement remains. To date, there have been no new federal cannabis memorandums issued by the Biden Administration or any published change in federal enforcement policy.
Nonetheless, there is no guarantee that state laws legalizing and regulating the sale and use of marijuana will not be repealed or overturned or that local government authorities will not limit the applicability of state laws within their respective jurisdictions. Unless and until the United States Congress amends the CSA with respect to marijuana (and as to the timing or scope of any such potential amendments, there can be no assurance), there is a risk that federal authorities may enforce current U.S. federal law. Currently, in the absence of uniform federal guidance, as had been established by the Cole Memorandum, enforcement priorities are determined by respective United States Attorneys.
As an industry best practice, despite the rescission of the Cole Memorandum, we abide by the following standard operating policies and procedures, which are designed to ensure compliance with the guidance provided by the Cole Memorandum:
1. Continuously monitor our operations for compliance with all licensing requirements as established by the applicable state, county, municipality, town, township, borough, and other political/administrative divisions;
2. Ensure that our cannabis-related activities adhere to the scope of the licensing obtained (for example: in the states where cannabis is permitted only for adult-use, the products are only sold to individuals who meet the requisite age requirements);
3. Implement policies and procedures to prevent the distribution of our cannabis products to minors;
4. Implement policies and procedures in place to avoid the distribution of the proceeds from our operations to criminal enterprises, gangs, or cartels;
5. Implement an inventory tracking system and necessary procedures to reliably track inventory and prevent the diversion of cannabis or cannabis products into those states where cannabis is not permitted by state law or across any state lines in general;
6. Monitor the operations at our facilities so that our state-authorized cannabis business activity is not used as a cover or pretense for trafficking of other illegal drugs or engaging in any other illegal activity; and
7. Implement quality controls so that our products comply with applicable regulations and contain necessary disclaimers about the contents of the products to avoid adverse public health consequences from cannabis use and discourage impaired driving.
In addition, we frequently conduct background checks to confirm that the principals and management of our operating subsidiaries are of good character and have not been involved with other illegal drugs, engaged in illegal activity or activities involving violence, or the use of firearms in the cultivation, manufacturing, or distribution of cannabis. We also conduct ongoing reviews of the activities of our cannabis businesses, the premises on which they operate, and the policies and procedures related to the possession of cannabis or cannabis products outside of the licensed premises.
Moreover, in recent years, certain temporary federal legislative enactments that protect the medical marijuana and hemp industries have also been in effect. For instance, certain marijuana businesses receive a measure of protection from federal prosecution by operation of temporary appropriations measures that have been enacted into law as amendments (or “riders”) to federal spending bills passed by Congress and signed by Presidents Obama, Trump, and, most recently, President Biden. For instance, in the Appropriations Act of 2015, Congress included a budget “rider” that prohibits DOJ from expending any funds to enforce any law that interferes with a state’s implementation of its own medical marijuana laws. The rider originally known as the “Rohrbacher-Farr” Amendment after its original lead sponsors is now known as the “Joyce” Amendment after its current sponsor. Originally, a Republican-controlled House and Democratic-controlled Senate passed the Rohrbacher-Farr Amendment. The bill was “a bipartisan appropriations measure that looks to prohibit the DEA from spending funds to arrest state-licensed medical marijuana patients and providers.” Subsequently, the rider t has been included in multiple budgets passed by successive Congresses controlled by both major political parties. Most recently, on February 18, 2022, the Amendment was renewed through the signing of an additional stopgap spending bill, H.R.6617 - Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act, effective through March 11, 2022. While the Amendment has been included in successive appropriations legislation or resolutions since 2015, its inclusion or non-inclusion is subject to political change.
Notably, Joyce Amendment has applied only to medical marijuana programs and has not provided the same protections to enforcement against adult-use activities. If the Amendment is no longer in effect, the risk of federal enforcement and override of state marijuana laws would increase.
United States Border Entry
The United States Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, enforces the laws of the United States as they pertain to lawful travel and trade into and out of the U.S. Crossing the border while in violation of the CSA and other related United States federal laws may result in denied admission, seizures, fines, and apprehension. CBP officers administer determine the admissibility of travelers who are non-U.S. citizens into the United States pursuant to the United States Immigration and Nationality Act. An investment in our Subordinate Voting Shares, if it became known to CBP, could have an impact on a non-U.S. citizen’s admissibility into the United States and could lead to a lifetime ban on admission.
Because marijuana remains illegal under United States federal law, those investing in Canadian companies with operations in the United States cannabis industry could face detention, denial of entry, or lifetime bans from the United States for their business associations with United States marijuana businesses. Entry happens at the sole discretion of CBP officers on duty, and these officers have wide latitude to ask questions to determine the admissibility of a non-US citizen or foreign national. The government of Canada has started warning travelers that previous use of marijuana, or any substance prohibited by United States federal laws, could mean denial of entry to the United States. Business or financial involvement in the marijuana industry in the United States could also be reason enough for CBP to deny entry. On September 21, 2018, CBP released a statement outlining its current position with respect to enforcement of the laws of the United States. It stated that Canada’s legalization of cannabis will not change CBP enforcement of United States laws regarding controlled substances and because marijuana continues to be a controlled substance under United States law, working in or facilitating the proliferation of the legal marijuana industry in U.S. states where it is deemed legal may affect admissibility to the United States. As a result, CBP has affirmed that employees, directors, officers, managers, and investors of companies involved in business activities related to marijuana in the United States (such as Trulieve), who are not United States citizens, face the risk of being barred from entry into the United States.
Anti-Money Laundering Laws and Access to Banking
The Company is subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the United States that involve anti-money laundering, financial recordkeeping, and the proceeds of crime, including the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 (referred to herein as the “Bank Secrecy Act”), as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by governmental authorities in the United States.
Additionally, under United States federal law, it may potentially be a violation of federal anti-money laundering statutes for financial institutions to take any proceeds from the sale of any Schedule I controlled substance. For example, banks and other financial institutions could potentially be prosecuted and convicted of aiding and abetting money laundering under the Bank Secrecy Act for providing services to cannabis businesses. Therefore, under the Bank Secrecy Act, banks or other financial institutions that provide a cannabis business with a checking account, debit or credit card, small business loan, or any other financial service could be charged with money laundering or conspiracy.
While there has been no change in U.S. federal banking laws to accommodate businesses in the large and increasing number of U.S. states that have legalized medical or adult-use marijuana, The U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network “FinCEN” issued guidance in 2014 and was not rescinded by the Sessions Memo. The FinCEN Guidance provided guidance to financial institutions on how to engage with state and tribally authorized cannabis entities in accordance with federal law. An
additional Department of Justice memorandum, issued in parallel with the FinCEN Guidance and since rescinded as part of the Sessions Memo, provided guidance to prosecutors regarding money laundering and other financial crimes as it pertained to cannabis entities and financial institutions operating in accordance with the FinCEN Guidance. The FinCEN Guidance and now rescinded accompanying Department of Justice memorandum is often publicly viewed as enabling a way for financial institutions to work with cannabis entities in compliance with federal law so long as that cannabis-related business activities are legal in their state or territory and none of the federal enforcement priorities referenced in the Cole Memorandum are being violated (such as keeping marijuana out of the hands of organized crime). Importantly, the FinCEN Guidance also clarifies how financial institutions can provide financial services to marijuana-related businesses consistent with their Bank Secrecy Act obligations, including enhanced customer due diligence, but makes it clear that they are doing so at their own risk. The customer due diligence steps typically include:
1. Verifying with the appropriate state authorities whether the business is duly licensed and registered;
2. Reviewing the license application (and related documentation) submitted by the business for obtaining a state license to operate its marijuana-related business;
3. Requesting available information about the business and related parties from state licensing and enforcement authorities;
4. Developing an understanding of the normal and expected activity for the business, including the types of products to be sold and the type of customers to be served (e.g., medical versus adult-use customers);
5. Ongoing monitoring of publicly available sources for adverse information about the business and related parties;
6. Ongoing monitoring for suspicious activity, including for any of the red flags described in the FinCEN Guidance; and
7. Refreshing information obtained as part of customer due diligence on a periodic basis and commensurate with the risk.
With respect to information regarding state licensure obtained in connection with such customer due diligence, a financial institution may reasonably rely on the accuracy of information provided by state licensing authorities, where states make such information available.
While the FinCEN Guidance decreased some risk for banks and financial institutions considering servicing the cannabis industry, in practice, challenges remain with financial institutions’ willingness to provide services to marijuana-related businesses. This is because current U.S. federal law does not guarantee banks immunity from prosecution. It also requires banks and other financial institutions to undertake time-consuming and costly due diligence (i.e., enhanced due diligence) on each marijuana-related business they accept as a customer.
Those commercial banks and/or credit unions that have agreed to work with marijuana businesses are typically limiting those accounts to small percentages of their total deposits to avoid creating liquidity and concentration risk. Since, theoretically, the federal government could change the banking laws as it relates to marijuana-related businesses at any time and without notice, these banks and credit unions must keep sufficient cash on hand to be able to return the full value of all deposits from marijuana-related businesses in a single day, while also keeping sufficient liquid capital on hand to service their other customers. Because many banks and credit unions that are providing banking services to marijuana-related businesses are smaller institutions, applicable concentration limits may also impose limits on the aggregate amounts of loans that might be provided to the industry. Those commercial banks and credit unions that do have customers in the marijuana industry can charge marijuana businesses high fees to cover the added cost of ensuring compliance with the FinCEN Guidance.
As mentioned previously, unlike the Cole Memorandum, the FinCEN Guidance has not been rescinded. FinCEN has stated that it views the FinCEN Guidance to include compliance with the requirements of the rescinded Cole Memorandum. Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, has not made any public statements with regards to how the Treasury Department plans to treat marijuana-related businesses.
As an industry best practice and consistent with its standard operating procedures, Trulieve adheres to all customer due diligence steps in the FinCEN Guidance and any additional requirements imposed by those financial institutions it utilizes. However, in the event that any of our operations, or any proceeds thereof, any dividends or distributions therefrom, or any profits or revenues accruing from such operations in the United States were found to be in violation of anti-money laundering legislation or otherwise, such transactions could be viewed as proceeds of crime under one or more of the statutes noted above or any other applicable legislation. This could restrict or otherwise jeopardize our ability to declare or pay dividends or affect other distributions.
In the United States, the “SAFE Banking Act” was adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives, which would grant banks and other financial institutions immunity from federal criminal prosecution for servicing marijuana-related businesses if the underlying
marijuana business follows state law. It is unclear whether the U.S. Senate will take up the SAFE Banking Act for a vote. Most recently, the SAFE Banking Act was included as an amendment to the House of Representatives’ versions of the National Defense Authorization Act, “NDAA,” and the America COMPETES Act. During the conference committee, the committee declined to include the SAFE Banking Act amendment in the version of the NDAA signed into law. The America COMPETES Act is still being considered by Congress. While there is strong support in the public and within Congress for the SAFE Banking Act and similar legislation, there can be no assurance that it will be passed as presently proposed or at all. In both Canada and the United States, transactions involving banks and other financial institutions are both difficult and unpredictable under the current legal and regulatory landscape. Legislative changes could help to reduce or eliminate these challenges for companies in the cannabis space and would improve the efficiency of both significant and minor financial transactions.
Ability to Access Public and Private Capital
Given the current laws regarding cannabis at the federal level in the United States, traditional bank financing is typically not available to United States marijuana companies (although there has been a recent increase in the availability of traditional loans from alternative lending providers). Specifically, since financial transactions involving proceeds generated by cannabis-related conduct can form the basis for prosecution under anti-money laundering statutes, the unlicensed money transmitter statute, and the Bank Secrecy Act, businesses involved in the cannabis industry often have difficulty finding a bank willing to accept their business. Banks that do accept deposits from cannabis-related businesses in the United States must do so in compliance with the FinCEN Guidance. We have banking relationships in the states where we operate with state-chartered banks for deposits and payroll; however, we have limited access to traditional bank financing.
Tax Concerns
An additional challenge for marijuana-related businesses is that the provisions of IRC Section 280E are being applied by the IRS to businesses operating in the medical and adult-use marijuana industry. IRC Section 280E prohibits marijuana businesses from deducting their ordinary and necessary business expenses, forcing them to pay higher effective federal tax rates than similar companies in other industries. The effective tax rate on a marijuana business depends on how large its ratio of non-deductible expenses is to its total revenues. Therefore, businesses in the legal cannabis industry may be less profitable than they would otherwise be. Furthermore, although the IRS issued a clarification allowing the deduction of the cost of goods sold, the scope of such items is interpreted very narrowly, and the bulk of operating costs and general administrative costs are not permitted to be deducted.
The 2018 Farm Bill
CBD is a nonintoxicating chemical found in cannabis and is often derived from hemp, which contains, at most, only trace amounts of THC. On December 20, 2018, Former President Trump signed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (popularly known as the 2018 Farm Bill) into law. Until the 2018 Farm Bill became law, hemp fell within the definition of “marijuana” under the CSA, and the DEA classified hemp as a Schedule I controlled substance because hemp is part of the cannabis plant.
The 2018 Farm Bill defines hemp as the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of the plant with a delta-9 THC concentration of not more than 0.3% by dry weight and removes hemp from the CSA. The 2018 Farm Bill requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, to, among other things: (1) evaluate and approve regulatory plans approved by individual states for the cultivation and production of industrial hemp, and (2) promulgate regulations and guidelines to establish and administer a program for the cultivation and production of hemp in the U.S. On October 29, 2019, the USDA published its interim rules for the regulation of hemp, and on January 15, 2021, published its final rule for hemp production (referred to herein as the “USDA Rule”). The USDA Rule became effective on March 22, 2021. The USDA Rule, among other things, sets minimum standards for the cultivation and production of hemp, as well as requirements for laboratory testing of hemp. The hemp production regulations promulgated by the USDA are in lieu of those states not adopting state-specific hemp regulations; however, state programs must meet certain requirements contained in the USDA Rule. Hemp and products derived from it, such as CBD, may be sold into commerce and transported across state lines provided that the hemp from which any product is derived was cultivated under a license issued by an authorized state program approved by the USDA or USDA hemp production license, meets the definition of hemp, and the products are compliant with other applicable federal laws including the U.S. Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The 2018 Farm Bill explicitly preserved the authority of the FDA to regulate hemp-derived products under the U.S. Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The FDA has not yet promulgated its own rules for the regulation of hemp-derived products.
Compliance with Applicable State Law in the United States
We are classified as having “direct” involvement in the United States cannabis industry, and we believe that we are in compliance with applicable state laws, as well as related licensing requirements and the regulatory frameworks enacted in the states we operate in. We are not subject to any citations or notices of violation with applicable licensing requirements and the regulatory frameworks which may have an impact on our licenses, business activities, or operations. We use reasonable commercial efforts to
ensure that our business remains compliant with applicable licensing requirements and the regulatory frameworks enacted by Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia through the advice of our Director of Compliance, who monitors and reviews our business practices and changes to applicable state laws and regulations, as well as United States Federal enforcement priorities. Our Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel work with external legal advisors in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Nevada, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to ensure that we are in ongoing compliance with applicable state laws.
In the United States, cannabis is largely regulated at the state level. Although each state in which we operate (and anticipate operating) authorizes, as applicable, medical and/or adult-use marijuana production and distribution by licensed or registered entities, and numerous other states have legalized marijuana in some form, under U.S. federal law, the possession, use, cultivation, and transfer of marijuana and any related drug paraphernalia remains illegal, and any such acts are criminal acts under U.S. federal law. Although we believe that our business activities are compliant with applicable state and local laws of the United States, strict compliance with state and local laws with respect to marijuana may neither absolve us of liability under U.S. federal law nor provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought against us. Any such proceedings brought against us may result in a material adverse effect on our business.
Regulation of the Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis Markets in Arizona
In December 2010, Arizona voters passed the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (the “AMMA”), A.R.S. Section 36- 2801 et seq. The AMMA went into effect on April 14, 2011, making Arizona the fifteenth state to adopt a medical marijuana law. The AMMA designates the Arizona Department of Health Services (the “ADHS”) as the licensing and issuing authority for the Arizona Medical Marijuana Program. The ADHS has adopted rules and regulations for developing and implementing the Arizona Medical Marijuana Program. These rules and regulations are set forth in the Arizona Administrative Code Title 9, Chapter 17.
The first medical marijuana licenses in Arizona were issued in 2012 and as of March 1, 2022, Arizona has 127 open dispensaries.
Arizona Proposition 207, also known as the Smart and Safe Arizona Act, was a voter initiative to legalize the adult recreational use of marijuana that was approved by voters on November 3, 2020. The Smart and Safe Arizona Act directed the Arizona State Department of Health Services to establish rules for retail marijuana sales by June 1, 2021, allow marijuana to be subject to state and local sales taxes like other retail items, and would impose an additional 16% excise tax on marijuana products. Following the passage of Proposition 207, existing medical operators were permitted to apply for licensure to permit sales to adult use consumers. Recreational sales commenced in Arizona on January 22, 2021.
Arizona Licenses and Regulations
Arizona state licenses are renewed once every two years. Around the time of renewal, licensees are required to submit a renewal application per guidelines published by the ADHS. While renewals are annual, there is no ultimate expiry after which no renewals are permitted. Additionally, in respect of the renewal process, provided that the requisite renewal fees are paid, the renewal application is submitted in a timely manner (at least 30 days in advance of the expiration date of the license), and there are no material violations noted against the applicable licenses, we would expect to receive the applicable renewed license in the ordinary course of business. While our compliance controls have been developed to mitigate the risk of any material violations of a license arising, there is no assurance that our licenses will be renewed in the future in a timely manner. Any unexpected delays or costs associated with the licensing renewal process could impede our ongoing or planned operations and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, or prospects.
Arizona is a vertically integrated system so that each license permits the holder to acquire, cultivate, process, distribute and/or dispense, deliver, manufacture, transfer, and supply medical and/or adult-use marijuana in compliance with the AMMA and ADHS rules and regulations.
Dispensing Requirements
In order to dispense medical marijuana to a qualifying customer or designated caregiver, a licensed dispensary is required to (1) verify the qualifying customer’s or designated caregiver’s identity, (2) offer appropriate customer education or support materials, (3) make available testing results related to the product sought, if requested by the qualifying customer or designated caregiver, (4) enter the qualifying customer’s or designated caregiver’s registry identification number on the identification card presented into the medical marijuana electronic verification system, (5) verify the validity of the identification card presented, (6) verify that the amount of marijuana product to be dispensed would not cause the qualifying customer to exceed the regulatory limit, and (7) enter information into the medical marijuana electronic verification system regarding the amount of medical marijuana dispensed, whether it was dispensed
directly to the qualifying customer or to a caregiver, the date and time of dispensing, the registry identification number of the dispensary agent, and the dispensary’s registry identification number.
Requirements Relating to Recordkeeping and Inventory Control
Licensed dispensaries are required by regulation to utilize an inventory control system that documents (1) daily updated inventory amounts of marijuana products, (2) acquisitions of medical marijuana from qualifying customers or designated caregivers, (3) acquisitions of medical marijuana from other dispensaries, (4) information related to batches of marijuana cultivated by the licensee, (5) information regarding provision of medical marijuana to other dispensaries, (6) information relating to required testing of marijuana products, and (7) the disposition of marijuana products determined not to be dispensed to a customer or to be included in manufacturing a marijuana product. Licensed dispensaries are additionally required to keep records regarding qualifying customers that: (1) include dated entries from registered dispensary agents regarding dispensing, (2) are safeguarded against unauthorized access and tampering, (3) include documentation of requests by qualifying customers and caregivers regarding marijuana products and educational materials.
Requirements Relating to Security and Transportation
Licensed dispensaries are permitted to transport marijuana and marijuana products between dispensaries and cultivation sites, qualifying customers, other dispensaries, and licensed analytical laboratories. Dispensaries are required to complete a comprehensive trip plan prior to transport that describes the products being transported, the time of the trip, and the anticipated route. During transportation, dispensary agents are required to use unmarked vehicles, hide marijuana and marijuana products from view, and communicate with the licensed dispensary. Licensed dispensaries are required to keep records of trip plans.
Licensed dispensaries are also required to implement a variety of security measures to protect dispensary and cultivation sites from unauthorized access: (1) intrusion detection devices, (2) exterior lighting, (3) video cameras covering the entrances and exits of limited access areas and facilities, as well as point of sale locations and grow rooms, (4) failure notification systems, (5) battery backup for cameras and other equipment, and (6) panic buttons on the interior of facilities. Licensed dispensaries are also required to implement policies and procedures that restrict access to the areas of the dispensary that contain marijuana, that provide for identification of authorized individuals, that prevent loitering, for the conduct of electronic monitoring, and the use of panic buttons.
Arizona Reporting Requirements
The State of Arizona uses the ADHS Medical Marijuana Verification System (“ADHS MMV”) to validate card holders, verify allotment amounts and track all retail transactions for Arizona qualified customers. The ADHS MMV system is also used annually by license holders to renew the dispensary registration certificate.
We use Leaf Logix software as our computerized, seed-to-sale tracking and inventory system. Individual licensees whether directly or through third- party integration systems are required to capture and retain all information pertaining to the acquisition, possession, cultivation, manufacturing, delivery, transfer, transportation, supplying, selling, distributing, or dispensing of medical marijuana, to meet all reporting requirements for the State of Arizona.
ADHS Inspections
In December 2010, Arizona voters passed the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (the “AMMA”), A.R.S. Section 36- 2801 et seq. The AMMA went into effect on April 14, 2011, making Arizona the fifteenth state to adopt a medical marijuana law. The AMMA designates the Arizona Department of Health Services (the “ADHS”) as the licensing and issuing authority for the Arizona Medical Marijuana Program. The ADHS has adopted rules and regulations for developing and implementing the Arizona Medical Marijuana Program. These rules and regulations are set forth in the Arizona Administrative Code Title 9, Chapter 17. Arizona Proposition 207, also known as the Smart and Safe Arizona Act, was a voter initiative to legalize the adult recreational use of marijuana that was approved by voters on November 3, 2020. Following the passage of Proposition 207, existing medical operators were permitted to apply for licensure to permit sales to adult use consumers. Recreational sales commenced in Arizona on January 22, 2021. In accordance with Proposition 207, the ADHS will issue up to 26 additional licenses for social equity applicants in the future.
The ADHS oversees licensing for medical marijuana and adult-use cannabis. The Arizona market is divided into two classes of licenses: medical and adult use. Each license grants the licensee the ability to have one dispensary, one processing site, and one cultivation site. License holders are not required to establish for vertically integrated operations and processing and cultivation sites can be used by third party companies. Arizona does not recognize third party operators and the license holder is responsible for compliance. As of December 31, 2021, there were 127 operating dispensaries. Dispensaries can hold dual licensure to serve both medical and adult use consumers.
For medical card holders, qualifying conditions include Alzheimer’s disease, cachexia, cancer, chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, glaucoma, hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus (“HIV”) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (“AIDS”), muscle spasms, nausea, post-traumatic stress disorder “(PTSD”), sclerosis, and seizures. All product categories are allowed to be sold as either adult use or medical, except edibles for adult use consumers, which cannot be more than 10mg per serving or 100mg per package.
Regulation of the Marijuana Market in California
In 1996, California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana through Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. This provided an affirmative defense for defendants charged with the use, possession, and cultivation of medical marijuana by customers with a physician recommendation for treatment of cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief. In 2003, Senate Bill 420 was signed into law, decriminalizing the use, possession, and collective cultivation of medical marijuana and establishing an optional identification card system for medical marijuana customers.
In September 2015, the California legislature passed three bills collectively known as the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act (“MMRSA”). The MMRSA established a licensing and regulatory framework for medical marijuana businesses in California. The system created testing laboratories and distributors. Edible infused product manufacturer licenses based on either volatile solvent or non-volatile solvent manufacturing-specific extraction methodology also became mandatory. Multiple agencies oversaw different aspects of the program, and businesses were required to obtain both a state license and local approval in order to operate.
However, in November 2016, voters in California overwhelmingly passed Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (“AUMA”), creating an adult-use marijuana program for consumers 21 years of age or older. In June 2017, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill No. 94, known as Medicinal and Adult-Use Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act (“MAUCRSA”), which amalgamated MMRSA and AUMA into a set of regulations governing both medical and adult-use cannabis licensing in California. MAUCRSA went into effect on January 1, 2018.
The three licensing agencies that used to regulate marijuana at the state level included the Bureau of Cannabis Control (“BCC”), California Department of Food and Agriculture (“CDFA”), and the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”). However, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 141 (“AB 141”) on July 12, 2021. Effectively, AB 141 consolidated the three former state cannabis authorities into a single, new department now known as the Department of Cannabis Control (the “Department”). On or about September 15, 2021, the Department filed emergency regulations to consolidate, clarify, and make consistent cannabis regulations to the California Office of Administrative Law. After a limited comment period, these consolidated emergency regulations were approved and became effective on or about September 27, 2021. These regulations created consistent standards for cannabis licensees across all license types by aligning application requirements, unifying terminology, and clarifying ownership and financial interest requirements.
One of the central features of MAUCRSA is known as “local control.” In order to legally operate a medical or adult-use marijuana business in California, an operator must have both a local and state license. This requires license-holders to operate in cities or counties with marijuana licensing programs. Cities and counties in California are also allowed to limit the number of licenses issued locally or even ban all cannabis licenses completely.
Once an operator obtains local approval, the operator must obtain state licenses before conducting any commercial marijuana activity. There are multiple license categories that cover all commercial activity. Categories include: (1) cultivation/nurseries/processors, (2) testing laboratories, (3) distributors/transporters, (4) retailers (including delivery), (5) microbusinesses, (6) event organizers, and (7) manufacturers. Categories of licenses are further broken down into subtypes. For example, there are multiple types of cultivation licenses available depending upon the size of the cultivation operation and whether the operation is indoors/outdoors or uses mixed lighting. Different manufacturing licenses are available depending upon whether volatile or nonvolatile solvents are used. Retail licenses are available depending upon whether the retailer operates from a storefront or a non-storefront.
The Department Regulating the Commercial Cannabis Industry
The Department oversees and regulates all commercial cannabis activities. Operators must apply to the Department for their licenses.
The Marijuana Supply Chain in California
In California, local law may determine whether plants must be cultivated outdoors, using mixed-light methods, or fully indoors. Cultivators must also obtain seeds, clones, teens, or other immature plants from licensed nurseries through the traceability system.
The cultivation, processing, and movement of marijuana within the state are tracked by the California Cannabis Track and Trace System’s METRC software. All licensees are required to input their track and trace data (either manually or using another software
that automatically uploads to METRC). Immature plants must be assigned a Unique Identifier number (“UID”) which then remains associated with that specific plant’s flowers and biomass as it moves through the supply chain to the consumer. Each licensee in the supply chain is required to meticulously log any processing, packaging, and sales associated with that UID.
When marijuana plants mature and complete their life cycle, they are harvested, cured, and trimmed in preparation for being sold to processors, distributors, or manufacturers. Cultivators have two main products: flowers, or “buds,” and the biomass, or “trim,” which is typically removed from the mature flowers. Trim is commonly sold to manufacturers for further processing into cannabis extracts. Buds may also be sold to manufacturers or distributors for sale to retailers. The cultivator may package and label its marijuana flowers directly or sell flowers in bulk, allowing distributors to package and label the flower.
Manufactured marijuana goods sold or transferred to a distributor for final retail sale by a manufacturer must be in final packaging. Distributors may not repackage manufactured marijuana goods. Certain tax rates apply to the marijuana flower and biomass, which are assessed per ounce of product sold. The California State cultivation tax is paid by the cultivator to the distributor, or, alternatively, from the cultivator to the manufacturer, after which the distributor bringing the marijuana goods to market bears responsibility for tendering the cultivation tax receipts to the California Department of Tax Fee Administration (“CDTFA”).
California restricts the transportation of cannabis to licensed distributors. Some cultivators and manufacturers maintain their own distribution licenses in order to handle transportation directly, while others contract with third-party licensed distributors for transportation services. Distributors may or may not take possession of the marijuana and marijuana products, and like alcohol distribution, some retailers limit sales to a particular distributor’s brand portfolio. Brands may market products to retailers directly or only to distributors.
Distributors are the point in the supply chain where final quality assurance testing is performed on products before they go to a retailer. Retailers may not accept or sell products without an accompanying and compliant Certificate of Analysis (“COA”). Distributors must clearly segregate the product awaiting testing from the product that has already passed testing at their licensed premises until an employee of a licensed testing laboratory comes to their premises and obtains samples from any and all goods proposed to be sold at retail. Marijuana and marijuana products are issued either a “pass” or “fail” by the testing laboratory. Under some circumstances, the Department’s regulations allow for failing product to be “remediated” or to be re-labeled to more accurately reflect the COA results.
Retail Compliance in California
California requires specific warnings, images, and information regarding package contents to be printed on all marijuana packaging. The Department’s regulations also require packaging to be both tamper-evident and child-resistant. Distributors and retailers are independently responsible for confirming that products are properly labeled and packaged prior to the consumer sale.
Consumers aged 21 and up may purchase marijuana in California from a dispensary with an “adult-use” license. Some localities still only allow medicinal dispensaries. Consumers aged 18 and up with a valid physician’s recommendation may purchase marijuana from a medicinal-only dispensary or an adult-use dispensary. Consumers without valid physician’s recommendations may not purchase marijuana from a medicinal-only dispensary. All marijuana businesses are prohibited from hiring employees under the age of 21.
Security Requirements
In California, local law may determine whether plants must be cultivated outdoors, using mixed-light methods, or fully indoors. Cultivators must also obtain seeds, clones, teens, or other immature plants from licensed nurseries through the traceability system.
The cultivation, processing, and movement of marijuana within the state are tracked by the California Cannabis Track and Trace System’s METRC software. All licensees are required to input their track and trace data (either manually or using another software that automatically uploads to METRC). Immature plants must be assigned a Unique Identifier number (“UID”) which then remains associated with that specific plant’s flowers and biomass as it moves through the supply chain to the consumer. Each licensee in the supply chain is required to meticulously log any processing, packaging, and sales associated with that UID.
When marijuana plants mature and complete their life cycle, they are harvested, cured, and trimmed in preparation for being sold to processors, distributors, or manufacturers. Cultivators have two main products: flowers, or “buds,” and the biomass, or “trim,” which is typically removed from the mature flowers. Trim is commonly sold to manufacturers for further processing into cannabis extracts. Buds may also be sold to manufacturers or distributors for sale to retailers. The cultivator may package and label its marijuana flowers directly or sell flowers in bulk, allowing distributors to package and label the flower.
Manufactured marijuana goods sold or transferred to a distributor for final retail sale by a manufacturer must be in final packaging. Distributors may not repackage manufactured marijuana goods. Certain tax rates apply to the marijuana flower and biomass, which are assessed per ounce of product sold. The California State cultivation tax is paid by the cultivator to the distributor, or,
alternatively, from the cultivator to the manufacturer, after which the distributor bringing the marijuana goods to market bears responsibility for tendering the cultivation tax receipts to the California Department of Tax Fee Administration (“CDTFA”).
California restricts the transportation of cannabis to licensed distributors. Some cultivators and manufacturers maintain their own distribution licenses in order to handle transportation directly, while others contract with third-party licensed distributors for transportation services. Distributors may or may not take possession of the marijuana and marijuana products, and like alcohol distribution, some retailers limit sales to a particular distributor’s brand portfolio. Brands may market products to retailers directly or only to distributors.
Distributors are the point in the supply chain where final quality assurance testing is performed on products before they go to a retailer. Retailers may not accept or sell products without an accompanying and compliant Certificate of Analysis (“COA”). Distributors must clearly segregate the product awaiting testing from the product that has already passed testing at their licensed premises until an employee of a licensed testing laboratory comes to their premises and obtains samples from any and all goods proposed to be sold at retail. Marijuana and marijuana products are issued either a “pass” or “fail” by the testing laboratory. Under some circumstances, the Department’s regulations allow for failing product to be “remediated” or to be re-labeled to more accurately reflect the COA results.
Inspections
All licensees are subject to random inspections of their premises by the Department. If an inspection identifies any noncompliance of a licensee, the Department may issue notices to correct, or notices of violation, fines, or take other disciplinary action that may include cancellation of a license.
Retail Taxes in California
Retailers generally pay excise tax amounts to final distributors upon making wholesale purchases. These distributors then remit receipts directly to the CDTFA. The tax liability is calculated based on the average market price of the cannabis goods sold at retail sale. The average market price is determined by the type of transaction that occurs between the seller (cultivator, manufacturer, or distributor) and the retailer. The CDTFA determines tax rates based upon estimated average ratios, including retail and wholesale prices during the tax period, and is commonly known as a “markup.” CDTFA’s current markup estimate (as of January 1, 2020) is 80%. Due to the 15% statutory tax rate and the 80% markup estimate, the current effective tax rate on wholesale gross receipts is 27%.
In addition to the State taxes, cities and counties throughout California with licensed cannabis businesses apply their own approaches to taxing cannabis. These approaches fall into three broad categories. First, many local governments impose the same tax rate on all cannabis businesses regardless of type. Second, many local governments impose higher tax rates on retailers than other types of cannabis businesses. Third, a few local governments do not levy specific cannabis taxes. The California Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates that the average cumulative local tax rate over the whole supply chain is roughly equivalent to a 15% tax on retail sales.
See Appendix A to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a list of the licenses associated with our operations in California.
Regulation of Cannabis Market in Colorado
In 2000, Colorado voters passed Amendment 20, an amendment to the state constitution decriminalizing certain amounts of marijuana for medicinal purposes. The amendment created a regulatory system for granting patient registry cards authorizing individuals with debilitating medical conditions to have and use up to two ounces of a usable form of marijuana and no more than six marijuana plants. The amendment also created a regulatory system for granting patient registry cards authorizing individuals with debilitating medical conditions to have and use limited quantities of marijuana, and an affirmative defense under Colorado criminal law for any cardholder or their primary caregiver to charges of violating state drugs laws. In 2010, the Colorado legislature passed H.B. 10-1284, which enacted the Colorado Medical Marijuana Code, a framework regulating the growth, sale, and distribution of marijuana by licensed dispensaries, administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
In 2012, Colorado voted passed Amendment 64, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana in Colorado. Among other provisions, the amendment legalized the cultivation, manufacturing, processing, and sale of marijuana to adults 21 years of age or older. Amendment 64 also directed the Colorado Department of Revenue (“DOR”) to establish a comprehensive framework of regulation and enforcement governing licensed marijuana businesses in the state. The Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division (“MED”) is the licensing and regulatory agency overseeing all recreational and medical marijuana businesses in Colorado. In 2019, legislators passed statutes updating, among other things, the state’s marijuana laws to allow for new sources of investment in the Colorado marijuana industry, including by publicly traded companies and created accompanying disclosure requirements.
In Colorado, cannabis businesses must comply with local licensing requirements in addition to state licensing requirements in order to operate. Colorado localities are allowed to limit or prohibit the operation of marijuana cultivation facilities, product manufacturing facilities or retail dispensary facilities.
There are multiple license categories that cover all commercial activity. Categories include: (1) medical/retail cultivation, (2) medical/retail stores, (3) medical/retail manufacturers, (4) medical/retail transporters, (5) retail hospitality and sales, (6) medical/retail marijuana business operator and (6) medical/retail testing facilities. Categories of licenses are further broken down into subtypes. For example, there are multiple types of cultivation licenses available depending upon the size of the cultivation operation. Licensees may also apply for permits that allow for the conduct of additional business functions such as centralized distribution, delivery, and off-premises storage.
Each facility is authorized to engage only in the type of activity for which it is licensed. Licenses are valid for one year from the date of issuance. Before expiration, licensees are required to submit a renewal application.
To acquire a license, the individuals and entities who own or control the licensee must be vetted by the State to determine whether they are suitable under Colorado law to operate a license. Generally, any natural person or entity that holds a 10% interest or greater (directly or indirectly) in the licensee must be disclosed and vetted for suitability. All board members and corporate officers of the licensee must be disclosed and vetted, including board members and corporate officers of the entity-owners with 10% or greater interest. Additionally, those who exercise an inordinate amount of control over a licensee-whether through financing, IP agreements, management agreements, or some combination thereof, can also be considered “controlling beneficial owners” by the MED and subsequently be required to undergo vetting for suitability. Colorado licensing requirements largely do not respect anonymity in ownership regularly pierce corporate veils to determine the natural people who ultimately control a given license.
Local authorities also grant licenses to conduct marijuana businesses within their jurisdiction, and DOR licensing for a marijuana business is conditioned on approval from the local authorities. An applicant is prohibited from operating a marijuana business prior to obtaining all necessary licenses, registrations, permits, or approvals from both the State licensing authority and local licensing authorities.
Security Requirements
Colorado law requires that all licensees have a security alarm system and must ensure that their premises are continuously monitored. Licenses must also use commercial-grade non-residential door locks at all points of ingress and egress. All licensed marijuana businesses are required to utilize video surveillance and camera recording systems, which at a minimum, must consist of digital or network video recorders, video monitors, digital archiving devices, and a color printer capable of delivering still photos. Such equipment must be stored in a secure area that is only accessible to the licensee’s management staff. In addition to other requirements, all video surveillance equipment must be equipped with a failure notification system that provides prompt notification to the licensee of any prolonged surveillance interruption and/or complete failure of the surveillance system.
Inspections
The MED and local licensing authorities may conduct announced or unannounced inspections of licensees to determine compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Licensees may also be subject to inspection of the licensed premises by the local fire department, building inspector, or code enforcement officer to confirm that no health or safety concerns are present.
Colorado Reporting Requirements
Colorado uses METRC as the MED’s marijuana inventory tracking system for all medical and adult use licensees. Marijuana is required to be tracked and reported with specific data points from seed to sale through METRC for compliance purposes under Colorado marijuana laws and regulations. This tracking is conducted by using electronic tags on plants and shipments between licensees and facilities.
See Appendix A to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a list of the licenses associated with our operations in Colorado.
Regulation of the Medical Cannabis Market in Connecticut
The State of Connecticut has authorized cultivation, possession, and distribution of marijuana for medical purposes by certain licensed Connecticut marijuana businesses. The Medical Marijuana Program, or MMP, registers qualifying patients, primary caregivers, Dispensary Facilities, or DFs, and Dispensary Facility Employees, or DFEs. The MMP was established by Connecticut General Statutes §§ 21a-408-21a429. DFs and production facilities are separately licensed.
The MMP is administered by the Department of Consumer Protection, or DCP. Patients with qualifying debilitating medical conditions qualify to participate in the program, including patients with such conditions include but are not limited to cancer, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), Parkinson’s disease, or multiple sclerosis (MS). A physician or advanced practice registered nurse must issue a written certification for an MMP patient, and the qualifying patient or caregiver must choose one designated DF where the patient’s marijuana will be obtained.
In Connecticut, marijuana may not be produced or dispensed without the appropriate license. The DCP determines how many facility licenses to issue based on the size and location of the DFs in operation, the number of qualifying patients registered with the DCP, and the convenience and economic benefits to qualifying patients.
When the DCP determines that additional licenses for DFs should be granted, it publishes a notice of open applications for DF licenses. This notice must include the maximum number of licenses to be granted, the deadline for receipt of applications, and the criteria that will be considered when awarding the licenses. Such criteria must include character and fitness of any person who may have control or influence over the operation of the proposed DF; the location for the proposed DF; the applicant’s ability to maintain adequate controls against the diversion, theft, or loss of marijuana; the applicant’s ability to maintain the knowledge, understanding, judgment, procedures, security controls, and ethics to ensure optimal safety and accuracy in the dispensing and sale of marijuana; and the extent to which the applicant or any of the applicant’s DF backers have a financial interest in another licensee, registrant, or applicant.
Applicants for DF licenses must identify, among other things, the proposed DF location, financial statements, criminal background check applications for the applicant and applicant’s backers, a plan to prevent theft and diversion, and a blueprint of the proposed DF. An application for a DF license also requires the payment of a $5,000 fee. If approved, the licensee must pay an additional $5,000 before receiving its license. The decision of the DCP’s Commissioner, or Commissioner, not to award a DF license to an applicant is final.
Connecticut Dispensary Facility Requirements
A DF may not dispense marijuana from, obtain marijuana from, or transfer marijuana to a location outside of the state of Connecticut. DFs are limited to the following modes of obtaining, delivering, transferring, transporting, and selling marijuana:
•A DF may acquire marijuana from a producer;
•A DF may dispense and sell marijuana to a qualifying patient or primary caregiver registered to their facility and who is registered with the DCP;
•A DF may dispense or sell to a research program subject pursuant to the protocols of a research program approved by the Commissioner;
•A DF may transfer, distribute, deliver, transport, or sell to a research program employee pursuant to the protocols of a research program approved by the Commissioner;
•A DF may transfer, distribute, deliver or transport to a hospice or other inpatient care facility licensed by the Department of Public Health that has a protocol for handling and distributing marijuana that has been approved by the DCP; and
•A DF may transfer, distribute, deliver or transport marijuana to an approved laboratory.
Only a pharmacist licensed as a dispensary may dispense marijuana, and only a dispensary or dispensary technician may sell marijuana to qualifying customers, primary caregivers, or research program subjects who are registered with the DCP. A DF may not engage in marijuana compounding, except that a dispensary may dilute a medical marijuana product with a USP grade substance with no active ingredient for the purposes of dose titration, tapering, for the addition of a flavoring agent, or creating a maintenance dose that is not available from any producer at the time of purchase. No person associated with a DF may enter into any agreement with a certifying health care provider or health care facility concerning the provision of services or equipment that may adversely affect any person’s freedom to choose the DF at which the qualifying customer or primary caregiver will purchase marijuana, except in the case of an approved research program. All DFEs must, at all times while at the DF, have their current dispensary license, dispensary technician registration, or DFE registration available for inspection by the Commissioner or the DCP. The DF shall establish, implement and adhere to a written alcohol-free, drug-free, and smoke-free workplace policy, which must be available to the DCP upon request. Marijuana may not be applied, ingested, or consumed inside a DF.
Each DF must make publicly available the price of all its marijuana products to prospective qualifying patients and primary caregivers. As of February 18, 2022, the DCP increased the monthly allotments for qualifying patients from 3.0 ounces to 3.5 ounces. All marijuana must be sold in child-resistant, sealed containers except upon a written request from the qualifying patient or primary caregiver. No marijuana may be sold without the producer label. All products sold to the qualifying patient or primary caregiver must be placed in an opaque package that shall not indicate the contents of the package, the originating facility, or in any other way cause another person to believe that the package may contain marijuana. Each DF must also provide information to qualifying patients and primary caregivers regarding the possession and use of marijuana. The DF manager must submit all informational material to the Commissioner for approval prior to such information being provided to qualifying patients and primary caregivers.
Connecticut Security and Storage Requirements
All facilities must have an adequate security system to prevent and detect the loss of marijuana. These systems must use commercial grade equipment, including perimeter alarms, motion detectors, video cameras with 24-hour recordings (which must be retained for at least 30 days), silent alarms, panic alarms, a failure notification system, and the ability to remain operational during a power outage. Each facility must also have a backup alarm system approved by the Commissioner. The outside perimeter of every facility must be well-lit. All equipment must be kept in good working order and tested at least twice per year.
A DF must:
•Not maintain marijuana in excess of the quantity required for normal, efficient operation;
•Store all marijuana in an approved safe or approved vault and in such a manner as to prevent diversion, theft or loss;
•Maintain all marijuana in a secure area or location accessible only to specifically authorized employees, which shall include only the minimum number of employees essential for efficient operation;
•Keep all approved safes and approved vaults securely locked and protected from entry, except for the actual time required to remove or replace marijuana;
•Keep all locks and security equipment in good working order;
•Keep the dispensary department securely locked and protected from entry by unauthorized employees; and
•Post a sign at all entry ways into any area of the DF containing marijuana stating, “Do Not Enter-Limited Access Area-Access Limited to Authorized Employees Only.” All deliveries must be carried out under the direct supervision of a pharmacist licensed as a dispensary, who must be present to accept the delivery. Upon delivery, the marijuana must immediately be placed in an approved safe or approved vault within the dispensary.
No person may enter the area where marijuana is dispensed and sold unless such person is licensed or registered by the DCP; such person’s responsibilities necessitate access to the dispensary department and then for only as long as necessary to perform the person’s job duties; or such person has a patient or caregiver registration certificate, in which case such person must not be permitted behind the service counter or in other areas where marijuana is stored.
Connecticut Transportation Requirements
Prior to transporting any marijuana or marijuana product, a DF must complete a shipping manifest using a form prescribed by the Commissioner and securely transmit a copy of the manifest to the laboratory, research program location, hospice, or other inpatient care facility that will receive the products and to the DCP at least 24 hours prior to transport. These manifests must be maintained and made available to the DCP. Marijuana may only be transported in a locked, secure storage compartment that is part of the vehicle transporting the marijuana. This compartment may not be visible from outside the vehicle. Routes must be randomized.
All transport vehicles must be staffed with a minimum of two employees. At least one delivery team member is required to remain with the vehicle at all times that the vehicle contains marijuana. A delivery team member must have access to a secure form of communication with employees at the originating facility at all times that the vehicle contains marijuana. A delivery team member must physically possess a department-issued identification card at all times when transporting or delivering marijuana and must produce it to the Commissioner or law enforcement official upon request.
No marijuana may be sold, dispensed, or distributed via a delivery service or any other manner outside of a DF without the approval of DCP, except that a primary caregiver may deliver marijuana to the caregiver’s qualified patient and a DFE may deliver to a hospice or other inpatient care facility licensed by the Department of Public Health that has a protocol for handling and distributing marijuana that has been approved by the DCP. As of September 27, 2012, a DF may register with DCP to provide delivery of cannabis products and paraphernalia to qualifying patients and caregivers.
Inspections by the Commissioner
All documents required to be kept by a facility must be maintained in an auditable format for no less than three years. These records must be provided to the Commissioner or an authorized delegate immediately upon request. Additionally, the Commissioner and authorized delegates may enter any place, including a vehicle, where marijuana is held, produced, or otherwise handled, and inspect in a reasonable manner such place and all pertinent items and documents within it.
Passage of Adult Legislation in Connecticut
On June 22, 2021, Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Senate Bill 1201, which authorizes the legal possession of certain quantities of cannabis for adults over the age of 21 effective July 1, 2021, and creates a process for the regulation of adult-use cannabis cultivation, production, distribution, and sale to consumers over the age of 21 within the state. The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) has issued operational policies and procedures and implemented the licensing framework for the cultivators, micro-cultivators, product manufacturers, food and beverage manufacturers, product packagers, retailers, hybrid retailers, transporters, and delivery services. The number of retail licenses permitted per town may not exceed one per 25,000 residents until June 30, 2024. Half of the licenses are to be granted to social equity applicants-defined as people who have lived in geographic areas disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs and who make no more than three times the state’s median income.
The state’s existing medical marijuana dispensaries can convert to “hybrid retailers” serving both medical and adult-use consumers. In order to convert, applicants must have a Social Equity Council-approved workforce development plan and pay a fee of $1 million, or $500,000 if the dispensary has committed to creating at least one equity joint venture. Hybrid retailers must maintain a licensed pharmacist on premises at all times when the hybrid retail location is open to the public or to qualifying patients and caregivers. The hybrid retailer must also accommodate an expedited method of entry that allows for priority entrance into the premises for qualifying patients and caregivers. A dispensary facility may apply to the DCP to convert its license to a hybrid retail location at any time after February 3, 2022, without applying through the lottery process. The license conversion will require a DF to submit to, and obtain approval from the DCP for, a detailed medical marijuana preservation plan for how it will prioritize sales and access to medical marijuana products for qualifying patients, including, but not limited to, managing customer traffic flow, preventing supply shortages, providing delivery services and ensuring appropriate staffing safeguards. The DCP estimates that retail sales will likely not be available until at least the end of 2022.
See Appendix A to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a list of the licenses associated with our operations in Connecticut.
Regulation of the Medical Cannabis Market in Florida
In 2014, the Florida Legislature passed the Compassionate Use Act, or CUA, which was a low-THC (CBD) law, allowing cannabis containing not more than 0. 8% THC to be sold to patients diagnosed with severe seizures or muscle spasms and cancer. The CUA created a competitive licensing structure and initially allowed for one vertically integrated license to be awarded in each of five regions. The CUA set forth the criteria for applicants as well as the minimum qualifying criteria, which included the requirement to hold a nursery certificate evidencing the capacity to cultivate a minimum of 400,000 plants, to be operated by a nurseryman, and to be a registered nursery for at least 30 continuous years. The CUA also created a state registry to track dispensations. In 2016, the Florida Legislature passed the Right to Try Act, or RTA, which expanded the State’s medical cannabis program to allow for full potency THC products to be sold as “medical marijuana” to qualified patients.
In November of 2016, the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization ballot initiative (referred to herein as the “Initiative”) to expand the medical cannabis program under the RTA was approved by 71.3% of voters, thereby amending the Florida constitution. The Initiative is now codified as Article X, Section 29 of the Florida Constitution. The Initiative expanded the list of qualifying medical conditions to include cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV and AIDS, ALS, Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, and other debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or class or comparable to those other qualifying conditions and for which a physician believes the benefits outweigh the risks to the patient. The Initiative also provided for the implementation of State-issued medical cannabis identification cards. In 2017, the Florida Legislature passed legislation implementing the constitutional amendment and further codifying the changes outlined in the constitution into law. The 2017 law provides for the issuance of 10 licenses to specific entities and another four licenses to be issued for every 100,000 active qualified patients added to the registry. The 2017 law also initially limited license holders to a maximum of 25 dispensary locations with the ability to purchase additional dispensary locations from one another and for an additional five locations to be allowed by the State for every 100,000 active qualified patients added to the registry. The 2017 legislation’s cap on dispensing facilities expired in April 2020.
Under Florida law, a licensee is required to cultivate, process, and dispense medical cannabis. Licenses are issued by the Florida Department of Health, Office of Medical Marijuana Use, or OMMU, and may be renewed biennially. Trulieve US received its most recent license renewal on July 24, 2020, and is classified as a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center, or MMTC, under Florida law.
There is no state-imposed limitation on the permitted size of cultivation or processing facilities in Florida, nor is there a limit on the number of plants that may be grown. The is expected to issue anywhere from 18-22 new MMTC licenses, depending on the number of registered patients at the start of the application process, beginning in 2022 with the issuance of a single license to a recognized class member of Pigford v. Glickman, 185 F.R.D. 82 (D.D.C. 1999) or In re Black Farmers Litigation, 856 F. Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 2011).
Under our license, we are permitted to sell cannabis to those customers who are entered into Florida’s electronic medical marijuana use registry by a qualified physician and possess a state-issued medical marijuana identification card and a valid certification from the qualified physician. The physician determines customer eligibility as well as the routes of administration (e.g., topical, oral,
inhalation sublingual, suppository, edible, and smoking marijuana) and the number of milligrams per day a customer is able to obtain under the program. The physician may order a certification for up to three 70-day supply limits of marijuana, following which the certification expires, and a physician must issue a new certification. The number of milligrams dispensed, the category of cannabis (either low-THC or medical marijuana), and whether a delivery device, such as a vaporizer, has been dispensed is all recorded in the registry for each customer transaction. In addition, smokable flower was approved by the legislature and signed into law in March 2019. Customer must obtain a specific recommendation from their physician to purchase smokable flower. The maximum amount a customer may obtain is 2.5 ounces (measured by weight) of smokable flower per 35-day supply.
We are authorized to sell a broad selection of products across various product categories. OMMU implemented rules regulating the production and sale of edible products in August of 2020, and the Company’s Florida licensee shortly thereafter became the first MMTC to dispense edibles in Florida. OMMU implemented rules regulating the use of hydrocarbon solvents (e.g., N-butane, isobutane, propane, pentane, and heptane) for the extraction of derivative products in August 2021. Trulieve announced the first sale in Florida of hydrocarbon extraction-derived concentrate products in September 2021.
Dispensaries may be located in any location zoned as appropriate for a pharmacy throughout the State of Florida as long as the local government has not expressly prohibited MMTC dispensaries in their respective municipality. Additionally, dispensaries must be located more than 500 feet from a public or private elementary, middle, or secondary school. Following the adoption of the cap on total dispensaries by each MMTC, as discussed above, our Florida licensee filed a claim in the Court for the Second Judicial Circuit in Leon County challenging the dispensary cap and asking the Court to disregard the dispensary locations we had open and/or applied for prior to the limitation becoming effective. On February 4, 2019, we announced that we won our lawsuit in the trial court, with the court ruling that we may open an additional 14 dispensary locations based on these locations having previously vested. Moreover, the Court ruled that in the alternative, the statutory caps placed on the number of dispensaries allowed across the State were not only unconstitutionally added after Amendment 2 had been approved by voters but were also adversely impacting customer access. We have since settled our challenge with the Florida Department of Health. Our 14 dispensaries that were established before the statewide cap was enacted are now excluded from the statutory cap. The statutory cap expired in April 2020; thus, neither Trulieve US nor its competitors in Florida are subject to restrictions on the number of dispensaries that may be opened. As of March 16, 2022, we had 113 approved dispensaries in the State of Florida. In addition, our license allows us to deliver products directly to customers.
Florida Reporting Requirements
Florida law called for the OMMU to establish, maintain, and control a computer software tracking system that traces cannabis from seed to sale and allows real-time, 24-hour access by the OMMU to such data. The tracking system must allow for integration of other seed-to-sale systems and, at a minimum, include notification of certain events, including when marijuana seeds are planted, when marijuana plants are harvested and destroyed, and when cannabis is transported, sold, stolen, diverted, or lost. Each medical marijuana treatment center shall use the seed-to-sale tracking system established by the OMMU or integrate its own seed-to-sale tracking system with the seed-to-sale tracking system established by the OMMU. At this time, the OMMU has not implemented a statewide seed-to-sale tracking system; thus, we use our own seed-to-sale system. Additionally, the OMMU maintains a patient and physician registry, and licensees must comply with all requirements and regulations regarding the provision of required data or proof of key events to said system to retain their license. Florida requires all MMTCs to abide by representations made in their original application to the State of Florida or any subsequent variances to the same. The OMMU must approve any changes or expansions of previous representations and disclosures to the OMMU via an amendment or variance process.
Florida Licensing Requirements
Licenses issued by the OMMU may be renewed biennially so long as the licensee continues to meet the requirements of the Florida Statute 381.986 and pays a renewal fee. Individuals or entities who directly or indirectly own, control, or hold with power to vote five percent or more of the voting shares of a MMTC may not acquire direct or indirect ownership or control of any voting shares or other form of ownership of any other MMTC. Applicants must demonstrate (and licensed MMTC’s must maintain) that: (i) they have been registered to do business in the State of Florida for the previous five years, (ii) they possess a valid certificate of registration issued by the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, (iii) they have the technical and technological ability to cultivate and produce cannabis, including, but not limited to, low-THC cannabis, (iv) they have the ability to secure the premises, resources, and personnel necessary to operate as an MMTC, (v) they have the ability to maintain accountability of all raw materials, finished products, and any by-products to prevent diversion or unlawful access to or possession of these substances, (vi) they have an infrastructure reasonably located to dispense cannabis to registered qualified patients statewide or regionally as determined by the OMMU, (vii) they have the financial ability to maintain operations for the duration of the two-year approval cycle, including the provision of certified financial statements to the OMMU, (viii) all owners, officers, board members and managers have passed a Level II background screening, inclusive of fingerprinting, (ix) they ensure that a medical director is employed to supervise the activities of the MMTC, and (x) they have a diversity plan and veterans plan accompanied by a contractual process for establishing business relationships with veterans and minority contractors and/or employees. Upon approval of the application by the OMMU, the applicant must post a
performance bond of up to US $5 million, which may be reduced to US $2 million once the licensee has served 1,000 patients (which Trulieve has accomplished).
There was a lawsuit that challenged essential aspects of the 2017 Legislation and OMMU regulations. In December 2017, Florigrown, LLC and other plaintiffs challenged aspects of the 2017 Legislation and OMMU regulations as unconstitutional due to: (1) requiring MMTCs to be vertically integrated (e.g., cultivate and process the cannabis to be sold at the MMTC’s own licensed dispensaries); (2) the cap of total number of MMTC licenses in the State; and (3) the authorization of the OMMU to issue MMTC licenses to certain applicants that met criteria defined by the 2017 legislation. On October 18, 2019, a trial judge in the Circuit Court for Leon County ruled that Florigrown, LLC had a substantial likelihood of succeeding on its claims, holding that the vertical integration and licensing cap conflicted with the language in Article X, Section 29 and that the provisions in 2017 defining the criteria for eligibility for MMTC licensure constituted an impermissible “special law” under Article III, Section 11(a)(12) of the Florida Constitution. On July 10, 2019, an intermediate appellate court affirmed aspects of the Circuit Court for Leon County’s ruling. On May 27, 2021, the Florida Supreme Court issued a 6-1 decision finding that Florigrown, LLC and the other plaintiffs did not demonstrate a substantial likelihood of success on the merits of any of its constitutional claims. In effect, the Florida Supreme Court’s 6-1 decision upholds Florida’s regulatory scheme.
Security and Storage Requirements for Cultivation, Processing and Dispensing Facilities in Florida
Adequate outdoor lighting is required from dusk to dawn for all MMTC facilities. 24-hour per day video surveillance is required, and all MMTCs must maintain at least a rolling 45-day period that is made available to law enforcement and the OMMU upon demand. Alarm systems must be active at all items for all entry points and windows. Interior spaces must also have motion detectors, and all cameras must have an unobstructed view of key areas. Panic alarms must also be available for employees to be able to signal authorities when needed.
In dispensaries, the MMTC must provide a waiting area with a sufficient seating area. There must also be a minimum of one private consultation/education room for the privacy of the patient(s) and their caregiver (if applicable). The MMTC may only dispense products between 7:00 am and 9:00 pm. All active products must be kept in a secure location within the dispensary, and only empty packaging may be kept in the dispensary’s general area, which is readily accessible to customers and visitors. No product or delivery devices may be on display in the waiting area.
An MMTC must at all times provide secure and logged access for all cannabis materials. This includes approved vaults or locked rooms. There must be at least two employees of the MMTC, or an approved security provider on-site at all times. All employees must wear proper identification badges, and visitors must be logged in and wear a visitor badge while on the premises. The MMTC must report to local law enforcement any loss, diversion, or theft of cannabis materials within 24 hours of becoming aware of such an occurrence.
Florida Transportation Requirements
When transporting cannabis to dispensaries or customers for delivery, a manifest must be prepared, and transportation must be done using an approved vehicle. The cannabis must be stored in a separate, locked area of the vehicle, and at all times while in transit, there must be two people in a delivery vehicle. During deliveries, one person must remain with the vehicle. The delivery employees must at all times have identification badges. The manifest must include the following information: (i) departure date and time; (ii) name, address, and license number of the originating MMTC; (iii) name and address of the receiving entity; (iv) the quantity and form of cannabis and delivery device; (v) arrival date and time; (vi) the make, model and license plate of the delivery vehicle; and (vii) the name and signatures of the MMTC delivery employees. The MMTC must keep these manifests for inspection for up to three years. During the delivery, a copy of the manifest is also provided to the recipient.
OMMU Inspections in Florida
The OMMU may conduct announced or unannounced inspections of MMTCs to determine compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The OMMU is to inspect an MMTC upon receiving a complaint or notice that the MMTC has dispensed cannabis containing mold, bacteria, or other contaminants that may cause an adverse effect to humans or the environment. The OMMU is to conduct at least a biennial inspection of each MMTC to evaluate the MMTC’s records, personnel, equipment, security, sanitation practices, and quality assurance practices.
See Appendix A to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for details regarding the license associated with our operations in Florida.
Regulation of Cannabis in Georgia
On April 17, 2019, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed into law the Hope Act, which creates a regulatory scheme to permit the production of low-THC oil, that is, oil with a THC content of no greater than 5%, for provision to patients for medical purposes. In
specific, the Hope Act created a seven-member Georgia Access to Cannabis Commission (the “GA Commission”), charged with drafting regulations to implement the low-THC oil program. Under the Hope Act, the GA Commission is permitted to issue up to six production licenses - two Class 1 licenses allowing up to 100,000 square feet of cultivation canopy each and four Class 2 licenses allowing up to 50,000 square feet of cultivation canopy each - and is also required to issue licenses to the University of Georgia and Fort Valley State University, in the event that either University chooses to participate, for cultivation and research regarding low-THC oil. The Hope Act envisions that the Georgia Board of Pharmacy would develop and oversee licensing criteria by which pharmacies would be permitted to dispense low-THC oil; the GA Commission is also expected to issue rules to license free-standing dispensaries. On July 24, 2021, the GA Commission announced its intention to award the two Class 1 and four Class 2 production licenses, including the award of one Class 1 license to Trulieve GA Inc. The regulations for the licensure of dispensaries have not currently been promulgated, and so there are no currently licensed dispensaries in Georgia.
Georgia law requires eligible patients to obtain physician approval to be added to the Low THC Oil Registry, which is administered by the Georgia Department of Public Health. Qualifying conditions include: (1) end-stage cancer-producing wasting illness or recalcitrant nausea and vomiting,(2) severe or end-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, (3) seizure disorders, (4) multiple sclerosis, (5) Crohn’s disease, (6) mitochondrial disease, (7) severe or end-stage Parkinson’s disease, (8) severe or end-stage sickle cell disease, (9) severe Tourette’s syndrome, (10) autism spectrum disorder, (11) epidermolysis bullosa, (12) severe or end-stage Alzheimer’s diseases, (13) severe or end-stage AIDS, (14) severe or end-stage peripheral neuropathy, (15) inpatient or outpatient hospice treatment, (16) intractable pain, and (17) post-traumatic stress disorder. At present, Georgia law prohibits registered patients from ingesting low-THC oil through any manner that employs a heating element or similar means to produce vapors, including combustible products as well as vaporizers.
The GA Commission is authorized to issue regulations for the oversight of the low-THC oil program. At present, the GA Commission has not promulgated such regulations. The Hope Act contemplates that the GA Commission will issue regulations in the following categories:
•to establish requirements related to quality control, security, and oversight of production. In particular, licensees will be required to establish security plans that include 24/7 monitoring and intrusion detection, recording and video storage systems, and licensed security personnel.
•to establish requirements related to secured transportation of low-THC oil products and tracking of deliveries.
•to prohibit pesticides in production, except for pesticides certified as organic by the Organic Materials Review Institute or a similar standards organization.
•to establish requirements related to testing for purity and dosage levels, and to ensure that product labels accurately reflect product content.
•to establish requirements for a track and trace system. In specific, the track and trace system will be operated by a GA Commission-approved vendor that licensees will be required to use. The system will need to be capable of tracking plants, products, and registered patient purchase totals, as well as waste, transfers, conversions, sales, and returns. It will also need to be able to track plants, low-THC oil, and products throughout the entire chain of custody, as well as monitor inventory and prevent theft, loss, and diversion. The track and trace system will provide real-time data to the GA Commission related to total low-THC oil daily sales, the total number of marijuana plants currently in production, and the number of plants destroyed or disposed of.
•to require licensees to collect and report data.
•to regulate marketing and signage related to low-THC oil, including prohibiting the direct advertisement of low-THC oil to registered patients or the public.
•to prohibit cultivation, processing, and dispensing facilities within 3,000 feet of schools, early care and education programs, and places of worship.
The GA Commission is also authorized to enforce the various regulatory requirements noted above, such as through inspections and collaboration with law enforcement.
Regulation of the Cannabis Market in Maryland
Maryland Regulatory Landscape
In 2012, a state law was enacted in Maryland to establish a state-regulated medical marijuana program. Legislation was signed in May 2013, and the program became operational on December 1, 2017. The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (the “MMCC”) regulates the state program and awarded operational licenses in a highly competitive application process. One hundred two dispensary
licenses were awarded out of a pool of over 800 applicants, while an original 15 cultivation licenses were awarded out of a pool of nearly 150 applicants. In April 2018, Maryland lawmakers agreed to expand the state’s medical marijuana industry by authorizing an additional 20 licenses, seven for cultivation and 13 for processing. The state program allows access to medical marijuana for patients with chronic or debilitating diseases or medical conditions, including but not limited to: chronic pain, nausea, seizures, glaucoma, PTSD, and other conditions which are severe and for which other treatments have been ineffective.
There are three principal medical cannabis license categories in Maryland: (1) grower, (2) processor, and (3) dispensary. We have control and/or ownership over one grower license, one processor license, and three dispensaries. All licenses are, as of the date hereof, active with the State of Maryland. The licenses are independently issued for each approved activity for use at our facilities in Maryland.
All grower, processor, and dispensary establishments must register with the MMCC under the provisions of the Maryland Medical Cannabis Law, Md. Code, Health-Gen § 13-3301 et seq., known as the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Cannabis Commission. If applications contain all required information, establishments are issued a medical marijuana license.
Licenses are valid for a period of six years of initial licensure, and annual license fees must be paid to maintain licensure. After the expiration of the initial six-year licensure period, the licensee is required to renew the license every four years thereafter. Licensees are required to submit a renewal application per the guidelines published by the MMCC. Ninety days prior to the expiration of a license, the MMCC notifies the licensee of the date on which the license expires and provides the instructions and fee required to renew the license along with the consequences of failure to renew. At least 30 calendar days before a license expires, the licensee must submit the renewal application as provided by the MMCC. The annual licensing fee for a grower is $125,000, $40,000 for a processor, and $40,000 for a dispensary.
The medical grower license permits us to cultivate, manufacture, package, and distribute medical cannabis to licensed processors, licensed dispensaries, or registered independent testing laboratories. The medical processor license permits us to transform the medical cannabis into another product or extract and package and label medical cannabis. The dispensary licenses permit us to acquire, possess, repackage, process, transfer, transport, sell, distribute, or dispense products containing medical cannabis, related supplies, related products including tinctures, aerosols, oils, or ointments, or educational materials for use by a qualifying patient or caregiver.
Dispensing Requirements
In order to dispense medical cannabis, a licensed dispensary is required to comply with various dispensing requirements: (1) require presentment of a written certification from a qualifying patient or caregiver, (2) query the MMCC’s data network to verify that the patient is currently registered and has a certification from a provider, as well as the amount of medical cannabis that has already been dispensed pursuant to the written certification,(3) dispense no more than a 30-day supply, and (4) decline to dispense medical cannabis if the patient or caregiver appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Registered patients and caregivers are required to provide attestations relating to their knowledge of the status of medical cannabis under Maryland and Federal law, as well as limitations on the use of medical cannabis, such as keeping away from children and refraining from transfer to any other person.
Requirements Relating to Recordkeeping and Inventory Control
Licensed growers are required to use a perpetual inventory system that identifies and tracks each lot of medical cannabis from the time of propagation to the time it is delivered to a licensed dispensary and dispensed to a qualified patient. The perpetual inventory system is required to be capable of tracking cannabis back to its original source and to promptly identify discrepancies. Each plant within the perpetual inventory system is required to be assigned a unique identifier that is traceable through the entire production and dispensing lifecycle. Licensees are required to investigate discrepancies identified by the perpetual inventory system and to report such discrepancies to the MMCC and Maryland State Police where the licensee finds evidence of theft or diversion.
Licensed growers, processors, and dispensaries are required to retain, independent of the required inventory control system, a searchable, secure, tamper-evident record of distribution regarding the names and addresses of recipients, the quantity provided, and the name, strength, batch number and lot number of the product provided. Such records must be available to certifying providers upon request. Licensees are also required to retain records of production and distribution of each batch and lot and of daily checklists to maintain uniformity from batch to batch, as well as a log of all visitors to licensed premises. Records must be kept in duplicate at a secure off-site location.
Requirements Relating to Security
Licensees are required to take measures to ensure the safety and security of licensed premises such as: (1) constructing the premises so as to prevent unauthorized entry, (2) constructing secure rooms for the storage of cannabis that are not along the exterior wall of a facility and that have access-controlled entry, (3) utilizing exterior lighting fixtures to ensure proper surveillance, (4) installing
security alarms covering perimeter entry points, which shall be continuously monitored, (5) installing separate alarm systems to protect on-site and off-site record storage areas, as well as areas used for cannabis storage, and (6) utilizing motion-activated video surveillance that covers entrances and exits to a facility, as well as any area that cannabis is packaged, tested, processed, stored, or dispensed.
Maryland Reporting Requirements
The State of Maryland uses METRC as the state’s computerized seed-to-sale tracking system. Individual licensees, whether directly or through third-party integration systems, are required to push data to the state to meet all reporting requirements. We use a third-party application for our computerized seed to sale software, which integrates with the state’s METRC program and captures the required data points for growing, processing and, dispensing as required in the Maryland Medical Cannabis law.
MMCC Inspections
Licensees are required to submit to announced and unannounced inspections by the MMCC, including but not limited to inspections based upon an allegation of noncompliance.
See Appendix A to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a list of the licenses associated with our operations in Maryland.
Regulation of the Medical Cannabis Market in Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has authorized the cultivation, possession, and distribution of marijuana for medical purposes by certain licensed Massachusetts marijuana businesses. The Medical Use of Marijuana Program, or MUMP, registers qualifying patients, personal caregivers, Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, or MTCs, and MTC agents. MTCs were formerly known as Registered Marijuana Dispensaries or RMDs. The MUMP was established by Chapter 369 of the Acts of 2012, “An Act for the Humanitarian Medical Use of Marijuana,” following the passage of the Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Initiative, Ballot Question 3, in the 2012 general election. Additional statutory requirements governing the MUMP were enacted by the Legislature in 2017 and codified at G.L. c. 94I, et. seq. (referred to herein as the “Massachusetts Medical Act”). MTC Licenses are vertically integrated licenses in that each MTC license holder must cultivate, process, and dispense medical marijuana. Under a single MTC License, a licensee may not operate more than two locations in Massachusetts at which medical marijuana is cultivated, marijuana-infused products are manufactured, and marijuana is dispensed. No Person or Entity Having Direct or Indirect Control shall be granted, or hold more than three MTC Licenses.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, or CCC, regulations, 935 CMR 501.000 et seq. (referred to herein as the “Massachusetts Medical Regulations”), provide a regulatory framework that requires MTCs to cultivate, process, transport, and dispense medical cannabis in a vertically integrated marketplace. Patients with debilitating medical conditions qualify to participate in the program, including conditions such as cancer, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immune deficiency virus (AIDS), hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS) when such diseases are debilitating, and other debilitating conditions as determined in writing by a qualifying patient’s healthcare provider.
The CCC assumed control of the MUMP from the Department of Public Health on December 23, 2018. The CCC approved revised regulations for the MUMP on November 30, 2020, and the revised regulations became effective on January 8, 2021.
Massachusetts Licensing Requirements (Medical)
The Massachusetts Medical Regulations delineate the licensing requirements for MTCs in Massachusetts. Licensed entities must demonstrate the following: (i) they are licensed and in good standing with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; (ii) no person or entity has “Direct or Indirect Control” over more than three MTC licenses; (iii) under a single MTC License, a licensee may not operate more than two locations in Massachusetts at which medical marijuana is cultivated, marijuana infused products are manufactured, and marijuana is dispensed; (iv) MTC agents must be registered with the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission; (v) an MTC must have a program to provide reduced cost or free marijuana to patients with documented verifiable financial hardships; (vi) one executive of an MTC must register with the Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services on behalf of the entity as an organization user of the Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system; (vii) the MTC applicant has initial capital resources of at least $500,000 in its control as evidenced by bank statements, lines of credit or equivalent; and (viii) payment of the required application fee.
In an MTC application, an applicant must also demonstrate or include: (i) disclosure of each Person or Entity Having Direct or Indirect Control over the MTC’s operations; (ii) a plan to obtain liability insurance coverage; (iii) detailed summary of the business plan and proposed timeline for the MTC; (iv) an operational plan for the cultivation of marijuana and manufacturing of marijuana products, including a detailed summary of policies and procedures; and (v) a detailed summary of the operating policies and procedures for the MTC including security, prevention of diversion, storage of marijuana, transportation of marijuana, inventory procedures, procedures
for quality control and testing of the product for potential contaminants, personnel policies, dispensing procedures, record-keeping procedures, plans for agent qualifications and training, and any plans for patient or personal caregiver home delivery. An MTC applicant must also: (i) disclose marijuana business interests in Massachusetts and other jurisdictions; (ii) provide documentation of a property interest in the proposed address; (iii) provide documentation that the applicant has held a community outreach meeting and entered in a Host Community Agreement with the host municipality; (iv) describe compliance with local codes, ordinances, and bylaws; (v) provide a diversity plan and a plan to positively impact “Areas of Disproportionate Impact”; and (vi) disclosure of relevant criminal, civil and administrative background matters. Finally, an MTC applicant must specify a cultivation tier for their license, which establishes the minimum and maximum square footage of canopy for their cultivation operation.
After receipt of a Provisional MTC license, the CCC shall review architectural plans for the building of the MTC’s facilities, and once approved, the MTC provisional license holder shall construct its facilities in conformance with the requirements of the Massachusetts Regulations. Once the CCC completes its inspections of the facilities, the CCC shall issue a Final MTC License to the MTC applicant. A licensee may not begin cultivating marijuana until it has been issued a Final MTC License by the CCC.
MTC Licenses in Massachusetts are renewed annually. Licensees are required to submit a renewal application at least 60 days prior to the expiration date of the license. While renewals are granted annually, there is no ultimate expiry after which no renewals are permitted. Additionally, in respect of the renewal process, provided that the requisite renewal fees are paid, the renewal application is submitted in a timely manner, and there are no material violations noted against the applicable license, we would expect to receive the applicable renewed license in the ordinary course of business.
Massachusetts Dispensary Requirements (Medical)
An MTC shall follow its written and approved operating procedures in the operation of its dispensary locations. Operating procedures shall include (i) security measures in compliance with the Massachusetts Medical Regulations; (ii) employee security policies including personal safety and crime prevention techniques; (iii) hours of operation and after-hours contact information; (iv) a price list for marijuana products; (v) storage and waste disposal protocols in compliance with state law; (vi) a description of the various strains of marijuana that will be cultivated and dispensed, and the forms that will be dispensed; (vii) procedures to ensure accurate recordkeeping including inventory protocols; (viii) plans for quality control; (ix) a staffing plan and staffing records; (x) diversion identification and reporting protocols; (xi) policies and procedures for the handling of cash on MTC premises including storage, collection frequency and transport to financial institutions; (xii) emergency procedures and procedures to promote workplace safety; (xiii) alcohol, smoke and drug free workplace policies; (xiv) plan for maintaining confidential information and records; (xv) procedures for determining prices and provision of free or reduced costs marijuana and marijuana products to patients with verified financial hardships; (xvi) policies and procedures for energy efficiency and conversation; and (xvii) procedures for patient education activities. The siting of dispensary locations is expressly subject to local/municipal approvals pursuant to state law, and municipalities may impose local permitting and licensing requirements that an MTC must comply with. More specifically, an MTC must comply with all local requirements regarding siting. The Massachusetts Medical Regulations require an MTC’s entrance to be no closer than 500 feet from the nearest school entrance, but this buffer zone distance may be reduced by a local municipality’s ordinance or bylaw. The Massachusetts Medical Regulations require that MTCs limit their inventory of seeds, plants, and usable marijuana to reflect the projected needs of registered qualifying patients. An MTC may only dispense to a registered qualifying patient or caregiver who has a currently valid certification.
Massachusetts Security and Storage Requirements (Medical)
An MTC must implement sufficient security measures to deter and prevent unauthorized entrance into areas containing marijuana and theft of marijuana at the MTC. These measures must include: (i) allowing only registered qualifying patients, caregivers, dispensary agents, authorized persons, or approved outside contractors access to the MTC facility; (ii) preventing individuals from remaining on the premises of an MTC if they are not engaging in activities that are permitted; (iii) disposing of marijuana or by-products in compliance with the law; (iv) establishing limited access areas accessible only to authorized personnel; (v) storing finished marijuana in a secure locked safe or vault; (vi) keeping equipment, safes, vaults or secured areas securely locked; (vii) ensuring that the outside perimeter of the MTC is sufficiently lit to facilitate surveillance; and (viii) ensuring that landscaping or foliage outside of the MTC does not allow a person to conceal themselves. An MTC shall also utilize a security/alarm system that: (i) monitors entry and exit points and perimeter windows, (ii) includes a panic, duress, or holdup alarm, (iii) includes system failure notifications, (iv) includes 24-hour video surveillance of safes, vaults, sales areas, areas where marijuana is cultivated, processed or dispensed, and (v) includes date and time stamping of all recordings and the ability to produce a clear, color still photo. The security system shall have the capacity to remain operational during a power outage. The MTC must also maintain a backup alarm system with the capabilities of the primary system, and both systems are to be maintained in good working order and are to be inspected and tested at regular intervals.
Massachusetts Transportation Requirements (Medical)
Marijuana and marijuana-infused products, or MIPs, may be transported between licensed MTCs by MTC agents or agents of a licensed Marijuana Transporter on behalf of an MTC. MTCs or licensed Marijuana Couriers may, with CCC approval, transport
marijuana or MIPS directly to registered qualifying customers and Caregivers as part of a home delivery program. An MTC shall staff transport vehicles with a minimum of two MTC agents. At least one agent shall remain with the vehicle when the vehicle contains marijuana or MIPs. Prior to leaving the origination location, an MTC must weigh, inventory, and account for, on video, the marijuana to be transported.
Marijuana products must be packaged in sealed, labeled, and tamper-proof or child-resistant packaging prior to and during transportation. In the case of an emergency stop, a log must be maintained describing the reason for the stop, the duration, the location, and any activities of personnel exiting the vehicle. An MTC shall ensure that transportation times and routes are randomized. Each MTC agent shall carry his or her CCC-issued Agent Registration Card when transporting marijuana or MIPs and shall produce it to CCC representatives or law enforcement officials upon request. Where videotaping is required when weighing, inventorying, and accounting of marijuana before transportation or after receipt, the video must show each product being weighed, the weight, and the manifest. An MTC must document and report any unusual discrepancy in weight or inventory to the CCC and local law enforcement within 24 hours.
An MTC shall report to the CCC and local law enforcement any vehicle accidents, diversions, losses, or other reportable incidents that occur during transport within 24 hours. An MTC shall retain transportation manifests for no less than one year and make them available to the CCC upon request. Vehicles used in transportation must be owned or leased, be properly registered, and contain a GPS system that is monitored during transport of marijuana and said vehicle must be inspected and approved by the CCC prior to use.
During transit, an MTC must ensure that: (i) marijuana or MIPs are transported in a secure, locked storage compartment that is part of the vehicle transporting the marijuana or MIPs; (ii) the storage compartment cannot be easily removed (for example, bolts, fittings, straps or other types of fasteners may not be easily accessible and not capable of being manipulated with commonly available tools); (iii) marijuana or MIPs are not visible from outside the vehicle; (iv) product is transported in a vehicle that bears no markings indicating that the vehicle is being used to transport marijuana or MIPs. Each MTC agent transporting marijuana or MIPs shall have access to a secure form of communication with personnel at the origination location when the vehicle contains marijuana or MIPs.
CCC Inspections (Medical)
The CCC or its agents may inspect an MTC and affiliated vehicles at any time without prior notice. An MTC shall immediately, upon request, make available to the CCC information that may be relevant to a CCC inspection, and the CCC may direct an MTC to test marijuana for contaminants. Any violations found may be noted in a deficiency statement that will be provided to the MTC, and the MTC shall thereafter submit a Plan of Correction to the CCC outlining with particularity each deficiency and the timetable and steps to remediate the same. The CCC shall have the authority to suspend or revoke an MTC License in accordance with the applicable regulations.
Regulation of the Adult-Use Cannabis Market in Massachusetts
Adult-use (recreational) marijuana has been legal in Massachusetts since December 15, 2016, following a ballot initiative in November of that year. The CCC licenses various types of adult-use marijuana businesses, including cultivators, product manufacturers, and retailers (referred to herein collectively as “Marijuana Establishments”) pursuant to 935 CMR 500.000 et seq. The first adult-use marijuana facilities in Massachusetts began operating in November 2018. The CCC approved revised regulations for the adult-use program effective November 1, 2019, and January 8, 2021.
Massachusetts Licensing Requirements (Adult-Use)
Many of the same application requirements exist for an adult-use Marijuana Establishment license application as to those for a medical MTC application, and each person having “Direct or Indirect Control” must undergo background checks and fingerprinting with the CCC. Applicants must submit the location and identification of each site and must establish a property interest in the same, and the applicant and the local municipality must have entered into a host community agreement authorizing the location of the adult-use Marijuana Establishment within the municipality and a host community agreement certification form must be included in the application. Applicants must include disclosure of any regulatory actions against it by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the civil, criminal, and administrative history of the applicant and all persons and entities having “Direct or Indirect Control.” The application must include, amongst other information, the proposed timeline for achieving operations, liability insurance, business plan, and a detailed summary describing the Marijuana Establishment’s proposed operating policies, including security, prevention of diversion, storage, transportation, inventory procedures, quality control, dispensing procedures, personnel policies, record keeping, maintenance of financial records, diversity plans, and employee training protocols.
Massachusetts Dispensary Requirements (Adult-Use)
Marijuana retailers are subject to certain operational requirements in addition to those imposed on Marijuana Establishments generally. Dispensaries must immediately inspect consumers’ identification to ensure that everyone who enters is at least 21 years of age. Dispensaries may not sell more than one ounce of marijuana or five grams of marijuana concentrate per transaction. Point-of-sale
systems must be approved by the CCC, and retailers must record sales data. Records must be retained and available for auditing by the CCC and Department of Revenue. Retailers are required to conduct monthly analyses of equipment and sales data to determine that such systems have not been altered or interfered with to manipulate sales data, and to report any such discrepancies to the CCC.
Dispensaries must also make educational materials available to consumers in commonly spoken languages designated by the CCC, with analogous materials for visually- and hearing-impaired persons. Such materials must include:
•A warning that marijuana has not been analyzed or approved by the FDA, that there is limited information on side effects, that there may be health risks associated with using marijuana, and that it should be kept away from children;
•A warning that when under the influence of marijuana, driving is prohibited, and machinery should not be operated;
•Information to assist in the selection of marijuana, describing the potential differing effects of various strains of marijuana, as well as various forms and routes of administration;
•Materials offered to consumers to enable them to track the strains used and their associated effects;
•Information describing proper dosage and titration for different routes of administration, with an emphasis on using the smallest amount possible to achieve the desired effect and the impact of potency;
•A discussion of tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal;
•Facts regarding substance use disorder signs and symptoms, as well as referral information for substance use disorder treatment programs;
•A statement that consumers may not sell marijuana to any other individual;
•Information regarding penalties for possession or distribution of marijuana in violation of Massachusetts law; and
•Any other information required by the CCC.
Massachusetts Security and Storage Requirements (Adult-Use)
Each Marijuana Establishment must implement sufficient security measures to deter and prevent unauthorized entrance into areas containing marijuana and theft of marijuana at the establishment. Security measures taken by the establishments to protect the premises, employees, consumers, and the general public shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
•Positively identifying and limiting access to individuals 21 years of age or older who are seeking access to the Marijuana
•Establishment or to whom marijuana products are being transported;
•Adopting procedures to prevent loitering and ensure that only individuals engaging in activity expressly or by necessary implication permitted by state law are allowed to remain on the premises;
•Proper disposal of marijuana in accordance with applicable regulations;
•Securing all entrances to the Marijuana Establishment to prevent unauthorized access;
•Establishing limited access areas which shall be accessible only to specifically authorized personnel limited to include only the minimum number of employees essential for efficient operation;
•Storing all finished marijuana products in a secure, locked safe or vault in such a manner as to prevent diversion, theft, or loss;
•Keeping all safes, vaults, and any other equipment or areas used for the production, cultivation, harvesting, processing or storage, including prior to disposal, of marijuana or marijuana products securely locked and protected from entry, except for the actual time required to remove or replace marijuana;
•Keeping all locks and security equipment in good working order;
•Prohibiting keys, if any, from being left in the locks or stored or placed in a location accessible to persons other than specifically authorized personnel;
•Prohibiting accessibility of security measures, such as combination numbers, passwords, or electronic or biometric security systems, to persons other than specifically authorized personnel;
•Ensuring that the outside perimeter of the marijuana establishment is sufficiently lit to facilitate surveillance, where applicable;
•Ensuring that all marijuana products are kept out of plain sight and are not visible from a public place, outside of the marijuana establishment, without the use of binoculars, optical aids, or aircraft;
•Developing emergency policies and procedures for securing all product following any instance of diversion, theft, or loss of marijuana, and conduct an assessment to determine whether additional safeguards are necessary;
•Establishing procedures for safe cash handling and cash transportation to financial institutions to prevent theft, loss, and associated risks to the safety of employees, customers, and the general public;
•Sharing the Marijuana Establishment’s floor plan or layout of the facility with law enforcement authorities, and in a manner and scope as required by the municipality and identifying when the use of flammable or combustible solvents, chemicals, or other materials are in use at the Marijuana Establishment;
•Sharing the Marijuana Establishment’s security plan and procedures with law enforcement authorities, including police and fire services departments, in the municipality where the Marijuana Establishment is located and periodically updating law enforcement authorities, police and fire services departments, if the plans or procedures are modified in a material way; and
•Marijuana must be stored in special limited access areas, and alarm systems must meet certain technical requirements, including the ability to record footage to be retained for at least 90 days.
Massachusetts Transportation Requirements (Adult-Use)
Marijuana products may only be transported between licensed Marijuana Establishments by registered Marijuana Establishment agents. A licensed marijuana transporter may contract with a Marijuana Establishment to transport that licensee’s marijuana products to other licensed establishments. All transported marijuana products are linked to the seed-to-sale tracking program. Any marijuana product that is undeliverable or is refused by the destination Marijuana Establishment shall be transported back to the originating establishment. All vehicles transporting marijuana products shall be staffed with a minimum of two Marijuana Establishment agents. At least one agent shall remain with the vehicle at all times that the vehicle contains marijuana or marijuana products. Prior to the products leaving a Marijuana Establishment, the originating Marijuana Establishment must weigh, inventory, and account for, on video, all marijuana products to be transported. Within eight hours after arrival at the receiving Marijuana Establishment, the receiving establishment must re-weigh, re-inventory, and account for, on video, all marijuana products transported. Marijuana products must be packaged in sealed, labeled, and tamper or child-resistant packaging prior to and during transportation. In the case of an emergency stop during the transportation of marijuana products, a log must be maintained describing the reason for the stop, the duration, the location, and any activities of personnel exiting the vehicle. A Marijuana Establishment or a marijuana transporter transporting marijuana products is required to ensure that all transportation times and routes are randomized and remain within Massachusetts.
Vehicles must additionally be equipped with a video system that includes one or more cameras in the storage area of the vehicle and one or more cameras in the driver area of the vehicle. The video cameras must remain operational at all times during the transportation process and have the ability to produce a clear color still photo, whether live or recorded, with a date and time stamp embedded, and that does not significantly obscure the picture.
Vehicles used for transport must be owned or leased by the Marijuana Establishment or transporter, and they must be properly registered, inspected, and insured in Massachusetts. Marijuana may not be visible from outside the vehicle, and it must be transported in a secure, locked storage compartment. Each vehicle must have a global positioning system, and any agent transporting marijuana must have access to a secure form of communication with the originating location.
CCC Inspections
The CCC or its agents may inspect a Marijuana Establishment and affiliated vehicles at any time without prior notice in order to determine compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. All areas of a Marijuana Establishment, all Marijuana Establishment agents and activities, and all records are subject to such inspection. During an inspection, the CCC may direct a marijuana establishment to test marijuana for contaminants as specified by the CCC, including but not limited to mold, mildew, heavy metals, plant-growth regulators, and the presence of pesticides not approved for use on marijuana by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Moreover, the CCC is authorized to conduct a secret shopper program to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Regulatory Changes for Medical and Adult Use Marijuana in Massachusetts
The CCC voted to adopt significant amendments of both the medical and adult-use cannabis regulations at its meeting on November 30, 2020. The new regulations became effective on January 8, 2021. Significant changes included:
•permitting Marijuana “Courier” Licensees to deliver directly to consumers from the premises of licensed marijuana retailer establishments and Marijuana Delivery Operators to purchase wholesale marijuana products directly from marijuana cultivation and product manufacturer establishments and deliver the products directly to consumers from the Delivery
Operator’s warehouse location. Both Marijuana Courier and Marijuana Delivery Operator Licensees are reserved for at least 36 months from the date the first Delivery Operator Licensee receives a notice to commence operations from the CCC for companies majority-owned and controlled by certified Economic Empowerment Priority Applicants or Social Equity Program Participant Applicants, for which Trulieve does not qualify;
• permitting Personal Caregivers to be registered to care for more than one - and up to five - Registered Qualifying Patients at one time; and
• permitting non-Massachusetts residents receiving end-of-life or palliative care or cancer treatment in Massachusetts to become Registered Qualifying Patients.
See Appendix A to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a list of the licenses associated with our operations in Massachusetts.
Regulation of the Cannabis Market in Nevada
Nevada became a medical marijuana state in 2001. In 2013, the Nevada legislature passed SB374, providing for state licensing of medical marijuana establishments. On November 8, 2016, Nevada voters passed the Nevada Marijuana Legalization Initiative, also known as Question 2, allowing for the sale of marijuana for adult use starting on July 1, 2017. In 2018, the Nevada Department of Taxation (the “DOT”) opened up applications for additional adult-use marijuana dispensary licenses. In December 2018, 61 additional marijuana dispensary licenses were issued by the DOT. Effective July 1, 2020, the Cannabis Compliance Board obtained regulatory oversight authority from the DOT.
Nevada Licenses and Regulations
There are four principal license categories in Nevada: (1) cultivation, (2) processing, (3) testing laboratory, and (4) sales facility. GreenMart is licensed to operate a medical and adult-use cultivation facility. These licenses are active within the State of Nevada. The licenses are independently issued for each approved activity for use at GreenMart’s facility in Nevada.
Under applicable laws, the licenses permit GreenMart to cultivate, process, package, and sell marijuana pursuant to the terms of the licenses, which are issued by the Cannabis Compliance Board under the provisions of Nevada Revised Statutes Title 56. If applications contain all required information, establishments are issued a medical and/or adult-use cannabis establishment license. In a local governmental jurisdiction that issues business licenses, the issuance by the Cannabis Compliance Board of a medical or adult-use cannabis establishment license is considered provisional until the local government has issued a business license for operation and an establishment is in compliance with all applicable local governmental ordinances. Licenses are valid for a period of one year, and the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board shall issue a renewal license within ten days after the receipt of a renewal application and applicable fee if the license is not then under suspension or has not been revoked.
The cultivation license permits GreenMart to cultivate, process, test, package, and sell marijuana to retail marijuana stores, marijuana product manufacturing facilities, and other cultivation facilities.
The processing license permits GreenMart to acquire, possess, manufacture, deliver, transfer, transport, supply or sell edible marijuana products or marijuana-infused products to other marijuana production facilities or marijuana sales facilities. A distributor licensee must transport adult-use marijuana to sales facilities.
In connection with our management of GreenMart, we were issued a Temporary Marijuana Support Business License by the Department of Business License in Clark County, Nevada, on August 4, 2020.
Security Requirements
Licensees are required to ensure that licensed premises are enclosed and locked and that access is limited to officers, board members, and authorized agents. All other visitors must be escorted by an authorized agent. Cultivation facilities may not be visible from a public place by normal, unaided vision. Licensees are required to maintain security equipment to detect and deter unauthorized intrusion: (1) intrusion detection devices covering the entirety of the cultivation area and the perimeter and exterior of the facility, (2) exterior lighting sufficient to permit surveillance, (3) video cameras covering the entirety of the cultivation area and the perimeter and exterior of the facility, (4) immediate automatic notification to local law enforcement in the event of a breach of security. All malfunctions of security equipment must be logged and reported to local law enforcement and regulators.
Recordkeeping and Inventory Requirements
Licensees are required to maintain an inventory control system that tracks cannabis plants from seed to sale. The system must track key inventory figures on an ongoing basis: (1) each day’s beginning inventory, acquisitions, harvests, sales, disbursements, and disposal, (2) acquisitions from other cannabis establishments, (3) batches of cannabis cultivated, and (4) manufactured cannabis products
and materials throughout the manufacturing process. The inventory control system must adequately document plant materials from seed to sale and reconcile raw materials and finished products on a per-job basis. The system must also provide for quarterly physical inventory counts.
Nevada Reporting Requirements
The State of Nevada uses METRC (Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting & Compliance) as the State’s computerized T&T system for seed-to-sale. Effective November 1, 2017, all medical and adult-use marijuana establishments in Nevada must report their establishment data to the state of Nevada via METRC. Individual licensees, whether directly or through third-party integration systems, are required to push data to the State to meet all reporting requirements. Upon completion of its acquisition of GreenMart, we plan to use an in-house computerized seed-to-sale software that will integrate with METRC via API (GreenBits), which captures the required data points for cultivation and manufacturing as required in Nevada Revised Statutes section 678B. Nevada also requires licensees to submit quarterly physical inventory counts and monthly reports every quarter.
See Appendix A to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a list of the licenses associated with our operations in Nevada.
Regulation of the Medical Cannabis Market in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania medical marijuana program was signed into law on April 17, 2016, under Act 16, otherwise known as the Medical Marijuana Act, and provided access to state residents with one or more qualifying conditions. Pennsylvania has promulgated regulations to implement Act 16, which are primarily found in Chapters1131 through 1210 of Title 28 of the Pennsylvania Code.
Under Act 16, medical marijuana refers to marijuana obtained for certified medical use by a Pennsylvania resident with at least 1 of 23 qualifying medical conditions as set by the Pennsylvania Department of Health (“DOH”). Act 16 initially authorized 17 qualifying conditions; However, through regulatory approval, that list has expanded and now also includes any terminal illness, dyskinetic and spastic movement disorders, and opioid use disorder.
Under Act 16 and the DOH’s implementing regulations, patients who are residents of Pennsylvania and have a qualifying serious medical condition as certified by a physician are able to obtain medical marijuana at approved dispensaries within the Pennsylvania. A registered caregiver of an approved patient may also obtain medical marijuana from an approved dispensary. As of March 30, 2022, Pennsylvania does not permit home delivery of medical marijuana other than through a registered caregiver.
On June 30, 2021, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed into law H.B. 1024 (also known as Act 44), which made revisions to Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program, including codification of certain practices permitted under emergency orders issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes permit a wider range of individuals to serve as caregivers, including employees of long-term care and nursing facilities. The changes also permit dispensaries some additional operational flexibilities, including providing limited, on-site outdoor order pickups, providing remote patient consultations, and providing medical dosages up to a 90 days' supply as opposed to a 30 days' supply.
Pennsylvania Permits and Regulations
Act 16 authorized two principal categories of permits for medical marijuana organizations (“MMO”): (1) a grower/ processor permit and (2) a dispensary permit. Act 16 authorized the DOH to issue up to 25 grower/processor permits and up to 50 dispensary permits. A dispensary permit holder may have up to three dispensary locations within the primary region in which the primary facility is located. Pennsylvania is divided into six regions, with permits being awarded based on the patient population.
Pennsylvania also allows for a clinical registrant permit, which allows clinical registrant permit holders to operate both a grower/processor operation and multiple dispensary locations. Additionally, clinical registrants must partner with an approved medical research institution within Pennsylvania to conduct marijuana-based clinical research programs. All permit holders are required to use the DOH-approved seed-to-sale tracking software for all inventory management and tracking. Pennsylvania currently utilizes the MJFreeway platform.
All grower/processor and dispensary facilities must register with the DOH. Registration certificates are valid for a period of one year and are subject to continuing reporting and annual renewal requirements. A grower/processor permit allows a permit holder to acquire wholesale from another grower/processor, possess, cultivate, and manufacture/process into medical marijuana products and/or medical marijuana-infused products, deliver, transfer, have tested, transport, supply, or sell marijuana and related supplies to medical marijuana dispensaries. A grower/processor may transport products itself or may contract with an approved transporter. A grower/processor is not limited to distributing in the region in which it is located and may distribute medical marijuana products to any approved dispensary facility within the Commonwealth.
Approved dispensaries may only purchase approved medical marijuana products from a permitted grower/processor and may only dispense to certified patients or caregivers who present valid identification cards. Prior to dispensing medical marijuana products to a patient or caregiver, the dispensary shall: (1) verify the validity of the patient or caregiver identification card using the electronic tracking system; and (2) review the information on the patient’s most recent certification by using the electronic tracking system to access the DOH’s database. The following requirements apply: (i) if a practitioner sets forth recommendations, requirements or limitations as to the form and/or dosage of a medical marijuana product on the patient certification, the medical marijuana product dispensed to a patient or caregiver by a dispensary must conform to those recommendations, requirements or limitations; (ii) if a practitioner does not set forth recommendations, requirements or limitations as to the form or dosage of a medical marijuana product on the patient certification, the physician, pharmacist, physician assistant or certified registered nurse practitioner employed by the dispensary and working at the facility shall consult with the patient or the caregiver regarding the appropriate form and dosage of the medical marijuana product to be dispensed; and (iii) the dispensary shall update the patient certification in the electronic tracking system by entering any recommendation as to the form or dosage of medical marijuana product that is dispensed to the patient.
On March 5, 2021, the DOH proposed permanent regulations relating to medical marijuana, replacing the temporary regulations that have governed the program throughout its history. These proposed regulations are in substantially the same form as the temporary regulations, with only a few distinctions, including: (1) an MMO’s change in ownership without the DOH’s knowledge and written approval of all individuals affiliated with the MMO would be a violation of the act and proposed rules; (2) dispensaries and grower/processors must supplement ongoing reports to the DOH with information related to the average price per unit of medical marijuana products sold, as opposed to the per-dose price; (3) the list of reasons for which the DOH may suspend or revoke an MMO’s permit is augmented by adding falsification of information on any applications submitted to the DOH; and (4) principals, as well as employees, who have direct contact with patients or caregivers or who physically handle medical marijuana plants, seeds and products must also complete training. It is anticipated that the regulations will be finalized in 2022.
Pennsylvania Permit Categories/Types
Trulieve has various interests in entities with permits for retail operations and grower/processor operations in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Department of Health Inspections
The Pennsylvania Department of Health may conduct announced or unannounced inspections or investigations to determine the MMO’s compliance with its permit. An investigation or inspection may include an inspection of an MMO’s site, facility, vehicles, books, records, papers, documents, data, and other physical or electronic information.
See Appendix A to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a list of the licenses associated with our operations in Pennsylvania.
Regulation of the Medical Cannabis Market in West Virginia
On April 19, 2017, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signed into law Senate Bill 386, which created a medical cannabis program for West Virginia residents with serious medical conditions, and permits medical cannabis to be cultivated, processed, and dispensed to registered patients in essentially non-combustible forms. The program is administered by the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, Office of Medical Cannabis. The Office has authority to (1) issue and oversee permits that authorize businesses to grow, process, or dispense medical cannabis in compliance with state law and regulations, (2) register medical practitioners who certify patients as having qualifying serious medical conditions, and (3) register and oversee patients with qualifying conditions.
The statute establishes a list of qualifying conditions, including (1) cancer, (2) positive status for HIV/AIDS, (3) amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, (4) Parkinson’s disease, (5) multiple sclerosis, (6) spinal cord injury, (7) epilepsy, (8) neuropathy, (9) Huntington’s disease, (10) Crohn’s disease, (11) post-traumatic stress disorder, (12) intractable seizures, (13) sickle cell anemia, (14) severe chronic pain, and (15) illness with a prognosis of less than one year of life expectancy.
Medical cannabis products initially allowed were pills, oils, gels, creams, ointments, tinctures, liquid, and non-whole plant forms for administration through vaporization. In 2020, the legislature passed SB 339, adding “dry leaf or plant form.” Dispensaries cannot sell edibles, but medical cannabis products could be mixed into food or drinks by patients themselves. Vaporization (or oils) is allowed, but smoking is prohibited.
In addition to Senate Bill 386, codified in Chapter 16A of the West Virginia Code, the Office of Medical Cannabis has also promulgated regulations governing the activities of growers, processors, laboratories, dispensaries, and general provisions of West Virginia’s medical marijuana program.
The West Virginia statute creates three categories of licenses that a cannabis business may obtain: (1) grower, (2) processor, and (3) dispensary, corresponding to the growing of medical cannabis, the processing of cannabis plants into the products permitted under West Virginia law, and sales to registered patients, respectively. The statute provides that the Office may issue up to ten grower
permits, ten processor permits, and one hundred dispensary permits and that it may not (1) issue more than one grower permit to one person, (2) issue more than one processor permit to one person, and (3) issue more than ten dispensary permits to one person.
The Office of Medical Cannabis awarded ten grower permits on October 3, 2020. It awarded ten processor permits on November 13, 2020. It awarded one hundred dispensary permits on January 29, 2021, and announced that beginning February 3, 2021, West Virginia residents with qualifying medical conditions would be able to begin to submit applications to become registered patients.
Permits issued by the Office of Medical Cannabis are effective for one year from the date of issuance and may be renewed by applicants in good standing with the terms of a currently effective permit. Permits may be suspended or revoked on the basis of failure to prevent diversion of medical cannabis or violation of laws and rules applicable to medical cannabis businesses.
All permittees are required to make use of a state-mandated electronic tracking system that is accessible to the Office of Medical Cannabis. Permittees are also subject to requirements related to security and surveillance, recordkeeping and record retention, the acquisition, growth, and processing of medical cannabis, delivery and transportation, and controls on dispensing, including amounts and prices permitted. Growers and processors are required to contract with independent laboratories to test their products according to Office of Medical Cannabis rules.
Dispensaries are prohibited from dispensing cannabis products to anyone other than a registered patient or caregiver who presents a valid identification card from the Office of Medical Cannabis. Dispensing amounts are limited to those indicated in a registered patient’s certification by his/her medical practitioner, and in any event, a dispensary may not dispense more than a 30-day supply at a given time.
The Office of Medical Cannabis is permitted to conduct announced or unannounced inspections of permittees to determine their compliance with West Virginia law and regulations, and may inspect a permittee’s site, records, and other data, and may interview employees, principals, operators, and financial backers of the permittee. The Office of Medical Cannabis will have free access to review and, if necessary, make copies of books, records, papers, documents, data, or other physical or electronic information that relates to the business of the dispensary, including financial data, sales data, shipping data, pricing data, and employee data. The Office of Medical Cannabis will have free access to any area within a site or facility that is being used to store medical cannabis for testing purposes and are permitted to collect test samples for testing at an approved laboratory.
Permittees must have security and surveillance systems utilizing commercial-grade equipment to prevent unauthorized entry and to prevent and detect an adverse loss. The security systems must incorporate a professionally monitored security alarm system that is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and records all activity in images capable of clearly revealing facial detail; have the ability to clearly and accurately display the date and time; record all images captured by each surveillance camera for a minimum of two years in a format that may be easily accessed for investigative purposes; and utilize a security alarm system separate from the facility’s primary security system covering the limited access area or other room where the recordings are stored. Permittees must install commercial-grade, nonresidential doors and door locks on each external door of the facility, with keys or key codes for all doors remaining in possession of designated authorized individuals. During all nonworking hours, all entrances to and exits from the site and facility must be securely locked. Permittees must install lighting to ensure proper surveillance both inside and outside of the facility. Access to rooms containing security and surveillance monitoring equipment must be limited to persons who are essential to maintaining security and surveillance operations; federal, state, and local law enforcement; security and surveillance system service employees; the bureau or its authorized agents; and other persons with the prior written approval of the Office of Medical Cannabis.
A permittee is permitted to transport and deliver medical cannabis to a medical cannabis organization or an approved laboratory. A grower/processor may contract with a third-party contractor for delivery so long as the contractor complies with the Office of Medical Cannabis’ rules and regulations. A grower/processor must use a global positioning system to ensure safe, efficient delivery of the medical cannabis to a medical cannabis organization or an approved laboratory. Vehicles permitted to transport medical cannabis must be equipped with a secure lockbox or locking cargo area, have no markings that would either identify or indicate that the vehicle is being used to transport medical cannabis, be capable of being temperature-controlled for perishable medical cannabis, as appropriate, display current state inspection stickers and maintain a current state vehicle registration, and be insured in an amount that is commercially reasonable and appropriate. Medical cannabis stored inside the transport vehicle may not be visible from the outside of the transport vehicle. A transport vehicle is subject to inspection by the bureau or its authorized agents, law enforcement, or other federal or state officials if necessary to perform the government officials’ functions and duties.
See Appendix A to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a list of the licenses associated with our operations in West Virginia.
Other
The foregoing description of laws and regulations to which we are or may be subject is not exhaustive, and the regulatory framework governing our operations is subject to continuous change. The enactment of new laws and regulations or the interpretation
of existing laws and regulations in an unfavorable way may affect the operation of our business, directly or indirectly, which could result in substantial regulatory compliance costs, civil or criminal penalties, including fines, adverse publicity, loss of participating dealers, lost revenue, increased expenses, and decreased profitability. Further, investigations by government agencies, including the FTC, into allegedly anticompetitive, unfair, deceptive, or other business practices by us, could cause us to incur additional expenses and, if adversely concluded, could result in substantial civil or criminal penalties and significant legal liability.
Employees and Human Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2021, we had over 9,000 employees. We are committed to hiring talented individuals and maximizing individual potential, while fostering growth and career advancement. Since the opening of our first store in 2016, our workforce has grown dramatically, including personnel in our cultivation, production, transportation and retail divisions, along with our executive and support services teams. Our goal is to use the highest standards in attracting the best talent, offering competitive compensation, as well as implementing best practices in evaluating, recruiting and onboarding its human capital. Please refer above to our discussion captioned “Diversity, Inclusion & Equity (DE&I)” for additional information regarding our programs to develop diversity, inclusion and equity in our workforce.
Available Information
We maintain a website at http://www.trulieve.com. Through our website, we make available, free of charge, our Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports, as well as proxy statements, and, from time to time, other documents as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. These SEC reports can be accessed through the “Investors” section of our website. The information found on our website is not part of this or any other report we file with or furnish to the SEC.
In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and other issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s Internet website address is http://www.sec.gov.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
Investing in our Subordinate Voting Shares involves a high degree of risk. The following are certain factors concerning our business, growth prospects, cash flows, results of operations and financial condition that should be considered together with the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our financial statements and the related notes appearing herein. We believe the risks described below are the risks that are material to us as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, although, these risks and uncertainties are not the only ones we face. If any of the following risks actually occur, our business, growth prospects, cash flows, results of operations and financial condition would likely be materially and adversely affected. In these circumstances, the market price of our Subordinate Voting Shares could decline, and you may lose part or all of your investment. Other events that we do not currently anticipate or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business, growth prospects, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. Risks that we believe are material to us as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K include the following:
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
•the illegality of cannabis under federal law;
•the uncertainty regarding the regulation of cannabis in the U.S.;
•the effect of constraints on marketing our products;
•the risks related to the newness of the cannabis industry;
•the effect of risks due to industry immaturity;
•the risk we may not be able to grow our product offerings and dispensary services;
•the effect of risks related to material acquisitions, investments, dispositions and other strategic transactions;
•the effect of risks related to growth management;
•the effect of restricted access to banking and other financial services by cannabis businesses and their clients;
•our ability to comply with potential future FDA regulations;
•the effect of restrictions under U.S. border entry laws;
•the effect of heightened scrutiny that we may face in the U.S. and Canada and the effect it could have to further limit the market of our securities for holders in the U.S.;
•our expectation that we will incur significant ongoing costs and obligations related to our infrastructure, growth, regulatory compliance and operations;
•the effect of a limited market for our securities for holders in the U.S.;
•the effect of outbreaks of pandemic diseases, fear of such outbreaks or economic disturbances due to such outbreaks, particularly the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic;
•our ability to locate and obtain the rights to operate at preferred locations;
•the effect of unfavorable tax treatment for cannabis businesses;
•the effect of taxation on our business in the U.S. and Canada;
•the effect of the lack of bankruptcy protections for cannabis businesses;
•the effect of risks related to being a holding company;
•our ability to enforce our contracts;
•the effect of intense competition in the cannabis industry;
•our ability to obtain cannabis licenses or to maintain such licenses;
•the risks our subsidiaries may not be able to obtain their required licenses;
•our ability to accurately forecast operating results and plan our operations;
•the effect of agricultural and environmental risks;
•our ability to adequately protect our intellectual property;
•the effect of risks of civil asset forfeiture of our property;
•the effect of risks related to ineffective internal controls over financial reporting;
•the effect of risks related to a known material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting;
•our dependency on key personnel;
•the risks of a greater likelihood of an IRS audit of cannabis-related businesses;
•the effect of product liability claims;
•the effect of unfavorable publicity or consumer perception;
•the effect of product recalls;
•potential criminal prosecution or civil liabilities under RICO;
•the effect of security risks related to our products and our information technology systems;
•the effect of risks related to misconduct by our service providers and business partners;
•the effect of risks related to labor union activity;
•the effect of risks related to our products;
•the effect of risks related to our significant indebtedness;
•our ability to obtain adequate insurance coverage;
•the effect of risks related to key utility services on which we rely;
Risks Related to Owning Subordinate Voting Shares
•the possibility of no positive return on our securities;
•the effect of additional issuances of our securities in the future;
•the effect of sales of substantial amounts of our shares in the public market;
•volatility of the market price and liquidity risks on our shares;
•the lack of sufficient liquidity in the markets for our shares;
Risks Related to Being a Public Company
•the increased costs as a result of being a U.S. reporting company;
•the effect of being an “emerging growth company.”
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
Cannabis is illegal under United States federal law.
In the United States, or the U.S., cannabis is largely regulated at the state level. Each state in which we operate (or are currently proposing to operate) authorizes, as applicable, medical and/or adult-use cannabis production and distribution by licensed or registered entities, and numerous other states have legalized cannabis in some form. However, under U.S. federal law, the possession, use, cultivation, and transfer of cannabis and any related drug paraphernalia is illegal, and any such acts are criminalized under the Controlled Substances Act, as amended, which we refer to as the CSA. Cannabis is a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA, and is thereby deemed to have a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use in the United States, and a lack of safety for use under medical supervision. The concepts of “medical cannabis,” “retail cannabis” and “adult-use cannabis” do not exist under U.S. federal law. Although we believe that our business activities are compliant with applicable state and local laws in the United States, strict compliance with state and local cannabis laws would not provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought against us. Any such proceedings may result in a material adverse effect on us. We derive 100% of our revenues from the cannabis industry. The enforcement of applicable U.S. federal laws poses a significant risk to us.
Violations of any United States federal laws and regulations could result in significant fines, penalties, administrative sanctions, or settlements arising from civil proceedings conducted by either the United States federal government or private citizens. We may also be subject to criminal charges under the CSA, and if convicted could face a variety of penalties including, but not limited to, disgorgement of profits, cessation of business activities or divestiture. Any of these penalties could have a material adverse effect on our reputation and ability to conduct our business, our holding (directly or indirectly) of medical and adult-use cannabis licenses in the United States, our financial position, operating results, profitability or liquidity or the market price of our publicly-traded shares. In addition, it is difficult for us to estimate the time or resources that would be needed for the investigation, settlement or trial of any such proceedings or charges, and such time or resources could be substantial.
The regulation of cannabis in the United States is uncertain.
Our activities are subject to regulation by various state and local governmental authorities. Our business objectives are contingent upon, in part, compliance with regulatory requirements enacted by these governmental authorities and obtaining all regulatory approvals necessary for the sale of our products in the jurisdictions in which we operate. Any delays in obtaining or failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals would significantly delay our development of markets and products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, although we believe that our operations are currently carried out in accordance with all applicable state and local rules and regulations, no assurance can be given that new rules and regulations will not be enacted or that existing rules and regulations will not be applied in a manner that could limit or curtail our ability to distribute or produce marijuana. Amendments to current laws and regulations governing the importation, distribution, transportation and/or production of marijuana, or more stringent implementation thereof could have a substantial adverse impact on us.
We may be subject to constraints on and differences in marketing our products under varying state laws.
Certain of the states in which we operate have enacted strict regulations regarding marketing and sales activities on cannabis products. There may be restrictions on sales and marketing activities imposed by government regulatory bodies that could hinder the development of our business and operating results. Restrictions may include regulations that specify what, where and to whom product information and descriptions may appear and/or be advertised. Marketing, advertising, packaging and labeling regulations also vary from state to state, potentially limiting the consistency and scale of consumer branding communication and product education efforts. The regulatory environment in the U.S. limits our ability to compete for market share in a manner similar to other industries. If we are unable to effectively market our products and compete for market share, or if the costs of compliance with government legislation and regulation cannot be absorbed through increased selling prices for our products, our sales and operating results could be adversely affected.
The cannabis industry is relatively new.
We are operating in a relatively new industry and market. In addition to being subject to general business risks, we must continue to build brand awareness in this industry and market share through significant investments in our strategy, production capacity, quality assurance and compliance with regulations. Research in Canada, the United States and internationally regarding the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy and dosing of cannabis or isolated cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol, or CBD, and tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, remains in relatively early stages. Few clinical trials on the benefits of cannabis or isolated cannabinoids have been conducted. Future research and clinical trials may draw opposing conclusions to statements contained in the articles, reports and studies currently favored, or could reach different or negative conclusions regarding the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy, dosing or other facts and perceptions related to medical cannabis, which could adversely affect social acceptance of cannabis and the demand for our products and dispensary services.
Accordingly, there is no assurance that the cannabis industry and the market for medicinal and/or adult-use cannabis will continue to exist and grow as currently anticipated or function and evolve in a manner consistent with management’s expectations and assumptions. Any event or circumstance that adversely affects the cannabis industry, such as the imposition of further restrictions on sales and marketing or further restrictions on sales in certain areas and markets could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We face risks due to industry immaturity or limited comparable, competitive or established industry best practices.
As a relatively new industry, there are not many established operators in the medical and adult use cannabis industries whose business models we can follow or build upon. Similarly, there is no or limited information about comparable companies available for potential investors to review in making a decision about whether to invest in us.
Shareholders and investors should consider, among other factors, our prospects for success in light of the risks and uncertainties encountered by companies, like us, that are in their early stages. For example, unanticipated expenses and problems or technical difficulties may occur, which may result in material delays in the operation of our business. We may fail to successfully address these risks and uncertainties or successfully implement our operating strategies. If we fail to do so, it could materially harm our business to the point of having to cease operations and could impair the value of the Subordinate Voting Shares to the extent that investors may lose their entire investments.
Our ability to grow our medical and adult-use cannabis product offerings and dispensary services may be limited.
As we introduce or expand our medical and adult-use cannabis product offerings and dispensary services, we may incur losses or otherwise fail to enter certain markets successfully. Our expansion into new markets may place us in competitive and regulatory environments with which we are unfamiliar and involve various risks, including the need to invest significant resources and the possibility that returns on those investments will not be achieved for several years, if at all. In attempting to establish new product offerings or dispensary services, we may incur significant expenses and face various other challenges, such as expanding our work force and management personnel to cover these markets and complying with complicated cannabis regulations that apply to these markets. In addition, we may not successfully demonstrate the value of these product offerings and dispensary services to consumers, and failure to do so would compromise our ability to successfully expand these additional revenue streams.
We may acquire other companies or technologies.
Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to grow our business in response to the demands of consumers and other constituents within the cannabis industry as well as competitive pressures. In some circumstances, we may determine to do so through the acquisition of complementary businesses rather than through internal development. The identification of suitable acquisition candidates can be difficult, time-consuming, and costly, and we may not be able to successfully complete identified acquisitions. In addition, we may not realize the expected benefits from completed acquisitions. The risks we face in connection with acquisition include:
•diversion of management time and focus from operating our business to addressing acquisition integration challenges;
•coordination of research and development and sales and marketing functions;
•retention of employees from the acquired company;
•cultural challenges associated with integrating employees from the acquired company into our organization;
•integration of the acquired company's accounting, management information, human resources, and other administrative systems;
•the need to implement or improve controls, procedures, and policies at a business that prior to the acquisition may have lacked effective controls, procedures, and policies;
•potential write-offs of intangible assets or other assets acquired in transactions that may have an adverse effect on our operating results in a given period;
•liability for activities of the acquired company before the acquisition, including patent and trademark infringement claims, violations of laws, commercial disputes, tax liabilities, and other known and unknown liabilities; and
•litigation or other claims in connection with the acquired company, including claims from terminated employees, consumers, former stockholders, or other third parties.
Our failure to address these risks or other problems encountered in connection with any future acquisitions or investments could cause us to fail to realize the anticipated benefits of these acquisitions or investments, cause us to incur unanticipated liabilities, and harm our business generally. Future acquisitions could also result in the incurrence of debt, contingent liabilities, amortization expenses, or the impairment of goodwill, any of which could harm our financial condition.
We may issue additional Subordinate Voting Shares in connection with such transactions, which would dilute our other shareholders’ interests in us. The presence of one or more material liabilities of an acquired company that are unknown to us at the time of acquisition could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, prospects and financial condition. A strategic transaction may result in a significant change in the nature of our business, operations and strategy. In addition, we may encounter unforeseen obstacles or costs in implementing a strategic transaction or integrating any acquired business into our operations.
If we cannot manage our growth, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may be subject to growth-related risks, including capacity constraints and pressure on our internal systems and controls. Our ability to manage growth effectively will require us to continue to implement and improve our operational and financial systems and to expand, train and manage our employee base. Our inability to successfully manage our growth may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects.
Anti-Money Laundering Laws in the United States may limit access to funds from banks and other financial institutions.
In February 2014, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, bureau of the United States Treasury Department issued guidance (which is not law) with respect to financial institutions providing banking services to cannabis businesses, including burdensome due diligence expectations and reporting requirements. While the guidance advised prosecutors not to focus their enforcement efforts on banks and other financial institutions that serve marijuana-related businesses, so long as they meet certain conditions, this guidance does not provide any safe harbors or legal defenses from examination or regulatory or criminal enforcement actions by the United States Department of Justice, or DOJ, FinCEN or other federal regulators. Because of this and the fact that the guidance may be amended or revoked at any time, most banks and other financial institutions have not been willing to provide banking services to cannabis-related businesses. In addition to the foregoing, banks may refuse to process debit card payments and credit card companies generally refuse to process credit card payments for cannabis-related businesses. As a result, we may have limited or no access to banking or other financial services in the United States and may have to operate our United States business on an all-cash basis. If we are unable or limited in our ability to open or maintain bank accounts, obtain other banking services or accept credit card and debit card payments, it may be difficult for us to operate and conduct our business as planned. Although, we are actively pursuing alternatives that ensure our operations will continue to be compliant with the FinCEN guidance (including requirements related to disclosures about cash management and U.S. federal tax reporting), we may not be able to meet all applicable requirements.
We are also subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the U.S. that involve money laundering, financial recordkeeping and proceeds of crime, including the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 (commonly known as the Bank Secrecy Act), as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, or the USA PATRIOT Act, and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by governmental authorities in the U.S.
In the event that any of our operations or related activities in the United States were found to be in violation of money laundering legislation or otherwise, those transactions could be viewed as proceeds of crime under ‎one or more of the statutes noted above or any other applicable legislation. This could restrict or otherwise jeopardize our ability to declare or pay dividends or effect other distributions.
The re-classification of cannabis or changes in U.S. controlled substance laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
If cannabis is re-classified as a Schedule II or lower controlled substance under the CSA, the ability to conduct research on the medical benefits of cannabis would most likely be more accessible; however, if cannabis is re-categorized as a Schedule II or lower controlled substance, the resulting re-classification would result in the need for approval by United States Food and Drug Administration,
or FDA, if medical claims are made about our medical cannabis products. As a result of such a re-classification, the manufacture, importation, exportation, domestic distribution, storage, sale and use of such products could become subject to a significant degree of regulation by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA. In that case, we may be required to be registered to perform these activities and have the security, control, recordkeeping, reporting and inventory mechanisms required by the DEA to prevent drug loss and diversion. Obtaining the necessary registrations may result in delay of the manufacturing or distribution of our products. The DEA conducts periodic inspections of registered establishments that handle controlled substances. Failure to maintain compliance could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The DEA may seek civil penalties, refuse to renew necessary registrations, or initiate proceedings to restrict, suspend or revoke those registrations. In certain circumstances, violations could lead to criminal proceedings.
Potential regulation by the FDA could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Should the United States federal government legalize cannabis, it is possible that the FDA would seek to regulate it under the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act of 1938. Additionally, the FDA may issue rules and regulations, including good manufacturing practices related to the growth, cultivation, harvesting and processing of medical cannabis. Clinical trials may be needed to verify efficacy and safety of our medical cannabis products. It is also possible that the FDA would require that facilities where medical-use cannabis is grown register with the agency and comply with certain federally prescribed regulations. In the event that some or all of these regulations are imposed, the impact on the cannabis industry is uncertain and could include the imposition of new costs, requirements, and prohibitions. If we are unable to comply with the regulations or registration as prescribed by the FDA, it may have an adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition.
We could be materially adversely impacted due to restrictions under U.S. border entry laws.
Because cannabis remains illegal under U.S. federal law, those investing in Canadian companies with operations in the U.S. cannabis industry could face detention, denial of entry or lifetime bans from the United States as a result of their business associations with U.S. cannabis businesses. Entry into the United States happens at the sole discretion of United States Customs and Border Patrol, or CBP, officers on duty, and these officers have wide latitude to ask questions to determine the admissibility of a non-U.S. citizen or foreign national. The government of Canada has started warning travelers on its website that previous use of cannabis, or any substance prohibited by U.S. federal law, could mean denial of entry to the United States. Business or financial involvement in the cannabis industry in the United States could also be reason enough for denial of entry into the United States. On September 21, 2018, the CBP released a statement outlining its current position with respect to enforcement of the laws of the United States. It stated that Canada’s legalization of cannabis will not change CBP enforcement of U.S. laws regarding controlled substances. According to the statement, because cannabis continues to be a controlled substance under U.S. law, working in or facilitating the proliferation of the marijuana industry in U.S. states where it is legal under state law may affect admissibility to the United States. On October 9, 2018, the CBP released an additional statement regarding the admissibility of Canadian citizens working in the legal cannabis industry in Canada. CBP stated that a Canadian citizen working in or facilitating the proliferation of the legal cannabis industry in Canada who seeks to come into the United States for reasons unrelated to the cannabis industry will generally be admissible to the United States; however, if such person is found to be coming into the United States for reasons related to the cannabis industry, such person may be deemed inadmissible. As a result, the CBP has affirmed that employees, directors, officers, and managers of and investors in companies involved in business activities related to cannabis in the United States (such as Trulieve), who are not U.S. citizens face the risk of being barred from entry into the United States for life.
As a cannabis company, we may be subject to heightened scrutiny in Canada and the United States that could materially adversely impact the liquidity of the Subordinate Voting Shares.
Our existing operations in the United States, and any future operations, may become the subject of heightened scrutiny by regulators, stock exchanges and other authorities in the United States and Canada.
Given the heightened risk profile associated with cannabis in the United States, the Canadian Depository for Securities, or CDS, may implement procedures or protocols that would prohibit or significantly impair the ability of CDS to settle trades for companies that have cannabis businesses or assets in the United States.
On February 8, 2018, following discussions with the Canadian Securities Administrators and recognized Canadian securities exchanges, the TMX Group, the parent company of CDS, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which we refer to as the TMX MOU, with Aequitas NEO Exchange Inc., the CSE, the Toronto Stock Exchange, and the TSX Venture Exchange. The TMX MOU outlines the parties’ understanding of Canada’s regulatory framework applicable to the rules, procedures, and regulatory oversight of the exchanges and CDS as it relates to issuers with cannabis-related activities in the U.S. The TMX MOU confirms, with respect to the clearing of listed securities, that CDS relies on the exchanges to review the conduct of listed issuers. As a result, there is no CDS ban on the clearing of securities of issuers with cannabis-related activities in the U.S. However, there can be no assurances given that this approach to regulation will continue in the future. If such a ban were to be implemented, it would have a material adverse
effect on the ability of holders of the Subordinate Voting Shares to settle trades. In particular, the Subordinate Voting Shares would become highly illiquid until an alternative was implemented, and investors would have no ability to effect a trade of the Subordinate Voting Shares through the facilities of a stock exchange.
We expect to incur significant ongoing costs and obligations related to our investment in infrastructure, growth, regulatory compliance and operations.
We expect to incur significant ongoing costs and obligations related to our investment in infrastructure and growth and for regulatory compliance, which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. In addition, future changes in regulations, more vigorous enforcement thereof or other unanticipated events could require extensive changes to our operations, increase our compliance costs or give rise to material liabilities, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Our efforts to grow our business may be more costly than expected, and we may not be able to increase our revenue enough to offset these higher operating expenses. We may incur significant losses in the future for a number of reasons, including unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications and delays, and other unknown events. If we are unable to achieve and sustain profitability, the market price of our securities may significantly decrease.
The market for the Subordinate Voting Shares may be limited for holders of our securities who live in the United States.
Given the heightened risk profile associated with cannabis in the United States, capital markets participants may be unwilling to assist with the settlement of trades for U.S. resident securityholders of companies with operations in the U.S. cannabis industry, which may prohibit or significantly impair the ability of securityholders in the United States to trade our securities. In the event residents of the United States are unable to settle trades of our securities, this may affect the pricing of such securities in the secondary market, the transparency and availability of trading prices and the liquidity of these securities.
The COVID-19 pandemic could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The global outbreak of the novel strain of the coronavirus known as COVID-19 has resulted in governments worldwide enacting emergency measures to combat the spread of the virus. These measures, which include the implementation of travel bans, self-imposed quarantine periods and social distancing, have caused material disruption to businesses globally, resulting in an economic slowdown. Global equity markets have experienced significant volatility and weakness. Governments and central banks have reacted with significant monetary and fiscal interventions designed to stabilize economic conditions. The duration and impact of the COVID-19 outbreak is unknown at this time, as is the efficacy of the government and central bank interventions. It is not possible to reliably estimate the length and severity of these developments or their impact on our financial results and condition. Thus far, the COVID-19 pandemic has not had a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Nonetheless, our business could be materially and adversely affected by the risks, or the public perception of the risks, related to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The risk of a pandemic, or public perception of such a risk, could cause customers to avoid public places, including retail properties, and could cause temporary or long-term disruptions in our supply chains and/or delays in the delivery of our products. These risks could also adversely affect our customers' financial condition, resulting in reduced spending for the products we sell. Moreover, any epidemic, pandemic, outbreak or other public health crisis, including COVID-19, could cause our employees to avoid our properties, which could adversely affect our ability to adequately staff and manage our businesses. “Shelter-in-place” or other such orders by governmental entities could also disrupt our operations if employees who cannot perform their responsibilities from home are not able to report to work. Risks related to an epidemic, pandemic or other health crisis, such as COVID-19, could also lead to the complete or partial closure of one or more of our stores or other facilities.
The ultimate extent of the impact of any epidemic, pandemic or other health crisis on our business, financial condition and results of operations will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information that may emerge concerning the severity of such epidemic, pandemic or other health crisis and actions taken to contain or prevent its further spread, among others. These and other potential impacts of an epidemic, pandemic or other health crisis, such as COVID-19, could therefore materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, growth strategies and results of operations.
We may not be able to locate and obtain the rights to operate at preferred locations.
In certain markets the local municipality has authority to choose where any cannabis ‎establishment will be located. These authorized areas are frequently removed from other retail operations. Because ‎the cannabis industry remains illegal under U.S. federal law, the disadvantaged tax status of businesses ‎deriving their income from cannabis, and the reluctance of the banking industry to support cannabis businesses, it ‎may be difficult for us to locate and obtain the rights to operate at various preferred locations. Property ‎owners may violate their mortgages by leasing to us, and those property owners that are willing to allow ‎use of their facilities may require payment of above fair market value rents to reflect the scarcity of such locations ‎and the risks and costs of providing such facilities.
As a cannabis business, we are subject to certain tax provisions that have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Under Section 280E of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the IRC, “no deduction or credit shall be allowed for any amount paid or incurred during the taxable year in carrying on any trade or business if such trade or business (or the activities which comprise such trade or business) consists of trafficking in controlled substances (within the meaning of schedule I and II of the Controlled Substances Act) which is prohibited by Federal law or the law of any State in which such trade or business is conducted.” This provision has been applied by the United States Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, to cannabis operations, prohibiting them from deducting expenses directly associated with cannabis businesses. Section 280E may have a lesser impact on cannabis cultivation and manufacturing operations than on sales operations. Section 280E and related IRS enforcement activity has had a significant impact on the operations of cannabis companies. As a result, an otherwise profitable business may, in fact, operate at a loss, after taking into account its United States income tax expenses.
We expect to be subject to taxation in both Canada and the United States, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We are a Canadian corporation, and as a result generally would be classified as a non-United States corporation under the general rules of U.S. federal income taxation. IRC Section 7874, however, contains rules that can cause a non-United States corporation to be taxed as a United States corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under IRC Section 7874, a corporation created or organized outside of the United States will nevertheless be treated as a United States corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which is referred to as an inversion, if each of the following three conditions are met: (i) the non-United States corporation acquires, directly or indirectly, or is treated as acquiring under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations, substantially all of the assets held, directly or indirectly, by a United States corporation, (ii) after the acquisition, the former stockholders of the acquired United States corporation hold at least 80% (by vote or value) of the shares of the non-United States corporation by reason of holding shares of the acquired United States corporation, and (iii) after the acquisition, the non-United States corporation’s expanded affiliated group does not have substantial business activities in the non-United States corporation’s country of organization or incorporation when compared to the expanded affiliated group’s total business activities.
Pursuant to IRC Section 7874, we are classified as a U.S. corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes and are subject to U.S. federal income tax on our worldwide income. Regardless of any application of IRC Section 7874, however, we expect to be treated as a Canadian resident company for purposes of the Canadian Income Tax Act, as amended. As a result, we are subject to taxation both in Canada and the U.S., which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We may not have access to United States bankruptcy protections available to non-cannabis businesses.
Because cannabis is a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA, many courts have denied cannabis businesses federal bankruptcy protections, making it difficult for lenders to be made whole on their investments in the cannabis industry in the event of a bankruptcy. If we were to experience a bankruptcy, there is no guarantee that United States federal bankruptcy protections would be available to us, which would have a material adverse effect on us and may make it more difficult for us to obtain debt financing.
We are a holding company and our ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to shareholders may be limited.
Trulieve Cannabis Corp. is a holding company and essentially all of its assets are the capital stock of its subsidiaries. We currently conduct substantially all of our business through Trulieve US, which currently generates substantially all of our revenues. Consequently, our cash flows and ability to complete current or desirable future growth opportunities are dependent on the earnings of Trulieve US and our other subsidiaries and the distribution of those earnings to Trulieve Cannabis Corp. The ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends and other distributions will depend on those subsidiaries’ operating results and will be subject to applicable laws and regulations that require that solvency and capital standards be maintained by a subsidiary company and contractual restrictions contained in the instruments governing any current or future indebtedness of our subsidiaries. In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization of Trulieve US or another of our subsidiaries, holders of indebtedness and trade creditors of that subsidiary may be entitled to payment of their claims from that subsidiary’s assets before we or our shareholders would be entitled to any payment or residual assets.
There is doubt regarding our ability to enforce contracts.
It is a fundamental principle of law that a contract will not be enforced if it involves a violation of law or public policy. Because cannabis remains illegal at a federal level in the United States, judges in multiple states have on a number of occasions refused to enforce contracts for the repayment of money when the loan was used in connection with activities that violate U.S. federal law, even if there is no violation of state law. There remains doubt and uncertainty that we will be able to legally enforce our contracts. If we are unable to realize the benefits of or otherwise enforce the contracts into which we enter, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We face increasing competition that may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We face competition from companies that may have greater capitalization, access to public equity markets, more experienced management or more maturity as a business. The vast majority of both manufacturing and retail competitors in the cannabis market consists of localized businesses (those doing business in a single state), although there are a few multistate operators with which we compete directly. Aside from this direct competition, out-of-state operators that are capitalized well enough to enter markets through acquisitive growth are also part of the competitive landscape. Similarly, as we execute our growth strategy, operators in our future state markets will inevitably become direct competitors. We are likely to continue to face increasing and intense competition from these companies. Increased competition by larger and better financed competitors could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If the number of users of adult-use and medical marijuana in the United States increases, the demand for products will increase. Consequently, we expect that competition will become more intense as current and future competitors begin to offer an increasing number of diversified products to respond to such increased demand. To remain competitive, we will require a continued investment in research and development, marketing, sales and client support. We may not have sufficient resources to maintain sufficient levels of investment in research and development, marketing, sales and client support efforts to remain competitive, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The cannabis industry is undergoing rapid growth and substantial change, which has resulted in an increase in competitors, consolidation and the formation of strategic relationships. Acquisitions or other consolidating transactions could harm us in a number of ways, including losing customers, revenue and market share, or forcing us to expend greater resources to meet new or additional competitive threats, all of which could harm our operating results. As competitors enter the market and become increasingly sophisticated, competition in our industry may intensify and place downward pressure on retail prices for our products and services, which could negatively impact our profitability.
We are subject to limits on our ability to own the licenses necessary to operate our business, which will adversely affect our ability to grow our business and market share in certain states.
In certain states, the cannabis laws and regulations limit not only the number of cannabis licenses issued, but also the number of cannabis licenses that one person or entity may own in that state. Such limitations on the acquisition of ownership of additional licenses within certain states may limit our ability to grow organically or to increase our market share in affected states.
Our subsidiaries may not be able to obtain or maintain necessary permits and authorizations.
Our subsidiaries may not be able to obtain or maintain the necessary licenses, permits, certificates, authorizations or accreditations to operate their respective businesses, or may only be able to do so at great cost. In addition, our subsidiaries may not be able to comply fully with the wide variety of laws and regulations applicable to the cannabis industry. Failure to comply with or to obtain the necessary licenses, permits, certificates, authorizations or accreditations could result in restrictions on a subsidiary’s ability to operate in the cannabis industry, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
We may not be able to accurately forecast our operating results and plan our operations due to uncertainties in the cannabis industry.
Because U.S. federal and state laws prevent widespread participation in and otherwise hinder market research in the medical and adult-use cannabis industry, the third-party market data available to us is limited and unreliable. Accordingly, we must rely largely on our own market research to forecast sales as detailed forecasts are not generally obtainable from other sources at this early stage of the cannabis industry. Our market research and projections of estimated total retail sales, demographics, demand, and similar consumer research are based on assumptions from limited and unreliable market data, and generally represent the personal opinions of our management team. A failure in the demand for our products to materialize as a result of competition, technological change or other factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition or prospects.
We are subject to risks related to growing an agricultural product.
Our business involves the growing of cannabis, an agricultural product. Such business is subject to the risks inherent in the agricultural business, such as losses due to infestation by insects or plant diseases and similar agricultural risks. Although much of our growing is expected to be completed indoors, there can be no assurance that natural elements will not have a material adverse effect on our future production.
We may encounter unknown environmental risks.
There can be no assurance that we will not encounter hazardous conditions, such as asbestos or lead, at the sites of the real estate used to operate our businesses, which may delay the development of our businesses. Upon encountering a hazardous condition, work at our facilities may be suspended. If we receive notice of a hazardous condition, we may be required to correct the condition prior to continuing construction. If additional hazardous conditions were present, it would likely delay construction and may require significant expenditure of our resources to correct the conditions. Such conditions could have a material impact on our investment returns.
We may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual property.
As long as cannabis remains illegal under U.S. federal law as a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA, the benefit of certain federal laws and protections that may be available to most businesses, such as federal trademark and patent protection, may not be available to us. As a result, our intellectual property may never be adequately or sufficiently protected against the use or misappropriation by third parties. In addition, since the regulatory framework of the cannabis industry is in a constant state of flux, we can provide no assurance that we will ever obtain any protection for our intellectual property, whether on a federal, state or local level.
Our property is subject to risk of civil asset forfeiture.
Because the cannabis industry remains illegal under U.S. federal law, any property owned by participants in the cannabis industry that is either used in the course of conducting or comprises the proceeds of a cannabis business could be subject to seizure by law enforcement and subsequent civil asset forfeiture. Even if the owner of the property were never charged with a crime, the property in question could still be seized and subject to an administrative proceeding by which, with minimal process, it could become subject to forfeiture.
Our internal controls over financial reporting may not be effective, and our independent auditors may not be able to certify as to their effectiveness, which could have a significant and adverse effect on our business.
We are subject to various SEC reporting and other regulatory requirements. We have incurred and will continue to incur expenses and, to a lesser extent, diversion of our management’s time in our efforts to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 regarding internal controls over financial reporting. Effective internal controls over financial reporting are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and, together with adequate disclosure controls and procedures, are designed to prevent fraud. Any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. In addition, any testing by us conducted in connection with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the subsequent testing by our independent registered public accounting firm when required, may reveal deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses or that may require prospective or retrospective changes to our consolidated financial statements or identify other areas for further attention or improvement. Inferior internal controls could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our Subordinate Voting Shares.
We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, and our management has concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are not effective. While we are working to remediate any material weakness or significant deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting, we cannot assure you that additional material weaknesses or significant deficiencies will not occur in the future. If our internal control over financial reporting or our disclosure controls and procedures are not effective, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud, which may cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information and may lead to a decline in our stock price.
We have historically had a small internal accounting and finance staff. This lack of adequate accounting resources has resulted in the identification of a material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting. A “material weakness” is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
As disclosed in the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 and Item 9A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, our management team identified errors in the accounting for leases, asset acquisitions, and classification of assets. In addition, during the development of the annual tax provision an error in the tax basis of assets acquired was identified. Management reviewed these errors identifying the root cause due to the control environment component of internal control as the Company did not maintain a sufficient complement of personnel with the appropriate level of knowledge, experience, and training in certain areas important to financial reporting. During 2021, even though a material misstatement was not identified in the Company’s financial statements, it was determined that there was a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement in the Company’s financial statements would not have been prevented or detected on a timely basis.
We have taken actions toward the remediation of the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting including: adding additional positions including Chief Accounting Officer, Director of Financial Reporting, Assistant Controller, Director of Shared Services, Northeast Controller, and Tax Director to provide enhanced oversight and technical experience in certain areas important to financial reporting; engaging third party experts to assist management in assessing current processes and designing improved processes and controls for the consolidated Company; adding a Chief Technology Officer to enhance the information technology environment including automation of processes and controls and finalization of an ongoing SAP implementation; and reviewing business processes surrounding leases, acquisitions, and other complex financial reporting areas to identify and being the implementation of enhanced procedures related to internal controls. Nonetheless, the material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting will not be considered remediated until the controls operate for a sufficient period of time and management has concluded, through testing that these controls operate effectively. As of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, management is in the process of testing and evaluating these additional controls to determine whether they are operating effectively. We plan to continue to take additional steps to remediate the material weakness and improve our financial reporting systems and implement new policies, procedures and controls. If we do not successfully remediate the material weakness described above, or if other material weaknesses or other deficiencies arise in the future, we may be unable to accurately report our financial results, which could cause our financial results to be materially misstated and require restatement.
We are highly dependent on certain key personnel.
We depend on key managerial personnel, including Kim Rivers, our Chief Executive Officer, for our continued success, and our anticipated growth may require additional expertise and the addition of new qualified personnel. Qualified individuals within the cannabis industry are in high demand and we may incur significant costs to attract and retain qualified management personnel, or be unable to attract or retain personnel necessary to operate or expand our business. The loss of the services of existing personnel or our failure to recruit additional key managerial personnel in a timely manner, or at all, could harm our business development programs and our ability to manage day-to-day operations, attract collaboration partners, attract and retain other employees, and generate revenues, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may be at a higher risk of IRS audit.
Based on anecdotal information, we believe there is a greater likelihood that the Internal Revenue Service will audit the tax returns of cannabis-related businesses. Any such audit of our tax returns could result in our being required to pay additional tax, interest and penalties, as well as incremental accounting and legal expenses, which could be material.
We face inherent risks of liability claims related to the use of our products.
As a distributor of products designed to be ingested by humans, we face an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims, regulatory action and litigation if our products cause or are alleged to have caused significant loss or injury. We may be subject to various product liability claims, including, among others, that our products caused injury or illness, include inadequate instructions for use or include inadequate warnings concerning possible side effects or interactions with other substances. A product liability claim or regulatory action against us, whether or not successful, could result in materially increased costs, adversely affect our reputation with our clients and consumers generally, and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
We may become party to litigation from time to time in the ordinary course of business which could adversely affect our business. Should any litigation in which we become involved be determined against us, such a decision could adversely affect our ability to continue operating and the market price for the Subordinate Voting Shares. Even if we achieve a successful result in any litigation in which we are involved, the costs of litigation and redirection of our management’s time and attention could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Our medical marijuana business may be impacted by consumer perception of the cannabis industry, which we cannot control or predict.
We believe that the medical marijuana industry is highly dependent upon consumer perception regarding the safety, efficacy and quality of medical marijuana distributed to those consumers. Consumer perception of our products may be significantly influenced by scientific research or findings, regulatory investigations, litigation, media attention and other publicity regarding the consumption of medical marijuana products. There can be no assurance that future scientific research, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or other research findings or publicity will be favorable to the medical marijuana market or any particular product, or consistent with earlier publicity. Future research reports, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or other publicity that are perceived as less favorable than, or that question, earlier research reports, findings or publicity could have a material adverse effect on the demand for our products and our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Product recalls could result in a material and adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Manufacturers and distributors of products are sometimes subject to the recall or return of their products for a variety of reasons, including product defects, such as contamination, unintended harmful side effects or interactions with other substances, packaging safety and inadequate or inaccurate labelling disclosure. The list includes specified vape products produced in our Pennsylvania operations. If any of our products are recalled due to an alleged product defect or for any other reason, we could be required to incur the unexpected expense of the recall and any legal proceedings that might arise in connection with the recall. We may lose a significant amount of sales and may not be able to replace those sales at an acceptable margin or at all. In addition, a product recall may require significant management attention. Although we have detailed procedures in place for testing our products, there can be no assurance that any quality, potency or contamination problems will be detected in time to avoid unforeseen product recalls, regulatory action or lawsuits. Additionally, if one of our significant brands were subject to recall, the image of that brand and our company generally could be harmed. Any recall could lead to decreased demand for our products and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Additionally, product recalls may lead to increased scrutiny of our operations by regulatory agencies, requiring further management attention and potential legal fees and other expenses.
We could be subject to criminal prosecution or civil liabilities under RICO.
The Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”) criminalizes the use of any profits from certain defined “racketeering” activities in interstate commerce. While intended to provide an additional cause of action against organized crime, due to the fact that cannabis is illegal under U.S. federal law, the production and sale of cannabis qualifies cannabis related businesses as “racketeering” as defined by RICO. As such, all officers, managers and owners in a cannabis related business could be subject to criminal prosecution under RICO, which carries substantial criminal penalties.
RICO can create civil liability as well: persons harmed in their business or property by actions which would constitute racketeering under RICO often have a civil cause of action against such “racketeers,” and can claim triple their amount of estimated damages in attendant court proceedings. Trulieve or its subsidiaries, as well as its officers, managers and owners could all be subject to civil claims under RICO.
We are subject to security risks related to our products as well as our information and technology systems.
Given the nature of our product and its limited legal availability, we are at significant risk of theft at our facilities. A security breach at one of our facilities could expose us to additional liability and to potentially costly litigation, increase expenses relating to the resolution and future prevention of these breaches and may deter potential customers from choosing our products.
In addition, we collect and store personal information about our customers and we are responsible for protecting that information from privacy breaches. We store certain personally ‎identifiable information and other confidential information of our ‎customers on our systems and applications. Though we maintain ‎robust, proprietary security protocols, we may experience attempts by third parties to ‎obtain unauthorized access to the personally identifiable information and other ‎confidential information of our customers. This information could also be otherwise exposed through ‎human error or malfeasance. The unauthorized access or compromise of this personally identifiable information and other confidential information could have a material adverse ‎impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.‎
A privacy breach may occur through procedural or process failure, information technology malfunction, or deliberate unauthorized intrusions. Theft of data for competitive purposes, particularly customer lists and preferences, is an ongoing risk whether perpetrated via employee collusion or negligence or through deliberate cyber-attack. Any such theft or privacy breach would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our operations depend and will depend, in part, on how well we protect our networks, equipment, information technology, or IT, systems and software against damage from a number of threats, including, natural disasters, intentional damage and destruction, fire, power loss, hacking, computer viruses, vandalism and theft. Our operations also depend and will continue to depend on the timely maintenance, upgrade and replacement of networks, equipment, IT systems and software, as well as preemptive expenses to mitigate the risks of failures. Any of these and other events could result in information system failures, delays and/or increase in capital expenses. The failure of information systems or a component of information systems could, depending on the nature of any such failure, adversely impact our reputation and results of operations.
We face exposure to fraudulent or illegal activity by employees, contractors, consultants and agents, which may subject us to investigations and actions.
We are exposed to the risk that any of the employees, independent contractors and consultants of our company and our subsidiaries may engage in fraudulent or other illegal activity. Misconduct by these parties could include intentional, reckless and/or negligent conduct or disclosure of unauthorized activities to us that violates, (i) government regulations, (ii) manufacturing standards,
(iii) federal and local healthcare fraud and abuse laws and regulations, or (iv) laws that require the true, complete and accurate reporting of financial information or data. It may not always be possible for us to identify and deter misconduct by our employees and other third parties, and the precautions taken by us to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to be in compliance with such laws or regulations. We cannot provide assurance that our internal controls and compliance systems will protect us from acts committed by our employees, agents or business partners in violation of U.S. federal or state or local laws. If any such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful in defending or asserting our rights, those actions could have a material impact on our business, including the imposition of civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, monetary fines, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, and curtailment of our operations, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects.
Our reputation and ability to do business may be negatively impacted by the improper conduct by our business partners, employees or agents.
In certain states, we depend on third-party suppliers to produce and ship our orders. Products purchased from our suppliers are resold to our customers. These suppliers could fail to produce products to our specifications or quality standards and may not deliver units on a timely basis. Any changes in our suppliers’ production or product availability could impact our ability to fulfill orders and could also disrupt our business due to delays in finding new suppliers.
Furthermore, we cannot provide assurance that our internal controls and compliance systems will protect us from acts committed by our employees, agents or business partners in violation of U.S. federal or state or local laws. Any improper acts or allegations could damage our reputation and subject us to civil or criminal investigations and related stockholder lawsuits, could lead to substantial civil and criminal monetary and non-monetary penalties and could cause us to incur significant legal and investigatory fees.
We may have increased labor costs based on union activity.
Labor unions are working to organize workforces in the cannabis industry in general. Currently, there is no labor organization that has been recognized as a representative of our employees with the exception of the employees at our affiliated Reading, Pennsylvania cultivation and processing facility. However, it is possible that certain retail and/or manufacturing locations will be organized in the future, which could lead to work stoppages or increased labor costs and adversely affect our business, profitability and our ability to reinvest into the growth of our business. We cannot predict how stable our relationships with U.S. labor organizations would be or whether we would be able to meet any unions’ requirements without impacting our financial condition. Labor unions may also limit our flexibility in dealing with our workforce. Work stoppages and instability in our union relationships could delay the production and sale of our products, which could strain relationships with customers and cause a loss of revenues which would adversely affect our operations.
We face risks related to our products.
We have committed and expect to continue committing significant resources and capital to develop and market existing products and new products and services. These products are relatively untested in the marketplace, and we cannot assure shareholders and investors that we will achieve market acceptance for these products, or other new products and services that we may offer in the future. Moreover, these and other new products and services may be subject to significant competition with offerings by new and existing competitors in the industry. In addition, new products and services may pose a variety of challenges and require us to attract additional qualified employees. The failure to successfully develop, manage and market these new products and services could seriously harm our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition.
Our significant indebtedness may adversely affect our business, financial condition and financial results.
Our ability to make certain payments or advances will be subject to applicable laws and contractual restrictions in the instruments governing our indebtedness, including the $70.0 million in aggregate principal amount of notes we issued on June 18, 2019, the $60.0 million in aggregate principal amount of notes we issued on November 7, 2019 and the $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes that we issued on October 6, 2021. The contractual restrictions in the instruments governing such notes include restrictive covenants that limit our discretion with respect to certain business matters. These covenants place restrictions on, among other things, our ability to create liens or other encumbrances, to pay distributions or make certain other payments, and to sell or otherwise dispose of certain assets. A failure to comply with such obligations could result in a default, which, if not cured or waived, could permit acceleration of the relevant indebtedness. Our significant indebtedness could have important consequences, including: (i) our ability to obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures, or acquisitions may be limited; and (ii) all or part of our cash flow from operations may be dedicated to the payment of the principal of and interest on our indebtedness, thereby reducing funds available for operations. These factors may adversely affect our cash flow. Our inability to generate sufficient cash flow to satisfy our debt obligations, or to refinance our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms or at all, may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
We may be unable to obtain adequate insurance coverage.
We have obtained insurance coverage with respect to workers’ compensation, general liability, directors’ and officers’ liability, fire and other similar policies customarily obtained for businesses to the extent commercially appropriate; however, because we are engaged in and operate within the cannabis industry, there are exclusions and additional difficulties and complexities associated with our insurance coverage that could cause us to suffer uninsured losses, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and profitability. There is no assurance that we will be able to obtain insurance coverage at a reasonable cost or fully utilize such insurance coverage, if necessary.
We rely on key utility services.
Our business is dependent on a number of key inputs and their related costs, including raw materials and supplies related to our growing operations, as well as electricity, water and other local utilities. Our cannabis growing operations consume and will continue to consume considerable energy, which makes us vulnerable to rising energy costs. Accordingly, rising or volatile energy costs may, in the future, adversely impact our business and our ability to operate profitably. Additionally, any significant interruption or negative change in the availability or economics of the supply chain for our key inputs could materially impact our business, financial condition and operating results. If we are unable to secure required supplies and services on satisfactory terms, it could have a materially adverse impact on our business, financial condition and operating results.
Risks Related to Owning Subordinate Voting Shares
A return on our securities is not guaranteed.
There is no guarantee that our Subordinate Voting Shares will earn any positive return in the short term or long term. A holding of Subordinate Voting Shares is speculative and involves a high degree of risk and should be undertaken only by holders whose financial resources are sufficient to enable them to assume such risks and who have no need for immediate liquidity in their investment. A holding of Subordinate Voting Shares is appropriate only for holders who have the capacity to absorb a loss of some or all of their holdings.
Additional issuances of Multiple Voting Shares or Subordinate Voting Shares may result in further dilution and could have anti-takeover effects.
We may issue additional equity or convertible debt securities in the future, which may dilute an existing shareholder’s holdings. Our articles permit the issuance of an unlimited number of Multiple Voting Shares and Subordinate Voting Shares, and existing shareholders will have no pre-emptive rights in connection with such further issuances. Our board of directors has discretion to determine the price and the terms of further issuances. The ability of our board of directors to issue additional Multiple Voting shares and/or Subordinate Voting Shares could also have anti-takeover effects. Moreover, we will issue additional Subordinate Voting Shares on the conversion of the Multiple Voting Shares in accordance with their terms. To the extent holders of our options, warrants or other convertible securities convert or exercise their securities and sell Subordinate Voting Shares they receive, the trading price of the Subordinate Voting Shares may decrease due to the additional amount of Subordinate Voting Shares available in the market. We cannot predict the size or nature of future issuances or the effect that future issuances and sales of Subordinate Voting Shares will have on the market price of the Subordinate Voting Shares. Issuances of a substantial number of additional Subordinate Voting Shares, or the perception that such issuances could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices for the Subordinate Voting Shares. With any additional issuance of Subordinate Voting Shares, our investors will suffer dilution to their voting power and economic interest.
Sales of substantial amounts of Subordinate Voting Shares by our existing shareholders in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of the Subordinate Voting Shares.
Sales of a substantial number of Subordinate Voting Shares in the public market could occur at any time. These sales, or the perception in the market that holders of a large number of shares intend to sell shares, or the availability of such securities for sale, could adversely affect the prevailing market prices for the Subordinate Voting Shares. As of December 31, 2021, we had an aggregate of 519,169.999 Multiple Voting Shares outstanding, which were convertible into an aggregate of 51,916,999 Subordinate Voting Shares. If all or a substantial portion of our Multiple Voting Shares are converted into Subordinate Voting Shares, the potential for sales of substantial numbers of Subordinate Voting Shares may increase. A decline in the market prices of the Subordinate Voting Shares could impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of securities should it desire to do so.
The market price for the Subordinate Voting Shares has been and is likely to continue to be volatile.
The market price for the Subordinate Voting Shares may be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to numerous factors, many of which will be beyond our control, including, but not limited to, the following: (i) actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly results of operations; (ii) recommendations by securities research analysts; (iii) changes in the economic performance or market valuations of companies in the cannabis industry; (iv) additions or departures of our executive officers and other key personnel;
(v) release or expiration of transfer restrictions on our issued and outstanding shares; (vi) regulatory changes affecting the cannabis industry generally and our business and operations; (vii) announcements by us and our competitors of developments and other material events; (viii) fluctuations in the costs of vital production materials and services; (ix) changes in global financial markets and global economies and general market conditions, such as interest rates and pharmaceutical product price volatility, as well as disruptions to health crisis (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), severe weather events, or armed conflicts (such as the conflict between Ukraine and Russia); significant acquisitions or business combinations, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments by or involving us or our competitors; (xi) operating and share price performance of other companies that investors deem comparable to us or from a lack of market comparable companies; (xii) false or negative reports issued by individuals or companies who have taken aggressive short sale positions; and (xiii) news reports relating to trends, concerns, technological or competitive developments, regulatory changes and other related issues in our industry or target markets.
Financial markets have experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that have affected the market prices of equity securities of companies and that have often been unrelated to the operating performance, underlying asset values or prospects of those companies. Accordingly, the market price of the Subordinate Voting Shares may decline even if our operating results, underlying asset values or prospects have not changed.
These factors, as well as other related factors, may cause decreases in asset values that are deemed to be other than temporary, which may result in impairment losses. There can be no assurance that continuing fluctuations in price and volume will not occur. If such increased levels of volatility and market turmoil continue, our operations could be adversely impacted, and the trading price of the Subordinate Voting Shares could be materially adversely affected.
There may not be sufficient liquidity in the markets for our Subordinate Voting Shares.
Our Subordinate Voting Shares are listed for trading on the CSE under the trading symbol “TRUL” and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol “TCNNF.” The liquidity of any market for the shares of our Subordinate Voting Shares will depend on a number of factors, including:
•the number of shareholders;
•our operating performance and financial condition;
•the market for similar securities;
•the extent of coverage by securities or industry analysts; and
•the interest of securities dealers in making a market in the shares.
Risks Related to Being a Public Company
We are subject to increased costs as a result of being a U.S. reporting company.
As a public issuer, we are subject to the reporting requirements and rules and regulations under the applicable Canadian securities laws and rules of any stock exchange on which our securities may be listed from time to time. In addition, we became subject to the reporting requirements of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder on February 4, 2021. Additional or new regulatory requirements may be adopted in the future. The requirements of existing and potential future rules and regulations will increase our legal, accounting, and financial compliance costs, make some activities more difficult, time-consuming or costly and may also place undue strain on our personnel, systems and resources, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We are an “emerging growth company” and will be able take advantage of reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies, which could make our Subordinate Voting Shares less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act and, for as long as we continue to be an emerging growth company, we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies but not to emerging growth companies, including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, or until the earliest of (i) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our annual gross revenues exceed $1.07 billion, (ii) the date that we become a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, which would occur if the market value of our Subordinate Voting Shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, or (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt during the preceding three year period.
We intend to take advantage of these reporting exemptions described above until we are no longer an emerging growth company. Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can also delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We have irrevocably elected not to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, we will be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies.
We cannot predict if investors will find our Subordinate Voting Shares less attractive if we choose to rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our Subordinate Voting Shares less attractive as a result of any choices to reduce future disclosure, there may be a less active trading market for our Subordinate Voting Shares and the price of our Subordinate Voting Shares may be more volatile.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
None.

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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Item 2. Properties.
We have no material properties.

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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
There are no actual or to our knowledge contemplated legal proceedings material to us or to which any of our or any of our subsidiaries’ property is the subject matter.
There have been no penalties or sanctions imposed against the Company by a court or regulatory authority, and the Company has not entered into any settlement agreements before any court relating to provincial or territorial securities legislation or with any securities regulatory authority, in the three years prior to the date of this prospectus.

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ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
PART II

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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Trading Price and Volume
The Subordinate Voting Shares are traded on the CSE under the symbol “TRUL.” The following table sets forth trading information pulled from Bloomberg for the Subordinate Voting Shares for the periods indicated for the periods indicated.
Period
Low
Trading
Price
(C$)
High
Trading
Price
(C$)
Volume
(#)
Year Ended December 31, 2021
Fourth Quarter (through December 31, 2021)
$
29.05
$
43.75
27,122,860
Third Quarter (September 30, 2021)
$
29.54
$
48.34
21,068,170
Second Quarter (June 30, 2021)
$
43.20
$
59.60
22,111,976
First Quarter (March 31, 2021)
$
39.26
$
67.45
26,428,456
Year Ended December 31, 2020
Fourth Quarter (through December 31, 2020)
$
23.63
$
42.30
30,428,249
Third Quarter (September 30, 2020)
$
16.81
$
35.08
30,465,852
Second Quarter (June 30, 2020)
$
11.95
$
18.92
14,113,517
First Quarter (March 31, 2020)
$
8.09
$
15.34
18,658,398
Source: Bloomberg.
The Subordinate Voting Shares are also traded on the OTCQX under the symbol “TCNNF.” The following table sets forth trading information pulled from Bloomberg for the Subordinate Voting Shares for the periods indicated.
Period
Low
Trading
Price
($)
High
Trading
Price
($)
Volume
(#)
Year Ended December 31, 2021
Fourth Quarter (through December 31, 2021)
$
23.10
$
34.75
26,893,469
Third Quarter (September 30, 2021)
$
23.38
$
39.01
23,772,558
Second Quarter (June 30, 2021)
$
34.52
$
47.49
20,283,884
First Quarter (March 31, 2021)
$
31.62
$
53.73
29,364,111
Year Ended December 31, 2020
Fourth Quarter (through December 31, 2020)
$
17.37
$
33.45
27,585,871
Third Quarter (September 30, 2020)
$
12.38
$
26.50
26,497,216
Second Quarter (June 30, 2020)
$
8.35
$
14.03
14,145,962
First Quarter (March 31, 2020)
$
5.74
$
11.81
14,971,972
Source: Bloomberg.
The OTCQX market quotations reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commission and may not necessarily represent actual transactions.
Holders of Record
As of March 23, 2022, there were approximately 371 shareholders of record of our Subordinate Voting Shares, 34 holders of record of our Multiple Voting Shares, and no holders of record of our Super Voting Shares.
Dividends
We have not declared dividends or distributions Subordinate Voting Shares in the past. We currently intend to reinvest all future earnings to finance the development and growth of our business. As a result, we do not intend to pay dividends on Subordinate Voting Shares in the foreseeable future. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and
will depend on the financial condition, business environment, operating results, capital requirements, any contractual restriction on the payment of dividends and any other factors the board deems relevant.
Stock Price Performance Graph
The following graph compares the cumulative total shareholder return on our Subordinate Voting Shares from September 25, 2018, when the Company began trading on the CSE, through December 31, 2021, with the comparable cumulative return of the Russell 2000 Index and a selected peer group of companies. The comparison assumes all dividends have been reinvested (if any) and an initial investment of $100 on September 25, 2018. The returns of each company in the peer group have been weighted to reflect their market capitalizations. All amounts below are disclosed in US Dollars. The stock price performance on the following graph is not necessarily indicative of future stock price performance.
Below are the specific companies included in the peer group.
•Columbia Care Inc.
•Cresco Labs Inc.
•Curaleaf Holdings Inc.
•Green Thumb Industries Inc.
•TerrAscend Corp.
•Verano Holdings Corp.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company determined the above identified peer group was more in line with the Company's operations and market capitalization than those identified in the prior year.
Historical Index
The following graph compares, for the period from September 25, 2018 (the day we commenced trading on the OTCQX Best Market) through December 31, 2021, the cumulative total return on our Subordinate Voting Shares, the CSE Composite Index and the Horizons Marijuana Index that consists of the North American publicly listed life sciences companies with significant business activities in the marijuana industry. The graph assumes $100 was invested on September 25, 2018, in the Subordinate Voting Shares of Trulieve, Inc., the CSE Composite Index and the Horizons Marijuana Index, and assumes the reinvestment of any dividends. The stock price performance on the following graph is not necessarily indicative of future stock price performance.
These performance graphs and other information furnished under this Part II Item 5 of this Form 10-K shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with the SEC or subject to Regulation 14A or 14C, or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
All sales of unregistered securities during the year ended December 31, 2021 were reported in a Form 8-K or Form 10-Q filed with the SEC.

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Item 6. [Reserved]
Not applicable.

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements and involves numerous risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those described in the “Risk Factors” section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. You should read “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Overview
Trulieve is a vertically integrated cannabis company and multi-state operator which currently holds licenses to operate in ten states and has received notice of intent to award a license in an eleventh state. Headquartered in Quincy, Florida, we are the market leader for quality medical cannabis products and services in Florida and we have market leading retail operations in Arizona and Pennsylvania. By providing innovative, high-quality products across our brand portfolio, we aim to be the brand of choice for medical and adult-use customers in all of the markets that we serve. We operate in highly regulated markets that require expertise in cultivation, manufacturing, retail and logistics. We have developed proficiencies in each of these functions and are committed to expanding access to high quality cannabis products and delivering exceptional customer experiences.
All of the states in which we operate have adopted legislation to permit the use of cannabis products for medicinal purposes to treat specific conditions and diseases, which we refer to as medical cannabis. Recreational marijuana, or adult-use cannabis, is legal marijuana sold in licensed dispensaries to adults ages 21 and older. Thus far, of the states in which we operate, only Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Nevada have adopted legislation permitting the commercialization of adult-use cannabis products. Trulieve operates its business through its directly and indirectly owned subsidiaries that hold licenses and have entered managed service agreements in the states in which they operate. As of March 16, 2022, we operated 162 dispensaries, with 113 dispensaries in Florida, 19 affiliated dispensaries in Pennsylvania, 17 dispensaries in Arizona, five dispensaries in California, three dispensaries in Maryland, two dispensaries in Massachusetts, two dispensaries in West Virginia and one dispensary in Connecticut, and we operated cultivation and processing facilities in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. As of December 31, 2021, we employed over 9,000 people and we are committed to providing patients and adult consumers, which we refer to herein as “customers,” a consistent and welcoming retail experience across Trulieve branded stores and affiliated retail locations.
Our business and operations center around the Trulieve brand philosophy of “Customers First” which permeates our culture beginning with high- quality and efficient cultivation and manufacturing practices, focus on the consumer experience at Trulieve branded and affiliated retail locations, at our in-house call center and where available at customer residences through a robust home delivery program. Our investments in vertically integrated operations in several of our markets afford us ownership of the entire supply chain which mitigates third-party risks and allows us to completely control product quality and brand experience. We believe that this contributes to high customer retention and brand loyalty. We successfully operate our core business functions of cultivation, production and distribution at scale, and are skilled at rapidly increasing capacity without any interruption to existing operations.
Trulieve has identified five regional geographic hubs in the U.S. and has established cannabis operations in three of the five hubs: Southeast, Northeast, and Southwest. In each of our three regional hubs we have market leading positions in cornerstone states and additional operations and assets in other state markets. Our hubs are managed by national and regional management teams supported by our corporate headquarters in Florida.
Southeast Hub
Our southeast hub operations are anchored by our cornerstone market of Florida. Trulieve was the first licensed operator in the medical market in Florida with initial sales in 2016. Publicly available reports filed with the Florida Office of Medical Marijuana Use show Trulieve has the most dispensing locations and the greatest dispensing volume across product categories out of all licensed medical marijuana businesses in the state as of December 31, 2021. Trulieve cultivates and produces all of its products in-house and distributes those products to customers in Trulieve branded stores (dispensaries) throughout Florida, as well as via home delivery.
As of December 31, 2021, Trulieve operated cultivation and processing facilities across thirteen sites and 111 retail dispensaries throughout the state. In accordance with Florida law, Trulieve grows all of its cannabis in secure enclosed indoor facilities and greenhouse structures. In furtherance of our customer-first focus, we have developed a suite of Trulieve branded products, including flower, edibles, vaporizer cartridges, concentrates, topicals, capsules, tinctures, dissolvable powders, and nasal sprays. This wide variety of products gives customers the ability to select the product that consistently delivers the desired effect and in their preferred method of delivery.
In Georgia, Trulieve received a Notice of Intent to award a Class 1 Production License from the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission in July 2021. The Notice of Intent to award is a notice of the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission’s expected contract award to Trulieve GA pending resolution of a protest process. If the contract is awarded, Trulieve GA will hold one of two Class 1 Production Licenses in the state and will be permitted to cultivate cannabis for the manufacture of low tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC oil.
Northeast Hub
Our northeast hub operations are anchored by our cornerstone market of Pennsylvania.
We conduct cultivation, processing, and retail operations through its direct and indirect subsidiaries with permits for retail operations and grower/processor operations in Pennsylvania. These subsidiaries operate cultivation and processing facilities in McKeesport, Reading, and Carmichael, Pennsylvania to support our affiliated network of retail dispensaries and wholesale distribution network across the state.
We operate three medical dispensaries and conducts wholesale sales supported by cultivation and processing in Hancock, Maryland.
We operate two retail dispensaries in Massachusetts, serving medical adult use customers in Northampton and adult use customers in Worcester. Our retail operations are supported by cultivation and manufacturing operations in Holyoke. We commenced wholesale sales in September 2021. Trulieve was the first to offer sales of clones supporting home grow for residents in the Massachusetts market in August 2021.
We operate a medical cannabis dispensary located in Bristol, Connecticut. Under Connecticut’s adult-use cannabis legislation, which was enacted July 1, 2021, Trulieve can seek regulatory approval to expand sales at this dispensary to include adult use sales.
We operate two medical dispensaries in Morgantown and Weston, West Virginia, supported by cultivation and processing operations in Huntington, West Virginia. Trulieve has been awarded and has acquired permits to operate up to a total of nine dispensaries in West Virginia.
Southwest Hub
Our southwest hub operations are anchored by our cornerstone market of Arizona. In Arizona, Trulieve holds a market-leading position, offering medical and adult use customers a wide range of branded and third-party products, including brand partner products. We also serve medical and adult use customers in California. Trulieve conducts wholesale operations in Nevada and Colorado, serving the medical and adult use markets in each state.
Components of Results of Operations
Revenue
We derive our revenue from cannabis products which we manufacture, sell and distribute to our customers by home delivery and in our dispensaries.
Gross Profit
Gross profit includes the costs directly attributable to product sales and includes amounts paid to produce finished goods, such as flower, and concentrates, as well as packaging and other supplies, fees for services and processing, allocated overhead which includes allocations of rent, administrative salaries, utilities, and related costs. Cannabis costs are affected by various state regulations that limit the sourcing and procurement of cannabis product, which may create fluctuations in margins over comparative periods as the regulatory environment changes.
Sales and Marketing
Sales and marketing expenses consist of marketing expenses related to marketing programs for our products. Personnel related costs related to additional dispensaries are the primary costs of sales and marketing. As we continue to expand and open additional dispensaries, we expect our sales and marketing expenses to continue to increase.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expenses represent costs incurred at our corporate offices, primarily related to personnel costs, including salaries, incentive compensation, benefits, and other professional service costs, including legal and accounting. We expect to
continue to invest considerably in this area to support our expansion plans and to support the increasing complexity of the cannabis business. Furthermore, we expect to continue to incur acquisition and transaction costs related to our expansion plans, and we anticipate a significant increase in compensation expenses related to recruiting and hiring talent, accounting, and legal and professional fees associated with becoming compliant with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other public company corporate expenses.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation expense is calculated on a straight-line basis using the estimated useful life of each asset. Estimated useful life is determined by asset class and is reviewed on an annual basis and revised if necessary. Amortization expense is amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the intangible assets. Useful lives for intangible assets are determined by type of asset with the initial determination of useful life determined during the valuation of the business combination. On an annual basis, the useful lives of each intangible class of assets are evaluated for appropriateness and adjusted if appropriate.
Other Income (Expense), Net
Interest and other income (expense), net consist primarily of interest income, interest expense, and the impact of the revaluation of the liability classified warrants.
Provision for Income Taxes
Provision for income taxes is calculated using the asset and liability method. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are determined based on enacted tax rates and laws for the years in which the differences are expected to reverse. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
As we operate in the cannabis industry, we are subject to the limits of IRC Section 280E under which we are only allowed to deduct expenses directly related to costs of goods sold.
Results of Operations
Year Ended December 31, 2021 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2020
Revenue
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(in thousands)
Revenues, net of discounts
$
938,385
$
521,533
$
416,852
%
Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $938.4 million, an increase of $416.9 million, from $521.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Increase in revenue is the result of increased locations, increased or new wholesale operations in specific markets, organic growth in retail sales due to an increase in products available for purchase and overall customer count and acquisitions, most notably the acquisition of Harvest Health & Recreation, Inc. ("Harvest") in October 2021.
Cost of Goods Sold
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(in thousands)
Cost of goods sold
$
372,255
$
135,116
$
237,139
%
% of total revenues
%
%
Cost of goods sold for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $372.3 million, an increase of $237.1 million, from $135.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, primarily in correlation with the increase in revenues. Cost of goods sold as a percentage of revenue increased from 26% for the year ended December 31, 2020 to 40% for the year ended December 31, 2021 due to our inventory step-up related to acquisitions, increased wholesale business which is generally lower margin than retail sales, increased depreciation related to capital expenditures in cultivation and processing to support business growth and expansion into new markets which are not fully vertical, resulting in the sale of third party products, and therefore yield lower margin than the Florida vertical market.
Gross Profit
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(in thousands)
Gross profit
$
566,130
$
386,417
$
179,713
%
% of total revenues
%
%
Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $566.1 million, up $179.7 million or 47% from $386.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, as a result of an increase in retail sales due to an increase in the number of dispensaries and customer count. Gross profit as a percentage of revenue decreased from 74% for the year ended December 31, 2020 to 60%, for the year ended December 31, 2021. This decrease is caused by inventory step-up related to acquisitions, increased wholesale business, which is generally lower margin than retail sales, increased depreciation related to capital expenditures in cultivation and processing to support business growth, expansion into new markets which are not fully vertical and therefore yield lower margin than the Florida vertical market and macro-economic factors centered around prices and labor.
Sales and Marketing Expenses
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(in thousands)
Sales and marketing expenses
$
215,144
$
119,395
$
95,749
%
% of total revenues
%
%
Sales and marketing expenses increased from $119.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, to $215.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $95.7 million. The increase in sales and marketing is the result of a higher headcount for the year, as we continue to add additional dispensaries in efforts to maintain and further drive higher growth in sales and market share. This increased headcount resulted in higher personnel costs, which is the primary driver for the increase year over year.
General and Administrative Expenses
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(in thousands)
General and administrative expenses
$
100,573
$
36,056
$
64,517
%
% of total revenues
%
%
General and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2021 increased to $100.6 million from $36.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, an increase of $64.5 million. The increase in general and administrative expense is the result of significant expenses incurred to acquire and integrate new subsidiaries, most notably Harvest.
Impairment and Disposal of Long-lived Assets
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(in thousands)
Loss on impairment and disposal of long-lived assets
$
5,371
$
$
5,308
8,425
%
% of total revenues
%
%
Loss on impairment and disposal of long-lived assets for the year ended December 31, 2021 increased to 5.4 million from $63 for the year ended December 31, 2020, an increase of 5.3 million. The increase is primarily due to the write off of certain licenses in our Southwest hub due to market changes and the disposal of certain long-lived assets.
Depreciation and Amortization Expenses
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(in thousands)
Depreciation and amortization expense
$
48,096
$
12,600
$
35,496
%
% of total revenues
%
%
Depreciation and amortization expenses for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $48.1 million, up $35.5 million, or 282%, from $12.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The overall increase in depreciation and amortization expenses was due to amortization of intangibles acquired and fair valued in acquisitions, investment in infrastructure that resulted in more capitalized assets from the additional dispensaries. Furthermore, depreciation expense increased due to additional finance leases added.
Total Other Income (Expense), Net
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(in thousands)
Total other expense, net
$
33,440
$
60,854
$
(27,414
)
(45
)%
% of total revenues
(4
)%
(12
)%
Total other income (expense), net for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $33.4 million, a decrease of $27.4 million or (45)%, from $60.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The overall decrease is primarily driven by $42.7 million of other expense due to revaluation of warrants, offset by increased interest expense.
On December 10, 2020, the Company entered into a Supplemental Warrant Indenture with Odyssey Trust Company pursuant to which it amended the terms of the issued and outstanding subordinate voting share purchase warrants of the Company (the “Public Warrants”) to convert the exercise price of the Public Warrants to $13.47 per share, the U.S. dollar equivalent of the Canadian dollar exercise price of the Public Warrants of C$17.25. As a result of this, the Public Warrants converted to equity and eliminated the necessity of revaluation expense on these warrants. The Company did acquire Canadian dollar warrants in the acquisition of Harvest and recorded income related to the revaluation of these warrants in the fourth quarter of the year ended December 31, 2021. Additionally, interest expense increased as a result of new debt to support business growth, additional finance leases and additional construction finance liabilities acquired in the Harvest acquisition.
Provision for Income Taxes
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(in thousands)
Provision for income taxes
$
146,061
$
94,451
$
51,610
%
Effective tax rate
%
%
Income tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2021 increased to $146.1 million from $94.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, an increase of $51.6 million as a result of a $179.7 million increase in gross profit for the same periods. Under IRC Section 280E, cannabis companies are only allowed to deduct expenses that are directly related to production of the products. The increase in income tax expense is due to the significant increase in gross profit as well as an increase in expenses with are not tax deductible under 280E
Net Income
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(in thousands)
Net income and comprehensive income
$
17,445
$
62,998
$
(45,553
)
(72
)%
Net income for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $17.4 million, a decrease of $45.6 million or 72%, from $63.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The decrease in net income was driven primarily by an increase in revenue due to increased dispensary locations, expansion of wholesale business, and acquisitions. This increase in revenue was offset by increased cost of goods sold driven by inventory step-up, expansion into new markets which are not fully vertical and therefore yield lower margin than Florida, and increased depreciation related to capital expenditures in cultivation and processing. In addition, increases in sales and marketing and general and administrative expenses such significant expenses incurred to acquire and integrate new subsidiaries, most notably Harvest, increases in personnel costs, dispensary expenses, depreciation and amortization, interest expense, ramping infrastructure and go-forward compliance, all contributed to the offset in net income. Income taxes also significantly increased period over period due to higher gross profit.
Year Ended December 31, 2020 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2019
Revenue, Net of Discounts
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues, net of discounts
$
521,533
$
252,819
$
268,714
%
Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $521.5 million, an increase of $268.7 million, from $252.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Increase in revenue is primarily the result of an increase in our organic growth in retail sales due to the increase in products available for purchase and overall customer count. In addition, we opened 28 additional dispensaries for the year ended December 31, 2020, which increased retail sales year over year.
Cost of Goods Sold
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(dollars in thousands)
Cost of goods sold
$
135,116
$
60,982
$
74,134
%
% of total revenues
%
%
Cost of goods sold for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $135.1 million, an increase of $74.1 million, from $61.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 due to increased retail sales as a result of our increase in dispensaries and customer count. Our cost of goods sold as a percentage of revenue increased from 24% for the year ended December 31, 2019 to 26% for the year ended December 31, 2020 due to the change in product mix, expansion into new markets, one-time costs associated with the implementation of SAP, and inventory flow-through.
Gross Profit
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(dollars in thousands)
Gross profit
$
386,417
$
191,837
$
194,580
%
% of total revenues
%
%
Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $386.4 million, an increase of $194.6 million, from $191.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Gross profit as a percentage of revenue decreased from December 31, 2019 compared to December 31, 2020 from 76% to 74%, respectively. This decrease is caused by an increase in depreciation related to capital expenditures in cultivation and processing to support business growth, expansion into new markets, one-time costs associated with the SAP implementation, inventory flow-through and product mix.
Sales and Marketing Expenses
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(dollars in thousands)
Sales and marketing expenses
$
119,395
$
59,349
$
60,046
%
% of total revenues
%
%
Sales and marketing expenses increased from $59.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, to $119.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, an increase of $60.0 million. The increase in sales and marketing is the result of a higher headcount for the year, as we continue to add additional dispensaries in efforts to maintain and further drive higher growth in sales and market share. This increased headcount resulted in higher personnel costs, which is the primary driver for the increase year over year.
General and Administrative Expenses
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(dollars in thousands)
General and administrative expenses
$
36,056
$
14,071
$
21,985
%
% of total revenues
%
%
General and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased to $36.1 million from $14.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 an increase of $22.0 million. The increase in general and administrative expense is primarily the result of entering new markets and ramping up our infrastructure to support growth initiatives and go-forward compliance.
Impairment and Disposal of Long-lived Assets
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(dollars in thousands)
Loss on impairment and disposal of long-lived assets
$
$
$
(4
)
(6
)%
% of total revenues
%
%
During the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 the Company had a nominal amount of disposals on property and equipment.
Depreciation and Amortization Expenses
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(dollars in thousands)
Depreciation and amortization expenses
$
12,600
$
5,079
$
7,521
%
% of total revenues
%
%
Depreciation and amortization expenses for the year ended December 31, 2020 were $12.6 million, up $7.5 million, or 148% from $5.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The overall increase in depreciation and amortization expenses was due to investment in infrastructure that resulted in more capitalized assets from the additional dispensaries. Furthermore, depreciation expense increased due to additional finance leases added.
Total Other Income (Expense), Net
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(dollars in thousands)
Total other expense
$
60,854
$
9,590
$
51,264
%
% of total revenues
%
%
Total other expense for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $60.9 million, an increase of $51.3 million or 535%, from $9.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The overall increase is the result of our revaluation of debt warrants impacted by the increases in our stock value which were originally denominated in Canadian dollars. The expense for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $42.7 million compared to $0.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.
On December 10, 2020, the Company entered into a Supplemental Warrant Indenture with Odyssey Trust Company pursuant to which it amended the terms of the issued and outstanding subordinate voting share purchase warrants of the Company (the “Public Warrants”) to convert the exercise price of the Public Warrants to $13.47 per share, the U.S. dollar equivalent of the Canadian dollar exercise price of the Public Warrants of C$17.25. As a result of this, the Public Warrants converted to equity and eliminated the necessity of revaluation expense in future periods. Additionally, interest expense increased as a result of the addition of finance leases to support business growth, for the year ended December 31, 2020.
Provision for Income Taxes
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(dollars in thousands)
Provision for income taxes
$
94,451
$
50,586
$
43,865
%
Effective tax rate
%
%
Income tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased to $94.5 million from $50.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $43.9 million as a result of a $194.6 million increase in gross profit for the same periods. Under IRC Section 280E, cannabis companies are only allowed to deduct expenses that are directly related to production of the products. The increase in income tax expense is due to the significant increase in gross profit as a result of the increase in retail sales partially offset by increase in production costs as a percentage of revenue.
Net Income and Comprehensive Income
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(dollars in thousands)
Net income and comprehensive income
$
62,998
$
53,095
$
9,903
%
Net income for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $63.0 million, an increase of $9.9 million, or 19%, from $53.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in net income was driven primarily by an increase in retail sales as a result of opening twenty-eight additional dispensaries in Florida during the year ended December 31, 2020. This net increase to net income was offset by gross profit which was driven by increased depreciation related to capital expenditures in cultivation and processing, expansion into new markets, one-time costs associated with the SAP implementation, inventory flow-through and product mix. In addition, increases in sales and marketing and general and administrative expenses such as personnel costs, dispensary expenses, depreciation, interest expense, costs of entering new markets, ramping up infrastructure and go-forward compliance, all contributed to the offset in net income. Income taxes also significantly increased period over period due to higher profit. Lastly, other expense increased as a result of the revaluation of our debt warrants for the year ended December 31, 2020.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Sources of Liquidity
Since our inception, we have funded our operations and capital spending through cash flows from product sales, loans from affiliates and entities controlled by our affiliates, third-party debt and proceeds from the sale of our capital stock. We are generating
cash from sales and are deploying our capital reserves to acquire and develop assets capable of producing additional revenues and earnings over both the immediate and near term to support our business growth and expansion. Our current, principal sources of liquidity are our cash and cash equivalents provided by our operations and debt and equity offerings. Cash and cash equivalents consist primarily of cash on deposit with banks and money market funds. Cash and cash equivalents were $230.6 million and $146.7 million as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
We believe our existing cash balances will be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash requirements from the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K through at least the next 12 months.
Our primary uses of cash are for working capital requirements, capital expenditures and debt service payments. Additionally, from time to time, we may use capital for acquisitions and other investing and financing activities. Working capital is used principally for our personnel as well as costs related to the growth, manufacture and production of our products. Our capital expenditures consist primarily of additional facilities and dispensaries, improvements in existing facilities and product development.
To the extent additional funds are necessary to meet our long-term liquidity needs as we continue to execute our business strategy, we anticipate that they will be obtained through incurrence of additional indebtedness, additional equity financings or a combination of these potential sources of funds. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain additional funds on terms acceptable to us, on a timely basis or at all. The failure to obtain sufficient funds on acceptable terms when needed could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations, and financial condition.
The following table presents our cash and outstanding debt as of the dates indicated:
Year Ended
Year Ended
December 31,
December 31,
(in thousands)
Cash and cash equivalents
$
230,646
$
146,713
Outstanding debt and warrant liabilities
Notes payable
16,600
6,000
Notes payable - related party
-
12,011
Private placement notes
462,929
117,165
Warrant liabilities
2,895
-
Operating lease liabilities
131,970
31,397
Finance lease liabilities
71,429
38,935
Construction finance liabilities
176,189
82,047
Total debt and warrant liabilities
$
862,012
$
287,555
Cash Flows
The table below highlights our cash flows for the periods indicated.
Year Ended
December 31,
(in thousands)
Net cash provided by operating activities
$
12,898
$
99,643
$
19,073
Net cash used in investing activities
(215,184
)
(174,654
)
(94,672
)
Net cash provided by financing activities
289,232
129,911
142,982
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
86,946
54,900
67,383
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of year
146,713
91,813
24,430
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of year
$
233,659
$
146,713
$
91,813
Cash Flow from Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities was $12.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, a decrease of $86.7 million, compared to $99.6 million net cash provided by operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2020. This is primarily due to acquisitions, most notably Harvest, and the resulting integration and transaction costs as well as the inventory step-up and increased depreciation and amortization expenses
Net cash provided by operating activities was $99.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, an increase of $80.6 million, compared to $19.1 million net cash provided by operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2019. This is primarily due to organic growth of our business partially offset by net working capital including inventory, as we ramp the business to support the growth.
Cash Flow from Investing Activities
Net cash used in investing activities was $215.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $40.5 million, compared to the $174.7 million net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase is due to the increase of property and equipment purchases for the construction of additional dispensaries and continued expansion of our cultivation and processing facilities. This increase is offset by the sale of the Florida license that occurred simultaneously with the acquisition of Harvest as well as the cash acquired through the Harvest acquisition.
Net cash used in investing activities was $174.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, an increase of $80.0 million, compared to the $94.7 million net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase is due to an acquisition in 2020 and the increase of property and equipment purchases for the construction of additional dispensaries and continued expansion of our cultivation and processing facilities during the year ended December 31, 2020.
Cash Flow from Financing Activities
Net cash provided by financing activities was $289.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $159.3 million, compared to the $129.9 million net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was primarily related to proceeds from private placement notes and proceeds from the private placement issuance of shares offset by payments on notes that occurred for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Net cash provided by financing activities was $129.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, a decrease of $13.1 million, compared to the $143.0 million net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase was primarily related to $83.2 million of proceeds for the issuance of shares offering that occurred for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was partially offset by the $122.2 million in net proceeds received from the debt issuance in 2019.
Funding Sources
Finance Liability, “June Warrants” and “November Warrants”
On June 18, 2019, we completed an offering using our Canadian prospectus of 70,000 units (the “June Units”), comprised of an aggregate principal amount of US$70.0 million of 9.75% senior secured notes maturing in 2024 (the “June Notes”) and an aggregate amount of 1,470,000 subordinate voting share warrants (each individual warrant being a “June Warrant”) at a price of US$980 per June Unit for gross proceeds of US$68.6 million. Each June Unit was comprised of one June Note issued in denominations of $1,000 and 21 June Warrants.
On November 7, 2019, we completed an offering using our Canadian prospectus of 60,000 units (the “November Units”), comprised of an aggregate principal amount of US$60.0 million of 9.75% senior secured notes maturing in 2024 (the “November Notes”) and an aggregate amount of 1,560,000 subordinate voting share warrants (each individual warrant being a “November Warrant”) at a price of US$980 per November Unit for a gross proceeds of US$61.1 million. Each November Unit was comprised of one November Note issued in denominations of $1,000 and 26 November Warrants.
Secured Promissory Notes
On October 6, 2021, the Company closed on a private placement of 8% Senior Secured Notes (the "“Notes") for aggregate gross proceeds of $350.0 million and net proceeds of $342.6 million. The Notes were issued at 100% face value, bear an interest rate of 8% per annum payable semi-annually in equal installments until the maturity date, unless earlier redeemed or repurchased. The Notes mature on October 6, 2026 and may be redeemed in whole or in part, at any time from time to time, on or after October 6, 2023 at the applicable redemption price set forth in the trust indenture dated as of June 18, 2019 (the “Base Indenture”), as supplemented by a supplemental trust indenture dated as of October 6, 2021 (the “Supplemental Indenture” and, the Base Indenture as supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”), by and between the Company and Odyssey Trust Company, as trustee. The Company used a portion of the net proceeds to redeem certain outstanding indebtedness of Harvest, and intends to use the remaining net proceeds for capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes. The Indenture governing the Notes contains covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Company and its restricted subsidiaries to, among other things, declare or pay dividends or make certain other payments; purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value any equity interests or otherwise make any restricted payments; conduct certain asset sales or consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis; make certain restricted investments, incur certain indebtedness or grant certain liens, or enter into certain affiliate transactions. These covenants are subject to a number of other limitations and exceptions as set forth in the Indenture.
Unsecured Promissory Notes
On April 10, 2017, we entered into an unsecured promissory note with a 12% annual interest rate, which was amended in January 2019 to extend the maturity by three years to 2022, with a balance as of December 31, 2019 of $4.0 million. On December 17, 2017, we entered into a promissory note dated December 7, 2017, with a 12% annual interest rate and a balance as of December 31, 2019 of $2.0 million. Each promissory note is due in 2022. The promissory notes were repaid in full during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Related Party Promissory Notes
In May 2018, the Company entered into two separate unsecured promissory notes (the “Traunch Four Note” and the “Rivers Note”) for a total of $12.0 million. The Traunch Four Note was held by Traunch Four, LLC, an entity whose direct and indirect owners included Kim Rivers, the Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board, as well as Thad Beshears, Richard May, George Hackney, all of whom are directors of Trulieve, and certain of Richard May’s family members. The Rivers Note was held by Kim Rivers. Each promissory note had a 24-month maturity and 12% annual interest rate. The two unsecured promissory notes were repaid in November 2021.
In February 2019, the Company entered into a 24-month unsecured loan with an 8% annual interest rate with Benjamin Atkins, a former director and shareholder for $0.3 million. The loan was issued in March 2019. The Company determined that the stated interest rate was below market rates and recorded an insignificant debt discount using an annual discount interest rate of 12%.
Balance Sheet Exposure
At December 31, 2021 and 2020, 100% of our balance sheet is exposed to U.S. cannabis-related activities. We believe our operations are in material compliance with all applicable state and local laws, regulations and licensing requirements in the states in which we operate. However, cannabis remains illegal under U.S. federal law. Substantially all our revenue is derived from U.S. cannabis operations. For information about risks related to U.S. cannabis operations, please refer to the “Risk Factors” section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Contractual Obligations
At December 31, 2021, we had the following contractual obligations to make future payments, representing contracts and other commitments that are known and committed:
<1 Year
1 to 3 Years
3 to 5 Years
>5 Years
Total
(in thousands)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
$
94,073
$
-
$
-
$
-
$
94,073
Notes payable
10,144
5,376
1,061
16,600
Private placement notes
-
130,000
350,000
-
480,000
Operating lease liabilities
21,826
42,267
40,510
110,758
215,361
Finance lease liabilities
12,102
26,281
21,234
42,311
101,928
Construction finance liabilities
22,463
47,143
48,771
427,747
546,124
Total
$
160,608
$
251,067
$
460,534
$
581,877
$
1,454,086
For additional information on our commitments for financing arrangements, future lease payments and other obligations, see Item 8, Note 10. Notes Payable, Note 12. Private Placement Notes, Note 13. Leases, Note 14. Construction Finance Liabilities, and Note 20. Commitments and Contingencies, for additional information.
Critical accounting policies and estimates
Critical accounting estimates
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make judgments, estimates, and assumptions about the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates, and revisions to accounting estimates are recognized in the period in which the estimate is revised.
Significant judgments, estimates, and assumptions that have the most significant effect on the amounts recognized in the consolidated financial statements are described below.
Inventory
The net realizable value of inventories represents the estimated selling price for inventories in the ordinary course of business, less all estimated costs of completion and costs necessary to make the sale. The determination of net realizable value requires significant judgment, including consideration of factors such as shrinkage, the aging of and future demand for inventory, expected future selling price, what we expect to realize by selling the inventory and the contractual arrangements with customers. Reserves for excess and obsolete inventory are based upon quantities on hand, projected volumes from demand forecasts and net realizable value. The estimates are judgmental in nature and are made at a point in time, using available information, expected business plans and expected market conditions. As a result, the actual amount received on sale could differ from the estimated value of inventory. Periodic reviews are performed on the inventory balance. The impact of changes in inventory reserves is reflected in cost of goods sold.
Estimated Useful Lives and Depreciation and Amortization of Property and Equipment and Intangible Assets
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment and intangible assets are dependent upon estimates of useful lives, which are determined through the exercise of judgment. The assessment of any impairment of these assets is dependent upon estimates of recoverable amounts that take into account factors such as economic and market conditions and the useful lives of assets.
Accounting for Acquisitions and Business Combinations
Classification of an acquisition as a business combination or an asset acquisition depends on whether the assets acquired constitute a business, which can be a complex judgment. Whether an acquisition is classified as a business combination or asset acquisition can have a significant impact on the entries made on and after acquisition.
In determining the fair value of all identifiable assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities acquired, the most significant estimates relate to contingent consideration and intangible assets. Management exercises judgement in estimating the probability and timing of when earn-outs are expected to be achieved, which is used as the basis for estimating fair value. For any intangible asset identified, depending on the type of intangible asset and the complexity of determining its fair value, an independent valuation expert or management may develop the fair value, using appropriate valuation techniques, which are generally based on a forecast of the total expected future net cash flows.
Cannabis licenses are the primary intangible asset acquired in business combinations as they provide the Company the ability to operate in each market. However, some cannabis licenses are subject to renewal and therefore there is some risk of non-renewal for several reasons, including operational, regulatory, legal or economic. To appropriately consider the risk of non-renewal, the Company applies probability weighting to the expected future net cash flows in calculating the fair value of these intangible assets. The key assumptions used in these cash flow projections include discount rates and terminal growth rates. Of the key assumptions used, the impact of the estimated fair value of the intangible assets have the greatest sensitivity to the estimated discount rate used in the valuation. The terminal growth rate represents the rate at which these businesses will continue to grow into perpetuity. Other significant assumptions include revenue, gross profit, operating expenses and anticipated capital expenditures which are based upon the Corporation’s historical operations along with management projections.
The evaluations are linked closely to the assumptions made by management regarding the future performance of these assets and any changes in the discount rate applied.
Income Taxes
The Company uses the asset and liability method to account for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are determined based on enacted tax rates and laws for the years in which the differences are expected to reverse. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. As the Company operates in the cannabis industry, it is subject to the limits of IRC Section 280E under which the Company is only allowed to deduct expenses directly related to the cost of producing the products or cost of production.
The Company recognizes uncertain income tax positions at the largest amount that is more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by the relevant taxing authority. An uncertain income tax position will not be recognized if it has less than a 50% likelihood of being sustained. Recognition or measurement is reflected in the period in which the likelihood changes.
Impairment Assessments
Impairment assessment estimates applies to goodwill, long-lived assets, and right-of-use assets.
Goodwill is allocated at the date the goodwill is initially recorded. We evaluate goodwill for impairment annually or more frequently when an event occurs or circumstances change that indicates the carrying value may not be recoverable. We review our long-lived assets, such as property and equipment, intangible assets, and right-of-use assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. Significant judgment and estimates are required when determining the fair value of these assets for impairment tests.
Share-Based Payment Arrangements
We use the Black-Scholes pricing model to determine the fair value of options and warrants granted to employees and directors under share-based payment arrangements, where appropriate. In estimating fair value, management is required to make certain assumptions and estimates such as the expected life of units, volatility of future share price, risk free rates, and future dividend yields at the initial grant date. Changes in assumptions used to estimate fair value could result in materially different results.
Commitments and Contingencies
From time to time, the Company may be involved in litigation relating to claims arising out of operations in the normal course of business. Periodically, the Company reviews the status of each significant matter and assesses the potential financial exposure. If the potential loss from any claim or legal proceeding is considered probable, and the amount can be reliably estimated, such amount is recognized in contingencies. Contingent liabilities are measured at management’s best estimate of the expenditure required to settle the obligation at the end of the reporting period and are discounted to present value where the effect is material. The Company performs evaluations to identify onerous contracts and, where applicable, records contingent liabilities for such contracts.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The Company applies fair value accounting for all financial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis. The Company uses judgment to select the methods used to make certain assumptions and in performing the fair value calculations in order to determine (a) the values attributed to each component of a transaction at the time of their issuance; (b) the fair value measurements for certain instruments that require subsequent measurement at fair value on a recurring basis; and (c) for disclosing the fair value of financial instruments. These valuation estimates could be significantly different because of the use of judgment and the inherent uncertainty in estimating the fair value of these instruments that are not quoted in an active market.
Critical accounting policies
Inventory
Our inventories primarily consist of raw materials, internally-produced work in process, and finished goods and packaging materials. Costs incurred during the growing and production process are capitalized as incurred to the extent that cost is less than net realizable value. The costs include materials, labor and manufacturing overhead used in the growing and production processes. Pre-harvest costs are capitalized. Our inventory of purchased finished goods and packing materials are initially valued at cost and subsequently at the lower of cost and net realizable value.
Leases
ASC Topic 842 is a standard that requires lessees to increase transparency and comparability among organization by requiring the recognition of Right of Use Assets “ROU” assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. The requirements of this standard include a significant increase in required disclosures to meet the objectives of enabling users of financial statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The new standard was effective beginning January 1, 2019 and the standard was adopted using the modified retrospective transition approach, which allows us to recognize a cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of accumulated deficit in the period of adoption rather than restate comparative prior year periods.
Revenue Recognition
We recognize revenue in accordance with ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). Through our application of the standard, we recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods to our customers in an amount that reflects the consideration of which we expect to be entitled to in exchange for those goods. We contract with our customers for the sale of dried cannabis, cannabis oil and other cannabis related products that consist of multiple performance obligations. Revenue from the direct sale of cannabis to customers for a fixed price is recognized when we transfer control of the goods to the customer at the point of sale and the customer has paid for the goods.
Share Based Compensation
We account for share-based compensation expense in accordance with FASB ASC 718 Compensation - Stock Compensation, which requires the measurement and recognition of share-based compensation expense based on estimated fair values, for all stock based payment awards made to employees. We measure the share-based payment awards based on its estimated fair value of the awards using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, and the fair value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant, for the warrants and options. We measure the share-based payment awards based on its estimated fair value of the awards using the Black-Scholes option pricing model for warrants and options, and the fair value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant for restricted stock awards ("RSUs").
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we do not have any off-balance-sheet arrangements that have, or are reasonably likely to have, a current or future effect on the results of operations or financial condition of, including, and without limitation, such considerations as liquidity and capital resources.
Management’s Use of Non-GAAP Measures
Our management uses financial measures that are not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S., or GAAP, in addition to financial measures in accordance with GAAP to evaluate our operating results. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered supplemental to, and not a substitute for, our reported financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA is a financial measure that is not defined under GAAP. Our management uses this non-GAAP financial measure and believes it enhances an investor’s understanding of our financial and operating performance from period to period because it excludes certain material non-cash items and certain other adjustments management believes are not reflective of our ongoing operations and performance. Adjusted EBITDA excludes from net income as reported interest, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization to arrive at EBITDA. This is then adjusted for items that do not represent the operations of the core business such as inventory step-up for fair value adjustments in purchase accounting, integration and transition costs, acquisition and transaction costs, other non-recurring costs, expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic, impairments and disposals of long-lived assets, the results of entities consolidated as VIEs but not legally controlled and operated by the Company, and other income and expense items. Integration and transition costs include those costs related to integration of acquired entities and to transition major systems or processes. Acquisition and transaction costs relate to specific transactions such as acquisitions whether contemplated or completed and regulatory filings and costs related to equity and debt issuances. Other non-recurring costs includes miscellaneous items which are not expected to reoccur frequently such as inventory adjustments related to specific issues and unusual litigation. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company adjusted the definition of Adjusted EBITDA to include expenses incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2020 has been adjusted to reflect this current definition. Additionally, certain reclassifications have been made to Adjusted EBITDA for prior periods to conform to the current period presentation.
Trulieve reports Adjusted EBITDA to help investors assess the operating performance of the Company’s business. The financial measures noted above are metrics that have been adjusted from the GAAP net income measure in an effort to provide readers with a normalized metric in making comparisons more meaningful across the cannabis industry, as well as to remove non-recurring, irregular and one-time items that may otherwise distort the GAAP net income measure.
As noted above, our Adjusted EBITDA is not prepared in accordance with GAAP, and should not be considered in isolation of, or as an alternative to, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. There are a number of limitations related to the use of Adjusted EBITDA rather than net income, which is the most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. Because of these limitations, we consider, and you should consider, Adjusted EBITDA together with other operating and financial performance measures presented in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA from net income, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP, has been included herein immediately following our discussion of “Adjusted EBITDA”.
Adjusted EBITDA
Year Ended
Change
December 31,
Increase / (Decrease)
$
%
(in thousands)
Adjusted EBITDA
$
384,581
$
260,077
$
124,504
%
Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2021, was $384.6 million, an increase of $124.5 million or 48%, from $260.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The following table presents a reconciliation of GAAP net income (loss) to non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA, for each of the periods presented:
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
Net income and comprehensive income attributable to common shareholders
$
18,032
$
62,998
$
53,095
Add (deduct) impact of:
Interest expense
34,787
20,237
9,050
Provision for income taxes
146,061
94,451
50,586
Depreciation and amortization
48,096
12,600
5,079
Depreciation included in cost of goods sold
24,073
11,542
7,992
EBITDA
271,049
201,828
125,802
Inventory step up, fair value
41,189
-
Integration and transition costs
25,601
-
-
Acquisition and transaction costs
15,831
4,724
-
Share-based compensation and related premiums
13,444
2,765
-
Other non-recurring expenses
6,797
-
-
COVID related expenses
6,188
9,125
-
Loss on impairment and disposal of long-lived assets
5,371
Results of entities not legally controlled
-
-
Other expense (income), net
(1,139
)
(2,062
)
(266
)
Change in fair value of derivative liabilities - warrants
(208
)
42,679
Total adjustments
113,532
58,249
Adjusted EBITDA
$
384,581
$
260,077
$
126,409

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
Market Risk
Strategic and operational risks arise if we fail to carry out business operations and/or to raise sufficient equity and/or debt financing. These strategic opportunities or threats arise from a range of factors that might include changing economic and political circumstances and regulatory approvals and competitor actions. The risk is mitigated by consideration of other potential development opportunities and challenges which management may undertake.
Currency Risk
Our operating results and financial position are reported in U.S. dollars. Some of our financial transactions are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. The results of operations are subject to currency transaction risks.
We have no hedging agreements in place with respect to foreign exchange rates. We have not entered into any agreements or purchased any instruments to hedge possible currency risks at this time.
Credit Risk
Management does not believe that the Company has credit risk related to its customers, as the Company’s revenue is generated primarily through cash transactions. The Company deals almost entirely with on demand sales and does not have any material wholesale agreements as of December 31, 2021. Concentrations of credit risk with respect to our cash and cash equivalents are limited primarily to amounts held with financial institutions.
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that we will not be able to meet its financial obligations associated with financial liabilities. We manage liquidity risk through the management of its capital structure. Our approach to managing liquidity is to ensure that we will have sufficient liquidity to settle obligations and liabilities when due.
Asset forfeiture risk
Because the cannabis industry remains illegal under U.S. federal law, any property owned by participants in the cannabis industry which are either used in the course of conducting such business, or are the proceeds of such business, could be subject to seizure by law enforcement and subsequent civil asset forfeiture. Even if the owner of the property were never charged with a crime, the property in question could still be seized and subject to an administrative proceeding by which, with minimal due process, it could be subject to forfeiture.
Interest Rate Risk
Interest rate risk is the risk that the fair value or the future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate as a result of changes in market interest rates. As of December 31, 2021, our cash balances consisted of bank deposits and a money market fund. Our private placement debt (aggregate amount of $480 million) and long-term debt (aggregate amount of $16.6 million) bears interest at fixed rates. As of December 31, 2021, we also have lease obligations and construction finance liabilities of $203.4 million and $176.2 million, respectively. Interest rates on existing leases and construction finance liabilities typically do not change unless there is a modification to an underlying agreement. Changes in market interest rates impact the fair value of our derivative liabilities of which the balance is $2.9 million as of December 31, 2021, the term of which expires in April 2023, and as such there is no significant interest rate exposure for the derivative liabilities. Therefore exposure to market risk for changes in interest rates is limited.
See Item 7, Liquidity and Capital Resources, for additional information.
Concentration Risk
Our operations are substantially located in Florida and to a lesser extent Arizona and Pennsylvania. Should economic conditions deteriorate within that region, our results of operations and financial position would be negatively impacted.
General Economic Risk
Our operations could be affected by the economic context should the unemployment level, interest rates or inflation reach levels that influence consumer trends and spending and, consequently, impact our sales and profitability.
Banking Risk
Notwithstanding that a majority of states have legalized medical marijuana, there has been no change in U.S. federal banking laws related to the deposit and holding of funds derived from activities related to the marijuana industry. Given that U.S. federal law provides that the production and possession of cannabis is illegal, there is a strong argument that banks cannot accept for deposit funds from businesses involved with the marijuana industry. Consequently, businesses involved in the marijuana industry often have difficulty accessing the U.S. banking system and traditional financing sources. The inability to open bank accounts with certain institutions may make it difficult to operate the businesses of Trulieve, its subsidiaries and investee companies, and leaves their cash holdings vulnerable. We have banking relationships in all jurisdictions in which we operate.
Financial Instruments and Financial Risk Management
We are exposed in varying degrees to a variety of financial instrument related risks. The board of directors of Trulieve mitigate these risks by assessing, monitoring and approving the risk management processes.
The Company’s financial instruments that are measured at fair valued on a recurring basis consist of money market funds and a warrant liability. Our financial instruments where carrying value approximates the fair value include cash, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, notes payable, notes payable related party, operating lease liability, finance lease liability, other long-term liabilities and construction finance liability. Financial instruments recorded at fair value are classified using a fair value hierarchy that reflects the significance of the inputs to fair value measurements. The three levels of hierarchy are:
Level 1:
Observable inputs based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
Level 2:
Inputs other than quoted prices in active markets, that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly; and
Level 3:
Unobservable inputs for which there is little or no market data requiring the Company to develop its own assumptions.

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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
The financial information required by Item 8 is located beginning on page of this report.

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ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
None.

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ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.
Conclusion Regarding the Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognized that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, as ours are designed to do, and management necessarily was required to apply its judgment in evaluating the risk related to controls and procedures.
In connection with the preparation of this Form 10-K, as of December 31, 2021, an evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including the CEO and CFO, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act). Based on that evaluation, our management concluded that as of December 31, 2021, we did not maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures because of the material weakness in internal control over financial reporting described below under the caption “-Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.”
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
As of December 31, 2021, our management carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our CEO and CFO, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures using the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013). Based on the foregoing evaluation, our management concluded that our internal controls over financial reporting were not effective because of the material weakness identified in our internal control over financial reporting discussed below, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
As disclosed in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as of September 30, 2021 and "Item 1A. Risk Factors" management identified errors in the accounting for leases, asset acquisitions, and classification of assets. Management reviewed these errors identifying the root cause due to the control environment component of internal control as the Company did not maintain a sufficient complement of personnel with the appropriate level of knowledge, experience, and training in certain areas important to financial reporting. During 2021, even though a material misstatement was not identified in the Company’s financial statements, it was determined that there was a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement in the Company’s financial statements would not have been prevented or detected on a timely basis.
During the testing for the Company’s audit, it was determined that the primary user access controls and program change management controls over information technology systems were not effectively designed or implemented to ensure appropriate authorization and segregation of duties.
Management’s Remediation Measures
Management is committed to maintaining a strong internal control environment. In response to the identified material weakness in the overall control environment, management, with the oversight of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, has taken a
number of remediation actions during the year ended December 31, 2021, and are continuing our actions. Remediation actions taken during the year are outlined below.
•Added additional positions including Chief Accounting Officer (“CAO”), Executive Director of Financial Reporting, Assistant Controller, Regional Controllers, and Tax Director to provide enhanced oversight and technical experience in certain areas important to financial reporting.
•Engaged third party experts to assist management in assessing current processes and designing improved processes and controls for the consolidated Company.
•Added a Chief Technology Officer (“CTO”) to enhance the information technology environment including automation of processes and controls and finalization of an ongoing SAP implementation. There have also been additional Directors positions added to the Information Technology organization.
•Reviewed business processes surrounding leases, acquisitions, and other complex financial reporting areas to identify and implement enhanced procedures related to internal controls.
•Additional program change management controls over information technology systems implemented and are in the process of adding additional access and segregation of duties controls over financial relevant systems.
While significant progress has been made to enhance our internal control over financial reporting, we are still in the process of building and enhancing our processes, procedures, and controls. Additional time is required to complete the remediation of the material weaknesses and the assessment to ensure the sustainability of these remediation actions. We believe the above actions as well as those being implemented currently, when complete, will be effective in the remediation of the material weaknesses described above.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Except for the material weaknesses and the remediation efforts described above, no other change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2021, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

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ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 9B. Other Information.
None.

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ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Item 11. Executive Compensation.
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

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ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

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ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services.
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules.
(a)Documents filed as a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
(1)Financial Statements-See Index to Financial Statements and Financial Statement Schedule at Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(2)Financial Statement Schedules-See Index to Financial Statements and Financial Statement Schedule at Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. All other schedules are omitted because they are not applicable or not required.
(3)Index to Exhibits.
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
No.
Description
2.1
Merger Agreement, dated September 11, 2018, by and between Schyan Exploration Inc./Exploration Schyan Inc., Schyan Sub, Inc., and Trulieve, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
2.2
Arrangement Agreement, dated May 10, 2021, between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Harvest Health & Recreation Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 13, 2021 (File No. 000-56248))
2.3
Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated September 16, 2020, by and among Pioneer Leasing and Consulting LLC, the members thereof, Raymond Boyer, as the representative of each seller thereunder, Trulieve PA Merger Sub 2 Inc. and Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.18 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
2.4
Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated September 16, 2020, by and among PurePenn LLC, the members thereof, Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Trulieve PA Merger Sub 1, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.20 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
3.1
Articles of Trulieve Cannabis Corp., as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
4.1
Subordinate Voting Shares Specimen Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
4.2
Warrant to Purchase Subordinate Voting Shares of Trulieve Cannabis Corp., dated September 21, 2018, by and between Trulieve, Inc. and Kim Rivers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
4.3
Warrant to Purchase Subordinate Voting Shares of Trulieve Cannabis Corp., dated September 21, 2018, by and between Trulieve, Inc. and George Hackney, Jr. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
4.4
Amended and Restated Warrant to Purchase Subordinate Voting Shares of Trulieve Cannabis Corp., dated as of September 21, 2018, by and between Trulieve, Inc. and Craig Kirkland (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
4.5
Amended and Restated Warrant to Purchase Subordinate Voting Shares of Trulieve Cannabis Corp., dated as of September 21, 2018, by and between Trulieve, Inc. and the Jason B. Pernell Family Trust dated July 31, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
4.6
Amended and Restated Warrant to Purchase Subordinate Voting Shares of Trulieve Cannabis Corp., dated as of September 21, 2018, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Michael J. O’Donnell as Trustee of the Michael J. O’Donnell Revocable Trust (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.6 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
4.7
Trust Indenture, dated June 18, 2019, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Odyssey Trust Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.7 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
4.8
Warrant Indenture, dated June 18, 2019, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Odyssey Trust Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.8 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
4.9
Supplemental Warrant Indenture, dated November 7, 2019, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Odyssey Trust Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.9 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
4.10
Supplemental Warrant Indenture, dated December 10, 2020, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Odyssey Trust Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.10 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
4.11+
Description of Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
4.12
Supplemental Trust Indenture, dated as of October 6, 2021, between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Odyssey Trust Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 8, 2021 (File No. 000-56248))
4.13
Supplemental Warrant Indenture, dated as of October 1, 2021, between Trulieve Cannabis Corp., Harvest Health & Recreation, Inc. and Odyssey Trust Company (assumed by Trulieve Cannabis Corp. in connection with Harvest acquisition) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.8 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 21, 2022 (File No. 333-252052))
4.14
Replacement Purchase Warrant to Purchase Subordinate Voting Shares of Trulieve Cannabis Corp., dated October 1, 2021, issued by Trulieve Cannabis Corp. to Russon Holdings Limited (assumed by Trulieve Cannabis Corp. in connection with Harvest acquisition) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.9 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 21, 2022 (File No. 333-252052))
4.15
Form of Warrant to Purchase Subordinate Voting Shares of Harvest Health & Recreation Inc., dated May 10, 2019, issued to Purchasers of 7% Unsecured Convertible Debentures (assumed by Trulieve Cannabis Corp. in connection with Harvest acquisition) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.10 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 21, 2022 (File No. 333-252052))
4.16
Warrant dated April 23, 2020 issued by Harvest Health & Recreation, Inc. to Cumberland Property Leasing, LLC (assumed by Trulieve Cannabis Corp. in connection with Harvest acquisition) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.11 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 21, 2022 (File No. 333-252052))
4.17
Restricted Share Unit Award Agreement dated as of September 15, 2021 by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Jason B. Pernell Family Trust, as the assignee of Jason Pernell (replaced the Amended and Restated Warrant to Purchase Subordinate Voting Shares of Trulieve Cannabis Corp., dated as of September 21, 2018, by and between Trulieve, Inc. and the Jason B. Pernell Family Trust dated July 31, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 17, 2021 (File No. 000-56248))
4.18
Restricted Share Unit Award Agreement dated as of September 15, 2021 by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Kim Rivers (replaced the Warrant to Purchase Subordinate Voting Shares of Trulieve Cannabis Corp., dated September 21, 2018, by and between Trulieve, Inc. and Kim Rivers) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 17, 2021 (File No. 000-56248))
10.1
Schyan Exploration Inc. Stock Option Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.2
Form of Director and Officer Indemnity Agreement, dated September 21, 2018, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and each of Kim Rivers, Thad Beshears, George Hackney, Richard S. May, Michael J. O’Donnell and Jason Pernell (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.3
Form of Share Distribution Agreement (Organized Trade), dated July 2020, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and F. Ashley May, Frederick B. May Family Irrevocable Trust - 2018, John B. May Family Irrevocable Trust 2018, Elizabeth Bailey May, Elizabeth S May, Frederick B. May, Peter T. Healy, John B. May Sr., Richard S. May, Susan E Thronson, Jason Pernell, Kim Rivers, Thomas L Millner and Shade Leaf Holdings, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.4
Share Distribution Agreement (Trading Plan), dated July 2020, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Thad Beshears (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.5
Lease Agreement between One More Wish, LLC and Trulieve, Inc., dated April 29, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.6
Lease Agreement between One More Wish II, LLC and Trulieve, Inc., dated August 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.7
Loan and Security Agreement, by and between Traunch Four, LLC, and George Hackney, Inc., dated May 24, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.8
Promissory Note, dated May 24, 2018, by and between George Hackney, Inc., d/b/a Trulieve and Traunch Four, LLC, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Promissory Note dated as of December 31, 2019 and that certain Second Amendment to Promissory Note dated as of March 2, 2021 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.14 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.9
Consulting Agreement, dated April 21, 2020 between Dickinson & Associates, Inc., and Trulieve Holdings, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.10
Coattail Agreement, dated September 21, 2018, by and among Trulieve Cannabis Corp., Odyssey Trust Company and holders of the Super Voting Shares (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.11
Share Conversion Agreement by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Kim Rivers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.12
Registration Rights Agreement, dated November 12, 2020, by and among Trulieve Cannabis Corp., each of the shareholders set forth therein, and Raymond Boyer, as the representative of each of the shareholders set forth therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.19 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.13
Registration Rights Agreement, dated November 12, 2020, by and among Trulieve Cannabis Corp., each of the shareholders set forth therein, and Gabriel A. Perlow, as the representative of each of the shareholders set forth therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.21 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.14
Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated September 16, 2020, by and among Keystone Relief Centers LLC, the sellers set forth therein, Dr. Robert Capretto, as the representative of each seller set forth therein, Trulieve PA LLC and Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.22 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.15
Asset Purchase Agreement, dated October 1, 2020, by and between Life Essence, Inc. and Patient Centric of Martha’s Vineyard Ltd. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.23 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.16
Asset Purchase Agreement, dated December 1, 2020, by and among Life Essence, Inc. Trulieve Cannabis Corp., Sammartino Investments, LLC, Natures’s Remedy of Massachusetts, Inc. and John Brady (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.24 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.17
Promissory Note, dated May 24, 2018, by and between George Hackney, Inc., d/b/a Trulieve and Kim Rivers, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Promissory Note dated as of December 31, 2019 and that certain Second Amendment to Promissory Note dated as of March 2, 2021 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.25 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 12, 2021 (File No. 333-252052))
10.18
Registration Rights Agreement, dated July 7, 2021, by and among Trulieve Cannabis Corp., each of the shareholders set forth therein, and Michael J. Badey, as the representative of each of the shareholders set forth therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.28 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 21, 2022 (File No. 333-252052))
10.19
Executive Employment Agreement, dated September 29, 2021, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Kimberly Rivers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 30, 2021 (File No. 000-56248))
10.20
Executive Employment Agreement, dated September 29, 2021, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Alex D’Amico (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 30, 2021 (File No. 000-56248))
10.21
Executive Employment Agreement, dated September 29, 2021, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Eric Powers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 30, 2021 (File No. 000-56248))
10.22
Executive Employment Agreement, dated September 29, 2021, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Rebecca Young (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 30, 2021 (File No. 000-56248))
10.23
Executive Employment Agreement, dated September 29, 2021, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Kyle Landrum (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 21, 2022 (File No. 333-252052)
10.24
Executive Employment Agreement, dated September 29, 2021, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Tim Morey (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 21, 2022 (File No. 333-252052))
10.25
Executive Employment Agreement, dated December 24, 2021, by and between Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Steve White (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 29, 2021 (File No. 000-56248))
10.26
Form of Voting Support and Lock-Up Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 13, 2021 (File No. 000-56248))
10.27
Form of Voting Support Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 13, 2021 (File No. 000-56248))
10.28
Harvest Health and Recreation Inc. 2018 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the SEC on October 6, 2021 (File No. 333-260098))
10.29
Harvest Health and Recreation Inc. Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the SEC on October 6, 2021 (File No. 333-260098))
10.30
Trulieve Cannabis Corp. 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 11, 2021 (File No. 000-56248))
18.1+
Preferability Letter of Marcum LLP
21.1
Subsidiaries of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 21, 2022 (File No. 333-252052))
23.1+
Consent of MNP LLP
23.2+
Consent of Marcum LLP
31.1+
Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2+
Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.1+
Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
99.1+
Appendix A (Licenses and Permits)
101.INS
Inline XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL Document)
+ Filed herein.
 Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.