The New Jersey CannaBusiness Association (NJCBA) today announced the addition of Nicholas Zitelli to its Board. Zitelli is currently the CEO of Applied Cannabis Sciences (ACS) of New Jersey, a group that carries over a dozen MMJ licenses across several states in the U.S. He is also a part owner, Director, and Chief Cannabis Officer of Trans High Corporation, the parent company for High Times brands, including all media and event platforms.
“There are fewer people in the country – perhaps on the planet – who have a better understanding of cannabis and the cannabis industry than Nicholas Zitelli,” said NJCBA President Scott Rudder. “Nicholas makes the NJ CannaBusiness’ Board that much stronger and he will be a crucial asset as we work towards recreational cannabis legalization and medical cannabis expansion.”
ACS is currently participating in the RFA process for one of the six new vertically-integrated medicinal cannabis licenses being awarded this November in New Jersey. Writing under the pen name Nico Escondido since 2007, Zitelli has penned hundreds of articles relating to the cultivation, science, and technologies involved with the cannabis plant.
In 2014, Mr. Zitelli founded the Cannabis Genetics Institute (CGI) in Holland. CGI is a well-known research and development institute in regard to breeding customized medicinal strains of cannabis that are ailment-specific. CGI has partnered with both Steep Hill Labs in Berkeley, CA as well as the Cannabis Genomic Research Initiative (CGRI) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, leading to breakthrough research in the realm of marker-assisted breeding to create ailment-specific medicinal cannabis strains.
Known around the industry as an expert in cannabis genetics, plant sciences and photobiology, Zitelli has lectured extensively at events around the world and consulted with dozens of cannabis companies on the technical issues surrounding cannabis cultivation, genetics and breeding, and both lab and garden technologies.
Nicholas joins the board as momentum continues to build on cannabis-related issues in New Jersey. Senate President Sweeney recently commented that he is confident both the Senate and Assembly will have the votes necessary to pass legislation legalizing recreational cannabis and expanding medical cannabis. In addition, media outlets have reported that bill sponsors in both the Senate and Assembly have agreed on crucial aspects of potential legislation.
