Innholdsfortegnelse for Fall 2022 i Cannabis & Tech Today

“Try as we might, publishers often miss the mark when speaking to retailers about the reality of running a dispensary.” In preparation for our annual retail issue, I’ve been taking more time out to talk with local cannabis entrepreneurs. While the headlines about cannabis businesses usually mention the billions the industry is earning, they often fail to capture the struggles of small business owners. This industry is tough. It's not like other regulated sectors, even alcohol, which is often referenced as a model for how cannabis regulations are supposed to roll out. Owning a cannabis retail shop is brand new in the 21st century. Try as we might, publishers often miss the mark when speaking to retailers about the reality of running a dispensary. I spoke with a dispensary owner…

Cannabis Conference Presented by Cannabis Business Times This education-based event centers around plant-touching hemp and cannabis businesses. It features 85,000 square feet of trade show floor curated for cultivation, dispensary, and extraction professionals. This year's keynote featuring Chris Conrad and Mikki Norris illustrated the nuanced history of cannabis prohibition and legalization. Norris discussed the complexity and importance of creating a more equitable industry, while Conrad explored the evolution of legal cannabis from early advocacy to the marketplace we know today. For the thousands of Americans entering the legal cannabis space each year, the Cannabis Conference is a value-driven event prioritizing informative, inspiring content. Southern Hemp Expo Morris Beegle's hemp conferences are the industry’s best showcase of all hemp has to offer. The Southern Hemp Expo rolls several specialized events into…

The cannabis industry is facing a unique crisis. Despite achieving enormous growth as more states come online, many producers are struggling. Oversupply, particularly in mature markets, has caused wholesale prices to hit rock bottom. A number of operators have been forced to eradicate vast quantities of flower they simply could not sell. The problem has hit certain markets especially hard. Headlines swirled this summer when it was reported that Canadian cannabis growers destroyed a record 425 million grams (468 tons) of unsold, unpackaged product in 2021. Since adult-use sales began in 2018, cultivators in Canada have destroyed nearly one billion grams. It's a similar story in California. Legacy farmers in the famed Emerald Triangle, many of whom have cultivated for generations, have been frantically waving the red flag since adult-use…

BUSINESS INNOVATIONS Presented By Smoking cannabis on the sidewalk is thrilling, but forbidden. It says to the world, "I'm not ashamed! Cannabis is just as legal as alcohol!” Unlike alcohol, cannabis doesn’t have a bar on every corner where anyone can imbibe. For most Americans, even in legalized states, public consumption is outlawed. If you want to partake, go home. Where are the canna-tourists supposed to ingest? What about the Friday night smokers looking to socialize while consuming their preferred intoxicant? In much of the U.S., they are relegated to dark alleyways or blatant lawlessness. To remedy this policy oversight, cannabis consumption lounges are opening in many adult-use states. California, Colorado, New Mexico, and others are encouraging the development of cannaconsumption spaces to provide consumers with safe, legal options for…

BUSINESS INNOVATIONS Presented By As the cannabis market expands worldwide with new strains, upstart cannabis manufacturers, and many established entities, the need for cannabis companies to differentiate themselves is immediate. The key word is branding, and it’s a lot more complicated than searing a cow. What is Branding? Brand management is crucial for the cannabis space. Evan Berglund is the senior partner at San Francisco’s The Gonzberg Agency. He feels brand management is crucial in the cannabis industry. According to Berglund, “Branding is just as important for cannabis as it always has been for other Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), like cigarettes and soda. In other words, branding is ultimately critical for the product being picked off the shelf.” Brandon Dorsky, CEO of healthy edibles manufacturer Fruit Slabs, said brand…

Cannabis cultivation is often a process of delayed gratification. After months of growing, cultivators spend weeks drying and curing crops to create beautiful, shelf-worthy flower. The drying process can be tedious and laden with risks. Nugs that have lost too much moisture (an easy feat in Nevada’s climate) offer a less desirable smoke and sell for less at the retailer. If the humidity in the drying room is too high, mildew quickly settles into the product. Whether its valuable real estate lost to drying or burdensome HVAC expenses, crafting the perfect crop doesn’t stop at harvest. When flower is ready for testing, Nevada regulations allow only 15% moisture content. Loss of terpenes and flavonoids are some of the first noticeable signs the flower hasn’t been properly dried. Improperly cured buds…

More than 10 million Americans misused prescription opioids in 2019, aaccording to the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Former Buccaneers offensive lineman Ian Beckles feels that number is too high. During his time in the National Football League (NFL), Beckles saw how players were expected to handle pain. “How we dealt with pain was the way the doctors presented it to us, and that was with pills,” Beckles told Cannabis & Tech Today in a recent Cannabis Tech Talks podcast appearance. He shared his disgust that players were advised to take addictive medications, "stuff that's killing people every single day,” rather than anti-inflammatories like cannabis or CBD. “Instead of handing out pills, they should be handing out joints as everybody’s leaving the complex,” Beckles added. Plant Medicine…

When you hear the word "survivor," what comes to mind? Perhaps it’s the memory of a traumatic event you overcame or a hardship you endured. For some, “survivor” harkens to the reality television series of the same name, in which contestants compete for a hefty cash prize. For cancer survivor and Survivor competitor Ethan Zohn, it’s a bit of both. In 2002, Zohn won $1,000,000 on the third season of CBS’ Survivor: Africa. It would be his first of three appearances on the series. He also participated in several other national television shows, including Fear Factor, PitchMen, and The Amazing Race. While competing for the cameras, he was fighting another battle behind the scenes. Zohn was twice diagnosed with CD20+Hodgkin's Lymphoma. He spent years undergoing treatment, including two stem cell…

Manufacturers in the rapidly growing cannabis gummy, confection, lozenge, beverage, and edible categories have long struggled with consistency and bioavailability issues. However, the latest scientific research and pharmacokinetic testing data have demonstrated that high-quality nanoemulsions may be the key to providing consumers with faster, more efficacious, and consistent uptake of key ingredients, particularly hard-to-absorb, fatsoluble cannabinoids. The pharmaceutical industry knows quite well that key ingredients and medications are a waste if the body can’t absorb them. Likewise, manufacturers of cannabis or THC products should seriously consider why they are taking the time, effort, and money to make a great edible or drinkable product if the key ingredient is in a format that the body cannot readily absorb. High-quality nanoemulsions can solve that problem and give consumers a consistent experience. They…

NOVEMBER 15-18 | MJBizCon | Las Vegas, NV NOV. 30 - DEC. 2 | The CBD Expo West | Los Angeles, CA DECEMBER 8 | Cannabis Business Awards - White Ball | Denver, CO 11-14 | National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference | Washington, DC 14-16 | CannaCosmo Health + Beauty Expo | Women Grow Strong Expo | Las Vegas, NV JANUARY 20-22 | Cannabis Industry & Conference Expo | Detroit, MI FEBRUARY 14-17 | Cannatech Expo | Fort Lauderdale, FL 24-25 | CannaCon South | Biloxi, MS Can’t wait for the next cannabis event? Scan now to discover what’s happening worldwide with the Cannabis & Tech Today Events Calendar. Visit emergecanna.com to stay up-to-date on everything the Emerge Virtual Cannabis Conference has to offer.…

There have been significant developments in the cannabis space since Volume 4 Issue 2 hit newsstands. President Joe Biden announced on Oct. 6, 2022, his administration will pardon 6,500 individuals held on simple federal cannabis possession convictions. Biden also requested the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services review how cannabis is federally scheduled. Nancy Whiteman, CEO of Wana Brands, said of the news, “This is an important step in full decriminalization and a meaningful way to begin to address the racial disparities around the arrests and convictions of BIPOC people." This November, citizens in five states vote on whether to legalize adult-use cannabis. Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota are taking the issue to the polls. At the time of this writing, 19 states (44% of the…

Hemp Dog and Cat Toys If your Fido or feline is fond of playtime, hemp toys are a durable, sustainable alternative to cotton or rubber materials. A quick internet search offers a wide variety of hemp toys, but some companies take special care to offer only chemical-free, pet-friendly gear. Boba & Vespa create hemp dog bones and catnip toys without toxic dyes, squeakers, or pesticides. A bonus for Boba & Vespa is it makes its toys in America. If sustainability is important to you, look for products as close to home as possible. Hemp Sunglasses Hemp sunglasses would display beautifully on any retail shelf. They are lightweight, naturally antibacterial, and offer UV protection Hemp Eyewear Edinburgh is one purveyor of hemp glasses that are both eco-friendly and stylish. Each pair…

BUSINESS INNOVATIONS Presented By The Internet of Things rules the world. And while integrated ecosystems are indeed convenient, a failure can create chaos. That is especially true for cannabis retailers. Point-of-sale systems are often the backbone of dispensaries and act as the command center for the suite of tech throughout the business. They do not just process transactions; the software may also provide accounting, inventory management, marketing, and track-and-trace reporting — all crucial components of a business’s success. Issues with this technology could spell disaster for a licensed operator, especially when it comes to compliance. Internet outages, system crashes, and back-end failures can be catastrophic for many retailers if they do not have strong tech solutions in place. Gary Cohen, CEO of Cova Software, understands this better than most. As…

BUSINESS INNOVATIONS Presented By The term “Kush” has been interchangeable with “high quality” for years. Before the days of what is now a widely regulated market in the U.S., black market sellers would tout their product’s potency by using the prestigious label. Named after Matt “Bubba” Berger, Bubba Kush changed the face of the cannabis industry. Now, House of Kush, a legacy cannabis genetics company based in Denver, Colorado is using the original genetics of OG Kush, Bubba Kush, and several other strains that have become synonymous with the “OG” culture to provide authentic strains to the worldwide cannabis community. House of Kush recently partnered with Clever Leaves, a multinational operator and licensed producer of pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids, to provide “Kush certified” legacy products to an international consumer base. Proprietary Potency…

102 Active Licensed Cannabis Dispensaries 144 Medical & Recreational Cultivation Facilities 111 Medical & Recreational Production Facilities 10 Independent Testing Laboratories 2022 Fiscal Year Revenue: Source: marijuanamoment.net $965,091,123 in Total Cannabis Purchases $147,000,000 in Education Funding From Recreational Cannabis Excise Taxes 5 Fifth Fastest Growing State Fifth Most Tax-Friendly State #1 Best State for Infrastructure 22,000 Conventions Held in Las Vegas Annually McCarran International Airport is the Seventh Busiest Airport in North America…

Former Seattle Seahawks linebacker and three-time Pro Bowl player Lofa Tatupu knows about adversity. Whether slogging through game day with multiple injuries or starting a CBD business in an increasingly saturated market, mental acumen, discipline, and determination have been his greatest ally. “It's the chip on the shoulder,” Tatupu said in a recent Cannabis Tech Talks episode. “You literally either build or break. I was always great at blocking out the noise or even just turning that into motivation to prove people wrong.” Proving people wrong is something he has done successfully now in the cutthroat world of professional football and business. And the way empires rise and fall in the exciting, burgeoning, yet still immature cannabis industry, it's hard to accurately say whether pro football or starting a cannabis…

Adam Benko is the co-founder and head of partnerships at MJstack. He is focused on expanding and nurturing the company’s robust partner ecosystem, which is an integral part of connecting customers with the right tech partners for long-term, mutual success. Prior to founding MJstack, Adam worked in enterprise tech sales and strategy for industry-leading companies like Flowhub, Floify, and CA Technologies where he was focused on helping customers become thriving modern digital businesses. Rachelle Gordon is a cannabis and psychedelics writer dedicated to educating the masses on the powers of plant medicine. She is especially interested in the potential these compounds have with regard to the treatment of neurological disorders. A graduate of Hamline University in Saint Paul, Rachelle currently splits her time between Minneapolis and Oakland. Her favorite cultivars…

Walking into a dispensary for the first time, or even the tenth, can be a little overwhelming. With such a wealth of options of brands, strains, and packaging types, decision paralysis can easily set in. While decisions on whether to purchase flower, concentrates, edibles, or a refreshing cannabis beverage comes down to personal choice and need, the choice of which packaging to choose comes down to science — pure and simple. Understanding the science behind packaging can better inform your decision on what brand of flower to purchase. Here are a few things to consider when it comes to packaging. Open Dispensary vs. Sealed Product At 58% of sales on average, flower continues to be the primary category of cannabis purchased at dispensaries. However, the way flower is packaged and…

What time of day elicits the most interaction from Facebook users? How can I incorporate brand messaging into the latest TikTok dance trend? Is it poor taste to tag my post with something trending even if my content is completely unrelated? Questions like these plague many small business owners. Even companies with a social media coordinator are often left guessing how to enhance their engagement. The issue is even more complicated for cannabis companies. Several platforms, particularly Instagram (IG), have strict rules around cannabis. IG's terms of service prohibit the promotion and sale of cannabis products. Content creators have to be meticulous about tags, verbiage, and product marketing. For cannabis entrepreneurs, finding success on social requires innovative thinking, creativity, and consistency. To better understand the dynamic world of social media,…

Cannabis sales are hot. In fact, according to BDSA, worldwide sales of marijuana are expected to reach just over $35 billion in 2022. That represents a 22% increase over the 2021 tally of $29 billion. By 2026, BDSA predicts that number will skyrocket to $61 billion. With that much green at stake, the world of cannabis plays an ever-increasing role in the American economy. But who speaks for the industry, especially when it comes to the hallowed halls of Congress and every statehouse in the union? David Carlucci, for one. Carlucci is a former New York state senator who turned his attention to lobbying on behalf of cannabis companies since leaving the legislature in January 2021. He is a registered lobbyist in several states. His license to lobby in New…

BUSINESS INNOVATIONS Presented By Legal cannabis has always had an outsized and unjust share of obstacles — but it now faces a perfect storm of calamity. From inflation and oversupply to punitive tax systems and illicit market competition, small cannabis retailers and brands are struggling to survive. With so many factors beyond their control, the best way for cannabis businesses to compete in this brutal environment is by leveraging customer relationship management (CRM). By adopting CRM strategies and tools, cannabis brands and retailers can tap into their existing customer bases, increase revenues, and lay the infrastructure to compete once cannabis is federally legal. Retailers and brands often bemoan the notoriously fickle cannabis clientele, but loyalty is earned, not given. CRM is what allows successful brands to earn devoted followings, and…

While federal legalization of cannabis continues to languish in the halls of Congress, the Biden administration is being proactive on the issue. On Oct. 6, in a historic move, President Joe Biden announced he will pardon all federal offenses of simple cannabis possession and called for rescheduling the drug. Cannabis is currently a Schedule I narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. According to the CSA, Schedule I drugs have “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” This classification impacts the legality of possessing the substance and limits medical and scientific research. “This is the same schedule as for heroin and LSD, and even higher than the classification of fentanyl and methamphetamine — the drugs that are driving our overdose epidemic,” Biden noted. All Marijuana…

Jorel Decker greeted me shirtless and sweating. He adjusted the camera on his smartphone to fit his upper body in frame while other hotel patrons flitted behind him from one fitness machine to the next. Decker was working out in the hotel gymnasium during the first leg of Hollywood Undead's first North American tour since the pandemic. Between bicep curls, he explained why working in the cannabis industry can be an oppressive, expensive, and sometimes shady experience. Decker is one of the founding members of the nu-metal group Hollywood Undead. Its latest album, Hotel Kalifornia, launched in August of this year. The band formed in 2005 and in the years since only stopped touring in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Decker and bandmate George Ragan have stayed busy during the…

One of the most exciting aspects of covering the cannabis industry is the exponentially increasing innovation within the sector. In the medical field, studies are consistently being conducted to validate anecdotal evidence of the benefits cannabinoids offer. Manufacturers of cannabis accessories are using AI to more precisely weigh and distribute flower, and cultivators are using novel and increasingly sustainable technologies to grow larger and more consistent yields. It is a uniquely intriguing industry with some of the greatest minds of our generation on board for the ride. Add to the pot the rollercoaster of emotion felt by business leaders and you have a lively ecosystem that offers almost infinite opportunity. Of course, there is one sector that is conspicuously missing from the equation: the pharmaceutical industry. The complicated nature of…

CREATING CHANGE The Cannabis & Tech Today year-end issue is a special opportunity to highlight the people and companies at the leading edge of cannabis technology. From Innovator of the Year to the Top 20 Most Innovative Products, we’re covering the concepts, gadgetry, and businesses defying the status quo. MEDICAL MARVELS Health and wellness is the cornerstone of legal cannabis legislation. Many enjoy the herb recreationally, but its medical applications are where most people find its true value. Volume 4 Issue 4 will take a closer look at emerging cannabinoid research to shine a light on the next frontier of medical science. SOME SUGAR IN YOUR BOWL Can cannabis affect your libido? Researchers are working to find out how cannabis impacts our sex drive and why certain cannabinoids may be…