By Doug Poretz I have a warning – a very serious heads-up – for all those who are part of the executive team of a publicly owned cannabis company: Do not let the tail wag the dog. A company’s ultimate success will be the result of delivering clearly differentiated products or services at a competitive […]
The Buck Stops Here
Cannabis Industry Slow Rollouts and Consolidations to Drive Ancillary Partnerships, M&A
By: Zachary Venegas Analysts have predicted upwards of 20,000 business licenses and a potentially $21+ billion market in California alone by 2021. The massive growth implicit in such projections seems a far cry from the operating tempo of the legal industry’s current rollout. Even so, examining other states that have implemented medical and adult-use cannabis […]
The Buck Stops Here: Our Transition to a Customer-First Operation
By Jill Ellsworth, MS, RDN Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche famously noted that out of chaos comes order. His theory has proven true time and time again. One day, it might even apply to the cannabis industry. For now, we are a work in progress. Currently we have inconsistency among our state regulations, continual and confusing updates […]
CO2 is Here to Stay….
Recently, I read a social media post where a fan of hydrocarbon extractions said, “People have been extracting plant into oil for 70 years. The vast majority of that is done with hydrocarbon or alcohol. Why the cannabis industry has held on to CO2 being the best extraction method is very puzzling”. Additionally, I have […]
#TimesUp in the Cannabis Industry: How Marijuana Can Flip the Script on Workplace Harassment
The cannabis industry is primed to build a corporate culture with no tolerance for harassment. As I’ve watched the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements sweep across our nation in recent months, it’s become increasingly clear that America’s burgeoning cannabis industry has a unique opportunity to set itself apart from the many mainstream industries plagued by pervasive […]
Cole Memo No More? Some Initial Thoughts
By Patrick Vo Earlier today, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions officially rescinded the federal cannabis guidance outlined in the Cole Memo. For those who don’t know, the Cole Memo basically states that as long as states employ effective tracking and regulatory frameworks to limit diversion and promote public safety within their state-recognized cannabis markets, then […]
Maine, Marijuana and Mass Confusion
Maine – the land of the lighthouse and the lobster. And it almost became the first state on the east coast to adopt a regulated and taxed marijuana marketplace. Instead, the nation’s former #1 medical program is now left in chaos and cited as part of the reason why recreational marijuana implementation has been delayed. […]
The Shocking Shift in Perception of Cannabis
Ok, that headline is probably not even news in the cannabis industry. The past 12 months have brought dramatic change to the landscape of the cannabis marketplace, and a shocking shift in the U.S. acceptance of cannabis as both a medicine and a recreational product. Most people seem to know that cannabis is quickly becoming […]
The Evolution of the Dispensary: Automate What You Can and Let the Budtenders Offer a Personal Touch
As our industry matures, dispensary owners and customers have come to expect more satisfaction from the cannabis shopping experience. Unlike other retail businesses that have succumbed to the virtual marketplace, regulations governing how cannabis is marketed and sold require that dispensaries follow a more traditional bricks and mortar model. For proprietors like me, cannabis retail […]
The Shift in Cannabis Reform, and What’s Driving It
Frankly stated, notably on the west coast and in Colorado, the first generation of quasi-legal ganjapreneurs were previously engaged, almost exclusively, in criminal activity at both the state and federal level: No regulations, no taxes, no product or employee liabilities, and regrettably therein, no legal or political credibility. However, and becoming increasingly self-evident, the second […]
Ontario Engages Cannabis
Ontario has issued its plans for how to implement cannabis legalization once it becomes national law, and we believe there is much to champion in the province’s approach towards building a smart regulatory framework that benefits consumers, businesses and government. As owners of cannabis grow facilities in different provinces, we are eager to begin working […]
Be a Force for Good: Sustainable Operations, Organic Best Practices and Radical Transparency
This summer, leaders in the ethical and clean cannabis movements joined forces to establish a new third-party certification that addresses two unmet and growing concerns for marijuana consumers – organically grown and fairly produced cannabis. At time when dangerous pesticide use continues to cause havoc, such as the recent recall of concentrates laced with myclobutanil, […]
Elevating Edibles Education
When I founded Wana Brands in 2010, cannabis had just recently come online in Colorado. The early years of edibles were filled with trial and error, adjusting to industry rules and regulations. We were all finding our footing in a fledgling industry. Since then, Wana Brands has experienced significant growth, demonstrating that the edibles sector […]
Social Cannabis Policies are Imperative to the Success of Legalization and Regulation
By Ean Seeb and Emmett Reistroffer Social cannabis consumption is an important and pressing issue as more states continue to end prohibition and legalize cannabis across the country. Imagine if when ending alcohol prohibition, distillers and brewers settled for only drinking at home, and if there were no pub or tavern model. That’s essentially the […]
The De-Commoditization of Cannabis
Everywhere you look, there is evidence that the cannabis industry, like so many others, is rapidly turning into a commodity-driven sector. News that Washington State growers are lowering prices “in a race to the bottom” helps fuel that notion. Dispensary owners are reporting that their lowest priced merchandise is often what sells best. However, I […]
FACT.. a new acronym to come
Eight years in the cannabis industry has brought more than grey hair, a divorce, the opportunity to create and sell a few companies and chronic heartburn. This experience has given me the chance to see trends and patterns develop as this industry gains legitimacy and evolves from shady, unspoken skunk “safety-meetings”, to a commonplace cure-all […]
When abnormal is the norm
Sometimes working in cannabis leaves me feeling like I’m through the looking glass. It’s not just that my job is federally illegal, or that we now offer receipts for cannabis after generations of lurking in the shadows. Often the strangest part of my day is when something “normal” happens. I was surprised and excited when […]
What your retail team should know.. and why you should teach them
Margaret Thatcher once said, “Being powerful is like being a lady: If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” I find that quote to be surprisingly relevant when it comes to dispensaries and their budtenders. I have visited many stores where the budtenders have to tell you they are budtenders, otherwise you would […]
