As cannabis emerges from the shadows of its illicit past, the socio-economic inequality created by decades of the “War on Drugs” stands in stark contrast to the substantial wealth being created by cannabis legalization. While no other business has been as disruptive as cannabis in terms of breaking social norms, it still struggles with along […]
The Buck Stops Here
The Vape Crisis: A Roadmap to Redemption
The Whole Gamet The vape crisis has taken its toll in many ways. First and foremost, tainted vape cartridges have sickened thousands and have reportedlycaused the death of dozens. The crisis has also hit the legal and regulated cannabis industry hard. Companies involved with vaporizers and cartridges have lost significant revenues. Some companies have lost […]
Why Legal Cannabis is So Expensive: Understanding 280E and how the STATES Act Can Help
By Erik Knutson Mention the price of cannabis at a legal, regulated dispensary to a consumer and be prepared to get an impassioned earful. Mention 280E to a licensed cannabis business operator and also be prepared to get an impassioned earful – and rightfully so! Business owners get it and don’t want customers to pay […]
CBD Industry Not Likely to Maintain Accelerated Growth in a ‘Buyer Beware’ Environment
Various sources and market analysts predict exponential growth in consumer sales of CBD-specific products in the US marketplace. Experts point to changing state and federal policies, as well as growing public familiarity and demand for CBD products as reasons to foresee continued rapid market expansion. But these rosy economic outlooks largely avoid any mention of […]
Breaking into New Markets: 4 Steps to Becoming a Successful MSO
As the legalization of both medical and recreational use of cannabis continues to sweep across the United States, more cannabis businesses are looking to expand into new markets. But owners and operators often try to do so at an unrealistic and risky pace. Rules and regulations vary from state to state, so it’s important to […]
When Is A Dose Not A Dose? Innovation Standards Will Make Or Break The Industry
I don’t think anyone would deny that innovation is key to propelling a nascent, disorganized and immature industry into one that shows signs of longevity, impact and importance. That is to say, industries do not mature (tech, manufacturing, etc.) without many smart people who push the envelope aggressively to drive breakthroughs from the mediocrity or […]
Cannabis: An Idea Worth Spreading
I entered the cannabis industry in 2011. By all standards, this makes me a cannabis veteran. I always joke that there should be a cannabis year convertor similar to what we do with dogs because these past 8 years have aged me! They’ve been filled with obstacles and challenges. But the rewards have been astounding […]
Looking Beyond Tax and Banking Bills to Establish Sustainable Solutions for California’s Complex Regulatory Challenges
By Dr. John Oram Op-Ed More than a year after California became the sixth state to legalize adult-use marijuana, the legal cannabis industry has yet to live up to the high expectations envisioned by supporters of Proposition 64. The number of retail licenses issued is thousands less than state officials originally estimated and state revenue […]
A Stock Symbol is not a Value Proposition
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 […]
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 […]
