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Sowing Seeds Spring is my favorite time of year. New life is Emerging everywhere (take a puff for every time we say Emerge). Birds are hatching and blossoms are blooming. In the Midwest, it’s planting season for hemp and cannabis. Eager seeds will soon sprout into America’s hottest new agricultural crop. That’s why each year, we celebrate planting season with our Sustainability and Cultivation issue. This year we take a look at innovations in indoor and outdoor farming.
Charles Warner, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
“ Birds are hatching and blossoms are blooming. In the Midwest, it’s planting season for hemp and cannabis. Eager seeds will soon sprout into America’s hottest new agricultural crop.”
Automation, machine learning, and vertical farming are all making huge strides into the cannabis space. LED lighting is more advanced than ever, so we spoke with three of the biggest brands in the sector to discover how LEDs are changing the science of cultivation. Most importantly, we explore how growers are using sustainable techniques and technologies to lower their carbon footprint. Our cover feature for this issue is actor, comedian, and author Pete Holmes. As with so many comedians, underneath his funny-man facade is a deeply thoughtful person with a powerfully inquisitive mind. In this interview that our esteemed Editor, Trish Miller did, he explores the meaning of life, how psychedelics helped him understand religion, and why people who smoke cannabis often have the best conversations. He also discusses his new show How We Roll on CBS. The series stars Holmes as a Midwest father and husband who leaves his job at a car factory to Emerge as a professional bowler. (Puff.) Do I wish it was a show about how people roll joints? Yes I do. And so does STM Canna. But will I also watch a series about Pete Holmes trying his hand at pro-level bowling? Yes, I will. Holmes is hilarious so let’s roll! Something Holmes touches on, and a recurring theme in my life the past few months, is the importance of presence. The pandemic taught us nothing is guaranteed. Time with loved ones is precious and fleeting. The escalating crisis in Ukraine is another reminder to be present in each moment, grateful for our blessings, and aware that the lives we lead could change in an instant. As you read the pages of this issue, I hope you’ll remind yourself to slow down. Feel the quality of the pages, let your inner narrator practice its best Morgan Freeman impression, and lose yourself in the words. Our Cannabis & Tech Today Team and our partners have put a lot of love into this issue, so enjoy! Looking forward, make sure that you check out the National Cannabis Party at nationalcannabisparty.org and see how you can get involved with electing pro-cannabis representatives and help us establish an equitable and sustainable world and all the benefits that go with it. Redman, Sephida, Montel, Damon, myself, and the rest of the NCP are just getting warmed up and we can’t make change without your support. Finally, for those that remember Emerge (Puff), we are firing up the 3D VR Metaverse and will have another summer Emerge Aug. 9 along with a year-end 2022 Emerge (Puff, Puff). Besides our epic Emerge (Puff) events, we will be hosting town halls, industry events, expungement clinics, and educational and business themed days in the platform so make sure you sign up for a membership and follow the conversation on social media and online.
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Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
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SINCE LAST ISSUE… It’s been a busy few months since the last issue hit the stands. Cannabis & Tech Today Editor-in-Chief Charles Warner has been out on the town, enjoying Denver’s social scene as pandemic restrictions start to wane. In late December, Warner attended an MMA fight between Elias Theodorou and Bryan Baker. Theodorou made history at the fight as the first American to compete in an athletic event with a Therapeutic Use Exemption for cannabis. The bout set an important precedent for athletes medicating with cannabis.
PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Charles Warner cwarner@goipw.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Shane Brisson shane@goipw.com MANAGING EDITOR
Patricia Miller
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Corey Noles
SENIOR WRITER
Ebby Stone
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Warner also attended a tour of the Marijuana Mansion in downtown Denver. The three-story, 19th-century estate has been revitalized into a cannabis-themed event space with 4,200 square feet of Instagram-worthy installations. Whether you’re a Colorado native or a cannabis tourist, this unique space will draw you in and leave you wanting more. To kick off the spring season, NoCo Hemp Expo celebrated its eighth annual event at the fabulous Gaylor Rockies Resort and Convention Center. Warner was a featured speaker at the expo, offering insights into the hemp industry and the technology revolutionizing commercial agriculture. Other notable speakers included Colorado Governor Jared Polis, President of the U.S. Hemp Authority Marielle Weintraub, and Colorado Department of Agriculture Commissioner Kate Greenberg. SPECIAL THANKS TO: Mary Jane Oatman, Brenda Gallagher, Randy Wilson This publication is dedicated to the dreamers, the innovators, the collaborators, and the doers – who can’t be bothered by those saying it can’t be done. Nicholas and Aria, the future is yours!
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Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
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// CONTRIBUTORS //
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 include Tangie, GMO, and Lemon Haze.
Tami Kamin Meyer is an Ohio-based attorney and freelance writer. A dedicated kayaker and dog lover, her byline has appeared in Forbes, MarketWatch, Better Homes and Gardens, and Business.com. She is in her second stint as a member of the Board of Editors of the Columbus Bar Association and served as Marketing/Communications Chair of the American Society of Journalists and Authors from 2018-2021. She tweets as @girlwithapen.
Sarah Ratliff is a freelance writer and grateful medical cannabis consumer living on an organic farm in Puerto Rico.
Alex Rogers is the founder and CEO of the International Cannabis Business Conference, which offers world-class industry networking as well as investment and capital opportunities. The International Cannabis Business Conference has upcoming events in Berlin and Zurich. Visit https://internationalcbc.com to learn more.
Editor’s Note: Cannabis & Tech Today is seeking writers from all backgrounds and ethnicities. Interested applicants inquire through submit@innotechtoday.com. 10
Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
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contents COVER STORY
83 Pete Holmes Rolls Deep By Patricia Miller Cover Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS
Departments 16 Event Wrap-Ups 18 By the Numbers 20 Know Before 22 International 24 NACB 26 Hemp 28 Pre-Rolled
30 ESG 106 Product Revolution 108 Something Edible with Laurie Wolf 110 Event Calendar + Coming Next Issue 112 The Lighter Side
32 Innovator Profile: Jesce Horton 36 Sustainability Indoor, Outdoor, or Greenhouse Growing? 38 CBD Certification Rewards Social Impact 40 Building a More Sustainable Cannabis Industry
42 Finance Socially Responsible Cannabis Investing
44 Legislation California Cannabusinesses Face Hurdles
48 Business Innovations LED Lighting from the Experts 54 Automated Cultivation 58 Solar-Powered Cannabis 62 Security Solutions for Retailers
64 Social Equity Closing the Digital Chasm 66 Writing Legislative Wrongs
Photo courtesy of Fluence and Texas Original
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Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
Mem ber • 2017
contents 70 Tech Zone
Growing Possibilities in the Empire State 72 Where Quality Meets Sophistication 74 Pre-Roll Perfection 76 Genius Thives in The Big Apple 78 Cannabis Finance 80 Women on Top
90 Media + Entertainment Ngaio Bealum: Renaissance Man
94 Health & Wellness Pro-Footbal Spends Big on Cannabis Research 98 Is the Industry Failing Patients?
102 The Lab THC-O Causes a Stir
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Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
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// EVENT WRAP-UPS //
5th Annual Indigenous Hemp Conference
Hosted by the Anishinaabe Agriculture Insititute and Winona’s Hemp Heritage Farm, this three-day event offered both in-person and virtual content for attendees. The Virtual Day took place on March 1, offering discussions around the legal hemp industry covering fiber, textiles, and building materials. March 2-3 featured hands-on workshops and demonstrations on hemp in energy, hemp applications in agronomy, hemp and economic justice, and much more. Speakers included Jose LaSalle of Hempax Energy Systems, Ron Chilton of Akiing 8th Fire, and Angela Dawson of 40 Acres Cooperative.
Sergiy Kovalenkov (speaking) flew in from Ukraine to attend NoCo. Much to his surprise, he received an award for his work with hemp and carbon sequestration. Hemp pioneer Joe Hickey (background) presented the award. Pictured also is Dave Beegle (seated) with the Silver Mountain Hemp SM35 Amp and Hempcaster V1 guitar.
The Emerald Conference Beginning Feb. 27 and running through March 1, the Emerald Conference made a return to in-person programming for the first time since the pandemic began. Held at the Lowes Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego, California, the conference focused on topics ranging from testing and extraction to cultivation science and preclinical research. The highly-anticipated event featured insights from 20 industry experts and showcased exhibitors from around the globe. As the longest-running interdisciplinary cannabis science event, it’s a must-attend for anyone looking to expand their understanding of the industry.
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NoCo Hemp Expo
The 8th annual NoCo Hemp Expo was held at the Gaylor Rockies Resort and Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado from March 24-25. This year’s event featured a Business Conference and Investment Summit with insights from company founders and CEOs, accredited investors, analysts, and financial professionals. Accompanying the Business Conference was the Farm Symposium and Ag Tech Forum to educate producers about the agribusiness of hemp and cannabis-related agriculture. NoCo also highlighted hemp industry members of distinction with its first annual WAFBA Awards of Excellence Dinner.
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A look at the metrics shaping the cannabis business market — and our lives
Sustainability is something every industry strives toward. One might not think cannabis cultivation would be high on the list of carbon emissions or energy use. After all, we’re talking about plants, right? They produce oxygen and they’re 100% organic. But as the industry continues to boom and more states legalize, Big Cannabis is joining the ranks of environmental offenders. There are ways to mitigate environmental impact, though. Changing from an indoor to a greenhouse grow facility is one of the best ways to save energy and minimize our collective carbon footprint.
ENERGY CONSUMPTION/WASTE PRODUCED BY INDOOR GROWS
1%
As much as of the total US energy consumption is due to cannabis production. Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (2017)
ENERGY SAVED BY GREENHOUSE GROWS Per gram of cannabis produced, a greenhouse model consumes
26%
less power than an indoor model. (Statista)
Production of one kilogram of cannabis flower is equivalent to the carbon emissions of
Production costs can be cut by
96%
nearly using a greenhouse model compared to indoor.
3Southwest million cars. Energy Efficiency
(Aurora Cannabis Inc, 2019)
Project (2017)
Greenhouse facilities use anywhere An indoor cannabis facility has the same electricity consumption as
66 homes.
20% 50%
between to of the electricity of an indoor model. (resourceinnovation.org)
Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (2017)
51%
The average indoor operation spends of its electric consumption for ventilation, cooling, and dehumidification. Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (2017)
*All data sourced from Marijuana Growing Statistics, Data and Trend in 2022 (weekendgardener.net)* Graphics via iStockphoto.com
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Water pumping, drying, and CO2 injection only account for 3% of energy consumption on average, whereas LED lights account for
38%. (Southwest Energy Efficiency Project 2017)
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DEPARTMENTS // KNOW BEFORE
Know Before You Throw How to Properly Dispose of Cannabis Cartridges By Aron Vaughan Vaporizers are increasingly popular, quickly becoming many cannabis enthusiasts’ go-to method for medicating. From the Volcano vaporizer to the PAX pen and recently disposable pens, vaporizers are taking the market by storm. Vape pens work by heating cannabis flower or concentrate to 302-446°F, a temperature high enough to activate THC and CBD, but low enough that no combustion occurs. The result is a vapor that contains active substances without the potentially harmful smoke produced by traditional inhalation methods. Vaping is also more discreet than smoking, producing almost no visible clouds and significantly reducing cannabis’ immediately identifiable aroma. The Downside While vaporizers have solved many of the problems cannabis users run into, one aspect of the device has been largely overlooked: its impact on the environment. The rise of disposable CBD, delta-8, and THC vape pens has resulted in a lot of hazardous material being thrown away. Lithium-ion batteries are typically used to power vape pens, as they produce slim, lightweight products that last a long time between charging. However, the same technology that allows you to conveniently fit a vape in your pocket is contributing to chemical pollution. Each battery contains hazardous, toxic, and corrosive materials like mercury, cadmium, lithium, and lead. Disposable cartridges also contain hazardous materials. “Nickel and chromium components were detected in all devices, and others contained copper, lead, tin, gold, silicon-rich rubbers, or fluorinated microplastics,” said California Department of Public Health scientists Jeff Wagner and Wenhao Chen, in a recent article published by PLoS One. 20
Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
While many people are aware of the dangers vape pen components pose to the environment, information on how to responsibly dispose of them is not always easy to find. Here are a few tips on how to properly discard vape pen cartridges and batteries and find alternatives to disposables: Resolve to Recycle Vape batteries are defined as “electronic waste.” Check with local municipal authorities on where the nearest electronic waste recycling centers are located. Often, local dispensaries and smoke or vape retailers have information on the nearest recycling center. Some shops even have a designated area to drop used devices. Choose Reusable Devices Rechargeable vape pens are a great solution for users looking to minimize their environmental impact. Many rechargeable devices use flower instead of concentrates, but both are available. Instead of reaching for the cheaper and sometimes more convenient disposable pen behind the counter, opt for a reusable, rechargeable device. It may cost a few extra dollars for the initial purchase, but you will save money in the long run. Go for Gummies There are a plethora of options when it comes to choosing how you medicate. Edibles come in a variety of strengths and mediums and are available in CBD, THC, delta-8, or a mix. Edibles also allow you to choose your exact dose and are even more discreet than using a vape. The way people consume cannabis has, like most things, changed due to technological advances. Now is the time to take stock of the potential impact those advances have. A move toward more sustainable use is possible, and the more we collectively consider responsible disposal and medication methods, the closer sustainability comes to being a reality. ❖
Photo: iStockphoto.com/xiao zhou
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DEPARTMENTS // INTERNATIONAL
Reaching New Heights Efficient Use of Space Is Key to Sustainable Cultivation By Alex Rogers Cannabis cultivated indoors has a larger carbon footprint than cannabis grown under the sun. That is no secret. However, that is not to say cannabis should only be cultivated outdoors. Some jurisdictions prohibit outdoor cultivation for security reasons and in certain regions of the world cultivating quality cannabis outdoors is simply not a viable option.
both the physical and the carbon footprint of the grow facility.
“The right mix of forethought and execution can drive ROI and minimize envirnomental impacts,” Schwartz said. “Ultimately, cultivators have a responsibility to protect the planet by growing healthy plants and maximizing yields.”
Sungrown cannabis does not always result in a lower carbon footprint when additional factors are considered. Shipping a harvest to another jurisdiction, especially internationally, clearly adds to the overall carbon footprint. In some cases, domestic indoor cultivation makes more sense than shipping internationally. Maximizing Indoor Cultivation Space Is Important For cultivators to reduce their carbon footprint as much as possible, they must maximize every inch of their facility space. It’s an important part of facility design strategy, both for spaces where plants will be housed or stored and spaces where other processes will be conducted. Cultivators must think vertically, not just horizontally. To maximize space, operators need to incorporate multiple layers into their cultivation operations by using rack systems. Grow Glide is one company specializing in vertical growing solutions. Grow Glide CEO and co-founder Travis Schwartz said vertical racking maximizes cultivation space, reducing 22
Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
cultivation, particularly those regions with harsh winters, shorter growing seasons, or challenging environmental conditions, indoor facilities must be constructed to have the most efficient use of resources possible.
Boosting Return on Investment Cannabis businesses are no different from other businesses when it comes to boosting a return on investment. As Schwartz mentioned, facility racks help boost a company’s return on investment by amplifying output and reducing operating costs. “Grow Glide’s unique ability to maximize cultivation space down to the inch is better for the environment and better for the bottom line. Wasted space is wasted money and wasted resources,” Schwartz said. Careful planning and design strategy are crucial for growers entering the space or scaling their operations. “Vertical indoor farming is not a simple solution, cultivators need to take time to carefully plan out their operations well in advance of opening their doors and consider the entire picture,” Schwartz advised. As international markets open to cannabis
Depending on how a company’s current facility is designed, they could build vertically and double their current output while using the same building. Such engineering would maintain the same costs for rent and many utilities while increasing output. Demand for legal cannabis will continue to grow in jurisdictions where the cannabis industry is allowed to operate. To meet that demand in a way that is sustainable and profitable, it is vital indoor cultivators maximize grow space in addition to using best practices in sustainability. ❖
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DEPARTMENTS // NACB
Driving Excellence With NACB’s Sustainability Standard Environmental, Social, and Economic Sustainability Must be a Cornerstone of the Cannabis Industry. By Ashley Manning and Deneka Scott
Photo courtesy of NACB
Our world is straining under the pressures that have resulted from unsustainable practices. We must build systems in the emerging cannabis industry that promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability. In collaboration with industry experts, the NACB used our common-sense approach to create a Sustainability Standard which provides guidance and a framework for three key areas — corporate governance, social and human impact, and the environment. Opportunities for Sustainability Excellence Cannabis generates waste — about 150 million tons per year according to data from GAIACA Waste Revitalization. Cannabis waste presents both a challenge and bold opportunities for driving excellence in protecting our planet and building a more sustainable and inclusive industry. The Environmental Focus (section 3) of this standard provides a holistic approach to addressing the challenge, including considerations for land management, energy, water, and waste. It also provides guidance for 24
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cultivation, manufacturing, retail-specific operations, and distribution and transport. Our focus on sustainability is comprehensive and it requires bold action. NACB’s Sustainability Standard Is: Transparent — Members and the public now have greater opportunities to use the standard to develop internal programs and systems, including our self-audit checklist, to promote a culture of excellence in this area. Compliant — A handful of forward-thinking states have already enacted cannabis waste management regulations and guidance. The Sustainability Standard represents best practices common to many industries as well as cannabisspecific practices and policies. By developing, documenting, and complying with this standard, NACB members put themselves in a stronger position to comply with current regulations and anticipate those that have yet to be enacted. Inclusive — NACB members must encourage the participation and inclusion of
underrepresented groups by providing relevant opportunities, activating diversity, and elevating equity. By addressing these areas of employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, and workers’ rights, NACB members are held accountable to the highest professional standards. “In particular, people of color have faced obstacles in joining the burgeoning legal cannabis industry. Regardless of bearing the brunt of marijuana arrests from the United States’ war on drugs, many entrepreneurs are now making social justice a standard — even a necessity — in approaching the growing field,” said Chriscilia Cox, Suma Consulting, NACB member, and industry expert who helped to create this standard. NACB members are committing to making a difference in people’s lives. We encourage you and your organization to join us in adopting this new Sustainability Standard. You may read the standard and get a copy of our Sustainability Self-Audit Checklist by visiting our website at NACB.com. We are all in this together, and it is our duty to care for our planet and each other. ❖
DEPARTMENTS // HEMP
Why Hemp Is the Most Important Tech for Your Smart Home
By Aron Vaughan
Hemp is well known as a multi-purpose plant, but it is often underestimated as one of the most versatile natural materials available. It possesses some of the strongest natural fibers of any botanical, which is why it has been used by civilizations throughout history to make rope, paper, and clothing. In recent years, hemp has been utilized to extract non-psychoactive but physiologically beneficial natural chemicals such as CBD and other cannabinoids. The high yield and short cultivation time of hemp plants have also led to the versatile plant being preferred to wood in many industries. Smarter Materials Because of hemp’s strength and short harvest time, “hempcrete” is now replacing concrete in many homes. Hempcrete is a brick alternative that combines hemp hurd — the material found inside of the plant’s stalk — and lime. The lime acts as a glue or binder that holds the dry fibrous hurd pulp together in a process known as bonded cellulose insulation. The result is a solid, sustainable building material that is six to eight times lighter than concrete. “Hempcrete houses are more simple to build than conventional ones,” veteran hempcrete mason Anthony Néron said. It may be a simple process, but, as the age-old maxim states, the simple answer is usually the correct one. Hempcrete houses require no gypsum, no vapor barrier, and no plastic in the walls. This means building a hempcrete house is not only environmentally friendly, but it is also workerfriendly. No toxic chemicals are used in the building process and on-the-job accidents are drastically reduced. A Smarter Home The building costs of hempcrete are 20 to 30% 26
Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
Photos courtesy of Hempitecture
higher on average than conventional brick, wood, plaster, or concrete, but the benefits outweigh the costs in a short time. Hempcrete blocks create a regulator wall that saves homeowners thousands per year in energy costs while having the added benefit of increased sustainability. The walls regulate temperature and humidity by dispersing heat throughout the thick, porous blocks. Think heated walls without the environmental impact and financial woes associated with them. A Smarter World While the innovative properties of hempcrete are useful for homeowners, what makes it a truly revolutionary material is that it catches more greenhouse gases than will be produced during the harvesting process.
Most of the mass of hemp is carbon. Like all plants, hemp takes in carbon dioxide and releases oxygen, retaining the pure carbon within its body. This means that the carbon the plant takes in is not being released back into the atmosphere, resulting in a net negative carbon footprint. Until recently, building hempcrete houses required the aid of highly skilled masons who are familiar with the material. Now, hemp industry leaders are working toward a more scalable model, introducing pre-mixed blocks to the market that can be easily integrated into the construction industry. The petroleum industry still has a vested interest in the construction market, but hempcrete pioneers could be the “small ax that cuts down the big tree,” according to Néron. ❖
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DEPARTMENTS // PRE-ROLLED
Pre-Rolls Are Taking Off Here’s How Companies Are Driving Their Growth By Aron Vaughan
The act of rolling a joint is therapeutic in itself for many cannabis users. However, it can be time-consuming and inefficient. Fingers become sticky from handling a large amount of flower, and some medical conditions such as arthritis make it difficult to roll and close the paper. Because of these inconveniences, pre-rolled cannabis cigarettes have become increasingly favored by consumers. Individual pre-rolled cones come in a variety of strains and strengths, and buyers have the choice of pre-rolls that contain delta-8, CBD, or THC. Each pre-roll also has consistent shape and weight, so dosing is more accurate than selfrolled joints. For people looking to fill their own cones using their favorite strains, several options have emerged on the market in the last few years. The OTTO by Banana Bros. is a grinder and automatic cone-roller hybrid. It even has built-in AI. What a time to be alive. “The OTTO’s patented AI milling system analyzes your material and automatically adjusts the direction, speed, and pressure of its precision-engineered milling blades to create
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Photo: iStockphoto.com/Johny87
Technology in the cannabis industry has advanced leaps and bounds since medical legalization passed in California back in 1996. New strains, devices, and data have poured into the mainstream cannabis community. Even the oldest and most simple method of consumption has benefited from new technology. Rolled cannabis cigarettes, or joints, have been the preferred way to consume the plant since the 1920s. While Americans have largely moved to using tobacco-based materials to roll up their cannabis, in Europe, joints that use paper as a base are still the most popular method of consumption.
the perfect grind every time,” according to OTTO’s website. While it may not be the most important use of AI technology, it is certainly a few steps up from the old hand-crank cigarette roller your uncle used. Pre-rolled cones have become so popular, new machines have had to be created specifically to facilitate mass production of them. Enter the STM Atomic Closer, an automatic cone-closing machine that can pack down and close 68 prerolls in one session. For companies looking to cut down on the time it takes to get individual cones rolled, packed, and shipped, the STM atomic closer is a game-changer. All pre-rolls are not created equal, however. Consistent shape and weight are some of the positive aspects associated with cones, but consistent quality is not always guaranteed. Josh Kesselman, founder of Raw rolling papers has
been striving to help companies and consumers create a consistent, sustainable, and evenly burning product since the company’s inception in 1995. “There’s lots of testing involved, a lot of production,” said Kesselman. “I’ve seen lots of people try to find ways to make them cheaper and easier like spiral wrapping, which makes them, in my experience, burn terrible.” The key to buying quality pre-rolls is to know the company and know the product. RAW uses unrefined paper from natural plants with zero burn additives, ensuring that the rolling medium is environmentally sound and as healthy as possible. Pre-rolls are one of the most convenient and popular cannabis products on the market today, and companies like Banana Bros., Raw, and STM are making production for consumers and distributors easier, safer, and more efficient. ❖
DEPARTMENTS // ESG
Time is of the Essence Sustainable Cultivation Ought To Be Imperative By Geoff Trotter
As we emerge, somewhat tentatively, out of a bruising pandemic, humanity continues to struggle with myriad challenges brought about by a continued focus on short-term, narrow-thinking models and paradigms, which have regrettably paved the way for unsustainable business practices to be the norm. How much more can society, and our planet, withstand? Climate scientists and an increasing number of political and business leaders believe time is of the essence. At Regennabis, with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the core of our multi-platformed service offering, we believe that we are in a critical period — the “Decade of Action” (through to 2030) — during which it is imperative that we build systems in the emerging cannabis industry that promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability. No matter where your organization lies on the seed-to-sale continuum, you have a responsibility to ensure that your standard operating procedures (SOPs) are aligned and deliver to more than an economic return; they must also deliver to both a social and environmental impact. Perhaps nowhere on the continuum is this more important than at the beginning of the cannabis plant’s life cycle. Cannabis growers have a myriad of choices: what, when, and how to grow — and even why (especially in certain U.S states!). Yet, perhaps the most important choice is the decision made on where to grow their crop. There are
basically three options available: outdoor, indoor, or greenhouse. No matter where a cultivator chooses. Cultivators need help in better understanding the landscape of requirements (mandatory or marketdriven) that they are legally required or expected to monitor, measure, and report on. In creating Regennabis ESG Standards for the Cannabis Industry (across all five license types), we have identified 10 principal areas of impact for cultivation license-holders (see sidebar). These areas should be monitored, measured, and reported on as part of the organization’s ESG Framework and Reporting Schedule. With a focus on these sustainability disclosure topics as an integral part of day-to-day activities, we believe a cultivator will be better placed to deliver strategic, financial, and operational excellence — and hence create an “Omni-win” for all stakeholders. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and/or philanthropy programs, in any business, are often not material to that business and hence could be viewed by many as being performative. It is therefore essential that before creating a sustainability and/or CSR narrative, an organization understands its ESG position. The creation of industry-wide standards for both ESG and sustainability performance will be a necessary step in ensuring the cannabis industry delivers regenerative growth for all and not the few. ❖
Environmental Issues
GHG Emissions Energy Management Water & Wastewater Management Photo: iStockphoto.com/Valengilda
Social Issues
Product Quality & Safety Employee Health & Safety Labor Practices, Employee Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion Photo: iStockphoto.com/Vadym Pastukh
Governance Issues Supply Chain Management Material Sourcing & Efficiency Business Model Resilience Systemic Risk Management Photo: iStockphoto.com/artisteer
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OF THE
INNOVATOR PROFILE YEAR
Let’s Get LOWD Photo: Sam Gehrke
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Entrepreneur, cultivator, and proud “stoner” Jesce Horton dives into sustainability and diversity in the cannabis scene. By Patricia Miller
There was a time, not so long ago, when cannabis was a culture rather than an industry. It inspired kinship between people — a bond over a shared pastime. This comradery is partially what inspired Jesce Horton to launch LOWD, one of Oregon’s most respected craft cannabis companies. LOWD is an acronym for Love Our Weed Daily. It’s a motto the company instills into all of its award-winning flower, which is lovingly tended with custom lighting and racking systems before hitting the curing room for preservation in glass jars. Horton has a passion for cannabis and “stoner culture,” as he refers to it. As cannabis trends toward becoming an industry, full of professionals peddling a sterilized version of what was once a beloved counterculture, Horton wants to represent the “real connoisseurs and stoners” like himself. While this desire to preserve the culture is commendable, he’s doing it in a notably nonstoner way. He majored in industrial engineering and minored in mathematics and physics at Florida State University. He co-founded the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), the first and largest non-profit organization devoted to creating equal access and economic empowerment for those most impacted by the war on drugs. Horton is on the Board of Directors for the Resource Innovation Institute (RII), a platform that creates energy efficiency solutions and standards for the global cannabis industry. His work in the cannabis ecosystem is expansive. He has served as an advisor for federal, state, and local cannabis regulatory committees. He’s working with Ben’s Best, a funding venture for Black-owned cannabis
companies led by Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s. Horton is a renaissance man. He can do it all and he’s helping others as he climbs the ladder of cannabis success. He and his wife Jeannette Ward Horton launched the Nu Leaf Project in 2019 to deliver grants, loans, and educational resources to cannabis business owners and Photo: Sam Gehrke career hopefuls throughout Portland, Oregon. For this in a time when it’s seeming more taboo with the issue’s Innovator Profile, growth of the industry and the professionalism Cannabis & Tech Today spoke with Horton to of the industry. We’re here to represent that better understand the state of sustainability in culture — legacy growers, real connoisseurs, and the cannabis sector. stoners like myself and people who work here. Cannabis & Tech Today: What inspired you C&T Today: What are some of the biggest to start working in this industry? barriers preventing growers from embracing Jesce Horton: Really, passion. I’ve been a environmentally-friendly practices? stoner since I was 16 years old. I always felt out JH: The biggest barrier is a willingness to of place as a result of being in the Southeast, change procedures. Even in some of the best where that’s a lot more taboo than it is in the cannabis cultivation spaces, indoor, you may west. But also being in the professional have six harvests a year right in one room. atmosphere in engineering. Even though a lot Because it’s such a high-dollar crop, changing a of people did smoke and did consume, it’s procedure can sometimes really be scary. never anything that you would want people to There’s so much at risk. There are so many know. So just really always feeling out of place things happening. The industry is so for having a love for it. Ultimately, finding competitive that you may tell me I can improve myself in Portland, Oregon at the start of the my efficiency by 20%. But if I fear that even one medical and recreational cannabis revolution time, I’m going to lose 30% in my harvest, then was just a perfect alignment for me to be doing I’ve just erased all of those gains that you’re what I enjoy, but also find ways to add a lot of telling me about. value to the industry. That’s where organizations like Resource C&T Today: What makes LOWD unique Innovation Institute are important. [It] brings in the cannabis space? all the stakeholders together by having the data JH: LOWD, is first and foremost here to — and not just opinions — to help people to represent stoner culture. To put it on a pedestal, make these decisions.
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INNOVATOR PROFILE
Photo: Sam Gehrke
Let’s Get LOWD
Photo courtesy of LOWD
C&T Today: Why don’t we see more windand solar-powered cultivation facilities? JH: When you look at solar, when you look at wind power, even though it is a smart move, these are typically longer payback periods. Maybe a year, two years, five years, 10 years before they can truly realize that investment. Government incentives have a lot to do with dropping those payback periods down. We have to understand the industry is very young. People are still trying to compete and stay alive. They’re going to be slow in that period versus a more mature industry. So there are a lot of things that make it less prevalent but still smart depending on where people are. C&T Today: How does automation play a role in the efficiency of a cultivation facility? JH: There’s a line to walk I think in any industry as it relates to how you implement automation and robotics. It’s going to hopefully supplement what a person is doing. A lot of times it’s going to replace people. There are a lot of places for more automation and more intelligent computers in grow facilities. Primarily as it relates to data collection, human-machine interface. How do we make sure that we’re collecting the data and then getting it to people in a way that is not just a spreadsheet — getting it to them in a way that has actionable steps? There is a big space for the implementation of computers and data assessment and technology and automation. But there is only so far that can go, ultimately, when you’re trying to optimize the growth of a plant. 34
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C&T Today: In our last issue, we had two different articles about the future of agriculture for cannabis. One argued that cannabis grown outdoors is more environmentally friendly as it requires fewer inputs. The other argued indoor cultivation is the future because you can be so precise with resources because of advances in automation. As someone who’s had an up-close view of the industry and sustainability, do you feel there’s space for both? Or is the future of the industry leaning one way or another?
or primarily about doing the right thing. I think that’s how people tend to look at it. As a result, it tends to fall to the wayside. I think what people have to view it as is the most important business decision that companies can make right now. As you’re trying to develop a brand with a product that is used across every demographic, every race, every age, every background, to not view building that brand and not view making that product in a way that appeals to as many as possible, is a big mistake. It’s something that is limiting a lot of companies.
JH: Wow, I wish I had a canned answer for that because it’s such an important question. And I think it’s really simple, in that we must have both. Outdoor cultivation is so limiting and becoming even more limiting for several reasons. One, because depending on the part of the country you’re in, it severely limits your ability to produce quality flower. Two, because of the climate changes we’re experiencing. We saw so many farms wiped out by forest fires and typhoons that ultimately decimate the value of the crop for our entire community … If I could concisely answer that, I would say without a doubt we need all forms of cultivation to fuel the demand for our industry.
C&T Today: Do you feel a lack of cultural diversity has an impact on the sustainability and longevity of this sector?
C&T Today: Co-founding the Minority Cannabis Business Association and working with so many different companies, what do you see most cannabis businesses get wrong when it comes to diversity in the workplace? JH: I think what people get wrong with diversity in general, is that this is about morality
JH: Oh, certainly, without a doubt. When you look at the illegal market, it will always exist. It has always existed. And if people don’t see a place for themselves in the newly formed industry, they will support the traditional means. They will support their friend who’s selling cannabis. They will support their cousins, people they know, people who they know where their dollars are going. [They want to be] feeling good about where they’re spending their dollars and feeling like they can talk to someone who understands how they want to consume, the products they want to consume, and the methodologies that they’re consuming, which are still very cultural. So it’s something that has to take more priority if companies want to develop a sustainable brand — one that will last and one that will demand some loyalty. ❖
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// SUSTAINABILITY //
Oh, the Places You’ll Grow Deciding Between Outdoor, Indoor, and Greenhouse Growing By Aron Vaughan With more states legalizing cannabis for medical and recreational use, entrepreneurs are getting into the market to contribute much-needed supply to the overwhelming demand that has been created in recent years. Cannabis is now the 5th largest cash crop in the U.S., according to Leafly, ushering in a modern-day gold rush, or “green rush.” For first-time cultivators looking to find the best grow model, or seasoned growers thinking about changing their farm to a more sustainable or inexpensive model, there are some important factors to consider.
Outdoor This is the way cannabis plants have grown for thousands of years. Originally discovered in central Asia, people have been using cannabis for more than 12,000 years, which means that cannabis is one of the world’s oldest cultivated crops. Our ancestors didn’t have access to LED lights or hydroponic systems — as far as we know — and they were able to cultivate several strains with varying THC and CBD levels using only the sun, the soil, and a reliable water source. Climate Outdoor grows will only work in warm climates that have distinct season changes. Because it is an annual plant, cannabis only goes through one growing cycle and blooms at a certain time of year. If you’re cultivating outdoors, you need to line up the growing season with the natural seasons of the year. Cannabis flowers bloom when the plant believes Autumn has begun as the day/night balance moves to a 12/12 cycle. Plants of any kind 36
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Photo: iStockphoto.com/Revolu7ion93
What Works Best? The three main ways to cultivate cannabis include outdoor, indoor, and greenhouse models. You may be wondering which type of cultivation model is better. The truth is, it varies depending on location, budget, and intention. Here are some of the benefits and drawbacks of using an outdoor, indoor, or greenhouse grow model:
grown outdoors are also vulnerable to varying weather conditions and pests. Sustainability Growing cannabis in a natural environment will generally be more sustainable than growing in a controlled indoor environment. However, the methods cultivators use have a big impact on the sustainability of the grow. Mass use of pesticides is not only bad for the soil and local water sources — as the pesticides seep into the ground and pollute the underground water network — they are bad for the plant and ultimately the consumer. Choosing organic pesticides and fertilizers will help preserve the natural ecosystem while ensuring the health of crops. Energy consumption is also drastically reduced when using an outdoor model, as there is no need to use artificial light or heat sources. Expenses This is where outdoor growing gets a giant
checkmark in the “Pro” column. Individual LED or HPS lights range from $100 to $500 and beyond. Factor in the cost of heating, pots, fans, and often the cost of buildout for a location, and it’s clear outdoor grows come out the winner versus indoor. Conclusion While some growers believe having a controlled environment is the only way to ensure a highquality product, the full spectrum of light plants enjoy from the sun and the space roots have to grow in an unlimited natural environment means outdoor grows can rival even the most sophisticated indoor operations. “Outdoor-produced flower will always enjoy a broader, more intense, more deeply penetrating spectrum of light. This advantage allows outdoor grown plants to more fully express their genetic potential,” said Anders Taylor, CEO of Walden Cannabis.
Photo: iStockphoto.com/LYagovy
Photo: iStockphoto.com/kmatija
// SUSTAINABILITY //
Indoor Indoor growing has become popular in recent years largely because you can control every aspect of the environment from temperature to lights, airflow, and humidity.
Greenhouse The middle ground. Greenhouse cultivation minimizes the negative aspects of indoor and outdoor growing. You can utilize the sun, while still integrating artificial lights. You can reduce the cost of buildout, while still maintaining a semi-controlled environment. Of course, plants will still be subject to the elements to a certain degree, and there is still a significant cost associated with greenhouse cultivation.
Climate A major advantage to indoor growing is that it can be done anywhere in the world. There is no reliance on the sun or a natural water source. In low-light northern latitudes, this is essentially the only way to approach cannabis cultivation.
Climate New, automated greenhouse technologies can use the sun’s light with efficient light systems and environmental-climate control, according to Consult and Grow. You can also speed up cultivation by using light deprivation to trigger the plant into a flowering cycle, so you aren’t at the mercy of seasonal changes.
However, plants cultivated indoors tend to be smaller and have a lower terpene profile due to not receiving the full spectrum of light produced by the sun.
Greenhouses are not closed systems, though, and are still susceptible to pests and inclement weather.
Sustainability One of the drawbacks to indoor growing is its lack of sustainability. An indoor cannabis facility consumes the same amount of electricity as 66 homes, according to a Southwest Energy Efficiency Project study. Indoor cannabis cultivations also consume 18 times more energy than outdoor cultivations on average, according to New Frontier Data.
Sustainability Greenhouse cultivation is still substantially more sustainable than indoor. Per gram of cannabis produced, a greenhouse model consumes 26% less power than an indoor model, according to Statista. Greenhouse facilities also use anywhere between 20% to 50% of the electricity of an indoor model.
Expenses Higher energy costs mean higher production costs. Assuming you can achieve yields of around 1.3-1.5 grams per watt of light, electricity for lighting alone will cost around $30,870 for a warehouse grow of 7,700 square feet containing 1,000 plants. The total cost for a grow of this size ranges from $750,000 to $830,000. However, the gross profit is around $1,000,000 – a 57.2% increase on the initial investment.
Expenses The median average cost to grow a pound of dried cannabis flower using greenhouse cultivation is $256, compared to $472 using an indoor model. On average, greenhouse cultivation costs one-quarter to one-half the amount of an indoor grow.
Conclusion If you have the capital to invest, indoor cultivation is an option that will produce a guaranteed yield and a high return on investment. However, the setup requires a large initial investment, and creating a controlled indoor ecosystem exacts a heavy environmental toll as well as a financial one.
Conclusion Greenhouses are much more energy-efficient than indoor production. They produce flowers with a full terpene profile without compromising THC levels. Many growers are switching to a greenhouse model for the benefits it offers like greater sustainability, reduced costs, and rich strains. ❖ Vol. 4 / Issue 1 / Cannabis & Tech Today
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// SUSTAINABILITY //
Certifiably Sustainable New CBD-Certification Rewards Social Impact and Sustainability Efforts By Tami Kamin Meyer
If cannabis and CBD enterprises hope to be successful, demonstrating social consciousness and long-term sustainability efforts will be key. That’s according to a survey conducted by Clutch of 420 consumers who shared their views on the importance of corporate social responsibility. More than two-thirds (70%) of Generation Xers (ages 35-54) said they would likely stop patronizing a company that supports an issue with which they disagree. A majority (54%) of participating Millennials (ages 18-34) agreed. Supporters among Baby boomers (ages 55+), an age group known to be more loyal than younger generations, numbered 37%.
What Does Certification Mean? Earning a Green America certification for social action and sustainability translates into a report card for consumers and others involved in the CBD industry about the business practices of an entity, explained Teplitz.
on a national level of meeting stringent industry standards, according to Deepak Panjwani, a consultant and brand developer in the cannabis industry for the past decade. His involvement with Green America began in 2015; he was named to its Board of Directors in 2018.
“Our certification seal informs consumers that businesses that earn it have high social and environmental standards,” said Teplitz. “Earning the seal is also a gateway to additional visibility for businesses through Green America because we tell the green business story through the members we certify,” she said.
“There isn’t anything out there that emulates what Green America is doing for everyone in the cannabis industry (from a production-side business perspective),” said Panjwani. “This certification takes the industry all the way from seed to sales.”
Consumers and businesses concerned with the social impact and environmental pursuits of a CBD company can now rely on a recently established certification program at Green America. Fran Teplitz
Being certified ensures consumers, manufacturers, and others involved in the CBD industry that an entity “meets a certain threshold of social and environmental impacts,” Teplitz said. Any member of Green America may apply for Green Business Network Certification. Green America also certifies the green practices of businesses in over 40 other industries that similarly must meet rigorous Green Business Standards to gain the designation.
According to Fran Teplitz, executive codirector of Green America and the organization’s director of its Green Business Network, there had been no certification as to the sustainability and social impact of the CBD industry until now. 38
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A Green Business Network certification is based on a company as a whole, not solely on the product level. “Our strategy is looking at the overall business operations and their environmental and social impact pursuits,” Teplitz said. A benefit of earning certification is recognition
Criterion for Certification Earning a Green America certification in social action and sustainability is not an easy feat. According to Teplitz, Green America’s certification program “looks at a wide range of issues.” They include: • Does the applicant’s website include an environmental and social vision? • Any other certifications the company has already earned • Reviewing the entity’s business operations to determine, for example, whether the company recycles • W here and how it does its business banking (for example, do they bank online? Can customers pay their invoices online?) • Supply chain considerations • An in-depth look at the company’s labor policies • Inquiries into pesticides used on any products • Questions about the source of their seeds “We ask a lot of questions about being a green business, overall. Some questions are CBDspecific and some are directed at determining how environmentally friendly and socially responsible the business is,” said Teplitz. “It is a
// SUSTAINABILITY // Gaither Whaley
“ Currently, [the CBD industry] is like the Wild West, — anyone can slap a label on a bottle that may contain CBD but this certification guarantees a quality that is helpful and not detrimental to a patient’s health. It holds the industry and anyone involved in it accountable to a standard and helps sustain the industry.” – Rohtah LLC President Gaither Whaley
Deepak Panjwani
Certifications like this also lend credibility to the industry it pertains to. That’s imperative, not only because it makes for sound business practices, it also reassures patients they may “rest easy and not worry about what they’re putting into their bodies,” Whaley said.
Photo: iStockphoto.com/luza studios
If a CBD company earns a Green America certification, it is then authorized to display an official seal from Green America highlighting the designation on its website. Consumers concerned with the social impact and sustainability successes and visions of a CBD company can click on a link to Green America’s website that is paired with the seal to read more about the certification process.
truly green certification that covers everything,” Panjwani noted.
lifestyle, is all in favor of Green America’s certification of CBD companies.
Who Benefits From the Certification? In Gaither Whaley’s mind, anyone involved with CBD products, ranging from hemp growers to manufacturers to consumers and everyone in between, benefits from Green America’s certification program. Whaley, founder and president of Rohtah LLC, which provides wellness products for a holistic
“Currently, [the CBD industry] is like the Wild West,” he said. “Anyone can slap a label on a bottle that may contain CBD but this certification guarantees a quality that is helpful and not detrimental to a patient’s health. It holds the industry and anyone involved in it accountable to a standard and helps sustain the industry.”
Such certification was necessary for the CBD industry, said Teplitz, so consumers know and understand the products and companies that meet a certain threshold of social and environmental impacts. However, the certification’s purpose is not solely to reassure consumers about the ethics and social consciousnesses of a CBD business. “The Green Business Network certifies a business as a whole, not just at the product level,” said Teplitz. “Our strategy is looking at a company’s overall business operations and their environmental and social impact pursuits.” ❖ Vol. 4 / Issue 1 / Cannabis & Tech Today
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// SUSTAINABILITY //
Building a More Sustainable Cannabis Industry By Chris Hagedorn
There is increasing debate over how to approach environmental sustainability in cannabis cultivation. In some states, the focus has been on energy consumption in indoor growing operations, leading to flawed lighting use regulations along with a presumption that outdoor cultivation is more environmentally sound. The reality is there is opportunity within indoor and outdoor cultivation to improve the sustainability footprint. On one hand, industry stakeholders are driving more efficient growing through innovative products and solutions. Further progress can be made by working with regulators to encourage a collective, holistic and pragmatic approach to sustainability, essentially creating a regulatory framework that applies to all methods of cannabis cultivation and is grounded in achievable baseline data. Indoor and Outdoor Cultivation Have Their Place There is a place for indoor and outdoor growing and which method is best depends on factors ranging from weather and farming considerations to the desired quality of the end product. Indoor cultivation requires energy, but it also provides control over the growing environment, which enhances the consistency of the cannabis produced and reduces potential exposure to pesticide drift, helps abate nutrient runoff and protects the crop from other outdoor contaminants. Outdoor growing might require less energy, but it also is susceptible to impacts related to groundwater pollution, irrigation, pollen drift, security, trucking, harvesting and the like. In both cases, the approach to cultivation is evolving. Research and development is conducted daily, and innovative growing products are launched every year. This work is being undertaken by many in the industry, from 40
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growers to suppliers of cultivation inputs. Areas where advancements are being made include: • Lighting, particularly LED technology in indoor cultivation that can bring significant energy savings. • Water, via purification, reclamation, reuse and precision irrigation to reduce consumption and wastewater. • Growing media, via renewable substrate material that is effective and compostable. • Control systems and sensors, which can ensure lights, fans and other grow room equipment run most efficiently for the plants, environment and local utility grid. Applying Consistent Sustainability Standards There is opportunity to further bolster sustainable cannabis cultivation through the development of consistent regulatory standards. This requires the forging of strong partnerships between industry stakeholders, regulators and government leaders - at state and federal levels to establish a consistent framework for sustainable growing indoors and Chris Hagedorn outdoors. Creating this framework requires the gathering of the necessary data. Since cannabis is illegal federally, there is no centralized data collection on the environmental impact of growing methods. Much of this information is fragmented and obtained via surveys and studies, some dating back years. Unlike other agriculture segments, whose standards are applied consistently nationwide through regulatory coordination between federal and state governments, cannabis is regulated at a local level. Local officials are left to create standards based upon limited,
unreliable or inconsistent data. This has led to challenges for the industry in states such as Massachusetts and Illinois, where there was a lack of data necessary to enact effective cannabis standards. Broadly, standards in these states hinder indoor cultivators, leaving them little to no opportunity to subsidize the expensive energy efficient infrastructure sufficiently with utility granted rebates. More also can be done to encourage private investment in energy efficient growing. For example, installation of LEDs could be enhanced through expanded energy rebates and tax incentives. Inadequate or the lack of subsidies can stress regulated growers financially. Cannabis cultivation is here to stay. The more our industry can educate and partner with stakeholders and government officials, the faster we can foster sustainability beyond the initiatives that we’re collectively undertaking ourselves. ❖
About the author: Chris Hagedorn is president of The Hawthorne Gardening Company, a leading provider of products and solutions for hydroponic and indoor growing.
PR ESEN TED BY HO O GEND O OR N
Cannabis Abundance Better and Stronger Crops With Advanced Greenhouse Monitoring With significant money and time invested in the cannabis cultivation process, it’s imperative that growing conditions remain ideal. For over 50 years, Hoogendoorn Growth Management has been working to optimize greenhouse climate, increase crop yields, and manage costs and risks in greenhouse horticulture. Years of Experience “We have many decades working in the horticulture industry,” said Raisa Weterings, marketing and communications specialist at Hoogendoorn. “In terms of greenhouse growing conditions, we’ve found similarities between cannabis and other crops. Our systems and processes help growers be successful.” Headquartered in the Netherlands and with offices in the U.S. and Canada, Hoogendoorn services are provided worldwide in multiple languages. Their team of experts creates automated solutions which contribute to the sustainable use of water and energy. Through the years, their technology and software systems have evolved with the times. Complexity Made Easy In October of 2020, Hoogendoorn Growth Management introduced their cutting-edge process computer, the IIVOlutionary (IIVO) system, which provides smart technology for growers. This unique system monitors, controls, and maintains any type of growing environment from greenhouses to growth chambers and even containers. “We created a system that’s easy to understand, even if you’ve never been in the cannabis horticulture space,” said Weterings. “While the back-end includes complexity in order to manage the elements, the dashboard is user-friendly.” The IIVO is an all-in-one computer system
that delivers integrated solutions for climate-, water-, and energy-management. It’s also accessible from anywhere in the world, enabling growers to manage their greenhouse or growth chamber and view reports or graphs from any location. Data Security “It’s extremely important for our growers to have secure data,” said Weterings. “Next to sustainability and user-friendliness, quality is a key principle when developing our products.” Hoogendoorn’s software systems are enabled with a number of security features. Their products are ISO 9001 certified, ISO 27001 certified, and they tout the HortiQ seal, which is an independent and reliable certificate of quality and gives buyers certainty that all products have been produced according to strict technical requirements and have met international standards. A Leader in Greenhouse Software
The IIVO allows cultivators to respond proactively by using predictive measures to create an optimal climate condition for the crop. The system combines sensor-generated data, weather predictions, and past learnings to create and maintain a stable and uniform growing environment. Further, the integrated weather forecast capabilities are based on GPS coordinates of individual greenhouses, so the IIVO can use real-time and predicted climate conditions, allowing growers to maintain a more consistent and conducive growing climate. The self-learning controls enable IIVO to continuously adjust and improve its understanding of the growing conditions. Based on past experiences in the growing setting, the software adapts its reaction and makes appropriate corrections automatically. “Whether you have years of experience growing cannabis or are just starting out,” said Weterings, “Hoogendoorn solutions are suitable for all types of growers or growing conditions. Through years of expertise and an innovative and user-friendly system we can help you get the most out of your crop.” ❖ Vol. 4 / Issue 1 / Cannabis & Tech Today
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// FINANCE //
Cannabis Investing How Socially Responsible Is It? By Andrea Morhardt Imagine a future where the stock market serves everyone and becomes a system that’s held accountable for its effects on people and the planet. Imagine if finance could play a critical role in solving the social and environmental problems we face, like poverty, inequality, and climate change. That’s what socially responsible investing (SRI) is all about. In this imagined future, investors incorporate social responsibility into all investment decisions. By backing companies that are building a more inclusive and equitable economic world, investors can use their dollars to drive systemic change. Socially responsible investors question and push back against the profit-only and stockholder-first attitudes of many corporations. One industry where socially responsible investors are putting those dollars is, of course, cannabis. But before assuming that investing in cannabis is a socially responsible decision, most people opt to do some checking. Cannabis, SRI, and Profitable Investing: Can They Coexist? The first step in examining socially responsible cannabis investing involves deciding if socially responsible investing is possible in the first place. After all, the goal of the traditional investor has historically been to generate a profit for your investment portfolio. But many of today’s investors have little in common with those traditional investors.
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Cannabis Industry Consultant Andrew DeAngelo
Photo: Giacobazzi Yanez
one thing is certain: today’s investors are curious about cannabis. Although the outlook for investing in the cannabis sector is mixed, cannabis sales are expected to grow exponentially. According to Reuters, U.S. cannabis sales grew 38% in 2021, and that momentum is expected to carry through strong in 2022. This optimistic growth is, in part, due to SRI.
Cannabis industry consultant, Andrew DeAngelo, knows this first hand. “Long term, it’s really the only strategy that makes sense if you want to capture the younger generations coming up,” he said. “The kids will blow you up if you are not authentic.”
As part of their due diligence process, socially responsible investors learn about how companies treat people — not just stakeholders and stockholders — but all people. Socially responsible investing takes a holistic look at how a company treats employees, suppliers, and the community at large.
Today’s investors have lived through quite a bit of uncertainty — a recession, a dysfunctional housing market, and of course, a pandemic. But
While other investors who focus solely on gains tend to watch the ups and downs of the market, socially responsible investors prioritize
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seeking out companies that support environmental and societal progress and hope for investment growth at the same time. So, is it possible to find socially responsible companies that still turn a profit? With the right due diligence, CEO and Founder of Gladbrook Investments Warren Blesofsky thinks so. Gladbrook is on a mission to connect investors with early-stage, sociallyresponsible cannabis businesses. Finding companies with exceptional leadership and management teams is the key. “When I say strong leadership, I mean founders that are clearly on the same page regarding their commitments to core values. That core value might be knowing their supply chain all the way back to the source to ensure that modern labor standards are being met,” Blesofsky said. “Another consideration is
// FINANCE //
CEO and Founder of Gladbrook Investments Warren Blesofsky
thinking. This kind of mindset can unlock a significant competitive advantage in the marketplace. But just because a company claims to be socially responsible doesn’t negate the need for due diligence research when considering investment options. Investors can take a page from Blesofsky’s investment playbook. “Our approach is to look for companies that value social responsibility and then take a look under the hood to see if actions align with the stated values,” he said.
whether the company was created with a socially responsible mission in mind or did they add those guidelines later.” Socially Responsible Companies Are Innovative Companies Here’s the thing: Socially responsible investing is not just about taking the moral high ground. When a company pursues solutions for societal problems, a natural by-product occurs. They begin developing innovative processes that drive profitability. SRI can protect a portfolio from investing in companies making the wrong decisions. By establishing the proper criteria, investors can avoid companies that ignore social injustice or climate change, two decisions that can crush a company’s brand and bottom line. That’s why BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, is adopting this type of impact investment strategy as the company’s “new standard” for investing. BlackRock has noticed that “climate change has become a defining factor” in their companies’ long-term prospects. A commitment to social responsibility can be an indicator of a strong management team that leans into long-term thinking and strategizing for the future. A team like this — that considers how the business model and core values impact the world — demonstrates holistic and creative
Socially Responsible Cannabis Companies: What To Look For Answering this question involves reviewing how the company in question addresses specific societal concerns. Many of today’s investors want to feel good about the investment decisions they make. Getting rich by investing in a dishonest company feels awful. Plus, growing awareness of climate change and societal injustice makes socially responsible investment options even more attractive. A company is more than its products or services. There are people involved throughout the pipeline. How well a company treats those people — everyone from its employees, its customers, its partners — and whether the company complies with health, safety, and hiring practices can help investors evaluate the true degree of commitment to social responsibility. Look for Certified B Corporations B Corporations are companies that meet high social, environmental performance, accountability, and transparency standards. Some B Corps are small. Some are multinationals. Some focus on reducing poverty. Others focus on restoring the environment. Each is harnessing the power of business to benefit the global good — not just the company’s bottom line. One company that’s earned Certified B corporation status is Firelands Scientific, a
medical cannabis company that combines nature, science, and technology to provide patients with “quality, natural, sun-grown medicine.” B Certification involves a “B Impact Assessment” where the company is scored on a combination of factors, including treatment of customers, workers, the environment, and the community at large. Firelands Scientific earned a score of 103. The median score for similar businesses is 50.9 and a score of 80 is required to qualify for B Certification.
Ask the Right Questions Here are a few questions investors can ask about cannabis companies before investing: Is the company helping marginalized groups of people? • W hat steps are being taken to promote economic inclusion? • Does the company have initiatives to revitalize distressed farming communities? • How does the company manage its carbon footprint? • If the company claims to promote responsible cannabis use, how are they walking the walk? The key is to find companies that haven’t treated SRI as an afterthought. There are plenty of cannabis companies out there that have genuinely dedicated themselves to making the industry regenerative, equitable, and fair. Those are the companies that can make investors feel good about supporting them as they support others. ❖ Vol. 4 / Issue 1 / Cannabis & Tech Today
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// LEGISLATION //
Out of Control
California Cannabis Businesses Face Hurdles Ahead of State License Deadlines By Chris Mellides
Cannabis businesses throughout California had to file for annual state licenses by March 31 to meet guidance from the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC). Those hoping to enter the industry during the start of this regulatory period and beyond are sure to face challenges. The DCC originally invested $100 million into small California businesses that sell and cultivate cannabis products. The aim is to provide companies in 17 cities with resources to switch from temporary, or provisional licenses, to permanent annual state licenses. The number of current dispensaries and cultivators in the state number in the thousands and this sweeping regulation could mean curtains for those that can’t afford to operate 44
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within the DCC’s rigid framework. In fact, only 3,378 of California’s 12,221 cannabis business licensees possess provisional marijuana permits, according to the DCC. Those new to the industry face significant challenges, as the current regulatory framework isn’t designed to process new requests as of the March 31 deadline. Only 8,843 permits are under provisional licenses and the implications here are particularly damaging to those businesses that cannot afford to transition from their temporary status. Some shop owners who submitted applications ahead of the deadline are frustrated, as an application backlog has only stymied their efforts and made the market that much more difficult to navigate.
“There’s an enormous backlog,” said Dr. Dale Gieringer, state coordinator of California NORML. “It’s just more testimony to the burdensome bureaucracy that’s involved in getting licenses approved in California. I mean, there’s just a whole host of problems involved. There’s been a tremendous backlog of applications.” He went on to say that unless there’s a change to the legislature, California Governor Gavin Newsom would have no way to properly mitigate the backlog issue and provide an adequate solution. “There’s not much he can do unless the law gets changed,” Gieringer said. The last day for the DCC to issue provisional licenses for all license types is June 30, with experts claiming that prospective business
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// LEGISLATION // Out of Control
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Only 8,843 permits are under provisional licenses and the implications here are particularly damaging to those businesses that cannot afford to transition from their temporary status.
owners may find themselves waiting months, if not years, to obtain their annual licenses.
severely constrict or limit who is actually able to get licensed,” Jenkins told MJBizDaily.
The California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA) promotes the continued growth of the cannabis sector for the state and in doing so, works to unite the thousands of cannabiscentric businesses in a concerted effort to maintain the legitimacy and efficacy of this industry’s large economic force.
Sharing this sentiment is the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA). Along with the CCIA, the NCIA is advocating ideals that seek to create a sustainable future for all facets of the cannabis industry. “As the largest and most established cannabis trade association, NCIA is proud to help other associations thrive and provide as much value as possible for their members,” said Bethany Moore, deputy director of communications for the Allied Associations Program (AAP).
Amy O’Gorman Jenkins, a former State Capitol employee who left her career to become a lobbyist in the fall of 2014, led legislative efforts to extend the provisional license program on behalf of the CCIA last year. Her knowledge of the cannabis space and her desire to emphasize product safety and clean energy financing led her to establish new safety standards for the legal cannabis industry. The $100 million in assistance given to those businesses transitioning from provisional to state licenses by the DCC is of concern to Jenkins, who admits that limitations are present for some business owners wishing to make the switch. “If you are not a small farmer or an equity applicant or licensee, I think it is going to
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Her group works in lockstep with the NCIA to provide APP member organizations with tools to navigate the cannabis space and all the red tape contained therein. In return, Allied Associations benefit NCIA’s national efforts by providing expertise and insights into industry sectors that will advance the industry’s broader policy goals. “The ultimate goal of the AAP is to develop closer relationships between NCIA and other cannabis trade associations to harness our collective knowledge and work together to
California Governor Gavin Newsom
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org/Gage Skidmore
advance the cannabis industry,” Moore said. With all the emphasis on regulation, of which there are many examples in California, it’s fair to say the willingness of businesses to operate within the state is a testament to their determination and drive. Transitioning from provisional to annual licenses in the Golden State is a worrisome endeavor for businesses just entering the marketplace. However, the success of the many businesses that have already navigated the hurdles present in the state should offer resolve to new entrepreneurs entering the sector. ❖
// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // Presented By
LED-ing the Way
Sustainable Indoor Farming Starts With LEDs By Patricia Miller Photo courtesy of Fluence by OSRAM
Growing anything sustainably is a challenge. Outdoor farms are more energy-efficient but susceptible to climate instability, theft, and pests. Indoor and greenhouse facilities use more power but produce consistent yields year-round. Cannabis cultivators tend to prefer indoor farming. It’s easier to control the environment and create a visually appealing product. From a sustainability perspective, the big question quickly becomes “How can we grow inside while using fewer resources?” LED lighting can help. It takes less energy to create more photons. It also reduces HVAC consumption because LEDs run cooler than traditional lighting. Some growers are reluctant to shift to LED because their current lighting setup is working. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. But, unsustainable lighting choices are a problem. This industry has to embrace best practices in sustainable farming because thirsty people don’t want to share water
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with cannabis. Regions experiencing rolling power outages on overtaxed electrical grids don’t want to share power with inefficient cannabis farms. These are realities across the globe. LED technology is one sector that’s showing promise for reducing the environmental impact of cannabis cultivation. Many LEDs offer the ability to create spectrum-specific light formulas that can be programmed into artificially intelligent fixtures. Fixtures can communicate through wireless hubs to provide real-time data about crops. Many LED fixtures are designed to stay cool, lengthening their lifespan and minimizing their effect on the internal temperature of the facility. Increased photon output allows growers to produce more biomass in less square footage. To learn more about the potential of LEDs, Cannabis & Tech Today spoke with some of the industry’s most influential lighting solution providers.
// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS //
Fohse Chief Technology Officer Alex Gerard Cannabis & Tech Today: Should growers measure efficiency based on electrical consumption or how many grams of product they’re producing per watt? Alex Gerard: At Fohse, we did a lot of research on different spectrums and different power levels throughout the growth cycle of the plant. We based our light design on that research, which is why you find our [LED] lights going all the way up to 1500 Watts. That really allows the end-user to maximize the yield in every square foot. Growers can replace their old HPS bulbs with something that produces a lot more yield rather than something that produces the same amount of yield and might reduce their electrical consumption a little bit … The light fixture might be of higher wattage, but we’re producing substantially more product. In the end, your grams per watt are substantially better.
Fohse CTO Alex Gerard
everything like that from an eight-inch touch screen controller. We like to give our clients options and not lock them into one solution. We want the lights to be able to work for everybody and the way they operate their grow. C&T Today: Why do LEDs cost more than HID bulbs? AG: The higher price isn’t because there’s some large markup. It’s stemming from the fact that there’s a lot more that goes into making an LED light. On our larger LED light fixtures, there are over 5,000 LED diodes, numerous circuit boards that all need to be tied together, manufactured, and mounted onto heat syncs.
Photo Keene Dadian/Courtesy of FOHSE
C&T Today: How are automation and artificial intelligence playing a role in modern LEDs?
a 20-inch touch screen that controls everything from lighting to all your airflow, all your HVAC, your dehumidifiers, all your nutrients — everything is controlled from that one place.
AG: As little as five years ago, you’d still see basic, store-bought wall timers turning stuff on and off. Now it’s pretty common to walk into a cultivation center and outside the grow room is
At Fohse, we have our own set of controls. So, if you don’t want to integrate the lights into anything, we have a controller as well where you can control your spectrums and schedule
The reason it’s still so beneficial, even at that higher price, is your efficiency and most importantly, the longevity of that light fixture. On average, those cheaper HPS bulbs only last about eight months. Some people manage to stretch it out to 12 months, others like to change them out every six months. So it’s really shortterm. Our LED lights are built to last 12 years. So, over time, that cost levels out. And that’s not even talking about your electrical efficiencies or increased yield. Add that in and the ROI is really short, even though the initial purchase price is higher.
The Fohse team is based in Las Vegas, Nevada and has been offering innovative lighting solutions since 2015. Photo Keene Dadian/Courtesy of FOHSE
Vol. 4 / Issue 1 / Cannabis & Tech Today
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// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // Presented By LED-ing the Way
Agrify Vice President of Solutions Engineering Ted Leung C&T Today: How do LEDs impact other resources in the grow, like HVAC costs? Ted Leung: LEDs give off a much lower heat profile. They exhaust fewer BTUs back into the ambient air temperature, which means that your HVAC and your cooling costs are going to be a lot lower as well. HIDs and HPS lights generate an awful lot of heat. When you’re looking at a commercial grow, where you literally have hundreds, maybe thousands of these HPS lights, you’re generating a significant amount of heat into that room that your HVAC system now needs to compensate for. With LED technology, not only are you using less electricity and producing more light photons, but you’re also generating a lot less heat from those lamps, which means you’re going to spend less to cool the facility down. C&T Today: What advice would you offer growers interested in buying LEDs for the first time? TL: I would say to growers to do their homework. There are a lot of LED manufacturers out there today. If you just go by what they print on their spec sheets, you may be disappointed. Growers should understand exactly what they’re looking for in a light, understand what their parameters are, how they’re going to grow, and then do the research on the company. Ensure the lights they’re going to be working with or the vendors they are working with have UL 8800 horticulture lighting certification. It is
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Photos: Patrick Rogers Photography/Courtesy of Agrify
a basic safety certification that’s provided by UL specific to horticulture lighting. This is going to be critically important. Work with vendors that are on the DLC QPL list. DLC is an independent certification arm that will certify the performance of the lights for each manufacturer. Users can go and buy a light and trust the manufacturers to list the real data, or they can buy a light that’s been DLC QPL approved and they can be confident of the light’s performance as certified. The last thing I would highly encourage users to do is take a look at is the cleanability of their light fixtures. These light fixtures are going to be in a grow room next to, touching, and around cannabis plants with resins and humidity and dirt and so on. I would encourage growers to really look at the cleanability of their equipment, including their lights. Agrify’s model R1 light, we are National Sanitation Foundation approved. Our lights are totally encased in polycarbonate, which makes them super easy to clean, which means you’re going to have less disease in your grow rooms.
Vertical growing facilities like those offered by Agrify offer efficient, sterile grow environments customized for the cultivator. Agrify lighting systems are encased in polycarbonate for easy cleaning, which is why they are National Sanitation Foundation approved.
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// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // Presented By LED-ing the Way
Fluence CEO David Cohen C&T Today: How is wireless technology impacting the LED sector? David Cohen: It’s really just starting — this whole [concept of] smart farming fixtures talking to sensors, talking to grow management systems that incorporate AI and machine learning algorithms. We’ve developed and launched technology that allows our lights to be a kind of communication portal and work with the various types of sensors that growers use. They use sensors for leaf temperature, humidity, water absorption — there are thousands of different things you can sense. All of this data is grabbed by our lights using Bluetooth mesh technology. This lets the grower better understand what’s going on in the grow environment. I would say it’s kind of the tip of the iceberg today, this technology that’s coming to growers to automate things and use AI to predict that a zone in the back right-hand corner is getting too cold, and to communicate that to the heating system. For example, it enables growers to turn the heat on in a specific location, then monitor the growth of the plants under that higher heat. I think that’s the next level of complexity that’s coming. C&T Today: What do growers need to understand about incorporating LEDs into their facilities? DC: You have to understand that with LEDs, it is not a situation where you unplug the old light, plug the new LED in, and do everything the same way. The LED light is concentrating a significantly higher number of photons on the plant in a much more direct fashion. In many cases, the lights are much, much closer to the plants, so the plants grow faster. What you have to make sure is that you’re changing your entire regimen to optimize the environment to grow this plant, based on how intense you’re cranking the lights up. We do trials with customers all over the world to see exactly how much light intensity the plant can handle. When I talk about that, I mean the amount of photons that are coming out of the light and hitting the plant. What we’re finding,
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Fluence lights act as a communication portal for sensors, measuring humidity, temperature, and more. Data is relayed with Bluetooth technology to help growers better understand their grow environment.
growing, tomatoes, cucumbers, cannabis, or other crops. Because of the higher concentration of photons, these plants grow more biomass, which is simply the weight of whatever you’re growing on the plant. You get some pretty dramatic increases in biomass. To state it very simply, if your harvest is 20 tomatoes and then you change to LED lights and now it’s 30 tomatoes, you just picked up 50% more output and you can sell 50% more. Photos courtesy of Fluence by OSRAM
with cannabis especially, is that this plant can take a lot more photons than anybody thought. But, you have to be aware that if you’re blasting a plant with twice the amount of photons, it’s going to grow faster, which means it needs to drink more, it needs more airflow and nutrients as it eliminates moisture out of its leaves. So you have to be aware that whatever your strategy currently is, it’s likely going to change significantly when you’re using LED lighting versus alternative lighting fixtures, like HPS systems. C&T Today: What have you found most surprising about the evolution of LED technology? DC: I came into this industry having been in LED lighting for 20 years, but I hadn’t had any exposure to growing plants. What I found most surprising is that the technology could actually make the plants grow more, whether you’re
The second surprising thing was you can actually use light to change the look, flavor, or in terms of cannabis, the cannabinoid profile by just altering the light strategy, which is amazing. We did a huge experiment that showed if you treat the plants with a very certain type of light output, you can manipulate the pigment in the plant. We’ve done studies with basil growers where, by using different LED lighting strategies, you can increase the shelf life of the basil by three days. That resulted in a 30% higher sell price for the basil grower because there were three extra days before the plants went bad in the store. Fluence just completed a strawberry experiment in the Netherlands where we found that the taste of the strawberries was affected by the color of the light that we applied to the strawberry plant. When I came into this, I had no idea that lights could do all of those things, and amazingly enough, they really can. Light is one of the most important tools a grower has to manipulate the plant they’re growing. ❖
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// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // Presented By
AI Grow Efficiency and Sustainability Through Automation By Rachelle Gordon Cultivating cannabis can be a challenge. In addition to being a fairly resource-intensive process, the plant itself is quite sensitive to its environment. With operators facing slim margins in many markets, it’s imperative to be as efficient as possible. Enter AI Grow. A technology company providing automation and data analytics solutions for controlled agriculture, AI Grow was founded with the intention of helping cultivators maximize profitability and performance. Offering custom modularcontrolled software for facilities of any size, AI Grow’s one-stop-shop system has the ability to regulate and monitor lights, water, pH levels, nutrients, and environmental conditions with extreme ease. Founder Chris Ellis has an extensive background in industrial automation, with over two decades spent automating processes in manufacturing, aggregate mining, and other heavily regulated sectors. A number of experiences in cannabis grows led Ellis, a nearly lifelong devotee of the plant, to an “aha” moment nearly ten years ago. “I kept saying why aren’t we automating this industry? There are so many controllable devices,” said Ellis, who also serves as AI Grow’s president and CEO. As it turned out, the mainstream firms simply weren’t ready for what the future held. “I pitched the concept to my old bosses, and they laughed at me,” Ellis recalled. The engineer didn’t give up. He decided to form his own firm called Assured Integration in 2017 along with partners Daryl Denison and Chris Gibbs. It wasn’t until two years later, however, when the trio officially launched AI Grow that Ellis's cannabis dreams were fully realized. While searching for the perfect space to develop his automated grow technology, Ellis 54
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The company’s patent-pending Birdhouse is an aptly-named hanging sensor mechanism that monitors environmental conditions throughout grow facilities.
and his wife, Shelli, came across an apple orchard for sale just a short drive from Minneapolis. They decided to set up a prototype grow room inside one of the barns, with Ellis playing mad scientist at the helm to perfect his processes. The venture paid off, and AI Grow was soon setting its sights on largescale commercial cultivation facilities throughout the country. Cutting-Edge Technology Made Simple Ellis and the AI Grow team aim to develop and implement systems that are extremely precise and innovative yet so easy to understand that an individual with little to no training could operate them. They do not require the use of proprietary hardware, guaranteeing integration
with their software regardless of what type of valve or pump is being deployed. Cultivators can opt to automate certain processes and scale up as they see fit — AI Grow evolves with its customers’ businesses. A large-scale electrical panel is custom designed by the AI Grow team according to each client’s specific needs. Once manufacturing is completed by a vendor partner, Ellis and his fellow engineers proceed to program and test every touchpoint in the system before it’s delivered. All equipment deployed is best-inclass, industrial-rated to ensure peak performance. “We prefer to be involved right from the start of a project when the facility is being designed, so we can assist with creating efficiencies within
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Automating the cultivation process has never been easier. AI Grow’s systems enable cultivators to monitor their facilities and adjust inputs from centralized interfaces.
the design that make sense in terms of automation process flow,” explained Daryl Denison, AI Grow’s chief operating officer.
has already developed two standalone product offerings that can integrate with their software with more in the works.
Each control touchpoint on every plant is represented on a flow pattern that is simple to discern. Alerts can be set to notify operators of any issues, both within the facility and via remote access in case of staff shortages or afterhours emergencies. This reduces the risk of catastrophic failures that can put entire crops at risk.
The company’s patent-pending Birdhouse is an aptly-named hanging sensor mechanism that monitors environmental conditions throughout grow facilities. It contains sensors for lights, CO2, temperature, and humidity levels which all feed information into the PLC. The 3-D printed Birdhouses provide additional data touchpoints crucial to ensuring conditions are ideal at all times and are especially useful in dry/ cure rooms.
Stored data can be compiled to analyze growth cycles or for compliance purposes. AI Grow uses technology typically only seen in largescale commercial settings to help set cannabis cultivators up for success. “We use PLC, short for programmable logic controller. These are the exact same systems that are running your mega manufacturing facilities,” Ellis noted. Proprietary “Birdhouse” Sensors and Fertigation Systems Round Out AI Grow’s Full Suite. Constantly innovating, the team at AI Grow 56
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Another AI Grow innovation is their customizable fertigation system which allows cultivators to create their own nutrient blends. Programmable pumps automatically add precise ingredients to water in a solution tank which can then be administered to plants within the larger AI Grow system. Recipes can be stored in a database and used cycle after cycle. “Instead of buying the cake mix off the shelf, you’re baking your own — it offers total flexibility and cost-savings since you’re using the raw ingredients,” Ellis said.
Sustainability Key Driver of AI Grow Mission AI Grow prides itself on helping cultivators be efficient, but the company also strives to make the industry more environmentally friendly while simultaneously reducing bottom lines. Call it automation with a conscience. “Automation delivers the same amount of resources consistently to the plants, whether it is water, CO2, nutrients, or environmental controls,” noted Denison. “This eliminates the overuse and as an added bonus, the plants will respond very positively to this stability,” Denison noted. “This precision ties into profitability on both ends, both by reducing the costs that go into production and by maximizing yield to a level that could not be achieved manually.” As a passionate supporter of the cannabis plant, Ellis genuinely wants to see the industry thrive. And after spending so much time working in other resource-intensive sectors, he is excited to put more time and effort into a more regenerative space. “This is growing — we’re giving back to the planet.” ❖
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// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // Presented By
Finding Solutions to the Unsustainable By Nick Thomas The legal cannabis industry in the United States uses a lot of energy. The data is eyeopening. According to the Denver-based National Conference of State Legislatures (NACL), indoor cannabis cultivation makes up at least 1% of national electricity use. In California, data show that figure is closer to 3%. To put it in other terms, using 2015 figures, the average monthly electricity consumption of a relatively small 5,000 square feet indoor growing facility in Boulder County, Colorado, was 41,808-kilowatt-hours. The average household in the same county averaged about 630-kilowatt-hours monthly. And there is little indication things have changed all that much amid increasing state legalization of the drug. Not to mention the illicit cannabis industry in such figures. More recently, estimates show about $6 billion being spent on energy for indoor cannabis cultivation, according to the nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy; that figure matches what the federal government spends on energy use at its multiple facilities. Or, with all the lighting, moisture, and HVAC systems required to provide the best growing conditions for the plant, it’s the equivalent approximately to the energy required to run an additional three million cars, the organization says. Some regulators and cannabis producers are trying to do something about all that by looking for sustainable solutions to what is an otherwise unsustainable situation. The Panels Came With It When Ed Dow was looking for a building in Massachusetts to grow cannabis, he wasn’t necessarily looking for one which happened to have solar panels attached to its roof. But the facility in Somerset, which currently
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has about 43,000 square feet of cultivation space but is licensed for up to 100,000, did, and it was a perfect fit for the CEO of Solar Cannabis Co. who said he had been tinkering with engineering ideas as to how to grow cannabis sustainably.
“It is very difficult to get solar panels added after the fact and so I saw that having the solar energy potential could be a gamechanger,” Dow told Cannabis Tech & Today. “The town was supportive of the idea and we brought it all in under budget and faster than anticipated,” he
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// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // Presented By Finding Solutions to the Unsustainable combination of solar and CHP,” Dow said. “It’s not like we can ever turn the power off and so we have to continually weigh the costs of all that.” The Somerset facility generates about 1MW of solar-powered electricity from the microgrid.
CEO of Solar Cannabis Co. Ed Dow operates a 5.5 MW microgrid which uses energy efficient CHP (combined heat and power) and solar energy to run the company’s cultivation facilities.
Recreating the Model Solar, which currently operates two dispensaries — one at the Somerset site and one in Seekonk, plans to open a third dispensary in Massachusetts in Dartmouth in the summer. It is also seeking to reproduce its model in other states. While the company already has a medical marijuana retail license in neighboring Rhode Island, it is primarily setting its sights on New Jersey. Solar has an ongoing cultivation license application in The Garden State and will, if successful, build on its established solar panel and microgrid model from the Somerset facility. The company has already identified a building for such growing purposes. “We proved the theory and learned a lot from Somerset,” Dow said of the original company building. “We’ll be looking at scaling the battery storage if we win the license.”
said of the completed project which included changing several by-laws such as making the building permitted for industrial rather than commercial use. At the same time as Solar’s plans took hold, Massachusetts regulators were stipulating a cap of 36 watts for lighting per square foot of plant canopy, slightly higher at 50 watts for smaller facilities. In Illinois, that 36 watts figure is for all indoor grows regardless of size. The Massachusetts rule encouraged Dow and Solar even more to use the existing solar panels. “It really snowballed from there,” he said. “I talked with my investor group and we decided let’s take it from there.” The problem is it isn’t always sunny in Solar’s home state. And battery technology to store solar energy is still very much a work in progress. “We could almost run it on solar if the sun was shining all the time but I don’t know when we could ever go solely solar,” Dow said. “Batteries (for power storage) are becoming 60
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more robust but they would have to be a lot more so for us to totally go with solar.” The company’s solution seems simple enough in concept; build an onsite microgrid to power its cannabis cultivation needs. But if it was such a simple thing to effect, it doesn’t seem to have caught on very much in the industry as a whole. “It’s incredibly unusual,” Dow said. “I don’t really know of anyone else that is doing this at our scale.” The 5.5 MW microgrid uses a combination of relatively energy-efficient CHP (Combined Heat and Power) and solar energy to power the company’s cultivation process. Some of the electricity produced is sent back to the main grid. The ultimate goal is to be able to power the company’s needs with electricity provided solely by the sun but that is still a ways off. A target of 50% solar power is the aim over the next few years. “We currently have a really healthy
Dow is enthused about the opportunities New Jersey may bring. “They are learning from every other state,” he said. “New Jersey is going to be humongous.” Such expansion does not come easily. While the company has so far avoided any leverage, it is going to have to take on some debt to fund its growth outside of its home state. “Institutional debt is still expensive but it is much less so than it was a year or two ago,” Dow said. The gamble is that it will all pay off and that the message of cannabis being manufactured in as sustainable way as possible will continue to resonate with consumers both in Massachusetts and with those outside of the state as Solar continues its growth. “I think consumers are still trending towards a more sustainable product,” Dow said. “I believe the market is trending that way and that people will inevitably move in that direction because of all the hot button issues regarding sustainability; companies have to look at that in their growth plan.” ❖
// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // Presented By
A Smart Drawer for Every Store Security Solutions for Retailers By Ebby Stone For cannabis retailers, unsecured product is a liability. Not only is it a compliance issue, but it’s also a security concern. In most legalized states, all commercial cannabis must be secured by a lock. The same applies to cash. This can mean unsightly, bulky cabinets, safes, and other storage options that may not fit the aesthetic of the establishment. For those who would like to customize cabinets and drawers that fit their design, adding locks to existing furniture may be the best solution. Once the lock is in place, who gets a key? Retailers need to accurately monitor who is accessing secured goods and when. IoTequipped locks are the future, offering accountability and transparency for business owners. One company specializing in advanced security controls is Senseon. It offers customized IoT-enabled locking options for existing drawers and displays. Business owners can set who has access to which drawers and keep an accurate log of who accessed them and when. This is crucial when there’s a security breach or when the compliance auditor comes knocking. In the event of a theft, retailers can correlate security footage with data from Senseon to speed up the investigation process. Smart security offers insight into traffic levels for each drawer, peak activity windows, and user activity. This kind of reporting is another tool in the retailer’s arsenal, enabling decisions about efficiency and potential gaps in security. With locked displays, retailers can showcase inventory on the sales floor, allowing sales professionals to spend more time with customers and less time looking for merchandise behind closed doors. Plus, data collected from the Senseon system allows retailers to understand which products are most popular, which employees are most productive, 62
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and how to optimize the flow of customer traffic. If you’re concerned about a particularly valuable area, try the dual authorization feature. Two staff members with valid credentials have to be present at the same time to access the secure area. Senseon is offering three tiers of programming: Senseon One, Senseon Plus, and Senseon Core. The first option offers auto relock (for forgetful staff members), simplified key management, and high-strength security. The “Plus” option provides a user audit trail, dual authentication, discrete access, and easy configuration. It also syncs data to the cloud, so business owners can oversee operations from
anywhere in the world. Finally, with “Core,” retailers are given enterprise cabinet-level security with a broader access control network. This upgrade doesn’t require any changes to existing infrastructure, no additional software, and includes electronic cabinet locks. If you’re not sure which is a fit, the company’s online configurator can help. Users type in their cabinet and drawer specifications and are matched with the custom solutions. Whether you’re just entering the dispensary business or upgrading your current systems, a security upgrade like this is another step toward peace of mind, compliance accountability, and greater efficiency in your operating procedures. ❖
AT I NFOR M ATION PRODUCTS
Simplifying the Coding of Cannabis Packaging With the cannabis industry being highly regulated, it’s not possible to preprint all labeling information on the packaging. With that in mind, the team at AT Information Products (AT Info) offers a broad line of Markoprint and Autoprint industrial inkjet printers and inks to identify and code products, unit packages, and outer shipping cartons for the cannabis industry. Maximizing Efficiency “Our goal is to help manufacturers and customers boost overall productivity while minimizing the labor component,” said Jeff Norton, business development manager at AT Info. The equipment offered by AT Info prints high-quality alpha-numeric text, barcodes, and graphics. Clients use single pen models for printing use-by-dates, lot numbers, batch numbers, THC amounts, and traceability codes on a variety of packaging, such as chipboard boxes, glass bottles, plastic containers, flexible film, and pouches. “Most industries, including cannabis, have a need to print variable data,” said Norton. “Typically, companies preprint what they can and then leave a space for the lot, batch, THC content, etc. On the day of packaging, they’ll use one of our machines to code the variable information, before putting the product in the packaging.” The Power of Integrated Feeder Solutions One capability that differentiates AT Info from the competition is its integrated feeder solutions. Manufacturers have the opportunity
to raise production output by 5 to 10 times and provide quick payback on the capital investment. The savings are largely driven by the elimination of labor to manually label or code packaging substrates. Integrated feeder solutions meet regulatory requirements for labeling, eliminate hand labor and corresponding safety concerns, minimize labeling mistakes, and reduce operational costs. Additionally, manufacturers are able to efficiently manage their inventory of pre-printed bags and boxes which reduces overall material obsolescence. AT Info offers a broad line of friction feeders with the ability to feed flat packaging such as gummy packs, vape cartons, and more. For flexible packaging that cannot run on a friction feeder, a pick and place vacuum feeder is also available. Quality Ink “A key differentiator of AT Info is the ink products we offer to manufacturers,” said Norton. “HP 2580 and HP 2590 are both black
solvent inks that print beautifully on a variety of non-porous packaging materials used in cannabis. They are the only HP inks that are approved for indirect food contact, which makes them ideal for coding cannabis boxes, pouches, and more.” AT Info sells printers, ink, and other necessary supplies and accessories. When a printer is purchased, customers also receive a software system called iDesign, which manages the input of messages into the printer. “We operate by the philosophy that sometimes less is more … Our Markoprint coding solutions drive fewer costs associated with labor and supplies, yet drive more profits to the cannabis manufacturer’s bottom line,” said Norton. ❖
For more information contact AT Information Products (201) 529-0202 or visit www.atip-usa.com
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// SOCIAL EQUITY //
Photo courtesy NACB
Closing the Digital Chasm in the Cannabis Industry
By Marie St. Fleur, NACB Acting Executive Director and CEO
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// SOCIAL EQUITY //
The digital divide is a growing inequity in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities across the United States. This divide was made even more apparent during the pandemic. As schools and colleges went remote, BIPOC communities struggled with access to education, lack of hardware, access to broadband, and educators with the skill set to effectively translate curriculum to a remote student body.
cannabis in states across this country. Social equity policies, enacted as a tool to correct this historical injustice, have been adopted in many states. These policies are a positive step towards building an inclusive workforce, particularly in businesses and jobs that touch the flower — we have yet to work on the ancillary services that support this industry. Technology is a critical component of workforce success. However, the BIPOC presence in technology is negligible.
Digital equity is a condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy. Digital equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential services, as defined by the National League of Cities Digital Playbook. Digital equity is needed to fully participate in the cannabis industry.
In this highly regulated industry, technology is the lifeline to survival. The many platforms that are needed to streamline and effectively run your business such as point-of-sale, seed-to-sale, wiring and security systems, and software to enhance regulatory reporting requirements, are often out of reach for BIPOC owners and licensees. This growing industry must provide the pathway for BIPOC students, industry applicants, and social equity candidates to be trained and hired. Moreover, capital must be available as the cost to purchase and maintain these technology platforms is one of the many barriers to entry. This divide is an injustice that
In the growing cannabis industry, this divide is akin to a chasm. Racial injustice in the enforcement of state and federal drug laws was a credible argument for the legalization of
must be rectified as rapidly as the cannabis industry is growing. The adoption of the National Association of Cannabis Businesses (NACB) Social Equity Model and Sustainability Standard are ways for this industry to begin to organize, plan, and act to close that chasm. Investment pools and connecting with students in trade schools about these career opportunities can help create entrepreneurs and offer employment tracks for BIPOC students in cannabis technology and beyond. Further, advanced recruitment practices can show existing technology professionals that cannabis technology is a legitimate and obtainable career pathway. The adoption and implementation of these standards in policy and practice will transform this digital divide into equitable opportunities that can close the existing chasm in the cannabis industry. Join us to make certain that we build the ethical industry that was the focus of our fight for legalization — an industry that is inclusive at inception and across all domains. ❖ Vol. 4 / Issue 1 / Cannabis & Tech Today
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Writing Legislative Wrongs Ten Years Into Legal Cannabis and We Still Can’t Get Social Equity Right. By Sarah Ratliff
On Feb. 7, 2022, New Jersey publication The Patch ran a story with the headline: “NJ Hasn’t Licensed Any Black Owners Since It Legalized Marijuana.” The next day, journalist and civil rights activist Shaun King picked up the story. If this were true, any backlash the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) received would have been justified. “All the writer had to do was ask someone in the industry,” retorted Suzan Nickelson, a Black woman with majority ownership in retail shop Holistic Solutions, LLC. “I received approval for my license in December 2021. And I’m not alone. I think we should focus on what regulatory agencies are doing right while holding them accountable to write legislation to change what’s wrong,” Nickelson said. “Lowering application fees for social equity applicants is a great start and New Jersey does that. Inflammatory and baseless claims don’t do the industry or our communities of color any good,” she said. Veteran, cannabis activist, and partner of Heart Community Capital, Leo Bridgewater concurs. “Former Governor Chris Christie never wanted legal cannabis, so to be where we are under Governor Phil Murphy’s vision and leadership is amazing,” he said. “The CRC was formed in the summer of 2021. They’re moving in the right direction. There are many states doing a terrible job with social equity. New Jersey isn’t one of them.” Why Assume All Social Equity Programs Are Performative? Kika Keith is the co-founder of the Los Angeles-based Social Equity Owners and Workers Association (SEOWA). She feels the knee-jerk reaction to hearing that yet another 66
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state’s cannabis regulatory board failed to uphold social equity is justified. “These programs are designed to fail. Legalization on the recreational side was a Trojan horse for multi-state operators (MSOs), and the 81% of white men who own existing dispensaries, they needed to do a play of compassion for voters,” Keith said. “We all know by now the war on drugs decimated communities of color,” she added. “We need to repair the harm and prioritize creating Black and Brown jobs. And ‘community reinvestment’ is often a pretext to get it legalized. Once legalized, and it’s happened in most cities, they say, ‘well, we have to establish the marketplace.’” In April 2020, SEOWA filed a lawsuit on behalf of 226 social equity applicants. The crux of the lawsuit is that an independent audit released a month earlier proved that all 226 applicants submitted their paperwork before the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis
(Top Left) Susan Nickelson of Holisitic Solutions, LLC. (Top Right) Co-Founder of Social Equity Owners and Workers Association Kika Keith. (Bottom Right) Inside Kika Keith’s Los Angeles dispensary Gorilla Rx Wellness.
Regulation’s (DCR) 2019 “first come, first serve” deadline. “It’s a stall tactic. One of the requirements is to have already leased a retail space before submitting the application. If the regulatory board holds up the process, most in our community can’t afford to pay on a space that’s not bringing in money, so eventually, they drop out of the running,” Keith said.
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// SOCIAL EQUITY // Writing Legislative Wrongs
“And those investors and MSOs are waiting. For the few of us who make it, the hope is that three years later, we’ll sell our licenses for pennies on the dollar. They have money to wait it out. It’s a tremendous miscarriage of justice.”
(Left) Devin Alexander, founder of Rolling Releaf. (Right) Derrell Black, chapter president of Massachusetts for Minorities for Medical Marijuana hosting the community forum Let’s Talk Weed. (Bottom Left) Derrell Black. (Bottom Right) Patricia Patton, founder of the Cannabis Business Alliance. Devin Alexander Photo: Asha Waterhouse / Patricia Patton Photo: Marguerite de Bourgoing
By summer 2021, SEOWA settled its lawsuit when the DCR agreed to issue 200 social equity retail licenses. Sometimes lawsuits are filed to keep social equity out of legal cannabis. Arrested in high school for cannabis possession, Devin Alexander knew the only way he could own a plant-touching business was through social equity. In 2020, Alexander applied for a license allowing him to purchase cannabis from cultivators and manufacturers and deliver it directly to consumers. The Commonwealth Dispensary Association (CDA) filed a lawsuit against the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) to prevent the creation of the Marijuana Delivery Operator Licenses (which were always earmarked for social equity applicants). The CDA later dropped it, conceding to the need for more diversity in the industry. In November 2021, Alexander’s Rolling Releaf became the first and only Black-owned delivery operator that is provisionally licensed in Massachusetts. “Everything happens for a reason. It’s been a wild ride, but it’ll be worth it,” Alexander said. Desperate Times Call for Creative Measures Revisiting the reality that 81% of planttouching businesses are owned by white men, combined with several pending lawsuits to hold 68
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states’ elected officials accountable to right legislative wrongs, it might seem hopeless for anyone with a record, or with dark skin, to break into the industry. However, there may be two avenues that while very different, could help Black and Brown people carve out a niche for themselves. Let’s Talk Weed is a series of community forums in Boston, MA, founded by Derrell Black, chapter president of Massachusetts for Minorities for Medical Marijuana. In October 2021, they held their first event, moderated by Jeff Similien, CEO of the forthcoming Lowkey Dispensary in Dorchester, MA. Black and Brown members of the community came seeking guidance from the panel comprising five Black CEOs in retail, cultivation, and delivery services. All attendees reportedly walked away feeling hopeful. If a community forum doesn’t exist, create it yourself.
Solopreneur Patricia A. Patton wanted to be in the industry. Instead, she owns an ancillary business at the intersection of cannabis and health and wellness. As a wellness practitioner and longtime advocate for older adults, Patton’s focus is on health disparities. In 2021, she founded the Cannabis Business Alliance, a membership hub for small entrepreneurs in the cannabis supply chain. “While I believe the industry is big enough for anyone who wants to be part of it, there are innumerable opportunities for ancillary businesses to support plant-touching businesses. We should use our imaginations to fill the needs.” The fact is most states have fallen woefully short in prioritizing social equity. As with everything in life, Black and Brown people are ready, able, and willing to create our own legacy. ❖
SUR NA CULTIVATION TECH NOLO GI ES
Managing the Complex Landscape of Cannabis Cultivation With extensive experience in both commercial construction and controlled environment agriculture (CEA), including cannabis facilities, Surna Cultivation Technologies has helped cultivators take control of their cultivation facilities for over 15 years. Their team of project managers, licensed professional engineers, technology specialists, and systems integration experts keep construction projects on time and within budget. Managing Complex Systems “We offer a number of wide-ranging services and solutions,” said Brandy Keen, cofounder and senior technical advisor. “The goal being that Surna will design, engineer, and provide curated technologies to give a cultivator the backbone of a successful and efficient cultivation system.” According to Keen, HVAC and climate control in a growing space is extremely complex and vastly different from similar features in a house or office building. With this in mind, it takes professionals with specialized skills to ensure a facility is designed, built, and equipped appropriately. “It’s really important to understand that cultivation facilities have a number of complex systems in use,” said Keen. “Some of these include automated irrigation, large-scale industrial HVAC systems, sophisticated controls, and building automation and data collection systems. One mistake that I see folks making is not allowing for a facility maintenance staff who knows how to keep the facility operating and maintained on a daily basis.” From Beginning to End “The most successful projects are those that are well-coordinated from the beginning to the end,” said Keen. “This starts with expertise in
the field and knowing the unique needs of the industry.” Many of Surna’s most successful clients have employed Surna team members from inception. Keen says it’s most beneficial when the same team develops floor plans, as well as architectural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design plans. Throughout the process, Surna becomes familiar with the goals of the cultivator and ensures all needs are met. “Along with design plans, we also provide the control systems and automation systems,” said Keen. “These systems maintain CO2 levels, ventilation, lighting, data collection, reporting, and alarm agents. Essentially, all of these elements are natural extensions of one another, so it helps if one team is managing all of it.” The Surna Story and the Future of CEA When Surna began in 2006, they focused solely on indoor gardening, as cannabis legalization was murky at that time. Throughout the years, Surna has evolved into the robust company they are today.
“If you are planning to build a cultivation facility, acquire a design team as early in the process as possible and ensure that the design team has a portfolio of implemented designs specific to cultivation facilities,” said Keen. “You can very early begin to make decisions that may cost you money and time down the road if you do not involve the right team members from the beginning.” Keen says the building is the tool and the cannabis is the product. To create a bountiful, successful product, one needs a polished, wellbuilt tool. “Surna has a great team and we love what we do,” said Keen. “We look forward to the future of cultivation. In a lot of ways the cannabis industry is showing us how food security is going to look in the age of climate change.” ❖
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// NEW YORK TECH ZONE Presented By
Growing Possibilities
IN THE EMPIRE STATE New York’s Cannabis Industry Lights Up the East Coast
Section Compiled By Susanna Shetley and Ebby Stone
Photos iStockphoto.com
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// NEW YORK TECH ZONE What are your first thoughts when you think of New York? Do you picture Times Square and all the bustle of New York City? While it’s tempting to imagine the Statue of Liberty beckoning travelers to the skyscrapers of Manhattan, much of New York is rural. The Empire State is home to 33,000 family farms and nearly 7 million acres of farmland. It ranks top ten in the production of more than 30 staple commodities, ranging from apples to onions to dairy products. Its temperate climate is also perfect for hemp production. The state’s Domestic Hemp Production Program has already approved over 30,000 acres for hemp farming. While the potential for hemp is exciting, the sexier side of legalization is in the retail adult-use market. In September of 2021, New York legalized recreational cannabis, opening the doors to an estimated $4.2 billion industry. It has the potential to become one of the nation’s largest cannabis markets. State lawmakers have taken a progressive approach to legalization, allowing consumers more liberties than other legalized states. Adults over the age of 21 are allowed to possess up to three ounces of flower and 24 grams of concentrates. They can store up to five pounds in their homes and can grow their own supply with up to 12 plants per household. Most innovative is their policy around public consumption. In New York State, if the area permits tobacco consumption, you can smoke cannabis there. This is contrary to many other legalized states where public consumption is not permitted — which creates a conundrum for cannabis tourists. In all, the state’s legal marketplace is shaping up to be one of the more robust and welcoming cannabis industries in the nation. In this Tech Zone, we’ll take a look at some of the companies and innovators taking part in the Empire State’s newest economic opportunity. ❖
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// NEW YORK TECH ZONE Presented By
New York, New York! Where Quality Meets Sophistication By Susanna Shetley
From Ancient China to Snoop Dogg’s era of hip hop and beyond, the appeal of rolling cannabis has stood the test of time. Despite a growing abundance of pipes, bubblers, bongs, and other devices, many people prefer to smoke the traditional way. After two years of research and planning, Ash, the makers of premium rolling papers, emerged on the scene a year ago to rave reviews. Their goal was to develop high-quality, upscale products. “We set out to create a paper that’s unlike the rest,” said Al Tawil, co-founder of Ash. “Our goal is to create a rolling paper that consumers are proud to use in any setting.” With recreational cannabis now legal in New York, Tawil is confident their premium rolling papers will be an integral player in the state’s evolving cannabis scene. Integrity Through Cultivation After traveling to Asia and Europe, the Ash team decided France was leading the charge in terms of high-quality rolling papers. “We did a lot of research and traveled far and wide. We found that the French really know what they’re 72
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doing in terms of cultivating ingredients for rolling papers,” said Tawil. Ash papers are fragrance-free and flavorless as to not interact with the natural taste and smell of cannabis. They are made with vegan, all-natural, organic, and non-GMO components. “As a luxury brand, we have committed to exceptionally high standards that deliver elevated results,” said Tawil. “For example, we hand-roll all of our cones to maintain the highest quality.” Ash offers two core collections, the Classic Collection and the Organic Collection. The papers in the Classic Collection are made from rice pulp, and the papers in the Organic Collection are made from wood pulp. Keeping It Classy One of Ash’s taglines is “Where quality meets sophistication.” It wants its clients to feel classy purchasing and using Ash products. “Ash is leading a movement to change the face of the rolling paper industry,” said Tawil. “It is similar to how dispensaries are working to polish their ambiance and offer an upscale experience.” This upscale experience will surely be part of
New York City’s expanding cannabis lounge scene. Cannabis lounges are places where people who use marijuana can enjoy themselves in a private and safe environment. As more cannabis lounges open up in NYC, they’ll make an excellent hub for brands like Ash. “We wanted to create a unique rolling paper with beautiful branding,” said Tawil. “Our product’s quality and upscale packaging provide a chic option for people who enjoy smoking.” Looking Ahead As a young company in the industry, Ash is pleased with the mark they’re making. Their primary goal is to continue retail and distributor partnerships so Ash products can be in many additional stores in the U.S. and abroad, particularly in up-and-coming cannabis marketplaces like New York. “I’m an old-school kind of guy and enjoy the process of rolling a joint,” said Tawil. “I wouldn’t try to persuade people to change their method, but for people who have used the same rolling paper brand for years, I suggest they give Ash a try.” ❖
BOOTH # 315
// NEW YORK TECH ZONE Presented By
Pre-Roll Perfection Industrial Innovations Are Taking Pre-Rolls to a Higher Level By Ebby Stone A perfect joint has a few key qualities. It burns evenly, hits smoothly, and doesn’t droop when held horizontally. While these might sound like basic properties, pre-rolls are a delicate science. One needs quality rolling paper, flower that’s not too dry or too damp, and a particle size that provides structural support and adequate airflow. If New York’s cannabis market follows the same trends as the rest of the U.S., pre-rolls will be a hot seller. The pre-roll category netted $2.6 billion in retail sales in 2021 across six adult-use markets, data-analytics firm Headset reported. It’s now the third highest-revenue category in America, even surpassing edibles in popularity. Manufacturers in the Empire State are part of what Headset estimates will be a $1.1 billion-ayear industry. Business owners should be prepared to ramp up production of pre-rolls to keep pace with enthusiastic buyers. Perfecting Scalable Production Particle size is especially important when scaling pre-roll production. Research conducted by President and CSO of Delic Labs Dr. Markus Roggen, and Nursery Manager for 710 Labs Blake Grauerholz, shines some light on the topic. They found cannabis ground by hand offers an ideal smoking experience. Its variable particle size is the key. It is possible to replicate the hand-milled experience on a larger scale by blending two different particle sizes from an industrial grinder, like the Fritsch Pulverisette 19 (P-19). The P-19 can grind flower with precision at several intervals of density, ranging from .5 mm up to 10 mm. Let’s take a look at why particle size matters. Too Fine When cannabis is ground too finely, the particles are mashed against each other, restricting airflow. When a pre-roll has less airflow, the vapor heats up while trying to escape the tight web of flower. Vapor that’s too 74
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hot creates a harsh hit. Finely-milled flower also means a heavier pre-roll which will bump up the retail price.
Scalable Solutions
Too Large Large, chunky particles create loose joints. This loose packing density leads to limp joints that don’t burn evenly. Plus, larger particles often contain errant stems, which can puncture the rolling paper and prevent an even draw.
Grauerholz and Roggen determined a blend of
Hand-Ground When grinding by hand, the particle size tends to be mixed. Small particles and large particles create the perfect blend for a velvety-smooth smoke. The particles interlock, providing structural support and a better airway for the smoke to travel through. Small business owners might get away with hand-rolling for a time, but in a large market like New York, small-scale solutions are limiting.
A precision milling system like the Fritsch P-19 offers a range of controlled particle sizes. particles at 2 mm and 6 mm offer a remarkably similar experience to hand rolling. The resulting pre-rolls offer a smooth hit with an even draw and consistent burn that doesn’t require relighting. Manufacturers can set filling machines to alternate particle size in one-fourth gram intervals, recreating the hand-roll experience on large scale. Continuous flow milling with targeted cutting doesn’t subject flower to prolonged heat or physical degradation from the grinding process, so the molecular profile is unchanged. The result is potent, consistent, scalable pre-rolls. ❖
Premium Rolling Paper THE CLASSiC COLLECTION
elegant SCAN ME
high-quality
ASH provides premium rolling papers, cultivated in France, and crafted with excellence.
// NEW YORK TECH ZONE Presented By
Genius Thrives in The Big Apple Blending Ingenuity and Creativity in NY’s Retail Scene By Susanna Shetley
One iteration of the Genius Pipe, featuring built-in accessories.
Pre-pandemic, New York City’s retail sector contributed $55 billion in taxable sales to the city’s economy according to the State Comptroller. As retail rebounds from the effects of COVID-19, cannabis retailers will play an important part in those taxable sales. One company excited to offer its brand to New Yorkers this year is Genius Pipe. Genius Pipe hit the market in 2017 and quickly moved to the forefront as a preferred smoking modality. Created by experts in the field of fluid dynamics, Genius pipes use golf ball dimple technology to cool the smoke. To put it simply, technology and ingenuity combined to develop a sleek, efficient, and healthier product for modern cannabis users. All About the Consumer “The driving force behind our brand is that we make everything about the consumer experience,” said Dyan Ferman, CEO of Genius Pipe. “Our specific technology cools and filters the smoke, which prevents the coughing and burning sensation that happens with more traditional modalities.” 76
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Genius pipes have journeyed from Beta 1.0 to the current Beta 5.0. The latest model contains a QR barcode linked to a social page on the Genius invite-only network, where Genius users can communicate. With the upcoming Beta 6.0 model, designers and individual consumers will be able to add more colorful finishes and custom designs to the pipe’s surface. The NYC Genius store will allow customers to interact with many types of Genius pipes and accessory products. Guests can also select designs and artwork for their pipes. Continued Satisfaction The Genius brand offers influencer marketing, sales, and a beta-testing membership club that offers discounts and an opportunity to try earlyrelease items, all of which are powered by Genius-specific digital currency called Genius Karma. “Once someone uses our products, they don’t veer,” said Ferman. “Their pipe and other Genius accessories become an extension of who they are.” The Genius Platform Ferman said Genius products are designed to mesh with a modern lifestyle. The pipes are
discreet and small enough to fit into a handbag or pocket, making them easy to carry while traveling (especially if using a Genius smellproof bag). Plus, the magnetic cover slides quickly in place to protect the smoking material from the wind. Genius also offers numerous accessory items, such as lighters, backpacks, dab attachments, screens, vessels, odor sprays, and Genius Consumables such as flower and concentrates. Genius University educates consumers on the cannabis space and the use of Genius products. Whether a person needs to smoke for medical or recreational reasons, Genius has created content to help customers get the most from their products. The brand has been working with the New York art community on their latest designs, which include work by the New York-based comedy podcast Legion of Skanks and the web series, Legalize Coffee. “There is nothing that compares to our products on today’s market,” said Ferman. “We are not merely a device. Genius is a way of life.” ❖
WOMEN
ARE THE THOUGHT LEADERS OF THE INDUSTRY Our mission is to connect, educate, empower and inspire the next generation of cannabis leaders.
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Navigating the Complex World of Cannabis Finance By Susanna Shetley
As of March of 2021, people 21 years of age and older can legally purchase cannabis in the state of New York. But legal doesn’t mean easy. There are complex regulations in place at every stage of the cannabis lifecycle, from grower to consumer. Finding experienced advisors can make the difference between thriving in a competitive marketplace like New York, or floundering under a sea of regulatory red tape. New York-based Grassi Advisors and Accountants boasts more than four decades of business growth and industry expansion. The firm helps businesses operate efficiently and profitably, minimize tax liabilities, ease the financial audit process, and reduce risk. Navigating Complexities The cannabis industry is far from conventional. Growers, operators, and retailers need more than traditional tax and accounting advice to achieve long-term success. Grassi’s cannabis advisors provide the guidance and resources that cannabis, industrial hemp, and CBD businesses require to maximize tax savings, secure funding, manage cash flow, implement technology, and navigate other complicated decisions. Grassi has deep roots in New York’s cannabis industry, having advised growers, manufacturers, distributors, and dispensaries since medical marijuana was first legalized in the state. “There are many complexities in this industry,” said John Pellitteri, cannabis practice leader at Grassi.
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©Sasenki - stock.adobe.com/Courtesy of Grassi Advisors
// NEW YORK TECH ZONE Presented By
“This market is federally illegal, highly regulated, and there is not a lot of traditional banking available. It can be a minefield, which makes it important for owners to surround themselves with advisors who know the space, have been through it, and can help them anticipate problems before they arise,” said Pellitteri. Securing Solid Financial Strategies Even as more and more states legalize the production and sale of cannabis products, funding continues to be an obstacle. Most financial institutions, such as banks and major credit card companies, will not do business with the cannabis industry. Pellitteri knows of only a handful of banks and non-traditional lenders who offer loans to growers, operators, and retailers. A key challenge is that different states have different laws applying to the legality, use, distribution, and growth of cannabis. It is a continually evolving landscape. “Currently, two main areas keep us very busy,” said Pellitteri. “Those are tax structure and financial compliance. With so many mergers and acquisitions and other changes going on in the industry, it’s important that all financials are in clear order and can help owners make confident decisions.” A History of Success Grassi was founded in 1980 by Louis C. Grassi and has since become one of the nation’s largest accounting firms with more than 420 employees
John Pellitteri, cannabis practice leader at Grassi Advisors and Accountants.
and nine locations in the U.S. and Italy. Its team members focus on individual industries to ensure specialized knowledge. The firm’s client list includes one of the first medicinal license holders in New York. Grassi leverages this experience to guide new applicants through the strict requirements of the state’s recreational license application process. “We were one of the first accounting firms to enter the cannabis space,” said Pellitteri. “We’ve spent six years watching it evolve, speaking on it, and writing on it. It’s the majority of my time, and I love what I do. We’re in the industry in a real way and have a lot of talented people advising growers and operators.” ❖
// NEW YORK TECH ZONE Presented By
Women on Top New York Is a Perfect Fit for Female Business Owners By Ebby Stone Did you know companies led by women tend to be more profitable than those operated by men? They also produce more than twice the revenue per dollar invested according to research from the Arcview Group and the National Cannabis Industry Association. If women are so masterful at running a business, why did MJBizDaily report that in 2021 only 22% of executive-level positions in cannabis were held by women? That number has actually decreased since 2019. This disturbing trend underlines the importance of supporting women-owned businesses, especially in developing markets like New York. Organizations like Women Grow are vital to creating more gender parity in the cannabis sector. They can offer advice, connections, and support to help women entrepreneurs launch their businesses. It’s an industry that may seem daunting for new entrants. Tanya Osborne, director of community engagement and digital production for Women Grow said the most frequent question she hears from women is how to enter the space. “My answer usually is don’t reinvent the wheel; push the one you have, just in this cannabis lane,” Osborne said. The next hurdle is funding. Osborne noted women receive a fraction of the funding showered on their male counterparts, “and it’s even less for Black and Brown women-led companies.” That’s why Women Grow showcased more than 200 women-owned businesses on its platform in 2021. It’s also why the organization hosted the Women in Cannabis Lobby Day in 2020 and 2021 to push legalization in New York State. “We are determined to keep opening the doors wider to help create an industry that will be filled with diverse women businesses and leaders,” President of Women Grow Gia Morón said. As more states embrace legalization, women80
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Networking events like those hosted by Women Grow facilitate connections and help build partnerships. Women-led companies are shaping the industry and are pivotal for changing cannabis into a more inclusive sector.
led initiatives are helping ease the transition from an illicit to a regulated market. Melissa Moore, director of civil systems reform for the Drug Policy Alliance said Women Grow has been key to helping people learn about the cannabis industry. “Especially in New York, we’ve seen how attending sessions hosted by Women Grow has broadened people’s understanding of the space and how they might fit in,” Moore said.
Cannaclusive Director of Community and Strategy Kassia Graham has seen the power of such partnerships first hand. “Through partnering with Women Grow, Cannaclusive has been able to aid in putting small, new, WOC-owned brands in the spotlight,” said Graham. “Women Grow is helping the industry evolve by putting driven, innovative, womenowned and -operated businesses at the forefront of cannabis.”
The United Nations Development Council determined increasing female employment rates in the top 37 high-income countries to match the female employment rates in Sweden would boost gross domestic product by $6 trillion a year. It’s numbers like these that should encourage everyone to partner with women-owned companies (WOCs).
For all New Yorkers watching the cannabis industry unfold, it’s essential to actively take part in women’s empowerment in the sector. Buy from WOCs, invest in their ideas, and encourage them to take part in this lucrative sector. It may not be an easy path, but it’s one worth pursuing. “Rejection will not deter us, it inspires us,” Morón said. ❖
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Navigating a new industry raises a lot of questions. Our Cannabis Advisors have the answers. Our experience and industry knowledge has helped cannabis, hemp and CBD growers, dispensaries and investors across the country stay steps ahead of regulatory and tax issues, while positioning their businesses for growth and success.
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// COVER STORY //
s e m l o H e r a e p t S Pe Talent to In his new sitcom How We Roll, Pete Holmes plays Tom Smallwood, a husband and father who is laid off from a car factory and decides to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional bowler.
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// COVER STORY //
I’ve been practicing mindfulness and meditation for just over a year. The recurring lesson is life happens now. It doesn’t start when the next deadline passes or when that thing with the bank works out. It’s not on pause until you can get the laundry done or until the hardware store has those parts back in stock. Life and happiness are taking place at this moment. As I’ve been meditating on this concept, it seems more people in my life are bringing it up. Prior to speaking with Pete Holmes for this feature, I paced around the house reading my interview questions. As much as I was excited, I was anxious and looking forward to the end of the day so I could relax. But, once the interview began I felt immediately at ease with Holmes. His warm personality radiated across the tiny Zoom window and conversation flowed easily. As we wrapped up, I asked Holmes if he had any final thoughts to share. He took the opportunity to remind me, and our readers, to anchor ourselves to the present moment. “Just take a good, healthy moment today to recognize that there is a still, clear, fulfilled (which means happy), desireless (which means peaceful), presence behind and throughout every single thing you do.
Comedian and Actor Pete Holmes Talks Philosophy, Psychedelics, and Stardom By Patricia Miller
“If you can tap into that instead of experiential or objective happiness, constantly chasing the next thing, the next thing, the next thing … Maybe this is work for you. Maybe you’re like, ‘Once this interview is done, then I can be happy.’ It’s like even during this interview, if you can keep a little anchor in that place that isn’t just content right now, but is made of contentment — is imperturbable. It can’t be disturbed. That, [is what] I would ask.” I’m reminded of a quote from Stephen King’s Insomnia, “Each thing I do I rush through so I can do something else.” When I read it, it struck me as horrifyingly relatable. What if I rush through my whole life chasing tasks and I miss the essence? So, dear reader, I invite you to slow down with me and enjoy this interview with comedian, actor, author, and philosopher Pete Holmes. Before his current place in the world of comedy was cemented, Holmes starred in CollegeHumor’s beloved web series Badman, a Batman-spoof depicting a socially-awkward caped crusader in some of his less heroic moments. He’s since headlined several hour-long stand-up specials, Dirty Clean, Faces and Sounds, and Nice Try, The Devil! His 2017 HBO series Crashing, while short-lived, drew critical acclaim for its endearing, funny, and candid look into the life of an aspiring stand-up comic. The series was semi-autobiographical for Holmes, mirroring many of his real-life struggles to become a professional comedian. Holmes’ first book, Comedy Sex God, debuted in 2019. A blend of autobiography, philosophical inquiry, and spiritual awakening, the book delivers an engaging, uplifting look at his journey from performing in small-town churches to finding his footing in New York’s comedy scene.
All photos: Cliff Lipson/CBS (C)2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
It’s an exciting time for Holmes as Hollywood is starting to recover from the limitations of the pandemic. He is now starring in the primetime CBS series How We Roll. Holmes plays Tom Smallwood, a husband and father who loses his job at a car factory and decides to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional bowler. In this interview, Holmes shares his take on psychedelics, spirituality, and the progression of his career in comedy. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Vol. 4 / Issue 1 / Cannabis & Tech Today
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// COVER STORY // Pete Holmes — Talent to Spare
Cannabis & Tech Today: In your podcast, You Made It Weird, you don’t shy away from sharing your experiences. You’ve talked about using different mind-altering substances, from cannabis to LSD. What caused that sea change for you, where you went from drug abstinence to discussing it so openly? Pete Holmes: Well, not just with drugs, but when I figured out that my parents weren’t watching [laughs] … But I will say the first time I did mushrooms, it’s like the inciting incident of my book because it changed my life. The first time I did psilocybin, one of the first people I told was my mom because she was the one who introduced me to faith, to the idea of a mystery — like all of this being born of something we don’t understand. When you take a psychedelic, you really feel like you, and I think you’re spending time with that mystery … I don’t want to get too much on this tangent, but I’ve said many times that taking mushrooms was a religious experience for me. I 84
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always tell people that it’s not that I saw Jesus or Mohammed or Buddha or something talking to me. It’s not what you see, it’s that you realize you are seeing with something. And that’s what mushrooms do, they turn the focus of the seer back on itself in a small way. C&T Today: You speak with so many cool people on your podcast. I often hear about comedians who have randomly smoked with Snoop Dogg or they have their favorite smoke session story — is there someone you’ve particularly enjoyed smoking with? PH: Many of the times I’ve been stoned are with Doug Benson — and they’re ridiculous. Something about Doug, I’d like to think he’s leaning into it, but he sure gets annoyed by me. When I’m with Doug, I just go into the madman character and I love being annoying and loud and talking too much. And I’m really not that way all the time. But for some reason, that’s what the fans were responding to. And so now whenever I’m with Doug, I just go nuts.
But … I’ve been at a show where Snoop Dogg was passing around a joint and I didn’t take it, but my friend did. He said it was the strongest weed he had ever had. When Seth Rogen did my podcast, right afterward he lit up a joint and he handed it to me and it was probably like 11:00 AM. And I was just like, “No, no.” I will say, this is silly — I had to drive home. I had other things to do that day. And I think he did too. But I think he’s very functional with it, I am not. I’m a super lightweight. I’ll take like a 2.5 [milligram] Petra Mint, have you ever heard of those? It’s like a microdose. That gets me stoned, so I declined both of those. C&T Today: I’m reminded of a part in your book Comedy Sex God, in which you have a recurring question, “What is it?” Like, what is life and what is it all about? You’re older and wiser now. You have your child. Have you started being able to answer that question?
// COVER STORY // Pete Holmes — Talent to Spare Holmes and his on-screen wife Jen Smallwood (played by Katie Lowes) depict the life of professional bowler Tom Smallwood in the CBS series How We Roll.
very Greek logic, which is what we’re all obsessed with, you allow yourself more room to just ask basic questions like, “What is this?” Often people that smoke pot or do mushrooms or whatever it might be, I don’t know what it is, but it does tend to create a community that’s a little bit more likely to talk about these things. And in that way, a joint is like a little beacon potentially. “Oh, I could talk to this guy, probably.” Like if I saw somebody wearing a rug with a head hole cut out of it, smoking a joint, I’m like, “This guy is probably more likely to want to talk to me about how infinity is expanding.” PH: Well, I mean, I don’t want to be too cheeky, but you are the answer to that question. The thing that’s looking out your eyes is the answer to everything. So there are a lot of mystical poets that would say the same thing, that you go out there looking for God but you don’t find it until you give up and turn back and go inside. That’s a cliche. It’s unfortunate that it’s a cliche because it’s true, which means I can’t summarize it as much as I can remove thinking, calm down, be silent, and get still enough that I can get lost in the thing that is doing the knowing and the seeing inside of me — which is what nobody talks about. It’s the constant of experience.
So sometimes I’ll talk about those things, and I’m joking, but I yell at the audience, “Why do you have to be stoned for that to be interesting?”
C&T Today: That’s a recurring theme for a lot of your work — comedy, sex, religion — do you find those themes have a place in your current project How We Roll?
One of the things I like about weed is it does make you a little bit more childlike. This is what people criticize weed for, it does make you a little less technically sharp. You don’t want to build a bridge when you’re still… but there’s a strength in its weakness. And the strength of its weakness is that when you stop thinking that
PH: Well, Mark Gross, who created How We Roll is definitely a fan of mine. One of the reasons he was drawn to me for the role was because of Crashing, the show that I did about comedy. And he was like, “How We Roll is very similar in that you need to want to root for the lead guy who’s taking a chance by following his
Rupert Spira gives this great example, it’s like a movie screen. Consciousness is like a movie screen and everything plays on it and you sort of forget that there’s a constant, which is the screen, because it’s obscured by all these images. It’s the same thing with consciousness … One of the things I really love about people who smoke pot, but not just people who smoke pot, is they’re asking what I would consider to be stock, lava lamp, blacklight poster, dorm room questions like, “What is this?” Or, “What are we doing floating on a rock?” Or, “When you sing happy birthday in your head, how are you hearing that?” It’s funny that those are stoner questions because it’s like — that’s the most important question.
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Holmes stars opposite Chi McBride, who plays Archie in the sitcom How We Roll.
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// COVER STORY // Pete Holmes — Talent to Spare The cast of How We Roll, featuring Jen Smallwood (Katie Lowes), Sam Smallwood (Mason Wells), Tom Smallwood (Pete Holmes), Helen Smallwood (Julie White), and Archie (Chi McBride).
that was a real … Like Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers, it talks about for example, Bill Gates was exactly the age he needed to be. He was old enough to understand computers, let’s say that’s 12, at exactly the time when computers were made available. So he was the age, but the youngest you could be when computers became available. So that was a hugely fortuitous thing that has nothing to do with how smart he is or who he is. It’s a timing thing.
dream.” So that’s what he saw as the parallel there. When it comes to the show being overtly philosophical or anything we’re talking about, no, not really. To bring it to earth a little bit more, one of the reasons I wanted to do it is because it just sounded like a lot of fun and the script was really funny for sure. But also during the pandemic, my wife, Valerie and I, we were just watching so many multi-cams [sitcoms]. There’s something about the familiar, especially for kids of the 90s, the stages are familiar. The characters all seem to know each other, which is a real phenomenon on a multi-cam. You spend way more time together.
was really fun. But honestly, these are the shows I’m enjoying watching — especially for some reason over the past three years. C&T Today: You’ve been able to take advantage of several mediums with your work, from your early creations like Badman, to podcasts, and now streaming. How do you think technology has helped your work evolve? PH: I’m sort of like an old fogey, meaning I was very lucky to work with CollegeHumor, which is a streaming service. It wasn’t a streaming service when I started, it was a website and they had some video content, but
You have way more scenes with the same people so rapport is built up, whereas on Crashing, it was great but sometimes I’d meet someone that day and then I’d film a scene with them. So we’re not going to have that same rapport, that instant rapport. But on a multicam, it’s the same characters a lot of the time. It’s my mom, it’s Archie, it’s my wife, it’s my son. So we build this rapport and you put them in these cozy little sets, like the Cheers set. How familiar is the bar in Cheers or the living room in Friends? And there’s something so therapeutic in that … This show is like, “Now we’re in a bowling alley and you know this bowling alley. Then we’re at Tom’s house and you know this house.” We build a new set every episode so there are surprises, but there’s something warm about it and for me, nostalgic about it. So getting to do it
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Holmes practices his form in preparation for his roll as Tom Smallwood in the CBS sitcom How We Roll.
Similarly, when I did Badman, I feel like it was just the beginning of viral videos and I was so lucky to meet Oren Brimer who directed those and Matt McCarthy who was my roommate who played Commissioner Gordon. I wrote it not knowing that we would do it. I think we did 10 of them, but we didn’t even really know what we were doing. I feel like kids now, if they made a video like that they would be like, “And this will go viral and we’ll do more of them.” We were just like, “I have one idea. What if they catch Batman when he is trying to hide?” That was it. All that’s to say is there was a sweet spot for both streaming and podcasts and I was very fortunate to have my sort of Bill Gates moment, meaning for the first time it felt like I was getting into something right as it was taking off. ❖ To hear the full interview, follow Cannabis Tech Talks at cannatechtoday.com/podcasts/.
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// MEDIA+ENTERTAINMENT //
The Cannabis Renaissance Man Ngaio Bealum on Culture, Comedy, and Chopping It Up By Rachelle Gordon Ngaio Bealum is a legend. The multitalented comedian, writer, host, musician, activist, speaker, juggler, and podcaster was clearly destined for cannabis greatness from a young age. Born during the height of the California counterculture, the plant was a regular presence throughout Ngaio’s childhood.
until college to explore his own connection to cannabis. A fondness for smoking quickly developed, and he soon began studying the plant intently. It wasn’t long before he began to engage in protests against prohibition in the late 1980s and early 90s. The son of Black Panthers, his attraction to activism was written in the stars.
“Growing up in San Francisco, weed smoke was in the air constantly,” he recalled. Bealum’s journey from flower child to heavy hitter has OG written all over it. From the early Prop 215 push to the International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC) and beyond, the self-proclaimed hippie has been a steady presence in the California cannabis scene for decades.
Around the same time, Bealum began dabbling in stand-up comedy and in 1988 had his first paid gig. “I’ve been a comedian for as long as I’ve been an activist,” he said, reminiscing about performing at early “protest-ivals” such as the Cannabis Action Network festival in Golden Gate Park. It was there that Bealum connected with Alex Rogers, future founder of the ICBC, an event the comedian has emceed since its inception in Oregon as a medical marijuana expo.
“That’s not to say I’m solely a cannabis comedian,” Bealum said of his act. “There are jokes about quantum physics, jokes about raising kids. There are jokes about all kinds of s*** in there!” A renaissance man, Bealum bridges the gap as both a cannabis industry veteran and an entertainer, bringing the culture to the masses on multiple levels. As a steward of the plant, he has the unique ability to act as an authentic voice for his community, spreading a deeper message than what is normally seen in mainstream media. “Quit trying to run away from stoner culture and embrace it, because it was the stoners who got weed legalized!” Bealum said. 90
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Photo courtesy of Ngaio Bealum
Activist Roots Intertwine With Rising Through Comedy Ranks Bealum may have come of age in the epicenter of pot culture, but he took his time getting his proverbial feet wet. While his parents were consumers themselves, they encouraged their son to wait until he was an adult to try it for himself. Bealum (mostly) obliged, holding off
Cannabis material has been a part of Bealum’s act since the beginning, and while riffs on the origins of his name and why the plant makes him a better dad have always garnered a laugh, they also got him in a bit of hot water.
After shooting a reboot of the show Make Me Laugh in the mid-90s, producers threatened to ban Bealum’s episodes due to the “controversial” content within. His manager righted the wrong, but the challenges continued. “For the longest time, my cannabis jokes were a detriment to my comedy career,” he admitted.
// MEDIA+ENTERTAINMENT // The Cannabis Renaissance Man
“ Quit trying to run away from stoner culture and embrace it, because it was the stoners who got weed legalized!”
Photo courtesy of Ngaio Bealum
“It became a little bit of a challenge sometimes to keep getting consistent gigs.” But instead of giving up, Bealum doubled down, opting to lean into his passion for the plant. The move paid off, seeing the entertainer find his niche as a traveling stand-up comedian, freelance cannabis journalist, and the host of events thrown by High Times. The new millennium however would see Bealum truly reach the pot pinnacle. “I don’t really hang out with boring people…” By the 2000s, Bealum had solidified his spot as a counterculture icon. High-profile appearances on shows like The Sarah Silverman Program, a weed-centric radio show, and the release of his first album Weed and Sex in 2012 catapulted Bealum to heights previously unseen. A role on the Netflix show Cooking On High took things one step further, introducing the comedian to wider audiences than ever before on one of the first mainstream cannabis TV shows. His latest project, a podcast called Chopping It 92
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Up With Ngaio, is already garnering plenty of buzz. Guests from across his fascinating circle of friends wax poetic on a number of topics, from industry trends to road gigs to James Bond.
simple. And while the costs of prohibition and issues facing the cannabis industry are no laughing matter, Bealum maintains a balance of humor and hard truths in everything he does.
“The concept is simple. I call my homies and we chop it up,” Bealum deadpanned. “My friends are great conversationalists. They’re all pretty smart. They all have cool things to say. I don’t really hang out with boring people.”
“One of the things that I try to remind people at every event I go to, whether corporate or grassroots, is that cannabis legalization was started as a social justice issue — it’s supposed to be about social justice. It’s not just about making tax dollars or making millions for your company. It’s about people having freedom and being able to do what they want.”
Bealum already has several episodes under his belt, featuring the likes of Tim Blake and Taylor Blake of the Emerald Cup, comedian Greg Proops, and The Price is Right host Drew Carey. The show has no agenda, focusing instead on the engaging and often irreverent chats good friends come to enjoy. “Like most hippies, if you ask me how to make a pie, I’ll tell you how to grow a tree because you have to have the backstory,” Bealum joked of the podcast’s free-flowing chats. Advocacy, Authenticity Run Deep Activism is in the Bealum blood, plain and
Listing Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Redd Foxx, and Bob Newhart among his influences and insisting he will smoke you out if you attend one of his shows, blending a passion for comedy and cannabis just makes sense for Bealum. After all, it’s what he was born to do. “I love making people laugh. Comedy is a craft and an art and a science, but I’m a simple man. I like to travel around, like to tell jokes. I like to smoke weed. So it’s a good gig for me.” ❖
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NFL Plants the Seeds of Change
Pro-Football Spending Big on Medical Cannabis Study By Chris Mellides In early February, the National Football League (NFL) awarded both the University of San Diego (UCSD) and the University of Regina $1 million. Each university received $500,000 in a joint effort to study the effects of cannabis use among NFL players. The universities’ studies focus on two target groups that could benefit from cannabis for pain management. Researchers are assessing current NFL players after on-field injuries and retired pros who suffer the long-lasting effects of physical trauma. In an interview with Cheddar News, NFL 94
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Executive Vice President Jeff Miller claimed concussions among the league’s player population were down 25% over the last few years. He said the NFL is pursuing new technologies in player equipment and medical innovations for the sake of its players’ wellbeing. “Pain relief, obviously, is another application of the cannabinoid research,” said Miller. “And we’ll look at all opportunities to make the game safer for the players.” “When we learn more, we’ll come back and have an ongoing conversation with our players
around that,” he added. “We’re looking to improve pain management and looking for opportunities for our players to have another alternative…” These independent studies will provide valuable information that may well outline the benefits of THC, CBD, and a combination of the two. For research purposes, athletes are vaporizing the substances after suffering gamerelated injuries. Before the NFL settled on UCSD and Regina in the Summer of 2021, the NFL-NFLPA Joint Pain Management Committee (PMC) reviewed
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// HEALTH+WELLNESS // NFL Plants the Seeds of Change
some 106 submissions. Along with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the NFL narrowed the research grant applicants’ proposals down to 10 finalists before selecting the approved colleges and awarding the combined $1 million. “Our team is excited to receive this funding to conduct a systematic, ‘real-world, realtime’ study with professional athletes which should shed further light upon the many anecdotal reports that cannabis is Dr. Mark Wallace helpful in reducing postcompetition pain,” said Dr. Mark Wallace, director of the Center for Pain Medicine at UCSD Health. UCSD will create a research team to test and monitor NFL athletes’ outcomes after vaporized inhalation of THC, CBD, and a mix of the two substances. There will also be a placebo group for comparison, based on a statement released to the NFL by the UCSD. According to the UCSD’s Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, findings from the study will provide the foundation of key data that will set the pace for future large-scale studies in sports-related injuries. Working closely with the NFL, Dr. Patrick Neary, a physiologist and professor at the University of Regina, said the defining characteristic of his research is for the “prevention and treatment of concussions.” He and his colleagues at Regina are working to determine just how Dr. Patrick Neary effective THC and CBD are in treating the symptoms associated with concussions. “Our interdisciplinary research team believes that different cannabinoid formulations found 96
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in medical cannabis have the potential to benefit athletes suffering from the acute and long-term chronic effects of concussions,” Neary said. “Our research will also work to show that cannabinoids can be used as an alternative to opioids for pain management. Ultimately, this study has the potential to change not only the lives of current and former NFL players but also the lives of anyone who may suffer from a concussion,” he added.
Ricky Williams
Before 2001, athletes who tested positive for cannabis consumption often dealt with catastrophic consequences from the NFL. Athletes were swiftly penalized, which shook the league’s players — some of whom were unceremoniously fired. One such player was Ricky Williams, former running back for the Miami Dolphins. He tested positive for cannabinoids during mandatory drug screenings issued by the league. During an appearance on HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher, Williams recounted the events which lead to his quitting the NFL. He emphasized cannabis helped treat his physical trauma and anxiety. Williams now owns a startup called Highsman, a clever twist on the Heisman Trophy associated with the highest accolade a player can receive in the sport. His company sells cannabis strains like ‘“Pregame,” a sativa, and “Postgame,” an indica, along with various merchandise and accessories. Williams has carved out his own slice of what used to be a niche market to one that is booming throughout North America, thanks largely to the loosening of state regulations and the general acceptance of cannabis. “As with the league’s broader approach to health and safety, we want to ensure that our players are receiving care that reflects the most up-to-date medical consensus,” said Dr. Allen Sills, NFL chief medical officer. The NFL’s view of cannabis use among its
players has softened since 2001, and while drug testing players continues, their consumption of THC and CBD is less likely to cause a stir within the league. Pro athletes can now mitigate the pain associated with the raw physicality and trauma of playing football without being on the receiving end of punitive actions by the NFL. While medical researchers at the UCSD and the University of Regina continue to study the effectiveness of cannabis products in treating common sport-related injuries, the implications for the study of concussions, in general, are massive and will benefit individuals outside the world of sports. “While the burden of proof is high for NFL players who want to understand the impact of any medical decision on their performance,” said Sills, “we are grateful that we have the opportunity to fund these scientifically-sound studies on the use of cannabinoids that may lead to the discovery of data-based evidence that could impact the pain management of our players.” ❖
VISIONARY With a rich history in traditional and legal cannabis markets, GUY ROCOURT serves as the chief executive officer of nationally recognized brand Papa & Barkley. At P&B, Guy takes responsibility for the artisanal, efficient, and compliant production of THC and CBD offerings, leveraging his past experience designing manufactured infused products (MIPs) facilities in multiple states and running one of California’s first vape cartridge companies. Through the P&B platform, Guy is on a mission to share the benefits of whole-plant products that improve people’s lives while staying true to cannabis culture’s authentic roots. Cannabis Conference is where industry visionaries go to share their stories and experiences with YOU.
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// HEALTH+WELLNESS //
What’s Up Doc? Is the Medical Cannabis Industry Failing Patients? By Tami Kamin Meyer
“Consistent results from medical marijuana do not exist,” said Sami Spiezio, founder and CEO of Canna Group Consulting LLC in Columbus, Ohio.
Sami Spiezio
“Educating medical patients is a challenge faced by the medical cannabis industry in large part due to gaps in our understanding of the health effects of cannabis,” said Matthew Lowe, PhD, the research director at Realm of Caring, a Colorado non-profit that focuses on cannabinoid therapy access and research. Completing that necessary research is a monumental undertaking complicated partly by the bureaucracy the industry faces at organizational, state, and federal levels, he said. According to Statista, the medical cannabis industry in the United States is exploding. Whereas Americans spent nearly $5 billion
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Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
on medical marijuana in 2019, sales are expected to reach nearly $12 billion by 2024. It’s no secret more states are permitting medical marijuana sales within their borders each year, while the recreational use of cannabis is also gaining legislative and societal acceptance. However, since marijuana is still not legal under federal law, each state permitting medical and recreational cannabis sales within its borders has enacted its own set of laws governing it. For example, every jurisdiction instructs how the Matthew Lowe cannabis is to be grown, harvested, transported and sold on the market while also controlling how much product a patient may purchase. Because no federal law governs how medical marijuana patients are to be educated about the cannabis they purchase to treat their ailments, that job is left to the states to legislate. Some have, while some haven’t. That means, in large measure, that the knowledge imparted on patients is only as thorough and accurate as is the training of budtenders, the clerks filling patient orders. Who Is Minding the Budtender? When a medical marijuana patient is issued a prescription for medical cannabis in a jurisdiction permitting its sales, they then register that status with the state agency overseeing the medical cannabis industry. Meanwhile, the general rule in the medical
cannabis world is that budtenders tending to medical cannabis patients are not required to undergo specific training or possess a modicum of knowledge regarding which strains and products would best treat what ails the client. Colorado is an exception, where budtenders who assist recreational and medical cannabis users are required to secure a Marijuana Enforcement Division occupational license. Budtenders, who tend to be hourly employees, may even have a covert financial interest in promoting a certain product, said Caleb Chen, founder of The Highest Critic, a review website of many products, including cannabis. Medical marijuana patients should “be careful the budtender knows what they’re talking about because, at the end of the day, they may get a kickback for
Caleb Chen
// HEALTH+WELLNESS // What’s Up Doc?
Heather Jackson
budtenders. Instead, “we refer to them as Wellness Consultants,” said Dr. Chanda Macias, the dispensary’s founder. Armed with a PhD in Cell Biology, Dr. Chanda, as she is affectionately referred, imparts her vast experience with cancer and infectious disease research on her company’s Wellness Consultants. The enterprise trains its Wellness Consultants on various matters that will assist them in suggesting the best cannabis product for a specific ailment, Chanda said.
selling a product,” Chen said.
In Spiezio’s mind, since Ohio patients are not required to maintain an ongoing relationship with the medical professional who wrote their cannabis prescription, the consumer is not receiving consistent medical advice as to what cannabis to purchase to treat what ails them.
The medical cannabis community isn’t receiving the most accurate assistance. This is partly due to the general disconnect in educating budtenders on products and their potential effects.
That troubles him. It is partly due to the vast potential for misinformation that Spiezio has developed a unique relationship and trust with his medical advisor. That way, Spiezio can be assured he purchases the correct medical cannabis to treat his particular conditions.
“Budtenders … should not be advising people with medical conditions what they should be using and how much. Only a doctor should be giving medical advice,” said Heather Jackson, founder of Realm of Caring. Consumers are being put at risk by budtenders distilling medical advice without proper certification or knowledge.
“Most people chose to take the other route and rely on the budtender at their local dispensary to make these suggestions based on little to no background on the patient. Not only is this providing a disservice, it could also be the complete opposite of what the patient needs to help with their condition,” he said.
So, he cautions, “Buyer beware.”
To counter that, Realm of Caring operates a free call center that uses published research and its own published registry data to guide individuals in finding quality products aimed at treating particular ailments. According to Jackson, the call center has logged more than three million minutes on the phone counseling cannabis consumers since 2015. Meanwhile, they’re not the only dispensary focused on patient education. The National Holistic Healing Center in Washington, DC, the leading medical marijuana dispensary in the district, doesn’t refer to its client-facing personnel as
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consumer applying to receive a medical cannabis card must demonstrate they are afflicted by one or more of the 22 ailments for which the state permits such a license to be granted. A person can either visit one of the 615 Ohio physicians permitted to write such a prescription or visit what is referred to in the state as “Card Shops,” explains Spiezio.
Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
Dr. Chanda Macias
“We train employees on strain alignment, terpene profiles for certain conditions, and which cannabinoid profiles are good for certain conditions,” she said. Education is “our fundamental platform, so the patient is educated to make an informed decision about their healthcare,” Chanda said.
Dr. Chanda agrees. “If a doctor recommends you to be in the program, why aren’t they also prescribing specific strains?” she said. “It should never be the responsibility of the patient to decide their medical treatment.”
She laments the medical cannabis community as a whole has yet to embrace higher standards for employee awareness about the products they are selling.
Jackson disagrees, contending patients are not as powerless as it may seem when it comes to purchasing the right cannabis products to treat what ails them.
A Patient’s Responsibility “The biggest issue is where the medical patient is receiving their information,” Spiezio said. In the Buckeye State, for example, a
“The consumer has the power with their purchase. Close your pocketbook to products that are not consistent and not of high quality,” she said. “It is the industry’s and consumers’ job to raise the tide.” ❖
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// THE LAB // Presented By
CANNABIS & HEMP BEYOND COMPLIANCE
The
cannabis market is evolving in many ways. Product catalogs are getting more sophisticated as consumers become more discerning and brands continue to rise to the occasion to fill the needs of every demographic. Dispensary shelves are jam-packed with new items all the time, seemingly offering something for everyone.
THC-Oh!
The New Cannabinoid Causing a Stir By Rachelle Gordon
It’s not just finished goods that are maturing. The cannabinoid offerings themselves are expanding, moving beyond CBD and THC. This includes so-called “minor” cannabinoids within the plant, such as CBG, CBC, or THCV, as well as synthesized compounds. One such “man-made” cannabinoid garnering a lot of attention is THC-O. Also known as THC-acetate, THC-O is typically derived from hemp but is far more psychoactive than its cousin delta-8. The cannabinoid’s popularity has been skyrocketing in states where adult-use cannabis is not yet legal, especially where delta-8 has come under scrutiny. THC-O has come under fire by some who argue the compound needs more research before it’s deemed safe for human consumption. Others believe THC-O is a much-needed option for consumers who may have limited choices, especially since it can be created at scale for mass markets. Cannabis & Tech Today breaks down the debate. What is THC-O and How is it Made? THC-O is made in a lab by first synthesizing delta-8-THC from hempderived CBD using a process called isomerization. Acetic anhydride is then added to the delta-8 to complete the process. The resulting material is extremely potent, even more so than regular delta-9-THC.
“I like to use a coffee analogy,” said Dr. John MacKay, Ph.D., founder of the Dr. John MacKay Institute of Extraction Technology. “THC is like a cup of coffee, whereas THC-O is like an energy shot.” 102
Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
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// THE LAB // Presented By THC-Oh!
The compound’s origins are murky at best, but some of the earliest known research around THC-O was conducted by the United States military on canines in the late 1940s. THC acetate was referenced in the 1974 book Cannabis Alchemy: Art of Modern Hashmaking, in which the author described its effects as more “spiritual and psychedelic” than its mother plant. THC-O remained somewhat under the radar for decades but has been experiencing a resurgence over the last several years thanks in part to the legalization of hemp by the 2018 Farm Bill. An uptick of demand in states lacking legal cannabis has led to the introduction of more products containing THC-O, particularly edibles and vape pens. “We created THC-O products in response to customer demands — it’s important to stay on top of industry trends,” said August Battles, CEO of Vance Global, makers of THC-O cigarettes and gummies. “THC-O is also more affordable than delta-9 THC products and said to be three times stronger than delta-9 THC products, which appeals to consumers with a high tolerance,” Battles added. Aside from its strong psychoactive effect, it’s not entirely known what other benefits the 104
Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
CANNABIS & HEMP BEYOND COMPLIANCE
cannabinoid has. “I personally believe that THC-O could be a contender for insomnia and headaches,” concluded Jacob McGuire of HighNorth Cannabinoids, a CBD retail store with in-house THC-O products. “I find that it’s very effective in that range — the drowsiness of the cannabinoid makes it far from recreational.” Lack of Research and Regulation is a Cause for Concern While THC-O isn’t exactly new, relatively little is known about the compound or its longterm effects. That fact is enough for some to warn against the compound’s consumption. “One of the concerning things is that it hasn’t been studied in humans, we don’t know how it’s interacting with the brain,” noted Dr. MacKay. “It causes high amounts of euphoria in small doses, which is actually counterintuitive to how regular cannabis works.” He also warned the clandestine nature of the supply chain was a strike against the safety of the THC-O market. “This space is not regulated, and furthermore a lot of the testing labs are not set up to properly analyze these products.” It may also be possible that the compound isn’t entirely legal. The Analogue Act of 1986 outlawed molecules that are structurally similar to those already prohibited by federal law. The
legislation targeted so-called “designer drugs” that had become popular in the club scene but it can be argued that THC-O may fall in the same category. Dr. Ethan Russo, MD, an endocannabinoid researcher, brought up this fact in a Q&A with Hemp Grower. “No one should harbor illusions that all this is legal. Many of us feel that it absolutely is not.” Is THC-O Here to Stay? It’s hard to say whether THC-O has the lasting power of traditional phytocannabinoids but there are certainly arguments for and against. A lack of peer-reviewed evidence on the compound has some wondering whether THC-O is entirely safe, but others argue demand for accessible alternatives to delta-9THC should be entertained. “Dispensaries are beginning to sell hempderived products like CBD, delta-8 THC, and THC-O because each cannabinoid provides a different effect than standard delta-9 THC products,” argued Battles. And while Dr. MacKay may express hesitation on THC-O, he does concede there’s a place for it in the market. “I think people are always trying to find ways they can get certain experiences that they’re wanting to have and will therefore be willing to buy it.” ❖
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// PRODUCT REVOLUTION //
G Pen Elite II — This dry-herb vaporizer combines convection with conduction to offer a patent-pending heating process that serves up complex, full-spectrum flavor. Conduction heats the material directly while convection circulates the air, vaporizing all the flower in its ceramic chamber. USB-C fast charging ensures this G Pen is ready to rock when you are and a hemp travel case protects your investment when you’re on the move. With customizable temperature control and settings, the Elite II caters to every individual’s preference. $250
Ash Premium Rolling Paper — When Ash provided samples of its premium rolling papers, the Cannabis & Tech Today crew were struck by the quality of the smoke. Papers and pre-rolled cones burn smoothly, pack nicely, and preserve the integrity of the flower with all-natural, non-GMO components. Take in the clean delicacy of the Classic Collection, made from rice pulp. Or enjoy the fresh feel of the Organic Collection, crafted with wood pulp. From luxurious packaging to high-quality source materials, Ash Rolling Papers beg to be smoked. Visit AshSmoke.com for pricing. OdoBan by Clean Control — High-quality grow rooms demand high-quality cleaning solutions. OdoBan’s deodorizers and disinfectants kill viruses and germs in just sixty seconds while simultaneously eradicating odors. Say goodbye to mildew with three original scents including eucalyptus, lavender, and fresh linen. Buy it ready-to-use for smaller applications or purchase the concentrate version for large-scale sanitization. Visit OdoBanProfessional.com for pricing.
Neocision Spectra LED Grow Lights by Surna Cultivation Technologies — Light the way to success with high-quality, affordable LEDs. With options for all stages of growth, Surna teamed up with BVV to bring you the lowest cost per micromole, backed by an industry-leading warranty. Visit Surna.com for help designing your grow and pricing.
Dr. Dabber Light Vape Pen — This sleek, unassuming vape pen takes all the award-winning technology of Dr. Dabber’s Ghost Vaporizer and shrinks it down into pocket-size perfection. Compatible with a 510-threaded battery and pre-filled cartridges, the Light uses low-heat technology to create powerful flavor profiles without overheating your concentrate. It charges in an hour and offers up to 30 heating cycles on a single charge. With a one-year warranty, it’s a safe bet this little vape will give you your money’s worth. $25
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// PRODUCT REVOLUTION // Morse Watchmans KeyWatcher Touch — End the frustration of looking for lost keys. Store, manage, and track with the KeyWatcher Touch. Its modular and expandable design allows customization of keys, card modules, or storage lockers for important assets. Easily program and track users and keys with TrueTouch software. Users know which cabinet contains a specific key, who has it out, which keys are out, and when they will be overdue. Instant reporting makes transparency easy. Plus, the KeyWatcher Touch integrates with several brands of access control systems for maximum user customization. Visit MorseWatchmans.com for pricing.
Vibations: High + Energy — This all-natural, full-spectrum cannabis drink mix blends with water to offer a focused, energetic high for the active cannabis connoisseur. Offered by MariMed, Vibrations contains guarana-based caffeine, full-spectrum cannabis, and a variety of vitamins and electrolytes to hydrate while it elevates. Enjoy in four flavors: Strawberry Lemonade, Peach Tangerine Tea, Iced Tea Lemonade, and sugar-free Pomegranate Blueberry Acai. 10 packets for $20. IDENTITY CBD Bone Broth — Enjoy these individual packets of bone broth wherever your next adventure takes you. Loaded with 13 grams of easy-to-digest protein, Identity’s broths are perfect for relieving inflammation while hiking, biking, or cooking on the road. Versatile packets are ideal for flavoring sauces, soups, or marinades. Available in 3 flavors: Chanterelle Mushroom, Chicken, and Ginger Ramen. A 10mg single-serving pouch is $6 Ripple Sleep QuickDissolves and QuickGummies — These rapid absorption formulations offer onset in just 10 minutes. With 10mg THC and 5mg CBN per packet (QuickDissolved) and 5mg THC with 2.5mg CBN per gummy (QuickGummies), Ripple’s newest SKUs are clinically proven to kick in faster than other market-leading gummies. Find yours at Star Buds’ across Colorado. $20
Belushi Farms K-9INE Full Spectrum CBD Tincture — Derived from Oregon farms, K-9INE CBD oil is a dog’s best friend. These unflavored drops can be added to your dog’s food or treats when you want to support joint and immune health. CBD may also relieve anxiety and boost brain function in your furry friend. Each 500mg bottle contains less than .3% THC and is available nationwide. $45
Vol. 4 / Issue 1 / Cannabis & Tech Today
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RELAX // Something Edible With Laurie Wolf
Politely Potent Pizza Serves two, 5mg THC per half
This gently infused pizza, which can be made in under 15 minutes, is a tasty way to celebrate spring greens. It’s not a traditional pizza. It has no tomato sauce; rather, it’s light and crisp and screams “fresh.” When lettuce and herbs appear on the scene, they are delicate and tender and when they sit atop a crisp crust, some magic happens. There are lots of lettuce choices, plenty of aromatic herbs and spices, and even edible flowers if that’s how you roll. Gently tossed with an infused vinaigrette, the crunch of the crust and the baby greens make for a special meal. If you are someone with a high tolerance for cannabis, you can infuse twice by brushing the crust with infused oil as it comes out of the oven. Otherwise, the infused oil will be tossed with the greens just as it comes out of the oven. If you have a favorite pizza dough, whether store-bought or homemade, by all means, go for it. This recipe uses a popular storebought crust, and if you follow the temperature guidelines, you’ve got it. The preservation of the terpenes and cannabinoids is key, so when
What You’ll Need:
1. H eat oven to 450. Place a pizza
cooking with cannabis avoid an oven hotter
1 8" pizza crust i.e. Boboli
than 340. Since a pizza requires some time at a
2 tablespoons olive oil
high temp, it’s a challenge. I can help you with
1 large garlic clove, peeled
that. Get the pizza done and then infuse. If you
1 teaspoon infused olive oil (optional)
want to melt cheese, reduce the temperature
2 cups baby greens, your choice
to 340 and wait till the cheese melts. There’s
1/2 chopped bell pepper, any color
greens with the pepper and onion.
always a way. And, I can never say this too
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Toss to combine.
often, don’t overdo it. It’s not fun and why ruin a
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
nice cannabis pizza experience.
2 tablespoons plus one teaspoon good quality olive oil
Laurie Wolf is the author of such cannabis cookbooks as Marijuana Edibles, HERB, The Medical Marijuana Dispensary, and Cooking with Cannabis. Her recipes have been featured in High Times, Dope Magazine, Culture, and more. She is also the founder of Laurie + MaryJane, an edible company offering everything from almond truffle bites to vegan chocolate cookies. And remember, #Don’tFeartheEdible and #eatyourcannabis 108
Directions:
Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
stone or sheet pan in the oven. 2. B rush the crust with the olive oil. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until crisp. 3. I n a medium bowl, combine the
4. I n a small bowl whisk the vinegar with the oils. 5. R emove the crust and place it on
2 teaspoons infused olive oil
your serving plate. If desired, brush
Salt and pepper
the crust with the additional infused
Crushed red pepper
oil. Working quickly, top the crust
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
with the greens, sprinkle with salt and pepper, crushed red pepper, and the cheese.
// COMING UP //
Events MAY 18-20 18-20 21-22 20-22 24-25
| | | | |
Cannabis Science Conference | Long Beach, CA MJ Unpacked | New York City, NY BizCann Expo | South America Florida Industrial Hemp Conference & Exhibition | Orlando, FL The Oregon Hemp Convention | Portland, OR
JUNE
A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words.
Literally. Take My Pic for Thousands of Words!
1-3 | O’Cannabiz International Conference & Expo | Toronto, ON 2-4 | Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo | New York City, NY 10-11 | The Illinois Cannabis Convention | Chicago, IL 15-16 | BevNET Live Summer 2022 | New York City, NY 20-22 | Grow Up Conference & Expo | Victoria, BC 30 | Women in Cannabis Expo | Denver, CO
JULY 18 | International Cannabis Business Conference Global Investment Forum | Berlin 19-20 | ICBC B2B Trade Show | Berlin 20-22 | NCIA’s Cannabis Business Summit & Expo | San Francisco, CA 22-23 | CannaCon | Detroit, MI
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CONCENTRATING ON COMPLIANCE This “Concentrates and Compliance” issue will focus on the regulatory landscape shaping the cannabis sector while diving deeper into the evolving concentrates market. Is the future of concentrates built around isolates? Will automation make it easier to keep up with changing regulations? Find the answers to these questions and more in the summer 2022 issue of Cannabis & Tech Today.
TERPENE TECH What makes your cannabis oh-so-tasty? Terpenes, of course! As the body of knowledge around these smelly molecules expands, brands are introducing blends precision-tuned to compliment the effects of the plant. What does this mean for your business and how will it impact your high? Industry experts weigh in.
TECH ZONE: OKLAHOMA In this issue, we’ll take an in-depth look at the individuals and companies molding Oklahoma’s cannabis market. As growers flock to the state, is regulatory leniency causing havoc for local law enforcement? Could too much competition be a bad thing? We’ll speak with the innovative brands building the foundations of Oklahoma’s cannabis scene to find out.
COMPLIANCE FOR SMART PEOPLE Every part of the cannabis supply chain is regulated. Finding ways to automate regulatory compliance is crucial to keep your license and your freedom. In the summer issue, we’ll explore how emerging technologies are taking the guesswork out of compliance and what you can do to bring smart solutions into your operations. 110
Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
1. Take out your phone 2. Open camera app 3. Scan code and follow link with browser when it magically appears 4. Wait by your mailbox until the next issue arrives
RELAX // THE LIGHTER SIDE
We Traveled Through Time and Gave History’s Most Important Figures a Few Puffs of the Best THC on the Market
Lao Tzu “Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.” True that, Tzu.
James Abraham Garfield “If the doctors gave me this when I was shot and killed as the 20th president of the United States of America, who knows! I might still be alive!”
Then, logically, we went to hardware store and purchased six 1- 1/2 inch PVC pipes, a hammer, a doorknob, some washers, one of those no damage wall hangers, a bunch of spaghetti, and in no time we had a working time machine. Then, logically, we zipped through the space-time continuum and gave thick puffs of the best dang THC on the market to history’s most important figures. Here’s to hoping we didn’t kill a mosquito!
Photo Credits: Lao Tzu: iStockphoto.com/Samohin All others CC2.0 or public domain via commons.wikimedia.org/ Don Quijote: Biblioteca General Antonio Machado, Queen Victoria: Alexander Bassano, James Garfield: Brady-Handy Photograph Collection, Alexander Graham Bell: Public Domain, Sigmund Freud: Max Halberstadt, Mahatma Gandhi: Public Domain, Albert Einstein: Orren Jack Turner, Lucille Ball: Public Domain, Ronald Reagan: Public Domain, Rodney Dangerfield: Public Domain, Jimi Hendrix: Steve Banks, Neil Armstrong: NASA, Tim Cook: Austin Community College
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Queen Victoria of England “ This THC is as sweet as world colonization.”
Sigmund Freud “I think my mommy would love this stuff.”
Alexander Graham Bell “Ring ring ring goes the telephone.”
Albert Einstein “I think my cousin would love this stuff.”
By Tom Goslin In a series of fortunate occurrences (that our team of lawyers strongly advised us not to discuss the details of) the “The Lighter Side” section of Cannabis & Tech Today received a 10.3 trillion dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to write this humor article. We didn’t ask questions. We just cashed the check.
Don Quijote De La Mancha “¡Vamos Sancho! ¡Tenemos que encontrar más THC!”
Mahatma Gandhi “This makes me want to be the change I wish to see in the world.”
Lucille Ball “If you don’t stop that conveyor belt I swear to Christ I’m going to overdose on this absolutely chill vibe!” Rodney Dangerfield “I tell you what, I don’t get no respect around here. I tell you what. No respect. Hey, what in God’s name is this? Woah! I feel so good, well, I think I’m finally going to get some respect around here!” An Adult On A Charlie Brown Cartoon “Wa wa waaa wa wa waa wa wa wa waa wa THC.”
Tim Cook “How did you get into my house? Why is there a PVC pipe in your mouth? Are you bleeding? No, I don’t want a handful of washers. No, you cannot take the candy from the bowl. Spit it out. Spit it out. Spit the watermelon hard candy out on the floor. Why do you smell like raccoon urine?”
Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 1
Ronald Reagan “Nancy! What the hell did you put in my pot pie?!”
Jimi Hendrix “What?”
Neil Armstrong “This is one giant step for pain relief in my lower back!”
