Vol. 4 / Issue 2 A TORNADO OF TECH IN OKLAHOMA’S CANNABIS SECTOR | DIP DEVICES LET YOU DAB FOR A CAUSE “CBDwaychangedhasmyoflife.” The Concentrates and Compliance Issue Dissolvable Concentrates Make Anything an Edible Ten Celeb Canna-Brands We Would Love to See Hard-Hitting Reality: Mike Tyson’s New Take on Life Touring is Back! Slightly Stoopid’s Return to the Road Wrestling Superstar and Mandalorian Actress Mercedes Varnado
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To hear more from passionate creators like Kanndela, follow the Cannabis & Tech Today conversation online through your favorite social platform and through our award-winning podcast Cannabis Tech Talks, presented by PolyScience. If you’re attending MJBizCon this November, stop by the Live Podcast stage that will be rocking-and-rolling with high-profile cannabis influencers at the Summit Research Booth (# 2417). We’ll see you there! “… it’s the connoisseur’sultimatelyintowhohard-workingmotivated,individualsputthemosthearttheircreationsthatgrabtheeye.”
I have a mixed love affair with cannabis concentrates. You can find concentrate in all of your favorite products, from edibles to tinctures or balms. When properly formulated, cannabis products made from concentrates are a blissful experience. Well-made edibles taste delicious and offer a consistent, predictable dose. A carefully crafted cannabis salve or balm isn’t oily or smelly but absorbs rapidly while easing aches and pains. For those fortunate to live in an adult-use state, you’re familiar with the variety of products available to the cannabis consumer, with nearly all but flower crafted from concentrate.
Concentrating onWhat Matters
Then there are the poorly made products. Be it balms with greasy cannabis oil sitting in pools on top of inert lotion or edibles that taste like a dried-out nug dipped in sugar and gelatin. Traveling to newly legalized markets, one quickly starts to appreciate the quality and diversity of products in an established marketplace like Colorado or California. Competition thins out the weak, bland, and poorly produced. The resulting items are derived from quality cannabis, tested for safety and crafted with care.
As you read the pages of the “Concentrates and Compliance” issue, I hope you’ll recognize the vast range of products and the craftsmanship of their creation. Each legalized state is birthing new brands, all vying for a piece of the multi-billion dollar industry. In my experience as a Denverite, the best brands tend to rise to the top. While there will always be economies of scale and founders who launched with a silver spoon in their dab butter, it’s the motivated, hard-working individuals who put the most heart into their creations that ultimately grab the connoisseur’s eye.
6 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 FROM THE PUBLISHER Charles Publisher/Editor-in-ChiefWarner,
This issue’s cover feature with the founders of Kanndela highlighted the heart they put into their products. It’s their mission to offer tasty, purity- and potency-tested CBD products to those who need them. They’ve suffered through injury and illness and realized they could make products to help people who are struggling as they have. It’s this genuine desire to bring light to the world, and to help others, that makes the cannabis space great.
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As the world sweats through a record-breaking heatwave, Cannabis & Tech Today is taking time to reflect on the past few months. We celebrated the 100th episode of our award-winning podcast Cannabis Tech Talks this August. To hear which industry elite sat down with our crew for the historic moment, check Wrap-Upsspace.anddiscoverdozensinglobeCEOwithconversationonce-malignedaallCBDTV’sVirtualCuratedprofilescannabisstreaminglaunchedcannatechtoday.com/podcasts.outOurhumblepublicationalsoCBDTVthisspring.Thechannelfeaturesinspiringcontent,frominnovatortocelebrityinterviews.fromthebestoftheEmergeCannabisConference,24-hour-a-daycoverageofthingscannabisishelpingusherinneweraofacceptancefortheherb.FollowtheonRokuandAmazonmoreplatformscomingsoon.InnovativePropertiesWorldwideCharlesWarnerhastouredthesincespring.HetoucheddownColombia,Germany,NewYork,andofotherexoticlocalestothemostinnovativetechtrendsshapingthecannabisTrackhisjourneyintheEventsectiononpg.16.
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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. In this issue, Gordon looks at two companies innovating the cannabis space, from compliance to concentrates (p. 48, 60).
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 hosts events throughout the year. Visit https://internationalcbc.com to learn more.
10 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // CONTRIBUTORS //
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. In this issue, she uses her legal expertise to explore ADA-compliance for websites (p. 90).
Mark Masters is Colorado’s 2nd Cleanest Comedian. He runs the monthly Vail Comedy Show and the Vail Comedy Festival every Memorial Day Weekend in Vail, Colorado. He tours the country performing anywhere he can, often at comedy clubs and sometimes at dog birthday parties. He can be reached through his website at www. markmasters.co. Find his comedic stylings in the Relax section (p. 104).
Editor’s Note: Cannabis & Tech Today is seeking writers from all backgrounds and ethnicities. Interested applicants inquire through submit@innotechtoday.com.
David Wallach is an award-winning writer, television producer, podcast host, marketing executive, fan of anything outdoors, and bacon lover. To see more of his work, check out www.davidwallach.net. In this issue, Wallach takes a look at ten celebrity cannabis lines we’d like to see in the Relax section (p. 102).
Photo:
12 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 contents COVER DepartmentsSTORY 16 Event Wrap-Ups 20 By the Numbers 22 Know Before 24 International 26 NACB 28 Hemp 30 Pre-Rolled 32 ESG 94 Product Revolution 98 Something Edible With Laurie Wolf 100 Event Calendar + Coming Next Issue 78 Wrestling With Pain By Patricia Miller Cover
Quay Hu 34 Innovator Profile: Missy Bradley 38 Sustainability Smarter Cultivation is Possible 40 Finance Cannabis Capital Blues 44 Legislation Countdown to Cannabis Legalization
Learn more at www.elkproducts.com/m1-biz Growing Business COMPREHENSIVE DETECTION AND REPORTING MONITOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ACCESS CONTROL FOR DOORS AND GATES SECURE CONNECTIVITY AND COMMUNICATIONS INTELLIGENT CONTROL AND AUTOMATION STAY INFORMED WITH EMAIL/TEXT ALERTS
contents 14 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 48 Business Innovations Rooted in Compliance 50 Packaging for Forward-Thinking Companies 54 Lulu Tsui: the Queen of Revelry 58 Social Equity Nevada Tribes Create a Compliance Cooperative 60 Dabbing for a Cause 64 Tech Zone Cannabis is OK in the Sooner State 66 Statewide Facts and Figures 68 Cleaning Everything but the Plant 70 A Shining Light for Oklahoma 72 Driven by Purpose and Passion 74 OK Security Isn’t Okay 76 Embracing Aeroponics 84 Media + Entertainment Mike Tyson’s Round 2 88 Slightly Stoopid’s Return to the Road 90 Health & Wellness Is Your Cannabis Website ADA-Compliant? 92 The Lab The Science Behind the Best Cannabis Beverages 102 The Lighter Side Celeb Canna-Brands We Would Love to See 104 Crypto Highs “Moreyou.”reallyWecannabis.overPleasesciencetechplease,womenontheandside.cometoreally,need~LuluTsui 54
Emerald Cup Awards
One of Latin America’s premier networking events is ExpoCannaBiz. Day one featured 1
andConferenceExpoCannabizBusinessExpo
Athletes Cannabisin
12 34
2 34
The Athletes in Cannabis event in May was exactly what it sounds like — athletes and cannabis. It was held at a cozy airport hotel, so getting to the show was a breeze. There were a lot of compelling panels and talks by a variety of pro and college athletes. Every attendee had access to the speakers and exhibitors and they even fed everyone pizza on the last day! Jeff Walter puts on a great little show.
Let’s kick off these event wrap ups at the United Nations building in New York City. Over 200 people from various disciplines and backgrounds from around the world came together to discuss how the cannabis industry can align with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Powerhouse speakers and panels with tons of star power were only eclipsed by the magnitude of being at the UN. Considering all the history associated with cannabis and hemp prohibition around the world, it was powerful to see the focus shift toward solving worldwide problems and getting people out of poverty and prison. Regennabis, an advisory and investment services firm, hosted the event. Learn more about its work in this issue’s ESG department (p. 32).
16 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // EVENT WRAP-UPS //
CannabisRegenerativeLive
The 18th Annual Emerald Cup Awards kicked off at the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Legacy farmers mingled with Hollywood celebrities to create one of the cannabis industry’s most anticipated events. The event recognized dozens of top-quality growers and producers for their hard work establishing California’s cannabis marketplace. The evening culminated in actor and activist Woody Harrelson receiving a “Willie Nelson” Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of cannabis advocacy.
18 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 a cannabis investing forum for public and private investors seeking to expand their portfolios. It offered Zelda’sbusiness!thetheeventHarrington.TobarThisallleaderThethealongTheindustry’spitchopportunitieseducationalandaninvestorcontestwithsomeoftheup-and-comingbrands.historicportcityofCartagenathecoastofColombiawasperfectbackdroptothisevent.regionispoisedtobecomeaincannabisproductionforofSouthandCentralAmerica.eventwasputonbyJulianandkeynotebyKevinItwasn’tthebiggestintermsofattendancebutnetworkingwastopnotch,andexhibitorswerereadytodoSpeakersincludedAuntco-founderMaraGordon,
// EVENT WRAP-UPS // 5 7 6 657
The New York City ParadeCannabis&Rally
Cannabis & Tech Today editor-inchief Charles Warner, and former NFL player Marvin Washington.
InternationalCannabisBusinessConferenceBerlin Europe is expanding its cannabis footprint as several countries are considering legalization over the next year. ICBC Berlin took place at a pivotal time for Germany’s evolving cannabis landscape and featured some of the country’s preeminent thought leaders. Burkhard Blienert, Germany’s drug commissioner, keynoted day one. Day two featured insights from keynote speaker Lewis Koski, Metrc’s chief strategy officer. Master of Ceremonies Ngaio Bealum brought his lighthearted brand of comedy to the proceedings that culminated in an after party featuring reggae sensation Morgan Heritage with Rocker T. It was a grand experience conveniently held in one of the largest hotels in Europe, so getting to the show was easy. ICBC is truly a leader when it comes to content, networking, and epic after parties.
The NYC Cannabis parade was happening during a monsoontype storm, but that didn’t stop National Cannabis Party (NCP) members along with NCP President Sephida Artis-Mills and Co-Founder Redman from speaking to a wet but enthusiastic crowd at the end of New York’s longest-running cannabis parade.
KushConTampaBay
The Tampa Bay Convention Center hosted 150+ exhibitors and dozens of speakers for KushCon’s two-day event this August. Educational sessions touched on frequentl- asked questions in the sector, ranging from cannabis and pets to brand development. Athletes in Cannabis offered an insightful panel featuring former NFL players Ian Beckles and Lofa Tatupu. Cannabis Efficiency Specialist Nichole West stopped by the Cannabis & Tech Today booth during the event. She was once featured in C&TT’s NACB department to discuss her cannabis-related incarceration. West is the director of operations for LB Atlantis and spoke in three seminars during KushCon. ❖
BOOTH # 109
content. Of 75 products purchased from randomly selected dispensaries in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle: A 2020 study found of 102 CBD products tested: The furtherstudyshowed: 23% contained less 60% contained more Indicated Amount of detectedTHCTHCwas in 21% samples.of 18% contained less than 80% of the amount of CBD indicated 45% indicatedamountwithincontained20%oftheofCBD 37% CBDofmorecontainedthan120%theamountofindicated 26% of CBDcontainedproductsCBDlessthanlabeled 43% labeledmorecontainedCBDthan Indications of a high degree of variability and poor standardization of online products. But more:there'swait, The study noted that children.intoxicationtoconcentrationssufficientcouldcontainingproductsTHChaveenoughproduceinA 2017 study found nearly of70%allCBDproducts sold online in the U.S. were mislabeled. 21% 43% 26% 37% 45% 18% A 2019 California study found ethylene oxide, as well as dangerousothersolvents in some CBD products. A 2015 study found only 17% of edibles from dispensaries in three major metropolitan areas had accurate THC and CBD labels. 60% of the edibles tested contained more THC than advertised. Some delta-8 products are 7700% over the legal delta-9 THC limit. Source: businessinsider.com / cannabis.netSource: JAMA Network Source: JAMA Network/rxleaf.com Source: nih.govSource: cbdoracle.com Source: The Cannabis Advisory 20 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2
A look at the metrics shaping the cannabis business market — and our lives Laboratory testing in the cannabis industry has become a big business. All states that allow medical and adult cannabis require producers to test THC and CBD levels, but many other requirements are vague or non-existent. Most manufacturers turn to third-party labs to test for potency, pesticides, terpene content, bacteria, physical contamination, and residual solvents. However, in an industry where higher potency equals higher profits, some labs are fudging the numbers to gain a wider customer base. Cannabis companies have received significant fines their products with levels that are inconsistent with the certificate of analysis, and labs have been shut down in several states CBD
for labeling
due to inflated reports of THC and
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Cannabichromene being researched following being researched for the following benefits: being researched for the being researched for the being
22 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 DEPARTMENTS // KNOW BEFORE Know Before You Consume Mapping the Minor Cannabinoids
By Patricia Miller
CannabigerolicDelta-9-Tetrahydrocannabivarinacid
CannabitriolCannabinol
➤ A foundational cannabinoid, which when exposed to heat, converts to CBD, THC, and CBG. ➤ Present in small amounts in most cannabis plants ➤ Currently
for the
benefits: ❂ Pain Relief ❂ Reduces Nausea ❂ Treats Glaucoma ❂ Slows the Spread of Cancer Cells ❂ Fights Inflammation ➤ Non-Psychoactive ➤ Currently
following benefits: ❂ Treating Bacterial Infections ❂ Stimulating Appetite ❂ Treating Glaucoma ❂ Treating Arthritis ❂ Sleep Aid ➤ Non-Psychoactive ➤ Currently
following benefits: ❂ Prevention and Treatment of Breast Cancer ➤ Non-Psychoactive ➤ Currently
researched for the following benefits: ❂ Appetite Suppressant ❂ Increases Metabolism ❂ Treating Inflammation ❂ Treating Epilepsy ❂ Treating Parkinson’s Disease ❂ Regulating Blood Glucose ❂ Treating Skin Disorders including: ✦ Acne ✦ Psoriasis ✦ Pigmentation Disorders ✦ Skin Tumors ✦ Atopic Dermatitis ➤ Non-Psychoactive Illustrations via istockphoto.com
❂ Acne Treatment and Prevention ❂ Inhibits Growth of Cancer Cells ❂ Prevention and Treatment of Osteoarthritis ❂ Treating Depression ❂ Prevention and Treatment of Neurological Diseases ➤ Non-Psychoactive ➤ Currently
As the legal industry scales up internatinoally, there will continue to be logistical hiccups and headaches for certain sectors. A prime example of that is cannabis flower. Cannabis flower may stay fresh when it remains local, but that is not the case when shipped globally, going from port to port for many weeks or months. Concentrates have distinct advantages over other consumption forms and methods. The shelf life of concentrates is much longer than raw flower, edibles, and topicals. Concentrates also take up less space while offering the same or greater potency, which is an advantage from the perspective of international shipping.
Concerns regarding cannabis concentrates make it tough to create sensible rules and regulations at a national level. It’s even more difficult at the international level. The issue is that logistically, the easiest cannabis products to bring to international markets are concentrates. Yet, the production of those products faces the most scrutiny out of any sector in the industry. For the international sector to reach its full potential, regulators and producers must find a balance. ❖ Illustration via istockphoto.com
The entire international cannabis industry is increasing in size exponentially. The concentrates sector is growing at a particularly impressive rate. For perspective, Grand View Research, Inc. projects that the global cannabis concentrates sector will experience annual growth of 16.6% between now and 2027. By then, Grand View reported the global concentrates sector could be worth as much as $28.5 billion. These projections may even be too conservative. One thing is for sure — cannabis concentrates are here to stay and will only become more popular in the coming years.
Regulatory Stigma Arguably the most pronounced concern when it comes to regulating the production of concentrates revolves around solvent-based extraction processes. Most solvents used for extracting cannabinoids from raw flower are volatile. As such, it doesn’t take much for a dangerous situation to develop.
Sector?ConcentratesInternational
Unique Consumption Concerns
In addition to extraction methods, there are concerns regarding the safety of finished products. Just as concentrates involve concentrated cannabinoids, so too can they involve concentrated contaminants. Regulations should address issues like this in sensible ways.
24 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 A DEPARTMENTSBALANCE// INTERNATIONAL
It’s also worth noting, and often seemingly lost among regulatory and political circles, that not all cannabis concentrates are produced via solvent-based processes. Many concentrates are made without any volatile solvents. Regulations need to be reflective of that and necessary distinctions codified.
By Alex Rogers
When RegulationsWill Catch Up to Reality in the
Advantages Over Other Sectors
Concentrate production compliance is one of the most popular topics at International Cannabis Business Conferences (ICBCs). It was once again a hot topic at Berlin’s ICBC last July. With the cannabis industry expanding across the planet, concentrate compliance will likely become an even greater focus as consumers and patients realize the versatility and importance of cannabis concentrates.
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On the one hand, there’s a burgeoning industry promising economic development. On the other, there’s little guidance from the federal government on the safety or effectiveness of delta-8 products. Should regulators promote the business opportunities or focus on consumer protection? Whatever approach they take, they’ll face criticism and pushback. Add to that the potential to throw the cannabis baby out with the hemp bathwater. Understanding the regulator’s dilemma points to the industry solution: robust self-regulation. There’s nothing regulators appreciate more than being presented with answers to their problems instead of criticism of their responses.
The Regulator’s Dilemma Is Self-Regulation Essential to Effective Legislation?
Regulators’ analysis of those questions will shape the policies that impact your business.Stateregulators are in a bind. Will they follow the 13 states that have already banned delta-8, like New York and Washington? Will they stay hands-off like most of the South and Midwest? Will they hedge, like California and Arizona?
26 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 DEPARTMENTS // NACB
Vetted, coherent standards from respected industry associations like NACB can help regulators help the industry. Instead of waiting to see if the next move by state government helps or hurts your business planning, why not prompt them to make decisions aligned with your plan? This takes organization and a willingness to invest in proactive policy engagement. But in the end, that investment is short money compared to discovering that your product line is illegal or irrelevant. ❖
The cannabis industry is characterized by regulatory uncertainty and volatility. State-by-state variation, frequent updates to the rules of the road, and an ongoing “will they or won’t they” federal stance have made it clear that this is not an industry for the risk-averse or the timid.
By Dan and Andrea Delaney, The Delaney Group / Consultants to The National Association of Cannabis Businesses (NACB)
Add to that a relative newcomer on the scene, delta-8 THC. Over the past two years, federal courts have wrestled with the legal status of hemp-derived THC products. The legalization of hemp derivatives and extracts in the 2018 Farm Bill, combined with the capacity to derive delta-8 THC in psychoactively potent amounts, has created a gray zone. Companies are allowed to manufacture and sell products that mimic the effect of a cannabis high without all the legal and regulatory hurdles that accompany cannabis.Howyou feel about this depends on where you sit. If you’re in the hemp or CBD space, it’s a good thing. You have a legal product to sell that is attractive to consumers. If you’re in the regulated cannabis space, this is a problem. You have incurred immense costs navigating a highly regulated industry and you’re watching competitors zip by you, grabbing market share with a fraction of the headaches. There’s a large, common problem on the horizon, however: state regulatory policy. To understand it requires taking off the industry hat and putting on the regulator’s hat. Most industry analyses are written from the perspective of the businesses and the investors. How does this rule affect the bottom line? What’s the impact on attractiveness to investors? How do we adjust the business plan to the current environment?
Photo: iStockphoto.com/georgeclerk
Effective planning calls for thinking like regulators and considering the problems they are solving. What’s the regulatory capacity to oversee the CBD space? Are we funded for it? Do we have the staff to do it well? Are the political players who matter (as opposed to opinion polls) pro-cannabis or anti-cannabis?
By Ebby Stone Research from Vantage predicts America’s CBD market will reach $47.22 billion by 2028. People use hemp-derived CBD on their skin, in drinks, and even give it to pets. While hemp oil is safe, is it created safely? Hemp oil extraction often involves chemical solvents such as butane or ethanol — both are flammable and potentially explosive. Once extracted, any remaining biomass must be discarded as hazardous waste. These solvent-based processes, while popular, are not the only way to derive CBD from hemp. More sustainable and eco-friendly options are starting to find a place in the commercial market.
Oil Infusion for a Cleaner Concentrate
28 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 DEPARTMENTS // HEMP
Trichomes sink to the bottom during the separation process and are available for extraction. It’s an eco-friendly process, but it does use a fair amount of energy and water. However, it is not explosive and won’t leave any residual solvents in the hemp oil.
The drawback of this method is its scalability. Until recently, there were few methods for commercial-grade ice-water extraction. Growers now will find several equipment manufacturers with large-scale machines, such as Whistler Technologies, Hashtek, and others.
GoPurePressure Long Peak (above) and Pikes Peak v2 rosin presses. Images courtesy of GoPurePressure.
Feel the Squeeze Rosin extraction, or solventless hash oil, is a simple, inexpensive way to distill hemp oil. Heat and pressure are applied to the hemp biomass, squeezing out terpenes and cannabinoids in a thick resin. The drawback of this method is mold and pesticides present in the source material can stick to the resin and become concentrated. Clean, pesticide-free hemp is essential to this process. It’s also vital to keep the temperatures below a certain threshold to prevent degrading the CBD compounds. GoPurePressure is one company offering commercial-grade rosin extraction equipment. Solving the Solventless Problem Commercial-grade CBD is finding its way into a widening array of products. As consumers become more educated about how CBD oil is made, they’ll start asking for safer, more ecofriendly extraction methods. These solventless systems may be a niche for now, but don’t expect them to stay a secret for long. ❖ Left Hand Technologies E1 (above) and E4 infusion systems. Images courtesy of Left Hand Technologies.
Three Technologies Clapping Back at Hemp’s Solvent Problem
Left Hand Technologies in Boulder, Colorado recently started offering infusion equipment to hemp farmers. This process requires zero solvents and captures 90% of the phytochemicals in the plant while preserving the terpene profile. Left Hand’s systems use a medium-chain triglyceride carrier oil, such as coconut or sunflower oil. This roomtemperature oil circulates throughout the biomass, collecting trichomes and cannabinoids.Theinfusion process doesn’t leave residual solvents and eliminates the potential for an explosive work environment. The tech does have limitations, as it’s unable to produce vapeableIt’soil.best suited to topicals and edibles. For consumers 65-years and older, savory edibles are a largely underdeveloped market. This tech lends itself well to cooking oils and finishing oils. Put It on Ice Ice-water extraction is gaining popularity for its clean, potent results. The whole plant is frozen, then bathed in cold water. This process relies on trichomes (the sparkly jewels on hemp flower) being denser than water.
Extracting Solutions
Finally, adjustments as necessary to the joint or Rocketbox settings if any pre-rolls are under or overweight and save the batch data to export later. This step ensures future packs can be done consistently, reducing the time taken in each step of the process.
By Aron Vaughan
With a simple-to-use interface, operators can find a scale’s parameters by selecting the target pre-roll and paper weight for proper taring, and most importantly, the desired tolerance percentage. With the module’s ability to weigh 72 joints simultaneously within seconds, labor costs can be significantly reduced for businesses at any scale. Easy as 0.1, 0.2, 0.3
30 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 DEPARTMENTS // PRE-ROLLED
The Launchpad also gives operators the ability to identify rejects instantaneously via an easy-toread color-coded display.
The ability to maintain precise quality control over the weight of your pre-rolls and maximize profits attributed to under or over filling is a game changer for pre-roll manufacturers. It is also simple to use, so anyone on the factory floor can use it with a small amount of training.First,a tray of nicely packed joints is taken out of the STM Rocket Box or other pre-roll machine and placed into the Launchpad. After a pre-roll size is selected, the target weight and weight tolerance percentage can be added on the touchscreen. The large heads-up display will then tell the user if the joints are within the selected weight tolerance.
The STM Launchpad functions as a standalone machine or better as part of STM Canna’s precise workflow. The Launchpad and companion modules such as the Rocketbox and Atomic Closer are designed with a small form, high impact footprint to maximize facility space and production output. STM’s fully modular system enables expansion and scalability as a company’s needs grow. ❖
Taking the Guesswork Out of Pre-Rolls
STM Canna Launchpad Weigher This is where the STM Canna Launchpad Weigher comes in. Specifically designed for weighing pre-rolled joints, the scale ensures a precise weight reading for each individual preroll to below a 5% tolerance. Compliance regulations are met for every pre-roll, manufacturers can be sure they are not losing product on overweight joints, and consumers receive exactly the amount of flower promised on the label. It’s a win-win… win.
Compliance, compliance, compliance. It’s a word everyone in the cannabis industry has to consider daily. Compliance regulations are largely a positive thing for consumers, ensuring products are accurately labeled, sufficiently packaged, and safe from small hands that may mistake a THC-infused gummy for a piece ofHowever,candy. some regulations render the manufacturing and packaging process excessively time-consuming. They also limit the creative freedom of labeling most other industries enjoy. The myriad compliance obstacles can ultimately lead to a reduction in profits, something no business wants to experience, no matter how consumerfocused it is. But, on rare occasions, compliance, consumer benefit, and positive profit margins can be achieved in one fell swoop.
Automation Makes the Pre-Roll Process Quick, Easy, and Consistent
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Beyond Compliance
Delivering a Competitive Advantage in a Crowded Marketplace
By Geoff Trotter
Spoiler alert — this article will not be delivering a panacea for these collective ills. Sorry!That said, with the increasing focus on sustainable practices from seed to sale, a solution that delivers standardization for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices is finally within reach.
32 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 DEPARTMENTS // ESG
Standardization, regulation, compliance, and licensing — the Four Horsemen of the Cannabis Apocalypse — are topics that are never too far away during cannabis industry discussions. With the ongoing absence of federal legalization in the U.S., no matter where one sits on the cannabis value chain, the reliance on a non-uniform, state-by-state approach to each of these business-critical issues continues to be a burden.Asmore states and jurisdictions legalize cannabis consumption for both medical and recreational use, the need for a uniform approach to regulation is now imperative. And for those involved in cannabis extraction and the subsequent manufacturing of concentrates, perhaps this need has never been greater.
At Regennabis we have created cannabisspecific ESG standards based on the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB) panindustry standards. These apply to each of the license verticals in the cannabis industry. In total, Regennabis has identified 16 of the 26 SASB Disclosure Topics as applying to the cannabis space. With the International Finance Reporting Standards and the International Sustainability Standards Board both agreeing to use SASB’s standards, the Securities and Exchange Commission has set about indicating which of these standards will be applicable across all industries in the U.S.
Environmental • GHG Emissions • Energy Management • Water & Wastewater Management • Waste & Hazardous Materials Management Social • Data Security • Product Q uality & Safety • Customer Welfare • Selling Practices & Product Labeling • Employee Health & Safety • Labor practices, Employee Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion [merged] Governance • Product Design & Lifecycle Management • Supply Chain Management • Materials Sourcing & Efficiency • Management of Legal & Regulatory Environment • Systemic Risk Management The ESG Standards for the Cannabis/Hemp Industry with the specific “Manufacturing” License Vertical shown in B LU E
For manufacturers of concentrates, the graphic below indicates which of the 16 Disclosure Topics apply to them as they set about complying with the mandated and/or marketdriven demands being placed on them by regulators. (See chart below.)
Ensuring compliance in alignment with an ESG framework will allow a concentrate manufacturer to demonstrate to stakeholders, both up and down its supply chain, that it is focused on mitigating risks in its operational practices. It will demonstrate an adherence to good manufacturing processes across a range of geographies — and that will be an everincreasing competitive advantage in an already crowded marketplace. ❖
By adopting and adapting the SASB standards, Regennabis has subsequently future-proofed the cannabis industry to avoid potential hiccups in its ESG Reporting programs by ensuring a more aligned and relevant Materiality Assessment is used for its respective reporting protocol.
Connecting nature and hoogendoorn.nl/en/IIVOtechnologyinfo@hoogendoorn.ca
Ready, Set, Grow.
IIVO provides crop specific smart technology for growers. A combination of smart software and state of the art hardware. This truly unique system is capable of monitoring, controlling and maintaining any greenhouse or growchamber. Allowing you to grow more, at higher quality while using minimal resources. Not only is the system highly effective, it is also extremely efficient and sustainable, generating maximum results. Whether you have experience in growing Medicinal Cannabis or not. With self-learning controls and integrated security, it is undoubtedly the future of horticulture.
At this point, you’re probably familiar with edibles, concentrates, and beverages, but have you heard about dissolvables?
“She hated smoking, vaping confused her, and half the people she knew who had tried an edible had overdone it in a terrifying way,” SingerPrecisesaid.dosing for products has historically been lacking in the cannabis industry, so creating a dissolvable that can be dosed reliably became Singer and Ripple Co-Founder Missy Bradley’s goal. Once the science of creating a water-soluble THC product was worked out, the Ripple team
Everything is an Edible With Ripple
Ripple Co-Founder Missy Bradley Shares Her Journey to Becoming a Cannabis Entrepreneur
We’ve come a long way since the days of pot brownies being the go-to (and only) edible available on the “market” — the market being your brother’s roommate’s basement bakery.
Ripple is a Colorado-based edibles company that harnesses the fast-acting power of dissolvable powders with the healing, antiinflammatory power of cannabis. For medical users who need quick relief, Ripple is a gamechanger.Co-Founder
34 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 OF THE YEARINNOVATOR PROFILE
By Aron Vaughan and Patricia Miller
Justin Singer received the epiphany that would become Ripple after trying to find a way to help his grandmother medicate in a safe, effective way.
The edibles industry has flourished in the last decade, with new combinations of gummies, cookies, hard candies, mints, and even beverages hitting the market.
Vol. 4 / Issue 2 / Cannabis & Tech Today 35
C&T Today: You mentioned when you were presented with this opportunity to join the brand that you weren’t interested in consuming cannabis. Has the research and the consumption modality made it something that you’re willing to dabble with now? MB: 100%. My cabinet is stocked with it. I didn’t recognize at the time that there was a functional way to use cannabis. And also, when we started talking about it, I was pregnant with my first child and now I have two, and there was always a fear of overconsumption or of not being able to be a parent.Inever really had that with drinking a glass of wine because I knew how I would feel. I knew what I could and couldn’t do after drinking a glass or two of wine. So really, it was just getting comfortable with cannabis, understanding how I was going to feel, having a product that I could rely on, and knowing what I was going to feel like and what that experience was going to be. ❖ Ripple’s fast-acting dissolvables reach the bloodstream within 10 minutes and allow the body to absorb two times as much THC compared to other edibles on the market.
36 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 OF THE YEARINNOVATOR PROFILE
winter we launched our sleep dissolvable, which is CBN and THC, with no added melatonin or other sleep agents. We’ve heard from people that they’re concerned about ingesting THC with potential other compounds meant for sleep. So those are the quick-dissolve lines. Then from years of consumer research, we found that a good portion of our Ripple dissolvables consumers were pouring the unflavored powder directly on their tongue or putting it in a shot glass ofSowater.from that, we developed our line of Quick Sticks, which are essentially like a pixie stick. It’s a flavored, dissolvable powder meant to be poured directly on your tongue. So it’s in its own little sanitary wrapper. You can take it with you wherever you want. It is portable. It is discreet. And it is meant to be just quick, use it whenever you need it. We also have put Ripple into a line of gummies, because gummies are the largest portion of the edible market. It’s what a lot of people are looking for. We had this consistent, fast-acting powder, and we could make a gummy with it. So we have gummies that are now made with Ripple.
Jesús Burrola takes a hands-off approach to farming, but that doesn’t mean he’s disengaged. As chief executive officer for Posibl, he’s leveraging state-of-the-art automation technology to bring smart greenhouses to a nationwide audience. Posibl’s pesticide-free, climate-controlled greenhouses use less water per pound than traditional indoor grows and are three times more energy efficient. The company’s motto is, “With good will and great work, anything is Posibl.”
“We are taking advantage of natural elements, so we don’t supplement light from zero to a hundred. We’re starting with a baseline, using natural sunlight and then supplementing what is left to cover the plant’s ideal needs. That same theory applies to everything else,” Burrola said. “We’re able to take advantage of good growing conditions naturally and only supplement that through technology and the use of energy when we need to.”
Engineered Resilience Sustainability is a nuanced term. It can mean “environmentally friendly,” in that the resources required will still be available in the future because thay’ve been used responsibly. It can also refer to how resilient a business is when facing natural disasters or other unforeseen occurrences.Morethan 4.5 million homes and businesses lost power during Texas’ February 2021 power crisis. Yseut Berlingeri-Stambaugh of My Epicurean Farm told the Dallas Morning News she lost 80% of her microgreens during the outage. Her greenhouse wasn’t equipped to endure 15 hours of single-digit temperatures, despite the propane-powered space heaters she fired up to battle the cold.
38 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // SUSTAINABILITY //
More partners for Posibl means more sustainably-grown flower for customers. Everything Posibl does begins in the greenhouse — a cultivation method that’s less resourceintensive and provides a robust terpene profile thanks to natural sunlight. Green Tech in Action Burrola is an ardent supporter of sustainable practices. “We believe greenhouse cultivation is best,” Burrola said. “We approached [our business] with the core belief that we would grow indoor-quality flower in a greenhouse setting, in a much more sustainable way, in a more affordable way for the consumer.” He believes automation technology is central to making that dream a reality. Posibl uses sensors throughout its greenhouses to measure humidity, temperature, ventilation, irrigation, and lighting. All the data is collected and then adjusted automatically to the ideal spectrum for those variables. “Technology moves at a very fast pace. We have things like AI cameras we’re piloting that can detect pests and diseases faster than the naked eye,” he added.
Location is Everything It’s not just how the plants are grown, but where Posibl is located that makes sustainable cultivation attainable. California’s fertile soils and warm climate are ideal for cannabis farming.
According to the Department of Energy, only 11 commercial greenhouses nationwide are using cogeneration units as of 2021. Posibl is one of them. “One of the cool things we are incorporating into this project is energy cogeneration through the use of natural gas,”
“The business concept behind Posibl was to become an empowerer of brands and set up the best cultivation we possibly could,” Burrola told Cannabis & Tech Today during a recent interview. This dedication to quality cultivation enabled Posibl to partner with 15 of the largest cannabis brands in the United States. The company sells under its name and sells its flower to other brands for their labels.
Smarter Cultivation is Possible
Cogeneration, or combined heat and power (CHP) systems, offer farmers an opportunity to be self-reliant. CHP systems provide heat, cooling, and electricity to greenhouses on-site, facilitating uninterrupted energy production.
High-Tech Greenhouses Offer a Sustainable Solution for Cannabis Growers
By Patricia Miller
Photos by Ben Lalande
Burrola said. “Burning natural gas, you’re producing CO2, which we then pump back into the plants.” The CHP Alliance found that CO2 enrichment as Burrola described can increase crop photosynthesis by as much as 50%.
// SUSTAINABILITY //
To add to Posibl’s sustainability mission, it collects drainage from its crops and reintroduces that water into the irrigation cycle. It does not use pesticides; it treats plants with mint oil or orange peel and uses beneficial bugs to “fight nature with nature,” as Burrola said. He feels the most challenging aspect of sustainable agriculture is giving crops enough light. Creating top-shelf quality nugs requires more sunlight than nature can provide. Burrola believes lighting is also the easiest place for growers to start sustainable practices. “Using LEDs as opposed to HPS just makes the use of light and electricity much more efficient,” Burrola said. He added that while LEDs cost more than HPS, utility companies offer programs that make LEDs more affordable. It seems growers are more than willing to invest in tech to encourage larger yields. “Like a lot of traditional crops, you’re operating on 5% margin businesses. I think the fact that it’s such a pricey crop encourages you to invest more on the technology that can produce 4 or 5% more yield makes a huge difference in profit and loss in a cannabis setting,” Burrola said.
Little Things Add Up
Growing Responsibly Cannabis is a resource-intensive crop. Some researchers estimate it’s responsible for about 1% of electricity usage in the U.S. But growers are adopting more efficient technology and practices — and it’s starting to show. Politico reported the average energy consumption of indoor grows decreased by more than 20% between 2018 and 2020. It’s tempting to say technology will save mankind from the climate crisis, or at least delay the inevitable. But it takes more than clever tech to solve the issues facing society. The solution will come from motivated, caring individuals and corporations committed to creating change. “As the industry matures, we all have a responsibility to make sure we’re growing sustainably and responsibly,” Burrola said. ❖
Vol. 4 / Issue 2 / Cannabis & Tech Today 39
FundCanna “We are seeing a tremendous appetite for access to capital from the cannabis space,”
FundCanna Founder and CEO Adam Stettner said. Stettner founded FundCanna in Sept. 2021 after spending 15 years lending to non-cannabis small businesses, where his previous company underwrote over a million files. “In looking at that and realizing the parallel to cannabis, I
Access to capital has traditionally been a barrier to retailers, growers, distributors, and everyone else in the cannabis space. But as Bob Dylan so succinctly phrased it: The times they are a-changin’ While legalization referendums languished in the halls of Congress, slow progress was being made in individual states. Come senators, congressmen Please heed the call Don’t stand in the doorway Don’t block up the hall But, as is the status quo for Congress, the halls have been blocked for cannabis reform for decades.
Who is slow now will later be fast
Photo: istockphoto.com/burakpekakcan
That aphorism has now manifested in the cannabis industry. The cadence of progress in the industry has now reached a crescendo, and businesses are regularly growing at a rate that exceeds their means. Since federal legalization seems to be in an indefinite holding pattern, organizations have emerged to meet the growing need for cannabis businesses to finance and scale their operations.
By Aron Vaughan
Cannabis Capital Blues
40 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // FINANCE //
FundCanna and the Need for Financing
FundCanna provides financing to all 39 states that have passed legislation making cannabis legal. To qualify for a loan, clients must be legal and licensed so that they’re compliant. “That is an absolute for us,” Stettner said. “And then we will not fund pre-revenue or startup companies. So they must be operating for at least three months and have revenue. And then beyond that, we just call on our experience to determine how much a company can comfortably accommodate. But the absolutes are compliance and licensing and operations with existing revenue.” Rates are adjustable based on need and duration, whether it’s providing capital directly to a client or paying vendors on their behalf.
42 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // FINANCE // Cannabis Capital Blues thought the timing was ideal and the need was fairly strong,” Stettner said.
“I can tell you I think there is a long period between where we are now and seeing any kind of cap,” Stettner said. “ I think that the opportunities are tremendous for the cannabis industry.”Theopportunity to leverage debt from FundCanna as a tool to grow the business is creating exponential growth for clients. It is unlikely the industry will see its ceiling any time soon, given the early stage of legalization and state reform and the current access to capital. And due to the stage of the industry, opportunities for the cannabis supply chain and the vendors servicing them to use debt to accelerate their growth will also continue to increase. ❖
Because the cannabis industry has matured, businesses in the space resemble traditional small business more than ever. “The parallels between traditional small business and the cannabis business are much greater than I think most people would expect,” Stettner said.
cannabis becomes federally legal, I expect that it makes things easier for all parties involved. And in that regard, I think automation and many of the tools that make that access to capital faster and simpler will come to fruition.”
Stettner has seen cannabis businesses scale quickly after receiving financing from FundCanna. Cannabis is the fastest-growing cash crop in the country, and demand is driving the need for additional capital.
“When cannabis becomes federally legal, I expect that it makes things easier for all parties involved. And in that regard, I think automation and many of the tools that make that access to capital faster and simpler will come to fruition.”
And then, oftentimes the solution to their pain doesn’t exist. And so that innovation is creating financial products that work for them. “So the main innovation is product,” Stettner said. “And then second to that is we utilize technology and our experience in underwriting a million-plus files to deliver the innovative product in a way that is simplistic for the end-user.”
Innovation is in the Product With financing options becoming more available, companies like FundCanna have to innovate to continue being leaders in the space. “The main way is to listen,” Stettner said. “You begin with listening to your prospective client base, in this case, the cannabis supply chain. What do they need?
“So we talk to businesses that are doing in the low tens of thousands monthly, and we speak to businesses that are doing well in excess of a million monthly. That was true in traditional or non-cannabis SMB, small and medium-sized businesses. And it is true in cannabis as well.”
“How do we make sure it’s a win-win?” Stettner asked. “That goes to the point of, if it doesn’t work for the client, it’s not going to work for us. So the main test for me is repeat business.”
Full Throttle
Who Qualifies for a FundCanna Loan?
While a lift of the federal cannabis ban has failed to pass the gauntlet of Congress in the past, prohibition is closer to ending now than ever before. On April 1, 2022, the House passed the Marijuana Opportunity and Expungement Act (MORE) for the second time. Federal legalization would undoubtedly provide the cannabis industry with more options for lines of credit, potentially rendering financing companies like FundCanna irrelevant. However, Stettner believes legalization will benefit the company.“Although federally illegal, FundCanna is servicing the industry at full throttle right now,” Stettner said. “The benefit of legalization from FundCanna’s perspective is that it opens up banking and access to rails that are not currently available.“When
FundCanna Founder and CEO Adam Stettner businesses.non-cannabis152021FundCannacreatedinSept.afterspendingyearslendingtosmall
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ByAndrew Behringer
The Cannabis Clock, like the Doomsday Clock, will help show people how close the United States is to midnight, a.k.a. federal legalization. You’re probably asking yourself, “Well, what time is it right now?” As of August 4, 2022, the Cannabis Clock is set at 11:53 PM, seven minutes to midnight.
One of the biggest questions when talking about cannabis is when will the United States legalize it? Will it ever happen? The short answer is yes, it’s coming. But when? To help others understand when legalization will arrive, I decided to create “the Cannabis Clock.”
The federal government will closely examine effective cannabis legislation throughout the country to form its cannabis policy. That’s why it is important to focus on the best of the laws and get rid of the worst. For instance, New York State was the first in the country to enact an adult-use cannabis policy allowing people to consume cannabis anywhere they can consume tobacco. This is the kind of policy needed at the federal level. When politicians create policy, especially around cannabis, they generally look to the demands of their constituents. The U.S. approval rating for cannabis has never been higher.
Backward Motion
Photo: istockphoto.com/dvulikaia
Forward Progress
Countdown to Cannabis Legalization
Since then, 37 states have passed medical cannabis policy, as well as D.C. and three territories: Guam, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. Colorado was the first state to pass an adult-use cannabis policy. Since then, 19 states and two other territories, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, followed suit.
44 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // LEGISLATION // The ClockCannabis
The Cannabis Clock is modeled after the Doomsday Clock. The scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project (which invented the atomic bomb used to end World War II), created the Doomsday Clock in 1947 to illustrate how close humanity is to Armageddon, or total annihilation from dangerous technologies.manmadeArmageddon is midnight on the Doomsday Clock. Currently, humanity is 100 seconds to midnight.
Set Your Watches
Ironically, that is the same exact time the Doomsday Clock was started back in 1947. (I swear the original time of the Doomsday Clock was not known when deciding what time the Cannabis Clock would start.) When deciding what time it is with the Cannabis Clock, three focus points will be considered: forward progress, backward motion, and economic impact.
As cannabis legalization gets closer and closer, policy related to it becomes more complex. The first state to pass cannabis policy was California in 1996 with the Compassionate-Use Act, establishing the first medical cannabis state.
Sometimes, new policies are enacted that actually push the cannabis industry backward. In 2019, every 58 seconds in the United States someone was arrested for a cannabis offense. That comes out to 545,601 cannabis arrests in just one year! Of those arrested, 92% were for cannabis possession. Viewing cannabis
Currently, eight out of 10 Americans believe medical cannabis is a good thing. Over 60% of the population believes adult-use should be legalized. More than 75% of Americans believe people should not be put in jail for a cannabis offense. Now that’s progress!
ACTUALCRYOCUREDFLOWER DegradationNoFlowerLookingIncredibleWithPlant • No Flower Shrinkage • Live Resin Flower • Preserves Terpenes & Trichomes • Increases Extraction Quality & Yields S HCDRIEDKILLFULLYANNABISINJUSTOURS @CRYOCURECANNABISCRYOCURE.COM
Counting the Minutes
All of these factors played into the determination that the Cannabis Clock currently sits at 11:53 PM, seven minutes to midnight. However, this time will change quickly because of how fast things change in the cannabis space. Who knows, from the time this article was written to the time you’re reading it, we may have moved forward five minutes, or backward five minutes. I suppose we will all be counting the minutes to find out. ❖
// The Cannabis Clock possession as a criminal offense has everything to do with it being a Schedule 1 drug. As long as cannabis is considered a scheduled substance, people will be criminalized for it.
The private prison system, which houses 8% of the prison population, also dislikes cannabis legalization. Legal cannabis means a lot less people will be going to jail. Fewer prisoners means fewer jails, so private prisons would make less money.
Let’s do a comparison with another industry and cannabis to see how they stack up. For this comparison we’ll be looking at 11 states that have passed adult-use cannabis and the tax revenue generated between the cannabis industry and the alcohol industry in those 11 states. Drum roll please … in those 11 states in 2021, the alcohol industry generated $2.4 billion in tax revenue. In the same 11 states, the cannabis industry generated $2.9 billion in tax revenue. That’s almost 20% more than alcohol.
Economic Impact
46 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // LEGISLATION
Some of the biggest members of this coalition include Altria (Philip Morris), Constellation Brands (Corona), and Molson Coors (Coors and Miller beers), just to name a few. The fossil fuel industry also has ulterior motives for hemp regulation, as hemp alternatives threaten the popularity and proliferation of plastic.
Did you know the Automobile Association of America (AAA) lobbies against cannabis on the local, state, and federal level? When you see an article referencing some type of driving and cannabis study, it was likely paid for by AAA to hinder the progress and growth of the cannabis industry.
Photo: istockphoto
Several industries and groups can have a negative influence on the cannabis space as well. For example, the Coalition for Cannabis Education and Regulation tries to influence the federal government to shape cannabis policy and infrastructure in a way that would benefit its founders.
“in 2021, the beandrisethattheprojectedcannabis.$25marketplaceglobalsoldbillioninlegalItisthatbyendof2022numberwillto$33billion,by2026itwill$52billion.”
One of the biggest considerations for when cannabis will be federally legalized is the economic factor. As more states legalize, new jobs are created. The cannabis industry is the fastest growing job sector in America. Currently there are around 520,000 legal cannabis jobs in America. That’s almost 100,000 more than a year ago. It is projected that by 2026 there will be over 800,000 legal jobs in There’scannabis.alsothe economic impact of selling legal cannabis. In 2021, the global marketplace sold $25 billion in legal cannabis. It is projected that by the end of 2022 that number will rise to $33 billion, and by 2026 it will be $52 billion.
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RootWurks CEO and Founder Chase Eastman
“Cannabis was not anything that I experimented with when I was young, but I saw it in that instance, and it changed my perception of cannabis as a psychedelic drug to cannabis as a medicine,” he recalled.
A New Education Platform Gives Retailers an EdgeBy Rachelle Gordon Calling cannabis compliance “complex” would be a major understatement. Navigating the everchanging regulatory landscape while adhering to strict and often subjective rules can be extremely difficult and frustrating, especially when an operator’s license is on the line.
Many cannabis companies have been subjected to serious fines or license revocations due to violations. Mistakes can vary from lacking proper security to disregarding customer privacy at the retail level. Improper labeling, selling over the legal limit, or failing to keep accurate records are also common, yet preventable errors that could spell certain doom for a cannabis business.
“We took 20 years of lessons from the food industry and applied it to what we built, tailoring the solution from the ground up to support the unique intricacies in the cannabis market,” Eastman said.
Compliance Through Your People
48 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // Presented By Rooted Compliancein
Rootwurks is a new learning experience platform that raises the bar for cannabis education while ensuring operators remain compliant as the industry changes. Developed with Vicente Sederberg — industry leaders in law and policy — the comprehensive Rootwurks platform goes above and beyond to help businesses thrive through its holistic approach and innovative training methodology.
The initial content offered by Rootwurks was curated partially by the compliance team at Vicente Sederberg, leaning into its impressive array of expertise. To provide the most value to its clients, the company worked meticulously to conduct additional research on what it really needed to “Anytimeknow.anoperator had been dinged on an audit by a regulatory body, we pulled all that information and the corresponding fines, and then use that to prioritize the topics we cover,” Eastman explained. “We spent nine months doing industry data scraping and public records requests to build a consolidated database of all the nonconformities that have been issued in the industry.”Lessons run the gamut of manufacturing and retail compliance, including workplace safety, sanitation, and the proper way to verify customer IDs. High-level, overarching courses, as well as deep dives into subtopics are offered, covering every detail an employee across the vertical would need to know.
“Ever since, I’ve been fascinated by the plant, and have been watching the industry from afar.”
A deep passion for the plant and an honest desire to see the market succeed inspires the Rootwurks team to keep striving for excellence and collaboration. Chase Eastman, founder and CEO, saw his mother find relief with cannabis while she battled cancer. It was an experience he would never forget but would not revisit professionally for two decades.
Eastman initially followed in his father’s footsteps, joining his dad’s food safety compliance and training company Alchemy Systems early in his career. A few years ago, Eastman re-connected with childhood friend Shawn Hauser, a partner at Vicente Sederberg. After careful consideration, the pair decided to join forces, launching Rootwurks in July 2021.
The Rootwurks platform provides initial compliance training along with reinforcement through three different modules. Operators can deploy an awareness module, which provides all the pertinent information required by state law. A “micro” module provides bite-sized sessions laser-focused on specific components of the awarenessLong-formmodules.certification modules are designed for supervisors or those on a cannabis career path that may call for more advanced knowledge.Eastmanand the team developed the multipronged approach to combat the so-called forgetting curve, a theory arguing the vast
majority of adults will lose nearly 8% of the information they learned within 30 days of training.Rootwurks also allows operators to build jobspecific training checklists and offers assessment tools to monitor retention. Supervisors can deploy corrective action modules, ensuring staff mistakes are corrected and well-documented should the issue arise again.
Rootwurks Strives to Remain at the Top of the Class
Despite being a fairly young company, Rootwurks has an impressive array of solutions in its toolkit, with more on the way. The team is currently building an additional audit module for custom scheduling, as well as automated onboarding plans and custom career paths for customers wanting more specialized coursework for their Rootwurksstaff. hopes to become a role model for others in the industry while helping remove the stigma surrounding cannabis. By helping to establish safe and effective practices within plant-touching operations, the company believes overall consumer confidence and trust in the nascent marketplace will increase.
Vol. 4 / Issue 2 / Cannabis & Tech Today 49 // BUSINESS INNOVATIONS //
“Our philosophy is that your path to compliance is your people, way more so than your SOPs being appropriately documented,” Eastman said. “At the end of the day, if your employees are not doing the job correctly, then you’re not compliant.”
The list of training topics is also constantly evolving, remaining up-to-date with regulatory shifts as the space continues to expand. With nationwide legalization approaching, Rootwurks is prepared to tackle legislation on federal and stateForlevels.Eastman and the rest of the team, the goal is to ensure operators have everything they need to reduce compliance headaches and dedicate their time to what matters: running a thriving company.“We’retrying to build a solution that is very nimble so that we can react to the complex challenges that the cannabis industry faces,” Eastman said. “The ability to help operators navigate that complexity so they can focus on growing their business is something I think is really important.” ❖
N2 the Future
N2 also uses pull tabs and child-resistant,
“You are sealing hermetically, the native moisture that exists in that product that sits in the can,” said N2 CEO Thom Brodeur. “So, one of the biggest challenges for the cannabis industry is once you open, once you’ve packaged it, if there’s any presence of oxygen at all, it begins to degrade the product.”
An industry secret that the average medical cannabis patient may not be aware of is that traditional packaging such as Mylar bags or plastic containers let oxygen and light into the product, resulting in a loss of flower and net weight. Retailers often have to insert additional flower into the package to meet the standards of compliance regulations and customers.
Retail Packaging for Forward-Thinking Companies
By Aron Vaughan
For distributors and retailers, cannabis packaging can be a headache. There are myriad compliance issues to contend with including labeling and tracking, and logistical challenges such as shipping units from other countries during a time of COVID-related supply chain chaos.Packaging must also be child-resistant, yet easy enough for patients with physical ailments such as arthritis to open. Cannabis is a welldocumented and efficacious anti-seizure medication, and patients experiencing seizures need to have immediate and easy access to their flower or concentrate..
N2 to the Rescue N2 Packaging Systems LLC is addressing some of these obstacles that retailers experience every day. N2 uses a proprietary technology that injects nitrogen into its packaging. This process preserves the balance of moisture and weight of the product while removing the ambient oxygen and moisture that is in the container.
50 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // Presented By
“What we are responsible for is building the better mousetrap,” Brodeur said. “For us, making it difficult for small hands, or young hands, or unsophisticated hands to be able to put pressure points on the lids in the right places and the twists and alignment moments that are needed has been core to the technology that makes our packaging one of the safest options.
One of the most unexpected challenges was managing branding and consumer perception. Nuances in color on the cans from Chinese to American manufacturers are recognized by customers, so a small issue like color-matching can take up more time than anticipated — something to which we can all relate.
“One of the biggest things for us is reducing the use of single-use or even multi-use plastics,” Brodeur said.
“But what we’ve also been mindful of is that pressure for adult or senior hands when it comes to pressure points and clicking and locking mechanisms also has to be fluid.”
senior-friendly lid apparatuses that combine compliance with accessibility. Most of the 13 patents N2 holds in the U.S., Canada, and 11 other countries center around the locking and connecting mechanisms for the actual lid adherence to the can.
Big Problems Require Big Solutions
“But what we’ve also been mindful of is that pressure for adult or senior hands when it comes to pressure points and clicking and locking mechanisms also has to be fluid. And so, we’ve created rim systems inside of the cans that allow for easier slides for folks who understand how to use childresistant lids to make it easier for them to access them.”
Cannabis companies like N2 are making commitments to organizations like the Sustainable Cannabis Coalition, Sustainable Packaging Technology Group, and the ASTM, which decides standards on packaging across a variety of industries.
N2 the Future
Green is in N2’s DNA Many industries have had to play catch-up when it comes to sustainability. The cannabis industry, however, has largely been a leader in the field.
“We are engaged with those groups because we really do think it’s important that the more voices there are to help shape the policy and the guidelines going forward, A, the regulations don’t become so onerous that we can’t move and do the things we need to do commercially,” Brodeur said. “But B, that there’s some unification and some standardization ultimately in the way that packaging is treated since it is both a first impression for the consumer and their first experience with a product.”
The next generation after that will focus on developing equipment that will allow for nitrogen infusion with Mylar bags and glass jars.
“The good news is we have retained 100% of our customers in this turnaround, and we’ve grown the business by 47% since last July when I joined it,” Brodeur said.
Brodeur explained that N2 was founded with sustainability in mind from the beginning. Each 2Can with N2 nitro inside is made from recycled aluminum and tin alloys. All raw materials are sourced from recycled or recyclable materials. Anything that has to be manufactured from scratch comes through a composite process.
—Thom Brodeur
What’s Next In the next 45-60 days, N2 will roll out its “value line” which will not yet have the nitrogen-infused component like the cans, but will give the company a broader wingspan of offerings for customers.
“We want to also have a broader option for those of our customers who have what I would describe as multiple lines and multiple brand personas they want to put forward,” Brodeur said.
The benefits have ultimately outweighed the logistical issues, though, as customers never have to worry about running out of supply or whether or not it’s close and can get to them quickly.
The COVID-19-related supply chain crisis hit the world hard over the past few years. The slow boat from China became infinitely slower, and companies had to adapt or die. N2 chose the former option, moving more than half its manufacturing facilities to the U.S., a decision that has allowed the company to continue thriving in the harshest of economic ecosystems. And if you think reorienting a massive part of a company’s operations to another country is a challenge, you would be right.
“Even with your commodity packaging solution, you will have a nitrogen-infused option, like you would with our recyclable, repurposable cans,” Brodeur said. ❖
“I will tell you it wasn’t easy, and it certainly sounds a lot easier on paper until you get started,” Brodeur said.
52 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // Presented By
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54 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // Presented By
One way she’s approaching cannabis education is through her work as president of the Cannabis Media Council.
Tsui’s personality hints at the kind of intellect that intimidates at parties and inspires awe in a boardroom. Multifaceted and dynamic, she’s central to several emerging businesses. As the user experience and research advisor at Oakland Hyphae, she’s changing the narrative around psychedelics as well. The group founded the Oakland Psychedelic Conference and the Psilocybin Cup. Information for All Launching a business in the cannabis sector is akin to building an engine based on a picture of a car. You know what the final product should look like, but putting all the pieces together requires more expertise. Cannabis is competitive. People who manage to start a canna-business aren’t often keen on sharing the secrets to their success. Tsui aims to change that.
As the leaves change from deep greens to hues of yellow and red, New York State will open the doors to its first conditional adult-use cannabis dispensaries. Lulu Tsui will experience the historic shift from her neighborhood in Brooklyn. She splits her time between her home on the East Coast and her community in Oakland, California. She’ll likely visit New York’s first legal shops wearing a chic scarf and a wide-brimmed hat, her piercing brown eyes seeking opportunities to build community and connections.Tsui(pronounced “Sway”) is the co-founder and chief experience officer at On The Revel, a company centered around education, networking, and community-building for the cannabis sector. It hosts a recurring in-person event called Revelry and offers an online membership community, Dope People, which creates podcasts and virtual experiences. Tsui launched On The Revel out of a passion for education, people, and technology. She spent 15 years working in experience design and user experience for companies like Bloomberg, Mastercard, John Hopkins University, and Pearson. She’s using that background to democratize information for those looking to learn more about the new industry.
“Think ‘Got Milk?’ but for the cannabis space,” she told Cannabis & Tech Today during a recent interview. The female-led council will launch its first cannabis-friendly public service announcement this fall to coincide with New York’s adult-use legalization timeline.
The Queen of Revelry
“What we noticed the first couple of years in cannabis was everybody was learning, but there was also a little bit of gatekeeping of information,” Tsui said. “Very specific people were allowed access or had the ability to fundraise. We thought it was important that if people were interested they would have real
By Patricia Miller
How Lulu Tsui is Connecting New Yorkers to the Cannabis Industry
information, transparent information, and access to good vendors, lawyers, and all the folks in our community that we’ve built in the past six years within New York, as well as other markets.”
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She feels an abundance mindset and a collaborative atmosphere is central to creating a strong, inclusive industry. “It’s still very local and community-driven. It’s what’s beautiful about the opportunities here — there’s something for everybody.”
Something Tsui learned from user design is why it’s crucial to know one’s audience. She engages with her community to understand their questions, goals, and motivations. This approach will help Revel hold its footing in New York’s unfolding marketplace. More so, it will help Tsui deliver the information New Yorkers need to build successful businesses. “I’m not an expert in different industries. I’m an expert in understanding how people want to work in these different industries,” she said.
Curated Programming Tsui is listening to her community and building programming around their needs. Many businesses are built backward, creating a product or service and then finding a market for it. Tsui takes the opposite approach when crafting Revelry events.
It’s not wildly insightful to say New York is likely to become a cannabis mecca in the United States. The Empire State has been setting trends for, well… Was there ever a time when New York wasn’t America’s cultural center? The East Coast has its own cannabis culture and legalization will let people out of their “green closets,” as Tsui remarked, so they can publicly consume. Governor Hochul’s executive budget estimates New York could earn more than $1.25 billion in cannabis tax revenue over the next six years. Those numbers will draw established cannabis operators from other states and Tsui believes they’ll be met with a surprise. “New York is a different beast altogether,” Tsui said. “You have to have your person, your guy, your connections to make anything work in New York.”
New Market, Different Beast
“[Revelry] figures out the programming based on information and questions and what’s happening in the New York market,” Tsui said. “Then, we create programming. We go through the Rolodex and
56 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // Presented By decide who would be the best speaker for that.” Each speaker is selected from On The RevelThismembers.approach keeps Tsui’s community tight, validates the work of Revel members, and prevents bad actors from infiltrating events. She feels people are too quick to trust in this industry. Without due diligence, it’s easy to fall for a “snake oil salesman,” she noted. Background checks and calling references can prevent bad investments before they happen. Revel aims to create networking events that facilitate reliable business connections built on trust.
Tsui’s commitment to a diverse industry is born from a desire for better functionality. “We need different ways of thinking,” Tsui said. “We need collaboration.” Women are the missing element to unifying the industry and arranging the “messy stuff” plaguing the sector, according to Tsui. “More women please, on the tech and science side. Please come over to cannabis. We really, really needPerhapsyou.”with the help of Tsui and organizations like On The Revel, more women will find resources and connections to approach one of this decade’s most exciting business opportunities. ❖
More Women in Weed, Please It’s no secret this industry has a diversity problem. It needs more women, people of color, indigenous operators, and minority ownership. One of the overarching goals of On The Revel is to create opportunities for underrepresented groups.
The Queen of Revelry
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The ITCC works with Cannabis Compliance Technologies (CCT), a compliance and seedto-sale software company specializing in tribal territories. CCT President Cassandra Dittus said the cost-sharing program is cheaper than each tribe having a paid staff member.
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In Tech We Trust
Six Nevada Tribes Team up to Create a Compliance Cooperative
Native American tribes across the country are joining the legal cannabis industry. As sovereign nations, each tribe creates laws around the sale and consumption of cannabis. But with every tribe creating independent regulations, finding software to help with compliance can be an expensive challenge. Tribal cannabis companies must comply with their tribe’s requirements, and they may be asked to prove compliance to the surrounding state to adhere to compacts made with those governments. There’s also the potential the federal government could intervene. The Trump administration revoked the Cole and Wilkinson memos which prohibited the federal government from interfering with states and Native American tribes pursuing cannabis legalization.Thiscross-jurisdictional compliance is understandably cumbersome for tribal governments. Further, some tribes appreciate having an independent third party to verify cannabis operators are compliant. There are technologies available to help, but the cost can be prohibitive. Some of Nevada’s tribes are taking an innovative approach to solve this issue. Abiding the Rules on a Budget Six tribal nations are members of the InterTribal Cannabis Commission (ITCC), a group created to help Nevada tribes share the cost of seed-to-sale tracking and compliance software.
By Patricia Miller
While it may be cost-effective for the state of Nevada to use a large platform like Metrc, tribal governments deal with fewer cannabis operators, less revenue, and more oversight. A solution like cost-sharing can help every tribe access top-tier technology without coming out of pocket for the entire expense.
“The ITCC lays out a budget every year and it’s presented to the board, which has a member from each tribe,” Dittus said. “The board is
// SOCIAL EQUITY //
There are currently six Nevada tribes with membership in ITCC, all of which use CCT for compliance and seed-to-sale product tracking.
The tribes share expenses and information, creating more access to the industry. “They have a group that has helped them work through the challenges of regulating cannabis,” Dittus said.
“CCT was the first tool we utilized to build tribal sovereignty because it was a key piece to show that tribes are operating in the same sense that the state is — without having to use the state compliance software.”
“It’s been a huge tool for them to utilize.”
CCT has gone to great lengths to ensure the system is secure and easy to use while still offering robust functionality. “On average, for each member tribe, I took roughly 4,000 pages of legalese and turned it into 20,000 pages of IFTT code,” Hayes said. “It’s literally an ‘if-this, thenthat’ nested formula that works its way through all the legalese so at the end, you’re either compliant, you’re not, or it doesn’t apply to you.”
This allows the tribes to transfer data to different jurisdictions while maintaining the integrity of the data. To further level up the security and transparency for tribal governments, CCT’s software uses GPS monitoring during transportation. It may seem like an obvious protocol, but Metrc and BioTrack do not use GPS monitoring during transportation, instead relying on after-the-fact reporting from business owners. Increasing Tribal Participation Through Tech CCT’s software could be a gateway into the industry for many Native American tribes seeking an affordable, efficient way to track products and verify compliance. First Nations tribes in Canada are showing interest in CCT’s software as well, largely due to the strict reporting requirements of Canadian cannabis laws.Dittus said each region may require different versions of CCT software to fit the regulatory environment in which it’s being used. Wherever the software is deployed, it also serves as a thirdparty oversight system. Its reports are given to the tribal government so they can ensure compliance in their jurisdiction and the state’s jurisdiction if requested. As Dittus said, “It’s really a support piece to help each tribe govern itself.” ❖
Vol. 4 / Issue 2 / Cannabis & Tech Today 59 given a basic budget of what it’s going to take to operate, which includes CCT oversight, the cost of salaries, and basic operations. The total cost is divided by 12 for the monthly budget, then divided again by the six tribes. That’s their membership fee per month that they pay from taxation.” The ITCC is a non-profit organization so if the cost of operations is less than the budget outlined, the excess funds are returned to the Dittustribes.said the software was pivotal to creating cannabis agreements with the state of Nevada.
Compliance on the Blockchain Many legalized states use Metrc or BioTrack for compliance reporting. Tribal governments are free to choose whichever software provider they prefer. CCT is favored in Nevada because of its cost-sharing structure and easy-to-use interface. ITCC Chief Technology Officer Bill Hayes said the easiest and most secure way to provide those services is through a distributed database management system built on blockchain.Blockchain ensures every action within the database is tracked and transparent. “If I had a record with your name in it, for example, and I deleted the ‘R,’ it would show that I deleted the keystroke and what time the deletion was made,” Hayes said. He built the system with blockchain to limit the options for data hacking. “The thing about blockchain is the more components you add, the more people that have a piece of that file system, the more the security of the information system itself grows. So if everybody has a copy of the file, and you would have to change every copy of the file in order to change that file, the more devices that have a copy of the file, the more secure you are. So as we grow, we actually become more secure instead of less secure,” Hayes said.
“One of the major goals of our company is to make concentrates more accessible to the average consumer.”
With Bologna at the helm, the team transformed the business, redesigning the OG dipstick vape and the company’s culture. It’s a rebrand that completely changed the trajectory of Dip Devices forever. “We said, ‘if we’re committing to this mechanism of consumption, we also need to commit to being a better hardware company — period.’”
Dabbing for a Cause By Rachelle Gordon
When the flagship Dipper hit the scene in 2017, it revolutionized the way people thought about concentrates. The two-in-one honey straw and loadable vape pen allowed consumers to forget the torch and enjoy dabbing in a way that was never possible before.
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The mission kicked into high gear when the partners were introduced to the original Dip Devices vape two years later. Previously skeptical about the cannabis hardware space, the portable electronic nectar collector changed how the duo consumed the plant. Finding the method far more convenient than other modalities and recognizing a real need in the market, Bologna and Zucker (along with fellow partner Jeff Dayton) set about bringing the technology to the masses while doing plenty of good along the way. “This is a tool that can potentially change people’s lives for the better,” Bologna said, noting that traditional dabbing with a blowtorch is both intimidating and physically challenging for many people.
A button on the side of the device heats an exposed coil. Users then lightly touch it to the surface of their favorite oil and inhale through the mouthpiece on the other end of the Dipper, resulting in a smooth and silky hit that is more predictable and precise than other dabbing methods. An integrated quartz atomizer bucket turns the device into a powerful and portable vaporizer for dabbers on the go.
Cannabis culture has always been about community. Sharing favorite strains with friends, helping patients access the medicine they need, or even advancing sustainable practices through hemp — all promote the notion of putting people and the planet first.
Controlled and Consistent Concentrate Consumption
Dip Devices is one company on a mission to improve our world one dab at a time. Makers of innovative direct-to-extract vaporizers, Dip Devices puts accessibility and social impact at the forefront of everything they do. Intending to make concentrates more approachable while simultaneously giving back to a variety of nonprofits, the brand has been a consistent role model for others in the industry in their quest to repair the world.
Dip Devices
The team worked meticulously to ensure its debut device was not only functional but built to last. “Five years later, we have people using their first Dippers,” said Bologna proudly. “That generally doesn’t happen in the hardware cycle, so I think folks have been pretty happy with theirWantingpurchases.”totake the convenience factor one step further, designers quickly began working on the next Dip Devices offering. Seeing the industry’s evolution, the brand set out to create a multi-functional tool that could satisfy any desire.TheEVRI is a versatile consumption solution, featuring a 900-mAh battery that connects magnetically to a wide array of attachments. The slick gadget has a vapor tip much like its predecessor, but can also accommodate 510-thread cartridges, e-juice pods, and even flower.“Cannabis is a beautifully dynamic plant. There are a lot of ways people enjoy consuming, and we wanted to give them a single, super reliable battery platform with a bunch of different options,” Bologna explained.
This ethos has always been the priority for CEO Mike Bologna and his business partners.
Rounding out the catalog are the Little Dipper, a miniature version of the flagship device (minus the quartz bucket), and the Lunar, a loadable wax pen that combines the
After forming cannabis-centric strategic consulting firm Green Lion Partners with longtime friend Jeff Zucker in 2015, the pair immediately set out to make a difference. “In every venture we have had, social equity and social change are driven into every decision we make,” Bologna told Cannabis & Tech Today
For Bologna, the reward is two-fold: worthy non-profits get access to much-needed funds while consumers gain education on important issues.“It’sreally made a difference in how people feel when purchasing devices from us and has positively generated awareness and donations to a range of causes we care about,” he said.
Dip Devices personifies the phrase “pay it forward” while consistently striving to lead by example, hoping to raise the bar for other hardware companies and the industry as a whole.“Wehave a chance to stand out and be a role model in this space, and to educate, even if not through the sale of devices,” Bologna said. “Above all else, that’s what we aim to achieve.” ❖
company’s patented airflow technology with the convenience of a fill-and-go vape. And while all of the products made by Dip Devices have become revered in the space, it’s the chance to make a difference that people truly love.
62 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // SOCIAL EQUITY // Dip Devices
Dip Devices: Stewards of the Industry With several handy products in its catalog and a growing list of initiatives to support, Dip Devices is showing no signs of slowing down. The company is in the process of adopting more sustainable components and packaging in its supply chain while simultaneously working on the next iteration of its beloved technology.
So far, Dip Devices has partnered with organizations championing racial justice, drug policy reform, LGBTQIA+ rights, ocean conservation, hunger relief, blood donation, reforestation, and more. The brand hopes to continue adding advocacy groups to their giveback program, encouraging people to reach out with ideas. Their latest SKU, a purple Lunar, saw its cause voted on by social media with followers electing Fireweed Collective mental health education provider as the product’s beneficiary.
Dabbing for a Cause Staying true to its social justice roots, Dip Devices donates a percentage of sales to a variety of non-profits close to the hearts of the internal team as well as fans of the brand. The company lets customers decide how their purchase will impact the world by offering their products in different colors, each one aligning with a specific cause.
Scan the QR code to find yoursolutionlighting WE’RE TEAMING UP WITH BVV TO BRING OUR CLIENTS HIGH QUALITY LED LIGHTING SOLUTIONS. LOWEST COST PER MICROMOLE BACKED BY AN INDUSTRY LEADING WARRANTY Surna.com | 303.993.5271 yearwarrantylimited7
Photo: istockphoto.com/GeorgePeters
64 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // OKLAHOMA TECH ZONE Cannabis is in StateSoonerthe
Activists have begun organizing to secure a referendum on the ballot in 2023, seeking the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana in Oklahoma, so that question could be answered as soon as next year. This Tech Zone will focus on the innovators setting the foundations for what may become one of America’s most influential cannabis technology centers. ❖
Section Compiled by Susanna Shetley
The next question is, will recreational cannabis become legal in Oklahoma?
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Perhaps one doesn’t think of cannabis when conjuring images of Oklahoma, but over the past several years the Sooner State has emerged as a hotspot for cannabis production and distribution. Based on per capita consumption, Oklahoma is now the largest medical marijuana market in the country.In2018, Oklahoma voters authorized the state’s medical marijuana program with State Question (SQ) 788. In direct response to the passing of SQ 788, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) was created. According to Porsha Riley, the Public Information Officer for OMMA, “Medical marijuana has led to an economic boom in Oklahoma. We are now one of the country’s largest manufacturers of these products.”Oklahoma has no cap on the number of plants allowed per grower and no limit to how many dispensaries the state can have. The state boasts more retail cannabis stores than Colorado, Oregon, and Washington combined and has also eclipsed California as the state with the largest number of licensed cannabis farms, despite a population only a tenth of California’s. For these reasons and others, Oklahoma has become a surprising epicenter in the world of“Thecannabis.Oklahoma Legislature has appropriated nearly $70 million to common education since fiscal year 2020,” Riley said, “and recently, OMMA announced a $2 million allocation to an Office of Juvenile Affairs substance abuse program.”
66 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // OKLAHOMA TECH ZONE Oklahoma Cost of a transportationcultivation,business,cannabisorlicenseinOK: $2,500 FACTS AND FIGURES OK generated nearly million$150 in medical cannabis revenue in 2021. Patient license fee revenue in 2022: $26,344,224.25 Commercial license fee revenue in 2022: $45,650,325
Source: Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority
The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority has total of
4%
approved a
Source: Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority
135,219 licenses:
The sales tax rate for medical cannabis is Sales are expected to increase to $950 million by 2025. As of Aug. 26, 2022, no new commercial licenses will be issued in OK. The moratorium will last up to two years.
Source: oklahoma.gov Source: oklahoma.gov Source: nbcnews.com
Source: cannabisbusinessexecutive.com Source: cannabisbusinessexecutive.com
129,085 patients 818 caregivers 3,026 growers 1,479 dispensaries Illustrations: istockphoto.com
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Regulations like these make odor eliminators such as OdoBan even more important.
Plants are often moved from room to room during various stages of growth. This is an ideal time to thoroughly clean the warehouse. Some growers remove plants solely to clean the grow room. Clean Control offers Odoban for whole warehouse cleaning as well as a shoe bath solution to ensure contaminants don’t enter grow areas on employees’ feet. “Our goal is to clean everything but the plant,” said Bill Frazier, national sales director at Clean Control. “The shoe bath ensures a grow house stays free of bacteria, dirt, bugs or anything else that could negatively affect the growing environment.” Standing Out From the Crowd
Frazier said the cannabis industry is a unique community and that his team is enjoying being part of the space. There is unparalleled energy surrounding the world of cannabis.
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“All three work together to make OdoBan work so well,” Frazier said. “It kills a lot of bacteria. Customers also learn that it’s not simply a masking agent. It permanently eliminatesAccordingodors.”tothe
Three main factors contribute to the effectiveness of OdoBan. First, the product is a quaternary disinfectant, which means it’s antibacterial and certified by the EPA. Secondly, OdoBan contains a small amount of soap which makes it an all-purpose cleaner. Finally, the product is a permanent odor eliminator.
The Oklahoma cannabis market has enjoyed an unencumbered run over the past several years. As a result, the state is now home to almost 13,000 marijuana business licenses, including nearly 9,000 growers and approximately 2,300 dispensaries. With all of these new entities, the demand for facility sanitation and cleaning has increased exponentially.Since1980,Clean Control Corporation has manufactured OdoBan Concentrate and RTU, among many other products. OdoBan Concentrate has become a coveted commodity among cannabis growers. Cannabis plants are fragile and environmental or warehouse conditions can impact growth and development. If the production area is not kept clean and in a state of microbial control, it will impact both employees and the plants.
A True Community “We’re actively pursuing the grow-house business and we’re working on the dispensary side of things,” Frazier said. “Cleaning a dispensary is different from cleaning a grow house; however, we are offering consumer products that help eliminate cannabis odors from homes and vehicles.”
“When we first started working with growers, we went to cannabis shows and conferences,” Frazier said. “After going to a few we learned right away what a friendly, collaborative community it is. Hours after the speakers left the stage at the 2021 Cannabis Conference, and the show was over, attendees were hanging out in the lobby and the hallways sharing information. One of the attendees said it best, ‘this is not a trade show, it’s a community.’” ❖
Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission, as outlined in OAC Title 748, Chapter 20, “except for the licensed dispensaries, commercial establishments shall ensure any odors that may arise from any stage of marijuana production or the disposal of marijuana are not detectable by the public from outside the processor facility.
Cleaning Everything But the Plant
Clean Control offers OdoBan for whole warehouse cleaning as well as a shoe bath solution to ensure contaminants don’t enter grow areas on employees’ feet.
In terms of price point, while LED lighting may be more expensive on the front end, growers must consider the efficiency and lifespan. A cheaper HPS bulb typically lasts eight months, or at most 12 months. In contrast, a Fohse LED light offers a warranty of five years and a lifespan of 25 years.
The name “Fohse” is pronounced with a long ‘o’ sound and stems from the Greek root word “phos.” To make the branding their own, Fohse changed the spelling and created the acronym: the Future of Horticulture Science and Engineering, resulting in a company name full ofFohsemeaning.lighting is designed specifically for the cannabis industry. According to company data, Fohse lights coupled with hands-on, personalized service have helped growers increase dry yield harvest by 65% and reduce energy usage by 16%.
“Our staff is very driven,” shared Leo Wilson, chief marketing officer for Fohse. “The founders’ goal was to offer the cannabis industry a product that had not been offered before. In addition to the highest quality of lighting, we create lasting relationships with all of our clients.”
Unwavering Commitment
The Fohse team prides itself on customer service. Team members say when you buy Fohse lighting, you’re not simply purchasing a fixture, you’re acquiring a team of experts and a partnership with the brand.
A Shining Light for the 46th State
Innovation and Vision
Jim Belushi is a faithful client of Fohse and said the company helped him “see the light.” Growers are learning that indoor cultivation facilities allow for more yield and control. LED lighting takes less energy to create more photons and reduces HVAC consumption because it runs cooler than traditional lights.
“Our goal is to offer unparalleled value to our customers,” Wilson said. “This includes deep industry connections, cultivation consultants, and much more. We don’t just break ties with our clients once their lights are delivered.”
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As of 2021, Oklahoma is home to more than 9,000 cannabis grow facilities. With so much competition, advanced lighting technology could be central to maintaining profits. Highquality lights can increase yields and crop potency, giving the grower more profit from the same square footage. Fohse is one company leading the call for high-performance LED grow lighting. In 2015, five friends collaborated inside a garage in Las Vegas, NV to create a revolutionary, first-of-itskind LED light, the flagship A3i. Since then, this 1500-watt fixture has been sold tens of thousands of times to commercial and home growers around the world. From that prototype, Fohse designed additional fixtures such as the F1V and the O6i, among others.
“Oklahoma is still an emerging market,” Wilson said. “We know things are moving at a rapid pace in that state, and we also know that new growers will have a lot of questions and may run into issues, so we’re excited to provide them with solutions.” Building Relationships
Fohse works with clients across the globe. It’s evolving and growing with the industry and ready with solution-focused products when new cannabis hotspots emerge across the country, such as what’s currently happening in Oklahoma.
“The Fohse team is constantly thinking outside the box in innovative and creative ways. Our clients’ success is our success. When they succeed with high yield and more saleable weight, we win with that,” Wilson said. ❖
I n t h e f a s t g r o w i n g c a n n a b i s i n d u s t r y , i t ' s i m p o r t a n t t o s t a y o n t o p o f c h a n g i n g s e c u r i t y r e q u i r e m e n t s a n d r e g u l a t i o n s . E l e c t r o n i c k e y c o n t r o l i s a n i n t e g r a l p a r t o f a s e c u r i t y p l a n , f r o m t h e c u l t i v a t i o n c e n t e r t o t h e d i s p e n s a r y . Taking today’s keys into tomorrow m o r s e w a t c h m a n s . c o m
Luna offers building plan reviews where their team reviews a grower’s overall building floor plan to help them better understand each area of grow space as it relates to the life stage of the plants. It also provides lighting design tools and consultation to ensure growers develop an optimal lighting plan. Additionally, the Luna team offers assistance and consultation for designing, engineering, building, and integrating complex power and control systems to maximize efficiency. Support Within the Industry Luna Cultivation Founder Dañiel Luna-Fuller is a veteran with experience in horticulture lighting and hydroponics. One of her favorite clients is Wavy Flower Company, a business primarily serving growers in Oklahoma.
Driven by Purpose and Passion
One of the primary reasons Luna-Fuller founded Luna Cultivation is because of personal success with cannabis products and positive stories from other veterans. “Cannabis has really helped members of the veteran community in terms of PTSD,” LunaFuller said, “so it’s a personal passion of mine to help the industry thrive.”
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“We’re big advocates for each other,” LunaFuller said. “They grow for seed so other cultivators can have something to start planting. Like Luna, it’s a female-owned company, so we had an instant connection.”
Established in 2017, Luna Cultivation works to meet the needs of growers across North America. It partners with lighting manufacturers across the U.S. to ensure growers have access to fully vetted lighting and electrical solutions. Oklahoma is one of the largest concentrations of growers in the country — it costs just $2,500 to apply for a cultivation license. With such fierce competition, it’s vital growers partner with companies prioritizing efficiency from the start.
From Old to New “We help a lot of clients transition from older methods of growing, such as switching from high-pressure sodium lamps to newer LED lightning methods,” Luna-Fuller said. “Moving to this more modern method of lighting and cultivation is better for the plant and the environment.”Asthefederal government continues to legalize cannabis throughout the country for medical and recreational purposes, sanitation, safety, and other regulations are being implemented. Growers are looking to experts like those at Luna Cultivation to help them navigate these new landscapes.
❖ Luna Cultivation Founder Dañiel Luna-Fuller
As PTSD, TBI, and chronic pain plague thousands of veterans, more are finding relief in cannabis products rather than alcohol and pharmaceutical medications.
One of Wavy Flower’s most successful strains is called Oregon Wine. Many growers are seeing success with this starter strain. Luna-Fuller said Wavy Flower Company often works with Hypnotic Farms, a family-owned grow operation that serves Oklahoma’s medical patients.
A Passion for Veterans
“I coined the phrase ‘lighting is life,’” LunaFuller said. “Nothing can survive without light. We all need it. Plants, like humans, are very attuned to the type of light that’s coming at them.”
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“One thing lacking in the cannabis space is education about security,” Purpura said. “Physical keys are not going away. Business owners and growers need more knowledge on the hierarchy of keys and how keys contribute to the security of the physical plants and other assets.”Morse Watchmans’ products and panels are made in the U.S. and are backed by numerous testimonials. Purpura says their team is ready to lead the charge in terms of cannabis key security and“Thereeducation.aremany emerging hotspots, such as Oklahoma,” Purpura said. “We are excited to help these growers learn and create protocols that result in a safer grow facility or dispensary.” ❖
Entering the Cannabis Space Morse Watchmans works with numerous industries, including casinos, sports complexes, correctional facilities, airports, and more. They have been dabbling in the cannabis space for three years, but about 18 months ago decided it was time to dedicate significant time and attention to this evolving, ever-growing space.
Much of the financial and product loss in the cannabis industry is from employee theft. While cannabis assets are often locked behind closed doors or within a vault, if the key to one of these controlled areas is accessible to all employees, then the likelihood of embezzlement or internal theft increases, and it becomes challenging to determine the culprit.“Each state is implementing increasingly stringent security measures for both dispensaries and grow facilities,” Purpura said. “All of us in the security industry are wrapping our arms around this movement.”
No one wants to lose product to theft. It’s costly and puts business owners in a position to prove they were following proper regulations when the product was stolen. It’s the operator’s responsibility to “deter and prevent unauthorized entrance” into areas containing cannabis. Further, “Commercial licensees are responsible for the security of all marijuana items on the licensed premises or all marijuana items in their possession during transit.” With the cannabis industry in Oklahoma booming, security is a key player.
OK Security Isn’t Okay
cannabis industry, cash is a major player and security procedures are scrutinized. The storage of cannabis assets demands constant controlled access, which is where protocols such as control key access come into play. Additionally, the transportation of cannabis is highly regulated, so key control and access in terms of vehicles are also paramount.
“As the industry grows and legislation tightens up on safety and security regulations, there is a clear need for systems such as key control, controlled access, and audit data,” Purpura said.
Educating the Industry
“I look at the cannabis space like the early days of casinos,” Purpura said. “The industry is still essentially in its infancy and the need for security will continue to grow, especially as more and acquisitionsmoreoccur.”Inthehighlyregulated
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The team at Morse Watchmans has been helping businesses with safety and security since 1882. They have been in the field of key control since 1993 when they developed the KeyWatcher, the first standalone key management system that electronically releases keys to authorized users. The original system allowed keys to be stored in a smart storage cabinet that accounted for each user via a specific access code, time, and date. Through the years, they have built on this flagship prototype to become a global leader in the field with 54 dealers in 60 countries.
“The main things I love about this company are the history, solid reputation, and brand recognition we’ve built through the years,” said Tim Purpura, vice-president of sales and marketing. “We have an incredible product that we are proud to stand behind.”
A Need for Security
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“I love being part of this movement, of what’s happening right now in Oklahoma,” Dunbar said. “I plan to keep perfecting the technology, and although aeroponics unlocked my confidence in terms of growth potential, it will never come at the sacrifice of product quality.” ❖
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Embracing Aeroponicsin the Sooner State
“Our goal is to be the cannabis.tomatoes,culinarytobutusedcannabis,”economicalenvironmentally-friendlymostandwaytogrowDunbarsaid.Intheory,aeroponicscanbetogrowanytypeofplant,inpractice,themethodseemsworkbestwithleafygreens,herbs,strawberries,cucumbers,and
“Surna understands our strategic approach,” Dunbar said. “They know who we are and how we aim to operate inside the cannabis space and the state of Oklahoma. It’s a wild west here. We’re slowly maturing.”
Innovative Systems
I work in canna-tech and that’s where I want to stay, in a world of innovation.” Eco-Friendly Growing Modern cultivators are observing numerous advantages through the use of aeroponics. Releasing roots from the growing medium frees the plant and allows for more oxygen which can lead to faster growth. Further, aeroponic systems are ecofriendly in that large quantities of plants can grow in small spaces and since it’s entirely indoors, there is no nutrient run-off to contaminate nearby waterways.
Part of Dunbar’s facility involves aeroponics, which is a plant-cultivation technique where the roots hang suspended in the air while a nutrient solution is delivered in the form of a fine mist.
“We have our proof-of-concept room up and running,” Dunbar said. “We will be turning on the next couple of rooms in the next two months. Cannabis is an industry that needs more innovation and more technology.
Surna Cultivation Technologies is a leader in indoor agriculture facility design. It equips growers with a team of expert architects, engineers, project managers, and a wide selection of equipment designed specifically for indoor farms. One of its clients is William Dunbar II, founder of XP Agronomics, located in Tulsa, OK.
Dunbar partnered with Surna at every level to ensure his innovative ideas manifested in the most efficient and productive ways.
is a cutting-edge cultivation method that utilizes high-pressure pumps to spray each plant 24/7 for quick and optimal growth. While the initial cost may be higher than traditional growing methods, aeroponics takes less manpower overall. This grow system is great for commercial cannabis growers looking to have larger, more frequent yields.
“People in the cannabis world, especially master growers, can become nervous about moving away from their bread and butter,” Dunbar said. “But, the way many people are growing cannabis is the same way we’ve cultivated plants since the beginning of time. Methods like aeroponics offer a modern, more efficientAeroponicsway.”
The ‘Wild West’ “Oklahoma is booming for several main reasons,” Dunbar said. “The land is relatively inexpensive and utility costs are low. A lot of growers and people with innovative ideas are flocking to our state.”
Though it’s not as flashy as California, Colorado, or other cannabis-forward states, Oklahoma is quickly emerging as a leader in the industry. The state currently has more dispensaries than any other in the country.
Professional wrestlers risk their lives every time they enter the ring. They endure rigorous training to ensure no one is injured during a match, but the dangers remain. Paralysis, brain damage, concussions, and spine injuries are all shockingly common among this group of extreme athletes. Even in the absence of critical injuries, pro wrestlers endure impact trauma during each performance. Constant training, extensive touring schedules, and daily battles with other hardbodies take a toll. Many pro athletes, from wrestlers to NFL players, rely on over-the-counter antiinflammatories or prescription painkillers to help recover from the daily grind. It’s only recently that athletic regulatory agencies have started seeing the benefits of cannabinoids for pain relief and rehabilitation.TheWorldAnti-Doping Agency (WADA) created the World AntiDoping Code to ensure athletes are tested for the presence of performance-enhancing substances. All professional athletes across the globe must adhere to WADA’s standards. The agency removed cannabidiol (CBD) from its Prohibited List in 2019. This historic move opened a new world of possibilities for athletes hoping to find less addictive methods for treating pain.
Photos by: Quay Hu
Kanndela was founded by Abigail Villalpando, Emanuel Rodriguez, and Mercedes Varnado.
By Patricia Miller
Wrestling With Pain
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From WWE Elites to CBD Entrepreneurs, These Athletes Are Leading a Wellness Revolution
Mercedes Varnado: I’ve been a professional wrestler for the past 12 years — traveling all over the world, many, many sleepless nights, and so much pain when it Villalpando, Rodriguez, and Varnado all agree CBD has helped them achieve a greater sense of health and wellbeing.
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As cannabinoids become better understood, more athletes are coming forward in support of their use. CBD is the most popular cannabinoid, offering powerful anti-inflammatory properties with zero psychoactive effects. Extreme athletes in every field, from Megan Rapinoe to Rob Gronkowski, are endorsing CBD and finding innovative ways to incorporate it into their lifestyles. Former WWE superstar Kalisto (a.k.a. Emanuel Rodriguez), found CBD years ago and realized it helped him sleep better and recover faster from workouts. His wife Abigail saw the impact CBD had on his life and began using it to fight anxiety. At the same time, one of the biggest female stars in WWE history was struggling with pain management. Mercedes Varnado, number six in the WWE’s “50 Greatest Women Superstars” list, was feeling the physical toll of a decade of highintensity wrestling. The athlete and Mandalorian actress found CBD effectively treated pain, anxiety, and helped her recover fromTogether,training.the trio formed Kanndela, a CBD company that creates quality CBD products for health-conscious consumers. Cannabis & Tech Today sat down with the trio to learn what inspired the brand, what sets it apart, and how they believe CBD can help change the world. Cannabis & Tech Today: What inspired the creation of Kanndela? Abigail Villalpando: I started feeling sick, just out of nowhere. As soon as I hit 30 years old, I started going downhill. I was getting migraines, I thought I was having strokes because the right side of my face was getting paralyzed. I got all these CT scans and MRIs done and they told me that I had an acoustic neuroma, which is like a brain tumor that’s on your cranial nerves. I had severe anxiety. I remember that was the changing point — where I started taking CBD to sleep because I had so much anxiety about the situation. That’s how I got introduced to it. It was the only thing that would help me sleep. I was always on edge because I didn’t know what was going to happen. It was actually a false diagnosis. So years later, I went to a functional medicine doctor and they told me that I have a celiac condition, so I can’t eat gluten. My stomach was not absorbing any more nutrients and was highly inflamed. All these vitamin deficiencies were causing the neurological damage that was causing the migraines. So now I feel fine. We completely changed our life after that.
Emanuel Rodriguez: She started noticing it was working when I was using it. I told her, “It’s working for me.” She’s like, “Okay, let me try it.” Then for her, it was like, “Oh, I feel different — I feel better.”Ihave tried the worst [CBD brands] and I tried some that were good, but it still wasn’t enough. And that’s why I thought, let me just create my own. I know what works and I know what doesn’t work. I wanted the best, and I wanted stuff that works.
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I noticed once I started taking CBD my anxiety and that little edge that I would have would just dissipate and go away and I’m like, “Wow, wait, I’m not so sad right now. I’m not in pain. I’m not feeling so on edge.” Being a professional wrestler, it’s so draining. It’s so, so hard. We’re never home. We’re always banged up and always hurt. And once I got introduced to CBD my life just fully, fully changed. I noticed that anxiety I would get, once I took CBD it all just dissipated. I started to feel like myself again. I started [working] with Manny and Abby, and the more that we learned and grew, we just wanted to create our own project.
I think it’s perfect because when I was introduced to CBD, a lot of people were not — and I was not — educated as much [on CBD]. While I was wrestling, we were tested so much, every week. We get tested like Olympians, so that was my fear. But then I learned we could get tested and there were no false [positives]. It was great. That’s the thing I feel professional athletes should understand, is that CBD does work and it’s okay to take without fear of doing a [drug] test.
I also have a younger brother with disabilities who has autism and tumors, who also takes CBD. And it helps everybody. We’re not just talking athletes. We’re talking about every type of person in this world. It’s anti-inflammatory. And that’s the key message — once you fix the inflammation in your body, that’s when everything starts to change.
MV: Behind the scenes right now, the whole natural method, like CBD, is where it’s at. We are giving our product to everybody that we’re working with. We’re educating them all. And there are so many people in the locker room that I gave CBD to and they’re just like, “Wait, what is this? Oh my God, this makes me feel good.” So you see, not even the culture in wrestling, the culture all over the world is changing. They don’t want to go to Walgreens. They don’t want to go to CVS and go get their prescription anymore. They want the natural method of feeling good. I feel with a lot of
“CBD~ofmylivingmychangedhaswayofandwaylife.”MercedesVarnado Founders Varnado (left) and Rodriguez (far right) share a background in WWE wrestling. They credit CBD with helping them recover from rigorous training regimens.
C&T Today: Do you feel a lot of other professional athletes are experiencing the same things you’ve been going through?
MV: I just think the more education, the better. I think people are so afraid of hearing CBD comes from the THC plant and think, “Oh, psychoactive, I’m going to turn into this …” There are so many misconstrued labels on it. And for me, I was drinking every day to help with my anxiety and pain. I was taking ibuprofen. Once I switched to CBD, I stopped drinking. I stopped taking all these other pain medications to help me feel better. CBD has changed my way of living and my way of life. It’s something that I will forever preach about.
ER: One million percent, yes.
C&T Today: Do you see a lot of athletes in the locker room, behind the scenes, using CBD?
C&T Today: How do you feel about athletes using cannabinoids for ER:recovery?
comes to professional wrestling. In 2018, I went through really severe depression and I was just trying to find answers, like what’s going to help me? Is it modern-day medicine? Is it Western medicine, Eastern medicine? It was more of just the natural things that spoke to me, like therapy, CBD, all these different things.
C&T Today: What’s something you found yourself wishing for in a CBD product?
Like when you taste CBD, you taste that hemp taste. People right then and there don’t want to take it just because of the nasty flavor.
C&T Today: How do you envision the future of the brand?
MV: We joined this foundation, Wells of Dharma, and we were able to provide a well to this small village in India that didn’t have water to drink, wash, to do anything. The daily things that we as Americans get to do every single day … Kanndela was able to give light over there and provide a well for a village of maybe a thousand people for them to have water. So that’s just a small part of what Kanndela wants to do. We’re on our way to doing so much more giving to the world. It’s just so important. If you have a voice, the platform, and the opportunity to give back, you have to. We’re all on the same planet together.
C&T Today: Kanndela has an initiative called “Giving Light to the World.” What’s the purpose of that project?
How can we remove all these processed sugars, all these artificial flavors, from the product?
ER: Kanndela’s goal is to bring light to this world. It’s a new era of CBD because there’s nothing else like it out there.
With our flavor, it’s so easy to digest and add to, like Manny suggested, food, drinks, proteins.
MV: The difference between us and a lot of people is that our flavors with our tinctures are absolutely incredible. I legit take it every day. Our flavors are delicioso [sic]. I put it in my water, I put it in my juice, I put it in my drinks, I put it in my protein and I’ve never seen the flavors that we have with our tinctures with any other CBD company.
AV: We want to create products that are not in the market yet. We want to incorporate it into everything and make it easily accessible to people with easy delivery methods.
AV: What do I want to see? What we’re working on currently is trying to make the product as healthy as possible. For example, when we were trying to come up with the gummies, most gummies are filled with added sugar, red 40, and blue 20. So that contradicts the benefits of the gummy itself. Because you’re adding all these inflammatory products, but you’re trying to build an antiinflammatory gummy. So we’re like, how can we make it better?
these new, easy pills that a lot of people take, they think “Hey, I gotta take this the rest of my life to make me feel a certain way.” No. CBD is supposed to make you feel the way that you were born to be feeling, the natural way that you’re supposed to be feeling. It’s just supposed to make you feel how God created you to feel.
“If you have a voice, platform,the ~together.”planettheWe’reyoutoopportunitythegiveback,haveto.allonsameMercedesVarnado
There are so many different ways that you can take our products, whether it’s tincture forms, gummies, or protein [powder]. Having so many different products and flavors can help introduce different people to CBD that fits their taste.
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MV: We’ve been putting our heart and soul into Kanndela for the past three and a half years. So I’m excited just to see it expand. I’m excited about the future because we want to help the world to succeed to their maximum capacity of living the best life that they could possibly achieve. So we’re doing everything in our power to research, study, and meet all the right people so we can achieve that goal and dream. ❖
“By me using cannabis to stop the hardcore stuff, I have a relationship with my children and family now,” Tyson said. “My kids used to see me and leave the house. When I came home, my wife and kids left the house, even the cleaning people.”
Medicinal psychedelics even helped him face his mortality from a new perspective. “It allows you to become comfortable with death,” he said in 2019 on The Joe Rogan Experience.
Round 2: Mike Tyson Gets Back in the Cannabis Game
Tyson’s climb to the top of the cannabis industry resembles that of a hero’s journey, as Tyson makes allies of former rivals and brings celebrities of similar iconic status into the fray.
The introduction of entheogens — natural drugs with spiritual benefits — into Tyson’s life also contributed to his change in lifestyle.
A Hero’s Journey The appreciation for cannabis and entheogens Tyson has, and the positive effect they have had on his life has led to a new chapter for him. In 2018, Tyson founded his first cannabis company, Tyson Ranch, which, as the name suggests, operated out of his 40-acre cannabis ranch in California. The ranch failed in 2021, but not one to bow down to the specter of failure, Tyson has built on his experience in the industry with a successful new line of products.
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According to Tyson, the plant can bring people with even the most hardened hearts to a more peaceful state of mind.
The birth of Tyson 2.0 in 2021 has been a marked success, shown by the partnerships and distribution the company has brought to bear.
Mike Tyson is a man of many talents, but one particular set of skills is heralded above all others by his fans — the ability to knock highly trained heavyweight fighters to the ground. With a record of 50 wins (44 by knockout) and only six losses in his career, it’s no wonder many boxing pundits consider him one of the greatest of all time. In his prime, it’s hard to argue anyone could have taken down “the baddest man on the planet.”Butsuch singular focus on organized violence can wear on the psyche. According to Tyson, if the beast within him comes out “hell comes with it.” The former heavyweight champion has been candid about his struggle with his temper, stating in a recent interview with Cannabis & Tech Today that his family and anyone around him could be caught up in his rage. “You can ask my wife and kids five years ago how I was, and you can ask them now,” Tyson said. “They didn’t like me five years ago. My family did not like me. You know what that feeling’s like, your kids not liking you saying ‘Hello,’ and ‘Good morning,’ in the morning?”
One of Tyson’s best-selling products is a THC edible shaped like an ear with the top corner
By Aron Vaughan
When he started to utilize cannabis as a medicine, Tyson’s countenance changed, and he became more centered and mindful. The plant also helped him stop using other potentially harmful chemicals.
“Marijuana’s only going to make you love somebody. You could be in the room with a couple of gang members who don’t know each other. If you give them some liquor and cocaine, they’re going to kill each other. You give them some cannabis, they’re going to start taking selfies and shit.”
“I’ve never felt as healthy in my life, I’ve never felt as clear in my life,” Tyson said during a 2021 interview with Forbes. “I tried 5-MeO-DMT, the God molecule, and my whole life changed. I lost 100 pounds. I started fighting people again, at 55. Everything started to change from a business perspective, from a health perspective, and from an ideology perspective as far as the clearness of my thinking. I didn’t know I could feel this good at 55.”
missing — a clear nod to the time when Tyson, in one of the most gruesome acts seen in the world of professional sports, bit off part of opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear in the third round of their bout.
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after the addition of Mike Bites, legendary wrestler Ric Flair joined the Tyson 2.0 team, signing over his iconic brand and trademark catchphrases. Soon, the team was “jetflying” and “limousine riding” their way to prominence in the space. The Tyson 2.0 brand is now available across 14 states including Colorado, California, Nevada, Massachusetts, Delaware, Michigan, Illinois, Washington D.C., Maryland, Ohio, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Oregon, with more states to be added throughout the rest of the year.
Flagship strains Toad and Sonoran Toad harken back to Tyson’s roots as a cannabis and psychedelic enthusiast and advocate. The Sonoran Toad is a species that secretes 5-MEO DMT from its glands. The venom is then dried andSincesmoked.hisexperience with 5-MEO DMT was so profound and life-changing, it is no surprise he named one of the brand’s strains after the toad which naturally produces the chemical. It seems as though Tyson has come full circle after many years of searching.
Like Alexander the Great, once he conquered the known world he slipped into a comfort that at times turned to decadence and indulgence. But like Alexander, he still sought the battle. However, Tyson may ultimately be a better man than Alexander, as he learned to navigate the path between warrior and self-actualized human being; a path that requires a great amount of self-analysis and reflection. Cannabis is one of the tools he used to achieve a renewed and more complete sense of self, which is why his brand continues to thrive. Authenticity is the hallmark of a great brand, and it is a quality that Tyson exudes. ❖ Tyson teamed up with wresting Hall of Famer Ric Flair in March, adding Flair themed concentrates, flowers, and consumables to the Tyson 2.0 brand.
Decades after the fight, with tensions long dissipated by time and the clarity that accompanies it, Tyson approached Holyfield about the concept of creating an edible in homage to the infamous incident on the podcast Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson.
“You might be in business because we’re going to make some holy ears. Some edibles [of the ear] that got a bite taken out of ’em,” Tyson said. Holyfield responded by stating, “Well, I could doShortlythat.”
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Imagine standing in a crowded amphitheater. The first few notes of your favorite song ring out from oversized speakers. A wave of energy courses through you as thousands of people start moving in rhythm. The shared connection is unmistakable. There is no feeling in the world quite like enjoying a live concert on a summer night.The pandemic stripped us of that unique and awesome experience. Now, for the first time in two years, many bands are returning to the road for live shows. The reggae, rock-fusion band Slightly Stoopid is among them. Their Summer Traditions 2022 Tour kicked off July 7 in Bonner, Montana. It’s the first in an epic concert schedule concluding this September in San Diego, California. The ensemble was formed by Kyle McDonald and Miles Doughty in the mid 90s, pairing a unique style of California funk with reggaeinspired roots. The band now has seven members including drummer Ryan Moran, percussionist Oguer Ocon, saxophonist Daniel Delacruz, keyboardist Paul Wolstencroft, trumpet and trombone player Andy Geib, and multi-instrumentalists McDonald and Doughty.
By Patricia Miller
Over the past two decades, Slightly Stoopid’s sound has evolved but its message has consistently called for cannabis reform. In 2017, they created a 12-inch “vinyl” record made entirely of hashish to raise awareness for cannabis legalization. The band launched its cannabis brand Stoopid Organics in mid 2021. It offers two seed varieties through Humboldt Seed Company. The sativa strain, Stoopid Fruits, promises an uplifting, tropical flavor profile. Collie Man Kush, named after one of the band’s hit songs, is an indica blend touted as non-drowsy and productive. The brand is also offering a pre-roll, Stoopidhead Hammerhead, infused with THC diamonds. Products are available through select vendors in California. Cannabis & Tech Today spoke with Doughty just before the band kicked off its summer tour to discuss his return to the road and why he’s been such a passionate advocate for cannabis the last 20 years. To hear the full interview, visit www.cannatechtoday.com/podcasts.
Cannabis & Tech Today: How did being on hiatus for two years from the pandemic impact you and the Milesband?Doughty: It’s just crazy when you’ve been on the road more than half your life. Then all of a sudden, you’re not on the road for two full years — something that hasn’t happened since I was a teenager. [It was] definitely a mental adjustment, even physical, just because you’re used to being gone, six, seven months a year. Then just being home. One nice part about it is we all have families, so there was time to reflect and enjoy being a dad and enjoy your own town that you never see.
C&T Today: Slightly Stoopid has been making music about cannabis for a long time. What do you think has changed most about cannabis culture since the band formed in the 90s?
A Return to Tradition
MD: It’s so open and free now … It’s weird because you kind of pride yourself on the way you grew up smoking weed and where you got it from, like all the local growers. It’s nice that it’s legalized, but there are dispensaries on every
Slightly Stoopid’s Miles Doughty Says He’s Ready to Hit the Road After Two Years of Delays
Photo: Keith Zacharski/In The Barrel Photo
MD: I think just the camaraderie with all my boys. This summer tour package, we’re friends with all the bands and it’s really a fun package from Fortunate Youth to Common Kings, Pepper. Even at the end The Elevators are going to get on some shows and it’s just like a really fun summertime package. We’re going to make a point to really enjoy it like we used to back in the day — the barbecues after the shows, everyone going to the rivers, the beach, the mountains. We really want to embrace it more.
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C&T Today: What are you most excited about when you think of returning to touring?
When you have a private grower, they love that plant. He’s not necessarily growing 50 pounds, he’s going to grow like six ounces of the dank, that’ll just make your eyes cry when you smoke it. And it’ll take you to a different planet when you’re being creative. That’s what I loved about that era.
corner. In all honesty, most of the stuff with dispensaries is crap in my opinion, because it’s meant to serve the masses.
C&T Today: How have you seen cannabis play a role in wellness?
MD: There are so many cancer patients that CBD has saved. My dad’s a perfect example. He had stage four cancer and he was doing all this stuff that the hospitals wanted to do. And then he just started pumping with CBDs, like crazy. His last cancer check, the doctor literally was like, “I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but your cancer is literally decimated in your body.” He was taking all this medicine for cancer and then it was the CBD that brought his [cancer] down. It was just incredible. Literally the doctor was like, “What are you taking Ken?” And he’s like, “I’m taking this and this [CBD].” And he is like, “Don’t stop.” My dad’s living proof that it does work, so it’s pretty incredible.
C&T Today: What’s next for Slightly Stoopid?
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I definitely preferred when it was more under the radar. Now, you just walk down the street in your neighborhood and everybody’s smoking a joint … I love that people love that it’s legal and you can get it, but there’s also a boundary that has to be somewhat set. I think everywhere you go, if people have kids and everyone’s blowing weed smoke everywhere, you’re just like, “Whoa, whoa.” Can we go back to where you had to go around the corner and be [discrete]?
MD: We’re working on the new album right now. We leave next Tuesday for the summer tour with Pepper, Common Kings, Fortunate Youth, and The Elevators. It’s going to be insane, 32 cities, it goes all the way till September 3rd. We’ll end in San Diego at Petco Park. Then pretty much just finish the record in the fall and get it out for [2023]. We’ve got a few singles lined up, we’re just in the finishing process right now. Once we hit the road, we collaborate with all those bands that are on the tour. It’s going to be awesome. The best part of touring is when you’re doing those kinds of hangouts and situations where, for some ending songs, there’ll be like 18 people on stage playing the song because all the bands are involved in it. That’s the special part. ❖
All photos: Keith Zacharski/In The Barrel Photo
C&T Today: Are there aspects of legalization you don’t like?
If Not, Call Your Lawyer.
Cannabis e-commerce sites fall into this category and retailers could face stiff penalties if found non-compliant.
On March 18, the DOJ issued updated promulgations on website accessibility based on the ADA. The ADA’s requirements apply to all goods, services, privileges, or other activities offered by public accommodations, including those offered on the web,” the DOJ stated in the guidelines.”According to Indianapolis attorney Brett J. Ashton, many courts across the U.S. did not wait for the DOJ to issue its March 2022 guidelines to determine what constitutes a public accommodation. Some ruled an actual storefront is required for a business and its website to be defined as a public accommodation. Others continue to grapple with the nexus between a business’s physical space and its Meanwhile,website.theDOJ has issued comments which seem to indicate its hesitancy to shield commercial websites sans a brick-and-mortar location from discrimination liabilities. In other words, not having a physical location does not mean a commercial website need not meet ADA standards.“Ifabusiness sells a product on its website, it’s a public accommodation, so the ADA applies,” said Attorney Jeff Lantz, CEO of Esquire Interactive, LLC, a social media and content creation venture.
Fortunately, there are ways to analyze whether
When the ADA was enacted, it failed to clearly state the guidelines for handicap accessibility. The DOJ published the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design to correct that. The standards led to revisions of Titles II and III, which went into effect in 2012. Seeking additional clarification, 181 businesses petitioned the DOJ for guidelines delineating how to make websites ADA-accessible in February 2022. The DOJ responded by publishing new guidelines on website accessibility on March 18, 2022.
Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA
Furthermore, the Title prohibits any person owning, leasing, or renting a public accommodation to a third party from discriminating against the disabled.
By Tami Kamin Meyer
When President George W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, a new era of civil rights for the disabled was born. New buildings were required to be handicap accessible and discrimination against the disabled was banned. And as of 2021, it also means websites must be ADAcompliant.Butnotall websites are bound by the ADA, only those considered a ‘place of public accommodation,’ according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
This guidance describes how state and local governments and businesses open to the public can make sure that their websites are accessible to people with disabilities as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) +Learn more about businesses’ and state and local governments’ ADA responsibilities.
What is a Place of Public Accommodation?
Why Website Accessibility Matters
The ADA is a civil rights law prohibiting all forms of discrimination against the disabled. It is divided into five sections, called Titles. Each Title prohibits discrimination against the disabled in different aspects of their lives. The Titles and their areas of focus are: Title I: Employment Title II: State and Local Government Title III: Public Accommodations and Commercial Facilities Title IV: Telecommunications Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions Title III states “no individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation.”
One thing that was made clear is that businesses must “follow all laws and regulations, including the ADA,” he said. He lamented, however, “It is nebulous what it means to be ADA-compliant due to recent case [law] results and vague DOJ guidelines.”
Inaccessible web content means that people with disabilities are denied equal access to information. An inaccessible website can exclude people just as much as steps at an entrance to a physical location. Ensuring web accessibility for people with disabilities is a priority for the Department of Justice. In recent years, a multitude of services have moved online and people rely on websites like never before for all aspects of daily living. For example, accessing voting information, finding up to date health and safety resources, and looking up mass transit schedules and fare information increasingly depend on having access to websites People with disabilities navigate the web in a variety of ways People who are blind may use screen readers, which are devices that speak the text that appears on a screen People who are deaf or hard of hearing may use captioning. And people whose disabilities affect their ability to grasp and use a mouse may use voice recognition software to control their computers and other devices with verbal commands. The ways that websites are designed and set up can create unnecessary barriers that make it difficult or impossible for people with disabilities to use websites just as physical barriers like steps can prevent some people with disabilities from entering a building These barriers on the web keep people with disabilities from accessing information and programs that businesses and state and local governments make available to the public online But these barriers can be prevented or removed so that websites are accessible to people with disabilities.
Still, bemoans Lantz, those promulgations don’t go far enough.
90 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // HEALTH+WELLNESS // Is Your Cannabis ADA-Compliant?Website
An ADA Primer
How to Know if Your Website is a ‘Go’
Vol. 4 / Issue 2 / Cannabis & Tech Today 91 // HEALTH+WELLNESS // a commercial website is ADA-accessible. An excellent place to start is the Web Accessibility Initiative. The initiative, supported by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), develops standards and support materials designed to assist people in making websites more accessible.Alsoimperative is a perusal of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These technical promulgations, published by the Web Accessibility Initiative, detail how to make websites ADA-compliant. The WCAG pertains to websites, phone apps, and other digital content.Thethree levels of ADA-website compliance are: A: Minimal compliance AA: Includes all Level A and Level AA requirements. Most companies aim for compliance on this level AAA: Includes all Level A, AA, and AA requirements and is the strictest level of conformity. Few businesses strive to meet this standard Level A conformance does not generally offer broad accessibility while Level AA offers a midrange level. The most notable Level AA requirements include: 1. Captions (for live audio and video) 2. Consistent navigation elements site-wide 3. Color contrast, at least 4.5:1
Ashton noted an uptick in ADA-website compliance cases filed over the past few years.
4. The ability for status updates to be conveyed through a screen reader
Why ADA Compliance Matters
Brett Ashton Chad Blackham Jeff DavidLantzM.Benson
Plaintiffs “want a quick recovery,” Ashton said. ❖ “ There’s a large incentive for Plaintiffs to pursue these cases, and 99% settle.”–ChadBlackham
“There’s a large incentive for Plaintiffs to pursue these cases, and 99% settle” Blackman added.Most lawsuits alleging a failure to meet ADA-website compliance laws seek less than $100,000 in damages to keep the case out of Federal Court. Ashton also said he often counsels insurance companies to settle rather than litigate because “the legal fees are not worth the money. Unless it’s in Federal Court and you’re suing a five-billion-dollar bank.”
Cannabis entrepreneurs are especially vulnerable to ADA-website compliance complaints because they already face a complicated web of state and federal promulgations, opined Blackham.
Several free websites diagnose website accessibility, usually for free. A quick search of the web will reveal numerous options.
Blackham.Blackham
“Three years ago, I might have told a client to ignore those letters (complaining about website compliance) but now, we respond to the demand letter. In the past few months, more complaints have been filed.”
There are several reasons why a cannabis entity’s website should be ADA-compatible. For starters, it’s the law.
Beyond that, an accessible website is a “good policy that is consumer-focused. Individuals eligible for medical marijuana will have underlying medical conditions. So, even without the law, it’s a best practice to modify a website to accommodate patients with various medical and physical issues,” said Columbus lawyer Chad also noted that in our postpandemic world, where remote working is a growing trend, adapting a website so it can be used by anyone is “an adaptation to postCOVIDAccordinglife.”to David M. Benson, a bankruptcy attorney in Cleveland, since cannabis is still illegal federally, a marijuana company racking up sizable legal fees defending ADA-website litigation is barred from filing bankruptcy. “I can’t help you,” he said.
Fun, Fragrant Flavors
What pairs better with barbeque pork and a hot summer day than an ice-cold root beer? Its malty sweetness transports you back to grandma’s house, diving into a frothy root beer float. Headset reported Keef Cola’s Bubba Kush Root Beer was the third best-selling beverage in the first quarter of 2021. The dominant terpenes in root beer are pinene, myrcene, cymene, and geraniol.
What are your favorite flavors in a beverage?
Emulsion First, Flavor Second Terpenes and cannabinoids are not watersoluble. Their oily nature means they don’t play well with water and will separate. The resulting products aren’t shelf-stable and will likely leave bits of sediment at the bottom of the beverage, or worse yet, leech into the packaging or float on the top. Choose terpenes and cannabinoids that have already been through an emulsion process, or emulsify your products, so they blend seamlessly into the final beverage.
Terpenes in the “Pink Lemonade” family include limonene, beta-caryophyllene, linalool, and myrcene. Cannabis technology company Eybna specializes in terpene science. It offers a breakdown of each of its signature flavors so producers can see which terpenes create a seemingly simple flavor like Pink Lemonade. Unlike other drinks, cannabis beverages aren’t popular strictly because they taste appealing. People are buying them for the effects! This could be another reason why Pink Lemonade is in such high demand. Limonene, betacaryophyllene, and myrcene are all stimulating terpenes, beloved for their mood-boosting properties. Research conducted by several terpene providers, including Abstrax and Eybna, determined myrcene has sedative and motor relaxant effects, giving the user a feeling of calm and relaxation.
Taste of Paradise
By Patricia Miller
Familiar Favorites
Perhaps you want something crisp and refreshing with fragrant, fizzy notes that delight the palate and invigorate the senses. All these sensations are the result of delicate terpenes creating flavor profiles we associate with quenching thirst. It’s not just preference — it’s science! There are so many tasty terpenes, but which are the most craveable for creating an irresistible beverage?
The Science Behind the Best-Tasting Cannabis Beverages
Geraniol is a versatile terpene. It’s often used in scented candles and hygiene products for its rose-like scent. It can also reproduce the
Cymene is abundant in cumin and thyme oil. It’s valued for its woody notes. Research on human cells indicates this terpene is antiinflammatory and has pain-relieving properties.
Pinene has a spicy, woody aroma. Studies with mice have shown pinene to have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties with some sedative effects. This relaxing yet spicy terpene is present in OG Kush, which Eybna classified as the “most popular phenotype in the world.”
92 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // THE LAB // A
Some of the industry’s best-selling cannabis beverages rely on tried and true flavor profiles. Headset reported one of 2021’s best-selling beverages was Sunset Pink Lemonade from Major. Who doesn’t love Pink Lemonade? It’s fruity, uplifting, a tiny bit tart, with a subtle sweetness to balance it out.
a peppery element noted to have anti-anxiety effects. It’s also the focus of several studies researching Alzheimer’s and diabetes prevention. Limonene is, you guessed it, sweet and citrusy. Eybna reports it is one of the most common terpenes in nature and it’s laden with therapeutic effects ranging from antiviral to Humuleneanti-inflammatory.wasnamedafterthe plant from which it was first extracted, Humulus lupulus otherwise known as hops. It’s what gives IPAs their distinctive aroma. It’s also a dominant terpene in the Pineapple Express strain that’s risen in popularity since the debut of the 2008 film of the same name.
Sometimes it’s not nostalgia or familiarity that generates excitement. Novel flavor pairings entice the adventurous and appeal to more international sensibilities. CANN Blood Orange Cardamom Social Tonic was the second hottest selling product in America in the first quarter of 2021, reportedCardamomHeadset.isapopular flavor in Indian cuisine and is quickly gaining a toehold in U.S. spice cabinets. While cardamom may sound like it’s loaded with unique terpenes, it’s actually a common source for extracting limonene terpenes. Limonene helps other terpenes absorb more effectively and is being researched for mood regulation.
fruitiness of plum and watermelon. While these notes may be subtle in a flavor like Root Beer, it’s the effects that make this terpene so powerful. Numerous studies have shown Geraniol to have antifungal and antioxidant qualities. It’s also being studied for its ability to fight cancer cells.
Something for Sipping Uncle Arnie’s Sweet Peach Iced Tea is another top-selling favorite, according to Headset. Sweet tea is nostalgic, at least for those with some Southern heritage. Add delicate peach undertones and the result is one of America’s most enduring flavor combinations.
Berry Tasty Beverages
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One of this author’s favorite flavors is berry. Strawberry, blueberry, raspberry — each is unique but conveys the same floral, fruity, tangy notes associated with “berry” flavor. Headset reported Ray’s Huckleberry Lemonade was America’s fifth favorite cannabis drink in the first quarter of 2021. Ray’s specializes in lemonades, but this huckleberry version is a top seller.
A Toast to Good Taste!
Perfecting a flavor profile that’s so well known can be a challenge. If everyone knows how it’s supposed to taste, any unusual notes will stand out on the palate. terpenes include caryophyllene, limonene, and humulene. Many of these notes are available in other tea terpene formulations, like Abstrax’s Green Tea Terpene blend. The peach notes are fruity and a bit sour, with heavy concentrations of myrcene and trans-beta-ocimene.Caryophyllenebrings
While Ray’s doesn’t offer a terpene breakdown of its flavors, berry-based beverages typically include the following: myrcene, pinene, caryophyllene, limonene, linalool, and humulene. These terpenes are generally associated with mood elevation, relaxation, and anxiety relief. In today’s turbulent times, it’s no wonder these flavors and effects are in peak demand.
Finding the right flavor profiles for your palate (or your customer’s preferences) can require a lot of sampling and taste tests. Enjoy the process and take your time so as not to overindulge and spoil the fun. While everyone’s taste buds are unique, the top-selling flavors profiled in this article have risen to the top for good reason.
While these terpene formulations are excellent in beverages, exercise caution before putting flavors into other cannabis products like vape oils. Many blends are food safe, but not recommended for combustion and inhalation. As with any cannabis product, enjoy responsibly and start slow — you never know how quickly your body will metabolize the compounds. ❖
An International Taste Sensation
Labs Compostable Corn Husk Filters — Sharing smoking devices during a pandemic is a social faux pas. Thanks to the Moose Labs MouthPeace, you can share without a care. A silicone mouthpiece attaches to any bong for a germ-free smoke, and the MouthPeace Mini slips neatly onto a joint. Moose Labs is now offering filtration, too! Corn-fiber filters are a sustainable way to remove tar and contaminants from each puff. They utilize otherwise wasted material and are quick to decompose. The MouthPeace Corn Fiber Filter Roll includes 10 filters for $9.
Puffco Proxy — The innovators at Puffco are elevating the concentrates experience yet again. Proxy, a portable, modular vaporizer, offers a pushbutton interface with four programmed heat settings. The smoking chamber heats material from every side while the Oculus carb cap maximizes vapor production. The pipe-like design harkens to the rich legacy of cannabis consumption while offering a discreet consumption experience. Add it to your dabbing arsenal for $300.
94 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 their effectiveness. Karma CBD Water created an innovative solution to this industry-wide problem. Its patented Push Cap infuses active ingredients into the water just seconds before you drink it. Vitamins, nutrients, and CBD are blasted into your water at the time of consumption, so you know every bottle is activated with 25mg of broad-spectrum CBD delivered at peak potency. Now available nationwide in five flavors. $5/bottle.
Mamba V2 Electric Portable Herb Grinder — Traditional grinders require grip strength and agile wrists. For medical patients or cannabis enthusiasts in a rush, the Mamba Grinder takes the “daily grind” out of herb preparation. One-handed operation allows for 15x faster results than a manual grinder. Its unique dispensing cone targets flower directly into your pipe, rolling paper, or vape while keeping your fingers free from sticky residue. $37 HVAC Systems for Indoor Cannabis Cultivation — Surna’s understanding of every aspect of cultivation facility design, not just the HVACD and systems in which it specializes, allows it to lend support from pre-design budgeting through facility commissioning, and every stop in between. Lean on Surna’s team of experienced engineers to compare and contrast solutions, and budgets, to help you make the perfect choice for your facility. Visit www.surna.com to review your options.Moose
Limited-Edition Pax Era Life Malibu — California has a vibe all its own. Summer sunsets on the beach inspired the laid-back gradient shades in this limited-edition vaporizer. The Era Life offers an instant draw so you’re not fumbling with buttons and its rechargeable battery means less waste than a disposable pen. It pairs well with Pax Live Rosin pods. Pop in a pod and go, the ocean is calling. $35
Crativ Select and Vault — The Crativ Select and Crativ Vault are elevating standards for sustainable packaging. These made-inAmerica packaging solutions use earth-friendly materials, including USDA-certified plant-based materials. A proprietary accelerateddegradation formula ensures discarded containers aren’t lining landfills for future generations. An airtight seal paired with a singlelayer of packaging is engineered for optimization, offering an efficient solution for any production line that easily adapts to full-scale automation. Visit crativ.com for pricing.
Botani Gummed Wrappers — Customers will pay more for ecofriendly products. If you care about the Earth as much as your clients, Botani’s gummed wrappers are tailor-made for manufacturing your blunts. These natural hemp wrappers are moisture optimized to burn slowly and evenly while offering an extended shelf life. There are no single-use foil packages here. Proprietary tech creates a costeffective and sustainable smoking experience that’s easy to scale with your brand. Ask about pricing at botani.com.
Vol. 4 / Issue 2 / Cannabis & Tech Today 95 // PRODUCT REVOLUTION //
Dabtech Duvo — Portable and customizable, the Duvo offers three atomizers to create massive clouds while offering maximum temperature control. The Duvo uses AI to turn itself off if you’re about to burn your dab, saving your lungs from harsh hits. An aluminum alloy body offers strength and durability, while a 3,000 mAh battery life keeps you smoking until your sesh is done. This investment comes with a one-year warranty, so you can consume with confidence and peace of mind. $200
Ispire Exclusive Northern Lights daab — Inspired by the stunning colors of the Northern Lights, this rig is discreet, portable, and stunning to behold. An all-glass airflow pathway maintains the integrity of your herb’s flavor profile while its induction heating process promises a clean, even heat for each hit. Customize your temperature from 250-800 degrees. Add some color to your concentrate experience for $300.
Trulieve Muse Concentrate — Crafted with freshlyharvested flower frozen at the peak of potency, the Muse line of full-spectrum concentrates could easily overload your senses with flavor. Jammed with higher-than-average terpene levels, these concentrates will inspire as they elevate. With availability in eight states, Trulieve is inspiring connoisseurs across the country. $40-70
HighOnLove Sensual CBD Bath Oil — Invigorate your senses and turn your daily routine into a spa-like experience. With 300 mg of CBD, this luxurious oil is perfect for elevating a shower and even better for creating bathtub bliss. Patchouli, Geranium, and Ylang Ylang essential oils will titillate your nose while the CBD eases aches and pains. Tell your lover it’s available nationwide for $48.
Arbor Slim and Sleep Hemp Extract — The visionaries at the non-profit Realm of Caring crafted these hemp extracts from rigorous clinical research.
Dogwalkers “Play” Mini-Dogs — Each mini-dog contains just enough smoke to keep you company on your next walk with Fido. A recyclable tin keeps all your bite-sized pre-rolls neatly packaged and protected until your next adventure. Each pre-roll is packed with premium flower and zero shake. Find yours in Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Nevada for $30.
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Arbor Slim is a weight loss aid that naturally reduces cravings for sugary foods. Arbor Sleep reduces the time spent waiting to fall asleep and increases the duration and quality of rest. Both products are available as a tincture or soft gel for $80.
Rhythm Sparkling Hemp Beverages — Refresh your palate with broadspectrum hemp extract grown in the U.S.A. Rhythm partnered with infusion-technology firm Vertosa to create consistent emulsions with 100% natural fruit, vegetable, and root extracts. The resulting four flavors are bold, bright, and formulated to facilitate energy, hydration, recovery, or sleep. Try the variety pack for $60.
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Serves 4, 5mg. THC per serving
2. In a small jar, combine the canna-oil with the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon peel. Shake and allow to sit for a few hours to combine flavors.
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
RELAX // Something Edible With Laurie Wolf
Now that the weather is warm, and avocado is in season, avocado toast is the perfect go-to for a healthy, luscious, meal. Crunchy bread, creamy avocado, and the infused drizzle — you really can’t go wrong. The bread choice is yours, as is your infusion method. I prefer infused oil, but you can use whatever infusion you like, just remember that too much cannabis is not at all pleasant. Don’t skip the lemon juice on the avocado, it turns brown quickly, and it renders the open sandwich unappealing to look at. Looks aren’t everything, but they’re not nothing!
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit, peel, and rub with lemon juice. Fan the slices on each bread slice.
What You’ll Need: 4 slices lightly toasted bread 4 teaspoons canna-oil 4 teaspoons good quality olive oil 1 small garlic clove, gently crushed 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper 2 strips lemon peel ½ cup whole milk ricotta 2 ripe avocados 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste 98 Cannabis & Tech
3. Drizzle the oil between the four slices of bread. Divide the ricotta between the four bread slices.
Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2
I highly recommend making a double or triple recipe for the infused oil. Drizzle it on pizza, soups, fresh vegetables, and salad. You can change the herbs and spices to fit your palate. Some crushed red pepper might be nice, as would some dill or mint — it’s all up to you.
Directions: 1. Place the bread slices on your work surface.
Alternative Avocado Toast
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Events
What does it take to become a social media influencer? We’ll speak with the cannabis industry’s most influential Tik-Tokers, IGers, and YouTubers to discover their secrets to social media gold. How do they choose which products to feature? Is there such a thing as too much content? Stop guessing and start learning with these trending marketing insights.
100 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 // COMING UP // Coming Next Issue A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words. Literally. Take My Pic for Thousands of Words! 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 Scan to Subscribe Today! 20AUGUST|Hampton Cannabis Expo 23-25 | Cannabis Conference 2022 26-27 | The New York Cannabis Convention 7-8SEPTEMBER| PBC Conference | 8-9 | ICBC Zurich Global Investment Forum 9-10 | NECANN New Jersey 20 | The Cannabis Private Investment Summit London 24-25 | Maine Cannabis Convention 24-25 | CannaCon Denver, CO 26-27 | ExpoCannaBiz Business Conference Sao Paulo, Brazil 28-OCT. 1 | Natural Products Expo East 30 | Women in Cannabis Expo 13-15OCTOBER|CannaCon South Richmond, VA 14-15 | Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference 21-22 | Lucky Leaf Expo Albuquerque, NM 22-23 | Indo Expo Chicago 26-27 | Portugal Medical Cannabis Expo
BETTING ON BUDS IN NEVADA
The cannabis scene in Las Vegas is hot! We’re doubling down on all the City of Lights has to offer in this issue’s Tech Zone. Which companies are a sure bet and who will emerge as the Whales of Nevada’s cannabis elite? It’s not just an insider’s look at all the technology and science shaping the scene, it’s a jackpot of investor insights!
DISPENSARY DOMINATION
It’s a competitive industry out there. Even in new markets, there’s a lot to learn and a lot of money to be made if you have the right skills. In this issue, you’ll learn from both established multi-state operators and up-and-coming retailers to discover how to succeed in an industry with few guidebooks.
We all know you shouldn’t judge a brand by its package — but powerhouse labeling goes a long way in catching a buyer’s eye. Yes, Mylar bags are sweeping the shelves across America, but brand strategy is still vital to customer loyalty. Learn how to distinguish your brand with this issue’s expert tips on mission statements, logos, earned media coverage, and more. Visit emergecanna.com to stay up-to-date on everything the Emerge Virtual Cannabis Conference has to offer.
BRANDING UNDER WRAPS
MARKETING MASTERMINDS
Chicago, Il June 10-11 Burlington, VT June 25-26 Albany, NY August 26-27 New Jersey Sept 9-10 Portland, ME Sept 24-25 Upcoming Schedule For info on exhibiting, sponsoring, speaking, or attending, visit: necann.com Boston, MA March 10-12, 2023 Hartford, CT May 20-21, 2023 The #1 Cannabis Convention Series in the US
102 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN 2022 TOP 10
Some backgrounds/patterns from istockphoto.com and vecteezy.com
Celebrity Cannabis Lines
Illustrations
RELAX // THE LIGHTER SIDE
Matthew McConaweed —
While it’s a little on the nose that Mike Tyson and Tommy Chong are now in the game, we love that cannabis and celebrities are working together to further support the industry. (As a side note, we are shutting down the magazine if Mitch McConnell ever gets in the game. It will officially be too much. Though, if you think about it … he’s one guy who could use a little indica and chill time.) Anyway, what follows are the celebrities that we would like to enter the cannabis industry and the possible products they could sell.
Cannabis and celebrity go hand in hand, like Lauren Boebert and typos on Twitter. This year has already seen the cannabis industry grow with celebrities like Santana, Melissa Ethridge, and Seth Rogan all “officially” entering the space, because you know it’s not cool until the star of Sausage Party is doing it.
A poetic mix of both indica and sativa. It’s weed, but like, more. It’s an adventure, a special trip that may or may not be … McConaweed will free you of your inhibitions and leave you feeling “Alright, alright, alright.” has been known to turn your brain upside down and give you nostalgic feelings from easier days of a time gone by.
Stafford’s Sativa — Inspirational and uplifting, Stafford’s Sativa took a long time to get off the ground, but once they relocated the grow to a new warmer locale, it’s our MVP pick of the year. As a romantic supplement it’s almost guaranteed to make you score every time you use it. by Adam Seidman and Shane Brisson
Vladimir’s Vape — Known as Сумасшедший медведь in Russia or the Crazy Bear. This weed has a tendency to grow in places where it’s wanted the least, infiltrating beautiful gardens and strangling the life out of the rest of the plants.
Queen Elizabeth Cookies — An old recipe from England, these edibles will give you a royal highness that will make you want to wear silly hats, crave Monty Python, and watch futbol. Experts say these won’t be around for much longer so enjoy them while you can.
Gold Medal Gu — An award-winning strain, grown in the United States but sold only in China. This is a strong sativa and just a single hit will help boost your focus so you can handle any task that’s ahead of you. It will give you a high-flying feeling that is aspirational and at times a little too much to handle. Gold Medal Gu usually hits its peak once every four years.
Volodymyr’s Vape — Known as Фенікс or The Phoenix. This one-of-a-kind flower rises from the ashes in certain parts of Ukraine and grows stronger as it grows older. It’s the kind of smoke that people will write about for years to come. A strong little strain, it will make you feel like you can and will overcome anything that’s thrown at you. Not to be overshadowed by the other big overbearing brands trying to dominate the marketplace, Volodymyr’s Vape is the smoke of the year.
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Smith’s Shatter — Be careful because this packs a punch. So strong it has been known to knock people on their asses without any warning. What was once a unique and beautiful bud has become an over-processed, overbearing strain that in too large of a dose can make you feel like you are entitled to do anything at any time. Great for alopecia, does nothing for your sense of humor.
Our special International Section features two very different vapes that come from the same part of the world.
Biden’s Bud — The cost of this bud has become over inflated in the last year. Best taken in small doses. An old school weed, lots of people have lost their taste for this special strain, but when it’s all you’ve got to offer up, it does the trick. Davidson’s Dab — Nobody can quite understand why people flock to this odd hybrid. A colorful little blend of the most unusual plants, Davidson’s Dab is the favorite of Instagram models and social media influencers. Little Engine That Could of the cannabis industry. Unlike the other polished, packaged, attractive brands, what makes Davidson’s Dab so alluring to consumers is its relatable flaws and honest finish. Davidson’s Dab has been known to make people laugh uncontrollably.
Vladimir’s Vape has been known to cause extreme paranoia and delusions of grandeur. There have been reports of people doing all kinds of crazy things after one hit like hugging polar bears and riding horses shirtless. This is not a vape for the masses.
Highs
Crypto and cannabis have a lot in common, including rapid growth and interesting etymology. Etymology is the study of words. Cannabis is a can-do word. Look at it, right there in the beginning,Cryptocurrency“can.”
Photo: istockphoto.com/AHPhotoswpg
can’t do a lot of things, including make sense to me. Many think the word is derived from the French “cryptographie” meaning, “the art of writing in secret characters.” But any crypto-bro who has seen their favorite coin drop 90% knows different. When they see that coin drop another 90%, they are quick to notice the beginning of cryptocurrency is “cry.” Silk Road was a famous website where you could buy cannabis with crypto. You didn’t even have to know they were both made of hash. Cannabis has hash oil. Crypto has hash functions that power Merkle trees — digital shrubbery that keeps the internet secure. Merkle trees make Bitcoin and the blockchain possible. The first time I heard about Merkle trees I misheard it as “Merkin trees.” I am haunted by that visual to this day. If you don’t know what a merkin is, be careful searching for it on the internet. A nine page white paper launched Bitcoin in 2008. After all this time nothing has dethroned it. Maybe that will change if cancel culture discovers it all started with a “white” paper. Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto is pseudonymous, which means nobody knows who he is. That must be why early Bitcoin adopters flocked to the technology. It reminded them of high school, a time and place where nobody knew who they were.
Many of these early adopters have achieved generational wealth. If only they had prospects for creating a next generation. Step one for many of them: move out of mom’s basement.
Crypto
The next time you doom scroll through its demise check to see if the price has an extraBitcoindigit.has crashed to $1,000 dollars and to $20,000. Someday soon you may see a headline that Bitcoin has crashed to $500,000. Thanks, inflation.
104 Cannabis & Tech Today // Vol. 4 / Issue 2 RELAX // THE LIGHTER SIDE
By Mark Masters
Bitcoin is famous for crashing, even more than Pete Holmes is famous for Crashing. Bitcoin crashing is funny because every time it crashes the price is higher than the last time it “crashed.”
There is no need to reverse engineer Bitcoin. It is open source, which sounds like a description of an active STD. I thought reverse engineering was what I did in high school physics. I would go to class and afterward I was somehow less smart about science. I was prodigious at reverseCryptocurrencyengineering.and cannabis have had a heck of a run. Both have grown like crazy and regulation has legitimized them. Grandma can get pre-rolls at the corner store. Your second cousin can spend his allowance on a cartoon JPEG of a cat. We’re all excited to spend our altcoins on the next hot pixelated NFT, just don’t ask me to explain how they work. ❖
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