Table of contents for Winter 2021 in Cannabis & Tech Today

Selecting a growing media might seem like a “one and done” decision. But, like many aspects of horticulture, innovations in growing media are bringing a higher level of precision to the growing process. These innovations are prompting cultivators to consider whether it’s time for a switch in their traditional substrate. As the essential “groundwork” for cultivators’ operations, growing media allows plants to develop their roots and access water, air, and nutrients. From a control perspective, the selection of medium can contribute to consistency and repeatability from plant to plant and harvest to harvest. With harvest quality and cultivating consistency in mind, here are a few questions that can help growers evaluate whether it’s time to make a growing media switch in 2022. Where is it made? Amid historic disruptions in…

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (D9) is the original tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) most cannabis users are familiar with. What some may not realize, however, is this version of THC exists in hemp in small quantities. According to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, “hemp” is defined as “Cannabis sativa L. … with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.” Furthermore, hemp is excluded from the definition of “marihuana” from the Controlled Substances Act. This means THC extracted from hemp and later infused into a consumer product is not a controlled substance, as long as the hemp was grown and harvested legally and the final product sold to consumers is at or under the 0.3 percent by dry weight measurement. This was again confirmed by the DEA’s own…

Co-Founder & CEO, Emerging Markets Coalition and Michael Flores, CEO Bretton Woods, Inc. and Senior Advisor, Emerging Markets Coalition The Emerging Markets Coalition (EMC) is a member-driven advocacy and educational organization for financial services in highly cash-based and underserved markets. Our first targets are the cannabis-related industries (hemp, CBD, cannabis). EMC advocates and drives for the normalization of financial services — enabling these businesses to operate as do other legal businesses in a growing, regulated, emerging market. Why was EMC founded and why did we choose to drive innovation in one of the toughest markets to bank? Because the EMC co-founders have done this before — in an industry that was where cannabis is today — highly cash based, with much misinformation driving unfair vilification of the industry and businesses.…

By 2050, there will be nine billion people on planet earth. That’s two billion more mouths to feed than today. In an increasingly unstable environment thanks to climate change, how will farmers pivot to meet the needs of the global population? To improve yield, make better use of limited resources, and mitigate the risks posed by climate change, the future of farming is moving indoors. Advances in automation and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) will make this move feasible. Controlled environment agriculture is nothing new, but it’s experiencing somewhat of a renaissance thanks to its widespread application in commercial cannabis cultivation. Could the technological advances accelerated by the indoor and greenhouse cannabis industry translate to food crops to help feed the world? Solving for Unpredictability Through Total Control According to Scientific…

Since the emergence of the legal cannabis industry, community leaders from marginalized communities have called out the imbalance and lack of representation of ownership. These advocates created a new awareness that, in addition to safe and legal access, a focus needed to be placed on social equity, justice, and reinvestment as an integral part of any new legislation. But it has been an uphill battle. As more states legalize medical and adult-use cannabis, Black and Latinx cannabis activists continue to highlight unfair processes and selections of licensees. Diverse application teams and advocates remain committed in lobbying for change in these patterns of injustice. It is a cycle seen too many times state over state, and industry leaders are raising their voices louder to demand fair and equitable opportunities pushing for…

Vaping technology has come a long way since Hon Lik developed the first commercially successful electronic cigarette in 2003. Vapers can customize their devices and purchase a huge variety of cartridges, from pre-filled and flavored to refillable or even artificially intelligent pods that report user data to an app. As Arizona residents develop a taste for vapes, manufacturers will have to find ways to keep up. It’s a sector that’s growing quickly. Data-analytics firm Headset reported a 20% increase in recreational vapor pen sales from 2019 to 2020 in California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington state. Credence Engineering President Jim Ellis said he has expanded his inventory to meet the demand from Arizonans and the larger cannabis marketplace. “Our dispensing pump is the most accurate in the industry and our…

“The United States now has more legal cannabis workers than dentists, paramedics, or electrical engineers,” said NewLeaf Captive CEO Philip Burghardt. “It’s on track to outpace manufacturing’s 525,000 workers by 2025.” If those numbers surprise you, you haven’t been watching the explosive growth of Arizona’s cannabis sector. In just one year, the state’s industry has outpaced some of the nation’s established legacy markets. Burghardt feels the largest increases to Arizona’s tech sector in 2022 will be in the labor market. He created NewLeaf Captive, a group health insurance provider, to serve the cannabis industry’s growing workforce. “I understand the challenges this industry faces day in and day out, including the demand for quality employees and the ability to retain those employees,” Burghardt said. Finding insurance through a cannabis company has…

Etain Health, New York State’s only family-run, women-owned, vertically-integrated agribusiness and medical marijuana dispensary chain, was one of the original five licensees in New York in 2015. The company currently has dispensaries in Yonkers, Kingston, Syracuse, and a flagship in Midtown East in New York City, that sell all sorts of cannabis lotions and potions. Named after a significant figure in Irish mythology, Etain was an unrivaled beauty whose story is one of perseverance and transformation, like the founder’s Irish grandmother, Frances “Granny Franny” Keeffe, a woman who “filled the smallest moments with music, laughter, and joy,” according to her family. Her playful approach is reflected in the company’s product line of whole cannabis flower in fruity flavors, including Mango Mezzo. During Granny Franny’s battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),…

Cannabis and the nascent industry is our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to drive solutions to some of humanity’s greatest challenges. It’s a chance to become a major driver of business, societal, and environmental change — transformational change. Be it an ever-increasing need for energy, insecurities around food and resources, the burgeoning degradation of our ecosystem, or facing-up to the realities of climate disruption, we need innovative solutions. It is becoming increasingly clear that we will require a new suite of products, services, strategies, and tactics to address the underlying business models that frame them. If this is the winter of our discontent, then more than ever, we will need to innovate. Throughout my career, innovation has been at the core of my work. In my early career I was involved in product…

A recent nationwide survey conducted by Canivate Growing Systems laid bare the new expectations of cannabis consumers: 64% of consumers are willing to pay more for cannabis that is grown organically with eco-friendly objectives. Climate change was once a future concern that many industries were kicking down the road. But now, it’s an immediate crisis. As a result, today’s consumer wants to know that the companies they buy from care about the future of the planet. Today’s consumer wants to hear about the commitment, the strategies, and the metrics that will drive change. Consumers want companies that are walking the walk to make a difference. But finding cannabis growers who are truly driven by those eco-friendly objectives — and not simply giving them lip service — is a formidable task.…

In November 2021, several Arizona cannabis companies recalled products due to Salmonella or Aspergillus contamination. Recalls cost cannabis companies time, money, and reputational harm. A similar situation in Michigan impacted more than $200 million worth of cannabis product, reported the Detroit Free Press. Often these recalls could be avoided with proper cleaning protocols. Bill Frazier, National Sales Director for Clean Control Corporation (CCC) said the cannabis industry needs consistent cleaning practices to avoid contaminating products with mold and bacteria. “Our company is addressing the need for cannabis-specific standard operating procedures, whether it’s a cultivator grow house, transportation, processing facility, or dispensary.” CCC is offering these SOPs at no cost on its website. The company’s technology, a bleach alternative called OdoBan® Disinfectant and Odor Eliminator, is safe for use in grow…

Cannabis brands, entertainers, and influencers are in a tough spot. Despite massive followings and high demand (no pun intended), pot-themed content is all but banned across the board, from mainstream television to radio to social media. Accounts continue to be deleted from major platforms like Facebook (now Meta), YouTube, and Instagram, often at the height of their popularity. Cannabis-centric shows have made their way to Netflix, Hulu, and even HBO, but they’re often watered down and fail to authentically represent the community. So as the old saying goes, if you want something done right, do it yourself. Cannabis-specific streaming platforms such as Social Club TV, 420 Media’s Cannected TV (and the soon to be launched CBD TV from the team behind Cannabis & Tech Today) are now filling the gap,…

Medical cannabis is gaining traction and acceptance. Studies show it can ease physical ailments like chronic pain and muscle spasms. It can also help relieve emotional and mental health problems like anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. The benefits of medical cannabis are being proven, with more studies emerging every day. Plus, according to the National Library of Medicine, patients undergoing chemotherapy find relief and see remarkable results when using cannabis as an anticancer agent. Despite this progress, many obstacles to medical cannabis access remain in the way. In addition to legal and legislative barriers, many physicians are not yet convinced that the health benefits of medical cannabis outweigh the risks. According to one study, “Colorado Family Physicians’ Attitudes Toward Medical Marijuana,” nearly all physicians agreed on the need for further…

G Pen Roam — $200 Stündenglass Kompact — $600 Vapor-Static Extraction Machinery by Boulder Creek Technologies — Starting at $250,000 Storz & Bickel Mighty+ — of the beloved Volcano debuted this powerful dry-herb vaporizer in late 2021. It features a USB-C socket with super-charge functionality able to charge to 80% in just 40 minutes. A pre-set temperature superbooster plus a 60-second rapid-heat function add to its efficient design. The MIGHTY+ also includes a hands-free stand and a scratch-resistant, ceramic-coated filling chamber. $399 American Security CashWizard — efficiency while removing the threat of internal theft. This RSCI Level 1 container is the retail industry’s toughest smart safe with proprietary software designed for any courier. Assign up to 500 unique user pins, access your accounting dashboard from anywhere, and manage your cash…

MJBizCon 2021 The cannabis industry’s most celebrated in-person event made a triumphant return to Las Vegas in October, 2021. The last live MJBizCon was held in December of 2019. The event took place virtually in 2020 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. The tenth annual event featured speakers such as Chris Day of the Global Cannabis Network Collective, Tahir Johnson with the Marijuana Policy Project, Corinne Wilder from Fluence by OSRAM, and Amber Littlejohn from the Minority Cannabis Business Association. Celebrity guests like Redman, Jason Gann, and Josh Kesselman signed autographs with the Cannabis & Tech Today crew. Ample afterparties and post-show networking events added an extra element to the much anticipated event. CWCBExpo New York Cannabis & Tech Today Editor-in-Chief Charles Warner attended this business-to-business trade show…

The cannabis industry is growing and maturing. Along with it, trade shows are playing an evermore important role in educating about new products, services, and creative ways to expand businesses. Exhibitors are marketing a vast array of goods and services giving growers, processors, and retailers the convenience of one-stop shopping to keep their cannabis operations on the leading edge. So, before you pay for your airline tickets and hotel rooms, how do you decide which trade shows are right for you? How do you know if they’re worth the time and money? Just as when you conduct background checks to vet your new employees and ensure their experience and reliability are what they say they are — the same should be done to verify the quality of exhibitors and speakers…

Each day, hopeful cannabis entrepreneurs reach out for investors, advice, and partnerships. There is fierce competition for investment dollars and the pandemic only fueled the fight for funding. That’s why Cannabis & Tech Today, in partnership with the Emerge Virtual Cannabis Conference, launched the Cannabis Investor Pitch Contest. During the summer 2021 event, three companies were selected as winners. Third place was awarded to Green Parcel Service; second place went to Forests Medicinals; and first place was awarded to Surge Automated. Cannabis & Tech Today followed up with the winners to discover what they learned and how far they’ve come since meeting with investors to strengthen their business models. Green Parcel Service Transportation Cannabis & Tech Today: What do people find most surprising about your services? CEO and Founder Patrick…

As of Dec. 1, 2021, cannabis dispensaries and technology vendors operating in the state of Illinois must protect health information with the same stringent security and privacy standards required of medical providers under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). These regulations, applied by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), include fines of up to $10,000 per violation. While Illinois is the first state to place these strict data security and privacy rules on dispensaries that provide medical-use cannabis, it is likely not the last. As the cannabis industry continues to grow and evolve, so does the attention from legislators and regulators. As more state legislatures and regulatory agencies address concerns surrounding the health information cannabis companies access and retain, we anticipate increased data security…

If I get one more question about the term social equity in cannabis, I’m going to … answer it again, because there’s serious confusion about what social equity means and why the social equity programs being created in states across the country are good for the cannabis industry. Social equity seems like a term that should be easy to define. However, it isn’t being used consistently by our industry or by state social equity programs. At the same time, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs are also being created, and there’s misunderstanding about this concept, too. Let’s have a conversation so we’re all on the same page. In the past few years, cannabis social equity programs have been developed by more than a dozen states and cities as part of…

Cannabis is brimming with fragrant, colorful, and therapeutic compounds ripe for exploration and extraction. Yet, innovators have barely scratched the surface in developing products that utilize the plant’s complete spectrum profile. While consumers are aware of major cannabinoids and terpenes, the industry hasn’t introduced therapeutic flavonoids in a meaningful way quite yet. However, the cannabis industry is always searching for new innovations, and flavonoids have the potential to be just that. Not to mention, they smell and taste great, too. Flavonoids are exciting, not only for their unique wellness properties but also for their capacity to introduce a vast array of new products that have yet to be seen in this ever-evolving industry. What are flavonoids? Flavonoids are not exclusive to hemp and cannabis. You can find 8,000 varieties of…