Tabla de contenidos para Vol. 5 Issue 2 en Cannabis & Tech Today

FROM THE EDITOR Most people are introduced to cannabis in the form of flower. It’s approachable — easy to smoke, easy to find, and affordable. It may take time before a cannabis connoisseur dabbles with concentrates. Even those paid to understand the products, like budtenders or dispensary managers, often lack some knowledge around concentrates, its various forms, or the methods used in its production. In this issue, we’ll explore the world of cannabis concentrates and shine some light on the products and people shaping the sector. To help expand our knowledge, we spoke with Puffco CEO Roger Volodarsky to discover how “contemporary hash” as he calls it, is evolving and what’s on the horizon in terms of technology and processing. Volodarsky describes finally finding his community, a tribe of like-minded…

As new states decide to legalize adult-use cannabis sales, regulators are tasked with guiding their constituents into uncharted territory. Many lawmakers pull from existing policies in other states, adapting them to suit the needs of their specific demographics. So why are there still so many bumps in the road on the path to legalization? Cannabis & Tech Today spoke with Allay Consulting Founder and CEO Kim Stuck, a former cannabis regulator, to better understand some of the challenges that come with opening a new market and what citizens and regulators should know before adult-use sales begin. Cannabis & Tech Today: How should emerging markets properly enforce regulations during the first year of legalization and why is enforcement often an issue? For example, New York City is dealing with many unlicensed…

One key factor stands out as a driving force behind progress and success in today’s cannabis landscape: collaboration among the cannabis and tech sectors. As a former NASA-JPL engineer who worked on the MOXIE project, an instrument currently on the surface of Mars producing oxygen from the Martian atmosphere, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative impact that tech integration can have on businesses, workforce upskilling, efficiency, and profit margins. While many cannabis companies are starting to unlock the tremendous potential that lies in embracing technology throughout various aspects of a cannabis business, there are plenty of companies who have yet to experience these transformative results. Let’s explore some of the most impactful ways cannabis-tech collaborations drive the cannabis industry forward. Streamlining Packaging Processes at Scale Efficient packaging processes are critical for…

New York City has a culture all its own. It feels massive, yet it’s just a tiny island. It’s impersonal and overwhelming but surprisingly intimate. For an outsider, it’s hard to imagine finding a sense of community amid high rises and countless strolling strangers. For NYC residents though, there’s a connectedness and a fierce loyalty to the neighborhoods they call home. As the state started rolling out its legal cannabis program, it became the focal point of significant hype, on its way to becoming the nation’s largest cannabis economy. While this will almost undoubtedly still prove to be true, the way the state launched its legal program left many residents frustrated and out of patience. The Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) program, meant to bolster communities and help those…

While Cannabis & Tech Today covers many brands at the forefront of innovation, few announcements excite this author as much as Puffco’s. The brand changed the concentrate experience with its creations, allowing users to enjoy concentrates without the stigma often associated with dabbing. In this interview with Puffco Founder and CEO Roger Volodarsky, he explores what inspired him to take concentrate consumption to the next level and how this revelatory experience is connecting him with a likeminded community that’s elevating the hash space to a more refined, precise realm. He shares ten years of insights around consumer preferences, the evolution of hash, and what it means to finally find your tribe. Cannabis & Tech Today: Asfar as the consumer’s taste from 2013 to now, what kind of trends are you…

PART 1 OF 2 OF THE HERB + SPICE SPECIAL RECIPES BY LAURIE WOLF Cooking with cannabis is a delightful experience, but it is not always the most straightforward. How much do I add, when do I add it, how do I make it taste good? There are typically ten or more steps involved in preparing, measuring, and infusing. It is not unpleasant, but it is timeconsuming and if you’re anything like me, messy. But stay with me, because I have found the fastest, easiest way to infuse your food everyday. I’m proud to say that cannabis has been a happy part of my life for over fifty years. Yep, I’m old! At 15 I was smoking the occasional joint, sneaking it out of view of my mother who would…

Comedian Jon Gabrus lives by a simple credo: when in Rome, get stoned. Gregarious, fast-talking, and unrelentingly hilarious, the Long Island native has built an impressive, THC-assisted career in Los Angeles as an improviser and actor. Earlier this year, his High and Mighty podcast hit a milestone with its 420th episode, while Gabrus has appeared onscreen in series like TruTV’s 101 Places to Party Before You Die, MTV2’s Guy Code, and TVLand’s Younger. But whether he’s hosting a weekend travel TV series with his best friend or sitting in on the Comedy Bang! Bang! podcast as his long-running character, Intern Gino Lombardo, a central theme of the work Gabrus does is that it’s dually powered by both cannabis and an insatiable curiosity to know more about everything. “I consider myself…

Harrison Bard is the CEO and co-founder of Custom Cones USA, a pre-roll resource in the cannabis industry. From custom-branded pre-rolled cones and wholesale bulk cones, to completely customized pre-roll packaging projects and pre-roll machines, the company offers expertise and solutions to companies in all sectors of the pre-roll space. Veronica Castillo is known as the Traveling Cannabis Writer. Her body of work includes educational and informative insights on cannabis and various plant medicines. She travels the country to provide insight on cannabis-friendly destinations. She is a collaborator, connector, content creator, and traveler specializing in bringing to light hidden gems in the plant space. Follow her journey: #travelingcannabiswriter. Jessica McKeil is a cannabis writer based in British Columbia, Canada. She has a passion for cannabis tech and scientific breakthroughs, which…

The cannabis industry is constantly evolving. Each year, more U.S. states introduce medicinal and adult-use cannabis programs, legacy markets mature, more customers become familiar with cannabis products, and companies innovate new form factors. New markets mean new customers, emerging brands, and fresh products marketed to curious consumers. The speed of evolution, however, creates challenges for retailers looking to attract and retain customers in a hyper-competitive market. The Current State of the Pre-Roll Industry Looking for answers to those questions about product mix and SKU count, Custom Cones USA — a producer of pre-rolled cone packaging, machines, and pre-roll compliance — partnered with industry insight authority Headset to author a comprehensive whitepaper on the pre-roll segment of the cannabis industry. The research found that pre-rolls are the fastest-growing product segment in…

Its hard to ignore the fullspectrum obsession that’s currently flooding the cannabis market. Advertised as better and more effective than distillates and isolates, “fuller”-spectrum cannabinoid- and terpene-rich extractions have become the only choice for many. This is doubly true within the cannabidiol (CBD) sector. Yet, the reality is that many fullspectrum products, especially edible options, are glaringly devoid of a robust terpene profile. Thats because, until recently, there were no commercially viable ways to preserve the plant’s natural and highly volatile aromatic profile within an oil, edible, or topical. Now, new technology could upend how we approach fullspectrum edibles. For patients and consumers alike who prefer nonsmokable extracts, Whistler Technologies’ Terp Reactor makes a terpene-rich edible oil possible, simplifying the entire process from wet hash through to final formulation. The…

I met Jim Belushi for the first time in 2019 at his riverside farmhouse in southern Oregon. Belushi’s cousin Chris greeted me at the airport and drove me to the farm where Jim met me outside, a half-smoked cigar between his fingers and an inviting smile on his face. Belushi’s Farm was just finding its footing, and he graciously took me on a tour of the property, from barns to greenhouses, lingering eagerly over his favorite cultivars. It’s easy to fall in love with this region of Oregon. Its climate is ideal for cannabis production, offering gentle rain storms and cool breezes, even during the height of summer. It’s inspiring to see how the farm has grown and changed, implementing newer technologies into the greenhouses and bringing in a larger…

CWCBExpo The ninth annual Cannabis World Conference & Business Exposition brought together thought leaders from the East Coast and beyond. Female entrepreneurs showcased products and ancillary services at the newly launched Womens Pavilion. University and College Row highlighted more than two dozen educational institutions offering cannabis curriculums. The B2B Networking Bash was especially popular this year. It wouldn’t be a New York event without an Industry Yacht Party, a NORML FORML, and several other after-hours parties to bring together attendees from every sector of the industry. Notable speakers included Dasheeda Dawson (NYC’s Cannabis Czar), Tremain Wright (New York State Cannabis Control Board), Sara Gullickson (Founder and CEO of Cannabis Business Advisors), and many more. ICBC Berlin GIF and B2B Trade Show With the imminent legalization of Germany’s adult-use market, the…

As an integrative veterinarian in Oakland, California, it was inevitable questions would arise about the use of cannabis for pets. After Prop 215 passed in 1996 and people had legal access to medical cannabis, and then Prop 64 introduced adult-use recreational cannabis in 2016, many Californians experienced profoundly positive health benefits from cannabis. When those people saw their pets suffering from medical conditions, they naturally turned to their veterinarian to ask if cannabis could provide relief in similar ways. At the time, none of us had the answers. There was no research on the therapeutic use of cannabis for animals and nowhere to find the information we needed. Veterinarians had to blaze their own trail. What we found was that animals benefit from medical cannabis in all the same ways…

Many people are first drawn to cannabis out of necessity, searching for medicine or a miracle. When asked what inspired him to enter the cannabis industry, Mountaintop Extracts CEO Eric Merryman hesitated. “Inspired?” He lingered over the word before explaining his cannabis journey began with Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) and a diagnosis no one saw coming. His mother was diagnosed with latestage fallopian tube cancer in 2012. One of Merryman’s sons suggested he research cannabis as a potential treatment for his mother’s illness. Before long, she was using RSO regularly and the family was hopeful about her prognosis. Merryman quickly realized he wanted more control over the products his mom was ingesting. Any toxins in the cannabis or residual solvents left during the extraction process could make her health worse.…

Extraction and processing technologies have played a significant role in the cannabis sector over the last 10 to 15 years. The importance of these technologies to the global cannabis sector is only going to increase over the next five years, which should provide opportunities on many different levels. Developing a Consistent Nomenclature GEP initially introduced a new idea on cannabis nomenclature in Miami at Benzinga and presented it formally in Berlin at the Global Investor Forum (GIF) in late June. A cornerstone of the new nomenclature is the fact that cannabis is the genus of this amazing plant. As a result, we believe the term should be capitalized and should be inclusive of all forms of the product, whatever molecules it includes. From that broad perspective, it can be broken…

Baton Rouge, Louisiana is a city that historically has been ranked as having “one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes.” According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “out of every 100,000 Black adults, only 380 become business owners.” Dreka Gates is one of those business owners. She was born and raised in Baton Rouge and always knew she would be successful. Gates is a determined and ambitious strategist. She didn’t cave when things didn’t work as planned or when her support system faded. Instead, Gates turned her disappointment into passion and used that passion as fuel. She became a boss: owner of multiple businesses, social media influencer, model, YouTuber, and gardener. Instead of giving up, she started building empires. In less than two…

RETAIL REVOLUTION If you just opened up shop in a newly legalized state or need to differentiate your brand in a crowded marketplace, Cannabis & Tech Today has the tips you need to succeed. We’ll speak with established MSOs and successful family-owned brands to learn what gives them an edge over the competition. MJBIZ CONNECTIONS It’s the biggest event of the year and C&TT will be on-site speaking with the innovators and entrepreneurs invigorating the industry. What are the predictions for next year? Which celebs will be debuting new collaborations and activations? Find the answers to these questions and more in the most anticipated issue of 2023. ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH In this Regional Spotlight, C&TT explores one of the nation’s oldest cannabis markets with an in-depth look at Colorado. After…