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GARY VAYNERCHUK’S Got Five On It
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WANDA JAMES The Politics of Prohibition
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
Charles Warner, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
“ We knew that technology and innovation were taking this industry by storm, and these stories were just waiting to be told.”
Forging Our Own Path
I
t takes a certain boldness to go out into unmapped waters. You see, we knew that there was a missing niche within cannabis media. We knew that technology and innovation were taking this industry by storm, and these stories were just waiting to be told. But not many before have breached the subject of cannabis and tech. We had to forge our own path and carve out our space here. Boldly we did it, and boldly we succeeded. This spirit of courage and perseverance is perfectly represented in this, the fall and second issue of Cannabis & Tech Today. It takes determination to become Colorado’s first African American dispensary owner and stand for social justice, but Wanda James did it. It takes foresight and courage to speak on the record and to become an early investor in this industry, but Gary Vaynerchuk is doing it. This spirit has brought this industry to the forefront of our society. So in this issue, we celebrate those people: the entrepreneurs, the catalysts, the scientists, the activists. Along with Wanda James and Gary Vaynerchuk, this issue also features stories with prominent advocates such as Yvonne DeLaRosa Green, who received Los Angeles’ first marijuana business license. We also spoke with Mike Tyson, who is embracing the potential healing benefits of the plant. Lastly, we host a discussion with former NFL players Shaun Smith and Eben Britton on usage in professional sports. And there is so much more to explore. Most excitingly, in this issue, we’re debuting “The Lab,” a section dedicated to the science behind cannabis. Hear from scientist Dr. Daniela Vergara about the importance of genetic research and funding. Learn the science behind grow-lighting and how plants respond to it. Also in this issue, we’ll explore everything from security solutions and sustainability to business profiles and the latest products. Of course, we also dive into the lighter side of the industry. Rolly Crump, former “Imagineer” for Disney and creator of “It’s a Small World,” shares how he created one of the most popular marijuana posters of all time. Finally, stand-up comedian Matt Cobos shares an admittedly stupid but amusing story about his weed-centric high school antics. We thank you so much for joining us in this issue of Cannabis & Tech Today and helping us celebrate the innovators, the entrepreneurs, and the trailblazers in the fast-growing cannabis industry. Enjoy!
2
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
SINCE LAST ISSUE…
PUBLISHER/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Charles Warner cwarner@goipw.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Shane Brisson shane@goipw.com
A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH AT MJBIZCON NEXT We are extremely excited to share that the launch of Cannabis & Tech Today’s inaugural issue was a complete and utter success. Of course, it would have been impossible without some key players. Our cover stars, Ricky Williams, Kevin O’Leary, and Cassandra Farrington, played integral roles in making the premiere edition of C&T Today unforgettable. MJBizCon NEXT gave us the perfect platform to debut the new publication, allowing us to drive the conversation around the technology being integrated into the cannabis industry. Finally, we owe thanks to all of our advertisers and, most importantly, our readers for making this launch a possibility. Whether you were there for the debut or you’re a first-time reader, we hope you enjoy this follow-up to the triumphant debut of Cannabis & Tech Today.
420 GAMES GOES FOR THE GOLD Jim McAlpine, a longtime athlete and cannabis user, explained to us his revelation: “Let’s use athletics to change the stigma of cannabis.” The result was the 420 Games, a national tour of events stopping in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, and Pittsburgh. We were lucky enough to attend the Denver event and join the discussion around cannabis and fitness. With vendors, sports-focused cannabis products, a decathlon, and even some special guests from the NFL and UFC, the 420 Games did exactly what McAlpine hoped it would; help change the stigma around cannabis. SPECIAL THANKS TO: Karin Lazarus, Tim Cullen, Joann Mignago, Kali Wilder, Emily McCarter, David Hazan, Ricardo Baca, Simply Pure Dispensary, Jonathan Sterwart This publication is dedicated to the dreamers, the innovators, the collaborators, and the doers – who can’t be bothered by those saying it can’t be done. Nicholas and Aria, the future is yours! For print or digital subscriptions, visit innotechtoday.com, or find us on popular digital newsstands and readers.
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contents FALL 2018
FALL ISSUE COVERS 42 The Politics of Prohibition with Wanda James By Patricia Miller Photo IPW/Adam SaldaĂąa
92 Gary Vaynerchuk Talks Cannabiz
12 Know Before You Grow
By Charles Warner Photo Win Wolloff for IPW
Departments 10 By the Numbers
22 Science
12 K now Before
24 AgTech
You Grow
104 Product Revolution
16 Women in Weed
108 Coming Next Issue
18 Finance
110 Events
20 Legislation
112 Lighter Side
28 Innovator Profile Ricardo Baca: Journalism, Justice, and the War on Weed
30 Sustainability Reduce, Reuse, Reclaim 32 Insider Perspective on Power 34 A Timeline of Cultivation Tech
38 Security Is Drone Security Ready for Takeoff? Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
6
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
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contents FALL 2018
42 Business Innovations The Politics of Prohibition with Wanda James 50 Yvonne DeLaRosa: Malibu’s Marijuana Pioneer 52 Data Solutions and Disruptive Technologies 54 An Industry in Bloom 56 Repairing the Cannabis Real Estate Problem 58 P review: Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo 60 Fall 2018 Company Spotlight 62 A Guide to Investing
64 Health & Wellness Iron Mike’s Metamorphosis 66 Putting Stigma on the Sideline 70 Can CBD Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease? 74 Less is More: Microdosing for Pain Management 78 Can Insurance Cover Cannabis?
96 Rolly Crump’s Whimsical World
80 The Lab Cracking the Genetic Code 82 From Potency to Profits 84 Lighting the Way
86 Incubator Breaking Bud with Colorado Harvest Company CEO Tim Cullen
92 Media & Entertainment Gary Vaynerchuk Talks Cannabiz 96 Rolly Crump’s Whimsical World 102 Seeds of Celebrity
8
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
FIND THE TALENT YOU NEED TO
SUCCEED
DISPENSARIES G R O W FA C I L I T I E S EXTRACTION DISTRIBUTION M A N U FA C T U R I N G TESTING SALES & MARKETING FINANCE TECHNOLOGY LEGAL
W W W. C A N N A B I Z T E A M . C O M 8 5 8 . 5 1 9 . 8 8 8 2
e NUMB RS
by the
A look at the metrics shaping the cannabis business market — and our lives
Cannabinoid-Based Pharmaceuticals Projected Market-Size in Billions, 2020-2029 50
50
2013
2015
35
2016
30
30
2017
25 20
20
0
0
1
*Projected
Revenue, Expenses, and Start-up costs of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries (2017) UNREGULATED DISPENSARIES:
UNREGULATED DISPENSARIES:
740,000
UNREGULATED DISPENSARIES:
400,000
$
100,000
$
REGULATED DISPENSARIES:
3,000,000
$
REGULATED DISPENSARIES:
1,920,000
$
Annual Revenue
Annual Operating Expenses
REGULATED DISPENSARIES:
775,000
$
Start-up Costs
*(business launched in the last three years)
How much medical marijuana users spend on cannabis a month by age (2016) Age
10
5.1 4.8
2021*
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
$
4.3 3.7
2020*
5
3.8
3.1
2019*
10 2
3.2 2.9
2018*
15
10
1.6 1.6 2.0 2.0 2.4 2.2 2.7 2.5
2014
42 40
MMJ retail sales for U.S. from 2013-2021 in Billions
$150 or more
$50-150
Less than $50
18-24 years:
30.2%
52.4%
17.5%
25-34 years:
27.9%
51.3%
20.8%
35-44 years:
31.9%
47%
21.1%
45-54 years:
21.3%
52.1%
26.6%
55-64 years:
22.1%
48.3%
29.7%
65+ years:
15.7%
55.7%
28.6%
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
Sources: Statista.com
2
3
4
5
6.8 6
7
Percentage of U.S. that are medical marijuana patients by State (2017) California ...............3.83% Maine.....................3.31% Michigan ...............2.2% New Mexico............2.13% Arizona ..................1.89% Rhode Island .........1.71% Colorado ...............1.53% Oregon ..................1.49% Montana ...............1.48% Hawaii ..................1.05% Nevada ..................0.95% D.C.........................0.77% Vermont ...............0.71% Connecticut ............0.53% Massachusetts ......0.5% Washington ............0.33% Delaware ...............0.32% Illinois.....................0.18% New Hampshire ......0.16% Alaska ..................0.14% New Jersey ............0.14% New York ...............0.13% Minnesota ............0.12%
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TESTING
DEPARTMENTS // KNOW BEFORE
Know Before You Grow
By Alex Moersen
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
Beginning in 1996 with California’s Proposition 215, the opportunity for patients to grow their own medical marijuana became a reality in America. Nowadays, the act of growing cannabis at home has become a hobby amongst many enthusiasts. However, even a veteran gardener may not be prepared for the unique challenges that growing cannabis at home might present. Plus, with so much information out there, it can be easy to get bogged down. However, this guide should give you the proper basics you need to start growing your very own plants.
Besides space, there are a few other things to consider. For example, you’re going to want to find a dry, cool place to start. It must be clean with limited to no light. These characteristics will give you full control over the environment, giving your plants a more consistent climate. And, of course, since you’re going to be checking on your plants consistently, you’ll want to ensure they are in a convenient spot.
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
WHERE TO START
Now that you’re sure that you’re allowed to grow cannabis, it is time to decide where to set up your operation. Since you’re just starting out, it’s not a bad idea to start small with the potential to expand. You may want to start out with only two or three plants. They will be easier to monitor and, as a newcomer, any mistakes you make will be less costly. Luckily, there are likely many places around your house 12
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
where you can set up. You can choose a closet, a corner of your basement or garage, a tent, cabinet, or a spare room. Just keep in mind that you will have to cater the area to fit your plants, lights, and other equipment. It’s also important to remember that marijuana plants can double or even triple in size during their early stages of flowering so an area with plenty of headspace is necessary.
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
The first thing to consider when deciding to grow cannabis is, of course, the legality of it. As this is written, only nine states, plus D.C., have legalized recreational marijuana. Before starting your new hobby, we first suggest you thoroughly research the legality of doing so in whatever state you may reside.
When it comes to equipment, the quality of light will be your number one environmental
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The final light accessory you’ll need is a reliable timer. Generally, you will have your lights on for 16-20 hours a day while the plants are in vegetative growth, then only 12 hours a day when they are to bloom. Since the lights need to turn on and off at the same times every day, a timer is essential. Other than lights, you’ll also need to create a steady stream of airflow. This can easily be achieved by means of an exhaust fan placed near the top of the room. Ideally, you want your temperature to range from 70 to 85 degrees fahrenheit when lights are on and between 58 and 70 degrees fahrenheit when they are off. We advise that you set up your lights, turn them on for awhile, and then decide how much airflow you’ll need to maintain comfortable temperatures for your plants.
SOIL VS. HYDROPONICS Now you have all the equipment you need and can finally get to planting your cannabis. There are two mediums you can use for growing your plants: soil or hydroponics. Soil, naturally, is the most traditional option for growing. It’s also the most forgiving, making it a good option for firsttimers. Any high-quality potting soil (without artificial extended release fertilizer) will work.
14
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
However, the best option is organic prefertilized soil – often referred to as “super soil” – which will allow you to grow cannabis plants from start to finish without any added nutrients. On the other hand, a rising trend in indoor growing is hydroponics. This method requires the use of concentrated solutions of mineral salt nutrients that are absorbed directly by the roots through osmosis. Due to the direct absorption, hydroponics also requires higher precision as plants are quicker to react to over- or underfeeding. Commercial soilless mixes are widely available, but it might be easier for novices to stick with standard soil.
rot,” or fungal root diseases, when conditions are too wet. How often you water your plants will depend on size and ambient temperatures. Remember that this is a learning process, which is why it’s important to start small. As you grow, you’ll learn how to best read your plants to know when they are thirsty or hungry. At the end of the day, like any gardening activity, growing cannabis takes diligence, but will be worth the wait when all of that patience pays off. h
FEEDING AND WATERING Finally, you have your plants potted, your lights set up, and your fans ready. If you aren’t using prefertilized soil, you’ll have to feed your plants at least once a week. For a healthy plant, you’ll require macronutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) and micronutrients (Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Copper). These nutrients are sold in either liquid or powder form and are meant to be mixed with water. It’ll be best to start at half-strength when feeding as it is easier to overfeed than underfeed a cannabis plant. The most important thing to remember during the early phases is to not overwater. Cannabis plants are very susceptible to “root
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
factor for growing healthy plants. Your best option is likely HID (high intensity discharge) lighting, which have become the industry standard due to their output, efficiency, and value. They may cost more than fluorescent fixtures, but can produce far more light. Alternatively, they may not be as efficient as LED lights, but they are often a fraction of the cost. HIDs use two different types of lamps: Metal halide (MH) for vegetative growth and high pressure sodium (HPS) for the flowering stage. If you can’t afford both, it’s best to start with HPS since they deliver more light per watt. In addition to the lights, you’ll also need a ballast (to help regulate the current) and a hood/reflector for each lamp. Magnetic ballasts are cheaper, but generally run hotter and less efficiently. Alternatively, digital ballasts are generally better, but are more expensive. Finally, unless you’re growing in a large, open area, you’ll need air-cooled reflector hoods in which to mount your lamps in as HID bulbs produce a lot of heat.
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
DEPARTMENTS // KNOW BEFORE
DEPARTMENTS // WOMEN IN WEED
Sweetening the Pot By Alex Moersen
Karin Lazarus, founder of Sweet Mary Jane, shares her experience breaking into the cannabis industry As cannabis has entered the mainstream, its demographic of use has changed and molded drastically. The substance has become approachable for more people, expanding into even boutique bakeries. Founded by Karin Lazarus in 2010, Sweet Mary Jane utilizes handmade treats to make the substance as approachable as possible. Since its founding, the bakery has won numerous awards, including the 2017 THC Championship Best Edible, and Karin Lazarus was even featured in the documentary Mary Janes: Women in Weed. We had the opportunity to speak with Lazarus about her work in edibles and how gender dynamics in the cannabis industry are unique differ compared to others.
intrigued with the idea that this plant could improve lives. In 2009, I entered the Scharffen Berger’s Chocolate Adventure Contest and won the grand prize. This was my ticket to entering the cannabis industry. Of course, this was a bit scary back in 2010 – this was unpaved territory and I was unsure of how to navigate it. But I did it. I went ahead and found a space to rent (no easy task back then), applied for my MIP (marijuanainfused products) license, and started testing recipes. I baked, packaged, and brought the products to dispensaries to try out. They sold and they are still selling. C&T Today: What has your experience been like breaking into this industry? KL: It’s been a roller coaster! I didn’t realize when I started that the ground was still shifting beneath us. But I’m glad I didn’t know; I may not have chosen to go down this path. Change is something I have come to expect and have become adept at. Changes in rules and regulations, the labeling requirements, seed-tosale tracking, the packaging, testing, having to mark each edible with the THC symbol (this one was very challenging for us), are all big things that were not in place in the beginning and have now become mandatory. C&T Today: Why is gender parity in the cannabis industry so important?
Cannabis & Tech Today: Can you tell me about the inception of Sweet Mary Jane? Karin Lazarus: Baking has always been a part of my life; I have loved it since I was a little kid. The idea of opening a marijuana bakery snuck up on me so quietly, I can’t say exactly when and how it took hold. I read an article about the health benefits of cannabis and I became 16
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
KL: Greater gender equality in the cannabis industry fosters more inclusive growth, because women are more likely than men to invest in the human capital of their employees, customers, clients, and vendors. At Sweet Mary Jane, we take every single call from patients who reach out to ask us questions about our products; we spend time on the phone with them and let them know they matter to us. I have found that women tend to keep ego out of the equation. The women at Sweet Mary Jane are ethical,
want to do good work, and create products that they are proud of. They’re not looking for a shout out every time they make something beautiful. Although our crew is made up of mostly women, I do want to say that the men working here also apply that same code of ethics to their jobs. C&T Today: How do gender dynamics in the cannabis industry differ from other industries, say the tech or business worlds? KL: The tech and business worlds illustrate the persistence of inequality between men and women in the 21st century. Women opened the door to the cannabis field, confidently stepped in, and brought it to light without shutting anyone out. Women dominated this field for quite some time; however, the percentage of women-owned companies has fallen off, more men have entered the field, and sadly, because of the social policy problem, men have a much easier time attracting investors. h
DEPARTMENTS // FINANCE
Breaking the Bank By Jordan French
Why the cash-heavy cannabis industry still faces banking challenges Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
Cannabis businesses in the United States continue to face hurdles at just about every corner of the market. From banking to transactions, companies of all sizes and structures continue to manage their own money even as cannabis grows into a billion-dollar industry. Even when owners are able to find a banking solution, they run the risk of their account being canceled at any given time. It isn’t uncommon to hear owners go on about the headaches they’ve had searching for a bank or other institution that will accept their business — which can exceed millions of dollars. Currently, cannabis remains a Schedule I narcotic. Until the federal government reschedules it, these businesses are technically operating illegally. Thus, banks, credit cards, and other financial services are on notice not to do business with cannabis or face the consequences. This remains the current landscape in America despite two-thirds of the country having some form of legalized cannabis in their state. A handful of credit unions conduct business with cannabis companies despite the legal 18
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
ramifications. By word of mouth, participating credit unions have found ways to handle money from their clients without catching the attention of federal authorities. Despite the growth and expectations for the cannabis industry, American financial institutions do not appear to be budging on their stance. For the period ending September 31, 2017, just .03 percent of banks and credit unions conducted business with the cannabis industry. With the risks looming overhead, financial institutions just don’t see the riskreward lining up. By taking on cannabis businesses, banks find themselves facing severe compliance risks that could cause lasting damage to large institutions and potentially close small credit unions. California is taking steps to provide an in-state solution to its business owners. A proposed bill working through the state’s Congress, SB 930, would allow certain banks to handle the state’s cannabis revenue. If approved, California would install a limited-purpose state charter to allow private financed banking institutions to conduct business while being regulated by the state’s
Department of Business Oversight. The state decided to move forward with its plans after President Trump acknowledged that the federal government would not step in on states with legalized cannabis markets. While the news from the White House has the industry more assured, Capitol Hill dealt businesses a defeat this summer. This past June, the congressional House Committee on Appropriations rejected a measure that would have provided legal protection for companies and owners operating in legalized states. Despite trying to limit the scope of the measure after its initial rejection, the second attempt was removed before a vote could be made. At this time, businesses operating in cannabis should expect little to any banking solutions in the United States. While California might be making strides of its own, federal regulations loom overhead, causing fear across banks and businesses alike. While the situation is difficult, financial institutions cannot be faulted for their stance. Just like the cannabis industry, one small misstep and the federal government will be all over you. h
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DEPARTMENTS // LEGISLATION
Partners for Fifty Years: Legalization and Technology By Allen St. Pierre
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
In the continuing “David vs. Goliath” struggle for non-profit organizations leading the charge to end cannabis prohibition, in chronological order of introduction, here are the twenty technologies relating to three primary communications channels—mailing, telephones, and internet technologies—that have helped to make legalization possible in the United States and other nations. The early cannabis reform groups of the 1960s and 70s, like LeMar, Amorphia, and NORML, seized upon the need to employ the most important in-office and mass communication device of it’s day—mimeographs (to mass copy newsletters, flyers, and membership forms). These same organizations relied upon mailing via the U.S. Postal Service to communicate with supporters, raise funds, and lobby elected policymakers. The mailing technology provided by a company such as Pitney Bowes enabled these organizations to directly communicate, solicit, and organize stakeholders. The advent of personal computing in the early 1980s resulted in massive societal change and awesome potential for advancing cannabis law reform. Database creation, and it’s myriad of uses, took flight (and would help crucially drive productivity and functionality in future computing uses). 20
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
The facsimile (or fax) machine became an important communications advancement for cannabis reformers in the 1980s, at times replacing postal mailings in favor of fax’s immediacy (and ability to better target recipients).
changed politics and fundraising when online commerce became established with companies like PayPal, Amazon, and Apple’s iTunes. Second only to the advent of the internet for marijuana law reformers was the mass marketing of cell phones in the early 2000s.
With the introduction of cable over broadcast TV, ‘box top’ modems were placed in nearly every home, allowing advertisers (and marijuana law reformers) to target specific areas and demographics in regional or national ad campaigns.
A surprising revisit to telephone technology helped pro-reform organizations both save substantial money and greatly increase stakeholder collaboration with the founding of FreeConferenceCall.com.
The mailing of printed paper by pro-reform cannabis activists largely ceased in the mid 1990s due to the mass introduction of the internet (and its accompanying email) and its population of webpages. The internet boom of the 1990s, where readers sought out content, was fueled by the invention of Really Simple Syndication feed (RSS) enabling citizens interested in the topic of marijuana to have news on the subject matter delivered to their computer’s desktop. Search engines (such as Yahoo, Lycos, and eventually Google) empowered readers to quickly research most any document posted on the internet (i.e., useful for debunking government anti-pot propaganda). The beginning of the 2000s substantially
YouTube, along with blogging and podcasting software, made every computer user a potential publisher and broadcaster by the mid 2000s. Geo-tagging on the internet became the primary way to identify the general location of an end user, which super-charged the modern social media age for cannabis reformers with platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Finally, smartphone apps have empowered cannabis law reform supporters (and businesses) with immediacy, accuracy, location, and relevancy in ways to communicate with the public and influence policymakers never envisaged even by technology pioneers. h Allen St. Pierre was NORML’s executive director from 2006-2016 and serves on the organization’s board of directors.
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DEPARTMENTS // SCIENCE
Why the Future of Cannabinoids Will Be Yeast By Josh Kaplan Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
“The future of cannabinoid production will not be in greenhouses or farms.” That’s a bold statement from Librede’s CEO, Jason Poulos, Ph.D. But he might be right. Librede is a California-based company that sprung from the biochemistry and bioengineering labs of UCLA that is turning cannabis production upside down by employing yeast to do the hard labor of producing cannabinoids. They may just hold the technology that will make cannabinoidbased medicines available for us all. The increased demand for cannabis that’s accompanied legalization is not without consequences. Cannabis cultivation profoundly taxes local water supplies and energy grids and exposes local watersheds and wildlife to harmful pesticides inherent in the poorly regulated industry. It’s estimated that between 3-6 percent of the U.S. energy consumption goes to the cannabis industry, and that percentage is even higher in the state of California, highlighting the extreme environmental impact of cannabis cultivation. And once it’s cultivated, processed, and sold, it’s not cheap. The cost of cannabis flower and related products can be prohibitively expensive, 22
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especially for those who require daily use to treat their condition. Perhaps there’s a better way of producing cannabinoid-based medicines, one that’s more environmentally-friendly and cost-effective than growing the plants. Enter yeast. Dr. Poulos and his team have developed genetic techniques that convert your grocery store yeast into cannabinoid-producing workhorses. And the government has helped, as they’ve received nearly $2 million in government grants to optimize and scale their technology for mass production. “The NIH supports innovative technologies like ours since we can offer a reliable way to produce therapeutics without the consequences of growing cannabis. We can separate the parts, get rid of the psychoactive components, and keep the therapeutic compounds,” Poulos stated. Librede has been specifically investing their energy into optimizing CBD production (technically the yeast produce CBD-acid, which, when heated, becomes CBD), but Dr. Poulos says the same process could be utilized to make any of the cannabinoids. The trick is getting the yeast to make cannabinoid
precursors, CBGA or CBGVA. From there, if you get yeast to express the right enzyme, the entire cannabinoid spectrum is possible. This may prove useful for optimizing cannabis-based medicines that incorporate a combination of cannabinoids. The process is fast and cheap. Yeast can turn sugar or other starting chemicals into cannabinoid precursors, like hexanoic acidcoenzyme A, and then churn out cannabinoids in less than a week. Their goal is to produce 250kg of the cannabinoid monthly at a cost of $20/kg for pharmaceutical-grade pure cannabinoids – current wholesale prices of CBD are approximately $6,000/kg. Even a substantial mark-up provides significant cost-savings than the currently available products. We’re still a few years off from satisfying our cannabinoid fix with yeast, but don’t be surprised if political and environmental pressures promote abandoning some of the high-impact cultivation practices towards a more sustainable production method. And when it comes to wellness benefits, a yeast-produced pure cannabinoid and terpenebased medicine may be just what the doctor ordered. h
DEPARTMENTS // AGTECH
A Violet Future for Cannabis Growers As the demand for cannabis and hemp-based products explodes nationwide, so does the need for growing space. In 2018, hemp growers in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington have increased their demand for indoor growing space to enable them to grow year-round. Globally, the need for indoor agriculture has been compounded by toxic or weakened soil from over-farming, chemical spraying, loss of topsoil, and climate change. Indoor growing is Violet Gro’s entry point. The increasing difficulty in keeping up with the cannabis industry’s rapid growth is driving more and more hemp growers inside. Violet Gro’s innovative lighting technology enhances growth and can specifically incorporate UV light to protect sensitive cannabis plants from harmful mold, mildew, and other pests. Research on UV light has also demonstrated that the incorporation of UV-A and UV-B light can drive increased production of cannabinoids. Violet Gro is the sister company of Violet Defense, a dynamic next-gen indoor lighting technology company, headquartered in Florida, that deploys the revolutionary Surface & Air Germ Elimination (S.A.G.E.) system. The violet and UV light source in the S.A.G.E. products combine with an ultraviolet transmissive lens to produce greater photonic energy from surface to cells. Using the same photonic energy as the sun, the S.A.G.E. system kills up to 99 percent of germs. Violet Gro applies this same lens technology to its LED grow lights, allowing more light to reach the plants at a lower energy requirement. This lens material also prevents fouling and degradation that occurs in many traditional horticulture lights. The Violet Gro 200W, 11024
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
volt 8’ light only draws 1.8 amps — about 20 percent of the energy draw of a fluorescent sodium overhead office tube of the same length. When you’re talking thousands of lights in a grow facility, the reduced strain on electrical grids is enormous. Not to mention the cost. Most of all, the light promotes strong growth and deep plant protection. “An indoor facility of 500,000 square feet might have 20,000 lights,” said Terrance Berland, CEO of Violet Defense. “Our product could save over 100,000 amps at that usage level compared to traditional lighting.” When it comes to plant protection, “If you have a 20-acre farm and, say, 30,000 plants, and a pest problem, you could be $500,000 out of pocket,” said Kurt Kucera, President of Violet Gro, heading up its operation in Grand Junction, CO. “That doesn’t happen when the plants are grown indoors with our technology.” “People have the opportunity to move indoors, which creates additional sustainability
and all sorts of benefits,” Kucera continued. “Growers can minimize or eliminate their use of pesticides and herbicides. The use of water reduces significantly because moving indoors reduces runoff and evaporation — a big issue in the West. The bottom line: you harvest a safer, more organic product.” Where do growers find indoor facilities to deploy the game-changing lighting technology? As they say, when one plant dies, another rises. The decline of brick-and-mortar retail has left many small- and big-box retail facilities empty, some warehouse-sized (think Sam’s Club). Growers and farmers are starting to snap them up, an unforeseen but tremendous benefit for indoor growing — and a prime operating spot for Violet Gro technology. “We have clients looking at obtaining buildings, and we expect to see this increasing everywhere as we move our agriculture indoors to increase yield and be more sustainable in this changed climate,” Kucera said. h
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INNOVATOR PROFILE
Journalism, Justice, and the War on Weed By Patricia Miller
Ricardo Baca dives deep into legalization, investigative journalism, and the failed war on drugs in this exclusive interview.
There are few people involved in the cannabis space who are as passionate as Ricardo Baca. His enthusiasm for journalism and responsible drug policy has taken him all over the world, speaking at events such as the National Cannabis Policy Summit, the O’Cannabiz Conference and Expo, and the upcoming New West Summit to be held this October. As former Editor-in-Chief and founder of The Cannabist, Baca made connections with some of the most influential names in marijuana and now he’s putting his experience to work with his communications firm, Grasslands: A Journalism-Minded Agency. Cannabis journalism has come a long way since the pothead jokes and derision Baca experienced in his early interviews, evidenced by his appearance on The Colbert Report in 2013. Now, Baca is working with some of marijuana’s most powerful people and using his twenty years of journalistic experience to inform and educate. 28
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His podcast “Cannabis & Main” aims to tackle some of the industry’s most pressing issues and add much-needed depth to a space that’s saturated with introductory-level information. In this interview, Baca reveals how things have changed since legalization, what still needs to be done, and what’s next for the blossoming industry. Cannabis & Tech Today: How have you seen the message of prohibitionists change since recreational marijuana was legalized? Ricardo Baca: You know, I’ve watched it change dramatically. It’s fascinating, because you’re experiencing history at a breakneck clip, in completely real time. What’s most exciting is that they have to change their message, because their former messaging lacks all credibility now. Real-life experiences in the early regulated marketplaces have proven their original, baseless messages completely inaccurate, and they’ve had to modify it from there.
Now, it has been completely disproven that marijuana is a gateway drug. If you’re looking at true gateway drugs, alcohol is a much more significant gateway drug than marijuana, even though I think the gateway concept has largely been disproven as well. We also know from the Center for Disease Control that more than 35,000 Americans die every year from opioids and heroin and that zero people die every year from cannabis. So the prohibitionists’ messaging has changed drastically over the last few years. I think it’s thrilling because we have actual, reallife data that tells us that their previous messages were total bulls***. C&T Today: What do you think is missing from cannabis journalism right now? RB: I would start with data journalism. It’s obviously a very small subset of journalism in general, but I would venture to say most journalists don’t consider themselves great at math. That’s why having a great data journalist is
Baca and his team execute events and build publicity for cannabis companies across the country. His communications firm, Grasslands: A Journalism-Minded Agency, provides services ranging from public relations, content marketing, contextual social media, and thought-leadership consulting.
so rare, whether we’re talking about somebody reporting on the energy sector or the cannabis sector. Somebody doing great work in that sphere is Chris Ingraham, he’s one of the lead drug policy writers for the Washington Post. The work that he’s done has really elevated the game and has really challenged others to do better work. We’re not seeing nearly enough investigative journalism in this space either. I spent 14–15 months on cannabis pesticides alone. I was thankful to have a team that had my back because I was off doing my own discovery, learning about pesticides and patterns of use. If you try to step in and start writing about pesticides when you know nothing about it, that’s going to show … That story didn’t run until two or three months into my education process, and so it’s understandable that there’s not enough investigative reporting on the cannabis beat. But at the same time, that makes it one of those areas that you’re asking about, that we need more of. I would very much argue that, even though a lot of these stories will put the industry in a bad light, a lot of these stories will also put
regulators in a challenging light. I think so long as we’re challenging the government and challenging the industry, we’re elevating everything for everybody, and that’s, of course, the importance of journalism. It’s holding the powerful accountable, but really, how accountable are you holding them when you can’t dig into a tasty story for a number of weeks, or even a number of months?
would call myself an advocate, but more importantly, I do believe that — and this is new and kind of uncomfortable for me to say, because I spent my life at newspapers where an ethics policy has always prevented me from speaking out publicly — I very much am an activist for sensible drug policy, and that is central to my life’s mission now. That is central to my agency’s mission.
C&T Today: What role do you think technology will play in the future of cannabis regulation?
I think this country has perpetuated a broken model of drug policy, and because we are the most powerful country in the world, that pisspoor policy has spread throughout the world, as a result of our power and our weight. I think that’s tragic.
RB: I think we haven’t even seen the role that technology will ultimately play. You look at an industry that remains unbanked, an industry that remains highly taxed, an industry that has countless, untold state-versus-federal barriers in this country alone. So really, what can technology do when this product still can’t cross state boundaries? C&T Today: How do you maintain a balance between being supportive of legalization while also presenting an unbiased perspective for your readers? RB: It’s not that I call myself an activist for legalization of cannabis: I definitely don’t. I
We’ve seen lives ruined by a drug war that had no basis in reality. I think you can still be a credible journalist writing on this beat, while also acknowledging that the drug war was a massive failure, and that we have failed our worldwide neighbors in pushing drug policy that was more rooted and based in fear, manipulation, and lies than drug policy that was based in what we actually know. I think legalization is just the first step in America finally getting drug policy right for the first time in nearly a century. h Fall 2018 // Cannabis & Tech Today
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// SUSTAINABILITY //
Reduce, Reuse, Reclaim By Alex Moersen
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
Strategies such as reverse osmosis and condensate reclamation are becoming the forerunners in reducing cannabis’ hefty water consumption problem.
Brandy Keen (Left) is the co-founder and senior technical advisor at Surna, an indoor cultivation and energy company. To her, the key factors in preserving water lie in strict climate control, which allows for predictable water usage. If properly executed, she believes there are thousands of dollars to be saved.
Like much of U.S. agriculture, the majority of cannabis in the country is produced in California. However, the state’s ongoing drought has forced some to take a hard look at the thirsty crops grown there. While “thirsty crops” may garner thoughts of grapes and almonds, cannabis, too, is quite water-intensive. Plus, now that cannabis cultivation is slowly but surely entering the public eye, there are those who are beginning to look at the overall sustainability and environmental effects of the plant. In June of 2015, BioScience published a research paper on the sustainability of cannabis. Naturally, one of the areas of analysis was water consumption. They found that an estimated 22 liters of water or more are consumed per plant per day during the June-to-October growing season. Applying this number to documented planting densities for greenhouses and outdoor grows, they found that water rates would be approximately three billion liters per squarekilometer in greenhouses and 430 million liters per square-kilometer outdoors. “For comparison,” the study explains, “wine grapes on the California north coast are estimated to use a mean of 271 million liters of water per square-kilometer of vines per growing season … Marijuana is therefore estimated to be almost 30
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
two times more ‘thirsty’ than wine grapes, the other major irrigated crop in the region.” This is especially concerning, considering the fact that some estimate 60 to 70 percent of marijuana in the U.S. is grown in California. Because of marijuana’s insatiable hankering for water, many cultivators have been seeking out sustainable alternatives that are ultimately better for the environment — and their wallets. “We’re starting to see some cultivators capture their nutrient runoff, or expired nutrient water, and recycle that through a filtration system to clean it and reuse it,” explained Brandy Keen, cofounder and senior technical advisor at Surna, an indoor cultivation and engineering company. “We’re seeing cultivators seek out the most efficient reverse osmosis systems … Lastly, the owners of these facilities are starting to pay more attention to condensate reclamation and reuse.” However, for optimal water efficiency, it’s important to look at the whole system. In some ways, a growing operation is only as sustainable as its weakest link. In Surna’s case, their systems take into account the entire environment, which makes water usage much more predictable and easier to manage. As Keen explained, “Our
systems allow for a very precise and consistent cultivation environment, which means predictability on water use and the ability to precisely meter the amount of water your plants need on a daily basis.” In fact, condensate reclamation has the potential to reduce water consumption in cultivation facilities by up to 90 percent, as long as it is in a controlled environment. “We aggressively advocate during the mechanical design phase for condensate reclamation through the dehumidification system, and then design the mechanical system to allow for that reclamation and reuse,” she explained. “Condensate is just distilled water — it needs to be oxygenated, sterilized, and carbon-filtered, and then can be returned to the irrigation tanks for reuse.” Not only do these strategies help save water, but money as well. While it varies from operation to operation, Keen estimates that there are thousands of dollars to be saved. “Assuming typical water consumption, costs, and waste, condensate reclamation alone can save up to one dollar per year per square foot of canopy,” she claimed. Considering that the cannabis growing industry is likely only going to expand, having these kind of sustainable strategies in place will be vital to its success. h
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// SUSTAINABILITY //
An Insider Perspective on Power By Les Grafton
While an essential part of cannabis cultivation, growing can be a major electrical drain. Considering a 2011 study by scientist Evan Mills claimed that indoor assembly was equal to one percent of U.S. energy supply (the same amount consumed by approximately two million homes), alternative resources are as vital as ever.
While the hemp plant is robust and hearty and grows without much human intervention, commercially-grown cannabis is typically farmed in environmentally controlled, energyintensive greenhouses. The enormous electrical requirements needed to produce commercial cannabis are placing overwhelming demands on power grids, and utility companies lack the labor force and capital to complete expensive upgrades to handle the ever-increasing need for more power. Cannabis growers have two choices: finance the expensive upgrades themselves or build their own micro grids. Let’s look at several of these alternative power sources. Fuel-cell technology. Despite the recent hype, fuel-cell technology is an unlikely alternative for cannabis growers because of its astronomic upfront cost, short lifespan, and the high level of expertise required to operate and maintain. In fact, it is used mostly as a supplemental power source since the technology is still being tested. Solar power. Solar power is still relatively expensive on a cost-per-kilowatt basis; it takes a tremendous number of panels and battery storage to produce any meaningful levels of power. In addition, users must invest in extensive real estate and rely on the cooperation 32
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
of Mother Nature. Wind power also falls in this category. If it makes sense geographically, solar and wind energies are viable options to supplement power needs, when used in conjunction with generators. Diesel generators. Despite the high price of fuel, diesel generators represent a tried and true power source due to their reliability and longevity. As long as they are serviced and maintained properly, and depending on specifications, they can average 3 to 5 years of continuous use before needing an overhaul. NG/LPG generators. With lower fuel costs, NG/LPG generators are by far the most widely utilized stand-alone power sources in the cannabis industry. These machines are typically more electrically and thermally efficient than diesel generators and are the most emissionfriendly of the generator options. They can also be combined with heat-recovery equipment to create cogeneration (often referred to as “cogen�) power plants, which allow the growers to capture the heat from the exhaust and provide inexpensive methods of heating and cooling through the use of absorption chillers. Additionally, more sophisticated cogen plants can incorporate CO2 scrubbers to capture, clean, and utilize the gas from the exhaust for injection into their greenhouses and indoor operations, reducing and even eliminating the
cost of CO2 deliveries. In fact, Combined Heat and Power (CHP or cogen) is an ideal power solution for indoor and greenhouse applications: not only does it lower overall operation costs, but it is also a more environmentally-friendly option, capturing the bulk of emissions and thus lowering the release of CO2, NOx, and other gases into the atmosphere. Growers who wonder why they should purchase a backup generator have not thought about how much money they will lose if their utility power grid fails. Even those parts of the country that enjoy stable and reliable grids can experience outages for an hour or more. In the Pacific Northwest, a nasty wind storm caused power outages a few years ago that lasted three to five days in the cities and up to two weeks in some outlying areas. What would it cost cannabis growers to be without power for that long? In the big picture, the purchase of a power generator is a relatively inexpensive crop insurance policy. h Les Grafton is the Director of Power Distribution at Critical Power Products and Services, which remains at the forefront of this new and exciting market and will continue to explore innovative solutions for the power, cooling, and heating needs of the cannabis industry for years to come.
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// SUSTAINABILITY //
A Timeline of Cultivation Tech By Allen St. Pierre
Photos Getty Images/iStockphoto
While possibly humans’ oldest relationship with a psychoactive drug going back 3,000 years, the intersection today between cannabis cultivation and technology is set in stone, in some cases by public policies and, in other cases, the need for economic efficiency. With a nod to dual irony, as the U.S. government ever-increased its surveillance and enforcement of cannabis cultivation laws circa early 1970s, the cultivation of the sacred herb increased domestically, which in turn led to an increased reliance on technology by illegal pot growers cultivating furtively indoors in an effort to escape the government’s prying eye. The other major catalysts for big influxes of technology into cannabis cultivation are the forty-year-old, quasi-legal cannabis cultivation policies in The Netherlands (where seeds for high quality cannabis were first marketed for sale), the advent in 1996 of legal medical cannabis in California, and outright legalization in 2012 (firstly, in the states of Colorado and Washington). While cannabis simply needs five important environmental factors to survive (light, water, 34
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
humidity, carbon dioxide levels, and temperature), to flourish and produce the maximum yield, the cannabis plant, like all plants, is best cultivated indoors to reach maximum growing capacity. Whether compelled by the laws of states (i.e., numerous states mandate that commercial cannabis cultivation for either medical or recreational purposes be done indoors only) or the laws of economics, cannabis cultivation is at society’s tip of technology — employing the most cutting-edge technologies in lighting, feeding, watering, energy efficiencies, security, communications, and productivity. For the first 3,000 years, cannabis cultivation was decidedly low tech with seeds and cuttings being used to produce two separate cannabis crops: hemp (for fuel, fodder, and fabric) and marijuana (for therapeutic or recreational purposes), which was grown, dried, and consumed. It was not until the 1890s when the hemp decorticator was invented in Germany that the cultivation and processing therein of the plant first intersect with technology to improve volume and efficiency of separating the plant’s fiber when processing hemp for industrial
purposes. However, the technology of decortication regarding hemp is largely lost to history and the U.S. government’s prohibition of all cannabis cultivation and related products in 1937. Cannabis cultivation and technology don’t meet again until marijuana’s widespread use in the 1960s and 70s, when illegal outdoor cultivators in the U.S., harassed by crop-busting law enforcement flying at low altitude or cropstealing thieves, often employed guerilla growing techniques aided by technology to avoid getting busted or ripped off. Growers sometimes used walkie-talkies to warn if law enforcement or crop raiders were close by; growers would monitor local police scanners for activity, motion-sensing game cameras were used to help determine if anyone visited the secret plot of crops. The success of outdoor cannabis cultivators, coupled with then-new federal laws allowing property to be seized and benefitting the arresting police agency, led to military-like pot plant busting air patrols in some regions of the nation (notably in California, Oregon,
// SUSTAINABILITY // A Timeline of Cultivation Tech
Washington, Hawaii, as well as Midwest and Appalachian states in the east), which, in turn, incentivized cultivators to embrace indoor growing—and it’s reliance on technology—to produce illegal cannabis in bulk amounts for sale and/or export. An ancient and reasonably simple crop to cultivate outdoors, indoor cannabis is entirely dependent on technology to thrive, from energy usage, lights, watering and feeding systems, timers, olfactory mitigation, temperature and humidity sensors, and radio frequency identification tags (RFID) for state cannabis regulators to monitor cannabis production from seed to sale. The trajectory of cannabis’ legal status as a taxed and regulated intoxicant (and medicine) and its dependence on technology in the future are in perfect synchronization. The indoor revolution in cannabis cultivation begins in earnest in the early 1980s with the embrace of hydroponics as a primary growing medium. First developed in the 17th century, ‘hydro’-grown plants proved that non-soil mediums sustain full plant development. Later on, German scientists focused on the necessary nutrients in water solutions that can largely replace soil and found such in three: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK). The invention of both drip irrigation and the nutrient film technique (NFT) in the 1960s creates an obvious appeal to some of the earliest indoor cannabis cultivators. According to High Times cultivation editor Danny Danko, “a combination of factors including Nixon’s 1969 crackdown on the Mexican border, Carter’s paraquat spraying, and the advent of powerful HID (High Intensity Discharge) indoor grow lighting made hydroponic marijuana growing increasingly intriguing, attractive, and possible. Soon, companies sprang up to service the needs of those growing with the increasingly more complicated hydro systems.” In a pre-internet world, via a oncerevolutionary technology — the printed press — all of this new information and cultivation jargon was largely propagated by just a few magazines and book authors, notably the longsurviving High Times magazine, the short-lived
36
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
Sensimilla Tips magazine, and cannabis cultivation writers Mel Frank, Jorge Cervantes, Ed Rosenthal, Kyle Kushman, and Danny Danko. For non-sophisticated cannabis cultivators, one of the first major public forays into the subject matter of growing cannabis hydroponically was published in the July 1982 edition of High Times (‘Do it Yourself Hydroponics’); in the May 1995 edition of High Times, ‘The Great Hydro vs. Bio Debate’ was featured amongst prominent American and Dutch cannabis cultivation experts. The influence of Dutch cultivators and seed breeders on the evolution of indoor cannabis cultivation can’t be understated. The Dutch have always been prolific and efficient farmers, dominating markets around the world with their floral exports. Since the late 1970s, Dutch governments have carved out Europe’s most tolerant and pragmatic cannabis laws during a time of worldwide cannabis prohibition by allowing the establishment of hundreds of socalled ‘coffee shops’ to sell cannabis and hash products to adults. In the early years of the coffee shops, cannabis products were largely smuggled from North Africa and the Middle East (i.e., Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, etc). Untenable for the long run, cannabis supplies by necessity in The Netherlands needed to be produced locally, and therein a quasi-legal indoor cannabis industry was first realized. Dozens of innovations for improving indoor cultivation have been championed by the Dutch in the areas of hydroponics, cloning, seed breeding, growing mediums (i.e., rockwool), soil, nutrients, CO2 infusion, and smell mitigation. Hydroponic gardening’s acceptance among elite cannabis cultivators is showcased in a deeply researched New York Times Magazine piece from 1995 by bestselling author Michael Pollan, which highlighted the Dutch’s prominence and significance in cannabis cultivation’s embrace of technology—including profiling an American cannabis cultivator who “tended” his hydro garden remotely to avoid detection by employing computers, software, and modems. Unlike outdoor cannabis that needs little
more than sun, water, and nutrients, indoor cannabis requires numerous other factors that have come to increasingly rely on ever-evolving and improving technologies to maximize yield, minimize cultivation time, and secure against encroachment. The evolution of cannabis cultivation indoors from fluorescent to a family of high-intensity discharge lights is a remarkably short one at barely forty years. There are competing and compelling reasons why cannabis cultivators may choose to use one form of lighting over another: crop yield, energy efficiency, and plant quality. The popular range of HID wattages are from 150 for a small personal indoor garden to 1100 for commercial growing with lumens-per-watt efficiency, spectral balance, and brilliance providing the data points to measure a garden’s overall light efficiency. Measure? Most cannabis cultivators, notably indoor growers, possess a plethora of electronic meters to measure a myriad of necessary conditions in an attempt to maximize their crop’s output: air (humidity), lights (lumens), soil, temperature, water, and nutrient content. The last and likely most important catalyst for the marriage of technology and cannabis cultivation is the quick-changing legal status of the plant from verboten to legal and taxed “Main Street” commerce. State-licensed cannabis cultivators, some of whom must fill individual 50,000 to 100,000 square foot indoor gardens, can only be efficiently productive with the full embrace of technology to grow, trim, dry, and secure the cannabis plants post-harvest. The days of sun, soil, and water to produce outdoor cannabis are increasingly being replaced with industrial-sized indoor cannabis agro-farms requiring immense amounts of inputs (light, water, fertilizer) driven entirely by modern technologies to deliver the best product for consumers (or patients) while maximizing crop yield in the shortest duration possible. h Allen St. Pierre is the vice president of FreedomLeaf and was NORML’s executive director from 2006-2016.
// SECURITY // PRESENTED BY
Is Drone Security Ready for Takeoff? By Kent Gruetzmacher
Different verticals of the cannabis industry face unique challenges regarding security measures. As the industry continues to evolve and mature, technology companies pivot to populate these novel operational and compliance needs for cannabis businesses. Looking specifically to outdoor cultivation operations, drone surveillance technology offers some intriguing perks for businesses looking to augment their security protocols with an “eye in the sky.” Drone technology has advanced significantly over the past decade, with a growing popularity in both public and private sectors. In each of these arenas, drones are regularly used for applications ranging from government security to geographical surveys. According to Security Magazine, “The commercial use of unmanned
units by 2021.” How exactly this exponential growth of drone technology will apply in the cannabis industry still largely remains to be seen, yet certain established market segments can give an intriguing view on potential applications of these novel security measures. To help us gain a clearer understanding of outdoor cannabis garden security pertaining to drone applications, we reached out to Grant Whitus of Helix TCS, a Colorado-based security firm that is leading the cannabis industry in both technological and operational innovations. Whitus is the Chief Operating Officer at Helix TCS, which is reportedly the “fastest growing ancillary company in cannabis.” Their growth is reflected in their recent acquisition of the cannabis wholesale portal Cannabase as well as their merger with seed-to-
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
aircraft systems (UAS), more commonly known as drones, has exploded over the last few years, and it’s clearly on a trajectory to continue. Its global market is currently worth $2 billion, and that number is estimated to skyrocket to $127 billion in 2020. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) predicts that commercial drones will jump from the 80,000 registered units in August 2017 to more than 420,000 38
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
sale and POS software juggernaut Biotrack THC. Whitus is also a veteran police officer in Colorado, making him an expert on all things relating to security. Colorado is a hotbed of innovation in the cannabis industry, reflected by technological innovations in the state’s private sector as well as the progressive compliance standards created by its Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED). As such, Colorado cannabis
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// SECURITY // PRESENTED BY
Is Drone Security Ready for Takeoff?
Compared to their counterparts with indoor cultivation, outdoor cannabis companies face some real trials with security. This is largely because open-air cannabis gardens don’t have the infrastructure enjoyed by indoor growers relating to electrical demands, locked doors, camera coverage, and scent control. Also, as Whitus points out, outdoor growers “have nighttime to deal with.” For Whitus’s operations at Helix TCS, they generally “monitor outdoor grows via an extensive camera system and an indoor monitoring station with the addition of a full-time guard presence.” These protocols guarantee that crops are secure while simultaneously ensuring businesses are up-tospeed with compliance standards, both day and night. Whitus also says that a majority of his business concerning outdoor gardens comes from Pueblo, CO, where large commercial grows can range in size up to 36 acres. These industrial-sized cannabis cultivation operations are the ones that can benefit most from drone security. As mentioned earlier, Colorado MED is largely setting the standards for cannabis compliance and security protocols across the nation. That being said, the most efficient process for evaluating the potential benefits of drone security in the cannabis space is to weigh them against these pre-established guidelines. According to Whitus, “Colorado MED procedure states that every square foot of a cannabis garden must be visible on camera at all times.” To this end, these regulatory requirements also stipulate that cultivation businesses must use specific camera systems for their security measures. As such, Whitus states, “drone systems are not a necessary feature of state-mandated security measures within compliance programs.” While this does present a drawback for the technology, Whitus does see a value in drones on a more operational front. Whitus explains that outdoor cultivation business owners “can benefit from drones by utilizing them to holistically monitor operations with a bird’s eye view.” To illustrate, while standard camera designs are necessary for security compliance standards, drones can be
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Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
businesses and MED protocols are largely setting the standards for compliance and security measures across the United States.
added as “another layer of security.” For Whitus, “all types of security are beneficial” and drones are a great tool for business owners and managers to “keep an eye on everything to see if everything is doing what it should.” Drone monitoring systems also show a great deal of promise in novel cannabis markets that don’t yet have much organization. For example, Whitus and Helix TCS have been doing a good bit of business development in California, where a regulated cannabis market is still in its genesis. Also, a good deal of outdoor cannabis cultivation operations in California are located in extremely rugged terrain. As such, Whitus feels “drones offer a relatively easy way to monitor these operations.” As a result, while drones don’t meet the compliance demands of states like Colorado, they are a great tool for securing gardens in markets that are still taking shape or that lack in infrastructure. Whitus sees similar applications in places like Jamaica, where “grows may be as large as wheat fields” and businesses simply can’t afford inclusive camera systems that monitor every square foot of operations. Similarly, he states, “it would take a lot of boots on the ground” with security guards to secure these premises. Moreover, he feels that “drones are a very simple technology that anyone can pick up,” making them more attractive in these startup cannabis business scenarios. Whitus sees drone technology’s real potential in applications relating to operations in commercial agriculture, as opposed to security in cannabis. For him, drones are extremely advantageous for industrial farming operations where such factors as plant health and irrigation systems can be continuously monitored from
the sky for inefficiencies. This intriguing appraisal of drone technology in commercial products speaks to a new technology whose applications are still being developed. As drones present a rather immature segment of the security industry in general, there are still many unanswered questions relating to their viability. On that note, Whitus feels that drone security is an extremely “tough sell to cannabis business owners [who are almost always] on a budget,” especially because it offers no real value pertaining to compliance security mandates. In more mainstream applications, drone security companies also face complications relating to security breaches and information leaks. In a recent scandal, the company DJI Security purportedly compromised a good deal of U.S. intelligence in their drone operations with a potential data leak to China. Drone security offers an intriguing case study into how more mainstream security technologies could potentially benefit outdoor cannabis grows. Yet, drone technology is a nonessential avenue for security operations in an industry that can’t afford to experiment with additional expenses. As such, rather than an industry staple, drone applications in cannabis will likely be a novelty for a few business owners who see its value in operations. h Kent Gruetzmacher M.F.A. is a Colorado-based freelance writer and the Director of Business Development at Mac & Fulton Talent Partners, a recruiting firm dedicated to the indoor gardening and cannabis space. He is interested in utilizing his M.A. in the Humanities to critically explore the many cultural and business facets of this youthful emergent industry by way of his entrepreneurial projects.
// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // PRESENTED BY
The Politics of Prohibition
By Patricia Miller
Colorado’s first African American dispensary owner talks politics, prohibition, and social justice.
It’s amazing that now, in Colorado, if you sold 25 pounds of cannabis you’re likely to be on the cover of Forbes and not getting a mugshot. 42
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James’ dispensary Simply Pure offers patrons an opportunity to learn about the substance and take their time during what is, for many, their first retail cannabis experience.
In Colorado, African Americans are arrested three times more often than Caucasians for marijuana-related crimes. This is a statistic that hits home for Wanda James, Colorado’s first African American dispensary owner. James has been fighting to decriminalize the plant on both a state and federal level for nearly a decade. From her work with the Amendment 64 Task Force to legalize recreational marijuana sales in Colorado to her current endeavor as a managing partner for the Cannabis Global Initiative (CGI), James is committed to decriminalizing pot and reducing the stigma around the plant. In this exclusive interview, James shares her insights on social justice, racial disparity, and what it takes to own and operate one of Denver’s top recreational dispensaries. Cannabis & Tech Today: You were a panelist for TedXMileHigh: Colorado Cannabis Conversations, during which you discussed
your brother’s incarceration for a marijuana charge. Can you share a bit about that experience and how it shaped your decision to enter the cannabis space? Wanda James: My brother was 19 years old and living in Dallas, Texas when he was arrested for four and a half ounces of cannabis, for simple possession. From that charge he ended up with about 10 years in the system. Four of those years he spent in a maximum security prison and he picked cotton every day to buy his freedom. The reason he picked cotton is because the privatized prison system in America is set up to take advantage of and target low income people, mostly boys. I’m going to say people now, but at the time it was mostly young men of color, mostly black. Of the 800,000 people who were arrested in America at the time, about 85 percent of the arrests were black or brown between the ages of 17 and 24. That demographic was targeted for two reasons.
One, they didn’t have access to decent legal advice which would make these types of arrests nearly impossible in a middle class neighborhood. And despite what this country wants to say and what they want us to believe, they know that cannabis is not what they consider the typical idea of addiction. Meaning that if we arrest somebody that’s addicted to meth, or any other type of illicit drug, there’s a period of detox they have to go through. During that period of detox, they can’t work. They’re usually having things like the shakes or high fevers, or they are sick to their stomach which makes it impossible for them to work in privatized prison systems. Basically, privatized prison systems take on the contracts for Fortune 500 companies. So my 19-year-old brother picked 100 pounds of cotton a day for four years to buy his freedom. When I heard that I was completely sickened by that idea. So we decided to try to make
Fall 2018 // Cannabis & Tech Today
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// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // PRESENTED BY
The Politics of Prohibition
People from across the globe come to visit James’ Simply Pure dispensary to gain a better understanding of the Colorado cannabis experience. Customers are invited to place a pin on the globe to show their origins and highlight the international allure of one of Denver’s top dispensaries.
cannabis, and the face of cannabis, stand for social justice and not for mass incarceration. C&T Today: What are some of the barriers to entry preventing more African Americans from entering the legal cannabis space? WJ: We’re starting to see states right now allow people who have already had drug felonies be able to participate. But in the not very distant past, if you had a drug felony, you could not participate in the legal business. You couldn’t own a legal cannabis business if you had already been arrested for drugs. What I find funny is those are the people who are the visionaries, right? It’s amazing that now, in Colorado, if you sold 25 pounds of cannabis you’re likely to be on the cover of Forbes and not getting a mugshot. But if you’re a young black kid in Alabama today and you get caught selling a dime bag on the street corner, you’re going to jail, and you’re going to jail for selling a Schedule I illegal drug, which could be a felony. That doesn’t make sense when you realize a
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simple zip code in America determines whether you’re a millionaire or a felon ... or I should say zip code and skin color. It just doesn’t make sense. We need to start to change the narrative and what we believe about this plant and how we’ve demonized people that have used the plant.
understanding what this is about, that we get people understanding what the talking points are. Most importantly, for politicians that do want to move forward with the legalization of cannabis, we want them to have the language in which to speak about this so that it makes sense to people.
C&T Today: How is your consulting firm, the Cannabis Global Initiative (CGI), working with government entities to help end marijuana prohibition?
C&T Today: How has taxation under Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code impacted your business?
WJ: That’s what CGI does. We like to take a political look at all things cannabis because that’s what we’re talking about right now. The reason it’s a Schedule I illegal drug was a political move, not a move brought on by the people of the United States. It was also a racist move. So when we start to talk about cannabis legalization and the fact that mass incarceration is because of making cannabis illegal and a Schedule I drug, for me this is all a political act. And it’s really important that we get people
WJ: Nobody in cannabis right now is making money if they’re actually paying their taxes in the way that they’re supposed to, and that’s the point of 280E, to make sure that nobody selling a Schedule I illegal drug (i.e., meth, heroin, cannabis) would make any type of profit. We stood, though, in complete defiance of 280E. It should not be applied to the legal cannabis industry because I’m pretty sure Scarface was not registered with the Secretary of State. I’m pretty sure Scarface was not paying his employees, paying unemployment taxes, or paying for social security and all of the things
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// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // PRESENTED BY
The Politics of Prohibition
that we do as a legal business. So it’s ridiculous that the United States government wants to tax us under a tax code that was actually made for people like Scarface.
sativa joint is … Hell, we’re talking about different types of sublinguals. But a lot of people that come, most of the people that walk into the dispensary, it’s their very, very first time. It’s their first time ever buying cannabis. For some, it’s their first time getting high since the Bob Marley concert back in 1976. We want to be able to talk to those people, to be able to talk them through what their first time looks like.
C&T Today: During an interview with Cannabis Dispensary earlier this year, you mentioned that you were reluctant to use technology that might move people through your dispensary faster. Why is that? WJ: At Simply Pure, the dispensary that exists here in the Highlands, we see a tremendous amount of tourists. A lot of the people that come into our dispensary have come from all over America. We are, more times than not, their very first dispensary experience. We have a globe when you enter the dispensary and every person who is visiting our store for the first time is given a little pin they can put on the globe to show where they are from. Our globe is covered. We have people from Indonesia, from Africa, folks that have seen a lot of the press and political work that we’ve done. Even though dispensaries are old hat now to all of us in Colorado and we all know what an indica or
Now we do also have an express lane and online ordering as well too for those folks that do know that they want an eighth of an ounce of Black Fire OG and an eighth of an ounce of our Jet Fuel, and some Coda chocolates. They can put that in and we’ll have that order ready for them when they come up, right through the express lane. C&T Today: How is the Cannabis Global Initiative using social media channels and other technologies to help cannabis businesses build their brands? WJ: That’s our voice and social media is the voice of not just the generation, but a voice of business, a voice of just general messaging. At
the Cannabis Global Initiative we like to talk about the political aspects of what’s happening in the industry. We like to talk about how 280E has affected us. We like to make sure that business owners have talking points and understand what the impact of certain laws and regulations will be to their business. We want them to understand how that works. We want them to know the phone numbers and email addresses of the people that will be voting on the laws and regulations that surround their businesses. We want patients to understand how different laws are going to affect them. So we think social media is an amazing way to get those messages out and direct those messages to the demographic that we know needs them. C&T Today: What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs hoping to enter the cannabis space or improve their existing operations? WJ: It’s everything that we just talked about. We are not trying to rush people through Simply Pure to make a dollar. Yes, we could probably set up machines out in front. We could
probably double the amount of people that came through Simply Pure, but then we would lose what, I think, makes Simply Pure not like everybody else in Colorado. There are definitely places where you can be rushed through and get in and out faster and probably cheaper. But we want to be the Colorado cannabis experience. Now please don’t hear me say that I am casting shade on those dispensaries that run people through, because I’m not. It’s just a very different business model than what we do. McDonald’s is a fine business model. McDonald’s makes a lot of money. McDonald’s is known worldwide. Personally, if I had a restaurant, I wouldn’t want it to be McDonald’s. I would rather have it be the small restaurant on the corner, like our old restaurant Jezebel’s used to be; where you know the owner, you might know the chef, and the server’s going to take some time to talk to you about why our fried chicken is really special.
I think that all models are positive and they represent the goals of the business owner. Understand your model, understand your business, and then create and move forward from that standpoint. I think whatever it is that works for you and works for your business is a positive.
When you’re an entrepreneur, those are the things that you’ve got to decide for yourself and decide how you want to represent your business.
For all the people that are looking at this, that are working in technology, or for young folks looking at doing something different or getting
Colorado dispensaries specialize in offering a comprehensive assortment of products for consumers, ranging from cookbooks, infusions, topicals, tinctures, and everything in between.
involved, this industry is still exciting and it’s right at the very beginning of the blossoming of the industry. Getting involved now is probably going to be one of the most amazing times, and kind of the way we saw the dot com world start to explode 20 to 30 years ago. Get involved now. Especially if you’re looking for something different to do with your life. This is an exciting time to be a part of what this industry is going to blossom into, so definitely jump on board. h
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// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // PRESENTED BY
Malibu’s Marijuana Pioneer By Anthony Elio
Owner of Malibu’s 99 High Tide Collective, Yvonne DeLaRosa Green, discusses receiving L.A. County’s first cannabis business license.
A
ctivist. Business owner. Award winner. Actress. Screenwriter. These are just a few of the many titles that can be awarded to
Yvonne DeLaRosa Green. While you may recognize her from her television appearances on hit shows such as Weeds and The Closer or her feature in High Times’ “Top 100 Most Influential People in Cannabis,” you likely know that Yvonne DeLaRosa Green is not only a talented actress, but a major force in the cannabis industry. The recipient of the first-ever Los Angeles cannabis business license in 2008, Green is the founder and CEO of 99 High Tide Collective, a high-end Malibu dispensary that provides top-shelf strains and CBD products. And, despite her expanded role within the world of marijuana entrepreneurship, Green still finds time to lend her acting and scriptwriting talents to a number of projects. In this exclusive interview, the awardwinning actress and businesswoman discusses her journey into cannabis entrepreneurship, the importance of activism in the world of marijuana, and the steps that need to be taken for the industry to thrive. Cannabis & Tech Today: What initially drew you to the business of cannabis? Yvonne DeLaRosa Green: Well, you know, before it was a business, it was a lifestyle, and it’s still a lifestyle for me. I’ve always been around cannabis. I actually didn’t smoke cannabis until I was 18. I wasn’t a smoker, so I was kind of
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afraid to smoke. I remember I had a really bad headache. I still suffer from migraines, and cannabis is the only thing that has ever helped them. My friends had thrown me a surprise party for my 18th birthday, and I had a headache and I was so bummed. And my friend was like, “Why don’t you just smoke pot?” And I remember just feeling this veil of pain fall off of me, and I was like, “Whoa.” And the headache just went away. I was giggling; I felt good. And I was like, “Oh my God. I love weed!” I think that was the first time I really realized that cannabis was not only for fun, but it was also a medicine. Then, years later, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was at a hemp rally at the federal building in Westwood in California, and this man gifted me this book called The Emperor Wears No Clothes, which was Jack Herer’s bible on all the benefits of cannabis and hemp. And I had no idea. I had no idea why marijuana was illegal, I had no idea why hemp was illegal, and this just opened my eyes. I believe that’s the moment I became an activist, because I had this information, and I could tell people, I could share with people why cannabis had been made illegal, why people were being jailed for it. Because I knew all the benefits of cannabis, I tried to convince my mom to use it. She had never even had a drink in her life, so it took a little convincing. But she did it, and my mom ended up forgoing chemoradiation, all those toxic drugs, and all she did was cannabis, and follow a very strict vegan diet. That was 12 years ago, and she’s cancer-free. She’s a world traveler, and she’s healthy and happy. She’s my inspiration and my motivation for having gotten into this business, because I saw a need for dispensaries to be upscale, and lovely, and full of art, and welcoming.
have it. So activists never die. That’s first and foremost. I’ll always be an artist, I’ll always be an actress, and I’ll always be an activist. Until every person that’s in jail over this plant is out, I will never stop speaking up for cannabis. I will never stop being an advocate and really, you know, changing the perception of this beautiful, sacred, female plant that has been sadly demonized for so long. It’s a total honor to be changing it all up, and righting a wrong that was done long ago. C&T Today: Where do you see the business of cannabis developing from here? C&T Today: You were awarded the very first L.A. cannabis business license. What was that process like? YDG: You know, it took a while, because I was the very first one, so they didn’t have anything to go on. They basically had to create a license from scratch. Malibu contracts with L.A. County, and when I got the Malibu cannabis license, I had to get my business license through L.A. County, because that’s how they do it. It was actually quite comical, because I went to the L.A. County business office, and I paid my fee, and I submitted my application, and the lady at the counter looked at it and she’s like, “Oh, no, we don’t do that. No, that’s banned.” And I was like, “Oh, no, actually it’s not banned in Malibu, and you guys do our business licensing, so you kind of have to.” Then she went and called someone else, her supervisor, and the supervisor came and says, “Oh, no. We don’t do that.” And I was like, “No, actually you do. I have to get a business license through you.” Then she went and called somebody else. So it was like this comedy of errors where everyone was saying, “Oh, no. We don’t do that.” Finally, I said, “Why don’t you just call the city of Malibu and talk to them?” And they picked up the phone, and I could see them gesticulating, and in shock. Then they came back and said, “Well, I guess we have to give you a license.” They didn’t have a process of how to do it, so it took them a while. But to their credit, they did it. The hearing was actually really historical and epic. It was this tribunal of beautiful women of every race. They seemed more excited than I was. They were just really, really excited to be a part of history and to make this happen. And they had done their research.
They knew all about me and the dispensary and what we had done in the past. I think they felt really good about giving us the very first license. It was pretty epic for us. You know, I’m from L.A., and it seemed right. It felt right. C&T Today: Looking at just the past year alone for you, International Power Women awarded you the 2017 Businesswoman of the Year and High Times named you one of the 100 Most Influential People in Cannabis. How did it feel to see all your hard work recognized? YDG: You know, the word that comes up often is “surreal.” It really is. It’s all very surreal. I live a very blessed life. I think that’s been a little bit of luck, a little bit of hard work, and just a lot of passion for what I do and what I believe in. I mean, getting these awards, like I said, it’s surreal. But to me, it just gives me an opportunity to have a voice in this industry and the ability to help other people, especially other women who are wanting to get into this industry. And also, every day I feel like I win an award. I mean, just yesterday I got a text from one of our patients saying that their father, who had stage 4 lung cancer, is now in remission. The cancer is gone, and it’s all because of cannabis. That’s all he used. At the end of the text it said, “Thank you. You saved my father’s life.” Those are the real awards, you know? The other ones are awesome, don’t get me wrong. But the true award is just knowing that we’re helping so many people. Then, at the same time, it’s bittersweet, because there are so many people, not just in the United States, but in the world, who need this medicine and still don’t
YDG: We’re living in the future of cannabis right now in California. It’s happening as we speak. I think legalization is a wonderful thing, but corporatization of cannabis is not. I say that because I’ve been in this industry for a long time, and I’m seeing the people who stood on the front lines for this plant, for this medicine, being sidelined. Basically being forgotten and not being given the opportunities that they deserve. We’re seeing all the small farmers shutting down. They can’t compete. We’re seeing small companies struggling right now to try and get licenses while they’re competing. And that’s sad, because this industry was not built by corporations. It was not built by politicians. It was built by activists, and marijuana growers, users, cultivators, artists, and musicians. Right now, I’m seeing things that are concerning me, and I’m hoping that people continue to fight and stand up for people’s rights and for small farmers and for small boutique businesses, because at the end of the day, I’d rather smoke the weed my friend grew, because I know how he or she grew it, rather than buying some corporate weed that I don’t know exactly where it came from or the intention that was put into it. I think when you grow cannabis, from the minute you put that seed in the ground to the day you bring it into the dispensary, after trimming it, your energy goes into this plant. And if that’s not done right from the very beginning, you ingest those effects. So I think we’re all going to see a bit of a revolution of the people, the small farmers, and the small boutique businesses really standing up and trying to claim what’s rightfully theirs in this industry. And I’m a full supporter of that. h Fall 2018 // Cannabis & Tech Today
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// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // PRESENTED BY
Data Solutions and Disruptive Technologies By Ebby Stone
“ Hackathons are a great way to harness the knowledge, inspiration, and energy of the developers and coders who will shape the future of the industry.” – David Hazan, Producer of the Grow Up Cannabis Hackathon The intersection between cannabis and technology continues to grow. As businesses deal with new challenges and work toward greater efficiency, cutting-edge technological innovation will become more necessity than luxury. Canada’s nationwide legalization, beginning October 17, will have cannabis businesses scrambling to meet regulatory demands, optimize their grows, and streamline their sales process. The second nation in history to legalize the substance will need all the help it can get as millions of citizens take to the streets to obtain the precious plant. These reasons and more spurred the launch of a progressive new event, the Grow Up Cannabis Hackathon in Toronto, Ontario. Co-Founder of the Grow Up Cannabis Conference & Expo Neill Dixon is thrilled about the possibilities of the Hackathon, stating, “When we get that many young minds together in a room, they come up with some pretty wild things, so we’re very excited about what will happen here.” We also spoke with Trellis CEO Pranav Sood about the company’s involvement in the Hackathon to learn about their goals in initiating the event. Trellis developed a
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progressive seed-to-sale management software which will serve as the basis for much of the work being conducted at the Hackathon. The inventory tracking system uses the data it receives to optimize operational efficiency in cultivation, extraction, and distribution.
Hackathon and of Trellis’ involvement with the
For the Hackathon, the company is providing developers with a dummy-database simulated from client data. The hackers will then create visualization tools to reveal hidden insights contained within the data to help users implement more effective business practices. Sood expanded on the insights he hopes to gain from the Hackathon: “It could be taking the data, doing some trend analysis, and then presenting that trend analysis in a different way. It could be predictive, where all the data indicated that you grow your plants in a certain stage for a certain number of days and that ends up producing higher yields. But, when you switch the number of days to two days more, you end up getting 30 percent more yield.” The Hackathon seeks to pull that value out of the raw data to create approachable management solutions.
the people that need it the most,” remarked
Redefining operational efficiency won’t be easy, but it’s one of the main goals of the
September 6-7, 2018. For more information, visit
project. “It’s certainly going to drive not only the efficiency of the operations, but our hope is that it drives better quality products in the market, safer products in the market, and a more efficient mechanism for getting that product to Sood. Most importantly, the Hackathon aims to reduce the negative connotations associated with cannabis. Sood is particularly passionate on this point, stating, “There’s still a lot of stigma around the industry and we’re trying to push the envelope in making it as mainstream as possible. We hope to open people up to the side of the industry that is very professional and very compliance-focused. This Hackathon presents a great opportunity for us to give talented developers this exposure to the industry and build a relationship directly with the community as we continue to expand our team.” h The Grow Up Cannabis Hackathon took place www.growupconference.com.
// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // PRESENTED BY
An Industry in Bloom
The CBD industry is on the rise and companies are racing to hop aboard this moving train. It’s no secret that the CBD industry is blooming. Quite literally. At a time of inconsistent and ever-changing rules and regulations for cannabis, cannabidiol (also known as CBD) is thriving. The substance, which is derived from cannabis and hemp, has become the new buzzword in wellness, beauty, supplements, fitness, and even pet news. Its popularity comes from its ability to provide healing benefits without the mind-altering effects of marijuana. In fact, in June of this year, the FDA approved the very first CBD-derived medicine. Epidiolex was designed for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. “This approval serves as a reminder that advancing sound development programs that properly evaluate active ingredients contained in marijuana can lead to important medical therapies. And, the FDA is committed to this kind of careful scientific research and drug development,” so claimed FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. Not only does this new drug mean major strides for medicine, but for the CBD industry as well. This official validation of a CBD-derived product means that the flood gates are opening, and companies are rushing to get involved, resulting in the industry being projected to hit a two-billion-dollar value by 2020. One such company, CBD American Shaman, acts as a prime example for the growth of the CBD industry as a whole. As one of the primary suppliers of organic hemp oil products, CBD American Shaman is one of today’s fastest growing companies in the hemp industry, having successfully opened over 100 franchise locations within four months of launching its newest partnership programs. 54
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Vince Sanders is the chemist behind CBD American Shaman’s patented cannabinoid nanotechnology.
“We are leading historical change,” says Vince Sanders, founder and chemist behind the patented cannabinoid nanotechnology process proprietary to CBD American Shaman. Due to the explosive growth being experienced all around, they have developed “Grow with us,” a variety of partner programs offering aspiring entrepreneurs the chance to start their own business venture in this rising industry. Interested parties can join their mission of promoting global health and wellness through all-natural industrial hemp oil by becoming a retailer with franchise, wholesale, and affiliate programs. Partners are able to work according to their own schedules, manage their own businesses, and receive exposure in the industry. In addition to the competitive discounts and incentives, the income earning potential can be limitless. With the recent success of their new programs, CBD
American Shaman aspires to grow an additional 400 percent by 2020 with an estimated 1,000 franchise locations nationwide. h Thinking about making your own investment? Visit growshaman.com to learn how you can get involved.
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Repairing the Cannabis Real Estate Problem By Everin Draper
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
From the growing popularity of cannabis has come a multitude of ancillary industries that have developed sustainable, symbiotic relationships with the expanding business. Due to the plant’s specific needs when it comes to production and retail, real estate has become an important aspect for business owners. “That’s because there’s a race among formerly underground growers and new entrepreneurs, as well as starry-eyed wannabes, angling to become rich supplying legal pot,” according to an article in the The L.A. Times. More and more people are entering the sector every day, and they need the proper real estate to operate in. “Some are looking for prime storefronts to open often upscale retail shops, or in rare cases, cannabis bars where patrons can indulge on the property,” continued the article. “Others want discreet warehouses … where they can grow it.” Because of this growing niche of cannabis real estate, Ryan George saw an opportunity to start 420Property.com, what he calls, “the Zillow of the Cannabis and Hemp Industry.” The website operates as “an interactive real estate marketplace that connects cannabis business operators with available properties for sale or lease, existing businesses for sale, and professional service providers such as real estate 56
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agents/brokers and business/licensing consultants,” George explained. But, of course, with the plant’s inconsistent legality across the U.S., real estate can be tough to navigate. “Our users’ main challenge is locating a facility suitable for their needs,” George explained. In the past, options were limited. In fact, one of the best places to look was Craigslist under “420 friendly,” but selection was highly limited and landlords were hesitant. “This was the first issue 420Property.com aimed to solve by creating a central marketplace for cannabis and hemp properties (and businesses for sale) to be transacted. Since all of the properties are advertised as cannabis properties, there is no awkward asking or endless searching,” George continued. Additionally, it isn’t just about finding a physical space. Business owners also struggle to find things like mortgages, escrow services, and other financial services. “Due to the federal regulations that currently classify cannabis as a Schedule I substance, many traditional financial products and services, such as loans/mortgages, insurance, escrow services, and checking and saving are not offered to cannabis and hemp business owners,” George claimed. “This causes difficulties during the real estate transition
process. As a result, many specialty services and workarounds have been created to get back to business … This is why 420Property.com strives to seek out the best and most reliable services in the cannabis and hemp industries, such as Skyfront Insurance — which is an innovative insurance provider in the cannabis and hemp space.” As the cannabis industry expands, so will adjacent sectors. However, with constantly changing regulations state-to-state, and without federal legalization, it’s difficult to predict what the future holds. Still, these ancillary companies, like 420Property.com, act as a support system for this burgeoning industry, helping startups and business veterans alike navigate the murky waters. h
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The Cannabis World Congress Goes Live in Los Angeles By Louie Fox
What to expect from the entrepreneurial-focused Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition
There’s no doubt that the world of legalized cannabis has grown over the years. According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, the trailblazing state alone made $1.5 billion in revenue from legalized marijuana in 2017, recently eclipsing $5 billion total since legalization. A perfect celebration of this booming industry is the Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition (CWCBExpo), with three separate events taking place each year in the esteemed business markets of Los Angeles, New York, and Boston. With Cannabis & Tech Today debuting the fall edition at the Los Angeles event, let’s take a look at what to expect for this exciting commemoration of the cannabusiness. While many may remember her for her hosting role on The View or her appearances in films such as Sister Act or The Color Purple, actress Whoopi Goldberg has recently expanded into a brand new venture: a medical 58
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marijuana product company. Co-founded by Goldberg and Om Edibles founder Maya Elisabeth, Whoopi & Maya looks to produce medical cannabis products aimed at women in order to help reduce the discomfort associated with menstrual pains. Keeping in line with the entrepreneurial spirit of the event, the Cannabis World Congress will feature the panel “Wellness, Women, and Cannabis” hosted by the forward-thinking co-founder of Whoopi & Maya hereself, Maya Elisabeth. While April of 2016 saw the launch of the company in California, it expanded to Colorado in late 2017, making its innovative products available in two of the largest markets for legal cannabis. A major highlight of the event, this can’t-miss panel looks to discuss how women’s health and cannabis intertwine. And the founders of the progressive Whoopi & Maya aren’t the only personalities to keep an eye on. The cannabis industry has allowed a
diverse group of professionals to join, giving events such as the Cannabis World Congress a number of different perspectives. This includes Los Angeles Executive Director of the Department of Cannabis Regulation Cat Packer, Harborside Health Center founder Steve DeAngelo, and California Chief of the Bureau of Cannabis Control Lori Ajax. In addition to these speakers, the event will feature CEOs, engineers, medical advisors, cannabis educators, and attorneys voicing their views on the cannabis space. With over 90 speakers making appearances throughout the event, you’ll receive hands-on information on the cannabis industry from business leaders and entrepreneurs alike. h The L.A. event takes place on September 26-29 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. And make sure not to miss out on the Boston event, which will take place soon after on October 17-20 at the Hynes Convention Center.
// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // PRESENTED BY
Company FALL 2018
By Anthony Elio
There has been no shortage of reports covering the rapid growth of cannabis entrepreneurship over the past few years. And for good reason, as research from Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics shows that legal cannabis spending looks to hit $57 billion worldwide by the year 2027. Additionally, the research claims that the lucrative North American cannabis market will more than quintuple its 2017 total of $9.2 billion dollars within that time frame. With the economics of the cannabusiness on a clear incline, no shortage of savvy entrepreneurs have entered what many consider to be a modernday gold rush. But, with so many businesses attempting to capitalize on the cannabis cash flow, what companies stand out the most? Let’s take a look at the innovative institutions that reflect the entrepreneurial spirit of the industry.
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CannabizTeam Fills Empty Spaces CannabizTeam is a vertically integrated, cannabis-focused executive search and staffing firm focused exclusively on recruiting only the highest quality cultivation, retail, manufacturing, testing, and other related cannabis industry talent across the United States, Canada, and other legalized countries. CannabizTeam was launched by Liesl Bernard, a former staffing executive with over 20 years of global executive search and staffing experience with a Fortune 500 staffing firm. She has built a stellar team of specialized recruiters who now partner with some of the world’s largest cannabis and related industry companies focused on finding them top talent as they continue to scale globally. Her team has the unique ability to source and match talent from an array of industries and assist these candidates in successfully transitioning into the fast-expanding cannabis industry. As a result of this success, CannabizTeam Executive Search and Staffing is quickly being recognized as the industry’s fastest growing and most successful executive search and staffing firm with clients in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Puerto Rico, Columbia, and South Africa.
Budbo Boosts the Blockchain In many ways, the worlds of blockchain and cannabis aren’t all that different. Not only have both become the talk of the entrepreneurial world as of late, but they are both also forming their own counterculture that reflects the worldshaking potentials they have in everything from medicine to finance. Budbo, an
organically-launched company created by a small group of blockchain and technology experts with Fortune 500 company experience, looks to bridge the gap while creating a more secure future for the cannabusiness. Because of blockchain’s notoriety for security and data integrity, Budbo was inspired to integrate the new technology into the growing business of cannabis. Utilizing their own blockchain system, the company’s main mission is to offer distinct solutions, such as securing compliance reports, transactions, and records for a number of different sectors of the industry. This includes cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries, laboratories, and medical researchers; just a few pillars of the multi-faceted cannabis space. Receiving praise from publications such as the Huffpost, Forbes, and Yahoo! Finance, Budbo’s essential approach to streamlining and combining cannabis and blockchain earns the company a spot on this list.
GCAC Embraces New Tech One of the most diversely tech-focused companies on this list, Global Cannabis Applications Corps’ use of artificial intelligence, blockchain, and applications within their own innovative platform makes their work in the cannabis space stand out. The platform, known as Citizen Green, looks to boost the world of medical cannabis by helping everyone from patients to scientists share their experiences and insights around the industry. Cannalife and Prescriptii, the Citizen Green mobile apps, assist the platform’s mission by educating the user on
// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // PRESENTED BY
Spotlights products and facts on the medical side. The platform uses artificial intelligence in the form of algorithms and chatbots, which help determine product quality and answer medical marijuana-related questions respectively. Additionally, the use of blockchain technology helps to secure factors of Citizen Green such as transactions and encrypted information. Through their innovative platform, it’s the Global Cannabis Applications Corps’ embrace of new technologies that make it an up-andcoming force in the cannabis space.
Genius Pipe Lives Up to Its Name With all of the innovations occurring within the business side of cannabis, the gear itself is in need of updating as well. Genius Pipe offers just that: a smoking experience for the modern cannabis user. This is best exemplified through its namesake product, which is designed to be easier on the lungs and more taste-focused than most vaporizers and pipes available. One large focus of the company is approachability. This is seen with the Genius Pipe’s intuitive design and easyto-use model. Cleaning the device, changing the screen, and travel are all made simple due to its user-friendly concept. Additionally, the company offers a number of different customization options, from a spectrum of colors to some artistic designs, making their flagship product truly personalized. While best known for the aforementioned device, Genius Pipe also offers a number of complementary
accessories, such as humidor boxes and dabbing products. With plenty of positive press from a number of major publications, Genius Pipe offers high-quality devices that perfectly reflect their name.
industry standards and infrastructure planning helped lay the foundation for the cannabis industry as a whole.
Eden Labs: The Industry’s Expert in Extraction Since its founding in 1994, Eden Labs has provided an essential resource for the cannabis industry: extraction. The formation of the company was motivated by the interest in what effects botanicals have on people’s health. This pursuit came from Fritz Chess, the founder of Eden Labs who wanted to pursue additional research after seeing the way in which indigenous people utilized botanicals in order to combat illnesses. Chess’ continued work within the field led to innovations such as Eden Labs’ CO2 extraction machine and the Coldfinger line of ethanol extractors.
As mentioned earlier, the possibilities for both blockchain and cannabis seem endless. However, something that often gets overlooked within the intersection between the two is the security of intellectual property. In the cannabis industry, this is essentially the genetic composition of created strains, which can be difficult to keep track of for growers and breeders. BLOCKstrain attempts to simplify the issue through their integrated blockchain platform that can help strain creators defend their intellectual property. This will not only ease the stress of registering strains, but also potentially save strain creators from missing out on massive profits from a unique creation.
Due to the innovative work of Chess and CEO AC Braddock, Eden Labs has promoted high-quality extraction techniques, top-of-the-line equipment, and strong business leadership. Because of the company’s focus on improving sustainability within the space as well as inspiring healthy choices for cannabis consumers, Eden Labs is notable for their strong contributions that the purity of Supercritical CO2 derived products would be a necessity for the legalization of medical applications for cannabis. This vision and years of educational outreach about the methodologies of extraction,
In addition to keeping potentially lucrative strain ideas safe, BLOCKstrain provides a much-needed aspect to the cannabusiness: transparency. When purchasing a certain strain, you may not be totally aware of not only the composition, but whether you’re actually getting what you pay for. Luckily, with the scan of a barcode, BLOCKstrain can help you identify everything from terpenes and genetic makeup to pesticide usage and organic labeling. Successfully attempting to improve the honesty and integrity of the cannabis landscape, BLOCKstrain has a mission that will definitely benefit buyer and seller alike. h
BLOCKstrain’s on a Mission
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
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// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS // PRESENTED BY
Noa Kahner’s Guide to Cannabis Investment
“ You know, we’re just scratching the surface right now with what I believe will happen. But you’re already seeing a lot of investors who got in at a good time with some of these companies that have done really well.” By Patricia Miller and Anthony Elio
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Noa Kahner knows a thing or two about investing. As the founder and CEO of Kahner Global, she has helped to produce thought-provoking conferences centered around the entrepreneurial potential of the cannabis industry through strategic partnerships. This includes the recent Cannabis Private Investment Summit, an event focusing on professional investors and family offices within the industry. The event, which took place in New York, featured such speakers as television host and advocate Montel Williams, Flowr chairman Steve Klein, and Lindiskin founder Lindy Snider. With these exclusive quotes, Kahner reveals her insights on everything from the necessity of partnerships within the industry to the unique investment opportunities that cannabis presents. Importance of Strategic Partnerships No one in the industry can shoulder the burden of everything within one organization. Everyone is starting from scratch, so partnerships are a really great way to leverage expertise. It’s important to collaborate with other companies in order to make your own company be the best it can be. Organizations grow together when this type of collaboration can happen, especially in an industry that’s as young and new as this one. Advice for Entrepreneurs Investors are really looking for companies that know what they’re doing on the legal side. Have advisors make sure that however you’re setting up your business is legal, and that you also have the opportunity to penetrate the market accordingly.
Most Important Consideration for Cannabis Investing You’re not just investing in the company, it’s really who’s behind it. Not just on the horse, but on the jockey. Make sure that your management has their skillset. Make sure that the management you’ve chosen has a proven ability in other industries. Why Cannabis is a Positive Investment A lot of people compare cannabis to alcohol prohibition, but I think cannabis is so much bigger. There’s just such a humongous industry ahead of us with healthcare opportunities as well as recreational opportunities. You know, we’re just scratching the surface right now with what I believe will happen. But you’re already seeing a lot of investors who got in at a good time with some of these companies that have done really well. So I think that the opportunity is huge. The Vitality of Collaboration Make sure that you learn and talk to people. This industry is very open, that’s one of the things I really love about it. Right now at least, even if you’re a competitor, it’s like everyone just wants to work together. So, if you go to a conference or you go to some other networking function, you just start talking to people. You’ll be so surprised to see how much people want to help you succeed in whatever you’re trying to do in this industry, whether you’re starting a business or you’re looking to make investments. h
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// HEALTH & WELLNESS //
Iron Mike’s Metamorphosis By Alex Moersen
Formerly known as “The Baddest Man on Planet,” Mike Tyson is now embracing the world of health and wellness with his new cannabis ventures.
It was his ferocity and intimidation, as well as his controversial behavior inside and outside the ring, that earned him the nicknames “Iron,” “Kid Dynamite,” and eventually “The Baddest Man on the Planet.” The former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world has experienced peaks of fame for his legendary boxing prowess and many entertainment cameos. However, on the opposite side of the coin, he lives in infamy after he was sentenced to six years in prison in 1992 for rape and then bit off the ear of Evander Holyfield in 1997 during his comeback. As someone who became famous for this kind of aggression and often brutal behavior, Mike Tyson may not be the first person one would associate with “health and wellness.” However, his latest ventures are diving into just that. Founded in 2016 by Tyson and business partner Rob Hickman, Tyson Holistic Holdings owns and operates a number of cannabis-related businesses, the two main 64
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pillars of which are Tyson Holistic and Tyson Ranch. When the former boxing star was first presented with the idea, he was immediately intrigued. “I thought about how much good I could do by helping people with cannabis. It was a no brainer,” he expressed in an exclusive interview. One of the main goals of this venture is to educate and engage the public in the healing properties of cannabis, especially CBD. Tyson himself has created his own CopperGel product, into which they are now attempting to integrate CBD. Tyson Holistic also invested in CHILL, a water company that develops CBDinfused alkaline water. As someone who has taken a beating most of his life and used opiates for pain, perhaps it’s no surprise that Tyson has become heavily invested in the healing power of CBD. “I’ve been fighting for over 20 years, and my body has a lot of wear and tear,” he explained. “I had two surgeries and I used marijuana to calm my nerves, and it would take
the pain away … But before, they had me on those opiates, and those opiates had me all screwed up.” He wholeheartedly believes that cannabis can help people move away from opioid addiction. For this reason, Tyson is strategically teaming up with both professional athletes and veterans to help promote the healing benefits of the substance. In fact, some of his key investors and advisors include former NBA Commissioner David Stern and former NBA Player Al Harrington. Tyson Ranch has also developed numerous partnerships with representatives from the NFL, WNBA, UFC, NHL, MLB, FIFA, and the BIG3. In addition to sports, Tyson also hopes to promote these ideas of health and wellness among veterans. As he explained, “I’m a big fan of veterans and I think they’ve given a lot to our country and we should give some back in return … Especially with all of the addiction that many of them come back with.” At Tyson Ranch, not only will they
// HEALTH & WELLNESS //
employ and empower veterans, but they will also conduct research into how cannabis can help veterans returning from deployment. Briefly mentioned before, the latest of Tyson’s ventures, and the culmination of his cannabis entrepreneurship, is Tyson Ranch, which broke ground earlier this year. Located in Southern California, Tyson Ranch will occupy 407 acres of space, providing everything from cannabis research, tourism attractions, education, and even a music festival. But all of it will be wrapped around the promotion of health and wellness. Rather than grow their own plants, the Ranch will partner with local cannabis growers to help brand and sell their products onsite. This allows the Ranch to operate at a federally legal level, but still shed light on the cannabis space. “Everything we do is federally legal. We never touch the plants,” Hickman explained. “Now, a lot of people do rent land from us and grow their products on it. If they grow it to the proper standards and are licensed properly in the state, we will consider selling them our packaging, which then gives them shelf space.” “He’s building a holistic center for health and wellness,” Hickman continued. “There will be testing in the university. It’s going to be about educating people on the healing benefits, how to grow, and how to be in proper business.” But, of course, it won’t be all business. Tyson Ranch will also offer opportunities for the growing industry of cannabis tourism. The facility will feature not only a hotel, but a full “glamping” (luxury camping) experience. With 200 units, the Ranch will allow guests rest and relaxation, as well as a place to enjoy cannabis. In addition, Tyson Ranch will also host the Kind Music Festival, what they describe as “the Lollapalooza of Cannabis.” By partnering with the 420 Games and a Wellness Expo, Kind will provide festival-goers the opportunity to not only enjoy musical guests, but also engage in and educate themselves about the growing world of cannabis and its many benefits.
Mike Tyson (Left) teamed up with Rob Hickman (Right) to found Tyson Holistic Holdings.
Everything that goes into Tyson’s ventures — the health and wellness, the education, the tourism — all goes back to the objective of changing the stigma around cannabis. “It’s inevitable,” explained COO Kevin Bell. “We can’t put it back in a bottle now … It’s coming.” To conclude, Tyson expressed, “Cannabis is the future, and eventually, everyone is going to have to give in.” h Fall 2018 // Cannabis & Tech Today
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Putting Stigma on the Sideline By Anthony Elio
Two former NFL players line up against the league’s marijuana policies Throughout its inception, the NFL has had a tumultuous relationship with cannabis. Former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams notoriously spent time in and out of the NFL after a number of suspensions for using the substance. Between 2016 and 2017, stars such as Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randall Gregory and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant missed a combined two seasons due to marijuanarelated charges. Since a failed drug test in 2014, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has struggled to return to his league-leading form, only playing in a total of ten games since his All-Pro 2013 campaign to the beginning of this season. However, the billion-dollar sports league might need to change their ways in order to keep up. With the ever-growing evidence of injuries incurred throughout a football career, players are looking for a healthy alternative to the often-destructive painkillers that have sadly become the norm in NFL locker rooms. This has led to more and more former players lending their voice on the importance of change. Both former linemen, both cannabis activists, and both featured in Bleacher Report for exclusives on usage and athleticism, Shaun Smith and Eben Britton have made names for themselves by challenging the NFL’s substance policies and speaking out for change. In these exclusive profiles, the two retired NFL veterans discuss what attracted them to cannabis advocacy, battling stigmas, and what the future of the NFL’s policies looks like.
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Shaun Smith Defensive End - Saints, Bengals, Browns, Chiefs, Titans Cannabis Advocacy For the last five years I have been teaming up with different people. I do Athletes for CARE with Matt Barnes and Al Harrington, and I’ve been to different events to talk about it. The biggest thing is getting people to understand cannabis and what it is really, how it helps the body overall; the body, the mind, everything. People think, “Oh, it’s just marijuana.” No, it’s not just marijuana. It’s beneficial, just like taking an Advil. The benefit is to relieve that headache. Marijuana relieves that pain.
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// HEALTH & WELLNESS //
Personal Use It helps me with my pain and anxiety, getting over the nervousness. I’d rather do that than take a bunch of pills, because you get addicted, you know what I mean? When I can’t sleep, I just smoke and it’ll help me go to sleep. There’s all different types of cannabis. You have the Indica, Sativa, Hybrid, it all depends which. I’m
not a “strainologist” yet – I’m nothing like that – but basically I could come out with my own strain myself and be like Wiz Khalifa and all the rest of the guys. I really want to collab with Snoop Dogg on a strain, to be honest with you.
advocates for it. The NFL is so funny to me
Stigma Well, the good thing about it is the BIG3 is the first professional sports league that at least
enhancer,” that means there was steroids. I
to this conversation, which is very curious to me. And you just have to look at the billions of dollars they’re getting from alcohol companies, and the amount of pharmaceutical drugs that are being pushed into the league. The NFL is full of some very conservatively-minded business owners who are very wary of any PR disaster that might come with cannabis, with it being a federally Schedule I drug. I think that is the biggest hurdle at this point.
you’ve got athletic trainers and team doctors. Or it’s on the sidelines. Whatever it might be. But immediately giving that guy an inhaler or capsule or a tincture of some sort of cannabinoid mixture. Just to immediately begin to halt the cascade of detrimental hormones and chemical compounds that are happening during that concussion. Cannabinoids can come in there immediately and begin to help the brain heal and process all of that damage that’s happened. So I think within 10 years we’re going to see a dramatic shift. I think even at the federal level we’re going to see a shift in legislation of what cannabis is and its place in the legal substances area. h
because you look on ESPN and see the headline, a guy got busted for what they call “substance abuse.” That means the person got caught for weed. When it says “performance mean, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist. You know what I mean? That’s what kills me.
Eben Britton Offensive Tackle - Jaguars, Bears Cannabis Advocacy I was always quietly a cannabis advocate in the locker room. I was always sort of nudging guys in the direction of, “Hey you guys, this stuff makes you feel a whole lot better than the pills do.” And probably my last year or two in Chicago, cannabis was my go-to pain management source. I really had a “come-toJesus” moment with the pills, especially opiates, where I realized that these things just had really terrible effects on me personally. And so my last couple years in Chicago, I wasn’t using any pain killers at all. I really was leaning on cannabis for my recovery. Cannabis in Pro Sports Well, I think you’re really seeing a surge of positive energy in many of the sports leagues. From the NBA, they’re becoming more and more open to it. The NHL is very interested in taking a look at it. The NFL has really been the one enterprise that’s been the slowest to adapt
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Future My optimistic view is that within ten years the NFL will be offering some sort of CBD product to its players. For instance, a guy gets a concussion. Immediately running onto the field
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Can CBD Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease?
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
By Josh Kaplan
Cannabidiol (CBD) has emerged as an effective therapeutic strategy for numerous conditions, but the explosion in its popularity has led many to use it who don’t necessarily need it to treat acute symptoms. Not surprisingly, they report that “it didn’t do anything.” Are they wasting their money? Perhaps not. Numerous studies in rodents and humans have demonstrated that CBD has powerful antiinflammatory properties. These effects may not always be consciously detected unless injury or disease has triggered the inflammation. But brain inflammatory processes are often ongoing, and they build up as we age. They can be triggered, for instance, by injury, alcohol, or disease processes. Persistent low levels of brain inflammation are harmful and cause a host of long-term problems. Dampening brain inflammation is therefore an important strategy to reduce risk for age-related brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This establishes a theoretical framework for 70
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CBD’s prevention of AD of which there’s emerging supportive pre-clinical data.
THE AD BRAIN AD afflicts 30 million people worldwide. Because of lengthening lifespans, it’s predicted that over 120 million people will have AD by 2050. Memory loss and confusion define the initial stages of the disease, but eventually, AD patients lose the ability to walk or swallow. The associated health complications make AD the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Risk factors coded in your DNA affect the likelihood that you may develop AD. But in the majority of cases, genetic risk only becomes problematic when coupled with certain lifestyle and environmental factors. For instance, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, heavy alcohol use, and even brain injury can increase the likelihood that you may one day develop AD. All of these factors have one thing in common that highlights CBD as a promising preventative strategy: they all increase brain inflammation.
AD begins by attacking the brain’s hippocampus, a region of high brain activity that’s especially vulnerable to inflammatory processes. As the disease takes hold, patients suffer from impaired memory, heightened anxiety, and depression. If you could peer into the brain at a microscopic level, you’d see two hallmark features: a speckling of amyloid-beta (Ab) plaques and brain cells that are a tangled mess of scaffolding fibers. The combination of these Ab-plaques and neurofibrillary tangles chronically activates inflammatory processes, preventing brain cells from functioning properly, and eventually leading to cell death. As a part of the brain’s inflammatory response, support cells, called microglia, become “activated” to get rid of the plaques and tangles. Normally, these cells travel around in their “resting state” until activated by a potential danger, attacking it like a microscopic watchdog. They’re intended to protect the brain, but in the process, they can wreak havoc by releasing toxic amounts of the chemical glutamate, killing brain cells and elevating the amount of damaging free radicals.
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// HEALTH & WELLNESS // Can CBD Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease?
THE CASE FOR CBD Many scientists believe that brain inflammation promotes AD by increasing the amount of Ab-plaques and tangles, which leads to greater inflammation, microglia activation, and more brain cell death. This was supported decades ago by a study that found a lower risk for AD in people who commonly used antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; e.g., Ibuprofen). But follow-up clinical trials in AD patients found that anti-inflammatory medications were only effective at preventing AD and do little in late stages of the disease. A major problem with NSAIDs is that they are brutal on your kidneys and GI tract, so their utility as a preventative tool is severely limited. Instead, CBD is a welltolerated anti-inflammatory and potent antioxidant, which can dampen inflammation and neutralize free radicals with minimal risk for harmful side effects. If CBD is going to be an optimal AD strategy, it should be able to prevent the hallmark brain signatures of the disease: reduce Ab-plaques, prevent the development of neurofibrillary tangles, block the activation of microglia and release of toxic chemicals, and soak up free radicals. Scientists have demonstrated CBD’s benefits on these hallmark features using rodent models of AD.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND CBD’S BENEFITS Scientists can study AD in the laboratory by altering the DNA of mice so that they develop the core brain and behavioral features of AD. In these mice, CBD was found to be most effective at reducing symptoms if given early in the disease process. This is consistent with CBD’s anti-inflammatory benefits and highlights its potential as a preventative strategy that can be implemented with little adverse consequence. CBD’s remarkable versatility as a therapeutic agent stems from its many targets in the brain
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and body. So far, over 65 have been identified, but there are three primary mechanisms that are most relevant for its anti-inflammatory benefits and protection against AD. First, CBD weakly activates cannabinoid type II (CB2) receptors which reduce the inflammatory response. CBD also blocks the breakdown of the brain’s endogenous cannabinoid, 2-AG, thereby increasing 2-AG levels and further activating CB2 receptors. Lastly, CBD activates the PPARg receptor which reduces brain inflammation in AD. Both PPARg receptor activators and microglia inhibitors have shown promise in human clinical trials but have been limited by prohibitive side effects. CBD may achieve these effects with a better side effect profile. Through these mechanisms, CBD has been found to reduce the Ab-plaque burden, protect against neurofibrillary tangles, and prevent the activation of microglia in rodents. Activation of the PPARg receptor is thought to underlie CBD’s benefits in preventing brain cell death and improving cognitive outcomes, while activation of CB2 receptors plays an important role in limiting the development of Ab-plaques.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE While CBD holds promise as a preventative treatment in rodent models of AD, we’re still a long way from establishing CBD’s benefits in humans. One of the biggest challenges we’ll face without controlled clinical trials is in establishing optimal dosing. In the meantime, full-spectrum cannabis oil has shown benefits on cognitive performance and improved quality-of-life factors (e.g., sleep and agitation) in small cohorts of human AD patients. So for now, CBD’s benefits in AD may be confined to helping combat its symptoms in some patients. Nonetheless, all of this speaks to an exciting future for CBD as scientists learn to harness its anti-inflammatory properties for conditions that extend beyond a sore back. h
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Less is More: Microdosing for Pain Management By Patricia Miller
Medical cannabis is currently legal in 29 states. Of those, none provide insurance coverage for the substance. This leaves consumers in a difficult situation: choose to purchase cannabis at their own expense or choose a potentially more harmful or addictive pharmaceutical medication covered by insurance. The dilemma is not new, but consumers and entrepreneurs alike are creating inventive ways to deal with the problem. Microdosing has become one of the most popular and effective options for treating illness without taking on a hefty medical bill. Dr. Dustin Sulak covers the topic extensively in both his medical practice and in numerous online journals. According to Dr. Sulak, “For most medications, a higher dose will result in a stronger therapeutic effect and a higher likelihood of adverse effects; this is described as a monophasic dose-response relationship. Cannabis simply does not follow this pattern.”
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His research concluded that after a certain point, higher dosages can actually result in weaker therapeutic effects and an increase in negative side effects. The lowest effective dose tends to be the most therapeutic. A 2012 study published in The Journal of Pain treated three groups of cancer patients with variable doses of THC and CBD. The group receiving a lower dose experienced a more significant reduction in pain than the group receiving the higher dose. Those receiving the highest dose had the same decrease in pain as the placebo group, but experienced more adverse effects. According to Dr. Sulak, this unexpected response is closely tied to the behavior of the endocannabinoid system: “When the cannabinoid receptors become overstimulated by high doses of cannabis, the cells pull the receptors inside, where they are recycled or degraded. As cannabinoid levels diminish, the
Shanel Lindsay, CEO of Ardent Cannabis
effects of cannabis will diminish as well, even (or especially) in the face of dose escalation.” Medical users who have developed a tolerance to the substance may end up spending more money to achieve the same therapeutic effects, and more
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
// HEALTH & WELLNESS //
// HEALTH & WELLNESS // Less is More: Microdosing for Pain Management
importantly, their treatments may become less effective, increasing their pain and discomfort. Medical users may find benefit in learning to cultivate their own plants at home and avoid paying high dispensary prices for both raw flower and infused products. Some progressive technology has sprung onto the scene to address these concerns, such as the NOVA Decarboxylator. Many of the psychoactive and therapeutic benefits of cannabis are tied up in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), but cannot be unlocked until they are converted from tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA). All cannabinoids contained in raw cannabis contain an extra carboxyl ring which needs to be removed through the process of decarboxylation in order to fully activate the THC. Once activated, the THC content of the product an skyrocket to incredibly potent levels. This is perfect for the microdoser, as a small amount of activated flower can either be ingested or infused into a product, resulting in high-potency edibles or topicals at a very low price. Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
Less is More: Microdosing for Pain Management // HEALTH & WELLNESS //
Shanel Lindsay, CEO of Ardent Cannabis and inventor of the NOVA decarboxylator, shared her thoughts on the value of this technology for the microdoser: “We did tests based on one ounce of oil, which is only around 2 tablespoons. Then we showed people how to just decarboxylate half a gram of cannabis and get over 90 milligrams of THC into the oil. The infusion rates we are getting are anywhere between 80 and 95 percent active THC using the device. When you’re talking about half a gram of cannabis making almost 100 milligrams of THC, that’s not a microdose in anybody’s world, but the idea is that you could take the scraps of what you have left over and be able to make a really potent medicine.” New users should begin the process by slowly introducing the cannabis to one’s system. Typically, one to five milligrams should be a good starting place for those with little to no tolerance to the substance. Tracking one’s mood and pain symptoms while slowly increasing the dose is a reliable way to measure how the
cannabis is affecting your system. Once mood and pain levels are adequately managed, the dosage can be maintained at that level until it is no longer effective. The dose is often taken twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. One should also be mindful of the type of cannabis one is ingesting, the strain, and the potency levels, as all of these variables will affect the way the substance interacts with one’s body.
give their patients and clients relief. Dr. Anthony Smith, founder of Kenevir Research and Chief Science Officer at EVIO Labs, noted his experience with microdosing: “You find a lot of people on pain meds can half their medications instantly with microdosing of THC and CBD. I think that’s cutting edge, in a sense that it’s something that even people who aren’t into ‘pot’ could find a lot of interesting medical uses for.”
Experienced consumers may benefit from gradually decreasing one’s dose to the lowest possible amount for at least a few days to allow the body’s cannabinoid receptors to recover and regain their receptivity to smaller quantities of the substance. Again, tracking one’s responses to lower doses may be helpful in determining the lowest dose one can ingest while still retaining perceptible therapeutic benefit.
Implementing a microdose regimen could radically reduce the amount of cannabis needed to provide therapeutic benefits, ultimately lowering the overall costs associated with medical marijuana treatment. Further, those who have little experience with the substance may find microdosing a more approachable option for incorporating it into one’s daily routine. When asked about the prospective popularity of low-dose cannabis treatment, Ardent CEO Lindsay optimistically posited, “The future of cannabis definitely belongs to the microdoser.” h
The study of microdosing is still in its infancy, but many doctors and scientists in the field are advocating for low-dose treatment options to
Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
// HEALTH & WELLNESS //
CAN INSURANCE COVER CANNABIS? The opioid epidemic in the United States has gone on far too long, impacting countless families and individuals along the way. For years, physicians prescribed opioid-based treatments, only to convert countless Americans into addicts all because they sought treatment for common medical conditions and ailments. For some, they now pay more for addiction treatment than they ever did for the medicine that got them addicted. With reports claiming that we may have reached a turning point in the epidemic, one has to wonder how much of an impact medical cannabis had. In fact, some states have expanded their medical cannabis programs to include any person prescribed an opioid-based prescription. Yet, with states warming to cannabis as a viable medical treatment, insurance companies still won’t cover the costs. That is the case in the U.S. as well as Canada. In Canada, insurance companies continue to offer little to no coverage options for patients seeking medical cannabis. Instead, like in the U.S., patients are told that they can choose to take opioid-based treatments or pay for the 78
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costs themselves and consume cannabis. The decision stems from reluctance on two fronts. One of the main concerns is the price. Cannabis currently has a much higher associated cost than opioids. Using the Canadian Veterans Affairs (VA) as an example, insurance providers note the sky-high spike in medical cannabis costs. Five years ago, the VA spent C$409,000 on medical cannabis. In 20162017, the total was C$63.7 million. Providers in Canada also tend to note the lack of medical studies on cannabis as a treatment option. While this concern should fade in time, it currently presents another problematic hurdle for Canadians in need. Despite the concerns, providers have begun to open their qualifying conditions list to some degree as legalization nears. Meanwhile, in the United States, insurers remain handcuffed from expanding coverage to protect their own business. With cannabis still a Schedule I narcotic, insurers have to act like banks and other industries and stay away. Whether it wanted to do business with medical cannabis or not, doing so could put these
By Jordan French
companies in the crosshairs of the federal government. As such, Americans in need are told to choose opioids or face the same prospect as Canadians. In some rare cases, patients in the U.S. have been able to find coverage for their medical cannabis costs. However, they have come through workers compensation, not insurance. In New Jersey, two separate cases found that workers injured on the job were permitted to have medical cannabis costs covered by their employers. While the news marks a significant victory for the individuals and other workers who may be hurt in New Jersey, it does not impact the progress needed across the nation. Such progress won’t happen in the U.S. until cannabis is rescheduled. Under the current administration, particularly the Department of Justice headed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the likelihood of rescheduling does not appear to be a reality anytime soon. That said, while Canadian insurance providers warm to covering cannabis costs, the U.S. will likely remain in the status quo until rescheduling or legalization occurs. h
// THE LAB //
Cracking the Genetic Code
How genetic research impacts business and why it’s in dire need of funding By Patricia Miller
Photo Patrick Campbell/University of Colorado
The University of Colorado, Boulder is one of the few universities in the country with a robust cannabis research program. Their team is comprised of some of the most respected scientists in the space, including evolutionary biologist Dr. Daniela Vergara. As the Director of the Agricultural Genomics Foundation and as a Postdoctoral Researcher, she has made a considerable impact in the way cultivators look at their crops. In this interview, Vergara reveals how federally supplied cannabis is creating flawed studies and why genomic research is vital to the growth of the industry. Cannabis & Tech Today: What does your position as a cannabis researcher entail? Daniela Vergara: I study the DNA, which is genetic material from cannabis plants. I study the whole collection of DNA, so the whole genome, and compare genomes from different strains to each other to understand which regions give the plants certain characteristics, 80
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like high THC or high CBD, or particular smells or colors. I conduct bioinformatic research. It takes time because you’re analyzing this big data. A genome is a lot of information; for cannabis, an individual genome is about 830 million letters. If you’re comparing 67 different genomes, it’s going to take a long time. It’s not fast, it’s not easy, and it requires a lot of time and patience. C&T Today: Why do we need to better understand the genetic diversity of cannabis? DV: In order to understand how to cultivate the plants properly, we need to understand the genome. If you want reliability, consistency, and accuracy with your cultivation, you need to understand: what are the genes, where are the genes, and during what times are the genes turning on or turning off? The genes that you turn on while you’re sick or while you’re asleep are different and we want to know, “Okay, if you have a plant that is purple, is that purple gene
turned on or off at a certain point or is it just a different form of the gene?” Like if you have blue eyes, you have blue eyes here and in China and anywhere, right? So you have that particular form of the gene. But there are genes that can turn on or off depending on certain conditions. For example, diabetes, you might have the gene but never develop diabetes. Your sister might also have the gene but because she ate poorly during her lifetime that gene might turn on. So, we want to know all of those things from the genometer to be able to cultivate cannabis properly. C&T Today: Has it been a challenge to find funding for your research? DV: Oh yeah. This year and every single year. Finding funding for research is hard because the agencies that run funding for research are the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the National Science Foundation (NSF). You have to apply and the funding rate is very low. With
Photo C. Roese Ramp/Women Grow
(Top left) Vergara enjoys some time in the field honing her craft and studying environmental variances in cannabis crops. (Bottom left) Vergara presents “Cannabis Genomics: Multiple Genes Responsible for the Production of THC & CBD” at the Women Grow Leadership Summit in 2016.
cannabis, since it is federally illegal, it’s even harder because many of these agencies do not grant money for federally illegal crops. So, we cannot bring funds from federally illegal markets into the university. It’s been a challenge. C&T Today: Have you found any alternatives for funding your research? DV: We have a non-profit organization that I run. It’s very small and from that I’ve been able to get some funds from the cannabis industry as well as from private individuals, so that has been helpful. It’s called the Agricultural Genomics Foundation (AGF). AGF has 501(c)(3) status, it’s a charitable non-profit. Through AGF we fund projects for the Cannabis Genomic Research Initiative (CGRI), of which I am a founder. Mainly, it’s paying undergraduate students for their time and buying consumables and stuff like that. Also, through AGF we educate the public about our findings and about our cannabis research. We make our research available to the public, to interested users, to other researchers around the world, and also to breeders, growers, and consumers. C&T Today: Most of the cannabis provided
to federally funded research institutions is provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). You performed a study in which you compared cannabinoid levels from the varieties that NIDA produced to the cannabinoid levels from the plants that are available in the private market. What were your conclusions?
DV: It suggests that most of the research that has been done with cannabis using NIDA strains might not be representative of what people are actually using. That’s problematic because, first, there’s not a lot of studies and second, those that are available are with weed that is not representative of what people are using.
DV: I did a comparison between the cannabinoid levels from strains from four different cities in the private market: Denver, Seattle, Oakland, and Sacramento. We compared those to NIDA’s varieties and found that NIDA’s varieties are very low in potency, have very little diversity, and they have an accumulation of a breakdown product, which is CBN. CBN is cannabinoid that accumulates when you leave cannabis in poor conditions, like in the sun or things like that.
C&T Today: Do you have any advice or insights for young scientists who are interested in becoming involved with cannabis research?
Our study suggests that they are probably not storing their cannabis in proper conditions and that’s not what we found from the private markets. The private markets have much less CBN and have much more variation. C&T Today: I would imagine that has a large effect on those who are relying on NIDA samples to do their research.
DV: Be patient. There are a lot of things to do from many, many different perspectives. There’s a recreational side, a medical side, and also hemp. The seeds are edible, so you can have granola from hemp. I think Toyota made a car out of hemp already. Hemp installation materials for air-conditioning or furnaces, or fiber for clothing or paper. That opens the door to many people, like an architect who wants to make houses out of hemp, or to a clothing designer who wants to make shoes out of hemp. So, once we’re able to actually use the plant with all of its diversity and versatility, it’s going to be huge. There are so many things we are going to be able to do. h Fall 2018 // Cannabis & Tech Today
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// THE LAB //
From Potency to Profit By Patricia Miller
How lab testing could make or break your cannabusiness The relationship between cannabis businesses and their labs can have a huge impact on the success of a company. Reliable testing ensures more than quality and safety, it’s a critical component in maintaining the company’s bottom line. The global cannabis testing market will be worth more than $1.4 billion by 2021, according to research and analytics firm MarketsandMarkets. However, those hardearned dollars are easily lost to inaccurate measurements and weak computations. Companies rely on labs to accurately analyze the potency of their product, sometimes tens of thousands of pounds at a time. If the accuracy is off, even a little, the resulting concentrate or edible could be drastically stronger (or weaker) than originally intended, ultimately costing business owners millions of dollars in mislabeled product. Chief Science Officer at EVIO Labs and founder of Kenevir Research Dr. Anthony Smith gave this example: “Extractors want to supply dozens and dozens of pounds that they’re going to extract. Well, those dozens of pounds may range in strength from trim to fully trimmed bud. Parts of it are 5 or 10 percent potency, parts
customer loyalty and consumers appreciate knowing what they’re buying, particularly when they’re ingesting the final product. “You can really go off the deep end and get disturbingly ill by eating too much cannabinoid. So having metrics all along the supply chain about the content and the strength of the raw material, the concentrates, the refined products, it’s really important,” Dr. Smith added.
of it are 15 or 20 percent. If you just take a single point out of that hundred pounds of cannabis and assume your yield of concentrate math out of it, you could start with the wrong number and end up completely wrong. Manufacturers, they’re not crossing their fingers; they need to make it right and know that it’s right. Not just from a quality assurance and safety perspective, but from a commercial end. These companies can lose a lot of money.” The value of lab testing also comes in the form of consumer trust. Accurate labeling builds
The main limitation affecting labs at this stage of development is finding skilled labor. Chemists and researchers may have the necessary schooling, but lack the real-world training to enter their careers at full speed. “There’s a whole new section of job opportunities that have opened up in biotech and chemistry. All these chemistry jobs are on the industrial side rather than the research side of R&D, so folks wanting to go into this should do internships to add basic business skills and quality assurance.” Whether one is considering joining the field as a career choice or employing a lab for product testing, ensure the facility is fully state accredited and up-to-date on their certifications. Otherwise, you could be making a costly mistake. h
“Legal cannabis does not exist without a robust laboratory environment. It’s really encouraging to see new markets like California embracing the Colorado and Washington — are really figuring out how this relationship between cultivator, processor, retail outlet, and lab ultimately ends up working out.” Ricardo Baca, Former Editor-in-Chief of The Cannabist
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Photo Getty Images/iStockphoto
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// THE LAB //
a y W e h t g n i h t g i L of Lighting e c n ie c S e th w Ho on Affects Cultivati
By Ebby Stone There was a time in recent history when light emitting diodes (LEDs) were less effective for large cultivation facilities than their historically popular counterpart, High Pressure Sodium (HPS) systems. Fortunately, lighting science is evolving as the cannabis industry expands. Now the efficiency, sustainability, and improved yields associated with LEDs have been scientifically validated. A 2017 study presented at the Cannabinoid Conference in Cologne determined LED lights can produce crops with 26-36 percent higher THC content than HPS lighting alone. What’s changed? Design improvements like greater light uniformity allow cultivators to position their lights much closer to the plants themselves. Closer proximity dramatically increases the amount of light penetrating the canopy, improving yields. ProGrowTech CEO Andrew Myers elaborated, “On the most basic level, light is plant food. All things being equal, more light equals more growth, assuming you can manage plant stress. Our [LED] lights deliver a more gentle, full-spectrum light source, eliminating most plant stress response and 84
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creating the potential for greater yields.” Other engineering advancements are further improving the versatility and profitability of LED lighting solutions. Spectral tuning capability is fairly new to the scene, but its utility is based around research that shows plants react differently to different colors of light. The ability to control which light spectrums are hitting which plants at specific times can give cultivators more control over their harvest. Myers explained, “When a plant sees light that has a more blue hue, it interprets that as an indication that it is early in the spring, meaning the plant doesn’t need to out-compete its neighbors for sunlight and can focus on root and stem development. This results in shorter, more robust plants. The opposite is true with a warmer, or redder, quality of light. This type of light causes plants to stretch, so you can open up dense indicas and achieve more optimal internodal spacing, eliminating mold risk in the process.” Until recently, many growers believed the middle of the visible spectrum was not photosynthetically viable for their crops. The
misinformed notion equated to designers trying to fit all of their light energy into the red and blue areas of the spectrum. Recent research indicates that full spectrum light sources are actually the most effective for growing plants. According to Myers, “Plants can tolerate much higher light intensities without developing stress if the light is spread out over the entire spectrum and not overly concentrated on any one color, and green and yellow light penetrate much deeper into plant canopies than red and blue light. New, full-spectrum LEDs give a full three feet of canopy penetration, further increasing yield and quality of harvests.” If higher yields aren’t enough incentive to make the switch to LEDs, consider the energy savings. According to Energy.gov, LEDs use at least 50 percent less energy than traditional incandescent lighting. Aligning one’s brand with sustainable ideals while saving money is good for more than the planet, it’s good for the bottom line. h For more information about LED Lighting Solutions, visit ProGrowTech.com
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// INCUBATOR //
Breaking CEO of Colorado Harvest Company Tim Cullen talks about his journey from working as a high school biology teacher to being a leader in the cannabis industry.
“ I wake up and kiss my kids and wife and go off to work and commit felonies all day and then come home and have dinner� 86
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Bud By P.K. French In this exclusive interview, Cullen shares the events that led to his Breaking Bad-style switch from teaching high schoolers to selling illicit drugs. His precision growing techniques and years of regulatory compliance expertise combined with a wealth of retail and marketing knowledge have made Cullen one of the industry’s most successful entrepreneurs.
Cannabis & Tech Today: How did your brand start and how does it fit into the overall cannabis industry?
see that granular level of adjustment as opposed to changing all the packaging requirements for all the products.
Tim Cullen: Colorado Harvest Company started in October 2009, so we just had our eight year anniversary. Colorado Harvest Company existed before the Marijuana Enforcement Division, before licensing, before rules and regulations, before anything really. So we’ve had this unique perspective on the growth of the industry in the sense that we’ve kind of been there since the very beginning of it. And so we’ve watched it just evolve and evolve. One of the constants in the business is: Don’t get too comfortable with anything, because it’s always going to change.
C&T Today: Has the current administration caused any particular problems in that regard?
In October of last year, there were relatively small tweaks around the potency sticker on edibles and concentrates. Should it be a circle, or a square, or both, or neither, or bold, or twelve-point font? And it was just little, bitty tweaks like that. Now that’s sort of refreshing to
TC: That hasn’t really changed much about how we go about our days. I mean, we’ve been federally illegal for the last eight years, so my skin is just growing thick to that idea. I wake up and kiss my kids and wife and go off to work and commit felonies all day and then come home and have dinner. At first it was more nerve-wracking than it is now. Now [it] is more trying to deal with a state like Colorado that has legalized marijuana, and has a healthy medical marijuana program, also bumping heads with federal organizations that don’t even recognize marijuana as even existing on the planet. A good example of that would be the issue with pesticides or any type of pest control. It’s the Environmental Protection Agency that
writes the verbiage on the bags. It starts with its violation of federal law to use this product. And then, of course, they don’t list cannabis as one of the uses, just in the same way as that they wouldn’t list coca plants, or any other illegal plants as being okay to use this product on. And it’s the Department of Agriculture at the state level that enforces these EPA rules and decides whether a product is being used in accordance to labeling or not. So you have this federal group that doesn’t list cannabis anywhere, and then you have this state group that’s trying to enforce these federal rules within a state where cannabis is not only legal, and licensed, and tax-paying, but also has the need for pest control. So what are you able to put on these things and not be in violation? So we’re just in this gray area where there’s a lot of public acceptance, but all the rules have not changed in a way that reflects marijuana companies as being legal tax-paying entities within the whole demographic of companies
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// INCUBATOR // Breaking Bud
Tim Cullen founded Colorado Harvest Company in 2009 as the sole employee. Today, the venture has 70 employees and three different locations across Denver, CO.
across the country. There’s still issues with insurance, with taxes, with banking. Anything you’re looking for, you can find a company that won’t work with you because you are a marijuana company. And that’s frustrating. C&T Today: How would you describe the change in the overall workforce over the year? What kind of character is this attracting? TC: I’ve watched that evolution. Like, five years ago, I could put an ad on Craigslist on Friday, and open it again on Monday, and 300 people would respond. And today, I could put an ad on Craigslist, and open it on Monday, and maybe get three people to respond. And maybe those three people aren’t even qualified, so we’ve had to change our hiring practices as well. Colorado Harvest Company has grown from one employee, which is me, at the very beginning to about 70 people on our payroll right now, and so, unfortunately, it has had to get more corporate. I mean, we have an employee handbook, and an onboarding process, and a training process, and people get to sit down and select their insurance plans.
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And it is much more corporate in that sense but also some of that corporate ideology that we’ve had to adopt is also the reason that I can take the weekends off, and my phone doesn’t ring all the time…It kind of creates a chain of command that makes life easier. C&T Today: What was it like to found this kind of company in retrospect? TC: It’s a funny story. I’m a medical marijuana patient, and so is my father. We both have Crohn’s disease. My undergrad is in biology, and I’ve always enjoyed plants. And I’ve always had big gardens at my houses and such. So when medical marijuana came to be… I cleared out some of my basement. And I had this cool little laboratory to work with because I was really taking a scientific approach to it. I was really fascinated with the different results you could get from different nutrients, and different lighting, and different environmental controls…But I didn’t realize I was training for anything. It was just a fun little hobby on the side. And then, in 2008, I started seeing some retail stores pop up. And I was like, “I had no idea that this was even allowed.” And I started going into
them to check them all out. And all these stores that I went into had more people with backpacks selling wares to the store than customers who were shopping there. And I thought, “That’s just crazy. How has no one stepped up, doing supply for these companies and setting up a contract with them? And why are they shopping from random people coming in off the street?” And so that was the original business plan with Colorado Harvest Company. I had an opportunity to lease a building, and it was all going to work. I was a high school biology teacher at the time, so it was kind of a Breaking Bad story a little bit there. I went on vacation with my wife who was also a teacher at the time, and we just talked about it a lot, and she said, “I think you should do it. I think there’s never going to be another opportunity like this. If it doesn’t work out you can always go back to teaching science again. Give it a go and see where it goes.” And then 2010, the rules changed. House Bill 1284 was passed, so it laid the groundwork for all the rules we play by now on the medical side. And that’s when vertical integration came into our lives. If you owned a grow, you had to own a retail store. If you owned a retail, you had to
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// INCUBATOR // Breaking Bud
Colorado Harvest Company has worked to diversify their retail, selling recreational and medical cannabis products, as well as accessories, vapes, and merchandise.
own a grow. And that started the whole series of lunch meetings with all these nefarious characters. And I finally came home and told my wife, “I think I’m going to go out of business. I can’t find anyone who I would partner up with. There’s just no one that I’m respecting that I’m meeting here. And I don’t have a dispensary. I’m about to be out in violation of these rules.” So I called the City of Denver, and they said I can open a dispensary in the building that I had, even though it was a terrible retail location. So the first Colorado Harvest Company store that opened was not even meant to really drive business. I didn’t even think anyone would come to it. It was in a terrible place. But it complied with the rules, and so it allowed me to keep going. And then, we were able to acquire more and better locations through time. And I was able to take on a partner who had a great retail location and was really savvy on the retail side as far as marketing and merchandising and promotions and running a retail store. I 90
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worked in some retail stores in college, but that doesn’t qualify you to run or own one. And so, he was able to help me with that side of it, and I was already good at the plant production side. And we just made a good team. And so we started off like that and a couple years later launched O.penVAPE. And then O.penVAPE took off like a rock star with a number one hit single. And it has blown up to be probably the largest marijuana company in the world today. And so for a short period of time, about six months, we were both working at Harvest Company, and both working at O.penVAPE. And then finally, after the fourth week in a row of eighty-hour work weeks, he says, “Hey man, which one do you want, ‘cause we both can’t do both of these, like we’re totally ineffective.” He said, “I want to see that O. penVAPE idea through, and I’m really excited about it,” and then stopped showing up to Colorado Harvest Company. I have it from here. So he became the CEO of O.penVAPE, and I
run this side of it. So we are still partners. He just represents me down there, and I represent him over here. So we have a little diversity within the company now. And even though everything’s in marijuana, we’re not all in retail, or not all in the grow, or all in the vaporizer products. We have some diversity within the market. And we’ve been able to expand into three stores now. So we sort of situated ourselves in the middle of the pack in terms of having more than one store but less than 16 stores. And just being able to be a nice little neighborhood boutique cannabis chain that provides really quality customer service, and quality products, and a lot of inventory to choose from. And I think we have a nice tight little ship that we get to drive around here. We’re not the tallest blade of grass, but we’re not bottom feeders either. Yeah, so we’ve been able to find a nice little niche in the market, and we are happy where we are. h
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Gary Vee Talks Cannabiz
Entrepreneur and social media personality Gary Vaynerchuk gives his personal advice on the complex world of cannabis
Photo Vayner Media
Photo IPW/Win Wolloff
By Charles Warner
Investing in the cannabis industry seems like quite a lucrative opportunity from the outside looking in. Whether you’re reading the news about the growth of legalization or driving through Denver admiring all the dispensaries popping up, it can certainly feel like you’re missing out on serious profits if you’re not investing in the rising world of marijuana. However, there is definitely a need for an honest voice on the cannabis industry. And Gary Vaynerchuk is just the person to reveal his unbiased opinion on the subject. A veteran of many industries, including social media, online delivery services, and music streaming, Vaynerchuk understands how to 92
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navigate the modern business landscape. However, it’s his experience with alcohol entrepreneurship that gives him an insight into what the future of the cannabis industry might look like. The creator of the webseries WineLibrary TV, the shopping website WineLibrary, and the subscription service “GaryVee’s Monthly Wine Club,” Vaynerchuk sees a number of similarities between the worlds of wine and weed. Additionally, with his recent purchase of 50 percent of the cannabis branding company Green Street, Gary Vee has officially entered the cannabusiness. We spoke with the business-minded internet celebrity about his advice on investing in the industry, how tech
may help to destigmatize the substance, and the challenges of marketing within the space. Cannabis & Tech Today: What originally sparked your interest in the cannabis industry? Gary Vaynerchuk: I grew up in the liquor business. Obviously, prohibition and all the shipping laws, I was so affected by what happened in the 30s in America with alcohol. And I couldn’t explain it any other way than intuitively. It is so black-and-white obvious to me how large the cannabis industry will be over the next 30, 50, 70 years. I’m an entrepreneur. And to me it’s a combination of merit and opportunity.
Photo Gary Vaynerchuk
“ It is so black-andwhite obvious to me how large the cannabis industry will be over the next 30, 50, 70 years.”
It’s so clear to me that there’s a lot of meritbased reasons that cannabis needs to be in society. I think it needs to be regulated, but it needs to be in society. I think it could help a lot of people. And I think there’s a difference to be had. So just an intuitive understanding, no different than why I believe in social media, to be frank. C&T Today: With your experience in the alcohol industry, do you think cannabis could reach that type of mainstream level? GV: I do believe that. I don’t think it’s tomorrow. We have an administration on a federal level that is not for this movement. And so it’s going to take some time. There’s obviously a ton of stigma. And it took alcohol 40, 50 years. There’s something in the liquor business that was called “deregulation.” It’s when they stopped imposing minimum markups and the other laws
that were heavy-handed. And that happened in the state of New Jersey in 1981. That is almost 50 years after the repeal. So I think a lot of cannabis enthusiasts or speculators are going to end up being just very disappointed in the speed in which this all happens.
C&T Today: Tell us a bit about about your work with Green Street.
C&T Today: How do you see technology and science playing a role in destigmatizing cannabis?
GV: I met the guys a couple years ago and I really liked their energy. Just shooting the s*** entrepreneurially in L.A. One thing led to another, and they were like, “We’d love to have you be a part of it.” I was like, “Ah, I don’t see how it could work.” And over the course of a year, we created a framework where it made sense for both parties. And I’m just unbelievably ambitious about it and have moved a former senior executive from VaynerMedia over to Green Street. That’s a little scoop for you.
GV: I think the education of the information and the dissemination of that information will be a huge factor. And so if you think about technology and how it affects media, 20 years ago you’d be at the mercy of three or four media companies. Today, we have the internet. So I think it’s just going to speed up that process.
He’s a guy that’s been with me for nine years, leading the account business. Then there was a contract creative that I was going to hire for Vayner Media, but he really was passionate about this space and I U-turned the conversation, so he’s joining. We’ve definitely created a little bit of a dream team.
But I do believe it will happen. And for me, being somebody who’s a marathon runner, I feel like I’m okay with how the timing works out.
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// MEDIA+ENTERTAINMENT // Gary Vee Talks Cannabiz
Photo Gary Vaynerchuk
“ Smoking a bong for four years of college and now deciding to start a cannabis business is a really bad f***ing idea.”
C&T Today: What is the state of media and marketing in the cannabis space? GV: The challenges are the Googles and Facebooks have real restrictions, which you respect and understand. We see a lot of opportunity in creating our own media properties and influencer marketing. We will navigate through the world, right? And more importantly, you’re talking to somebody who lived through years of confusion and limitations in the liquor business, with shipping laws and all that. I’ve grown up in levels of restrictions, and limitations have helped me create a stomach and an appetite to be able to navigate that world. C&T Today: What advice would you give to entrepreneurs in the cannabis business right now? GV: The biggest fear I have is that when the big guys are coming in, they start going into, “Well it’s a gold rush, let’s make our money before we can’t.” I’m always a big fan of playing the long game and bringing the most value. To me, my biggest advice is, if you’re in it to make money for the next year or two, then you might as well get out completely. If you’re in it for the next decade, I think there’s a lot of opportunity. So if you’re trying to make money within the 94
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next two or three years, then you might as well go figure out cryptocurrency or social media or whatever the hell else gets you excited about short-term economics. If you’re actually in it, and you’re passionate about it and you believe in it, and you want to play out a 10-year window, I think there’ll be enormous opportunity.
money? The people selling the shovels and the picks. I think if you’re in the scales business, if you’re in the vape products, utilities matter. I’m very high on the accessories of business, especially because a lot of those you can sell on Amazon. You can have a lot more freedom with that.
C&T Today: As these industries are opening up, it’s really important that these business owners have executional skills and business skills.
C&T Today: Do you ever partake in cannabis? What’s your personal stance?
GV: I just wanted to say, I feel like people are just unbelievably naïve in what it takes to actually be successful in business. Just being passionate about marijuana is probably the most obvious recipe for not having long-term success. In the same way that I see so many sports agencies fail because they just are “jock sniffers” and they love athletes. They don’t have a business plan. Smoking a bong for four years of college and now deciding to start a cannabis business is a really bad f***ing idea. C&T Today: Is there any particular aspect of the business that you think is ripe for growth now? GV: I think the utilities around them. Don’t forget during the gold rush, who made the most
GV: That’s a great question. I think it’s probably the most ironic thing; I’ve never even tried smoking a cigarette. And I’ve never had an edible. So no, I haven’t partaken, but it’s kind of no different than Lou Pearlman, the guy who created the Backstreet Boys and NSYNC. He wasn’t a 14-year-old teenage girl either. I think, for me, I do have a lot of empathy that may create some level of short-term scrutiny, but in the macro it doesn’t even cross my mind. C&T Today: Do you have any final advice pertaining to the industry? GV: For me, the one thing I’d like to say is it’s a marathon. I’m desperate for everybody who’s reading this to understand that in 2037, the grass is going to be unbelievably green. My concern is that everybody thinks they’re going to become rich in 2019, and that’s a bad idea. h
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Rolly Crump’s Whimsical World By Robert Yehling
Photos Courtesy of Roland F. Crump and Kenbow Communications
As one of Walt Disney’s fabled “Imagineers,” the now-88-year-old animator-illustratordesigner poured his considerable talent into one memorable project after another, none more symbolic than It’s a Small World.
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// MEDIA+ENTERTAINMENT //
The project director of Disneyland’s “It’s a Small World” and “Enchanted Tiki Room” talks about his creations, including the longest continuously selling marijuana poster in the world You may not know Rolly Crump, but chances are he’s contributed to the soundtrack of your life. Have you visited a Disney park, ridden It’s A Small World, and spent weeks or months either fighting off or adoring the theme song as it loops in your mind? If so, then you’re acquainted with this whitehaired, warm, and engaging creative force. He helped build out and oversee the design of the most popular ride in Disney’s history, which has been a source of joy to five generations since it opened in 1966. He also put together The Enchanted Tiki Room and contributed to countless Disney cartoons and animated features.
As one of Walt Disney’s fabled “Imagineers,” the now-88-year-old animator-illustrator-designer poured his considerable talent into one memorable project after another, none more symbolic than Small World. “We first realized how big ‘Small World’ would become when we built it for the 1964 World’s Fair,” Crump recalled, his warm, engaging spirit already drawing in his guests for story hour. “It was the first time we saw how the song defined the ride. The way it was rigged up, we had one switch to handle all the electrical — lights, air conditioning, the boats, everything. When it broke, we had to go in and get everything going …
except the song. It kept playing and playing … and people at the fair kept singing it, even when they were on the other side of the grounds.” Two years later, Small World redefined Disneyland with its combination of dolls, landscapes, and cultural items from a hundred nations, set to a gentle, winding boat ride inside a colorful façade of clocks, chimes, and bells. From the outside, it looks like the world’s most amazing toy box on rocket fuel. Small World and Crump’s approach to his life and work led to his nickname, “The Whimsical Imagineer.” He has been featured in an awardwinning documentary of the same title, produced
(Top/Center) Rolly Crump’s famous “Smoke Marijuana” poster, the longest continuously selling marijuana poster in the world.
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// MEDIA+ENTERTAINMENT // Rolly Crump’s Whimsical World
Outside of his work for Disney, Crump worked on a variety of paintings and drawings that fascinated him: creative “gods and goddesses” like entertainer-activist Josephine Baker and Cleopatra (Above). He also painted burlesque scenes, masks, and tikis.
and directed by Emmy Award winner Kenneth Kebow. The Whimsical Imagineer brought down the house when it was shown to a standing room-only audience in 2018 at Disney Animation Studios, where Rolly created some of our greatest childhood memories. Among other things, the film showcases how much Walt Disney valued Crump. They worked together during the last ten years of Disney’s life, when he was building out Disneyland, secretly buying land for Disney World, and feeding the childhoods of Baby Boomers with animated features, cartoon series, The Wonderful World of Disney, and instructional nature and social studies films in classrooms. In The Whimsical Imagineer, Rolly’s diverse talents as a model builder, animator, mobile builder, cartoonist, and project designer are all celebrated – a daily occurrence at Disney Studios.
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“If an idea came up, you just did it,” Crump recalled. “It was nothing complicated, not like now, where everything has a study group or you must stay in your set job. We had to design something, we had disciplines to follow, and we did it. Because we were constantly designing things we’d never done before, everyone was winging it. We didn’t know the toys (for Small World) would be made of papier mache; we came up with it. That’s how it was working with Walt. My, was it creative! We had a tremendous amount of freedom to do what we wanted.” It also went for his creations away from Disney. Like many young Disney animators in the 1950s, Crump could not afford the $30-perweek entry-level pay. He began looking for ways to supplement his income, painting and drawing subjects that fascinated him: creative “gods and goddesses” like entertainer-activist Josephine
Baker and innovative sculptor Alexander Calder, who designed the world’s greatest mobiles. He also painted burlesque scenes, masks and tikis, and sleek, sexy pictures that also featured complex moods and expressions, some shadow inside the whimsy and fun. “I became a sponge working with Walt,” Crump said. “I absorbed and learned about everything. I was so thrilled, and so happy, just being this curious learner, being a sponge. Walt was like that, too: he was always looking for something he’d never seen before. I always tried to show him something he’d never seen, which is boiling the imagination to the surface. That’s why we were called ‘Imagineers.’” Many acclaimed artists created pieces far removed from their most famous works. Examples include Dr. Seuss, Charles Schultz, and Bugs Bunny creator Chuck Jones. Add to
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that list Rolly Crump, who painted well outside the bounds of Disney propriety at times to make extra money, and in the process, created a nice side business selling posters of his works. Crump’s first poster caught everyone’s eye: “Smoke Marijuana.” The drawing features a wooden Native American, like those that dotted Route 66 and other highway trading posts, souvenir shops, and rest areas to promote tobacco. It features sayings both hilarious and hip. Two things stand out: first, a Disney artist created it. Second, he started selling it in 1957, when the Beat movement was in full force, but marijuana was strictly taboo. He drew it for The Unicorn, L.A.’s top Beat-era coffeehouse, but it became a part of L.A. underground history people still want to take home. It has sold for 61 years. “If you look closely at the poster, a lot of the phrases I wrote were used then,” Crump said. “I loved that scene, the people, the coffee houses, the cannabis, the whole underground feeling. It helped me develop a style, a way of
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thinking, looking for things that were different … It goes back to being a sponge. You absorb it, squeeze it around your head a few times, then it squeezes out.” The way Crump conceived the marijuana poster reflects his ability to boil new ideas into his work. “I was going to night school, and the teacher said, ‘I want everyone to design a Christmas card, but make it look like an old wood block cut,’” he recalled, a smile stretching across his face. “I went to the library, dug out a book on old lithographs and block prints, and found this picture of a wooden Native American. I bought one and stared at it in my office, wondering what to do for my Christmas card. “Then it came to me: I’ll just have him say ‘Smoke Marijuana’ instead of ‘Smoke Tobacco.’ When people who worked at Disney came into my office and saw it, every one of them said, ‘If you ever get it printed, we’ll buy one off of you.’ “ ‘Will you give me a dollar for it?’ I asked. “ ‘Sure!’”
Crump took his design to a printer in Toluca Lake, just down Riverside Drive from Disney Studios – and hit a snag. “He looked at it and asked me, ‘Are they legal?’” Crump recalled, finding the question almost ludicrous today. “‘Why wouldn’t they be?’ I said. ‘It’s a joke – it’s tongue-in-cheek.’
know what was going to happen. Four or five cops in the car ran into the store — and the owner ran out the back, leaving his wife at the counter. He thought he would be arrested. One of the cops asked his wife if they were selling the posters. After she said, ‘Yes,’ he said to her, ‘We’d like one.’ So they bought a marijuana poster!”
“When I explained that to him, he was fine. Before that, he was scared to print it, because it was considered illegal to print anything with positive messages about marijuana. Because the copy was humorous, I got away with it. You couldn’t promote marijuana in any serious way … which leads to other stories.” Crump’s poster caught fire with a growing legion of buyers. Sometimes, as he recalls, the interested parties turned out to be major surprises.
Today, Rolly Crump lives with his partner of fifteen years, Marie, in their coastal San Diego County home. He recently auctioned off most of his original work, while The Whimsical Imagineer continues to tell his creative story at pop-up theater engagements and on DVD. His works hang in homes, studios, and museums throughout the world, and he loves to hold center court about creativity, artistic expression, Walt Disney, Small World … and the journey of his iconic marijuana poster.
“I remember one shop on Ventura Blvd., a very contemporary furniture store. The owner loved my poster,” he said. “The guy glued them to his front windows. One day, a police car pulled up. I thought, ‘Oh, God…’ We didn’t
“I’m just lucky,” he said. “I wanted to work for Disney ever since I was a little kid, I did that, and I wanted to paint, illustrate, or build whatever else came into mind. I’ve been lucky enough to do that, too.” h
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Even before cannabis began to be legalized on the state level, there were many celebrities who publicly endorsed or openly admitted to using the product. Some of the most famous include Snoop Dogg, Tommy Chong, and Willie Nelson, all of whom have now entered the cannabis market to profit off of the growing industry while promoting legalization. And, as this industry develops, more stars are breaking into it, bringing their own style and experiences to the market. Here, we’ve compiled some of the big names currently investing in the cannabis industry. Photo Paul Castro
Photo ShockInk/James Minchin
By Alex Moersen
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
Melissa Etheridge The singer/songwriter’s relationship with cannabis started in 2004 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Now, 13 years later, she is cancer-free and gives much of the credit for her recovery to marijuana. This motivated her to start Etheridge Farm and promote the conversation around the benefits of the medicinal uses of cannabis. In late 2016, her company rolled out a number of medicinal products, including a balm for aches and arthritis. She even created a cannabis-infused wine. “These are sun-grown California products,” she told Billboard. “I want to really focus my products on wellness and on the medicinal part… [Customers are] looking for medicinal relief. I want them to know this is the brand that they can trust.”
// MEDIA+ENTERTAINMENT // Whoopi Goldberg
Photo Jimmy Fontaine
In 2016, Whoopi Goldberg teamed up with Maya Elizabeth, the founder of Om Edibles, to create the cannabis company Whoopi & Maya. They had a specific goal in mind, design medicinal products specifically for menstrual discomfort relief. When Goldberg was first looking to break into the cannabis market, she noticed a clear gap in medicinal products. Not many companies were designing medicinal cannabis with women specifically in mind. Their product line includes medicated magnesium bath soaks, raw sipping chocolate, topical rubs for localized pain, and even a tincture for serious discomfort. Whoopi and Maya also hope that the company will help society, especially men, become more comfortable talking openly about periods.
Cliff Robinson Every year sports fans see some of their favorite players get in trouble for cannabis usage. The stigma of cannabis in sports has resulted in numerous players receiving suspensions over the years. Cliff Robinson, however, is trying to change that stigma. The NBA star, who was suspended three times during his career for cannabis use, launched Uncle Cliffy with the goal to become a “voice for athletes that choose to consume cannabis responsibly.” Now retired, Robinson credits cannabis as a major reason he’s been able to treat aches and pains. Citing his own experiences with the positive effects of cannabis use and the negative effects of cannabis prohibition, Robinson hopes to contribute positively to promote the benefits of cannabis use in sports and society. Currently, Uncle Cliffy produces pre-rolled joints tailored specifically for athletes and those who live an active lifestyle.
Kevin Smith Wiz Khalifa The famed rapper has always been vocal about his usage of cannabis. However, he took it to the next level when he partnered with the Colorado-based dispensary RiverRock to develop his own strain. Khalifa Kush, as the strain is called, was developed for Wiz Khalifa personally and was made available to the public in 2016. Now, Khalifa took another step into the cannabis industry by developing his own smartphone game, Wiz Khalifa’s Weed Farm. Working with game developer Metakomi, Khalifa released the app in 2017. While playing the game, users cultivate their own cannabis farms and learn some basics of the cannabis industry.
As cannabis is slowly destigmatized, it’s beginning to be used as a promotional tool. Last year, Netflix released a line of cannabis strains (named after a variety of their original series) to promote their new show Disjointed. But, Netflix wasn’t the first to pull a marketing stunt like this. In 2014, Kevin Smith, who has played a role in many stoner comedies, released the movie Tusk. In conjunction with the film, Smith worked with L.A. dispensary Buds & Roses to develop promotional weed strains branded with art from the movie: a sativa strain called White Walrus and an indica strain called Mr. Tusk. As Smith told The New York Times, “This movie was born in a blaze, and will be released in a blaze.” Fall 2018 // Cannabis & Tech Today
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Experimenting in The Lab – What would
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Cannabis & Tech Today be without tech? In our specialized section “The Lab,” we will take a look at how trends in technology and science may change recreational and medical cannabis. Featuring interviews with top professionals in their fields and scientifically-focused stories, The Lab is ideal for any science-minded cannabis enthusiast.
What opinions do some of your favorite celebrities have about the world of cannabis? How has the portrayal of marijuana in mainstream media changed over the years? What upcoming projects might help combat the stigma? These questions and more will be answered in the next issue of Cannabis & Tech Today.
2018 Holiday Gift Guide – With the holiday season
With another election cycle passing, what will be the outlook of cannabis legislation in the coming years? This November’s election may have a huge effect on the growth of the industry, and it will be intriguing to see if what happens at the polls translates to legislative change. Our winter issue will recap how ballot responses may change the cannabis landscape for Michigan, Oklahoma, and beyond. h
right around the corner, you’ll want to know exactly what kind of gifts to buy the cannabis user in your life. With the winter edition’s Product Revolution section focusing on top-tier cannabis products, you’ll have no shortage of ideas for big gifts and stocking stuffers alike.
Election Aftermath –
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events OCTOBER 5-6 US Cannabis Conference & Expo,
10-11 RAD Expo (National Marijuana
11-13 New West Summit,
13 Hemp Harvest Party,
17-20 Cannabis World Congress &
19-20 Hemp 2020 Business Summit,
21 Canna Supply Meetup
22 IC3 Institutional Capital &
22-24 CannMed 2018,
22-23 NCIA California Cannabis
22-23 2nd Annual Congress on Soil and
23 Cannabis Private Investment
27 Toker's Bowl &
28-30 CannaTech Cannabis
31Nov. 2 Denver Marijuana
14-16 MJBizCon Las Vegas,
24-25 Cannabis & Hemp Expo,
7-8 CBD Expo East,
12-13 2nd Annual Ark-La-Tex Cannabis
Phoenix, AZ
Longmont, CO
Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
Business Conference, Anaheim, CA
Masquerade Gala (Members only), Seattle, WA
Retail & Dispensary Expo), Portland, OR
Business Expo, Boston, MA
Cannabis Conference (East) , New York, NY
Water Sciences, Berlin, Germany
Innovation Summit, Sydney, Australia
Oakland, CA
Lelรณw, Poland
UCLA Luskin Conference Center
Summit, Toronto, Canada
Management Symposium 2018, Denver, CO
NOVEMBER 3Viva Las Hempfest, Las Vegas, NV (Date moved from Oct)
Las Vegas, NV
Ottawa, Canada
28-30 Canna Compliant Supply
Chain Summit, Los Angeles, CA
DECEMBER 1Hawaii Hemp Conference , Honolulu, HI
110
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
Orlando, FL
Business Expo, Little Rock, AK
// EVENT SPOTLIGHT //
New West Summit 4.0 Coming in mid-October, the New West Summit is returning for a fourth year to once again merge the worlds of cannabis and technology. “We wanted to create something that was different; that was very focused on what the future of cannabis is going to be,” Jim McAlpine, founder of New West Summit said of their origins. The event has come a long way in just four years. Last year featured discussions with the likes of George Clinton and Richard Branson, and this year looks to take another step up. McAlpine broke down some of his favorite speakers coming to this year’s event: “We’ve got George Zimmer, the former CEO of Men’s Wearhouse, and George has a really unique story because he was ousted from his company
by the board because he supported cannabis … And then we have Berner, who is a rapper and he’s been a very successful entrepreneur in the cannabis space … Then, there’s Giadha Aguirre De Carcer from New Frontier, and she is just a really brilliant woman.” Of course, New West Summit 4.0 isn’t just all about big names. With over 100 exhibitors, 50 panels, and 150 speakers, the Summit will cover everything from legislation and hemp to blockchain and artificial intelligence. Taking place in Oakland, CA from October 11 to 13, New West Summit 4.0 will show attendees the future of cannabis and how they’re going to get there. h
Test Potency @CannaTechToday
www.gemmacert.com / info@gemmacert.com
RELAX // THE LIGHTER SIDE
The Return of
Photo Honda
SlapChop By Matt Cobos The following story, is very, very true, and very, very stupid. I’ve never been a fighter but I’ve always been a smoker. Which is weird, considering I spent most of my childhood practicing the ancient art of ka-ra-té. Around the dojo, my nickname was “Slap Chop.” It was a dark time in my life. Lots of blood. Lots of repressed memories of getting my ass kicked. That dark time in my life ended around age 12. By then, I felt like I had lived a thousand lives. I couldn’t even grow a mustache yet, but I needed something to “take the edge off.” Like a 50-year-old man coming home from a 60-hour job he hates to pound a pack of Coors. After years of searching, I found it. WEED. At 16, I started smoking every day. My friends and I would sit around giggling at a fart for hours, then we’d all have to go home for chores and lie to our parents about where we’d been. I still don’t know if they could tell we were lying. I mean, how much stupider can a teenager be? We would’ve been laughing for hours about that fart even if we were sober. 112
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2018
When we weren’t laughing about a fart, often times we were making music. The s***tiest music of all time. It would start with one person grabbing something from the garage or the kitchen and using it to start a beat. Slowly, everyone would grab something to bang on and join in. Soon there would be 13 white teenage boys banging on s*** to make “music.” We were like the Blue Man Group, but the White Boy Group. At one house, we ruined thousands of dollars of pots and pans. It was a really good jam session. In weed, I found my solace. My escape from my dark past ... or so I thought. One day my friend Jeremy had a bad run-in with someone in science class. Scott was picking on a girl and Jeremy had had it. He got in Scott’s prepubescent face, but that just pissed him off. It was serious, and it was going DOWN. The school day ended and Jeremy was still furious. Wanting to calm him down, I suggested we go smoke weed in a relaxing place. So, we parked behind Albertson’s grocery store and clam baked his ‘91 Honda Civic that had a decal on the back saying “YEAH I HAVE A GAY
MUFFLER.” Being a teenager was embarrassingly stupid. As we sat there smoking, in the rearview mirror I could see someone walking up behind us. It was Scott! I started to panic in my stoned stupor. Was Slap Chop about to make an appearance to get his ass kicked one more time? Jeremy opened his car door. “Hey, mother f***er!” Scott turned with fire in his eyes and immediately B-lined for us. My heart was racing, my stomach was growling for snacks, and Slap Chop was rising to the surface. As I was getting out of the car, I heard Jeremy yell at him again. “I’d kick your ass right now but honestly, I’m way too high for that!” Scott slowed to a halt. “I respect that!,” he shouted back, “I’ll kick your ass later!” The threat of the fight defused by the agreement that weed is tight. Once again, teenage boys were saved by smoking weed, and Slap Chop didn’t have to make another dark memory. h Matt Cobos is a Denver-based standup comedian who has performed at events such as the High Plains Music Festival.