When it comes to cannabis, 2017 was a much better year than anyone was expecting. Back in January, stoners and pot moguls alike were super paranoid about incoming Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his plans to shut down legal weed businesses from coast to coast. After a decade of steady progress on marijuana legalization – […]
A steadily growing number of banks are willing to open accounts for marijuana businesses, according to new federal data. Even as a string of conflicting signals from the Trump administration surrounds the debate about legalization with uncertainty, the number of depository institutions that are actively banking the cannabis industry has increased roughly 18% since the […]
Technology has changed the way we live, work and play—and even how we consume cannabis. From advanced extraction technologies to virtual reality in the workplace, technology impacts cannabis from the time it’s put into the ground until it exits our lungs in a satisfying exhale. Here’s a closer look at four of the most compelling, […]
Mike Tyson has been a boxer, an actor, a monologuist, and an animated detective, but now it looks like the former heavyweight champion wants to take a bite out of California’s new legal weed game. According to the Blast, Tyson and two business partners—Robert Hickman and Jay Strommen—have plans to build a massive “cannabis resort” […]
As marijuana legalization continues across the country, weed is becoming increasingly mainstream. However, as much as the stoner stereotype has evolved into a broader label that also encompasses CEOs, educated millennials, and the Spicolis of the world, it still has a negative connotation. Industry leaders have quickly learned that destigmatizing marijuana use begins with educating […]
Voters in two states chose new governors on Tuesday. Both of those elections — as well as the results of a number of local races across the country — will have huge implications for efforts to legalize marijuana. Here’s an overview of cannabis-specific ballot measures that voters approved, along with details on how the Democratic […]
California Treasurer John Chiang wants the state to consider creating a government-owned bank that could serve cannabis businesses, one of several recommendations aimed at helping bring those businesses into the financial mainstream. The recommendations, the product of a year of meetings of a cannabis working group organized by Chiang’s office, suggest there may be ways […]
America’s opioid crisis is spiking fatal overdose rates from sea to shining sea, lining the pockets of pharmaceutical executives and inspiring only minimal responses from President Trump. To combat the deadly drug epidemic, public health experts from the local level to the federal government have turned to medical marijuana, a painkiller in its own right […]
Cannabis strains? We never heard of that in the 1960s and ’70s when marijuana seemed seamless and generic. In those days, coffee was simply coffee, beer was beer, and pot was pot. Sure, casual users occasionally came upon gems such as Panama Red, Colombia Gold, Hindu Kush (Middle East) and Thai (Asia), with names rooted […]
With the most devastating wildfire in California history laying waste to its members’ homes and livelihoods, the California Growers Association responded in the way most crises are handled in 2017: crowdfunding. As of Tuesday morning, 41 people have perished in the fires, which have burned more than 101,000 acres and destroyed 6,700 homes and businesses […]
A recent study thought to be the first of its kind has found that regular cannabis use may make a person less prone to anxiety over time, even when sober. The study, published in the medical journal Psychopharmacology, found that people who use cannabis daily or almost daily had a blunted stress reaction when exposed […]
Twelve-year-old Alexis Bortell uses a cannabis oil called Haleigh’s Hope to prevent life-threatening epileptic seizures. She takes the oil orally by syringe twice a day, and always keeps a THC spray on hand in case she experiences an aura, or pre-seizure event. The auras happen maybe once every three to four weeks – far less […]
The fires in northern California are turning into a catastrophe for local cannabis growers. Some farmers have seen their crops incinerated, while others have watched helplessly as ash and smoke contaminate sensitive marijuana flowers. The fires in Mendocino are south of the famed Humboldt County grows, but it’s still a part of what is known […]
Native American tribes in Nevada are expanding beyond casinos and venturing into the cannabis industry. In June, Governor Brian Sandoval signed Senate Bill 375 and Senate Bill 396, which allow Nevada’s Native American tribes to directly negotiate with the state over the use and sale of medicinal marijuana on tribal lands. Nevada Native American tribes […]
Consider a typical cannabis farmer, growing an indoor crop. In a protected, controlled environment, they can grow a profitable mix of high-potency, medicinal marijuana and any number of milder strains appealing to a new market. But the venture comes with both a business and social overhead: high energy bills and a heavy, carbon footprint. “It’s […]
The large number of illegal cannabis grows in California have been recently coming to public attention, increasing state officials’ fears that the federal government will step in and take action against the state. It is estimated that the state produced 13.5 million pounds of cannabis last year, even though the state’s residents only consumed 2.5 […]
Salk Institute scientists have found preliminary evidence that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other compounds found in marijuana can promote the cellular removal of amyloid beta, a toxic protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease. While these exploratory studies were conducted in neurons grown in the laboratory, they may offer insight into the role of inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease […]
In the world of plants, reproduction can happen in a variety of ways. Hermaphrodite plants grow single flowers that have both male and female reproductive organs. Monoecious plants produce two different types of flowers on the same plant. And then there are dioecious plants like cannabis, which produce either male or female reproductive organs. Because […]
Pretty much any kind of weed is awesome. But, when it comes to indica vs sativa which one should you go with? Today, I’ll show you the difference between indica and sativa when it comes to their high, how they grow and I’ll also dive into what a hybrid strain is. Plus, a look into […]
Some guy on an internet forum showed me a super-secret trick that he learned from his neighbor’s cousin who is a master grower… All you have to do is crumble 7 goldfish crackers per gallon of water into your nutrients every other feeding. The crackers use a wheat compound that’s impossible to obtain for non-commercial […]
Disclaimer: This column is written for educational purposes only. It does not provide specific legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. This column should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed attorney in your state. I recently took a road trip up through the Pacific Northwest region […]
As the legal cannabis market continues to grow and mature it brings with it new business trends and opportunities—no division of the cannabis-based products segment has experienced the sort of developments seen with marijuana concentrates. Looking at the U.S. cannabis industry as a whole, there are literally countless new businesses springing up offering oils, waxes, […]
The marijuana industry is growing as it introduces new producers, cultivators, manufacturers, and all sorts of enthusiasts into the market. As these innovators are creating new products for the industry, they’re planning events to launch and share with other marijuana producers. For this reason, 2017 has been, and still is busy with cannabis events every […]
For the marijuana novice, weed is just weed. But for the cannabis connoisseur, there’s a whole world of flavors, scents and effects – and it goes beyond just different types of strains. The next frontier of curating a cannabis experience, experts say, lies not in a strain of the plant – the Sour Diesels and […]
Finally, football season is in full swing. With it comes tailgating. And with tailgating comes cannabis, or ought to. If you’re not incorporating the herb into your football fan routine, you’re doing it wrong. Seriously, does anyone actually want to be pounding Bud Lights at 10 in the morning? The answer (usually) is a resounding […]
There’s no denying that the growing success of the cannabis industry has led to some altruistic outcomes. Whether it’s through public school funding or special programs for veterans, tons of money and resources have been put towards the betterment of society. However, many charities are still shunning contributions from marijuana companies, even those located in […]
Netflix will briefly enter the boutique weed business with a line of marijuana strains tailored to accompany the streaming service’s exclusive series. This weekend only in Los Angeles, Netflix is teaming with the city’s Alternative Herbal Health Services for a pop-up event offering “The Netflix Collection,” 10 different strains inspired by shows like Arrested Development, […]
Canndescent drew inspiration from such luxury brands as Tiffany’s, Hermes and Apple in designing a line of cannabis products whose elegant packaging wouldn’t look out of place on the shelves of Neiman Marcus. But the California cultivator might not be able to emblazon its name or Chanel-influenced flower logo on T-shirts, hats or other items […]
In any industry, there are low-end products, products that are somewhere in the middle, and products that a specially produced, curated, and selected to be the best and most unique The cannabis industry is no different – just like the microbrew industry has craft beers, craft cannabis has been gradually gaining ground since the U.S. […]
When Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012, few could have predicted the scale of the growth which would bloom across the industry. Legal marijuana sales in the US and Canada are now expected to pass $20.2 billion by 2021 at a predicted annual growth rate of 25 percent, […]
It’s common for first timers to swear off marijuana forever because of a bad first experience. It’s easy to smoke too much by accident and feel overtly paranoid, woozy, and draw the conclusion that marijuana just isn’t your thing. That bad first experience can be completely avoided with two simple tips: looking for strains that […]
Pussy is magic. It has the power to give both its owner and those given the privilege of experiencing it extreme pleasure. Weed is also magic and shares with pussy the ability to give those close enough to inhale it pleasure. Having learned that drinking an entire bottle of Foria (450 mg of THC) will […]
It is a truth universally acknowledged that in 2017, a millennial with any access to money must be in want of experiences on which to spend it. For the pioneers of the cannabis “green rush,” those venture capitalists and M.B.A. types who’ve sensed the rapidly shifting sensibility around consumption (which has gone from a maligned […]