Vaping Lung Disease Less Likely In These States, Finds New Study

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October 11, 2021

Vaping Lung Disease Less Likely In These States, Finds New Study

A recently published report shows that the vaping illness known as EVALI was significantly less likely in states with legal marijuana programs.

In what feels like another lifetime, before the COVID-19 outbreak, there was a different type of lung disease affecting a majority of people. Vape consumers, primarily those who consumed cannabis, were suffering from a disease called EVALI, which caused respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. The disease could result in long-lasting damage to the lungs and even in death.

And now, a recent study reveals that states with legal marijuana programs had fewer reports of the illness.

How To Stop Coughing So Hard From Marijuana Smoke — Photo by cottonbro via Pexels

Published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, and conducted in conjunction with the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the study demonstrated that in states where cannabis was medicinally or recreationally legal, EVALI was much less available. In 2019, states with marijuana laws had 42% fewer cases of EVALI.

“Marijuana policy attributes linked to lower EVALI incidences were also associated with reduced likelihoods of vaping as one’s primary mode of use,” concludes the study. “As additives in informally-sourced vaping concentrates could drive future EVALI cases, marijuana policy design should account for effects on mode of use in licit and illicit markets, to limit the scope of future outbreaks.”

EVALI first appeared in 2019, creating a sort of panic within the vaping community, especially since vape pens were becoming increasingly common. After some study and research, the disease was linked to an element in cannabis vapes known as vitamin E acetate, although other compounds and elements might also have an influence.

This study is a great example of the importance of legal cannabis. Aside from the standard reasons, such as reducing the effects of the war on drugs and providing new avenues for medical relief, legal cannabis significantly reduces the extent and harm of illicit and black-market cannabis. As long as cannabis remains illegal on a federal level, unsuspecting people will continue to be harmed by these preventable situations.

Another Weed Delivery App Lands On Apple Store

Benzinga Staff Writer

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October 11, 2021

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Another Weed Delivery App Lands On Apple Store

Customers in California and Oregon can choose between an extensive, curated product assortment of flower, pre-roll, concentrates, edibles and accessories available on Budee’s marketplace app.

By Jelena Martinovic

Stem Holdings, Inc., which is doing business as Driven by Stem, announced Monday that Budee, its e-commerce cannabis delivery platform and service, has launched the Budee Cannabis Delivery app, which is available for download in the Apple App store.

Budee’s 173,000 loyal customers can now purchase from its wide-ranging selection and track orders to their doorstep with an intuitive app-based shopping experience, the Florida-based cannabis company announced.

Apple's Decision To Allow Select Cannabis Brands On App Store Signals Incremental Acceptance Of Emerging Legal Market — Photo by Blue Planet Studio / Getty Images

Customers in California and Oregon can choose between an extensive, curated product assortment of flower, pre-roll, concentrates, edibles and accessories available on Budee’s marketplace app.

The new app also features a seamless purchase experience, complete in-app cannabis e-commerce shopping, special and exclusive deals, products deals, promotions, as well as expedited customer service and on-time delivery service.

Adam Berk, CEO of Stem, a multi-state, vertically integrated Farm-to-Home (F2H) cultivation and technology omnichannel cannabis company, called the move a “significant milestone” for the company.

“We are ready and excited to expand our technological leadership to the 65% of our customers who have an iPhone as well as new customers enthused to have our great assortment and personalized service, who can now seamlessly and confidentially purchase cannabis products through their mobile device in our markets,” Berk commented. “We continue to focus on improving customer experience and have launched our Budee app across our current footprint in California and Oregon to facilitate new customer acquisition and service excellence.”

The company also said that Budee will be expanding into new markets in late 2021 and throughout 2022.

Apple Hype Continues

After Apple Inc. updated its policies to allow cannabis-centric apps onto its store, several cannabis companies launched new apps for Apple’s iOS smartphone operating system.

Weed delivery company Eaze jumped on the opportunity first by launching a “first-of-its-kind shoppable” app for iPhone users in July, followed by TPCO Holding Corp. (NEO: GRAM.U), which is doing business as The Parent Company, Emjay and Leafly.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been reposted with permission.

Gov. Newsom Says ‘No’ To Cannabis Billboards Along California’s Busy Roads

News

Benzinga Staff Writer

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October 11, 2021

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Gov. Newsom Says ‘No’ To Cannabis Billboards Along California’s Busy Roads

Newsom disclosed in a veto message that the measure would “weaken” protections included in the cannabis legalization ballot measure which was approved in 2016.

By Jelena Martinovic

It seems that cannabis billboards will not be seen by the millions who drive on California’s many highways and byways after all. Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill on Friday that would have allowed cannabis billboards along interstate freeways and state highways that cross state borders, except within a 15-miles radius of another state.

While state regulators adopted rules meant to clarify advertising restrictions along highways in 2019, since January those regulations have conflicted with state law, according to a judge’s order. Moreover, the judge ruled that officials did not have sufficient authority to allow the billboards.

California Gov.: Marijuana Legalization is a 'Civil Rights' Issue — Photo by Matthew Hamilton via Unsplash

The bill, AB 1302, sponsored by Assemblyman Bill Quirk, addressed the issue while also barring cannabis billboard ads within a 15-mile radius of the state border.

Newsom disclosed in a veto message that the measure would “weaken” protections included in the cannabis legalization ballot measure which was approved in 2016.

“When the voters passed Proposition 64, they enacted robust protections shielding youth from exposure to cannabis and cannabis advertising,” Newsom wrote. “Among other things, voters completely prohibited billboard-based cannabis advertising on all Interstate Highways and on all State Highways that cross the California border. Allowing advertising on these high-traffic thoroughfares could expose young passengers to cannabis advertising.”

The move comes on the heels of Newsom’s approval of legislation that expands the hemp industry in California by legalizing retail sales of hemp-derived consumable products, as well as a bill that requires hospitals and other health care facilities to allow terminally ill patients to use medical marijuana.

Cannabis Billboards Nationwide

In other states that have legalized the plant, such as Michigan, cannabis billboards have their place on the roads, despite a group of state lawmakers who are trying to pull them down.

In the Wolverine State, the billboards are regulated and have all been approved by the Marijuana Regulatory Agency. Still, the display of photos of marijuana products is not permitted.

In Arizona, the bill banning cannabis-related ads on billboards within 1,000 feet of schools, child-care centers, public parks and churches was denied in a 30 to 18 vote. The lawmakers explained that they were worried about passing a bill that would give an advertising advantage to the alcohol industry.

In the meantime, Sacha Baron Cohen, an English actor, comedian, writer and producer, best known as Borat Sagdiyev and Brüno Gehard, recently sued Massachusetts -based cannabis dispensary Solar Therapeutics for using his Borat image on a billboard without permission.

Cohen accused Solar of copyright infringement, false advertising, and the misappropriation of his right of publicity over the billboard and is looking to sough $9 million in damages.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been reposted with permission.

Panama Set to Have Legal Medical Cannabis, But Hemp Bill Stalls

Fred Rocafort

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October 11, 2021

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Panama Set to Have Legal Medical Cannabis, But Hemp Bill Stalls

Once the bill is signed into law, Panama will be in a somewhat odd situation: It will gave a legal regime for medical cannabis, but not one for hemp.

Back in October 2019, Deputy Kayra Harding introduced a bill (Proyecto de Ley No. 323) to promote the development of the hemp industry in Panama. The bill would establish a licensing regime for hemp cultivation and processing. Hemp is defined as cannabis whose THC content does not exceed 1.5% on a dry weight basis. However, legislative consideration of the bill has been slow.

Last October, government and legislative representatives agreed to establish a subcommission to “enrich” the bill. According to commentator Rafael Carles, it is ignorance when it comes to hemp and how it differs from marijuana that is behind the delays. At the same time, there are concerns within the Panamanian citizenry that the development of the hemp industry will only advance powerful business interests. These two explanations are not mutually exclusive, as demonstrated by this reader comment on a recent Carles column:

“Beware Panama! Now entrepreneurs want to make a profit from your vices, it is not just alcohol and beer. Now it is with drugs, but with a different name, calling the marijuana plant hemp.”

It does not help that Panama’s medical cannabis legalization has been tainted by accusations of corruption. According to one report, Canadian company Canna Med Panama, SA “was not only attentive to the debates in the National Assembly to approve Bill 153, which seeks to regulate the use of medicinal cannabis, but also sponsored a trip to Louisiana by five officials, some key in making decisions about the future business of the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.”

Bill 153 was approved last August by the National Assembly and is pending signature by the country’s president. The new legislation established four license categories: importation of cannabis derivates, production cannabis derivates, cultivation, and research. In the case of license applicants who are natural persons, the new law requires them to provide their nationality, which logically suggests that foreign nationals may be granted licenses; the bill is silent on whether Panamanian residence is requires.

As to legal persons, the bill requires that they provide their Public Registry information, without clarifying if this includes analogous information, such as that in a Secretary of State’s registry in the United States (though we’ll go out on a limb and suggest it’s not that hard to open a subsidiary in Panama). Regulations issued after the bill becomes law may provide additional clarification.

Once the bill is signed into law, Panama will be in a somewhat odd situation: It will gave a legal regime for medical cannabis, but not one for hemp. Hopefully the situation can soon be rectified, with the passage of Bill 323.

For now, there’s a key takeaway for cannabis advocates throughout Latin America and other emerging markets. In regions with deep inequalities, licensing programs may be seen as giveaway for powerful interests, if not properly framed and explained. As with all other areas of governance, transparency is key. Moreover, cannabis legalization efforts may garner broader support if they are seen as economic opportunity vehicles for regular citizens. Provisions that ensure a part of the reaped profits go to those most in need can help.

Relatedly, cannabis businesses, in particular those from abroad, must be careful when it comes to involvement in local politics. Backlashes against perceived corruption may derail otherwise-positive initiatives and fuel resentment against participating parties.

Fred Rocafort is a former diplomat who joined Harris Bricken after more than a decade of international legal experience, primarily in China, Vietnam, and Thailand.

This article originally appeared on the Canna Law Blog and has been reposted with permission.

5 Common Problems Plaguing Marijuana Users And How To Fix Them

Maria Loreto

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October 11, 2021

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5 Common Problems Plaguing Marijuana Users And How To Fix Them

Regular marijuana users tend to know how to get high efficiently. Still, accidents happen. Here’s how to fix them.

Seasoned marijuana users don’t tend to stumble into bad highs or a bong that smokes poorly. These people tend to be ready when it’s time to smoke, having all of the necessary tools to get high as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Still, accidents can happen, ruining your moment to get high and forcing you to look for alternatives when you’d rather do anything else.

Here are 5 of the most common problems that pester marijuana users, and how to fix them.

Running out of weed

You Might As Well Spend That $600 Stimulus Check On Weed — Photo by Elsa Olofsson from Pexels

RELATED: How To Buy Legal Weed Online

Smoking weed and then running out of it is a thing that rarely happens unless you’re distracted by other people, or keep your stash stored in different places. It’s terrible either way. Fortunately, in this day and age, you can just order some more online. And while you may have to wait a bit and loose some of that exciting buzz, the losses aren’t that great. You can stay in your couch and wait comfortably in your pajamas.

Broken bongs and pipes

Accidents happen, especially when stoned. A broken bong isn’t fun; aside from the fact that you lost something expensive, you’ll also get your floor or rug wet with all of that weed water, which, even if you’re amongst the rare breed of clean smokers who changes bong water per session, is still very gross.

There’s not much you can do when it comes to a broken bong or a pipe, except to clean it all up and put it away.Don’t smoke from anything that’s broken, not even if the damage is minor. The one thing you can do is to keep some rolling paper in hand and pivot your consumption method. You can buy a new bong or joint tomorrow, once you’ve done your research and are no longer under the haze of weed.

Bad joints

3 Popular Ways To Consume Marijuana Flower — Photo by Instants/Getty Images

Rolling joints is not a skill possessed by all weed smokers. Still, most of the time, rolling a joint the wrong way is something that can be ratified by learning how to do it the correct way, adding in some filters, buying the right rolling paper, or, when all else fails, buying a cigarette roller. Because life’s too short to get frustrated over a joint. Here’s How To Roll A Perfect Joint and How To Make Your Joints Burn Slower.

Too much marijuana smell

While too much marijuana odor might not be a problem when you’re alone or surrounded by your weed friends, it can be a problem when an unexpected guest pops in or when someone in your building complains about the smell. Getting rid of that skunky marijuana smell is difficult, but the easiest (while still faulty) way of eliminating it is by covering it up with a candle or a spritz of Febreze. While some people have the ability to smoke freely, others don’t; for these people, devices like smoke buddies or vaporizers can make things much simpler. Need some inspiration? Read: How 5 People Cover Up The Smell Of Marijuana.

Getting too high

Lastly, getting too high is something that doesn’t usually happen to regular smokers, but it can occur when trying out a new method, coming back from a tolerance break or using a new strain. When feeling too high, the best solution is to sleep it off. If you don’t have the time, go for a walk and drink some water, anything that stimulates you and allows you to relax. There’s not much you can do except stay calm and wait for it to pass. Here are 5 Pro-Tips To Come Down From A Marijuana High Quickly.

What Are The Next States To Legalize Recreational Marijuana In 2022?

Terry Hacienda

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October 10, 2021

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What Are The Next States To Legalize Recreational Marijuana In 2022?

These states are making the most efforts to guarantee their recreational cannabis bill is approved next year.

Gone are the days when predictions on state legislations could be given based on the ruling party. The stereotypical belief of states being red or blue has been tossed out over time, especially in talks regarding cannabis legalization.

Everyone wants a piece of the cake.

There is a long list of states that may be the next to legalize the use, possession, and cultivation of recreational cannabis in the United States of America. While some are going to have to do through the ballot boxes, others may do so through their legislature. The point is these states are after the same thing, which is the establishment of a functioning recreational cannabis industry.

marijuana legalization — Photo by Melinda Podor / Getty Images

The reluctance of the presidency and the national legislature to decriminalize cannabis has not deterred these states from wanting to join the cannabis organization trend.

Cannabis legalization remains a controversial topic, which is why most politicians are willing to let voters take the lead on the issue, while they follow.

The Wind Of Cannabis Legalization

The United States is at a point where even the masses want cannabis legalized for recreational use. Just this year alone, about four states made marijuana legal. These states include New York, Virginia, Connecticut, New Mexico. This makes the total number of states with recreational laws 19 states.

These states have rules and regulations guiding their recreational industry. There are official bodies established to oversee the industry and carry out licensing operations. It is all very organized. The states who recently approved their recreational bills are still building up their industry and as such operations may not begin till mid/late 2022.

Cannabis remains illegal under federal laws, and any resident in states with legal cannabis commits an offense if they sell cannabis illegally. They can only make weed purchases at designated locations, and consumption of the drug can only be done at home or in safe spaces.

These state governments have made over $8 billion in tax revenues since the first state, Colorado, legalized marijuana in 2014.

Some states who are taking steps to full legalization of cannabis have at least decriminalized the possession of little quantities of cannabis. Such decriminalization laws impose little fines or tickets on offenders instead of prosecuting or locking them up. The law enforcers may carry out harsher penalties if an offender is caught with larger amounts of cannabis than is allowed.

There are 36 states with legislation for medical cannabis. These states permit the use of marijuana for medical conditions like epilepsy, pain, mental disorders amongst others. The cultivation and sale of medical marijuana are regulated by official bodies that report directly to the state government.

States Expected To Legalize Cannabis

These states have been selected based on talks going round about them considering legislation processes. Their existing laws and official statements issued by politicians in or out of office have also been reviewed to confirm if they should be on the list.

Which State Will Legalize Marijuana First In 2020- Kentucky, Ohio Or Indiana? — Photo by RobinOlimb/Getty Images

Very little can be done this year by any of these states to approve their recreational bill. 2022 holds a lot of promise for recreational bills. Advocates can push bills to the ballots for the midterm elections, while lawmakers can sponsor their recreational measures during the 2022 legislative sessions to see it is approved.

Maryland

The decision on recreational cannabis legalization will be put before registered voters during the midterm elections. Adrienne Jones, the State House Speaker, has assured that the measure will be on the 2022 ballot.

Currently, the state has a medical cannabis program that caters to registered patients. The program is headed by the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission.

Oklahoma

Cannabis advocates in the state are pushing hard to ensure they get the recreational cannabis initiative on the 2022 ballot. They recently announced that they have completed the final language of the draft and are about to submit the first petition with the state. The progress of this measure depends on if they’re able to gather signatures to push the bill to the ballot.

Delaware

Patients have had access to an active medical cannabis program since 2011. Early this year, two house representatives filed a bill to legalize the use of pot for recreational purposes. The legislature failed to take up the bill and instead chose to postpone the floor vote to early 2022. The next legislative session is slated for January 2022.

Missouri

The lawmakers are currently moving to revise the current medical marijuana program. It is also planning to place a referendum for voters to approve adult-use marijuana in the midterm elections next year. The state also has a cannabis decriminalization bill that allows the possession of up to 10 grams of cannabis. Offenders are only issued fines.

Wyoming

An attempt was made in the legislature to pass a recreational bill in 2020, it fell through. Cannabis advocates are just gotten approval from the state to put a referendum before voters for the ballot in 2022. They are yet to gather the required number of signatures.

Ohio

The state legalized its medical bill in 2016. Right now cannabis advocates are ceaselessly working to include recreation cannabis in the ballots next year, while lawmakers are also trying to pass a bill in the state’s legislature.

The state’s attorney general approved the legislature language in a petition some weeks ago. It’s up to the cannabis activists to secure enough signatures to take the bill to the ballots.

With these two channels, Ohio has more chances of having a rec bill by 2022.

Arkansas

The decision for recreational laws will be made by voters if the cannabis advocates groups, Arkansas True Grass, are successful in collecting the required signatures to get the initiation on the ballot in the upcoming midterm elections.

Final Note

The above states are making the most efforts to guarantee their recreational cannabis bill is approved next year. There are other states also puffing in efforts behind the scene without attracting the media.

While all of this is going on, the federal legislature is also working on a final draft for the approval of federal cannabis reform policies.

2022 has a lot in store for the cannabis industry.

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been reposted with permission.

Can You Guess The Time Of Year When People Are Least Likely To Use Marijuana?

Maria Loreto

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October 10, 2021

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Can You Guess The Time Of Year When People Are Least Likely To Use Marijuana?

Marijuana use fluctuates throughout the year. A new study shows why, when and how much.

For most people, marijuana use ebbs and flows. There are weeks were you smoke a lot and others where you’re busy doing other things. New research looking into drug use over the course of a year suggests that there’s some seasonal variation; while every person’s relationship with marijuana is personal and different, there’s an arc that a lot of us follow.

A study recently published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence found that marijuana use drops during the start of the year and increases periodically as the seasons pass by 13%. Researchers theorize that this fluctuation might be influenced by New Year’s resolutions.

“We found that marijuana use is consistently higher among those surveyed later in the year, peaking during late fall or early winter before dropping at the beginning of the following year. We think this may be due, in part, to a ‘Dry January’ in which some people stop drinking alcohol or even stop using marijuana as part of a New Year’s resolution,” said Joseph Palamar, associate professor at NYU’s School of Medicine and lead author of the study. “We’re now in the time of year when people are the least likely to use marijuana.”

how rising levels of anxiety in teens might support the rise of cbd — Photo by rawpixel.com

Data was compiled by Palamar and his colleagues, who analyzed responses from over 200,000 adolescents and adults who responded to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health between 2014-2019.

The survey included questions like past month marijuana use, other substances consumed and more, allowing researchers to draw up drug estimates through the different quarters of the year. In all years, as the months progressed, marijuana use rose. This rise was present in almost all demographics, no matter the age, gender, ethnicity and education level of participants. The one exception was teens, who consumed more marijuana during the summer and showed drops during the remaining months of the year.

Aside from being interesting, this kind of data is helpful for many reasons. Cannabis studies of this type provide orientation for researchers who want to know more about people’s drug use and behaviors, for the correct timing of drug addiction programs, and for marijuana users who may want to keep an eye on the amount of weed the consume during the winter.

What You Can Do With Extra Weed

Maria Loreto

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October 9, 2021

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Extra weed is usually stored for future use, but if you’re going away on a trip or simply want to do something different with it, there are several things you can do.

While it’s rare that you have weed laying around your house that you simply don’t want to smoke, it can happen, especially when you harvest your own marijuana or suddenly find yourself with a lot of weed. Leftover weed can always be stored in glass jars and dark places for later use, but, if you want to get creative with your extras, there’s a lot of fun stuff you can do with your remainders, providing different experiences to compliment your cannabis highs.

Cannabutter

Whenever there’s too much weed, cannabutter is a great place to turn. For starters, it’s very easy to make. It’s also super malleable, which means you can add it to coffees, teas, drinks and just about any edible treat. Making cannabutter is also simple. Just remember to decarb your weed in the oven beforehand. And when you’re done utilizing your leftover weed, here are 5 Ways To Utilize Leftover Marijuana Pulp From Cannabutter.

Some type of concentrate

Cannabis Concentrates How To Choose The Right Gear — Photo by eskymaks/Getty Images

Concentrates are potent forms of cannabis, stronger than flower. They can be consumed in different ways, which is why there are so many in the market. Still, you can make some simple ones at home, like rosin, which is made by pressing flower into some parchment paper with the help of a curling iron until it crackles. This process creates some oil that can be used on a dab rig, and consumed in that way.

A huge party joint

Pros And Cons Of Smoking CBD Joints — Photo by GRAS GRÜN via Unsplash

Sometimes the best response is the easiest. If you have a bunch of weed you don’t know what to do with, make a huge joint. There are dozens of ways to make them, from cross joints, to simply stuffing a whole bunch of weed into some tobacco paper. Just remember to share.

For more ways to utilize leftovers, check out these stories:

Great Cannabis Productivity Hacks

Terry Hacienda

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October 9, 2021

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Here are a few tips for anyone interested in boosting their productivity while maintaining a regular cannabis habit.

I recently had to stop smoking weed to go on an Ayahuasca ceremony a week or so back. While I’m not a hardcore “stoner” anymore, I have been smoking cannabis consistently for years now. If I was thrown in front of a judge in a drug court, they’d probably say I have “marijuana use disorder” or something of the sorts due to my frequency of consumption, but during that week I realized that, “no, I’m not addicted to cannabis”.

Sure, I enjoy smoking cannabis frequently, but when it came to stopping for a week, I really didn’t have an issue. It didn’t negatively affect my sleep or mood, nor my appetite. I guess, I am one of the fortunate ones who can consume cannabis without getting addicted.

smartphone marijuana — Photo by Mayara Klingner / EyeEm/Getty Images

However, with my week of abstinence I discovered a few things in relation to my own productivity. One thing that I am continuing these days that has helped me achieve a significant amount more in my day to day activities.

Today, I’m going to be sharing a few productivity hacks for the productive cannabis consumers out there.

While I don’t smoke a lot of pot these days — at least when comparing to how I used to smoke — the Wake-n-Bake has been a staple for me for many years. I enjoy waking up in the morning, getting some coffee, meditating and maybe doing some breath work before toking up. Sure, that’s not technically a wake-n-bake, but considering that I wake up at 5:30 a.m. every day, I’m toking up by 6:30.

Lately, however, my need for morning tokes have waned because of the breath work and meditation and with the recent venture into the Ayhuasca ceremony, it allowed me to reassess my relationship with cannabis.

For the week leading up to the ceremony, I was to abstain from several things — one being smoking marijuana. This, as I had mentioned earlier, did not cause me any significant discomfort. It was simply a decision, “okay, don’t smoke weed” and my body and mind followed suit.

While I was focusing on the ceremony over the weekend, I realized that there was a lot of things “pending” that had to be completed and being the “sober” version of myself, I got to it.

The entire week, I felt that I was more productive — maybe a little more stressed, but more productive overall.

When I came back after the ceremony, I decided to only smoke cannabis at night time. No longer would I consume marijuana [at least for the week] in the hopes of replicating the productivity of the week earlier.

How Cannabis Can Help You Take Your Meditation Practice To The Next Level — Photo by Lua Valentia via Unsplash

After a few days, I was enjoying the evening toke far more than I was enjoying the morning toke. I realized, that this shift in behavior allowed me to reach optimal levels of performance while still obtaining the benefits of consuming cannabis.

That’s a win right there!

So here are a few tips I wish to share with anyone interested in boosting their productivity while maintaining a regular cannabis habit.

Forgo the Wake N Bake

The name of the title and the inspiration to this piece, it does wonders. Cannabis relaxes you, and sometimes you don’t need to be relaxed. Sometimes you need a little stress to motivate you. You manage the stress at the end of the day.

Your prize toke

At the end of the day, when you’re done with all the hustle, reaching for a premium toke is the best. You can feel all the stress melt away, clearing your mind, allowing you to focus on other things for a moment.

quiz dont be that toker test your cannabis etiquette before imbibing — Photo by Shane Cotee/EyeEm/Getty Images

Plan your day the night before

While not cannabis related, making a rough outline of your next day helps you stay on track.

If you must smoke, toke wisely

Some people, like my wife for example, use cannabis for medical purposes. If you need to consume cannabis to alleviate some symptom, then that is the productivity enhancer right there. In my case, I don’t have chronic pain or anxiety or stress. I use cannabis as a stimulant to shift my perspective and come up with an infinite vault of content pouring out of my brain. I use it to help me write new music or literature. However, if you’re using it for medical purposes and it’s suppressing a symptom of discomfort, then consume only until the symptom subsides and continue about your day.

How To Smoke Marijuana Without Rolling A Joint — Photo by Grav via Unsplash

Make a list, cross out tasks

You’ll want to have a small notepad on hand. There’s something about physically crossing out tasks that just provides an extra sense of “accomplishments.” Of course, most people have phones and that works too, but the small notepad is a personal touch that helps me stay on track a bit more. If you wish to use your phone, a task manager is a great way to stay on track and optimize your time.

Cannabis can be a deterrent in terms of productivity. We have to be honest about that. If you take a bong rip every morning, you’re not being 100% as productive as you can be. This may be okay, perhaps productivity isn’t your major concern. If that’s the case, I am no one to tell you to not chill-on as you are doing.

However, if you are smoking cannabis and wish to be a bit more productive, I recommend trying any one of the things I mentioned. The worst that can happen is nothing. The best that can happen is you become more productive.

Here’s How Technology Is Reshaping Cannabis

Green Market Report

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October 9, 2021

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Here’s How Technology Is Reshaping Cannabis

Advances in technology are bringing the consumer the best experience possible while still keeping all the back-end bells & whistles legally sound. Here are some other ways it’s changing the canna-industry.

Green Market Report asked some of the top technology leaders in the cannabis industry for their thoughts on how tech is changing the cannabis world. Here’s what we learned.

Simplifya Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer Marion Mariathasan

“Technology in every industry has enabled advancement to happen faster, and the cannabis industry is no different. Due to the fragmented regulatory environment, we knew remaining compliant would be a real challenge for businesses, but one that could be addressed through the creation of advanced technologies. We set out to take what was previously an archaic way of approaching compliance and developed software that would help cannabis entrepreneurs save time and money, drive efficiencies and create new opportunities. Beyond owners and operators, we also see technologies playing a vital role in how governments, regulatory bodies, insurers, cannabis-related banking and financial institutions also remain compliant under FinCEN Cannabis Banking Guidance.

“Whether it’s POS, data, commerce, social networks or compliance, technology continues to allow the industry to solve some of its most challenging problems while accelerating growth at a rapid rate. As Simplifya enters the multi-million dollar banking, financial and payment-related services sector, we plan to debut new software and advanced technologies that automates and simplifies mandated complex processes necessary to keep the industry moving ahead in a compliant way.”

Marion Mariathasan is the CEO of Simplifya, the cannabis industry’s leading regulatory and operational compliance software platform. The company’s suite of products takes the guesswork out of confusing and continually changing state and local regulations. Featuring SOPs, badge tracking, document storage, tailored reporting and employee accountability features, the company’s Custom Audit software reduces the time clients spend on compliance by up to 45%.

Marion is also a serial entrepreneur who has founded or advised numerous startups. He is an investor in 22 domestic and international companies, four of which he serves as a board member: Ceylon Solutions, a cannabis and non-cannabis software development company; Leafwire, the largest cannabis social network; ilios, a relationship app that matches users based on characteristics derived from astrology and numerology algorithms; and Simplifya. Marion is a regular guest speaker at events such as Denver Start-Up Week, Colorado University’s program on social entrepreneurship, and the United Nations Global Accelerator Initiative.

Jushi Holdings Inc. Chief Creative Director Andreas “Dre” Neumann

“In the cannabis sector, digital consumers are in the driver’s seat. We believe technologies will continue to play a critical role, and that by taking the time to implement research, data and digital technologies, we have a competitive advantage. By constantly studying trends data, we foresaw that the digital and physical retail convergence would accelerate with the rapid growth of home delivery and express channels. Early on we were focused on ways to remove friction, build trust, and fine tune the entire customer experience. We use research data and technology-based omnichannel strategies to seamlessly serve the needs of the widest range of customers, and that really goes to the core of our ethos of improving peoples’ lives.

“At a higher level, we’ve also integrated our data sources and spent time building out a custom data warehouse. This has not only helped us break down information silos, but has also allowed us to understand the business and our customers much more holistically. We plan to keep evolving with new technologies and programs that drive efficiencies in our retail experiences and operations. I’ve always been a big advocate for technological solutions — none of this would be possible without it — so for us, tech will be a priority for the future of Jushi and instrumental in defining the entire cannabis sector.”

In his role at Jushi, Dre and his creative team are charged with leading Jushi’s creative, marketing and communications efforts as well as ensuring the company’s successful entrance into e-commerce, cutting-edge digital user experiences and his efforts have already brought a tremendous amount of added value to the company and its share-owners.

Dre is a serial entrepreneur who has founded numerous successful creative and technology companies and is a disruptive thinker, who before joining Jushi, served as the creative director and head of content for Idean, a leading global design agency that creates powerful digital experiences and uses design as a strategic tool to transform companies. He founded a partnership with British multinational communications and advertising agency network with 114 offices in 76 countries and over 6,500 staff, Saatchi & Saatchi UK, where he implemented creative strategies such as launching a branded content unit called Gum in an effort to reach more young people, who are increasingly tuning out traditional advertising.

In addition to being a known and respected leader in the creative and technology arenas, Dre is known for his photography and work with artists such as Queens of the Stone Age, Iggy Pop, Foo Fighters, ZZ Top, Lenny Kravitz, and many others. He has also been cited as one of the world’s top rock photographers and will be featured in an upcoming documentary on Amazon scheduled to premiere in early 2021.

Navin Anand, Chief Technology Officer at springbig

“The cannabis industry is adopting native and cloud technologies at an ever increasing rate. Computing power has increased exponentially (at an affordable cost), so we all have supercomputers on hand, which helps development teams tackle AI/ML problems, predictive analysis, user segmentation, early fraud detection and more. Technology also has added tremendous value in the form of agri-tech, cloud evolution, and data science for improving this industry as a whole.

“At springbig, we are leveraging technology to push the limits and capture trends that help our merchants achieve goals above and beyond 100%. The spingbig platform provides the ability for our partners to be in constant contact with end users. We have other offerings that provide numerous opportunities for improvement of user experience, instore, e-commerce and omni.”

Navin is the CTO of springbig, a leading provider in customer loyalty and text message communications solutions for cannabis retailers and cannabis brands. Founded in 2017, springbig offers a single source of truth CRM that becomes the database of record for in-store and online customers that captures key purchasing and behavioral data and seamlessly integrates with existing dispensary POS and eCommerce systems. Navin has over 15 years experience in software engineering including leading a team of 100 engineers at Verifone, one of the world’s largest multinational payment processing and POS solution providers. In his time at Verifone, Navin crafted solutions for blue-chip brands including McDonalds, YUM Brands, and Visa.

Navin is recognized as a data-driven leader and problem solver who is able to streamline the software engineering delivery and QA process through advanced systems automation and project management, reducing time to delivery and aligning various IT sub-departments into a common system that speak the same language.

Cathy Corby Iannuzzelli, Co-Founder and Chief Payments Officer at KindTap

“As a fintech company in the cannabis space, we can wholeheartedly say that technology is shaping the future of the industry with the consumer at the forefront of the conversation. From convenience to compliance, and now even our credit payment option with loyalty points, advances in technology are bringing the consumer the best experience possible while still keeping all the backend bells & whistles legally sound.”

Cathy Corby Iannuzzelli is a payments executive with extensive experience in prepaid, debit, credit, and emerging payments and broad and deep knowledge of issuing and acquiring sides of the market. In 2019, Cathy joined KindTap, a fintech company with a team that was focused on the same cannabis payments problem she spotted a few years back. Together in September 2021, they formally launched KindTap and are the first company to bring a credit payment option to the cannabis industry.

KindTap launched first to the Massachusetts market and will hit multiple US markets, including Florida, Maine, and New York by the end of 2021, bringing consumers immediate, revolving credit lines for upfront cannabis purchases and allowing merchants to seamlessly accept digital credit payments. About 3 years ago while working for a client in Denver, Cathy became aware of how broken payments were in cannabis. Broken isn’t even the right word – payments simply didn’t exist in the cannabis market. Cathy’s pioneering spirit kicked-in and she refocused her consulting to the cannabis segment.

Socrates Rosenfeld, Co-founder & CEO of Jane Technologies

“Our goal at Jane has always been to provide value for the entire ecosystem; we want customers to make informed purchasing decisions, and we want sellers to succeed. As the largest e-commerce platform in North American cannabis, the digitization of the industry has allowed us to keep the industry in line with the mainstream, allowing shopping for cannabis to be as accessible as shopping online for everything else in the world, all while ensuring an even playing field for brands and dispensaries.”

Socrates Rosenfeld is the Co-Founder and CEO of Jane Technologies. Socrates began using cannabis as a way to re-acclimate to civilian life upon return from active duty, but found himself questioning the origins of cannabis since it was illegal at the time. Fast forward to today and Socrates is now the founder and CEO of Jane Technologies- the e-commerce solution for legal cannabis retailers and brands. He holds a B.S. in Leadership & Management Studies from the United States Military Academy at West Point Academy and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is a U.S. Army Veteran and previously served as a commander of an Apache helicopter company.

This article originally appeared on Green Market Report and has been reposted with permission.

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