Dispensaries & Retail | Cannabis Industry Journal

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ASTM Introduces Retail Cybersecurity Standard

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff

The proposed cannabis standard introduced by ASTM International will set up protocols for cybersecurity in dispensaries. Read more →

Flower-Side Chats Part 7: A Q&A with Max Goldstein, CEO of Union Electric and Founding Partner at OpenNest Labs

By Aaron Green

In this series, Aaron Green sits down and interviews a number of integrated cannabis companies and flower brands. In this Part 7, Green sits down with Max Goldstein, CEO of Union Electric and Founding Partner at OpenNest Labs, to learn more about his asset-light model for building a brand in California. Read more →

Flower-Side Chats Part 6: A Q&A with Fabian Monaco, CEO of Gage Cannabis

By Aaron Green

In this series, Aaron Green sits down and interviews a number of integrated cannabis companies and flower brands. In this Part 6, Green sits down with Fabian Monaco, CEO of Gage Cannabis, to learn more about the Michigan market, what he looks for in cultivation partners and his criteria for geographical expansion. Read more →

Flower-Side Chats Part 5: A Q&A with Bob Fireman, CEO of MariMed, Inc.

By Aaron Green

In this series, Aaron Green sits down and interviews a number of integrated cannabis companies and flower brands. In this Part 5, Green sits down with Bob Fireman, CEO of MariMed, Inc. (OTCQX:MRMD) to learn more about the history of MariMed and its recent equity facility from Hadron Healthcare Fund that has them poised for continued growth. Read more →

Defining Hemp: Classifications, Policies & Markets, Part 2

By Darwin Millard

The cannabis plant is an incredibly versatile plant used in numerous applications: construction materials, textiles, composites, bioplastics, food ingredients, phytochemicals, CBD products, and so much more. Or is that hemp? In this two-part series, Darwin Millard takes the reader down the hemp rabbit hole and discusses how the global market has evolved the definition of hemp over time and the challenges posed by trying to have your cake and eat it too. Millard proposes that we adopt policies for market protection of hemp products through standardization, not bifurcation of the cannabis plant. Read more →

Five Things Every Cannabis Business Needs Before They Open

By Tim Allen

From licensing and bank accounts to installing the right shelves, here are a few things you should know before you open your doors to the public. Obviously, there’s going to be a lot of other hurdles and requirements that come with starting a business – but by remembering these five things, you’ll be off to a much better start than many others. Read more →

Digital Marketing Tips to Help Grow Your Cannabis Business

By Steven Clayton

With the cannabis industry booming, following rules and regulations of marketing and advertising can be tedious, but there are organic ways to use digital marketing to reach more customers. Read more →

Implement These Tips to Quickly Fortify Cannabis Dispensaries

By Heather Bender

In the past year, more than 120 burglaries at dispensaries occurred in Portland, Oregon. With a number of cannabis thefts hitting the news recently, it’s clear that retailers need to have more robust security measures in place. Read more →

FDA Issues Warning Letters on Marketing and Sale of OTC CBD Products

By Seth Mailhot, Steve Levine, Emily Lyons, Leah Kaiser, Marshall Custer

The FDA issued warning letters to two companies this month, alleging FD&C Act violations stemming from marketing new drugs without approval. Companies marketing CBD products should be careful not to market OTC drugs containing CBD. Read more →

Jane & Leafly Join Forces: An Interview with Socrates Rosenfeld, CEO of Jane

By Aaron Green

Aaron Green sits down and interviews Socrates Rosenfeld, CEO of Jane, about their recent strategic partnership with Leafly. The partnership combines two of the largest online tech platforms in the North American cannabis market. Read more →

FAQs: How Cannabis Businesses Can Avoid TCPA Liability

By Artin Betpera

Some well-known names in cannabis have been the target of TCPA class action lawsuits and they share a common thread: they are based on marketing or promotional text messages sent to consumers. In this piece, Betpera runs through the most frequently asked questions on how cannabis companies can avoid TCPA liability. Read more →

Learning from the First Wave Part 2: California’s Cannabis Supply Chain and Vertical Integration, with a Grain of Salt

By Todd Feldman

In this three-part series, cannabis lawyer and compliance expert Todd Feldman takes a look at how laws shape California’s supply chain, constrains business practices and affects the cost of doing business. In Part Two, we take a look at how regulation defines vertical integration in California. Read more →

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Columns

July 29, 2021

Soapbox

Can Cannabis Avoid Alcohol’s 3-Tier Distribution System?

By Rick Kiley

On the road to nationwide legalization, cannabis and spirits share similar stories. But here’s the one step the cannabis industry should avoid copying, if it can.

July 7, 2021

A Guide to Outsourcing Your Cannabis Delivery Service

By Claudia Post

Choosing a third-party delivery service can be a great move for a dispensary looking to eliminate costs and improve efficiency. Here are some points to help you build a successful partnership with a third-party cannabis delivery service.

July 1, 2021

Can Cannabis Get Even More Social?

By Mark Goldwell

As cannabis trends toward nationwide legality, can it find better marketing opportunities as platforms evolve with the times?

May 25, 2021

The Importance of Smart Cannabis Packaging

By John Shearman

Technology in cannabis packaging is advancing. Blockchain-supported tracking, QR codes and authenticity markers can help companies keep track of supply chain logistics and prevent counterfeiting simultaneously.

May 25, 2021

Growing the Seed of Sale: Integrating Security with Business Opportunity

By Ryan Schonfeld

Security is critical, and thankfully, growers and providers have many tools available to protect their investment. For those businesses in the cannabis market looking to supplement their security operations with other workforce but may not have the budget or infrastructure to do so, remote security operations services are something you should consider.

February 9, 2021

The (Arrested) Rise of Craft Cannabis in Canada

By Steven Burton

While the cannabis legalization story in Canada has had its bumps, the clear path forward for greater legal market success lies in increased support for micro-cultivators. By increasing support for these small-scale producers to navigate regulatory requirements, more will be able to enter the legal market and actually compete against their illicit counterparts.

October 26, 2020

Overcoming Challenges in the Private Label CBD Industry

By Josh Epstein

Epstein details what to look for when launching your new CBD brand, how to build credibility, secure quality sources and how to create a unique product.

September 15, 2020

Biros' Blog

Judge Dismisses Claims in Vaping Illness Lawsuit

By Aaron G. Biros

Almost a year ago, a mysterious vaping-related lung illness affected consumers in the 2019 vaping crisis, resulting in thousands of hospitalizations, a number of lawsuits and even 68 fatalities. This week, the first of those lawsuits was dismissed.

August 18, 2020

Cannabis & COVID: Changes, Advances & Opportunities

By Laura Bianchi

From essential business designations to staffing and financial opportunities, this pandemic is changing the cannabis market dramatically. Understanding how to anticipate change and pivot quickly can often be the key to success.

August 12, 2020

The Brand Marketing Byte

The Hottest U.S. Cannabis Retail Brands Right Now

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff

In this week’s Brand Marketing Byte, we take a look at Pioneer Intelligence’s hottest U.S. cannabis retail brands for the month of July. Using their large data set and gauging metrics within social media, earned media attention and more, these are the companies that are getting the most out of their marketing.

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Upcoming Events & Webinars

August 25, 2021 – 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Improving Cannabis Pesticide Testing via Cloud-Based Saas Software & Automation Technology

Technology innovation is key to meet current and future workflow challenges in cannabis labs. As a thought and technology leader in the cannabis & hemp industry, PerkinElmer will demonstrate how an innovative automation hardware and software workflow allows cannabis & CBD laboratories to complete their pesticide and mycotoxin assays more efficiently and confidently. Data will be presented to show the workflow suitability for cannabis flower, the benefit of adding an autonomous sample preparation platform and software solutions to integrate multiple data streams into one compliance framework. References will show that having a validatable protocol and SOP for the cannabis testing industry is key in ensuring the highest quality of cannabis reaches the consumer.

September 14, 2021 – 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Cannabis Labs Virtual Conference

The Cannabis Labs Virtual Conference continues! For five years now, we have been hosting this complimentary collection of webinar presentations, designed to help attendees better understand some of the more technical aspects of starting and operating a laboratory. We will take a deep dive into various cannabis and hemp testing methods, laboratory accreditation, microbial testing, standards, method development and more. Attendees registering for this complimentary series of webinars will get access to veterans of the cannabis lab testing industry, who are all available for Q&A after each presentation. In addition to getting the opportunity to chat with these subject matter experts on September 14, a recording of the presentations will be made available to all who register. Practical and educational information from experts in the cannabis lab testing industry, all on the same day and all from the comfort of your lab, home or office. Want real inside knowledge on the cannabis testing industry? Stay tuned for important updates on the agenda. Registration will be open soon!