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PHOENIX, AZ — MTV, along with Executive Producer Snoop Dogg, released the first episode of Mary + Jane, a marijuana-themed comedy show on Monday, September 5 at 10pm. The two women in the show start a cannabis delivery service in Los Angeles, California, and on the show they use an app called WeederLA. However, an application similar to the app used on the show already exists in the cannabis industry, and the name of the app is Weeder.

The show introduces two young millennial entrepreneurs that decide to start a cannabis delivery service in Los Angeles. The main characters — Paige, played by Jessica Rothe, and Jordan, played by Scout Durwood — turn to social media marketing and a new mobile technology to promote their efforts. The application used in the show, which helps clients find and review local cannabis businesses, is aptly called “WeederLA.” The women also get rated as one of the top 15 businesses in L.A. under the Weeder15, a category found in the WeederLA App.

The actual Weeder App, found in the Google Play store, focuses on exclusive discounts, local deals and event information where users can find products and services in the legal cannabis industry. The mobile app and live website were recently unveiled to the cannabis industry and has been met with rave reviews. Being a cross between Groupon and Yelp, the easy-to-use app allows you to view deals, discounts, and current information about live events and local medical marijuana providers right from your smart device. The application allows you to choose discounts from specific categories based off of geo-targeted locations near you. These discounts and deals are searchable on the website as well the mobile app.

While the application in the show is not exactly like the real Weeder app, they do bear striking similarities.

“Our entire goal and reason for making the application was for it to be successful in helping people find the cannabis services, products and discounts they need. We believed that the cannabis industry is thriving more than ever, and the show having a similar app simply proves we are on the right track,’” said Steve Lippert, Weeder’s CEO.

The pop culture reference, as well as a rapidly growing cannabis industry, shows that the Weeder team wisely predicted the economic boom of recreational and medical cannabis. The application is available in the Android Store — and the app’s IOS application is built and submitted, simply waiting for the approval from Apple — and is ready to help customers find discounts and deals for all of their Cannabis needs.

Contact information:

Steve Lippert, CEO
Weeder LLC
1 East Washington Street Suite 500
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Steve@weederapp.com

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Israeli MMJ Firm Completes Cannabinoid-Enriched Tablet for Non-Smoking Patients

10/20/2016

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Israel-based OWC Pharmaceutical has announced the completion of a cannabinoid-enriched sublingual tablet for patients who are not able to, or do not wish to, smoke cannabis as a medicine delivery method, the company announced in a press release. They are currently seeking approval for the tablet by the Israeli Ministry of Health’s Medicinal Cannabis Unit.

Dr. Yehuda Baruch, OWC’s director of research and regulatory affairs, said that while serving as head of the Health Ministry’s Medical Cannabis Program he observed that “about 15 percent of eligible patients do not use medical cannabis because they cannot, or do not want to smoke it.”

Baruch served as the head of the program from 2003 through 2013, treating more than 15,000 patients with cannabis.

“What’s more, smoking is not particularly effective for some conditions. We developed the tablet to facilitate the bioavailability and administration of our cannabis formulations to patients,” he said in the release. “Consistent and accurate dosing is critical to the successful treatment of any condition, and our tablet is able to deliver that.”

Ziv Turner, OWC CEO, indicated that the company has already entered into talks with the Ministry of Health and indicated that several U.S. firms are interested in bringing the product to the states “as regulations allow.”

“We expect that there is a substantial number of eligible patients who are uncomfortable smoking cannabis for medical purposes in the United States as well as other regions, leaving a large segment of the patient population without real access to treatment,” he said. “We believe our tablet is a preferable administrative method for those, and many other patients, and will make a real difference in the way cannabis is administered.”

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Building bathed in sunlight in downtown Portland, OR.

Recreational Cannabis Sales in Oregon Top $160M

10/19/2016

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Recreational cannabis sales in Oregon hit $160.8 million through the first nine months of the year, resulting in $40.2 million in sales tax payments, according to a Register-Guard report. Sales of recreational cannabis sold at medical marijuana dispensaries are taxed 25 percent, but sales by retailers licensed this month by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission are taxed 17 percent.

As of Monday, just three dispensaries have been approved as recreational retailers — two in Eugene and one in Cottage Grove. Medical dispensaries must get licensed by the Control Commission by the end of the year to continue operating as recreational retailers. Dispensaries can opt out and continue operating as medical-only suppliers.

The Department of Revenue indicated they are still waiting on some dispensaries to file their quarterly returns, which will provide details about which recreational cannabis products sold the most.

Officials are expecting to license 350 recreational retailers by 2017, with a total of 550 expected by 2019, according to a report from the Revenue Department. According to the Marijuana Business Daily Factbook, recreational sales in the state were projected to be between $180 million and $220 million for the entire year.

In Oregon, 40 percent of tax revenues are earmarked for the Common School Fund; 25 percent for mental health and substance abuse services; 15 percent for the state police, and 20 percent for local law enforcement for cities and counties.

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Survey: Cannabis Policy has Significant Influence on Voter Opinions in Upcoming Election

10/19/2016

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According to Cannalytics’ 2016 Voter Report, cannabis policy has a “significant impact and influence” on voter opinions in the upcoming election and that 95 percent of the near 6,000 respondents would rather use legal medical marijuana over prescription drugs, regardless of whether they have used cannabis before.

The report found that 46 percent identified as independent voters, compared to 54 percent who identified as Republican or Democrat. Regardless of political party, a strong majority supported national decriminalization — 96 percent of Republicans agreed, while 89 percent “strongly” agreed; Democrats agreed 96.5 percent with 93.8 percent strongly agreeing; 96.8 percent of independents agreed, with 95 percent agreeing strongly.

Sixty-five percent of respondents said they had consumed at least one alcoholic drink in the last 30 days, and of those who do drink 53 percent said they would drink less if cannabis was legal.

Younger groups were most likely to use cannabis daily, and the majority said they would move because of local cannabis laws. The majority of younger voters were the biggest proponents of using tax revenues from cannabis sales to fund education.

The poll found that men and women consumed cannabis at similar rates, with the majority from both genders admitting to consuming cannabis daily over the previous 30 days.

“Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America (behind alcohol and tobacco), but lately marijuana has been getting a lot more political attention, consequently making it appear that the community is growing at a rapid pace,” the authors wrote.

A majority of respondents, 75 percent, said that they would be more motivated to vote in the election if there was marijuana legislation on the ballot, suggesting that voter turnout could be higher in the nine states voting on cannabis policy during next month’s general election.

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Viewing Anchorage, Alaska from across the water.

Elementary School Administrators Apologize After Urging Parents to Oppose Anchorage Dispensary

10/19/2016

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Officials at an Anchorage, Alaska elementary school apologized after sending a ‘partisan’ automated phone message to parents urging them to voice opposition to recreational cannabis dispensaries at a city Assembly meeting, the Alaska Dispatch News reports.

The message, sent by Campbell Elementary School administrators, alleges that the Assembly “quietly passed” approval for a dispensary two weeks prior “without public input or outcry,” and that the Assembly would decide on another shop at the meeting.

“It hits too close to home, it hits too close to our school,” the female voice says. “Please, we are asking for as many families as possible to make an appearance at [the meeting] tonight to show who this will be having an impact on — our children.”

Heidi Embly, spokesperson for the Anchorage School District, said the calls were sent at the behest of Principal Michelle Johansen, who is taking responsibility for the content of the message. She declined to provide the identity of the staff member reading the message, which was sent to 464 phone numbers.

“This was not something that should have happened or will happen again in the future,” Embley said in the report. “It should have been a strictly informational message to notify parents of something that may have been of interest to them.”

The system is usually reserved for informational and emergency phone calls or texts.

In a subsequent message, Johansen apologized for the tone of the original call.

“Unfortunately, words were used which implies partisanship,” she said. “This is not the intent or policy of the district or our school.”

Embly said that principals at all of the district’s schools were reminded of “appropriate communication as district employees, particularly regarding political activity” and that the school supervisor is investigating the incident.

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A collection of clones on display in a California cannabis dispensary.

New Jersey Lawmakers Witness Colorado’s ‘Sophisticated’ Cannabis Industry

10/19/2016

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A group of New Jersey lawmakers toured several Denver cannabis companies over three days to see what legalization looks like for themselves, according to a report from Philly.com.

Assemblyman Jim Kennedy said the operation had an unexpected “level of sophistication.”

“There’s been a lot of talk about legalization in New Jersey and I want to be informed on the successes and pitfalls of it,” Assemblywoman Maria Rodriguez said in the report. “I’m not necessarily against it but I’m here to learn more and be better informed.”

The group of four Democrats and two Republicans visited Medicine Man Technologies’ grow center during their tour, prompting “wow”s from members of the contingent as they saw a full-scale cannabis operation for the first time.

Republican State Sen. Kip Bateman compared the set up at the dispensaries to that of “jewelry stores where everything is kept behind glass cases.”

“As long as the right restrictions are in place it could work in New Jersey,” he said.

Last month, Republican Assemblyman Michael Carrol introduced legislation to regulate cannabis like tobacco — he was not present during the tour, however. State Sen. Nick Scutari was present, and has previously introduced legalization legislation which never garnered enough support to make it to the floor for a vote. He indicated he was planning on reintroducing the measure soon.

Even if lawmakers pass any of the bills, it is likely they would be vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie, who is an outspoken critic of legal marijuana.

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View of the entrance to the New West Summit 2.0, held at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco.

New West Summit Brings Industry Minds Together

10/18/2016

by Roni Stetter

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New West Summit was truly a meeting of the minds. Last weekend’s San Francisco trade show, in its second year, covered the latest intersections of technology, investment, and media in the cannabis space, with huge implications for the entire industry.

“At New West Summit 2.0 we saw both attendance and exhibitor numbers double,” said executive director Jim McAlpine. “I’ve already asked Sir Richard Branson to return in person next year, and I’m also shooting for Elon Musk as our keynote for New West Summit 3.0. The professionalism, strong branding and innovative technology unveiled at the event are a sure sign this industry is moving rapidly in the right direction.”

As a budding cannabis industry entrepreneur, I jumped at the chance to be a fly on the wall at this summit. From material covered in panel discussions, to the big-name companies in attendance, think of New West Summit as a harbinger of the cannabis industry trends that will rule in 2017.

nws7 — Tradiv, one of Colorado’s largest and most successful tech-focused cannabis companies, had representatives discussing the company’s software offerings.

Sustainability

Those who claim that the cannabis industry wastes energy and resources can officially take a seat. The majority of cultivators are constantly researching and implementing sustainable new methods for growing with less water and less energy. Fleurish Farms, experimental cannabis growers and extractors out of Sonoma County, arrived ready to show off their DSS Sungrown lighting technology, creating a fully customizable indoor environment for cannabis plants using Solatube skylights.

nws1 — Cannabis experts, business owners, and industry advocates were featured on various speaking panels throughout the two-day conference.

Market Data

A central theme of the weekend’s discussions was data, and how to analyze it. Regulated markets have enabled companies to collect data points on virtually every interaction and transaction that happens in the cannabis industry, from effectiveness of media and advertising campaigns, to types of products purchased to budtender productivity per hour. Title conference sponsor, New Frontier Data, has been collecting this data and now wants to partner with companies and investors to help optimize business models, sales, efficiency, and even advertising ROI. Other market data firms in attendance included Headset and BDS Analytics.

nws2 — A mid-day press conference was held on Friday in support of California’s Prop. 64, which aims to legalize recreational cannabis.

Vaporizer Tech

Until now, the cannabis vaporizer market has been cornered by a few staple devices, like the chamber vape, and 510-battery setups for use with disposable cartridges. A few proprietary disposable vapes have also been developed based on technology used for nicotine fluids. All that will change over the next year as cannabis-specific vape tech develops for the first time. Key players in the space that were in attendance and launching vape products at New West included hmbldt, PAX, and Firefly.

nws6 — Smaller conference rooms were filled to the brim with entrepreneurs, investors, and cannabis enthusiasts who were all eager to learn from the panels’ many experts.

Digital Media

While several solid print publications are still out there covering cannabis, it’s abundantly clear that the future of cannabis “edutainment” lives online. Today’s digital sources appeared as full-blown television channels and social media properties, as well as blog publications. Civilized.Life, a newcomer catering to professional cannabis consumers aged over 30, was one of the event’s most present sponsors. Other big media players exhibiting at the New West Summit 2.0 included Dope Magazine, PROHBTD, Snoop Dogg’s venture MERRY JANE, and startup press company Direct Cannabis Network.

nws5 — New West Summit 2.0 was held at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco, California.

A Bright Future

A press conference was called during the event, with Jane West, Steve DeAngelo, Kristen Nevedal, and several other cannabis activists encouraging all Californians to vote for Proposition 64 and to legalize cannabis for adults in the state. While not everyone was excited to vote for the measure in its current form, most agreed that the civil rights issues took precedent, and more protections for small businesses and craft cultivators would have to come after it had passed.

With numerous other states voting on ballot initiatives this election cycle, the cannabis movement could finally be at a tipping point. From the professionalism of the vendors and attendees, to the focus on technology and forward-thinking business, New West Summit was a clear example of where the cannabis industry is headed.

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Manufacturers of Cannabis Edibles Seeing Minimal Profit Margins

10/18/2016

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While edibles comprise nearly 50 percent of cannabis sales in Washington and Colorado — 42 percent and 57 percent respectively, according to BDS analytics — significant profit margins are so far unrealized, according to a Bakery and Snacks review of a discussion by canna-business professionals at the International Baking Industry Exposition.

The session, “The Future of Wholesale Baking with Marijuana,” presented by two Colorado-based wholesale bakers from Sweet Grass Kitchen and Love’s Oven, gave attendees at the IBIE an inside look at the growing sector.

Eric Knight, COO of Sweet Grass Kitchen, explained that a “significant chunk” of their product costs are packaging and labeling — which have constantly changed. Another chunk is spent on product testing, which runs roughly $16,000 per month.

“The regulations also affect our equipment, material handling, process control and inventory management,” Knight said in the report. “The reason why we do these things is to achieve pharmaceutical level portion control and repeatability.”

Jesse Burns, the company’s director of marketing, pointed out that the new stamping requirements in Colorado forced the company to spend “a lot of capital” on new machines in order to meet the requirements of the new law. He indicated that Sweet Grass Kitchen opted for a class-4 laser to engrave their products, while Love’s Oven uses edible ink.

The stamp is designed to help prevent accidental ingestion of marijuana products.

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‘No on 4’ Campaign Releases TV Spot in Massachusetts

10/18/2016

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The Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts has released its first ‘No on 4’ TV spot depicting a mother and daughter driving through a town with several dispensaries, culminating with the duo arriving at a toy store and showing the small child staring at edibles through a dispensary window — the very dispensary a young man walks out of. The young man stops in his tracks and locks eyes with the woman, saying “Mom?” as the narrator urges the viewer to vote ‘no.’

Comments on the YouTube video have been disabled.

The ad, produced by Republican consulting firm Jamestown Associates, takes on an almost dystopian tone — “Question 4 would allow thousands of pot shops and marijuana operators throughout Massachusetts — in neighborhoods like yours,” the narrator says.

The spot uses two key arguments. The first — that drugged driving and fatal car accidents are up — has been thoroughly debunked. According to a report from the Drug Policy Alliance, based on figures from Colorado and Washington, there have been “no obvious increases in traffic fatalities” after legalization and arrests for DWI are down. While it is true that more drivers involved in fatal crashes have tested positive for THC in Washington, either alone or in combination with other drugs or alcohol, there is no evidence that cannabis was a contributing factor in those incidents — and the number of so-called drugged drivers isn’t up significantly, from 44 in 2010 to 72 in 2014.

The ad’s second claim, that there are more dispensaries than Starbucks and McDonald’s combined in Colorado, is actually true. However, the language in Question 4 caps the number of dispensaries in the state to 75 the first year, and with Massachusetts much smaller than the states where cannabis is legal it is highly unlikely that dispensaries would overtake the coffee and burger chains.

“This ad has about as much connection to reality as a Donald Trump campaign speech, which should come as no surprise since it’s funded by a Trump endorser and made by a Trump ad firm,” Jim Borghesani, a spokesman for YES on 4 said in the Boston Globe report.

The initiative is likely to pass, according to our poll aggregates, where 48 percent indicate support with 43 percent opposed.

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North American Cannabis Holdings Reports 23% FY2016 Growth

10/18/2016

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North American Cannabis Holdings Inc. reported 23 percent annual growth during fiscal year 2016, reporting $515,475 in sales and eliminating over $2 million in debt — more than 45 percent, the company announced in a press release.

The company operates a variety of enterprises including hemp farming in Vermont and growing medical cannabis in Maine, to extraction and edibles. The company also acts as a pilot program incubator and reports that two projects have successfully “graduated” from the program.

One of the ventures, AmmeriCanna Café, a cannabis-themed restaurant chain, graduated as an in-house project and “accounts for the current reported revenue,” the release says. North American Cannabis acquired the company, which includes a full all-day menu, fitness center and smoothie product, in June, 2015. The company plans on franchising the “hybrid” fast food and casual dining café.

The other graduate, an extraction operation, is being commercialized as a spinoff. The project uses a proprietary extraction process for use in infused food and edibles. The operation is housed in the independent company Puration, Inc. According to Puration’s revenue plan, the company estimates three collaboration agreements worth $1 million each will “be finalized promptly.”

North American Cannabis is planning a dividend issuance of Puration common stock for shareholders on Oct. 21.

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Green tractor doing field work in California.

United Farm Workers Union Endorses Prop 64

10/18/2016

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The United Farm Workers union has officially endorsed California’s Proposition 64, according to a press release from the Yes on 64 campaign. The union is the country’s largest farm workers union, operating in 10 states.

The ballot initiative is a consensus measure by the union “based on recognized best practices and recommendations from hundreds of engaged citizens and organizations.” UFW President Arturo S. Rodriguez said the measure provides justice and job training to “communities of color that have been cynically targeted by the failed war on marijuana.”

“It also extends strong worker and safety protections for those who toil in the fields of this industry and work in every part of the supply chain,” he said in the release. “UFW is pleased to endorse it.”

Prop 64 has also won support from the United Food & Commercial Workers Union, California Academy of Preventative Medicine, California Medical Association and the California Nurses Association.

However, some growers have voiced concern over the question, saying that it will cause onerous oversight and welcomes big businesses which could eliminate independent and small farms. A poll of California Growers Association members found that the majority — 38 percent — were still undecided on which way they would vote, with 31 percent both for and against the initiative.

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Scottish National Party Delegates Pushing for New MMJ Regulations

10/17/2016

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The Scottish National Party is backing the decriminalization of cannabis for medicinal use, calling on the UK government to allow the Scottish government to regulate the drug, the Independent reports.

The vote by the delegates does not mean that the Scottish government will adopt the policy, but it is an indication of strong support for future measures.

Laura Brennan-Whitefield, who has suffered from multiple sclerosis for nine years, met with the delegates and urged them to show “compassion and common sense” on medical marijuana policies.

“I’m not advocating the smoking of cannabis, what I’m advocating is a progressive and reasonable, compassionate society where you can access pain relief,” she said in the report. “It has become very clear to me over these last nine years that many people living with MS have been using cannabis to help with the symptoms of that condition. In fact, it’s one of the worst kept secrets at the hospital.”

Crispin Blunt, a Conservative Member of Parliament for the Reigate constituency in Surrey, said he has been asked to stop asking questions about drug policy while in office, saying that he has been told it was “impolitic” to raise those issues.

In the UK, cannabis is classified as a Class B drug, and people convicted for possession can face up to five years in prison; however, the maximum penalties are rarely enforced, according to the report.

Just last week, the UK government’s Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Agency admitted that CBD has medicinal value and will allow CBD-only products to be sold by licensed retailers.

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Adelson Makes Another $1M Contribution to Anti-Legalization Campaign

10/17/2016

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Sheldon Adelson has donated another $1 million to anti-legalization efforts, this time in Massachusetts, according to a report by the Boston Globe. The Las Vegas casino mogul, a Dorchester native, made the donation to the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts.

Adelson’s donation constitutes more than the $634,000 the campaign has raised all year, according to campaign finance reports. Comparatively, the Yes on 4 campaign has raised more than $3.3 million this year.

“We are grateful for the support of Mr. Adelson, a Massachusetts native, who with his wife Dr. Miriam has been a long-time antiaddiction advocate,” Jim Conroy, a spokesman for Safe and Healthy Massachusetts, said in the report. “His generosity will prove critical in preventing a billion-dollar marijuana industry from establishing a foothold in our communities.”

Last month, Adelson, the CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., donated $1 million to the Drug Free Florida Committee, a political action committee pushing to defeat Florida’s medical marijuana ballot initiative. Last December, the billionaire purchased the Las Vegas Review-Journal for $140 million, according to a Forbes report. The paper had historically been pro-cannabis but in June published an editorial condemning potential cannabis legalization in the state, likely as the behest of Adelson.

Massachusetts is one of five states, along with Nevada, that will be voting on legalizing cannabis for adult use next month.

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Detroit Officials Continuing Crackdowns on Dispensaries

10/17/2016

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Officials in Detroit, Michigan are shuttering dispensaries but seemingly will not reach their stated goal to have just 50 in the city by December, according to a report by Crain’s Detroit Business. In March, Detroit Corporate Counsel Melvin “Butch” Hollowell counted 273 dispensaries operating in the city — now there are 171.

“Eighty seven (of the 273) are out of business. Seven of those closed voluntarily, and 80 we’ve closed,” he said in the report.

Another 14 have received cease and desist letters from the city, while an additional 64 dispensaries “are in the pipeline” to get closure letters this week, Hollowell said.

The dispensaries receiving letters are running afoul of the city’s marijuana dispensary ordinance, passed by the City Council in December 2015. Under the ordinance, dispensary owners were required to submit applications starting on Mar. 1, with a Mar. 31 deadline. The city received 255 applications from new applicants and existing dispensaries by the deadline. It’s unclear how many — if any — of those applications were approved.

Last month, Gov. Rick Snyder signed a package of bills that aimed to clarify and more closely regulate the state’s medical marijuana industry, which has operated in a gray-market since voters approved the original law in 2008. The new rules allow for dispensaries, which were not codified by the voter-approved initiative and were often raided by law enforcement; however municipalities can pass zoning ordinances banning dispensaries if they choose.

The new rules take effect in December, but individuals seeking operating licenses must wait until 2017 to apply.

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Email Marketing Ideas for Cannabis Companies

10/17/2016

by Aaron Apple

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Setting up and using an email marketing platform for your company is a simple and inexpensive process that, if done correctly, can generate long-term repeat customers. Since the recipients of your emails have opted in to receive them, email marketing speaks directly to a loyal audience that wants to hear from you. This holds true for any industry, but in the cannabis industry specifically it is important to build loyal customers now before the market in your area gets even more competitive.

Creating or compiling content that is enticing to your subscribers is the most important part of the equation, otherwise you may lose them via the unsubscribe button. Serving your subscribers good content on a regular basis will keep your company in their mind while making purchasing decisions. Established companies usually have marketing budgets and, in many cases, will hire an agency to manage their various marketing channels including email. This guide, however, assumes you will be building your email strategy & managing your campaigns in-house.

What should your email newsletter contain?

Put yourself in the shoes of your average customer: what would entice you to read an email newsletter each week from a dispensary, grower, medical clinic, or B2B service provider? Good original content will help you build your brand, and will increase the odds that people will remember you when making purchasing decisions. If that means you need to hire a copywriter on an ongoing basis, then invest in a good one to help you get your point across most effectively.

Some Ideas for Email Newsletter Content:

New product announcements, discounts or specials*
Local in-store or community events that you are involved in or support
Interesting educational articles on cannabis culture, local laws, industry news, etc. that you have written, or linked to via a third-party site
Ongoing columns like “Budtender of the Month” or “Shout-Outs to Our Favorite Producers & Processors”

If you already have a blog on your site, that’s great! Include a summary of your latest blog post and provide a link so that users can read the full post on your site.
Social media links, hours of operation and contact information should be included in the footer of the newsletter
What to avoid: irrelevant information, duplicate content, links to old blog posts or articles

How often should you send your newsletter?

Well, this depends entirely on what you are offering. If you send out daily emails that are essentially the same, nobody will open them. On the other hand, if you only have one announcement every six months, people may sign up and then forget who you are by the time you send them your first message. Weekly and bi-monthly are good options for small businesses, depending on how much effort you want to put into your updates. Also keep in mind that while regularity is good, you don’t always have to follow the same formula. It’s a good idea to try a one-off promotion or announcement occasionally, and see how these campaigns compare to your regular updates.

How should you go about building your list?

First of all, NEVER buy an email list to send out mass emails. This is spam and it most likely won’t convert any new customers. Worse yet, it could even get you in legal trouble. Always remember that the best email subscribers are the ones who “opt-in” to receive your updates. To get people to do this, consider putting a clipboard at every point of sale with a well-designed cover sheet explaining what the newsletter is and possibly showing an example issue. Another good option is to embed a sign-up form on your website so that your visitors will sign up directly (and you won’t have to manually input them from written lists each week). You should also regularly post about your newsletter on social media to remind people that it is available and draw in those who have recently followed you.

How to setup your email list, and which software to use?

There are plenty of companies out there offering email marketing services at a variety of different price points, some even offering a free service if you have a small list. Here are some of the most popular and highest-rated services:

MailChimp: MailChimp, the most popular email marketing service on the web, is a great place for businesses who are growing a new list since they offer a free service to get started. Please note, however, that you will need to upgrade to a paid account once you wish to send more than 12,000 emails per month or have more than 2000 subscribers on your list. The subscription cost rises as your list gets larger and you are sending more emails, so you can grow at your own pace and reevaluate on a regular basis if the service is valuable enough to pay for. MailChimp makes it easy to send out well-designed email newsletters while also offering many advanced features including A/B testing, triggered emails, segmentation and more.

Benchmark: This service’s pricing plan works just like MailChimp, including a free service for up to 14,000 emails per month and to 2,000 subscribers. They offer 24/7 service and support with an online chat desk, so help is always a few clicks away. Both free and paid accounts offer features like a drag and drop editor, responsive templates for mobile devices, signup forms for new subscriber acquisition, and real-time reporting.

Emma: Emma is a great choice for your organization if you are already convinced that you want to invest in email marketing to help grow your business. Offering three different price levels ($89, $369 or $779 per month), they also offer unique hands-off services like custom email designs from their design team. They offer a risk-free trial, but the site lacks details as to what is included with the trial.

There are dozens of other platforms out there to explore as well. Whichever service you choose, keep in mind that you are investing in the success of your business by engaging in email marketing. If you put in the time and effort, it can be an extremely effective and affordable way to reach your audience, bringing customers back again and again.

NOTE: Depending on where you are located, there might be strict bans on giveaways, freebies, discounts, etc. Please check with your attorney regarding your local cannabis advertising laws.

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Canadian Health Agencies Suggest 25 as Legal Age to Buy Cannabis

10/17/2016

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Ottawa’s Board of Health has recommended that the legal age for buying cannabis should be 25, according to a report by the CBC. The suggestion is one of 33 outlined in a report by a federal task force aimed at establishing ways to minimize harm, and produce and distribute marijuana safely.

The minimum age recommendation was not a consensus among the health agencies, but it is in line with the opinion of the Canadian Health Association. Some agencies who contributed to the report thought that having different ages for purchasing cannabis and alcohol was unrealistic and hard to enforce.

According to Gillian Connelly, manager of health promotion and disease prevention with Ottawa Public Health, the age recommendation is based on scientific research and that an age higher than that to buy booze, 19 in Canada, reduces cannabis access for youth.

“One of the things that the research clearly demonstrates is that early access to cannabis can have detrimental effects for brain development and the brain develops up to age 25,” Connelly said in the report.

The department also suggested that the age restriction should be “coupled with rigorous enforcement and penalties.”

Additionally, the report suggests that retail prices are based on THC content and are increased based on inflation; capping potency, with dosage requirements for edibles, and labeling packaging with “evidence-based health warnings;” restricting advertising and packaging aimed at children; and adopting uniform production methods across the country.

OPH also suggests banning public use and having a separate medical cannabis sector, in which prices are regulated to guarantee the drug is accessible to patients.

The federal government is expected to announce plans for legalizing cannabis, along with their own recommendations, in the spring.

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Susan Rust: Why Cannabis Companies Should Invest in Their Brand

10/17/2016

by Featured Interview

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Susan Rust is Founder of 4blooms, a California-based boutique marketing firm serving cannabis industry clients. Susan brings 20+ years of enterprise web development, creative design, operations, sales & marketing experience to the cannabis space.

We recently interviewed Susan about marketing strategies for cannabis companies. In our discussion, she describes the problems faced by cannabis companies and highlights some under-utilized marketing avenues to help surmount them. Susan also explains how the core marketing strategy of a company should be reflected in its image, goals, and services, and how cannabis producers and retailers can work around some of the marketing restrictions prevalent among social and paid ad channels.

Read the full interview below:

Ganjapreneur: What about the cannabis industry was most attractive to you as a career marketer?

Susan Rust: I’ve done small business start-up marketing and consulting for years. It’s very rewarding to transform someone’s business with just a little effort, money and creativity. We offer such a wide range of services to take a business to the next level. Often owners are passionate about their cause, service or product so the supporting branding, messaging and technology get left behind. At some point, it becomes mission critical, not a luxury. When that happens, we’re here to help.

Do you work primarily with licensed cannabis companies or with businesses that are ancillary to the marijuana market?

So far it’s a mix of both. As the market matures, companies will feel the urgency to improve their marketing as more players with more funding flood into the market disrupting the collegial feel of today’s community. All cannabis companies would do well to evaluate how well their brand presents to both customers and investors. Investors in particular are keen to see a professional local or national marketing plan in place.

What is one commonly overlooked thing that cannabis companies can address to improve their marketing presence?

Branding and a polished website. Companies have to move beyond a literal leaf in yellow, red and green. It doesn’t allow the brand to stand out in a crowd. The logo has to be memorable, meaningful, a little witty and make people smile. Beautiful websites! A first impression is made within 50 milliseconds, according to noted behavioural researchers. And most websites are lacking in beauty, functionality and content.

Spending money marketing without these first two fundamentals makes everything harder and more expensive, so the owner raises the price of acquiring new customers.

Besides a good-looking website, what are other criteria a cannabis company should strive to satisfy with their marketing strategy? Could you break it down into some core foundations?

That’s a great question with a long answer! We recommend by starting with Personas. A Persona is a fictionalized version of your ideal client. Sometimes the most difficult part is convincing companies they need an ideal customer profile or they have incorrectly identified that buyer.

One client, a major distributor of cannabis paraphernalia felt very strongly their customers were males, 18 to 25. It turns out, that demographic was only 35% of their buyers. Almost 50% of their clientele were over 45! That’s an example of internal bias and experience not matching the data. For instance, they likely met the male-18-to-25 at events and trade shows, but they didn’t take into account that other demographic groups were not likely to attend cannabis events.

Dispensaries are a good example of trying to sell to “everyone” with first-time buyer discounts. Unfortunately, this creates a race to the bottom: “Buy from me, I’m the cheapest.” Ironically, this is a specific Persona, “Will go the cheapest route,” and doesn’t engender loyalty, yield high-dollar customers or provide any brand uniqueness. There are so many possible ways to stand out in this crowd, it just takes a willingness to invest a little time, money and effort into creating a new business model and then promoting that. This unique positioning is what will allow for investment, buyout and franchising.

Below are our four big buckets of services. We provide this structure to allow people to think about their marketing from the outcome they would like.

1. Marketing 101 (Strategy & Technology Foundation)
Start with the basics to begin launching a product or building your brand.

Persona & Keyword Research

Branding & Design

Web Design & Development + Technology

2. Get Found (by Google, Bing and Directories)
Websites are for visitors AND search engines. Be found by your ideal customer.

Local Search

Technical SEO

Ongoing Organic SEO

Improve traffic volume with #3

3. Be Seen (Potential Customers on Social Media & Paid Ad Channels)
Content will always be king. Write, publish and promote content to attract new business.

Web Content

Paid Ad Channels

Add other Social Media channels: TW, In, Li, Pi

Best results when leveraged with services #1 and #2

4. Grow Sales (Converting Web Traffic and Social Media to Customers)
Provide well-written, persona-based, high-quality content to gain new customers or sales.

Content Offers, Sweepstakes, Promotions

Landing Pages

Paid Advertising & Social Media

Best results when leveraged with services #1 thru #3

Would you say each platform of a good marketing plan is equally important, or can a company find success by focusing on one or two core delivery methods?

Each of our four major steps is important. However, which of the four a company needs depends on your business goals. For instance, a new edible product may be most interested in growing its brand and not be looking to generate sales because they are still hand-batching for their local market. Their next business goal may be to find investors. That means our “Be Seen” campaign which promotes a brand, grows their social media profiles, drives traffic to their website with engaging content and starts gathering emails to build a national database would be a good starting point.

One dispensary is planning a launch in January 2017. They need our Foundation package of identifying a Persona, Keyword Research for that audience and a website. They would benefit from our “Get Found by Google” for local SEO and organic SEO along with a small brand building campaign to warm up for the launch. Once they are open we can easily add on the “Grow Sales” campaign by marketing to their core audience to drive sales.

Marketing for a company is very custom based on business goals, audience, brand strategy and budget.

How does 4blooms stay ahead of the cannabis advertising bans in states that have decided to restrict the market, and on popular advertising platforms that have rejected cannabis ads?

Content, content, content. While advertising is banned, Google still serves up requested content. And there are many recognized cannabis ad channels as well, like Ganjapraneur. It really depends on the audience a customer is seeking and where that audience hangs. Avoid this one HUGE mistake: companies relying on social media as a standalone platform so when their account is shut down, they lose their audience. Social media’s job is to drive traffic to your website where you can snag and convert them to your own database.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Seeing companies bloom with good branding, web, technology and marketing! So 4blooms has a double meaning, it’s the four components of a good marketing plan AND the four stages of marijuana.

Where do you see 4blooms in the next 5 years?

In 5 years we’ll be a 15-person (9 now) agency that is fierce and more specialized. And maybe purchased by a non-cannabis agency. I don’t have an interest in being large for the sake of being large. 4blooms will always be a quality, boutique firm that provides great strategy and services.

What’s one piece of advice you can offer to people considering entering the cannabis industry?

My advice on business, regardless of industry, is have an exit strategy, work ON your business and not just IN your business, and outsource things you’re not good at to save you time & money: marketing, bookkeeping, accounting, HR, cooking, housekeeping, etc. Advice for the cannabis industry: find an under-served market or demographic, and make sure it’s something you’re passionate about. It’s not about money. It’s about your life.

Thank you, Susan, for answering our questions and for sharing your breadth of knowledge and experience with our audience. To learn more about Susan or 4blooms, you can visit the company website at 4blooms.guru.

End

Washington Startup Provides Scores to Cannabis Companies for Consumers

10/17/2016

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Entrepreneurs in Washington have created a consumer report-like cannabis product rating system called Just Good Score as a method for holding growers to a higher standard, according to CBS-affiliate KREM 2.

The system was created by Emily Reilly in order to bring post-prohibition issues, such as negative environmental impacts and potential health risks, to attention. The scales rates growers on a 100 point scale.

“We think consumers care about if there is chemicals in their products. If their products are causing lots of waste into landfills or water systems,” she said in the report. “We believe people care about living wages and benefits.”

Crystal Oliver, co-founder of Washington’s Finest Cannabis, who received a 99, says the rating system “gives consumers a tool to evaluate” the products they are buying and a lot of the consumers driving the state’s thriving sales care about quality cannabis.

“What we really wanted to do is be industry leaders,” Oliver said. “We have made a lot of conscious decisions on how we wanted to run our business on many levels so it seemed like a good fit for us.”

According to the Just Good Score website, there is no cost for businesses to be rated by the company as the founders “believe it is an inherent conflict of interest for any social or environmental entity to rely upon the entities they are evaluating for revenue.” Instead, they are relying on crowdfunding as their primary revenue source.

So far eight cultivators have been scored by the company, with three receiving their gold standard.

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Maine's Governor Paul LePage, an outspoken prohibitionist and cannabis critic.

Maine Gov. Releases ‘Reefer Madness’ Facebook Video

10/15/2016

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Editors note: Bombarded by negative comments, Gov. LePage has deleted the video from his Facebook page. We found another version, however, through Newsmax.com.

Maine Gov. Paul LePage has stepped up his prohibitionist rhetoric against legalizing cannabis in the state, posting a video to Facebook in which he doubles down on egregious anti-marijuana lies.

“THC levels in marijuana snacks are so high they could kill children and pets,” LePage, a Republican, says in the video. “…People will smoke marijuana in pot stores right next to schools, daycare centers and churches. They will smoke weed and sell pot at state fairs.”

LePage also claims that traffic fatalities have increased “dramatically” in Colorado, which according to a recent study by the Drug Policy Alliance is patently false: in both Colorado and Washington, traffic fatalities have decreased in the last decade and have remained stable in the years during which cannabis has been legal.

The governor closes out the video, which has more than 100,000 views, by urging the audience to educate themselves “on this dangerous issue.”

Comments on the video have reached more than 1,000, with most comments disparaging LePage’s message, pointing out that not a single death has ever been linked to cannabis ingestion – unlike alcohol, which, according to the National Institute of Health contributes to 88,000 deaths annually, and is already sold at state fairs.

Mainers are voting on legalizing cannabis for adult use in next month’s general election.

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Cannabis on display under LED grow lights at the 2014 Denver Cannabis Cup.

Study: Cannabis Legalization is So Far ‘Positive’ or ‘Negligible’ in Legal States

10/15/2016

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In states that have legalized adult cannabis use, arrests for possession have plummeted, traffic fatality rates have remained stable, there have not been significant increases in youth marijuana use, and the tax revenues from the industry have exceeded expectations in three of the four states — that according to a report from the Drug Policy Alliance.

The report, titled “So Far, So Good,” crunches relevant numbers pre and post-legalization, focusing primarily on Colorado and Washington because those programs have been active for at least two years.

Youth use is down or unchanged

In Washington, cannabis use rates among students in grades six through 12 have remained mostly stable since marijuana was legalized, according to an analysis of the biannual Washington Healthy Youth Survey outlined in the report; however in 2014, 18.1 percent of 10th-grade students admitted to using marijuana in the last 30 days, down from 19.3 percent in 2012.

In 2009, one in four (25 percent) Colorado middle and high school students reported to have used cannabis within the last 30 days — in 2015, more than two years after legalization, that number was reduced to 21.2 percent. The Department of Public Health and the Environment study found an overall 5 percent decrease in the number of youth who reported using cannabis at least once in their lives — from 43 percent in 2009 to 38 percent in 2015.

“Despite the belief that marijuana is widely available, preliminary data show that the legalization of marijuana has had little to no impact on the overall rate of youth use of marijuana,” the authors concluded in the study.

Cannabis arrests have seen a massive decline

As for marijuana arrests, the total number of marijuana arrests in Colorado decreased 46 percent from 2012 to 2014, from 12,894 to 7,004. In Oregon, cannabis arrests declined 50 percent from 4,223 in 2011 to 2,109 in 2014. Arrests in Washington State were almost eliminated — decreasing from 6,879 in 2011 to just 120 in 2013. Both charges and arrests decreased a total of 59 percent in Alaska, even though the retail program has not yet taken full effect.

However, the most eye-popping decline belongs to Washington, D.C. where arrests fell 98 percent from 1,840 in 2014 to a mere 32 in 2015.

The decline in arrests have translated to “hundreds of millions of dollars” in savings for law enforcement spending, the report states.

No major changes in road safety reported

In Colorado and Washington, the traffic fatality rate is lower in each state compared to a decade prior.

“According to a recent report analyzing available post-legalization data, no obvious increases in traffic fatalities occurred after legalization or after the opening of retail stores in Colorado and Washington,” the report says.

It should, however, be noted that in Washington more drivers involved in fatal crashes tested positive for THC, whether alone or in combination with other drugs or alcohol – from 44 drivers in 2010 to 72 in 2014. However, arrests for DWI – the third leading cause of traffic deaths – have declined in both states. In Colorado, the number of DWI-related citations issued by the Colorado State Patrol dropped 18 percent from 5,546 in 2014 to 4,546 in 2015. In Washington, DUI arrests by the Washington State Patrol dropped 8 percent.

“Legalization has not led to more dangerous road conditions,” the report says.

Taxes paying off better than expected

Tax revenues in Colorado and Washington both exceeded their projections — and it wasn’t even close. Colorado anticipated $70 million annually in cannabis tax revenues; in 2014 the state saw $78 million and in 2015 that number jumped to $129 million. Washington expected $162 million over the first two years after the program’s implementation – the state topped that total in 2015 alone with revenues of $220 million after a first year total of $78 million.

Revenues in both states are used for education, drug abuse prevention and treatment programs, community health services and research on cannabis use.

It is no coincidence that the report comes less than one month before five more states will decide whether to legalize cannabis for adult use.

“It is too early to draw any line-in-the-sand conclusion about the effects of marijuana legalization. However, preliminary reports suggest that the effects of legalization have been either positive or negligible,” the authors conclude.

End

An indoor plant, glazed with trichomes and kief.

Colorado’s August Cannabis Sales Break Previous Sales Record

10/15/2016

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Colorado has done it again.

Cannabis sales in August topped $126 million, surpassing the state sales record of $122.67 million just a month prior, according to a report from the Denver Post.

The spike could be attributed to the implementation of a law that increased the daily purchase limit for non-residents from a quarter-ounce to 1 ounce; however last year July, August and September represented the biggest sales months for the industry, save for the holiday season in December.

August saw $84.7 million in recreational sales and slightly less than half of that — $41.4 million — in medical cannabis sales. Medical sales remained exactly the same from the same period last year, when recreational sales totaled $59.2 million.

The state’s cannabis industry has raked in nearly $846.5 million through August, after reaching $639 million in the first eight months of 2015. In 2014, the first year of recreational sales, the industry grossed $699.2 million.

So far the state has earned $124.9 million in tax revenues from the industry this year, after netting $86 million last year and $76.2 million in 2014.

In Colorado, tax revenues from the cannabis industry are used to fund education, capital construction grants, and health programs.

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Freshly cut indoor cannabis plant. waiting to be picked apart for harvest.

Pew: Strong Majority of Americans Say ‘Yes’ to Legalization

10/13/2016

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According to a Pew Research poll, 57 percent of adults living in the US believe cannabis should be legalized, with 37 percent opposed. Just 10 years ago, polling by the group found the support virtually flipped — 60 percent said it should remain illegal, while 32 percent supported legalization.

The survey was released Oct. 12.

Millennials were the strongest supporters — 71 percent indicated they back legalization with 25 percent opposed. The majority of Generation Xers (57 percent) and Baby Boomers (56 percent) also said cannabis should be legalized. Pollsters referred to individuals aged 71 to 88 as the “Silent” generation, and that group was against legalization 59 percent to 33 percent.

As usual, the majority of Republicans still back keeping the drug outlawed — 41 percent supported legalization compared to 55 percent opposed. While Democrat respondents supported legalization 66 percent to 30 percent.

The poll backs those conducted in the five states with adult-use measures on next month’s general election ballot. According to our poll aggregates, polls in each state voting on legalization have found that the public backs those measures. In California, which many advocates and experts point to as the game changer state in the legalization fight, the polls mirror the Pew results – 61 percent say they will vote for Proposition 64, with 36 percent opposed.

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Spouse of Utah Gubernatorial Candidate Facing Misdemeanor Drug Charges

10/13/2016

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