Cannabis & Tech Today Spring 2020

The cannabis industry has changed so much over the years, with a newfound acceptance completely redefining the past decade. Suddenly, cannabis is being embraced by mainstream entertainment, technology is evolving, and new ventures are developing. But as much as you can focus on the media, products, and business of cannabis, it’s important not to forget the driving force of it all: the people. Since the launch of our publication, we have had the pleasure of putting the spotlight on the personalities that have driven our industry throughout the past few decades. Ricky Williams gave us a perspective on cannabis use in athletics and its continued prohibition. Wanda James discussed the importance of social justice in the cannabis industry. Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong showed us how their groundbreaking comedy helped the…

LETTING OUR VOICES BE HEARD Cannabis podcasting is on the rise, with more and more shows focusing on conversations about the culture, legislation, and business around the substance. Hosted by Joe Dolce, Brave New Weed is a cannabis-focused podcast with the tagline “Adventures into the Uncharted World of Cannabis,” which is a perfect explanation of the show’s focus on guests from various backgrounds. Our own Associate Editor Patricia Miller made a special appearance on Episode 70, where the discussion focused on the mysterious illness connected to cannabis known as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrom. Search “Brave New Weed Podcast” on your platform of choice and give it a listen. SPEAKING OF… And as long as we’re on the subject, why not check out the official Cannabis & Tech Today podcast? Available on all major platforms,…

The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill opened up the hemp market to new horizons. This resulted in a big 2019 for the hemp industry, and the trend will likely continue going into 2020 and the new decade. Hemp is one of the most versatile crops out there, with potential to improve sustainability efforts and personal healthcare. Here, we’re highlighting the major strides hemp has made in the last few years and will continue to make in this new decade. Industrial hemp fibers market from pulp & paper applications was valued at over USD 43 million in 2018. Market Watch Global sales of hemp estimated to hit USD 5.73 billion in 2020. Statista U.S. industrial hemp market may exceed USD 270 million by 2025† Total sales of hemp-based products are forecast to reach USD 2.61 billion…

Emerald Conference Located at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego, the sixth annual Emerald Conference was a unique cannabis industry event that put science at the forefront. Tailor-made for those in the industry with a focus on topics such as extraction science, cultivation science, analytical testing, and pre-clinical research, the Emerald Conference is a go-to for cannabis science. The conference also marked the debut of the Quality Summit, a workshop where individuals collaborate on a whitepaper in order to systematize cannabis industry nomenclature. The conference also hosted numerous experienced speakers, such as MediPharm Labs Scientific Advisor Matthew Archibald, Chemist Susan Audino, Ph.D, and Emerald Scientific Founder Ken Snoke. NCIA Northeast Cannabis Business Conference The new year has already proven to be a successful one for cannabis, as shown by the debut…

Over the past year, it’s likely that you’ve heard a lot about vaping. Some have claimed it’s a healthy alternative to smoking while other reports have cited potential dangers. It’s confusing, especially if you are considering trying to vape cannabis for the first time. Here, we’re going to give you a quick rundown on the most important things you should know before purchasing a vape. So, Is Vaping Dangerous? In short, it depends. The main problem stems from the quality of the materials used in low-grade vaping technology, such as vitamin E acetate, heavy metals, etc. With vaping’s sudden popularity, it lead to a lot of people trying to make a quick buck in the new industry, subsequently resulting in a number of low-quality vaping products and concentrates. Peter Calfee, CEO of…

1 Save the Bees Firstly, bees love hemp. A 2019 study published in Biomass & Bioenergy, titled “Bee diversity and abundance on flowers of industrial hemp,” set out to see if hemp, during flowering season, might be a valuable source of pollen for foraging bees. To test this, researchers set up almost a dozen traps around industrial hemp fields during peak flowering season and collected bees over the course of several days. In the end, researchers found nearly 2,000 bees from 23 different bee genera. They concluded that “industrial hemp can play an important role in providing sustained nutritional options for bees during the cropping season.” Industrial hemp, then, could act as a potential solution for a steadily declining bee population. According to a report from Bee Informed Partnership, a nonprofit associated…