Cannabis & Tech Today Summer 2020

It’s a new era in human history. From this moment forward, there will be two ways of framing one’s life: before the pandemic and after. Looking back, it doesn’t seem like that long since we last enjoyed our favorite activities — date night at the movies, a hug from a friend, riding the train to the ball game, or attending an industry event to mingle with peers. Yet, even as I type the words, it seems like a distant memory of things long since passed. Though our routines have changed, our hearts long for some sense of normalcy. In this issue, we’re presenting many of our traditional sections, but the tone and content tend to revolve around what’s on all of our minds, “How can we move forward as the pandemic…

It’s been an eventful few months since our spring issue featuring Al Harrington hit newsstands. Much has happened around the world and we’ve had some exciting developments at Cannabis & Tech Today, as well. The publication launched its very own podcast, Cannabis Tech Talks, to unexpected acclaim. Hosted by various members of staff, Cannabis Tech Talks dives into unexplored facets of cannabis innovation, speaking with industry leaders and emerging innovators pioneering the space. The 2020 Nichee Awards recognized our humble efforts and awarded us the “Best Podcast” of the year during their virtual award show in May. Check it out for yourself at cannatechtoday.com/podcasts/ or on Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or wherever you find your podcasts. Our sister publication Innovation & Tech Today hired a new managing editor, Joe Toppe. His background as a…

When cities and states began to initiate stay-at-home orders in the middle of March, so many things were uncertain. While most recreational and medical cannabis businesses were deemed essential and allowed to stay open, it was unclear how successful business would be. Here, we’re breaking down those early days of quarantine, looking at the month of March and a very unique 4/20 to see how businesses fared when COVID-19 hit. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, as you’ll see this year’s 4/20 did not quite live up to last year’s. However, with people stuck inside for weeks on end, the general uptick in cannabis sales isn’t all too surprising. Check out the stats below. Percentage sales growth of March 16, 2020 compared to March 16, 2019 Cannabis Retail Statistics from March…

This summer should have been one of the biggest event seasons in the history of legalized cannabis. Instead, many event coordinators scrambled to find new ways to connect with their would-be exhibitors and attendees. The fact that the novel coronavirus swept the globe during one of the greatest technological revolutions in human history helped soften the blow to the event space. Virtual events started springing up as early as March, and now even the world-renowned CES will take place online in January 2021. While many events were postponed, others went all-in on the virtual experience. Some of the digital events we especially enjoyed included: The Experience Hemp Summer Solstice NoCo Virtual Conference & Trade Show took place June 16-19, offering virtual expo halls, live webcast super sessions, access to the NoCo Hemp Library,…

While owning a cannabis business sounds glamorous, there are certain elements no one looks forward to. Inspections and licensing are one such area, often riddled with red tape and inconvenient paperwork. However, without the wonderful world of inspections, the legal cannabis industry would be a dangerous, dirty, unreliable world — particularly for consumers. Since the inspection process is unavoidable, what are some of the key considerations when preparing for an inspector’s visit? While every state has its own standards, there are a few commonalities shared by most jurisdictions. First, be aware that it’s standard practice for a cannabis business to work with a variety of inspectors and auditors. Entities such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the state licensing body, insurance companies, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), fire marshals, building…

The global pandemic has slowed down many aspects of daily life around the globe, and in some cases, shut them down entirely. Fortunately, the cannabis movement has pushed on despite the ongoing pandemic. This is not to say that things are full steam ahead because there have certainly been setbacks and additional hurdles caused by the battle against coronavirus, especially in the United States. Several cannabis legalization campaigns that were aiming to make the 2020 ballot were forced to postpone efforts because effective signature gathering for initiatives proved to be nearly impossible. Cannabis legalization was also largely put on hold in Mexico, where lawmakers were supposed to meet an April 2020 deadline for passing a cannabis industry legalization measure. The deadline was an extension from the original October 2019 deadline set by…