A Focus on ESG in the Cannabis Industry by Geoff Trotter Understanding this key concept can drive business and brand value for your organization. Supply chain management is a material issue for most industries and is particularly relevant to the changing conditions of cannabis industry supply chains. Shifting regulations, evolving distribution models, product quality testing, and labeling pressures mean that supply chain risks are more complex, and breakdown is increasingly more probable. ESG as a Source of Competitive AdvantageCannabis companies must optimize supply chain engagement, collaboration, and oversight to reduce these risks as the cannabis market expands globally. To manage the complexity inherent in engaging environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues across an enterprise, the composition of the Board and Management Team, and their associated experiences, credentials, and effectiveness, can have a profound impact on ensuring ESG becomes a source of competitive advantage. At Regennabis, our approach is based on a series of specific steps that all organizations should follow when developing an effective ESG program. These include: •Understanding why ESG is critical to commercial success • Mapping an ESG journey that leads to desired business outcomes •Gauging how an organization is being perceived • Developing an ESG Strategy • Communicating and disclosing identified methodologies and progress Equipping an organization with a solid understanding of these five key areas is a precursor to an engagement with a client organization, which we call the “ESG Accelerator,” a four-phase multi-month programmatic approach to ensuring that an ESG journey is in place. Purpose-centricityTying this all together is “purpose” – the “why” of a business. Purpose-centricity, in essence, ensures that the “Why we do what we do” statement is understood by all stakeholders and is the central tenet of an organization (which then flows throughout the business). It also further ensures that the organization builds from the inside out. But the first need is to understand what issues are material to the business from the outside in. Organizationally, purpose and ESG go hand-in-hand — this is the start point of any transformational journey (or the bedrock of an organization that bakes purpose and ESG into their corporate DNA), from which a narrative that vocalizes an organization’s sustainability “intent” can be created. This also provides an insight into the intentions from the inside out. Most importantly, it ensures that the organization is embracing context-based sustainability. To be clear, Corporate Social Responsibility and/or philanthropy programs, in any business, are oftentimes not material to that business and hence could be viewed by many as being performative. The presence or absence of a robust ESG framework will serve as an indicator. Creating shared value for all stakeholders is the desired end result of this approach. Remember, your investors will be increasingly demanding to see evidence of ESG frameworks and robust implementation. Yet, there is another parameter of value that has been often overlooked in the cannabis industry: brand value. And herein lies one of the industry’s greatest opportunities. A link to your site, with your site’s name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/a-focus-on-esg-in-the-cannabis-industry/ source https://renzverspaget.weebly.com/blog/a-focus-on-esg-in-the-cannabis-industry source https://renzverspaget.tumblr.com/post/681964095634833408 Via https://mairapostema.tumblr.com/post/681975128686526464
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Despite the extraordinary progressions in cannabis medicine and the necessary push for changes to its legislation, advocates should not be blind to the very real – and often serious – complications of excessive cannabis use. As they say, too much of anything is good for nothing. Holding an unreservedly positive view of this plant allows us only to overlook any unwanted effects, which would actually do far more harm than good. We’re here to help you better understand cannabis hyperemesis syndrome – a rare, but damaging, potential side effect of using cannabis. What is cannabis hyperemesis syndrome?Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS for short, is a condition that occurs in people with a long history of cannabis use. It is characterised by:
Taking regular hot showers or baths as a way to soothe nausea is another indicator of having CHS. The symptoms of CHS can be grouped into three separate phases. The first is the prodromal phase, where the individual experiences nausea, abdominal discomfort, and potentially anxiety due to a fear of vomiting. The second is the hyperemetic phase, characterised by vomiting, dehydration, and weight loss. In the days or months following cannabis cessation is the recovery phase, where CHS symptoms subside. Due to CHS being a relatively newly discovered condition, first documented in 2004, there hasn’t been a huge amount of research into its causes or potential treatments. So far, the only proven way to fully eliminate CHS symptoms is to stop using cannabis. What causes it?The only known cause of CHS is frequent, long-term cannabis use. CHS is most common in early middle-aged adults who use cannabis at least once a week and have done since adolescence. A review, published in 2017, found that 97% of patients with CHS use cannabis at least weekly, with 75% doing so for over a year. Since it only affects a small proportion of regular users, it is thought that genetics play a role in CHS symptom onset, but there is no conclusive evidence to support this idea. Exactly how cannabis might induce chronic nausea and vomiting isn’t fully known, but one theory suggests that it is a result of the overstimulation of cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a complex cell-signalling network that spans the entire brain and body. By coordinating a myriad of biological functions, the ECS acts as our universal regulator; it aims to keep every bodily system in balance. It does this through the activity of cannabinoid (CB) receptors, which are modulated by the signalling of either endocannabinoids or plant-derived cannabinoids. THC and CBD – the two major cannabinoids in the cannabis plant – can activate CB receptors, both directly and indirectly. Since the ECS also plays a prominent role in digestion and gut function, chronic exposure to these cannabinoids is likely to overstimulate CB receptors in the gastrointestinal tract and, in turn, induce nausea and abdominal pain. Isn’t cannabis used to treat nausea?Cannabis has shown to be hugely effective at managing nausea and stimulating appetite. In one recent study, published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology this month, researchers investigated the effects of cannabis self-administration on nausea symptoms in 886 participants across 3 years. They found that, on average, 96% of patients reported nausea relief within one hour of using cannabis. Since many people rely on this therapeutic benefit of cannabis, the risk of developing CHS may spark concern in some users – allow us to explain. Both THC and CBD are biphasic; they have opposite effects at low and high doses. It’s therefore likely that occasional low doses can be used to relieve nausea but chronic THC exposure may worsen nausea. This would explain why CHS tends to only occur in heavy, long-term cannabis users. CHS: diagnosis, treatment, and supportThe diagnosis of CHS isn’t often straightforward. This is likely because, in regions with legal restrictions on THC, patients aren’t usually entirely honest about their cannabis use to medical professionals. However, this could also be because many doctors don’t receive adequate training on the effects of cannabis – both positive and negative. To overcome this issue, a group of researchers have proposed diagnostic criteria for CHS, which involves three categories of symptoms:
Other than cannabis cessation, there is no known cure for CHS. There are, however, some medications that doctors may be able to prescribe for symptom relief. These could include pain relief medications, IV fluid replacement, anti-sickness medicines, or capsaicin cream. If a person continues to use cannabis despite experiencing CHS symptoms, this could lead to potentially life-threatening complications. According to the NHS, these could include muscle spasms, seizures, kidney failure, or heart rhythm abnormalities, among others. In rare cases, CHS could even cause death as a result of hyponatremic dehydration (low sodium levels). It is, however, important to acknowledge that cannabis cessation is often not as simple as “just stopping”. Although it is an inherently non-addictive substance, cannabis can still be abused. And since the psychological aspect of addiction can be just as challenging as physical dependence, this makes breaking a behavioural habit considerably difficult. People who begin using cannabis as teenagers are between 4 to 7 times more likely to become dependent than those who started in adulthood. As most patients with CHS also started using cannabis in adolescence, this heightened risk of psychological dependence can make quitting even harder. Whatever your reason for wanting to quit cannabis, CHS or not, support is available. It is not uncommon to experience mild withdrawal symptoms when you stop using cannabis, which could include:
Withdrawals aren’t pleasant, but they do get better with time, and it’s much easier to get through them with support from family, friends, or professionals. Withdrawal symptoms can also be made easier with small changes to your daily routine. Prioritising calming habits in the evenings, such as having a warm bath, reading, or practising mindfulness, can massively help to boost your mood. Similarly, waking up and going to bed at the same time each day can be a huge help when trying to improve your sleeping pattern. Cannabis is a powerful plant that is improving – even saving – the lives of thousands of people over the world. Whilst it does have immeasurable therapeutic potential, it’s clear that cannabis definitely isn’t for everyone. If you feel that you, or someone close to you, is struggling with cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, do not hesitate to contact a medical professional. For tips for quitting and further support, please see here. from leafie https://www.leafie.co.uk/articles/cannabis-hyperemesis-syndrome/ via IFTTT Via https://mairapostema.tumblr.com/post/681972500784168960 Psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, can ‘open up’ the brains of people with depression, helping patients to overcome rigid thought patterns and negative fixations, new research suggests. A study led by the Imperial Centre for Psychedelic Research has shown that psilocybin therapy increases brain connectivity in people living with depression, even weeks after the treatment. The psychedelic acts in a way that conventional antidepressants do not, suggesting that psilocybin could be an effective, viable alternative to treating depression. “These findings are important because for the first time we find that psilocybin works differently from conventional antidepressants, making the brain more flexible and fluid, and less entrenched in the negative thinking patterns associated with depression,” says Professor David Nutt, head of the Imperial Centre for Psychedelic Research. The study, published in Nature Medicine, provides an indication of the underlying therapeutic mechanisms for psychedelic-assisted therapy which, according to Prof Nutt, “supports our initial predictions and confirms psilocybin could be a real alternative approach to depression treatments.” Patients with depression will often display ruminative thought patterns, associated with rigid brain activity in a group of brain regions known as the default mode network. Excessive activity in this network has been shown to contribute to poor mental health but, as researchers of this study suggest, psychedelics could help the depressed brain to break out of this rut. The researchers analysed fMRI scans from two combined clinical trials of psilocybin therapy in 59 patients with major depressive disorder. In the first study, all patients received psilocybin treatment. In the second, patients either received psilocybin or the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) escitalopram. All participants then received talking therapy with a trained psychedelic therapist. According to Imperial College London, the researchers “found an increase in communication between brain regions that are more segregated in depressed patients.” This increased brain flexibility was associated with self-reported improvements in depression symptoms. “The effect seen with psilocybin is consistent across two studies, related to people getting better, and was not seen with a conventional antidepressant,” says Professor Robin Carhart-Harris, the study’s senior author. “We don’t yet know how long the changes in brain activity seen with psilocybin therapy last and we need to do more research to understand this. We do know that some people relapse, and it may be that after a while their brains revert to the rigid patterns of activity we see in depression.” Psilocybin is one of numerous psychedelic substances being studied as a potential treatment for psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, anorexia, and addiction. “We have discovered a fundamental mechanism via which psychedelic therapy works,” Prof Carhart-Harris shares. The researchers now hope to investigate whether this same mechanism underpins these positive effects seen in other trials. Since these findings come from controlled, clinical conditions using regulated doses of psilocybin, patients with mental health disorders are urged not to attempt self-medicating with psychedelics. from leafie https://www.leafie.co.uk/news/psilocybin-breaks-patterns-depressed-brain-study/ via IFTTT Via https://mairapostema.tumblr.com/post/681957401907396608 The U.S. Hemp Roundtable and industry supporters have persuaded Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin to strike a particularly restrictive provision from a hemp bill, but not without drawbacks, and Colorado and Rhode Island introduced similarly stringent bills this week. VirginiaFirst, though Virginia Governor Youngkin decided to remove the provision from SB 591 that would have effectively illegalized all full-spectrum hemp products (setting a limit at 0.25mg of THC per serving or 1mg per package), he then added a 21-and-older age limit for hemp products containing any THC whatsoever. Per the roundtable, this hardly less stringent measure would “pose tremendous burdens to retailers to differentiate full-spectrum hemp extract products from other hemp products in their inventory.” ColoradoIn Colorado, SB 22-205 aims to identify and restrict intoxicating products hiding behind “hemp” labels, but despite talks with hemp industry stakeholders to establish reasonable terms, the bill has been introduced with a number of problematic provisions. These include requiring Colorado CBD manufacturers to destroy full-spectrum hemp products containing more than 20mg of THC per package, not requiring lab analyses when determining whether new cannabinoid products are intoxicating, providing zero protection for Colorado hemp brands shipping full-spectrum hemp products out of state, and more. Rhode IslandLastly, HB 7254 in Rhode Island would add blockchain tracking for hemp business transactions among other capabilities, which sounds progressive and pro-hemp on the surface, but the language regarding hemp in the bill muddles the definition together with full-blown marijuana, an issue that the Roundtable and most industry supporters are familiar with. The Roundtable is confident they can still make headway on these bills before they progress further through their respective state legislatures, and as always, they call on their supporters for help. We will continue to provide updates on these and other hemp legislation developments as they emerge. via The CBD Insider https://thecbdinsider.com/news/3-states-introduce-restrictive-hemp-bills/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=3-states-introduce-restrictive-hemp-bills source https://renzverspaget.weebly.com/blog/3-states-introduce-restrictive-hemp-bills source https://renzverspaget.tumblr.com/post/681907497067593728 Via https://mairapostema.tumblr.com/post/681922294175662080 Unprescribed Filmmaker to Speak at This Year’s National Cannabis Fest by Aron Vaughan Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and suicide are all too common in the veteran community. About 11-20 out of every 100 Veterans (or between 11-20%) who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom have PTSD in a given year, according to mentalhealth.va.gov, and suicide is the second-leading cause of death for post-9/11 veterans, accounting for 22.3% of all deaths. Raising Awareness Through MediaAir Force veteran, filmmaker, and mental health activist Steve Ellmore tackles these widespread issues in his Amazon Prime film and forthcoming docuseries of the same name, The Unprescribed. In addition to raising awareness of the epidemic veterans are facing, Ellmore advocates for cannabis and CBD as a healthier and more effective treatment for PTSD and depression by increasing the knowledge and availability of such alternative treatments. Ellmore is president and CEO of a non-profit organization also named The Unprescribed. Ellmore founded the non-profit following offers of support to help the film reach a broader audience as an advocacy tool for suicide prevention. Unprescribed Inc. was founded on the principles of integrative medicine and full-spectrum healing (plants over pills). It is headed by a diverse group of veterans, health professionals, and subject matter experts with a shared vision of saving lives through the power of media. The non-profit aims to reduce the over-prescription of pharmaceuticals, which can increase suicidal ideations, through natural alternatives such as cannabis. Alternative medications such as cannabis and psilocybin have been shown to drastically reduce veteran suicide. National Cannabis Fest 2022Now, Ellmore is returning to the National Cannabis Festival for the second year in a row. This year he will feature as a guest speaker with his organization. The 6th Annual National Cannabis Festival will focus on celebrating the progress and legalization of cannabis and giving a voice to non-profit groups fighting to end cannabis prohibition, according to the event’s organizers. “Last year I helped man the Veteran’s booth with Balanced Veterans Network at NCF, which gave Unprescribed some much needed exposure,” said the indie filmmaker. “On the surface, it’s a film about cannabis, but at the heart, it’s about overcoming trauma and averting suicide.” Ellmore will join colleagues Ron Milward, Cherissa Jackson, and Dr. Lynn Bornfriend for a panel addressing the link between polypharmacy and Veteran suicide at 6:30 p.m. April 23 at the Wellness Pavilion. A link to your site, with your site’s name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/unprescribed-filmmaker-to-speak-at-this-years-national-cannabis-fest/ source https://renzverspaget.weebly.com/blog/unprescribed-filmmaker-to-speak-at-this-years-national-cannabis-fest source https://renzverspaget.tumblr.com/post/681873537245511680 Via https://mairapostema.tumblr.com/post/681884564284637184 Cannabis and Hemp Insurance for True Peace of Mind by Sponsored Finally, cannabis and hemp insurance for ALL individuals and businesses in the supply cycle. The XTRAS you get with XINSURANCE Experience:Cannabis and Hemp insurance may be new to you, but it isn’t to us. We are experts in providing specialty insurance solutions to individuals and businesses in all sectors, including the cannabis industry. We’ve remained abreast of industry developments and legislative direction, expanded our portfolio of protection to keep up with the changes, and guided our clients through the confusion and complexities of uncharted and murky waters. We’re a knowledgeable and trusted partner that brings TRUE PEACE OF MIND by minimizing exposure that could severely impact you financially, if not put you completely out of business. Comprehensive SolutionsMany insurance companies are getting their toes wet, lured by the market potential of such a rapidly growing industry. At XINSURANCE we don’t just have our toes in, we’re in the deep end with full and comprehensive liability coverage solutions for all aspects and areas of the cannabis industry from “seed to sale” and beyond – solutions that can’t be found anywhere else. We customize coverage, limits, deductibles, and protection to meet the distinct needs of investors, prescribers, cultivators, processors, testers, retailers, and transporters. We tailor policies to give you the right coverage, fill gaps, and minimize risk exposure for the nuances of any operation and environment. And, we do it using an all-in-one approach that combines a wide variety of coverage solutions under one convenient, easy-to-understand policy. Who We Can HelpIf your business grows, sells, transports, delivers, or dispenses medical and/or recreational cannabis to others, XINSURANCE can customize an insurance plan to protect you and your business. ● Cultivators (indoor/outdoor) ● Processors/Manufacturers (plant extraction to product formulation) ● Transporters (B2B) ● Deliveries (patient/customer home delivery) ● Analytical Testing Labs ● Retailers (“Dispensaries” medical and/or recreational) ● Any business or individual in the cannabis industry We Fight for YouWhen necessary, we swim with the sharks… and usually win. If you’re on the wrong end of a lawsuit, we believe you deserve your day in court. Even if you’re at fault, we’ll defend you and fight hard on your behalf for a speedy, fair and reasonable outcome. We aggressively fight against outrageous judgments and punitive damages that set precedents, drive up costs, and potentially put you out of business. Other companies would rather settle and be done quickly, whether or not that’s really in your best interest… and then drop you as a client. We’re different. We establish relationships with our clients and offer stability, longevity, and partnership. To learn more visit www.xinsurance.com. Disclaimer: XINSURANCE is powered by Evolution Insurance Brokers, LC (“EIB”), an excess and surplus lines insurance brokerage. XINSURANCE is a DBA of EIB, which is domiciled in and has its principal place of business in Sandy, Utah. This insurance product is offered by an unlicensed surplus lines insurer. The NPN for EIB is 5464658 and CA license number is 0H93938. A link to your site, with your site’s name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/cannabis-and-hemp-insurance-for-true-peace-of-mind/ source https://renzverspaget.weebly.com/blog/cannabis-and-hemp-insurance-for-true-peace-of-mind source https://renzverspaget.tumblr.com/post/681873536374210560 Via https://mairapostema.tumblr.com/post/681884563709067264 U.S. Investors Love European Cannabis Stocks by Johnny Green The European continent is the most exciting place for cannabis policy and industry right now, particularly when it comes to cannabis stocks. The international cannabis community’s eyes were already set on Europe leading up to Malta’s move to legalize at the end of last year. Legalization in Malta will no doubt add to the momentum for similar reform in other European countries. Several countries in Europe are expected to legalize cannabis for adult use in the coming years. In many of those countries, adult-use cannabis sales will be a part of the equation. Cannabis stocks will quickly become a hot investment opportunity. Low-THC product sales are already legal nationwide in Switzerland, and countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands are using pilot programs in which cannabis commerce will be legal at a local level. Germany is the biggest cannabis prohibition domino that appears to be close to falling, and when that happens, it’s going to result in a tectonic shift in the global cannabis industry and policy landscape. According to the results of a new survey that was released this week by Bloomwell Group, many in the United States are eagerly awaiting the spread of legalization in Europe, particularly in Germany. Cannabis investments are widely considered a lucrative opportunity. Below is more information about the survey results via a company press release: FRANKFURT, Germany, April 11, 2022 — The “green rush” in Europe has commenced, and Americans are ready to invest their time, travel plans and money into the cannabis market across the pond, according to a new study. Today, Bloomwell Group, a Germany-based holding company for medical cannabis companies, released the results of its ‘European Cannabis Market Survey,’ which examined American cannabis consumers’ expectations for, and opinions of, this burgeoning sector abroad, including the demand for cannabis tourism, investment opportunities, trade and more. SURVEY HIGHLIGHTSThe vast majority of respondents – 80 percent – agreed that “cannabis companies are attractive investment options,” while 61 percent shared that they “would invest in European cannabis stocks.” Respondents also reported positive sentiments regarding cannabis tourism, an evolving issue in Germany, which only recently legalized adult-use cannabis after several years of expanding its medical market. Experts predict adult-use cannabis to come online by 2024, but regulators have not yet determined tourism policies. However, more than 66 percent of the Americans surveyed said they “would visit a cannabis dispensary or social consumption lounge” in Germany. THE STATE OF EUROPEAN CANNABISThe European cannabis industry has made unprecedented strides in the past year: Luxembourg decriminalized cannabis ownership and is hoping to legalize the market; Malta has decriminalized possession; the Netherlands launched Europe’s first-ever commercial cannabis cultivation pilot program; and Switzerland is also running a pilot project. But the crown jewel of European cannabis is Germany, which is celebrating its medical market’s 5-year anniversary while paving the way to becoming the adult-use capital of Europe. According to a BDSA report from this month, international sales will exceed ~$10 billion in 2026. The bulk of that new legal spending will be driven by Germany (contributing ~$3 billion by 2026). “Germany has 82 million inhabitants – that’s more than Canada and California, two of the current biggest cannabis markets on the globe. Therefore, when Germany opens up for adult-use cannabis, it will become the biggest market in the world,” said Bloomwell Group CEO and Co-founder Niklas Kouparanis. “The future language for cannabis will be German.” THE AMERICAN CONNECTIONThe survey also addressed how the U.S. can potentially benefit economically from licensed cannabis markets in Europe. According to renowned economist Justus Haucap, Germany will have a demand of 400 tons of cannabis annually after legalization. To help meet that dramatic demand, 80 percent of Americans polled say that the “U.S. should export cannabis to Europe,” a practice that would potentially increase domestic revenue. Additional key survey findings include:
The promising survey results coincide with recent Bloomwell Group milestones that also illustrate global confidence in the European and German cannabis stock markets: the company closed a seed funding round of over $10 million USD; Curaleaf’s Boris Jordan is a lead investor and board member. METHODOLOGY This article was originally published on InternationalCannabisChronicle.com. A link to your site, with your site’s name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/u-s-investors-love-european-cannabis-stocks/ source https://renzverspaget.weebly.com/blog/us-investors-love-european-cannabis-stocks source https://renzverspaget.tumblr.com/post/681597957747916800 Via https://mairapostema.tumblr.com/post/681605184422608896 Planet 13: Selling Cannabis as an Immersive Entertainment Experience by Patricia Miller The cannabis retail experience is rapidly changing. Gone are the days of dimly lit dispensaries with tacky flashing signs. As retailers seek to differentiate, it’s no longer about selling a product. Instead, it’s increasingly about selling a complete consumer experience. Planet 13 is the epitome of this new wave of retail, toting cannabis as a destination. With the world’s largest cannabis store in Las Vegas, Nevada, and now with the second largest store in Santa Ana, California, they are on a quest to transform the cannabis retail landscape. In an interview, Larry Scheffler, co-CEO of Planet 13 Holdings, discussed the vision behind making cannabis retail a sharable experience. He reflected on what it took to move the cannabis industry in this new direction, including wielding the power of social media and emphasizing the importance of location. Planet 13 Represents a New Kind of Retail ExperienceWhen Scheffler and Bob Groesbeck, the other co-CEO at Planet 13, originally got into cannabis, it started with a small 2,500 square foot space near the Raiders stadium in Las Vegas. In the first 10 months of operation, they made a whopping $18 million. Still, as Scheffler judged, “Why do we have 43 competitors fighting for 2.3 million locals when there are 55 million tourists coming?” From this perspective, it made sense to pivot from a simple retail location to a tourist attraction. As longtime Las Vegas residents, the entertainment business model comes naturally to Scheffler and Groesbeck. In Scheffler’s words, “All we know about is the tourists and entertaining the tourists. And they will come. They don’t even know how they want to be entertained. That’s your job to figure out how to entertain them.” Thus, Planet 13 Las Vegas was born. Instead of budtenders making quick retail transactions, this new retail model encourages customers to linger as long as possible. The massive Las Vegas flagship location boasts a seemingly never-ending list of tech-driven entertainment installations, from a gigantic 3D Projection Visual Experience to an LED interactive floor to a guest-controlled, 13-foot robotic lotus flower. As guests wander through the expansive space, they can watch the production team make edibles in the Willy-Wonka-inspired, glass-paneled factory or indulge at the on-site restaurant and bar. Soon, a pair of fighting robots will add to the all-out nature of the Planet 13 experience. The recent opening of the newest Planet 13 megaplex in Orange County, California, builds on this highly-interactive model. Playing into the laid-back ocean energy of the California coast, this location features an 80-foot digital display wall of waves and a smoked-out Volkswagen van, among countless other social media photo ops. Planet 13 aims to immerse guests into all things cannabis as soon as they walk through the door. Selling Cannabis as a Destination Hinges on LocationA cannabis superstore needs a super consumer base. For this model to work, location truly is the foundation. Las Vegas, an established entertainment destination, was a natural fit for this cannabis retail model. But with strict regulations against cannabis in the gaming corridor, securing a strip-adjacent location took more than a bit of ingenuity. By stumbling on an accidental zoning loophole, Scheffler and Groesbeck struck gold. The team secured the 112,000 square foot space, backing onto the famous Vegas strip. It ticked all the necessary boxes for making cannabis a tourist attraction: millions of annual visitors, high visibility, and centrally located within an established entertainment hub. This checklist is one that Planet 13 continues to pursue in their country-wide expansion, with a second storefront now open in Orange County, California. Scheffler and the Planet 13 team looked at over 100 different locations between San Jose and San Diego. With nothing meeting their strict list of must-haves they almost gave up on California altogether. But, suddenly, a 55,000 square foot space in Santa Ana came up. The massive retail space checked all the right boxes for the entertainment destination model. It’s close to other major tourist attractions like Disneyland, has ample parking, and sits next to a six-lane highway for increased visibility. Planet 13 has just secured their license in Chicago, Illinois, and they now have their sights set on major tourist hubs like Florida. As Scheduler says, “If it’s big enough for a sports team, it’s usually big enough Banking on Social Media to Spread the WordSelling cannabis at an immersive entertainment space like Planet 13 offers an unexpected opportunity: free advertising. As many retailers know all too well, the restriction on advertising anything weed-related is an uphill battle. Facebook, Instagram, and Google make it near-impossible to advertise cannabis products and services openly. The traditional advertising strategies no longer work. So why not bank on the best possible marketing strategy there is? Planet 13 is baking word-of-mouth marketing into their advertising strategy. By cramming in as many social media-worthy and shareable experiences into both their locations, they encourage guests to snap and share their shopping experience. Scheffler made clear, “That was our thought process, is to have people advertise for us.” Already they are seeing guests share, tag, and spread the Planet 13 message. Scheffler has witnessed how “they’ll send it to 10 or 20 of their best friends, and the web just keeps going out.” The ability to carefully circumvent the current restrictions on cannabis advertising isn’t open to just any retailer. Word of mouth and social media shares are only effective for photo-worthy experiences in spaces explicitly designed to make a visual impact — places like Planet 13. Selling Cannabis as a Destination is Only Just Getting StartedWith plans for a dozen or more cannabis entertainment superstores across the country, Planet 13 is just getting going. And while there may only be capacity for a limited number of cannabis megaplexes at each major tourist hub, smaller retailers can still lean into this growing trend. Sponsored cannabis-friendly hotels and accommodations, consumption lounges, and 420 amusement parks could all kick off as legalization spreads. Planet 13 is the first in a new wave of retailers selling cannabis as a lasting consumer experience. This article first appeared in Fall 2021 issue. Sign up here. A link to your site, with your site’s name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/planet-13-orange-county-california/ source https://renzverspaget.weebly.com/blog/planet-13-selling-cannabis-as-an-immersive-entertainment-experience source https://renzverspaget.tumblr.com/post/681503560321597440 Via https://mairapostema.tumblr.com/post/681522141374660608 Wilfred Star Jason Gann on How to be Taken Seriously in the Cannabis Industry by Jason Gann Five years ago, having fulfilled my dream of becoming a Hollywood star, I set my sights on an even greater dream — to build a global cannabis brand and become a cannabis mogul, the likes of which the world has never seen. Some didn’t take me seriously. They thought I’d run away with my tail between my legs when I discovered how tough the business really was. Others told me that the industry was full of sharks who’d eat me alive. But I was coming from Hollywood. I’d already been “human styled” by the best. Determined to be taken seriously in a sea of celebrity cannabis brands that are often little more than a photo op and a paycheck, I set about learning everything I could about the cannabis business from seed to sale. First, I studied some analytics (yes, dogs study analytics!) and discovered there was very little consumer loyalty for celebrity cannabis brands. That hurt my feelings, but it also made sense. First and foremost, I’m a bong head who wants the best weed I can buy at the best price. I decided to build a working-class brand with good quality flower at an affordable price. I acquired a manufacturing license, designed my packaging, sourced some well-priced outdoor flower, testing 24-29% THC, and I made my first batch of Wilfred Cannabis Pre-rolls. Then I went from dispensary to dispensary pitching my brand. Some people screamed with delight when they saw the big grey dog enter their building. Others directed me to the nearest water bowl. The Fight in the DogI’ll admit it was tougher than I thought to compete with the big guns, get into dispensaries, and turn a profit. But as Dad always said, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.” I fought to get meetings with every purchasing manager I could, and when I won a shop’s support I’d travel there – all over the state – doing demos and taking pics with budtenders and fans. We all had lots of fun and I made lifelong friends and retail partners. Still, I was anything but a cannabis mogul. Cannabis mongrel, maybe. After taking some heavy losses with “missing” flower and a batch of pre-rolls failing heavy metals testing, we shifted from licensed manufacturing to a brand licensing business model. We were in negotiations with vertically-integrated companies in five states when the world shat itself, then all bets were off. Wilfred CBDWe had to pivot to survive, and soon launched our hemp Wilfred CBD Smokes. For the first time, we could sell online and ship to most U.S. states. Then we entered the delta-8 game with our blunts and gummies. I called hundreds of CBD, smoke, and head shops all over the US, and now have loyal and loved retail partners in 17 states. This dog never quits, no matter how many times he’s been kicked. Being the owner/operator of a company is challenging, no question. One thing I’ve learned is that to survive in this game you need to adjust to the shifting landscape. You also need to diversify your skillset. And you need this to be your passion. If it is, work 6.5 days a week And if all that fails, dress up as a chicken and film yourself smoking a blunt. Jason Gann is the creator/star of the stoner cult comedy series, Wilfred and CEO of the Wilfred Cannabis and Wilfred CBD & Hemp brands. Check it out at WilfredCBD.com and WilfredCannabis.com. A link to your site, with your site’s name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/how-to-be-taken-seriously-in-the-cannabis-industry/ source https://renzverspaget.weebly.com/blog/wilfred-star-jason-gann-on-how-to-be-taken-seriously-in-the-cannabis-industry source https://renzverspaget.tumblr.com/post/681420533421703168 Via https://mairapostema.tumblr.com/post/681435299291807744 You don’t have to be a seasoned smoker to know that getting high can open up the mind. It can feel as though you have access to a free-flowing stream of consciousness, with fleeting thoughts that seem so meaningful and inspiring that you can’t help but jot them down. The creative influence of cannabis is reflected in countless pieces of art and music, and even in one of the prevailing stoner stereotypes: the free-spirited, artistic innovator. It certainly seems as though cannabis gives us a creativity boost, but is this really the case? Spoiler alert – it’s complicated. How cannabis has influenced creative historySince the ‘60s, countless creatives have credited much of their artistic success to psychoactive drugs. Cannabis, in particular, has been touted by artists, writers, and musicians alike for its ability to help birth creative ideas. Some of the world’s greatest musicians, from Jimi Hendrix to Madonna to Snoop Dogg, have all expressed an appreciation for the creative influence that cannabis has had on their work. Many artists claim that smoking or consuming weed has helped them to create authentic, visionary music. As even Lady Gaga has revealed, “I smoke a lot of pot when I write music.” Many influential authors have too shared how cannabis influenced their writing. Dr Carl Sagan, an American astronomer and science writer, was also an anonymous advocator for the legalisation of cannabis. In an essay published in Marihuana Reconsidered in 1971, Sagan detailed – under the pseudonym “Mr X” – how his experiences with cannabis benefited his work. “One idea led to another,” Sagan wrote, “and at the end of about an hour of extremely hard work I found I had written eleven short essays on a wide range of social, political, philosophical, and human biological topics.” But even for the cannabis users among us who aren’t artistically inclined, you’re still likely to have had some stoned creative breakthroughs at some point. That inventive food combo you put together whilst really, really high, that’s definitely an indicator of heightened imagination. Though, as scientists have made it abundantly clear, anecdotes are not a substitute for hard data. Society might seem to agree that this link between cannabis and creativity exists, but does science? Cannabis for creativity: the how and whyResearchers have endeavoured to make sense of the creative brain but, to do this, they first needed to clarify: what exactly is creativity? By definition, creativity is the use of our imagination to generate ideas. Being both subjective and situational, it’s a pretty hard thing to quantify, which makes it even more difficult to investigate experimentally. However, two particular cognitive processes have been defined that make it easier to gauge creativity levels in a lab: divergent and convergent thinking. Divergent thinking, as the name suggests, involves generating multiple solutions to a problem. It’s the type of thinking that best describes brainstorming, our ability to create lots of ideas from a single starting point. Convergent thinking, however, involves finding a common thread between loosely-connected ideas – or, finding a single solution. Based on the anecdotal reports, it has been theorised that cannabis has the ability to enhance both convergent and divergent thinking – but we’ll get to the (rather surprising) evidence later. Exactly how cannabis might improve creativity is not yet known. According to Dr Alice Weaver Flaherty, a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, it could have something to do with the impact of cannabis on anxiety. “A very anxious creative person may get some benefit from cannabis. In calming them down, it could help their creativity,” Flaherty told Artsy. “But for someone who’s already in the zone, and who’s not too anxious to work, it might push them into a place of being too laid back.” Early research suggests there’s an even more direct neurological link. One study, published in Neuropsychopharmacology in 2002, found that smoking cannabis significantly increases blood flow to the brain’s frontal lobes, regions highly involved in cognitive processes, including creative thinking. Flaherty’s own research found that people with a higher creative ability exhibit greater frontal lobe activity, demonstrating that this region of the brain acts as a hub for divergent thinking. These findings further support the idea that cannabis, by increasing cerebral blood flow, increases creativity – but how reliable is this evidence? What does the science say?The most recent investigation into the effects of cannabis and creativity was published in Consciousness and Cognition in 2017. The study found that cannabis users reported higher levels of creativity and convergent thinking than non-users, but this only highlights a correlation between cannabis and creativity, not a causative link. It could be that creative people are simply more inclined to try cannabis in the first place, which would explain these findings. To assess just this, the study also investigated the effect of Big 5 personality types on the results. They found that cannabis users also demonstrated greater “openness to experience” which, when controlled for, resulted in the user and non-user groups showing no difference in creativity levels. So, according to this study, cannabis doesn’t increase creativity; creatives are just more likely to use cannabis! It’s also important to consider that this study relied on self-reported data – meaning, it may be that cannabis only changes our perception of creativity. After all, perception doesn’t always mirror reality; as most cannabis users will know, the mind-blowing ideas you tend to have whilst high aren’t usually all that inspiring to your sober self. Truth be told, even leading cannabis researchers can’t say for certain how it impacts creativity. Dr Gráinne Schafer, a clinical psychologist, says her team’s research suggests that “cannabis produces effects that can help a person connect seemingly unrelated concepts together, and that might help some people in their creative pursuits,” but it seems that these effects are hugely dependant on the individual. Schafer’s study was published in Consciousness and Cognition in 2012. Her team of researchers investigated the effects of cannabis on participants with schizotypy, who exhibit mild symptoms of schizophrenia and high levels of creativity. Participants were split into higher and lower creativity groups. They completed divergent thinking tests both before and after using cannabis. The study found that cannabis only enhanced divergent thinking in the low creativity group, but had very little effect on the high creativity group. These findings suggest that cannabis is unlikely to inspire people who are already creative but could help to unleash the imagination of those who aren’t otherwise very creative. As explained by Lewis Nelson, chief of medical toxicology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, “there’s kind of a plateau of creativity,” which is why the effects of cannabis can differ so much from person to person. Cannabis can actually stunt creativityAs we have just seen, weed affects everyone differently. Cannabis might help one person overcome writer’s block, for instance, but have no impact on another’s creativity. For some people, it could even cloud their thoughts and, in turn, actually hinder their creative ability. As shown in one study, published in Psychopharmacology in 2014, high doses of THC – the mind-altering molecule in cannabis – significantly lowered creativity levels. Researchers administered either a low (5.5 mg) or high (22 mg) dose of THC or a placebo to participants and assessed their performance in creative tasks. Although the low THC dose did slightly improve divergent thinking, these differences were not statistically different to the placebo. The high dose of THC, however, was notably detrimental to creativity. Whilst it may be that small amounts of cannabis can promote creative thoughts and ideas (in not-so-creative people, remember), it’s also likely that higher doses have too much of a sedative effect for us to actually execute them. The general consensus is that cannabis may help certain people to be more creative under certain conditions, which isn’t a hugely useful conclusion. But one thing is clear: feeling creative and being creative are very different things. Cannabis may make us feel more imaginative and, in turn, help to awaken dormant ideas, but there is currently no clinical evidence of it boosting creativity. Still, the anecdotes are in abundance, and if a little cannabis is enough to get your creative juices to flow then so be it. Keep creating. from leafie https://www.leafie.co.uk/articles/cannabis-make-you-creative/ via IFTTT Via https://mairapostema.tumblr.com/post/681425162229497856 |
ABOUT MEHallo, ik ben Maira Postema, ik ben een responsieve gecertificeerde medische assistent die gedijt in het leveren van meelevende, efficiënte zorg in een snelle omgeving. Uitstekend vermogen om contact te maken met patiënten, samen te werken met zorgteams op alle niveaus en op de hoogte te blijven van alle huidige normen en best practices. Ervaren in zowel particuliere artsenpraktijken als grote medische groepsinstellingen. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |