It's not uncommon these days to see former chemists and molecular biologists move from the pharmaceutical industry into cannabis. It's just a logical next step into a growing sector. But to see a former NASA funded scientist, like for Shellene Suemori, move into cannabis, is an interesting move.
James Eichner and Ron Basak-Smith, like many other grad students at the University of Colorado-Boulder, worked as a team on a class project in Sustainable Venturing and Business Plan Development in the Fall of 2016. While many grad school projects never materialize past graduation, Eichner and Basak-Smith’s vision blossomed into real opportunity – not only for themselves, but an opportunity for the hemp industry, cannabis retail, the American farmer, and the environment.
Home cultivators and patients alike have a promising future in cannabis technology as more companies like ExtractCraft and Oblend emerge to provide high-end, advanced technology solutions which make processing and consuming cannabis cheaper and more efficient.
Big things are happening in the rolling landscape surrounding the industrial city of Hamilton, Ontario. In a 30,000ft subterranean bunker, partially hidden from view thanks to its living grass roof, Green Relief is growing medical marijuana using aquaponics.
This month on Ask A Hempster, Carell heads to a Boulder Colorado hemp farm to visit with Andrew Purnell, Master Grower. Andrew explains the difficulty of growing from seed in the field and provides an overview of the preferred cloning method.
Regardless of the product, when a new industry emerges, opportunities arise for early adopters to jump into highly rewarding positions in an exciting new field. With industries as promising as cannabis and hemp, many people are finding new ways to incorporate skills and expertise, learned from more mainstream industries, to forge a new path during the early days of the Green Rush.
CannabisTech’s Rob Neely was able to speak with cannabis entrepreneur Greg Gamet about the ins and outs of today's cannabis industry. In 2017, Greg was awarded the Cannabis Industry Compliance Executive of the Year and currently serves as Chief Cannabis Officer at Gold Flora, located in Desert Hot Springs, California. Join us, as we discuss Greg's path to where he is today, and where he sees the cannabis industry headed.
As the cannabis industry continues to grow, leaving many companies struggling for success, automation has gained growing popularity. Companies are finding that through automation, they can achieve precision, effectiveness and increased profit margins.
Why should cannabis growers concern themselves with vapor pressure deficit (VPD) in their grow operation? It is an interesting approach, and while it is definitely an advanced environmental measurement technique, it's worth exploring for indoor grow rooms.
During last month's live webcast, our host Ellis Smith and guest Alexey Peshkovsky, Ph.D., President of Industrial Sonomechanics, answered as many questions as time allowed. The following are answers to the remaining 47!
On the eve of legalization in Canada, there are still many questions swirling around field sobriety tests for cannabis. Just like in other jurisdictions with recreational cannabis, regional police forces are trying to grapple with roadside cannabis intoxication without a federally approved breathalyzer-style test.
Blockchain technology is best known in the cannabis industry for its implications to the financial sector and the possibilities it presents to get around the red tape of cannabis banking. However, blockchain technology may also present a multitude of possibilities for the agricultural aspects of the industry as well.
In a recent press release, CO2 Gro Inc., formerly Blue Ocean Nutrasciences, announced it is moving closer to gaining approval for use of its patented CO2 Foliar Spray by Canadian Licensed Producers (LP) of cannabis. The recent decision by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory agency declares the product does not meet the definition of a pesticide according to the Pest Control Products Act.
It’s 2018 and after decades of vehemently persecuting marijuana production, nearly thirty states have legalized the controversial plant in one way or another. A booming demand for regulated and reliable marijuana products has opened new revenue streams within the agricultural industry, but this profit wave has not flowed without its own unique set of regulatory hurdles.
The cannabis industry moves fast. Licensed business owners and their employees are expected to move even faster when it comes to keeping up with myriad burdensome compliance requirements. The industry itself is one of the most regulated currently in existence. In an effort to keep tabs on cannabis businesses; state, local, and some federal regulatory agencies expect us to create and utilize countless specific documents. We can also expect such agencies to request reviews of these items when necessary and at their whim.
Long gone are the days of cannabis farmers scribbling eligible notes on stained notepads in the grow room, today there is a growing marketplace of community-driven, expert-developed grow applications for mobile devices. Now, thanks to recent advancements in cloud-based technology, and our growing obsession with mobile technologies, a cultivator can see everything they need to know about their crop all in one place.
Taking grow room sensor technology to the next logical step, Urban Gro recently launched a new innovative solution for managing grow room environmental conditions via the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Soleil Technologies incorporates low power sensor products and SaaS technology to provide growers with detailed and timely data about their operation.
In Germany, the law now says that all health insurance companies have to pick up the tab for medical cannabis. But there is a procedural and scientific process to establish as the country mainstreams cannabis.
You may have seen Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s series about cannabis on CNN. He was at one time a critic of marijuana, but in a widely publicized article, “Why I Changed My Mind on Weed,” he wrote: “I traveled around the world to interview medical leaders, experts, growers and patients. I spoke candidly to them, asking tough questions. What I found was stunning.”
Did you know that you could be required to pay a fine as large as $129,336 for a single OSHA Violation? Although we haven't seen many OSHA Inspectors in our licensed cannabis facilities at this point, that is about to change.
Part II of II: One of the biggest reasons that integration of cannabis is not going smoothly in Germany (besides an outrageous price still driven by supply chain inefficiencies, bureaucracy, and imports). MS is the only on-label condition that more or less automatically gets insurance coverage for cannabis. Everyone else has to rely on their doctor’s ability to persuade insurers to cover a stigmatized, trial-to-mainstreaming drug for conditions that range from ADD to cancer.
True commercialization of hemp-based plastics could be just around the corner in North America. Hemp is experiencing a revolution, its popularity as a raw material has exploded in recent years thanks to deregulation of hemp in the United States and the growing acceptance of the cannabis sativa plant family as a whole.
Part I of II: It is not news anymore in the United States that the cannabis reform that kicked up the conversation at the state level just four years ago has now gone global. Canada’s recreational market which will begin this summer, nationally, has already demonstrated that what started in the U.S. states (if not Holland before that) is now a world-wide movement if not legit industry.
Tissue culture cultivation represents a transformative approach to propagation in the cannabis industry. The science of tissue culture (TC) was commercialized roughly four decades ago and is widely used across agricultural sectors. Until recently, the technology had not been adopted by the marijuana industry, perhaps due to a lack of knowledge sharing between industries or the long history legal barriers. Today, the popularity of TC in the cannabis sector is a far different story.
With the massive energy consumption of the cannabis industry comes the eminent emission of CO2. This output is posing a challenge for states with goals to reduce their greenhouse emissions and create sustainable cannabis programs.
Among the many misconceptions the general public has regarding the Cannabis industry, few could be more inaccurate than the fear of contamination by pesticides and other dangerous chemicals that many falsely believe are used to maximize yields. On the contrary, stringent compliance laws from the states, strong cooperation from the industry to maintain compliance, as well as the advanced strategies used by today's growers actually ensure that Cannabis is among the safest horticultural products in the world.
New hemp technologies are becoming available more and more each day. Due to the increased demand and LONG history of practical use, hemp is making its way back into the center of society. As research continues to develop new and interesting applications, we are beginning to see hemp appear in exciting and unexpected industries.
In the infancy stages of any new industry, the opportunities for entrepreneurs, pioneers, and risk-takers are unprecedented. The cannabis industry is no exception. Ty Duffy, the founder of Low Spark Incorporated, is one such individual who saw an opportunity to flourish in the cannabis industry. Grasping the ancillary business market and providing a much-needed to cannabis business, Mr. Duffy has grown his one-man operation into a robust, high-tech solution with dozens of employees and hundreds of clients.
American Cannabis host, Ellis Smith, was joined by guest, Steven McMorrow, President and Founder of Cannabis Clean, to discuss how facilities in the cannabis industry can prevent contamination and protect their product, patients, and team.
Over the millennia, farmers have come to understand much of the science behind plant biology—the roles water, nutrients and sunlight each play in successful crop yields. Yet for all this knowledge, they’ve remained subject to the whims of nature; too much or too little rainfall, for instance, could spell disaster.
For the last several decades, cannabis research in the United States has been severely restricted. Despite the growing movement for legalization, federal restrictions on the research of Schedule I substances have effectively prevented research facilities and universities from studying the plant. However, emboldened and driven by the newly legal, recreational market of California, UCLA is pioneering academia into a new era of cannabis research.
Regulation is coming to the medical marijuana industry, and when it does many producers may find themselves lagging behind, struggling to meet the new industry-wide standards. Many experts are expecting federal regulation in the future, from the likes of the Food and Drug Administration, which will require medical marijuana to adhere to strict protocols. Although cleanrooms may not be the required practice now, the cannabis industry is almost certainly headed in that direction.
Imagine real-time water sensors, pulling instantaneous water consumption data directly from the cannabis crop. The future isn’t as far away as one might think, at least according to new research published in the December 2017 issue of Advanced Materials Technologies.
Waste management is a crucial step in the cannabis production process, but a step that rarely receives the attention it deserves. Licensed growers across the U.S. and Canada must meet many municipal and regional waste disposal laws, as cannabis waste isn't as simple as a quick trip to the local landfill, or an easy composting bin.
Jim Lieberman didn’t plan to get into the cannabis industry when he graduated from the University of Richmond with a B.A. in chemistry. But, years later, looking back on his colorful journey through water treatment, nuclear & hazardous materials management into the oil & gas industry and pharmaceutical industry - his experiences amalgamated perfectly into the founding of THC Safety, Inc.
This week on Ask a Hempster, Carell had the opportunity to talk with Todd Mitchem, one of the founders of Dacorum Strategies, which is working to change public policy relating to cannabis. In his own words, Mitchem described Dacorum as reasonable, clear voices to help move cannabis initiatives forward at local, state and federal levels.
Distillation in itself is nothing new. Distillation is used in many chemical engineering processes, and people have been distilling alcohol for centuries. Now, distilling cannabis oil is gaining ground and redefining quality, potency, and purity.
Why isn't Elon Musk using hemp, yet? Rockets require electricity for critical functions to operate computers and other various parts requiring electrical power. Other basic rocketry parts requiring electricity including; communication devices, lighting, light-support and countless more.
BioTrackTHC has always been in the business of compliance and tracking. Although they started with a product designed to help reel in the opiate prescribing problem in Florida, known as Bio-Script, Colorado cannabis businesses expressed a need, and the company began to pivot their product to meet the stringent compliance and tracking requirements of cannabis.
Gary Fast, a longtime member of the sales team at Triminator, speaks about the growing pressure on farmers to implement cost-saving measures. From what Fast has seen, in competitive markets, it's getting more and more challenging for producers to turn a profit.
The current environment surrounding legal cannabis is riddled with inconsistencies, often being referred to as the “Wild West.” From state to state, not only does the legality of cannabis vary, so do the regulations and standards for cannabis businesses. To rein in these inconsistencies and provide the Federal Government with necessary assurances of high standards, Joshua Laterman founded the National Association of Cannabis Business (NACB) to address national standards and policy.
While it’s no secret, consistency is key to producing a quality cannabis crop with the maximum yield possible, maintaining consistency can be challenging as the business grows. Last week, during the Seed to Sale show in Denver, urban-gro received the Excellence in Technology award for their high-density, sense and control technology called Soleil – a data collection marvel in the future agricultural technology which aims to eliminate human error and create unprecedented consistency in grow rooms regardless of size.
On July 1, 2018, changes to federal legislation are set to open up an already liberal marketplace, putting Canada on the cusp of fully legalizing cannabis for recreational purposes – countrywide. Canadian cannabis companies, as well as the peripheral businesses, no longer need to operate on the fringes of the business world and many are ready to take cannabis technology where it has never gone before.
Most growers will tell you that despite the expansion of technology in the cannabis sector, little of it has trickled down to the level of the gardener. Most farmers still rely on a good old-fashioned notebook. The status quo is no integration, little automation, and absolutely no data analysis on environmental conditions.
Advanced technology is driving the cannabis industry, not only from the aspect of manufacturing and production but also in consumer technology. While the price of emerging technology can often keep it out of the reach of the average consumer, a few products have found their way into the market to bring science and precision into consumer’s homes.
The growth of any industry yields not only an influx of data but also the need to access this data. Real-time intelligence and analytical platforms are crucial to providing the data insight needed to navigate this new terrain and make informed business decisions.
This week, Rob Neely of CannabisTech had an opportunity to speak with the CEO and Co-founder of Hippo Premium Packaging, Kary Radestock, about their end-to-end branding and packaging solution for cannabis businesses.
As the demand for cannabinoid products continues to climb, businesses are emerging to accommodate this need, some of which are more reputable than others. Utilizing technology, like chromatography, can help separate quality cannabis and hemp producers from the crowd.
As a follow-up from “What Hempsters Eat on the Go”, this week on Ask a Hempster, Carell had the opportunity to speak with Nutrition Expert and Product Formulator for Pure Kind Botanicals, Mary Matarazzo about all the amazing ways hemp can enhance your current health and nutrition regimen.
Combining the complex regulatory requirements of the cannabis industry with the pace of today’s world, Grasshopper Kiosks has taken the traditional vending machine and given it a modern-day makeover to help streamline the retail process in many dispensaries.
