Yes! Cannabis!

Report Shows Massive Price Gaps Up to 3200% in CBD Products

The CBD Market 2020 - Consumer Research Insights. — The CBD Market 2020 – Consumer Research Insights by Leafreport.com. Image provided by Leafreport.

Leafreport has broken new ground with a market report that compares over 3,500 CBD products. According to their research, similar items come with an average price difference of up to 3,200%.

Leafreport, a premier web source for CBD information, has successfully compiled an ambitious market report that compares over 3,500 products from more than 53 brands — including tinctures, gummies, capsules, pet products, topicals, isolates, e-liquids & vaporizers, and bundles.

“What we encountered was a wild, wild west scenario in terms of manufacturing and marketing. There’s no uniformity in terms of quality, concentrations, prices or even labeling,” Noa Gans, the Head of Product for Leafreport, said in a statement. “Newcomers to CBD have simply been unable to shop wisely.”

Amid this daunting landscape, the results offer a first-of-its-kind roadmap for consumers of all stripes. Pointing to the most surprising findings, Gans cited huge discrepancies between prices for similar products — including 250% among vaporizers, 1,000% between tinctures, and a staggering 3,200% overall.

“We’ve successfully created benchmarks that answer nearly any question a curious CBD user could encounter,” Gans noted. “Whether its potency or price points, this report gets to the heart of what everybody needs to know.”

The document is all part of Leafreport’s efforts to provide new tools and information aimed at demystifying the world surrounding cannabis-derived compounds. And with recent polling showing that 14% of Americans are using CBD for everything from pain relief to sleep aids, their work can not come at a more important time.

“With the industry growing at such a rapid pace, an educated consumer base is absolutely vital,” Gans explained. “Transparency and the hunt for the truth has to come above everything else.”

View the full infographic report.

Oaksterdam University Launches Online Cannabis Business Course

(Top) Oaksterdam University logo. Image provided by OU. (Bottom) Cannabis plant. Photo by Rick Proctor on Unsplash.

Launched on January 8, 2020, Oaksterdam University’s Business of Cannabis online course provides the most comprehensive education available for entering or competing in the cannabis industry. This certificate program is the first of its kind, designed to prepare students as well as help professionals who are transitioning to a cannabis career. The curriculum covers what you need to know as an employee, advocate, or employer starting a new business in any of the 33 states, plus the District of Columbia, that have legalized cannabis use in some form.

The Business of Cannabis online course features seven learning modules developed by cannabis industry leaders. Each module contains resources, presentations, and mastery exercises that reinforce the learning material, requiring around 35 hours to complete the course learning objectives. Subject areas covered by the course include but are not exclusive to:

The historical use of cannabis
Politics and law
Scientific research
Cannabis safety and efficacy
The endocannabinoid system
The therapeutic value of cannabis
Extraction processes
Cannabis products and methods of ingestion
Commercial cultivation requirements and regulations
Economic principles in cannabis markets
Business startup and management
The importance of ongoing advocacy

“The Business of Cannabis course is unlike any curriculum today, curated and revised over thirteen years of person-to-person classroom experience at Oaksterdam,” says Chancellor Dale Sky Jones. “The cannabis industry is becoming more crowded and competitive with each year, and so it is vital to set yourself and your team up for success with the best knowledge and information within your reach. We are making this exciting curriculum available online for the very first time, so that anyone, no matter where they live, can be a student.”

Oaksterdam University is America’s first cannabis college, with educational roots beginning in 1995. With over 40,000 alumni worldwide, Oaksterdam has established itself as the world’s leading academic institution and policy brain-trust for cannabis.

Jim Belushi To Keynote Cannabis Conference 2020 At Paris Hotel In Las Vegas

Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Mike Boening on Unsplash.

Cannabis business owner Jim Belushi will keynote this year’s Cannabis Conference 2020, presented by GIE Media’s Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary, and Hemp Grower. The three-day event will be held at the Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, April 21-23, 2020.

Belushi, known for his numerous film, television, and musical performances, including the popular sitcom “According to Jim,” will share his experiences as the owner and operator of the ninety-three acre Belushi’s Farm which he began developing in 2015 under the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP).

“Every time I cultivate the land, I get pulled more and more into the medicine and the joy of this work,” says Belushi. “My experience has truly changed me as a man, and I’m looking forward to sharing what I have learned from my amazing journey with this year’s Cannabis Conference attendees.”

“We are thrilled to have Jim Belushi keynote Cannabis Conference 2020,” says Noelle Skodzinski, editorial director for Cannabis Conference, and Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and Hemp Grower magazines. “His passion for the plant, and for the health and economic potential it holds for society is aligned with so many of our attendees and with our mission. Our audience of plant-touching-business owners and operators will surely benefit from his experiences growing cannabis in the Oregon market, his plans and hopes for the future, as well as his wisdom and humor.”

The Cannabis Conference 2020 is expected to draw over 3,000 attendees from 40 countries and bring together dozens of the industry’s leading voices to address the biggest opportunities and challenges facing the legal cannabis market.

The Conference will expand on the successes of previous events’ cultivation and dispensary education and will include a new track dedicated to the cultivation and sale of hemp and hemp-derived products. The conference will feature in-depth education on successful cultivation and business operations, as well as the most informed industry perspectives on retail management.

The Cannabis Conference expo will feature leading technologies, solutions and services for cannabis cultivation and dispensary professionals. The educational program for the Conference was developed by professional cultivators, retailers and industry leaders from the Cannabis Conference 2020 advisory board, in partnership with the award-winning editorial teams behind Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and Hemp Grower.

Sweet Dirt and ArchSolar to Break Ground on Maine’s Largest Cannabis Greenhouse

Sweet Dirt founders, Hughes and Kristin Pope, in an early Sweet Dirt greenhouse. — Sweet Dirt founders, Hughes and Kristin Pope, in an early Sweet Dirt greenhouse pre-dating the soon-to-be-built 32,800 sq ft structure. Image provided by Sweet Dirt.

Sweet Dirt LLC, a Maine-based cannabis company, and ArchSolar, a national provider of environmentally sustainable greenhouses, have partnered to build out a state-of-the-art 32,800 square foot extreme-light deprivation greenhouse.

Construction on the greenhouse will begin January 2020 and the facility will be located at Sweet Dirt’s headquarters in Eliot, Maine, where voters last November overwhelmingly approved an ordinance and licensing procedure allowing for adult-use cannabis cultivation, manufacturing and retail operations.

Optimized for harsh climates, the multi-bay greenhouse will feature exceptional thermal performance, best-in-class snow and wind load capacity, an automated louvered intake and exhaust system, an automated light-deprivation (shade) system, and more. As sustainability is a critical consideration in all of Sweet Dirt’s decisions, the ability to leverage natural light to reduce electrical usage, was a large part of Sweet Dirt’s decision to partner with ArchSolar.

Portland, Maine-based ArchSolar brings over five years of greenhouse experience and growing expertise to the project. ArchSolar is committed to continual improvement and to lowering energy inputs and is the only greenhouse provider offering 50-foot span bays. These bays provide a higher percentage utilization of planted space over traditional greenhouse designs.

“We are pleased to be working with Sweet Dirt to build out what, to our knowledge, is the largest cannabis greenhouse in Maine,” says Tony Kieffer, president and founder of ArchSolar. “ArchSolar clients have a proven track record of growing year-round in 20-below winter weather or 90-degree summer weather in a greenhouse that uses about a third of the energy required by a traditional indoor operation.”

“Sweet Dirt is fortunate to have partnered with ArchSolar as we embark on this exciting high-growth phase of our business and we are thrilled to be breaking ground on this new facility which will allow us to deliver year-round, sun-kissed, organically-grown artisanal cannabis to the Maine market,” says Hughes Pope, president and founder of Sweet Dirt.

Sweet Dirt is a fully vertically integrated organization with employees, contractors, and partners spanning cultivation, distribution, retail, administration, legal, compliance, IT, security and finance. With all of these aspects combined, Sweet Dirt is poised to be a leading Maine-based provider of high-quality, health-conscious, mature, and organically grown cannabis and cannabis products.

International Cannabis Summit To Be Held At The Davos Cannabis House in Switzerland

Top cannabis industry leaders will convene in the dedicated Cannabis House in Davos, Switzerland, January 21-24, 2020, for high-level discussions on the emerging global cannabis industry and to network with the many industry stakeholders who will participate in the iconic international gathering.

The Davos Cannabis House will highlight the economic role of cannabis in the future of healthcare, international trade, investment, and environmental and resource security, with the goal of creating a fair and viable cannabis-related industry globally.

The Davos Cannabis House is hosted by CannaTech, the world’s premier international cannabis summit platform, in partnership with the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE), the U.S. based OTC Markets Group, and Kannaswiss, the maker of high-quality wellness products, in the true spirit of the gathering to “Improve the State of the World.”

Speakers at the Davos Cannabis House will address, among other topics, sustainability and climate change by focusing on hemp-derived products that have the potential to reduce water, energy, packaging waste and more.

Other topics to be addressed include how the growing cannabis economy can play a role in addressing social equity and justice. From Latin America to Africa, many countries with great market potential are also home to disenfranchised populations. The global cannabis industry has the potential to protect local communities and stakeholders with impact investing.

Global cooperation will be discussed in almost every Davos forum. With disparate global and domestic regulatory climates, the challenge of securing and de-risking cannabis investments will be another focal point for discussion.

“Cannabis is on the verge of seriously impacting health care and the ways people partake in leisure activities. On the global level, the threat of climate change has opened people’s eyes to hemp as a sustainable plant with innumerable uses for construction, industry, and medicine. These recent developments are creating new international ecosystems that will impact everyone from local farmworkers in Africa to the world’s largest corporations in the Western world. Davos could not be a better place to examine the place of Cannabis in the world at the beginning of this new decade,” said Saul Kaye, founder and CEO of CannaTech and iCAN: Israel-Cannabis.

For tickets and information about the Davos Cannabis House, visit the CannaTech website at www.canna-tech.co/davos.

TOQi Wireless Charging Cannabis 510 Vape Battery

The TOQi 510 wireless vaporizer and TOQi Wireless Charging Pad. — The TOQi 510 wireless vaporizer and TOQi Wireless Power Bank. Image provided by TOQi.

TOQi, creators of cannabis technology products, has launched the industry’s first wireless charging 510 thread vaporizer battery. The TOQi 510 comes with an industry-leading 400mAh battery, twice the size of most currently available vaporizers, and is equipped with Qi charging technology, enabling it to charge wirelessly on TOQi’s Wireless Charging Pad or other Qi-equipped products such as a Samsung Galaxy Note10 PowerShare. The TOQi 510 is now available for pre-order for $79.95 and will begin shipping on January 13, 2020.

The TOQi 510 thread distillate compatible device includes a built-in USB-C port, 3 power settings, precision CNC for accurate airflow, ability to lock/unlock directly on the device and smooth, stone-like finish design.

“TOQi was built to always be ready when you need it and provide the most convenient cannabis vaporizer experience on the market, eliminating any worries about losing custom chargers,” said Drew Henson, CEO, TOQi. “We created TOQi to combine convenience and reliability with a sleek, cutting-edge design so people can vape with confidence and look good doing so.”

Also, TOQi is launching two wireless charging devices, compatible with the TOQi 510. The TOQi Wireless Charging Pad and TOQi Wireless Power Bank are available for $29.95 and $19.95.

TOQi comes from Toronto-based design studio Twenty2b, whose previous products include the Lotus by SEAM, a personal safety wearable that was a finalist for SXSW’s Interactive Innovation awards in 2019. Founder/CEO Drew Henson is an award-winning designer with more than one dozen products on the market, including past designs for Drift Innovation action cameras which were deployed on the International Space Station.

4Front Celebrates Launch of Adult-Use Cannabis Sales

Customers line up outside 4Front's Mission cannabis dispensary in Chicago. — Customers line up outside 4Front’s Mission cannabis dispensary in Chicago on Jan. 1, 2020, the first day of legal adult-use sales in Illinois. Image provided by 4Front.

4Front opened its Chicago Mission cannabis dispensary for adult-use cannabis sales with an overwhelming response from its customer base. In the first five days of its adult-use opening, the dispensary generated sales of more than $266,000 and served over 2,300 customers.

“Our Mission South Shore team worked tirelessly in anticipation of the adult-use launch, and their preparedness has shown through in spades,” said Kris Krane, President of Mission, 4Front’s retail division. “Because our South Shore location is the only adult-use cannabis store on Chicago’s Southeast Side, we drew in many customers from a very wide area. I couldn’t be prouder of the team’s efforts in serving these new customers – they demonstrated that they are ready to show the same uncompromising quality and care they were known for in the two years they worked as a medical cannabis dispensary, but for the significantly increased volumes of adult use. While we expect supply of product to remain tight for the foreseeable future, we remain laser-focused on meeting the strong demand from our customers at friendly price points.”

“2020 is when 4Front expects a sharp inflection in our revenue growth, owing to applying our battle-tested operational capabilities across a licensed portfolio representing a sizable addressable market. We anticipate this acceleration will be aided by a tailwind as the nascent markets we are in, such as Illinois and Massachusetts, begin to grow and mature. The jolt of energy provided by a great Mission South Shore opening is a terrific way to start the year,” said Joshua Rosen, CEO of 4Front.

4Front is a “from plant genetics to cannabis retail experience” company designed for long-term success and built upon battle-tested operating capabilities at scale, experienced and committed leadership, a strategic asset base, and a commitment to being a magnet for talent.

UK Cannabinoid Patients Will Have Access To Medical Cannabis Inhalers

Inhale and exhale signs. Image by Kathleen Port from Pixabay.

Senzer’s pharmaceutical respiratory device will be used in Europe’s first and biggest national medical cannabis registry, Project TWENTY21, in which an expected 20,000 patients will be enrolled by the end of 2021 creating the largest body of evidence for the efficacy of medical cannabis.

Drug Science, the leading independent scientific body on drugs in the UK running Project TWENTY21, says the aim is to create “the largest body of evidence for the effectiveness and tolerability of medical cannabis” so that policymakers may be better informed about the possible benefits. Senzer is one of the launch partners that will supply products for patients. Various preparations of cannabinoids will be prescribed by affiliated doctors, and targeted conditions include Anxiety Disorder, Chronic Pain, Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Substance Use Disorder, and Tourette’s Syndrome.

Senzer’s inhaler is CE-marked, approved as a Class II(a) Medical Device and will soon be available in several EU countries. The inhaler is designed to ensure cannabinoid formulations will quickly enter the bloodstream and the Company has data to show that lower doses are needed to achieve clinical effectiveness.

“Senzer Pharmaceuticals is delighted to partner with Drug Science on Project Twenty21,” said Senzer CEO Alex Hearn. “Developing this critical body of real-world data will support evidence-based decision-making for policymakers and clinicians enabling wider access for UK patients to cannabis-based medicinal products now, and in the future.”

Drug Science said a key aim of the observational study was to ensure all 20,000 participants received pharmaceutical GMP-grade medical cannabis at an affordable cost. It said Project TWENTY21 has the support from The Royal College of Psychiatrists, The British Pain Society, the United Patients Alliance, as well as patients, peers, and medical cannabis campaigners.

“Patients with severe debilitating conditions are being denied access to a life-changing medication,” said Drug Science CEO David Badcock. “This happens because prescribers lack the knowledge and confidence to prescribe medicinal cannabis or the cannabis-based medicinal products are extortionately expensive. Project Twenty21 will be using a two-pronged approach to address both of these issues simultaneously and it is only possible with the ongoing support and assistance of our launch partners.”

LiteBud Pre-rolls for a Lower THC Cannabis Experience

LiteBud pre-roll Bubba kush. Image provided by Vireo Health International.

LiteBud is a patent-pending line of consistently formulated, lower-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabis products that are designed to meet the needs of cannabis consumers seeking a more consistent, controlled and mild experience. This is the latest brand launched by Vireo Health International. The Company cultivates cannabis in environmentally-friendly greenhouses, manufactures pharmaceutical-grade cannabis extracts, and sells its products at both company-owned and third-party dispensaries.

Research studies conducted at the University of Mississippi found that the THC potency of cannabis plant material has more than quadrupled over the past generation. In 1995, the average THC potency was approximately 4%, increasing to 8.9% in 2008, and then again to 17.1% in 2017. Today, most flower available in medical and adult-use markets is cultivated to maximize potency and sophisticated techniques often yield THC levels that exceed 25%, in contrast to LiteBud products which contain lower THC levels, ranging from 4 to 10%.

“Vireo is committed to creating innovative products that reflect the needs of all cannabis consumers,” said Chief Executive Officer Kyle Kingsley, M.D. “LiteBud offers patients a lower-THC product line with carefully controlled cannabinoid levels to help prevent the unpleasant side effects many experience with high-THC products. In a sense, this is your father’s cannabis since its cannabinoid levels are more reminiscent of the type of flower that was widely used a generation or two ago.”

The first LiteBud product offering is a pre-roll made from slow-cured dry flower using a proprietary process to ensure lower levels of THC. LiteBud pre-rolls are the first product of its kind sold in Maryland’s growing medical cannabis market.

“Our LiteBud brand strategy is informed, in part, by the success of the light beer market,” said Harris Rabin, Chief Marketing Officer of Vireo Health. “As the U.S. cannabis market matures and serves a broader segment of the adult population, we believe that there will be a significant consumer demand for low-THC products.”

LiteBud pre-rolls are currently available at dispensaries throughout the State of Maryland. Later this year, Vireo plans to offer LiteBud products in other key markets in which it operates.

Grocery Trends for 2020 Includes More Cannabis Products

Inside a grocery store. Photo by Benziad on Unsplash.

Grocery shoppers can expect to see expanded produce departments, new sections for plant-based food, and more cannabis products in 2020, says John Karolefski, supermarket analyst and purveyor of GroceryStories.com.

Karolefski says many grocers will eliminate plastic bags at checkout and blend digital with physical shopping to keep customers and attract new ones.

“Grocers will aim to appeal to shoppers who are gradually moving away from buying processed food and animal-based proteins to fresh foods and plant-based alternatives to meat, milk and other dairy products,” says Karolefski, author of the new book, Zen and the Art of Grocery Shopping.

Karolefski’s nonconventional trends for 2020 are:

Cannabis Goes Mainstream: More stores will stock CBD oils and lotions. Plant extract CBD, the non-psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, reportedly provides anti-inflammatory relief and reduced itching for psoriasis and eczema. Also, many progressive grocers will begin selling CBD edibles. Market researcher BDS Analytics says spending on cannabis edibles is expected to grow to $4.1 billion by 2022.

Expanded Produce Departments: More retailers will enlarge their produce departments to please health-minded shoppers looking to eat more fresh food. Traditional grocers like Stop & Shop and German discounters Aldi and Lidl are expanding space for fruits and vegetables. Exotic items such as Fuyu Persimmons, Rambutans and Chayote will be added to the produce assortments to add variety and excitement.

Plant-Based Sections: Nontraditional protein products will continue to attract fans in the new year. More grocers will flag special sections of the refrigerated case as “Plant-Based” to help shoppers find alternatives to burgers and sausages. More dairy-free yogurts made with coconut cream, soy, and almond milk will be added to the refrigerated case. Overall sales of plant-based food increased by double digits in 2019 and are poised to do so again in 2020.

RIP for Plastic Bags: Oregon began 2020 by banning plastic bags in stores statewide. Giant Eagle also started the year by eliminating plastic bags at checkout. The Midwest chain is following the lead of Stop & Shop in Connecticut, which eliminated the bags previously. Expect many more grocers to do so in 2020, while encouraging the use of reusable bags and charging for paper bags at checkout.

Blending Digital and Physical Shopping: Expect more digital screens and electronic price labels on shelves. Some stores will add augmented reality to the shopping experience. Already, Sam’s Club uses augmented reality to transform members’ digital carts into pirate ships or rocket ships. Giant Food Stores has an augmented reality promotion, Snowflake Search, designed to send kids on scavenger hunts while their parents shop.