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Historical data shows cannabis sales typically spike the weekend before the Fourth of July and Friday, July 2nd is expected to retail nearly $91,000,0000 — up 60% from an average Friday.

Cannabis software and intelligence company Akerna (NASDAQ: KERN) released a new flash report this morning, predicting the 4th of July, 2021 will bring in over $206,000,000 in legal cannabis sales across the United States.

With Connecticut being the most recent state to legalize, 38 states now have legislation permitting an adult-consumption and/or medical cannabis program. Not everyone has dispensaries up and running yet, so this data doesn’t reflect sales in all 38 legal states.

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2021 Fourth of July Sales Predictions

According to the flash report, historical data shows cannabis sales typically spike the weekend before the Fourth of July and Friday, July 2nd is expected to retail nearly $91,000,0000 — up 60% from an average Friday. The report predicts July 2nd to be the second highest sales day of the year, just after 4/20. Saturday, July 3rd, is forecasted to generate $72,000,000 in cannabis sales, with Sunday, July 4th, expecting to see $43,000,0000. Sundays are typically the lowest sales day of the week when you look at historical data, but dispensaries will still see more sales than normal because it’s a holiday.

“It doesn’t have to start with ‘don’t smoke,’ but rather the fundamentals of what cannabis is, as a plant within a legal framework.”

As more and more states barrel through cannabis legalization (18 states are recreational, 36 have medical programs), it’s become easier for adults, namely parents, to open up about their use. There’s now even a brand called Dad Grass.

A quick Google search for Father’s Day shows an increasing number of recommendation lists that include cannabis products for dads, but not how to bridge that conversation with their kids. Studies indicate more and more parents are using cannabis and working in the medical and/or recreational industry, and the conversation around cannabis in the home is changing.

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Don’t Deny It

Roger Bloss, interim CEO of MJ Holdings, started using medical marijuana after a car accident left him with chronic pain back in 2009. When he decided to tell his children, they were around 10 and 13-years-old. In his words, he just came out and said it, emphasizing that it was medicine that helped him not only work, but remain a present, doting father.

For many people, the task seems daunting and I’m not going to sugar coat it. The first time you attempt it by yourself you’ll be questioning your actions every step of the way.

When you decarboxylate cannabis, you’re essentially applying heat to activate the cannabinoids and convert them from their acid form into their psychoactive state. For example, turning THCa into THC.

If you were to skip the step of decarboxylating your cannabis, your infusion would lack in potency and would in most cases not live up to your expectations. But what’s the right time, method, and heat settings to get the perfect decarbed weed?

That’s what we’re about to find out in this article right now. Not only are we going to be talking about the right temperature and time, but also providing you with different methods of decarbing your weed. This should provide you with everything you need to know to start experimenting with cannabis infusions. Let’s get ready to bake!

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Cannabis oil is majorly preferred for recreational reasons. People use it to get high because of its considerable levels of THC.

Smoking might be the trend right now, but trust me, infused oils may very well be the future.

Cannabis plants have various derivatives, a host of psychoactive compounds, 100s of cannabinoids, and various forms of terpenes. This gives users a wide basket to choose their infused oil from, it also makes selecting one a very hard task.

The commonly used oils are hemp oil, cannabis oil, CBD oil, weed stem oil, CBD tinctures, hemp seed oil, etc.

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Cannabis opponents have a long history of trying to convince members of the public that cannabis is bad for human brains.

According to many cannabis prohibitionists cannabis is bad for human brains no matter what age they start consuming cannabis or what type of cannabis they consume.

The “dangers” of cannabis for human brains are not isolated to certain consumption methods or any other factor according to these types of cannabis opponents.

Their message seems to be that all cannabis is bad for the brain at all times in all situations. Unfortunately for those prohibitionists, science does not appear to back up their claims.

Decision Making Skills and Cannabis

A team of researchers in Europe recently conducted what they describe to be “one of the largest longitudinal European multicenter studies on the topic” of residual effects of cannabis use on neurocognition (decision making skills).

Amazon certainly isn’t the first major corporation to arrive at the cannabis reform party, but it sure made one of the biggest entrances to-date when it publicly pledged to relax its drug testing policies and also to back federal legalization efforts.

And now it’s a question of how many others will follow — especially during a time when some firms are desperate for workers.

Amazon kicked off June with an announcement that it would stop testing for cannabis metabolites as part of its drug screening program for positions not regulated by the US Department of Transportation. The company also said it would back the federal Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, a recently reintroduced bill aimed at descheduling marijuana and reassessing some past cannabis-related convictions.

It’s not yet clear to what extent Amazon will fund cannabis reform efforts on the federal level as well as to what any future business endeavors in the space may be. Amazon spokespeople did not comment beyond the company’s June 1 statement and declined to respond to questions posed by CNN Business.

Some Connecticut towns and cities are already beginning to formulate studies about how and where recreational marijuana will be sold in their communities, if at all, in 2022.

The town of Prospect, Connecticut, a 10-minute drive east of Waterbury, has already made up their mind. Prospect Mayor Robert Chatfield told News Times that the Planning & Zoning Commission voted unanimously to rule out the sale of recreational cannabis in Prospect.

I would venture to guess that we will see at least one dispensary in Connecticut's largest cities, which go from one to five in this order; Bridgeport, New Haven, Stamford, Hartford, and Waterbury.

The new legislation recently passed allows towns and cities to regulate where it can be sold. City officials in West Hartford, New Britain, and Bristol have already decided where recreational marijuana dispensaries should be allowed.

According to the Hartford Courant, because this new legal pot law is unchartered territory for all of Connecticut's towns and cities, officials will be conducting extensive discussions about zoning regulations to limit where these dispensaries can be. The following video from WFSB 3 digs deeper into the story of recreational cannabis in Connecticut

The array of consumption methods available might seem overwhelming if you are new to the cannabis world.  How difficult is smoking a joint after all? In fact, it is not that hard, but there are some rules and insider tips to help you consume with confidence- by yourself or with your friends. Have the most important tools like the rolling papers, a light and/or hemp wick and a grinder to have the best experience.

Joint

You may not feel comfortable rolling one if you are new. Until you get the hang of rolling your own, head to your lead dispensary for a pre-roll. If you wish to learn how to roll one, however, no worries, you can just search "How to roll a joint" and a multitude of videos on YouTube are readily available. It’s that simple. Now, to the best part, you don’t smoke a joint like a cigarette. You're going to want to roast, meaning that you light the end without inhalation. Turn it slowly over the flame for an even burn.  Now you are ready to inhale, try not to "lip" meaning don't moisten the joint with saliva.  Rest it on your lip, and then take small inhalations lightly on the joint. Just inhale, pause and exhale after 2 to 3 seconds. You will surely drink some water between hits to soothe your throat.  Then repeat to the desired effect you want.  If you have had enough and you can relight it later by letting the joint go if you want. 

Sharing with Friends

You’d be surprised by the number of etiquettes put into consuming recreational marijuana with your friends but in short “puff, puff, pass”. Or another way of saying it is to take two reasonably long puffs, ash your hit and pass it to your left. No matter who begins the rotation, going to the left (i.e. against the clock) is the traditional universal direction in which to pass a joint. Don't babysit, i.e. take an unnecessarily long time, lip the joint or blow smoke in someone's face to be a more conscientious joint sharer.

Blunts

The same steps are taken as smoking a joint. So, what's the difference and what's right for you? Blunts are visually fatter and recognised by their brown wrappers. Blunt is also made from using a cigar wrap, then adding and rolling up (whether alone or mixed tobacco). They are bigger and contain tobacco.  Blunts isn't for everybody, as the mix has a different kind of high. But it's easy to go tobacco-less blunt in today's market with hemp wraps available.

A recent bill to legalize CBD and other non-psychoactive ingredients of the cannabis plant for the use in food and dietary supplements introduced in the US Senate is just one of a landslide of initiatives that have put the hitherto demonized marijuana and its harmless cousin, hemp, into the mainstream.

The bill also highlights the fact that more and more US citizens and in fact people around the world make the plant a part of their diet. Let us briefly survey the various ways in which this natural medicine and wellness product can help you achieve and maintain a healthy body mass and contribute to your general well-being.

Blood Sugar, Body Mass, and Waist Circumference

Let’s start with the effects of the psychoactive form of medical marijuana—the one that is full of THC, produces the so-called ‘high’ in users, and more often than not is consumed by smoking.

Though a persistent stereotype pictures pot smokers as lazy couch-potatoes constantly stuffing their face with junk food, epidemiologic studies have found that marijuana users have lower prevalence of obesity and diabetes than the general population. Probably there is a link between the regular recreational use of the substance and peripheral metabolic processes. A large-scale survey of 4657 adult men and women has found that “marijuana use was associated with lower levels of fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, and smaller waist circumference”.

But before you decide that a visit to your local dispensary is the best way to treat or prevent diabetes and overweight, check out the study that suggests there is a double risk of a life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, for marijuana smokers with type 1 (not type 2) diabetes.

The top five cities that are Google searching terms like “state cannabis legalization” are all places where cannabis is completely illegal.

As of April 2021, seventeen states, two territories and the District of Columbia have enacted legislation to regulate cannabis for adult use. In addition, Connecticut and Rhode Island seem poised to legalize adult use cannabis, Louisiana has decriminalized marijuana possession and Montana is establishing its own marketplace. Those are big gains, and they just keep coming. According to a recent analysis conducted by cannabis marketing company Digital Third Coast, consumers want even more access, more convenience, and also more restrictions, at least when it comes to advertising cannabis.

Digital Third Coast analyzed Google searches in all 50 states and 34 of the largest U.S. cities where cannabis is not yet fully legal. The analysis was rounded out by a survey of over 1,000 Americans who were asked to offer their views on cannabis legalization, use, and marketing. The drive for legality as expressed by respondents appeared centralized in the West, with Wyoming at number one and North Dakota coming in second. West Virginia took a surprising third ranking, making it an outlier among its western counterparts, including Iowa and Nebraska, which rounded out the top five.

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States with mixed legality that includes medicinal programs, different laws governing CBD usage and, in some cases, decriminalized cannabis, ranked lowest in “cannabis curiosity”. The Google search data revealed a high volume of interest in legalization from those living in states where cannabis is already legal.

Weed drinks have been taking off, but many would say they’re still not at the same level as other cannabis products. Vapes, edibles and stronger batches of cannabis flower have been selling well in the U.S. (and elsewhere) for a variety of users, from newbies to experienced cannabis consumers.

Cannabis drinks stand in an awkward place; while there’s a growing interest in a “California sober” lifestyle, a lot of people don’t get why they should drink cannabis from a can when they can consume it in other more traditional ways. The weedy flavour sometimes associated with the drinks may also be tough to get used to.

It’s not a given that replacing a cannabis gummy or a joint with a cannabis drink is an ideal solution. These drinks provide a different effects, something that’s much more light than what edibles are known for.

The makers of Cann seltzer told INSIDER that they wanted to create a cannabis drink that people could consume in social situations, containing between two and four milligrams of THC. With some CBD in the mix, the drink’s experience is one that Cann describes as a plateau instead of a spike.

Not all cannabis drinks are the same; some have higher amounts of THC and can produce more powerful results.

The EMCDDA’s European Drug Report 2021 highlights a significant increase in THC content of cannabis in Europe, as well as prevalent cannabis use amongst Europeans and an increase in home cultivation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marijuana can affect people in different ways. Here are some reasons why you might not be feeling the hit after a smoke session.

There’s a lot of variety when it comes to the cannabis experience. Nowadays, there are dozens of options to try, from strains to different methods of consumption. Some people prefer strains that make them sleepy while others prefer ones that produce an energetic and joyful effect. And then there are those consumers who just don’t see what the fuss is about because they’re not feeling the effects.

While cannabis can be used for multiple purposes, it should provide the consumer with an experience that’s soothing and pleasant. If every time you smoke, you’re not getting anything out of it, there must be an explanation behind it.

Here are 5 reasons why weed might not be affecting you:

You inhaled wrong

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Cannabis consumption lounges will be coming to Nevada next year under a bill signed into law by Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak earlier this month. The measure, Assembly Bill 341 (AB341), was signed by Sisolak on June 4 after being passed by lawmakers in both houses of the state legislature in May. Currently, onsite cannabis consumption is only allowed at the NuWu Cannabis Marketplace on Las Vegas Paiute tribal land north of downtown.

The legislation permits two types of cannabis businesses. Retail cannabis lounges will be operated by licensed marijuana dispensaries, while independent cannabis consumption lounges will not be connected to a retailer. Both types of businesses will sell ready-to-use or single-use cannabis products for onsite consumption by adults 21 and older. Live entertainment is permitted, but alcohol will not be allowed.

“You can think of it like a bar, except obviously there will be no alcohol,” Assemblyman Steve Yeager, the sponsor of the legislation, said during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, as quoted by Forbes. “It could be a joint, an edible, it could be an infused food or infused soda, whatever the concept might be.”

Yeager added that more original concepts would also likely arise, noting that ideas such as fine dining restaurants serving cannabis-infused dishes, cannabis-friendly yoga classes, and comedy clubs offering marijuana products could all become reality. 

“Whatever you could think of could be possible,” Yeager said.

The Tiger King will be launching his cannabis brand soon. And, yes, he is still behind bars.

Joe Exotic, that guy from the Netflix series Tiger King, is getting involved in the weed business. Unlike many other cannabis entrepreneurs, he is launching his brand from jail.

Per TMZ, Exotic (real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage) has been working on this idea for a cannabis brand since last July. In a statement, entertainment lawyer Brad Small, one of Exotic’s attorneys, said that his client would be partnering up with Tango Hotel Charlie Group, LLC and Cannaxxs LTD. The collaborative brand will be called Joe Exotic Cannabis.

To make the story even weirder, Exotic is partnering with Jason Hervey, the older brother from the hit TV series the “Wonder Years.”

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On July 1st, recreational cannabis will become legal in the state of Virginia. But what will that actually mean?

That’s the question cannabis-enthusiasts in the state have been asking ever since Virginia legislators legalized the possession  of up to an ounce of marijuana for adult recreational use this February. Originally, retail sales were set to begin in 2024, but outcry ensued over the three-year wait before ending pot possession penalties, so in April they voted to move up legalization to this July 1.

Adding to the confusion: lawmakers included a “reenactment clause,” which means the General Assembly will have to vote again next year on major portions of the law, mainly to establish a regulatory framework for the legal marijuana marketplace.

The process has resulted in some contradictions that may not get resolved until years after legalization begins. It’s not surprising that advocacy groups have been flooded with calls from people trying to understand exactly what will be allowed under state law in July.

Sen. Adam Ebbin, one of the lead sponsors, said people need to understand the law’s limits for now. Possession of up to one ounce (28.3 grams) with no intent to distribute will become legal for adults, 21 and older. Adults will also be allowed to grow up to four marijuana plants per household. But not much else will change.

Cannabis seltzers and drinks are a good option for those who want to get high while steering clear of alcohol.

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Weed drinks have been taking off, but they’re still not at the same level as other cannabis products. Vapes, edibles, and stronger batches of cannabis flower have been selling well for a variety of users, from newbies to experienced cannabis consumers.

Cannabis drinks stand in an awkward place; while there’s a growing interest in a “California sober” lifestyle, a lot of people don’t get why they should drink cannabis from a can when they could ingest it in other more traditional ways. The weedy flavor is also difficult to get used to.

Photo by Elsa Olofsson via Unsplash

Replacing a weed gummy or a joint with a cannabis drink isn’t an ideal solution. These drinks provide a different effect, something that’s much more light than what edibles are known for.