WeedLife News Network

Step inside Superette's new nostalgia-fueled pot playhouse.

Image credit: Alex Lysakowski

This week, Canadian cannabis super brand Suprette opened a store in the Glebe section of Ottowa, and honestly we've never seen anything like it.

The dispensary is a technicolor, Willie Wonka-like stroll into a cannabis utopia. Part boardwalk carnival, part retro diner, and part cannabis store, the store is a joint venture between co-founders Mimi Lam and Drummond Munro. 

The creative duo has opened three cannabis stores in the past two years and won a Clio Award for their brand design. But the Glebe store takes their imagination to a whole new level. It even has a claw machine!

Cannabis is gaining more popularity in the kitchen.

So much so that one of the leading cannabis chefs in North America is now travelling across Canada hosting workshops and teaching chefs how to properly cook with it.

“This isn’t a fad. This isn’t a niche,” said chef Travis Petersen. “This is going to be here to stay. This is the new frontier in the culinary world”

Petersen made an appearance on the MasterChef Canada reality TV show before launching The Nomad Cook, a culinary brand focused on introducing the culinary world to cannabis.

TORONTO, June 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ayr Wellness Inc. (CSE: AYR.A, OTC: AYRWF) (“Ayr” or the “Company”), a leading vertically integrated cannabis multi-state operator, announced today that the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (“CCC” or the “Commission”) has granted its local partner Sira Naturals (“Sira”) a provisional license for the sale of adult-use cannabis at its Boylston Street location in Boston. The CCC voted to grant the provisional license at its monthly meeting earlier today. The provisional license allows for the continued development and construction of the dispensary and marks a significant milestone toward the opening of Ayr’s first adult-use store in the Greater Boston area.     

Ayr’s flagship adult-use dispensary in Boston is located at 829 Boylston Street, in the heart of Boston’s Back Bay. The planned 4,500 ft² store is located next to the Apple Store and across from the Prudential Center, well-positioned for pedestrian traffic and easy access to the city’s public transit. The neighborhood is a popular residential community, as well as one of New England’s preeminent destinations for shopping and dining.

Jonathan Sandelman, CEO of Ayr, said, “Despite being home to 60% of the state’s population, the Greater Boston Area has been underserved in access to adult-use cannabis. As cultivators of wellness and creators of wonder, we are excited to help change that and bring more of our high-quality cannabis offerings to the City of Boston.”

The proposed Boston dispensary executed a Host Community Agreement (“HCA”) with the City of Boston’s Cannabis Board on November 16, 2020. The Company executed two additional HCAs in the Greater Boston area, one in Watertown on October 20, 2020, and a second in Somerville, where the Company currently operates a medical dispensary, on October 9, 2020. Ayr will continue to work closely with the CCC to move toward final approval to commence adult-use operations in all three locations.

The CCC’s monthly meeting also included renewals of Sira’s three Media Marijuana Treatment Center (“MTC”) licenses, each of which covers cultivation, product manufacturing, and retail for medical marijuana. The renewed licenses were related to Sira’s Somerville, Watertown and Needham dispensary locations. Additionally, the Commission addressed a settlement between Sira and the Commission, related to wholesale transportation activities during the challenging reopening of the Massachusetts adult-use market in 2020 following the COVID-19 shutdown. While no violation has been admitted, the Company thanks the Commission for its efforts and dialogue over the intervening period and appreciates the important clarifications that the settlement provides.

Edibles have been a huge part of the marijuana industry since well before recreational legalization. And it seems no two states have identical regulations for edibles that define the product’s THC limits, portion delineation requirements or the allowed shapes/colors of edibles. As federal legalization edges closer, it’s important to track and understand not just the state-to-state differences in edible regulations, but also the similarities.

Edibles are often a point of contention with lawmakers and concerned citizens, as there are common fears of over-consumption, child poisoning and accidental ingestion, and the effects of edibles on individual people seem to vary widely compared to inhalation THC products.

Different state, different rules

Many states have taken a simple approach to regulating edibles, by mandating strict limits on the milligrams of THC allowed in edibles. Most states consistently mandate a maximum serving size of 5-10 milligrams of THC and a per-package limit of 50-100 milligrams THC. Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington all have recreational regulations that fall within these limits. The package limits are much higher in Illinois and Montana, at 500 milligrams and 800 milligrams, respectively.

Many producers would like to see increased THC limits per serving, especially in states that have 5 milligram-per-serving THC limits. Those who wish to expand or change regulations often face an uphill battle, as public health advocates and other third parties form a more active opposition than in other marijuana regulation proposals.

And then there's Alaska

This can be seen in Alaska’s recent proposal to change the milligram limit from 5 milligrams per serving to 10 milligrams per serving with a package limit of 100 milligrams. There has been a ton of heated public comment debating this issue, as it would be a 100% increase from the current 5-milligram limit. Edibles are testing in Alaska with a 20% margin of error allowance, creating an effective limit of 120 milligrams per package.

Tax Money From Legal Cannabis Is Consistently Growing

Some states around the U.S. that have legalized recreational marijuana, have collectively made close to $8 billion in tax revenue. Which has been so since sales initially went legal back in 2014. This info was taken from the MMP who gathered the info on the matter. Furthermore, since then a great deal of innovation and progress has commenced for the cannabis industry.

The research evaluated the tax structure and revenue streams of all 18 states that have made recreational cannabis legal. However, there a 7 states where the sales have not started just yet. Overall, it reveals that building regulated marijuana markets gives states a constant and generally growing source of revenue. Which in turn can help aid various programs and services.

Back in 2020, states that have legalized recreational marijuana have generated $2.7 billion in taxes from cannabis sales. Also as more markets come online and others evolve, the overall full rec market is expected to continue to grow. For instance, in 2020 alone California brought in more than $1 billion in tax revenue from recreational marijuana. This made up a 62 percent increase from 2019.

Cannabis Tax Revenue Is Growing

One state that has been raising the bar with cannabis tax revenue is Illinois. This state has consistently been reaching higher monthly cannabis sales. This for the state has been happening since its legalized the adult use of cannabis program in January 2020. As well if the sales keep up, it could produce over $1 billion in tax revenue for 2021.

The global cannabis industry is maturing, demands are increasing and better reforms are being enacted for the industry to attain a mature market. The not-so-new innovation that is becoming prevalent now is the "cannabis consumption lounge".

The basics

The best way to explain this is to liken it to a bar. Simply put, a bar is an alcohol consumption lounge, that is a public space where alcoholic drinks are consumed. Therefore a cannabis consumption lounge is a licensed and safe space for a group of people to consume cannabis.

Cannabis lounges may just be the best element to make cannabis socially acceptable by all age groups in the country. It will go a long way in ensuring an equitable industry that caters to all.

There has been widespread excitement in some states due to the proposals for new cannabis lounges. These lounges will allow people from all spheres of life to congregate in a space to talk and consume cannabis products—just like restaurants and bars.

Compared to cannabis dispensaries, these consumption lounges are far and few in between; no thanks to the legal and restrictive regulations in the country— most especially on the federal level.

If you don’t have access to THC or prefer not to have such a “head trip” while getting high, then delta-8 is a great solution for you.

By now you have heard about delta-8 THC and the huge push to have it shipped and sold across state lines. You may be asking yourself questions such as what is delta-8 THC, does it get you high like regular weed, how is it legal, and why are so many states now banning it or making it illegal. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, so I decided to only use delta-8 THC for a week and see how it compares to smoking and eating the “real deal” marijuana products with regular old THC in them. So, what happened and what was it like to do hemp-based delta-8 THC for a week and why would someone switch to from regular THC to delta-8?

I think the best way to set this up is in a short FAQ type article, so we can hit the big 5 questions around delta-8 THC and get right to the review. Without further ado…

Photo by Jeff W via Unsplash

What is delta-8 THC and why are people going bananas over it?

Meet the delta-8-THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is very similar to the delta-9 THC cannabinoid. You may already be familiar with THC, the legendary cannabinoid that is responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis. Both are very similar, and the only thing that differentiates them is the presence of a few electrons.

Whether you already have your annual camping trip written into your calendar or want to gather your favorite people together for some time outdoors, summer is a good time to get out in nature and soak up the sun before the seasons start to change. Plus, camping with friends and family is a fun way to recharge when you need to take a break and escape the daily grind. Think of it as a mental health holiday designed to calm the spirit and ease the mind — especially if you bring cannabis or high-quality CBD along to deepen the relaxation.

Smoking or vaping cannabis is one of the easiest ways to incorporate weed into a weekend of rejuvenation. You can bring your favorite go-to strains to enjoy while chilling out or being active. A calming strain can help to decrease stress and anxiety, ease insomnia or enjoy a lazy time around the fire. An invigorating strain can increase your energy, enhance your senses or improve your mood. If you plan on smoking, make sure you have an alternative plan in case it’s way too windy, it spontaneously rains or the environment doesn’t allow you to carry out your original plan. Vapers need to remember to bring a charger to keep their device functioning throughout the camping trip.

Edibles are also quick, convenient and take up virtually no room when it comes to packing. Plus, since they are usually non-perishable, you don’t have to worry about keeping it cold or the heat making them go bad before you can enjoy them. You can also make your own cannabis-infused food at home to bring with you or bring what you might need to make it while you’re there. Try spreading some canna-butter on bread, frying an egg in canna-oil or put a few drops of tincture in some iced tea or flavored sparkling water.

Infused topicals can help relieve post-hike soreness, skin discomfort from too much time in the sun or relieve tense muscles from an uncomfortable sleeping situation for those that are roughing it. If you plan to be out in the elements or exerting yourself, consider mixing your preferred topical into sunscreen or regular lotion. You’ll thank yourself later.

There a number of things to take into consideration if cannabis is going to a part of the camping equation, though. Even in legal states, there are sites that may prohibit smoking altogether or on certain parts of the grounds like where families may be. It’s important to find out the laws where you live and specific consumption regulations for the campsite you plan to attend. It’s in your best interest to be informed. National parks are considered outside of the boundaries of U.S. states, which means smoking in them — even in legal cannabis states — is always forbidden.

How well do you know your cannabinoids?

Most people are familiar with the two main cannabinoids – THC and CBD. However, cannabis is a complex plant with complex chemistry. As we continue to research these compounds, we begin to uncover the very nature of the experience we obtain from ingesting the plant.

In today’s article – we’ll be taking a “look under the hood” to see what these cannabinoids are all about. In the near future, the classifications of “sativa” and “indica” will begin to lose importance when selecting your perfect strain.

It’s smart to begin to educate yourself in the subtleties that is cannabis. This article is meant to provide you the basic rundown of major and minor cannanoids. This article was inspired by an LA Times article where they eloquently broke down the cannabinoids using pop culture to help drive the point across.

THC

We will start with THC mainly because it’s one of the most known cannabinoids on the market. It’s what everybody is either trying to limit, or to get more of.

Imagine this: you go to an airport or train station. You are walking past rows of vending machines full of snacks and healthy prepared meals – then you stumble upon a smart vending machine full of CBD products. This is the future. This is now.

As the CBD market scales, it’s expected to reach $24.4 billion by 2025, according to CBD insights firm Brightfield Group and its 2019 report. While FDA regulations across the country gain steam, some states already have CBD and marijuana laws in place. CBD is legal in the United States. Having a CBD vending machine will depend on state and local laws, but the possibilities are growing.

CBD And Smart Vending Machines

In 2014, a marijuana dispensary in Vancouver launched what is thought to be the first marijuana/CBD vending machine. Since then, vending options have become more popular, and they are already popping up in Colorado, where recreational marijuana is legal.

Vending machines are also becoming more popular, in general. Intelligent vending machines, in particular, are ever-increasing in airports, bus stations and railroad stations. These hubs are now focusing on more automation, which means smart vending options will be the norm.

Nevada has legalized a new sort of food and beverage establishment: The cannabis consumption lounge.

The facilities will be permitted under strict regulations to sell THC-laced foods and beverages for consumption onsite. Other refreshments can also be offered. The law is mum on whether the selection of non-THC-spiked beverages could include alcoholic drinks. Entertainment is permitted.

The places require a state license. The licensing fee for a free-standing lounge—one that’s not attached to a retail dispensary—is $10,000.

Places that are unaffiliated with a legal dispensary can negotiate an agreement to be supplied by one of the outlets. The items provided cannot look like lollipops or be marketed as candy. Nor can they bear the images of mascots or child-friendly characters for marketing purposes.

The facilities cannot be located near schools, and airport branches are expressly prohibited. The lounges will be limited to adult patrons.

In 1987, Bob Marley’s former home in Kingston, Jamaica was converted into a museum by his wife, Rita Marley.

The museum displays Marley’s personal artifacts and treasures, and the property also features a theatre, photo gallery and record and gift shop.

It will also soon be home to the first Marley Natural dispensary.

Marley Natural, in collaboration with Docklight Brands, announced the flagship retail store earlier this week. The Marley family and Docklight Brands hold exclusive global rights to Bob Marley cannabinoid products.

“It is incredibly meaningful to have the first Marley Natural dispensary in the world at the Bob Marley Museum,” said Damian Marano, CEO of Docklight. “This unique cannabis experience will bring to life the ethos of Bob Marley,” Marano added.

Lawmakers in Connecticut on Tuesday approved a bill that could pave the way for marijuana legalization in the state—but time is running out.

The legislation barely passed out of the state Senate, with a narrow vote of 19-17 in favor sending it to the state House.

But as the CT Mirror put it, it remains “unclear if the House had the votes, time or inclination to attempt final passage before the constitutional deadline of midnight Wednesday, a task that grew more difficult Monday with concerns over attempted favoritism on licensing growers.”

The Mirror reported that the fate of the much anticipated bill hung in the balance deep into Monday.

“Only the vote cast by a retired police officer, Sen. Kevin Witkos, R-Canton, saved the Senate from needing Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz to break a tie. Six Democrats voted with the other 11 Republicans in opposition,” the Mirror reported.

What we can gather from this report, and other consumer reports like this one, is that Americans are past ready for cannabis legalization, especially after the stress of 2020.

The cannabis industry’s proof was in 2020’s revenue, but a new report from consumer data firm Brightfield shows consumer behavior to match exactly what the cannabis industry already knew: people consumed more cannabis during the pandemic than they were before.

Gen Z makes up a large part of new consumers

A clear factor is stress and anxiety, and the Brightfield report confirms that. New recreational cannabis consumers made up 6% of all consumers in 2020, with 22% being Gen Z. If you thought Generation Z wasn’t old enough to consume cannabis, so did we (kidding), but many of them are now 21 which means legal access to cannabis if they live somewhere where it’s legal.

Photo by Eliott Reyna via Unsplash

Consumers seeking relaxation, sleep, and emotional relief from cannabis

New recreational customers saw the heaviest consumption, specifically in Q4 2020, with 22% of new consumers reporting they utilized cannabis multiple times a day. This declined a little bit in Q1 2021, but nonetheless, new cannabis consumers are entering the market at a faster rate than pre-pandemic. The top three desired cannabis product effects are relaxation, sleep, and emotional relief. Over half, 54%, of new recreational consumers reported utilizing cannabis for anxiety, while a whopping 74% of consumers sought cannabis for relaxation.

Maine’s adult-use cannabis retailers sold over $5 million worth of marijuana products in May, a new record for the state’s nascent legal market. 

The state’s 34 licensed adult-use retailers reported 71,843 sales transactions totaling nearly $5.4 million last month, earning the state roughly $536,000 in tax revenue. 

Recreational cannabis sales figures in Maine have climbed steadily since the market launched in October, with retailers bringing in about $1.1 million in the first month.

May’s $5.4 million record broke the previous record, set in April, by over $1 million. 

So far, the legal adult-use market has reported about $22.7 million in sales, earning the state more than $2.2 million in sales tax revenue, according to data from the Maine Office of Marijuana Policy.

Now that Michigan has legally approved the process of expunging past cannabis convictions, it’s time to put plans into action and get some of these past convictions overturned. In order to do so, the state held its first expungement fair last Wednesday to help clear records in record time.

Yvonne Morrow is one of the people who came out to Michigan’s first expungement fair to get her 20-year-old possession charge cleared. Even though the conviction happened so long ago, it still plagues her as a mark on her record.

“If it takes 20 years for somebody to get their record expunged for marijuana, I mean, come on,” she said as she waited in line for her record to be cleared.

The fair is a chance for people to either get their record completely cleared, or get help with the process. Currently, expungements for cannabis misdemeanors and select felony cases are on the table to be cleared, and folks with prior convictions are flooding in to make it happen and start with a clean slate.

“Today marks the day in history where the lives of 718 people will be set free, dignity restored, family trees changed forever,” said Sheriff Christopher Swanson regarding the move and the fact that lives will be changed positively by this exciting step in the right direction.

The state Senate passed legislation that would legalize recreational cannabis just before 2 a.m. Tuesday morning.

The bill passed 19-17, with six Democrats voting against and one Republican voting in favor. Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, and Sen. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, both voted and stood to argue against the measure.

While the state House is expected to debate the bill over the next few days, time is dwindling to push the bill through the legislature, as the legislative session ends Wednesday at midnight.

House leaders acknowledged the tight deadline, especially given the fact that the House plans on taking up the state budget on Tuesday, but maintained confidence that the bill would become law.

House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, said he believes the votes are in place to pass the bill.

We’re at in interesting point in our society where, not only is cannabis becoming further integrated in our daily lives, but as a society, we’re leaning more towards natural remedies, DIY solutions, and overall freedom and independence. In that vein, it makes sense that consumers are trying to figure out the best ways to grow their own cannabis, as well as manufacture products in the comfort of their own homes.

Just like food and most other consumable products, the healthiest way to do pretty much anything these days is to do it yourself. And with all the health benefits achievable through using cannabis, it’s almost a travesty to use low-end products that are tainted with heavy metals, absorbing toxins through crappy packaging and vape carts, and filling your body with carcinogens. And above all, DIY cannabis isn’t rocket science, but in many cases a simple process that will allow you to make your own medicine…

With the rise of DIY technologies, you can make most of your favorite cannabis products in the comfort of your own home. In today’s market, you can buy supplies to grow the flowers yourself, extract the compounds, and make a variety of high-quality and very pure products, without worrying about any possible mystery ingredients that could be harmful to your health.

Growing your own flower and making cannabis products at home has never been easier… but it’s still sometimes fun (and much easier) to buy product that you already know are reliable. To learn more about cannabis, and for exclusive deals on flowers and other products, make sure to subscribe to The CBD Flowers Weekly Newsletter. If you want to get the latest deals on Delta 8 THC, please subscribe to the Delta 8 weekly.

Extract at home

Until recently, consumers who wanted to make their own extracts and concentrates were reduced to using various types of kitchenware and flammable solvents. Although effective, these methods are dangerous and lead to many housefires, explosions, and other deadly outcomes.

Some people might find it reckless, but what it really showed the world is that there was a serious demand for these types of products, but no safe and efficient way for the average consumer to make it themselves. “There was definitely an incredible amount of interest from the market,” says Troy Ivan, CEO of Colorado-based ExtractCraft. “Consumers were happily paying $350 down for a product which had a 4-month wait with a company which had never existed,” Ivan continued.