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Maybe you've heard that cultivating cannabis is bad for the environment. Perhaps you've seen headlines saying that growing an ounce of indoor cannabis emits the equivalent amount of carbon as burning a full tank of gas. Or maybe you've read reports that say growing a few pounds of weed yields the same environmental toll as driving across America seven times. 

All of this is (mostly) true. Indoor cannabis cultivation is not environmentally friendly. This method requires hours of blasting air conditioning, heating (if you live in snowy regions), lighting, air filtration systems and irrigation. Aside from swapping high voltage lights with LEDs, there are few green solutions for indoor grows to lessen their carbon footprint.

Outdoor cannabis grows aren't perfect, either. They've earned a negative reputation thanks to illegal operators polluting National Park lands, stealing water from protected rivers and leaking pesticides into watersheds. Even legal outdoor grows can contribute to soil erosion, nutrient loss and increased soil acidity. Monoculture, or producing one type of crop to the exclusion of others, in cannabis is equally damaging to soil as it is in traditional agriculture.

But the research highlighting the harms of cannabis cultivation lacks nuance. Why? Because growing cannabis can remediate the Earth and aid in the fight against climate change if done properly. Regenerative farming, for example, is a system of agriculture practices that involves working with plants to utilize photosynthesis and maintain "living soil." Plants draw carbon out of the atmosphere and store it in healthy soil — grazed and naturally fertilized by animals — where it transforms into stable carbon.

"The idea of regenerative farming is simple," says Leah Penniman, co-director and farm manager of Soul Fire Farm, in an interview with Now This News.

In seven years, Discord has emerged as a voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) leader.

Once primarily catering to gamers, Discord now offers public and private channels for a range of popular topics, including but far from limited to NFTs, politics, school, and cannabis.

Discord has corralled just about every possible way a person can connect online. Community members can connect via chat rooms, video calls, and voice chats. Unlike social media apps that have succeeded to varying degrees with multi-chat options, Discord has done so rather successfully so far.

The platform has gained users and financial backers. Today, it boasts 150 million active monthly users and $482 million in venture capital funds raised to date, according to Earthweb. 

Discord’s cannabis community is not as prominent as enthusiasts may desire. But sources tell High Times that it is changing as more servers launch, either entirely focusing on the plant or having a dedicated space to discuss it.

Discord did not answer a request for its opinion regarding cannabis servers and forums. Even so, the plant’s popularity on the platform is a refreshing change. When much of the Internet can’t or won’t allow pot communities to flourish, Discord appears to be doing so.

UberEats or Shopify for weed.

With West Hollywood becoming a hub for cannabis consumption lounges and many Silicon Beach companies embracing virtual reality, it was only a matter of time before two of Los Angeles’ two burgeoning industries started mingling.

While many cannabis firms are still figuring out how to incorporate the metaverse and Web3 applications like NFTs, Canoga Park’s Saucey Farms & Extracts has become one of the first business to offer THC products in the metaverse as part of a dispensary in Cryptovoxels, a virtual platform build on the Ethereum blockchain. Local weed brand Califari, meanwhile, recently sold NFT artwork to support the cannabis-oriented criminal justice nonprofit The Last Prisoner Project. Then there’s groups like the Crypto Cannabis Club (CCC), an organization centered around 10,000 “NFTokers” that gives holders discounts on cannabis products and has hosted weed-themed meetups in the Decentraland metaverse.

According to Crypto Cannabis Club CEO Ryan Hunter, about 20% of the community is based in California, with the organization’s most active chapter located in Southern California. Hunter said that CCC uses different metaverses based on its needs; if the Club wants to host virtual 4/20 or 7/10 gatherings for all of its members, those would take place in Decentraland because it’s “more of a wide-open space,” while interactive gaming experience would be on The Sandbox platform, where noted weed entrepreneur Snoop Dogg has already staked a claim.

Hunter views the metaverse as a bridge between real-world cannabis enthusiasts and those who are passionate about virtual experiences.

Spikes CBDX Expands THC-0/Delta-8 Gummies

Branded Legacy, Inc. (OTCPK: BLEG), a holding company focused on the commercial development of hemp and cannabinoid-infused beverages, along with an array of CBD topicals and tinctures is pleased to announce it has added two new stores to its growing list of retail locations. Pipe Smoke shop, located in downtown Orlando, FL, has added the new TCH-0/Delta-8 gummies store. In addition, Massage Renaissance in Jacksonville, FL, which specializes in holistic approaches to healing the mind and body via acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, and herbal remedies will now be carrying Spikes CBDX products. They are very excited about adding Spikes CBDx oils, CyroGel and gummies to their list of holistic treatments for their customers. 

Branded Legacy Inc. is also excited to bring aboard two new recent UCF graduates to the marketing team. They will be tasked with managing and creating the content on all current social media accounts as well as expanding Spikes CBDX content into TikTok and Snapchat. The marketing team will be launching fresh content featuring Spikes CBDX THC-0/Delta-8 gummies, the Companies highest revenue generating product. Spikes CBDX is pleased to announce a new coffee flavor to the THC-0/Delta-8 gummies which will be released in the coming weeks. 

Brandon White, President of Branded Legacy, Inc., stated, "I'm very proud at the success we are seeing. CBD/Smoke shop locations continue to grow, and we are gaining some serious steam in the therapeutic areas. Our new marketing team will surely bring the awareness needed, via the social media platforms, to help take our brand to the next level."

About Spikes CBDX: Spikes CBDX is a line of CBD products designed to assist athletes perform better, recover faster, and avoid injuries. The Company believes that post workout recovery, with Spikes CBDX products, can lower inflammation, aid in making your body stronger, and help recover from injuries naturally. The CBD line also targets individuals who are looking for pain relief, better sleep, faster recovery and lowering inflammation. Spikes CBDX provides tinctures, lotions, moisturizer, and cryo-gel roll-ons. 

About Elev8 Hemp: Elev8 Hemp's mission is simple: craft the highest-quality, organic hemp products for consumers in search of a healthier, happier lifestyle. Everyone needs to get the proper amount of healthy proteins to keep them feeling better and more energetic. We source only the best organic hemp protein powders—naturally full of powerhouse amino acids and Omegas-3, 6, and 9—so we can infuse your daily coffee and tea with an abundance of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. 

Cannaland™ provides businesses and Brands with the ability to globally scale and monetize

Cannaverse Technologies ("Cannaversetech™"), the pioneering cannabis Metaverse platform that assists companies entering the new Web3 and the Metaverse, announces the launch of the world's first cannabis focused Metaverse, Cannaland™, connecting every facet of the cannabis and hemp communities, revolutionizing the marketplace and opening the landscape for globalization of current and future brands.

Utilizing their experience in the blockchain, crypto, and cannabis industries, Cannaversetech™ has created Cannaland™ a complete cannabis-themed community and meta marketplace where all aspects of socially responsible cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, distribution, retail sale, and consumption of cannabis and hemp products can be enjoyed by residents of the community.  Cannaland's Metaverse has an innovative approach to community building, revenue generation, and product marketing, manufacturing, and merchandising for cannabis brands looking to distinguish themselves in an increasingly crowded physical marketplace.

"With the recent exponential growth of the cannabis industry along with the growing popularity of Crypto, Tokens, and EFT's, right now is the perfect time to support the industry by providing them with the tools and marketplace to revolutionize the industry," said Cannaverse CEO Mark Bonner.

 "At Cannaversetech™ we saw the convergence of cannabis and crypto and are working to modernize the trade by addressing and resolving the existing gaps in the industry."

Cannaland™ is a unique platform which enables worldwide businesses to operate virtually within one domain without boundaries and without the constraints of the localized regulations that exist. This opens the landscape for the globalization of current and future cannabis brands, while providing major consumer products, beverages, and other related products with a way to enter the virtual cannabis market and build their own brands.

It's not about the presence of THC, but about impairment.

Cannabis use, both recreational and medicinal, has increased dramatically in the United States. As more people incorporate it into their lives, businesses remain concerned about protecting their workforce from impaired employees on the job. To combat cannabis intoxication, some companies have turned to breathalyzers; it's a familiar tech, and they are accurate when testing for the presence of THC.

However, according to Ken Fichtler, CEO and founder of Gaize AI, the problem isn't the presence of THC. He says it all comes down to impairment. Fichtler says that while breathalyzers can detect THC, they don't detect impairment. This is because studies have shown that measuring THC in the body cannot be correlated to a predictable level of impairment.

Fichtler is currently developing the Gaize Cannabis Impairment Test, a video evidence impairment test that uses a VR headset to provide automated field sobriety tests. 

Each substance impacts eye movement differently, and Gaize has automated the tests to take human error out of the equation and improve accuracy. 

According to Fichtler, a human officer in lab conditions is only accurate 60 to 85 percent of the time. He expects to detect cannabis impairment with greater than 90 percent accuracy with his automated test. The tech will also use machine learning to become more accurate over time. 

Startups worth watching 

Payment startups are tapping the cannabis industry with solutions aimed at digitizing the historically cash dependent sector.

Why it matters

 The cannabis market is huge—but federal regulation prevents mainstream FIs from offering payment services to customers and merchants.

Legal cannabis sales in the US hit a record $17.5 billion in 2020—a 46% year-over-year (YoY) increase, per data from BDSA cited by Forbes. Overall sales are likely significantly larger if illicit marijuana sales are taken into account. Cannabis is also growing more popular as an investment: 43% of US investors currently hold at least one cannabis-related stock, according to a 2021 MagnifyMoney study.

But because cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, banks are hesitant to offer transaction services for the industry.

The big takeaway

 Startups like CanPay, SuperNet, and POSabit see an opportunity to fill the digital payments gap in the cannabis space.

Navisite, a managed cloud service provider that renders integrated business management computer systems designed to model and automate the different areas of a company and the administration of its resources (SAP services), announced Tuesday that it is expanding its services to the cannabis industry. (Benzinga)

The company offers agricultural, medical and recreational cannabis companies solutions that “span the seed-to-sale process.”

"Cannabis companies need highly scalable, flexible systems that can keep pace with demand, delivering greater intelligence and agility across their entire operations," said Gina Murphy, president and chief transformation officer at Navisite.

"With our cannabis solutions, we bring a unique combination of SAP, business process, and technology expertise to help our customers modernize on SAP and fully capitalize on new market opportunities."

According to a company press release: 

Cannabix Technologies Inc. reported that it has successfully tested a supplemental version of its FAIMS technology for the detection of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and related analytes in human breath in an independent experimental study. (Benzinga)

The study showed a correlation between breath samples collected and analyzed with Cannabix hardware and blood plasma levels of THC.

The company’s handheld Breath Collection Unit and newly developed laboratory MS Breath Sampler were used together to provide a new ground-breaking method for drug detection.

Cannabix has developed a unique breath analysis system capable of sampling breath for low volatility analytes, like THC, and can be completed within seconds, with no sample preparation needed.

The study

The experimental study included six subjects with a 60%-40% between men and women with an average age of 23 years.

The AI-powered company is unlocking the hidden healing potential of plants by finding active compounds that could target specific conditions. Next up: diabetes and sleep disorders.

For six weeks in July 2017, Lee Chae, a Stanford-educated plant biologist, sat at his kitchen table in San Francisco—where he can smell and hear the Pacific Ocean—and opened up his laptop. It sounds like a typical workday morning for many, but Chae did something more than just fill out a few spreadsheets. He began building an artificial intelligence platform that can identify bioactive compounds in plants and identify potential remedies for specific human ailments.

That same year, Chae, along with co-founders Jim Flatt and Sofia Elizondo, launched bioscience startup Brightseed to identify unknown compounds present in plants and develop them into various food ingredients, supplements and medicines. For the last five years, the trio have been collecting plants that humans have been using as food and medicine for millennia, grinding them into powder, extracting the active chemicals and running them through their AI platform—which they affectionately call “Forager”—to find the next blockbuster supplement.

The company’s first discovery is a pair of compounds—N-trans-caffeoyltyramine (NCT) and N-trans-feruloyltyramine (NFT)—found in cannabis seed shells and black pepper that have shown promise in two preclinical studies on mice to remove fat from the liver. The studies, both of which were published in Cell Death and Disease, a Nature peer-reviewed journal, suggest that these compounds could be used to manage non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a chronic condition that afflicts about a quarter of the world’s population. Currently, there is no FDA-approved treatment for NAFLD but patients are encouraged to lose weight and eat healthy. Serious cases require weight-loss surgery or even a liver transplant.

“Cannabis is known for THC and CBD,” says Chae, naming the psychoactive component in pot that gets people high and the chemical compound associated with anti-inflammation and other health-related benefits.

“And yet, there are these other two compounds that have been sitting in there after all this time and it's a totally different chemical that helps us process fat from the liver. It just tells you how little we know, even of plants that we have a very intimate knowledge, that there's still a lot to discover in how you can use plants.”

Pot’s energy, water use is under scrutiny

Marijuana’s reputation is about as green as they come. Not only is it an oxygen-producing and carbon-dioxide-absorbing plant, its alternative-medicine bona fides and hippie ethos are often associated with the environmental movement.

Yet cannabis plants suck up around twice as much water as maize, soybeans, wheat and wine grapes, according to a 2021 study in the Journal of Cannabis Research. Additionally, growing indoors requires extensive lighting and climate control, making it particularly energy intensive. Morningstar estimates that cannabis cultivation will account for 1% of total U.S. electricity demand by 2030.

It’s a problem that the industry is trying to address — but cultivators have a long way to go, according to my interviews in the run-up to last week’s industry meeting, called Regenerative Cannabis Live, at the United Nations. Marijuana’s federal illegality means there hasn’t been much research into its environmental footprint. 

“People are looking at cannabis as if it’s just up the ladder from crypto mining in terms of sustainability,” said Chris Hagedorn, executive vice president of Scotts Miracle-Gro and division president of Hawthorne Gardening Co., a subsidiary that provides lighting, nutrients and other materials for indoor and hydroponic growing. Mining for cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, which requires vast computing power, is famously harmful to the environment. 

For the nascent cannabis industry’s small, young companies, the initial challenge of getting up and running has largely outweighed questions about environmental impact, but that’s beginning to change, Hagedorn said. Since Hawthorne started offering more energy-efficient LED lights to customers in 2019, they’ve quickly become 70% of the company’s lighting sales, he told me.

StupidDOPE LLC (or “stupidDOPE") announced today the launch of an in-house brand marketing, content distribution and big data advertising agency serving the Cannabis and CBD industry. With a focus on big data and content distribution partnerships within the cannabis industry, the lifestyle brand will help companies intelligently target and engage in-market Cannabis and CBD shoppers.

stupidDOPE delivers social media, photo and video, press trips, media buys, influencer marketing, and experiential event strategies since 2008. Its custom-built digital marketing campaigns are powered by a patented algorithm that delivers personalized content on behalf of 200M+ mobile users in the U.S. stupidDOPE’s in-depth experience in the Cannabis and CBD industry provides insight into reaching shoppers, while meeting certified corporate and regulatory compliance standards.

“Major advertising channels, including Google and Facebook, continue to shut down digital Cannabis and CBD campaigns in response to the complex regulatory market in the U.S.,” said LeVar Thomas, co-founder, stupidDOPE.

“At stupidDOPE, we are solving this dilemma for Cannabis, CBD brands and retailers who need to reach new customers without access to the most popular digital marketing channels available.”

Founded in 2008, stupidDOPE brings together a massive audience and top tiered content distribution partnerships with its lifestyle destination, sharing the latest in video, music, travel, culture, fashion, art and more. The company has worked with Fortune 100 companies and global brands, including AT&T, Harley-Davidson, Sony Entertainment Network, Frito-Lay, Topgolf USA, State Farm, M&M’s Racing, Nissan and many more. A Google, Bing, and Apple News publisher, stupidDOPE delivers timely content on trending topics, infused with unique advertising opportunities and custom created content.

Despite the recent spike in interest in the cannabis industry, startups still experience difficulties when it comes to setting up businesses.

Similar to crypto institutions, cannabis businesses struggle to access financial services from banks and other payment providers. These businesses would either be denied financial services outright or have to pay exorbitant fees for receiving them.

Utilizing blockchain and cryptocurrency, global blockchain technology company BitCanna offers an alternative in the form of cashless payment. 

Alternative funding for cannabis companies

As mentioned, BitCanna ensures cannabis companies can gain access to financial services through blockchain. Instead of dealing with the restrictions set by credit card companies and banks, cannabis groups can receive payments through BitCanna Pay — an application providing instant, worldwide access to payments.

Built on the Cosmos blockchain (ATOM), BitCanna transactions take an average of five seconds to process and cost less than a tenth of a cent. The network is powered by its BCNA token, which is harnessed by both users and cannabis companies to facilitate payments. 

Not only this, but BitCanna assists the cannabis industry and users in tracking and tracing cannabis-related products by utilizing blockchain technology. This to ensure transparency regarding quality and origin to provide information regarding product standards.

Digital marketplaces may allow small cannabis farmers follow in the footsteps of successful craft brewers.

As legalized weed becomes massive business, California's small cannabis farmers have been left in the dust by vertically-integrated brands and national conglomerates. Now, in a move that resembles the strategic alignment of the craft beer movement a decade ago, these independent farmers are banding together to save their craft. 

The solution is a Web3 platform that aims to connect growers directly with consumers via a crypto-exclusive POS ecosystem. It's called Emerald Road, and the marketplace is the brainchild of legacy farmer Justin Calvino. Part brand store and part consumer-brand interface platform, the dream is to let customers interact directly with their favorite farm, take a tour, talk to growers, and buy products that are delivered via Organic Kind, which has signed on as the platform's delivery partner. 

"Large verticals affect small producers by driving down the cost of production, which allows them to sell their own products at a much better price point," Calvino told ZDNet.

"The bigger issue isn't necessarily the competition of value, it is the lack of education for consumers about what makes quality cannabis."

Calvino added that "small batch cannabis produced by legacy farmers is much higher quality than large-scale overproduced, homogenized cannabis put out by corporations." 

Cannabis and hemp extraction technology company Boulder Creek Technologies and hemp-derived cannabinoid producer Red Mesa Science & Refining are partnering to utilize Vapor-Static™ Extraction Technology to produce CBD and other minor cannabinoid raw materials for B2B distribution to contract manufacturers, co-packers and white-labelers.

Red Mesa Science & Refining is the first industrial-scale hemp producer to implement Boulder Creek Technologies Vapor-Static™ 5000 system, creating a profound improvement in process optimization and workplace safety, while significantly reducing costs and environmental impact.

“Having this partnership with Utah-based Red Mesa is exciting because of what a strong and dynamic company they are,” said Rick Bonde, CEO and Founder of Boulder Creek Technologies.

“We’re really thrilled that they’ve given Boulder Creek Technologies the opportunity to provide extraction equipment. Red Mesa is science-based, technology-driven and innovation-focused with rich engineering resources to really optimize our technology at a commercial scale. We think this partnership showcases the strength and viability of Vapor-Static Extraction.”

Capable of processing 5,000 pounds of hemp biomass each day in a self-contained, continuous, fully automated system, the equipment will produce a highly refined, concentrated form of oil ready for distillation, as opposed to the traditional crude oil produced from cold ethanol technology.

When you think of hemp, you might think of a cannabis variation like CBD or THC, but leaders of a new facility in Orangeburg County hope to change that.

Leaders with BrightMa Farms say they’re doing it by using technology. It's an effort to reveal the benefits of hemp that many people may not know of.

Before hemp farming was legal in South Carolina in 2018, it was made out to be dangerous plant and an outdated farming practice.

But it’s a farmer from Johns Island who's taking a different approach while bringing minority communities to the forefront of the industry.

Harold Singletary comes from a family of hemp farmers.

“I'm a fourth-generation descendant of BrightMa, who was enslaved on a plantation,” Singletary said.

 Priority Aviation, Inc. (OTC Pink: PJET) (“PJET”) today announced the company has partnered with Puration, Inc. (OTC Pink: PURA) to build student housing from hemp.

PJET is a technology company focused on student life.  The company’s core technology is its soon to be launched Student Housing By Owner (SHBO) APP designed to connect communities local to college campuses with students through an APP similar to Airbnb and VRBO but specific to the college community.  PJET plans to evolve the relationship with the students into a lifelong relationship that extends beyond graduation providing a more socially conscious Amazon alternative.

PJET is building its own pilot student housing project in Texas near a small prominent, college campus to build first-hand experience that can be added to the ongoing development of the company’s SHBO APP.

PURA has launched its Farmersville Hemp Brand to usher industrial hemp solutions into the market and contribute to the net zero, 2050 global carbon neutrality goal.

Part of the Farmersville Hemp Brand strategy is targeted at disrupting the $600 billion global lumber market.

Hemp is a textile and lumber industry disruptor. Hemp fiber is an alternative to cotton and traditional construction lumber that in fact has many characteristics superior to cotton and traditional lumber before considering the environmental benefits of using hemp. Hemp grows faster than cotton and hard wood forests, uses less water and absorbs more carbon. Hemp can be used in the production of bioplastics and has even been tested for use in supercapacitors which hold the potential to outperform batteries and do so with far less detriment to the environment.

Acreage Holdings, Inc. has completed the sale of its cultivation and processing facility in Medford, Oregon, and in conjunction with the sale, closed its dispensary in Powell, Oregon. Total consideration for the sale of the Medford cultivation and processing facility was $2 million, including $0.75 million paid to Acreage in February 2021, $0.5 million due August 1, 2022, and the remaining balance of $0.75 million due May 1, 2023. Additionally, the company has completed the consolidation and conversion of its dispensary in Brewer, Maine to adult use. (Benzinga)

“We are thrilled to convert our Brewer dispensary in Maine to adult-use, further solidifying our leading retail market share position in the state,” stated Peter Caldini, CEO of Acreage. “We look forward to expanding access to Maine residents as we continue to grow our footprint in this market. We are also pleased to have closed the sale of the facility in Oregon, as we work to complete our wind-down of operations in the state and focus on growing our presence in our core markets.”

Article by Vuk Zdinjak