Chromatography plays an important role in purification and testing in the cannabis and hemp-derived CBD industries. But its use is mainly reserved for testing labs and larger manufacturers. RotaChrom Technologies is changing that by making this technology available to a wider set of businesses, shifting our perception of chromatography in the process. 

The Role of Chromatography in the Cannabis Industry

Chromatography use has become widespread throughout the cannabis and CBD industries. This lab technology separates a mixture (in this case cannabis extracts) either for analysis of a sample or to purify an extract and even isolate or remove specific compounds like cannabinoids. 

Up to this point, chromatography has primarily been used by the cannabis industry for lab testing of cannabis, accurately measuring levels of cannabinoids and terpenes, as well as checking for potential contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides and residual solvents. With third-party lab testing mandated in legal cannabis markets throughout the U.S., the technology is tightly linked to cannabis safety.

However, the technology can also be effectively harnessed to purify cannabis extracts or to isolate certain compounds within the extract itself. As the cannabis industry continues to spread and the use of cannabis extracts for vapes, edibles and more increases, the need for this type of technology will be critical to meeting consumer demand. 

RotaChrom Technologies Replaces Legacy Chromatography

For too long, the most effective and efficient purification methods have only been in the hands of large companies, putting startups and small businesses at a disadvantage. That’s because they need to turn to third-party producers or large wholesalers to source the high-quality purified cannabis extracts they need to formulate their products.

RotaChrom Technologies puts preparative use of chromatography into the hands of mid-range cannabis companies looking to move processing of cannabis extracts in-house, giving them much greater control over extract specifications and quality.

The founders of RotaChrom Technologies come from a background in pharmaceuticals, so they have unique insight into ingredient purification technology. The company began their work 15 years ago in an effort to improve that way businesses purify raw materials. Their innovative equipment is the first commercial Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (CPC) system to offer the technology on an industrial scale for the cannabis space. This ensures cost effective purification technology is available for smaller-sized businesses. This purification technology can be used to purify raw materials with greater consistency, including creating THC-free broad spectrum extracts or isolating specific cannabinoids like CBD, CBN and more.

There are also environmental advantages to the RotaChrom Technologies CPC platform. A green technology, it requires less solvent consumption than comparative methods and produces far less waste since up to 98% of solvent material is recoverable and reusable in the system. This also reduces operating costs for businesses using this technology. 

Investment in RotaChrom CPC instruments saves businesses in the long run by allowing them to complete their purification process in their own facilities. As a new customer, before you get started, the company demonstrates how the technology is being effectively used by current customers and how it can impact businesses like yours looking to make the switch.

They will also work with your team to conduct feasibility and pilot studies, as well as consult on process development and factory design. Comprehensive training offered by RotaChrom Technologies allows for ideal use of the technology by your team. Their commercial support guides your team at every step and assists in troubleshooting any issues preventing optimal output. With little experience, operators can fine tune the purification process to achieve their desired results. 

RotaChrom Technologies will scale with your business to grow along with you, offering a choice in hardware to fit your capacity needs. The technology is also adaptable to create cannabis and CBD extracts of differing purities and composition on the same machine, so you can continue to innovate your brands. A dynamic purification solution, RotaChrom instruments can keep you competitive in a booming cannabis industry.

Mid-sized cannabis companies who are ready to move the purification process to their own facility are trading their current supply woes for the ability to closely control ingredient purity, giving them an edge over their market competitors. Versatile chromatography technology is the advantage they need to reach this next plateau.

You can learn more about RotaChrom CPC systems here. 

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Growing cannabis, at its base, isn’t complicated, requiring little more than light, water, and a growing medium to produce flowers. Sounds easy enough, and many homegrowers successfully cultivate cannabis for their personal use with little in resources and experience.

Cannabis cultivation on a commercial scale, however, demands far greater attention to variables that affect your output and thus the success of your business. Relying on antiquated record-keeping and informal tracking methods simply isn’t enough. If cannabis cultivators are interested in keeping up with the modern cannabis industry, then a complete software solution that integrates with all aspects of their business is a must.  

The team at Regrow has imagined just that. A software for cultivators, and eventually the entire cannabis supply chain. 

Regrow is much more than just a way to remain compliant, like other less comprehensive programs; it is a means of streamlining every aspect of a cultivation process (workflow, inventory, and operational management) for maximum success. 

Why Do Commercial Cultivators Need This Kind of Software?

I was able to speak with executives at Regrow who share that many cultivators are managing their grows with numerous spreadsheets, whiteboards, messaging programs, clipboards, and sticky notes – all just to keep your operations flowing.

At best, these methods are limiting cultivators from growing by keeping them from benefiting from comprehensive data gathering and analytics, integrated scheduling, and more. At worst, poor documentation is opening their businesses up to costly mistakes and compliance issues. 

Regrow promotes a mobile-first methodology that eases communication and record-keeping and adds cloud-based functionality that puts the powerful software in the hands of your employees anywhere in the field that they have access to an internet connection. 

When the creators of Regrow developed their system, it was to address the need of cultivators for real, trackable metrics that would lead to smart, data-backed decision making at every level of a farm’s process, ultimately improving your operations. 

At its heart, Regrow is a business optimization tool that increases grams (and in turn, revenue) per square foot. But from what they shared, it is capable of much more. Regrow gives operators a clear real-time overview of their businesses, so they can closely understand planting trends and forecast harvest yields, predict inventory use and supply needs, and provide greater authority over actions to cut inefficiencies from their processes. Sounds like a dream to us!

From managers to workers, Regrow is able to integrate with nearly any process or other software to track and optimize tasks and performance. This tracking automation and digitization frees up both managers and employees to actually complete their work, rather than wasting time communicating and documenting using outdated methods. 

Even if companies already have software that they’re using for individual tasks or focused softwares such as accounting or inventory management systems, Regrow integrates with these programs to tie overall organizations together for even greater oversight and control. 

What Makes Regrow Stand Apart?

Regrow is hardly the first integrated solution out there for cultivators, so why should growers even look at their software?

Compliance

There are many software solutions out there that will help operators remain compliant with local and state cannabis regulations, including batch tracking and more. This should be seen as the base function of these programs. 

As they explained, Regrow moves beyond standard compliance needs. It brings the expansive, versatile approach it uses across all its functions to this core necessity as well. Regrow digitizes record-keeping and provides thorough access to auditors to ease the stress from compliance audits.

Customization

Rather than a one-size fits all approach to their operational software, Regrow is obsessed with customization and continuous improvement to keep its software fully functional and relevant. This platform is easily adaptable to a company’s scaling objectives, so Regrow fits any business regardless of whether it is just starting out, still establishing processes, or is one of the biggest players in the industry. 

Founded in California, Regrow has worked directly alongside active cannabis cultivators in the state to create business optimization software aimed directly at the needs of the industrial farmer. What they’ve designed is a platform that is endlessly customizable to fit the demands of a businesses’ individual needs and can expand with the company as it grows. 

Regrow was originally innovated to work with cultivators, but the software can also benefit processors and manufacturers, distributors, and retail operations hoping to streamline their operations, giving it the potential to become the go-to business optimization program for the cannabis industry. 

Coming Soon…

The Regrow team is currently working with its development partners to perfect its platform before being taken to market. However, even after its full launch, Regrow’s core mission of continuous improvement means that the system will evolve with the cannabis industry for maximum benefit. 

Learn More

Supporting the growth of companies like Regrow and industry in general is our mission here at Cashinbis. So we include their information for people to learn more. You can visit their website here to get more information about Regrow here. 

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We know dispensaries are frequently looking for compliant ways to advertise so we’re always on the lookout for different approaches. And we were recently surprised at a new addition to the dispensary advertising field: machine learning.

Foottraffik, one of the industry’s leading dispensary ecommerce growth agencies, is combining the reach of Google with the intelligence and efficiency of machine learning. 

Now, Google Ads are underused by dispensaries. Despite being the most commonly used form of pay-per-click advertising, dispensaries still think they can’t leverage this platform to get the word out.

Thankfully, Foottraffik has shown that, yes, dispensaries can advertise via Google Ads. 

The team has been running ads for over four years. And now, they’ve added machine learning to their Google Ads management service to make their high-ROI offering even better.

Dispensary Advertising with Google Ads Machine Learning

According to the company, Foottraffik’s new AI software connects real-time trends to client Google Ads campaigns, effectively supercharging performance and increasing revenue by up to 25%. 

By using a combination of real-time weather data, social media signals, and historical data from previous ads, their new Google Ads machine learning technology is able to create new models on which to base their copy and bid strategies. Because this modeling produces dynamic strategies that respond to shifts in demand and trends, they generally yield greater returns.

Founder and CEO Guillermo Bravo adds that “As dispensary advertising is limited, it’s great that we can offer a highly effective and reliable channel for dispensaries to reach their local customers. The software will give dispensaries a competitive advantage in their local market by maximizing their advertising spend and increasing conversions and revenue. Foottraffik has never had a Google Ads campaign shut down in over four years, and we are happy to announce even more functionality when it comes to launching Google Ads campaigns for dispensaries and delivery services.”

Better Ads, Faster?

Yes, that’s the gist of it. With their new Google Ads machine learning technology, the Foottraffik team can now create even better ads for their clients at a faster clip. Thanks to their analysis of historical transaction data, these ads will be more effective than they were before—which is really saying something. 

The idea behind these ads is that when they’re created as part of a larger dispensary advertising strategy, they’ll help their clients capture a larger part of their markets. 

How to Get Started with Dispensary Advertising & Google Ads Machine Learning

According to Foottraffik, the team has already begun rolling out this service to their existing MSO clients and will also be moving other qualified clients to this new tech.

Because this platform relies on the use of historical data, it is necessary to sign up for and run Google Ads with Foottraffik for a couple of months before your dispensary will be able to take full advantage of the machine learning software.

You can learn more about this service on Foottraffik’s Cannabis Dispensary Google Ads page, or just contact the team directly.

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My Green Network will empower a minority-controlled business to make a positive impact on the cannabis industry through its annual grant.

When I first began writing about the cannabis industry 10 years ago, most businesses were run by smaller operations. Not necessarily “mom & pop”, but there was certainly more opportunity and fewer barriers to entry into what was then the medical cannabis industry.

Since then, as recreational legalization has spread through the states, largely impassible gatekeepers have made it increasingly difficult for many small businesses to break into the cannabis industry. This has consolidated the industry into mostly a collection of large companies, which can ultimately minimize choice and stifle innovation. 

How do those with incredible business ideas, but not the resource pool, find a way to carve out their segment of the market and launch their business? This is the issue that My Green Network identified when they first conceived of the idea for their unique shared cannabis industry working space. 

They have now doubled down on this mission of cutting a path for cannabis entrepreneurs with the introduction of Green Quest 2020. I sat down with My Green Network CEO James Shih to hear first hand how his company is helping new cannabis ventures through their extensive support system. 

How Does My Green Network Level the Playing Field?

“Imagine the legal cannabis market as a city of endless opportunities hidden in an impassable jungle. A select few are able to enter by expending massive wealth to fly over the tree-line,” said Shih. 

The rest? Even if they are able to navigate the complex jungle of funding, licensing, building out manufacturing facilities, and securing a foothold in the cannabis market, success isn’t a given, and many will fold before having the chance to find an audience.

Unless these businesses are able to secure more than $1 million in funding for licensing fees and other startup costs, they are stopped before they can even enter the market. A lack of an effective and reliable network of suppliers for hardware, ingredients, and even banking services can also put a stop to cannabis dreams before they are actualized. 

My Green Network (MyGN) removes the roadblocks to success that new business ideas face, improving equity in the cannabis industry. 

“A MyGN cannabis business spends less than $50,000 for licensing, can pay rent as they scale, and can produce as needed with the costs shared by everyone in the facility. This means they can innovate, collaborate, and focus on making an amazing brand and product,” Shih revealed.

Fulfilling Dreams with Green Rush 2020

Seeing the difference their company can make in the success of their clients, they wanted to further extend this opportunity to an aspiring cannabis entrepreneur or business that otherwise wouldn’t have the ability. 

Shih explains, “As a minority-controlled business ourselves, we want to build a wider network of minority cannabis businesses worldwide. Green Quest is our annual program that we can effectuate a change to ensure that through our facilities, we can directly grant at least one minority-controlled business every year the chance to enter the industry!”

The winner of Green Quest 2020 will receive a paid for type S cannabis license for shared manufacturing at the My Green Network Orange County facility, subsidized monthly rent for shared space at the facility, in-house branding and packaging design, and legal assistance for business formation and trademarks. 

“Green Quest 2020 is our way to make this inaccessible market for minorities – simply put – accessible,” Shih said of the endeavour. 

Launch Your Cannabis Business

If you are interested in taking part in Green Quest 2020, they are now accepting applications. Applicants will participate in a three round process where they demonstrate the potential of their business before the winner is chosen.

For the first round, passionate minority-controlled businesses are invited to submit a video statement outlining their unique business idea and relaying how they would contribute to the cannabis community if selected.

Candidates chosen to move on to the second round will next present their business plan and participate in interviews with My Green Network executives. In this round, judges are looking for inspiring leaders capable of making a powerful impact. 

In the final round, finalists from round two will be placed before the public for the final vote. The intention is to bring together the entire cannabis community to choose, rather than focusing on the judges’ favorites. 

In the end, My Green Network hopes, through Green Quest 2020, to start to bring true equity to the cannabis industry. 

“I know it seems like a really grand vision, but we always shoot for the stars because the cornerstone of MyGN’s ideals revolves around taking what’s always been considered inaccessible – and destroying common thought by making it accessible,” Shih concluded.

Minority-controlled businesses are invited to present their ideas for Green Quest 2020. You can get started here. The deadline for entry is August 25th. 

If you are a cannabis business looking to partner with My Green Network, you can learn more here. 

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Like many long time cannabis vape users, I have been sold the idea that high powered vape batteries are wonderful at producing great big clouds of vapor and are therefore better. But what if a lower temp is the way to go?

High voltage vapes heat your cannabis oil to such high temperatures that you end up burning the oil, leading to irritated throats and lungs, ruined terpenes, and a loss in flavor. MAXX is different.

MAXX by Maximum Scientific was designed to pull the vaping world out of the heat with a low temp battery developed for optimal temperatures to best enjoy its flavor without affecting THC’s effects.

As vaping – and the average vaper – matures, the size of the vapor cloud becomes less important than flavor, lung health, and overall enjoyment of the vaping experience. In that sense, the MAXX vaping platform separates itself from the rest of the vapes on the market. 

Why MAXX Batteries?

It’s true that cannabis consumers have a nearly endless choice in vape batteries from which to choose. So why go with a MAXX battery from Maximum Scientific? Let’s look at the characteristics that make it stand out. 

The most obvious is that the MAXX moves away from universal 510 thread design and instead uses the new pod format made popular by vapes like JUUL. 

If you’ve never used a pod system vape pen like MAXX before, prepare to be blown away by how light and compact it is. Not only does this make it much easier to carry and hold in the hand, but it is also ultra discreet when used. This is a trait that is greatly appreciated by many vapers, even as cannabis use becomes more accepted. 

The MAXX battery gives you control over three variable heat settings, giving you freedom within an idealized temperature range that won’t overheat your cannabis oil or its tasty terpenes. All this comes from a battery that retails for just $25 online – less than many similarly styled batteries.

Secured Vaping System

Why move away from the largely universal 510 threaded battery when designing the MAXX? Part is that the company wanted to innovate a sleek modern battery in the pod style. But it is also because customer safety is paramount to Maximum Scientific. The company listened to extensive feedback in creating their vape system and designed it to optimize customer safety and satisfaction. 

The MAXX battery doesn’t work with just any vape pod available from your local dispensary. MAXX pods filled by Terpene Tanks work exclusively with the MAXX battery and no others. There is an excellent reason for this. 

We are not that far removed from the recent vape health crisis caused by unsafe counterfeit vapes being passed off to consumers as the real deal. These blackmarket and knockoff vapes aren’t held to the same lab testing restrictions as legit vapes, and as in the case of the health crisis, can contain toxic additives. The danger of knock off tanks is higher when vape manufacturers stick to the universal 510 hardware, which can be easily duplicated. 

The MAXX vaping platform has built-in protection against counterfeiters. When a genuine MAXX vape pod clicks into a MAXX battery, it will vibrate to indicate a legitimate connection and that it is ready for use. This is an important innovation that ultimately protects their customers. While not a required safety step, it demonstrates the lengths Maximum Scientific is willing to go to create safe products consumers can trust. 

It’s About the Terpenes

MAXX vapes were created to fill a void that the company saw in the vape market. While many brands primarily focus on potency and clouds of vapor, MAXX wanted to promote flavorful vaping.

When Maximum Scientific says that the MAXX vape battery preserves the flavor of their cannabis oil, what they mean is that they heat the oil to a temperature that allows terpenes flavors to be expressed most fully for tastier hits. 

MAXX vape pods, filled by their partner Terpene Tanks, are available in many popular and classic strain profiles, like Trainwreck, Wedding Cake, SFV OG, Durban Poison, and Maui Wowie. The terpene blends that give these strains their flavors and influence their effects help patients and recreational users alike to find targeted effects to meet their needs. 

Keeping it in House

With their partnership with Terpene Tanks, Maximum Scientific has kept the creation of their cannabis oils and hardware under the same “roof”, generating impressive results. 

Keeping the design and manufacturing of these products in-house is the only way to truly ensure that the battery is perfectly tuned for the oil being vaped. By sourcing oils from in-house farms, the company is able to closely control quality and potency, as well as ensure the supply necessary to meet growing consumer demand for their products. MAXX is a complete product that doesn’t leave customers wanting.

Where Can I Find MAXX Pods?

Although the batteries can be purchased anywhere online, MAXX vape pods are only currently available in Michigan’s legal cannabis markets. With about a half year behind them in the market, the brand has seen an outstanding response. Maximum Scientific is looking to perfect its business model and refine its product in Michigan before setting their sights on other legal cannabis states.  

Want to learn more about MAXX vapes or find a retailer near you? Check out the Maximum Scientific website.

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Planting season has arrived in the U.S., and hemp farmers are starting to plant their seeds for the 2020 growing season. Despite some hemp farmers being apprehensive about the 2020 grow season, most farmers remain enthusiastic and steadfast in their operations. 

Hemp was a wildly popular crop in 2019 as many farmers looked to grab their piece of the green rush caused by hemp’s full legalization in the 2018 Farm Bill. 

The demand for hemp is only going to continue to skyrocket.  

The global cannabidiol market size is expected to reach 22.2% CAGR by 2025, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. If that’s not enough, one of the key phytocannabinoids present in hemp derived CBG has been attracting a lot of attention in the scientific and wellness community as it is lauded for its purported anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. 

While America’s farmers have several factors to be concerned about regarding hemp as a crop this year, they have a lot to look forward to. Farmers can leverage this season with the right level of preparedness, support from the industry, government stimulus assistance, and having the right infrastructure in place.

Hemp is still the most lucrative crop per acre compared to corn, soybeans, and other conventional crops. 

Hemp Farmers Need the Right Genetics to Seize Opportunity 

For farmers to be successful in this climate, they will need to find the right partners, plant the right genetics, and follow the right protocols to maximize their yield. If farmers decide not to grow hemp this season, ripples could be felt throughout the hemp and CBD industries as prices soar. 

Historically, there has been a scarcity of hemp biomass which has presented a challenge to the ever growing demand for hemp derived products. If the industry does not yield enough hemp this year, it is likely that we would revert back to an environment when there is more demand for hemp than supply of it. This would lead to increased prices in the hemp and CBD supply chain.

Hemp Farmers and COVID-19 Stimulus

The government’s recent COVID-19 bill, the CARES Act, contained language designating stimulus funds for small businesses and farms. Many hemp industry insiders argue that includes hemp farmers as well. 

With the hemp industry in this country still in its infancy, these funds could be just the thing to give hemp farmers the security they need going into a rocky year to push forward planting their crops and have a successful season.

Getting Hemp Seeds in the Ground

Planting hemp crops is the primary objective for farmers over the next few months. While shipments from overseas have slowed and some farmers may struggle to find the seeds they need, domestic seed providers are ready to support the industry.

Even as smaller buyers of hemp biomass like Mom-and-Pop CBD producers reduce their orders or temporarily halt operations, larger CBD businesses are moving forward with ever-larger orders, further consolidating the industry and creating steady demand.

This has provided an opportunity for American farmers to pivot; all signs point to the need to seek domestic sources to find top quality genetics that are proven to grow successfully in U.S. regions. Because hemp related businesses in Colorado have been designated as essential during the outbreak, companies like EcoGen Laboratories are still operating to help hemp farmers prepare for their 2020 crops. 

Supporting Hemp Farmers 

With farmers facing so many challenges in the burgeoning hemp industry, programs that assist hemp farmers in feeling more secure can help this new industry take hold in the U.S. One way to ease the strain on hemp farmers is to establish programs that reduce the risk they take on when planting hemp. 

During this important planting season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, EcoGen will aid hemp farmers by providing competitively priced feminized seeds validated through genetic, germination and stability testing.  Following the final harvest, EcoGen would arrange to purchase back from farmers any unsold hemp biomass grown from the seeds bought from EcoGen that meet the company’s standards and arrange for shipping back to the facility for processing.

EcoGen’s hemp buy back program guarantees a minimum market for hemp farmers to recoup their investment in seeds despite potential fluctuations in the market. 

This sets a foundation of financial security for our partner farms: something that couldn’t come at a better time following the challenging 2019 season. Creating a symbiotic relationship between hemp growers, suppliers, and processors ensures mutually beneficial success for the entire hemp industry overall. 

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When I first heard that there was a service out there that would map your DNA to reveal what kind of cannabis I should be using, I was a bit skeptical. There are DNA testing kits to match you with all kinds of things: including the best wines, the right diet, the optimal exercise routine, and the ideal vitamins and supplements. 

But can my DNA really tell me how to have the best cannabis experience possible? It turns out it can! And in much more detail that you’d expect. 

I spoke with Len May the CEO and Founder of Endocanna Health, makers of Endo-DNA, to learn more about how everyone’s genetic differences affect how their body interacts with the compounds in the cannabis plant. 

The company uses DNA collected from customers to provide personalized insights about their individual endocannabinoid system, genetic predispositions, and precise formulations (“strains” as some would call it) that match their endocannabinoid systems and genetic makeup. I was eager to learn how it works.

The Research Behind Endo-DNA

When two people use the same cannabis product like a certain plant cultivar for the same desired outcome, why do some people react differently? 

It was assumed that it was variations in the plant’s genetics. But what if it is also our own genetics that play a role? That was the driving question behind early efforts by the company’s founders. 

The Endocanna Health team conducted thorough research to create Endo-DNA, including sequencing DNA samples from patients, to understand how certain genetic markers influence our experience with cannabis. The team closely examined nearly 100 genetic markers with ties to the endocannabinoid system to create the basis for the Endo-DNA system. 

The data generated by Endo-DNA offers useful information that can be applied in the real world. This includes matching cannabinoid and terpene profiles to your health plan, identifying risks and benefits of cannabinoids and terpenes for your unique genetic profile, and understanding potential drug interactions. 

All this is done in an effort to ideally match each patient with specific product formulations available in their area. This science based approach to the therapeutic use of cannabis reduces adverse reactions while promoting optimal benefits.

Understanding Medical Marijuana

This type of understanding is critical for medical marijuana patients who rely on cannabis products as part of their treatment. Too many patients, including myself, have discovered our ideal cannabis routine only through years of trial and error experimentation. Even then, there is no guarantee we are doing it right. 

Your personalized Endo-DNA report looks at your own genetic markers to see if you are predisposed to certain conditions like stress or negative reactions to cannabis and how to mitigate this with a certain combination of cannabinoids and terpenes. Your report can also look at how quickly your body metabolizes the compounds in cannabis like THC and whether or not cannabis will interfere with certain prescription medications. 

Now, beginners and experienced users alike can get data driven recommendations to increase effectiveness and minimize adverse effects. Lifestyle choices are also factored into your report to help understand how your genetic markers are turned on to further fine tune any recommendations. 

Finding the Right Products

All this data is ultimately leveraged to help you find the right cannabis products, or formulations, for your individual genes, allowing for incredibly personalized cannabis therapeutics and a more optimized experience with cannabis. 

Endo-DNA’s report can guide cannabis consumers to ideal dosing and ratios of THC and CBD, the two prime cannabinoids found in cannabis. However, it isn’t just the cannabinoids like THC and CBD. Lesser cannabinoids like CBG and CBN and terpenes like linalool and myrcene also affect the body differently depending on certain genetic markers. 

Of course, Endo-DNA isn’t strictly for medical marijuana patients. Recreational patients can also benefit. The generated report is able to zero in on what to look for and what to avoid when planning recreational cannabis use as well.  

How It Works

Endo-DNA is accessible to anyone who is curious about how their genetics might affect their cannabis experience. There are two ways to get started. 

If you have existing data from another DNA service, like 23andMe or AncestryDNA, you can simply upload this data to the Endo-DNA system for near instant results. Don’t worry if you don’t already have this information. Endo-DNA also offers a home testing kit that you can use to send your sample to be examined. 

Once your sample is received and examined, your report is generated for you to review. This report will reveal risk potential for categories including anxiety and stress, working memory, schizophrenia, THC dependence, and much more. The report will also feature a customized wellness plan that suggests ideal cannabinoid ratios and terpenes to focus on for an optimized experience. All this information also contains a detailed description of the report’s data to help you make sense of it all. You can learn more about Endo-DNA and how it uses your DNA to recommend a personalized cannabis routine here.

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Let’s face it, in terms of what we would all monkey around with in terms of our cannabis usage — your quality testing laboratory partners isn’t one of them.

But in a crowded market, who are the real industry leaders in the cannabis testing market? In terms of top standards and certainly the organization’s media coverage, Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs (or InfiniteCAL) in San Diego, California is clearly top tier and helping to set the standard.

Covered by ABC News and CBS News repeatedly, InfiniteCAL and the lab’s CEO Josh Swider have clearly become top thought leaders in educating how this now “essential” industry badly needs top quality testing and standards.

As part of an onslaught of TV coverage, InfiniteCAL, which has roughly 45 employees, 30 of those either chemists or biologists, has been covered by respected news outlet ABC News for its testing of cannabis for retailers and also protecting consumers by testing vapes during the recent vaping health scare late last year:

In his October 19, 2019, ABC News interview, Swider said that  their analysis showed that what’s making people sick is when the product is diluted, most recently with Vitamin E or Vitamin E acetate.

InfiniteCAL was also featured by ABC News last December, after the industry-leading cannabis lab teamed up with lead cannabis educator at Torrey Holistics to test unreliable cannabidiol (CBD) products, after working to collect about a dozen different products from various locations around San Diego and also online.

InfiniteCAL’s stunning, and newsworthy test results raised eyebrows, not just among journalists: of all of the samples gathered and tested, NONE of the samples tested had ANY CBD in them.

Continuing in InfiniteCAL’s swagger as an industry leader, the testing lab also pioneered a case study as covered in the ABC coverage previously mentioned, in which the lab found that 80% of cartridges collected during a buyback program tested as unfit for consumption.

As covered by Cannabis Business Times and Analytical Cannabis, this program promoted the health and safe consumption of cannabis products, getting illicit products off of the market and replacing them with safe, tested products.

InfiniteCAL also released just this year in January 2020, a case study covered by Terpenes and Testing that showed that showed that out of 12 samples of CBD product purchased at farmer’s markets, grocery stores and online, none of the samples tested as accurate for CBD label claims.

In May, 2019, the lab also partnered with Torrey Holistics on a case study report that also showed misleading labeling claims for CBD products, providing consumers with much-needed oversight and education.

With the entire “essential” cannabis industry waiting for the US federal government and FDA to get on board, thank goodness there are industry leaders such as InfiniteCAL that are leading the way, and blazing a trail of industry-leading education and also keeping consumers safe and protected.

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]]> https://cashinbis.com/infinitecal-leader-top-line-cannabis-testing/feed/ 1 https://cashinbis.com/new-look-feel-iconic-cannabis-edible-maker-kushy-punch/ https://cashinbis.com/new-look-feel-iconic-cannabis-edible-maker-kushy-punch/#comments Fri, 22 May 2020 20:08:18 +0000 https://cashinbis.com/?p=10344

Industry veterans press forward to bring their award winning marijuana gummies to legal markets across the U.S. It doesn’t get more old school in...

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Industry veterans press forward to bring their award winning marijuana gummies to legal markets across the U.S.

It doesn’t get more old school in California cannabis brands than Kushy Punch, whose tiny edibles dominated the Southern California medical marijuana market in the years leading up to recreational legalization. With a mission that medicine can be fun, the brand began spreading wellness one bite at a time, becoming the top selling cannabis gummy in California along the way.  

The company has come a long way since its beginning, modifying its formula and its packaging to keep up with new regulations and consumers preferences to continue to stay ahead in the legal cannabis market.  

Patient Favorite Edibles

Kushy Punch soared to popularity early on because they offered something to patients that many edibles couldn’t in California’s wild west medical marijuana market: consistency. While other companies were still producing untested edibles in basic kitchens, Kushy Punch was pushing the industry standards for quality and specific dosing to give patients peace of mind. 

In today’s market, many edible companies are using distillate, which strips away much of the fatty acids, cannabinoids, and other plant materials found in the source cannabis plant. Since the beginning and still today, Kushy Punch has used full spectrum cannabis oil for a true entourage effect experience and a long lasting, full body high favored by patients over distillate’s overpowering head rush.  

Continued Cannabis Innovation

Some veterans of the California medical marijuana scene may remember the company’s original formulation, a taffy that was very difficult to split into doses but prized among patients for its consistent potency. Soon after its launch, the company updated its taffy consistency to a gummy, a move lauded by patients who now had an easier time cutting Kushy Punch edibles into single servings. This awareness of their customers’ needs helps them make the changes necessary to keep up with consumer trends. 

In speaking of consumer trends, the company also moved to capture a share of the CBD market with their award winning line of CBD products. Kushy Punch even once dipped their toe in vape pens before deciding to focus on its successful edible business. 

All this reveals a company that is obsessed with innovation to both keep ahead of the competition and to create the best cannabis edible experience for their customers as possible. 

Transition to Recreational Sales

The passing of Proposition 64 introduced legal recreational marijuana to California, but it also brought with it a complex web of cannabis regulations that would soon entangle former medical marijuana businesses and newly launched recreational businesses alike. 

Just as many other existing medical marijuana businesses, Kushy Punch struggled some in the changeover to the recreational market and faced licensing issues, despite their intense preparation and partly due to the ambitious plans of the state to regulate its largely unregulated cannabis industry virtually overnight. These growing pains proved to be opportunities for improvement, and the company quickly pivoted to meet state requirements. 

The company took a step back, regrouped, and since March, are back in the California market with the same great gummies that made them a favorite among consumers. Kushy Punch believes that it is leading the way in California for quality and safety standards. The current management team has experience in adhering to regulations, as well as manufacturing and packaging standards like cGMP, from industries outside of cannabis, demonstrating a commitment to getting compliance right for the sake of their end users. 

New Markets and New Packaging

Since shifting to a recreational market in California, the company has brought the Kushy Punch brand to Michigan, becoming the number one cannabis gummy in the state, and is gearing up to launch in another new market, Nevada, valued at over half a billion dollars in sales.  

Kushy Punch is taking a bold step once again by revamping their packaging to coincide with their launch in Nevada. The company is ditching their old cardboard box for a sharp new compact tin. This discreet packaging slips easily into pockets and purses. The new packaging features patent pending technology designed to keep children’s hands from accessing the products inside, making it an exceptionally safe product for use in households with kids.

The company is also moving away from a segmented gummy that needs to be partitioned into servings. Kushy Punch will now be molded into 10 mg single serving gummies to meet state regulations in Nevada, California, and elsewhere. This solves an age old issue of how to best break your Kushy Punch into your desired amount accurately. 

The company is launching its new packaging alongside its launch in the Nevada recreational market, but this new look and feel will soon be coming to California shops. What hasn’t changed is the company’s proven formulations, which underlie the quality in each gummy and are the true reason for the brand’s legion of fans. 

What’s Next?

Kushy Punch plans to move into additional recreationally legal marijuana states like Arizona and Colorado in the near future and is keeping an eye on potential national legalization when it becomes a reality. The company is even exploring international opportunities to manufacture its products in new global markets. 

The company is also looking to expand into new products and new brands alongside the Kushy Punch label. This will potentially happen in the next six months, giving fans of this iconic brand something to look forward to.  

Although marketed under new brand names, the products will be produced by the same experienced team and feature the same Kushy Punch quality customers have come to trust. 

Until then, Kushy Punch gummies can be found in dispensaries throughout California and Michigan, and soon in Nevada. 

Learn more by visiting KushyPunch.com 

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With the novel coronavirus present in nearly every country on Earth, many cannabis users are reevaluating their smoking and vaping habits.

It wasn’t even a year ago that the vaping-related lung illness outbreak happened. Vaping, which was touted as a safer alternative to smoking, led to a spate of illnesses— many among young adults. The crisis drew many people’s attention to the potentially damaging effects of inhaling any substance.

Now, with the arrival of a pandemic disease that is causing severe respiratory problems, doctors are sounding the alarms. Dr. Jonathan Winickoff, director of pediatric research at the Tobacco Research and Treatment Center at Massachusetts General Hospital told the New York Times, in no uncertain terms, “Quitting during this pandemic could not only save your life, but by preventing the need for your treatment in a hospital, you might also save someone else’s life.”

One of the main risks smokers and vapers face is an increased chance of developing pneumonia and difficulty getting oxygen. That’s why the shortage of ventilators is so terrifying, and why quitting now— and reducing your risk of needing a ventilator— can save someone else’s life.

To reduce their likelihood of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms, many cannabis users are rethinking how they get their high— kicking the habit cold probably isn’t going to happen right now, anyways.

Stress and anxiety are ratcheted way up. Tens of millions of people in the US are forced to stay at home right now, and many of them have been furloughed or laid off. The rest are trying to transition to working from home or are considered “essential workers” and continue to venture out to their jobs.

The obvious alternative for cannabis users are edibles. If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve probably noticed that about half your feed is full of wanna-be Great British Bake-Off contestants. The calming art of baking is bringing many people joy in these troubled times, and there’s no doubt that many are adding in a few drops of cannabis oil to take the edge off even more.

But as the stay-at home orders extend from March into April and beyond, some might tire of the carbohydrate-laden lifestyle for their cannabis fix.

There are topical applications— salves and balms— that penetrate the skin but not the bloodstream. They can provide relief in the areas they’re applied, but it won’t be the same sort of high as smoking, vaping, or edibles. Like with edibles, you can make these yourself at home or buy one from your local shop where it’s legal— that is, if your state has deemed cannabis an “essential” business-like California and other states.

For those still looking for a similar high to vaping or smoking, tinctures may be a good alternative. Cannabis tinctures are high-dose extracts of THC or CBD suspended in another liquid like high-proof alcohol. A few drops taken directly into the mouth offer a low calorie, fast acting approach, or they can be mixed into juices, smoothies, or salad dressings. If you buy a tincture from the cannabis shop, you might find different flavors like watermelon or vanilla to spice things up. Tinctures, however, can provide inconsistent dosing, especially if you’re creating your own batches.

For cannabis users looking for the ease of vaping and the safety of tinctures, newly arrived sublingual sprays may offer the best of both worlds. CLICK Spray, which just launched a line of sublingual “mouth sprays” made with four proprietary THC and CBD cannabinoid blends, gives users an exact 2.5mg dose of cannabinoids with every spray. And because it’s sublingual, the cannabinoids go straight to your bloodstream and its effects take minutes, not an hour like some edibles.

“We’re all taking extra care of our health these days and, for many, cannabis can be a vital part of a well-rounded self-care routine, said CLICK’s Director of Marketing, Jared Gray. “We hope that as people become more educated on sublingual cannabis delivery, they will consider CLICK Sprays as a consistent, safe and flavorful option.”

For many people, cannabis is an essential medicine to make it through the day in the best of times. In these unprecedented and stressful times, cannabis can be a lifeline to make it through the day. If you’re trying to quit vaping or smoking, give your local cannabis shop a call to learn more about cannabis alternatives. Even though some are deemed essential, many cannabis shops are struggling more than most businesses, as they’re not eligible for federal relief or loans.

Finding the right alternative now from a local shop can help everyone survive until we can all breathe a little easier.

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Amid the craziness that is the COVID-19 outbreak, when most businesses are cutting back on their plans, a truly unique cannabis brand launched, not with a whisper, but with a shout.

Just days before 4/20, the honorary day of cannabis celebration, CLSICS introduced its rosin infused cannabis pre-rolls exclusively to customers at San Diego dispensary Mankind with a one of a kind launch that needs to be experienced first hand.

I had the chance to chat with CLSICS Founder and CEO Mathew Trautt to learn more about what sets his brand apart, why they choose to launch their brand during an pandemic, and the reason you shouldn’t miss the brand’s pop-up art installation at Mankind.  

Launching a Genuine Brand

In my nearly decade long career writing about cannabis and reviewing cannabis brands, I’ve spoken with countless heads of cannabis companies who speak passionately about how their brand stands above the competition. Rarely though, does it come across as authentic as with CLSICS.

During my conversation with Trautt, it became clear that he built CLSICS to be an extension of San Diego’s – and by proxy his – aesthetic. It is this spirit that runs through the brand’s packaging, its marketing, and most significantly, its bold launch earlier this month. 

Part of creating a genuine brand, of course, is selling quality products that you believe in. For CLSICS, it started with a simple question. “What is it that you want to smoke? For everyone here, it was flower and rosin,” Trautt said.

CLSICS comes out of the gate with a stunner. The brand’s first products are from its line of rosin infused pre-roll cones. The cones start with top quality buds of indoor grown flower and never shake or trim. This already sets the bar higher than most competitors are willing to clear. CLSICS then ups the ante by adding a stripe of rosin and finishing with a roll in finely ground cannabis flower. 

Looking for a way to bring clean, flavorful, and potent rosin to a wider audience, CLSICS landed on pre-rolls as a delivery method for a simple reason – accessibility. Customers won’t need to invest in pricey dab rigs in order to enjoy quality rosin. All they need is a lighter and a relaxing place to enjoy it. 

“What we found in our extensive R&D work, which consisted mostly of smoking a lot of pre-rolls,” joked Trautt, “is that you still get the rosin effect and the rosin flavor and that long lasting really smooth feeling high you are looking for [from rosin] in a pre-roll.”

CLSICS pre-rolls are available in 0.7 and 1.3 gram options. The 1.3 gram option has one gram of flower with 0.3 grams of bud squeezed rosin. The 0.7 gram option has 0.5 grams of flower and 0.2 grams of rosin. 

“Infused pre-rolls that are coming out primarily use distillate. So we started talking about infusing pre-rolls with rosin,” Trautt said of the process to create CLSICS pre-rolls with rosin instead of distillate in order to up their quality. 

“If you’re not using a [prefilled] cart, pre-rolls are the next option for on the go smoking. There really are no rosin [products] for on the go,” said Trautt of the inspiration for their products. The company tried a number of options before finding that tarantula style joints with the rosin placed on the outside and then rolled in flower created the ideal experience. 

Creating a Positive Experience

I came to learn something about this brand from my conversation with Trautt. CLSICS is a lifestyle brand – and that lifestyle happens to also include cannabis. 

But it’s more than just marijuana, and Trautt revealed that the company deliberately navigated their brand’s inception so that it isn’t just another cannabis brand. Pulling inspiration from Southern California’s vibrant art scene, the company teamed up with Trautt’s good friend, the artist BB Bastidas, to breathe life into the brand. 

This is evident throughout the CLSICS website and packaging, but it is most obvious in how they chose to launch their brand. In partnership with San Diego’s Mankind, CLSICS has created a pop-up art experience in the lobby of the dispensary with artwork created by BB Bastidas. The immersive experience will be on display for six weeks beginning April 17.

“We don’t want to do our pop-up shop where there’s a couple paintings on the wall and we are here to sell [our products]. We believe we are in something that no one is going to forget about in 2020. What are those things? Coronavirus and Joe Exotic,” Trautt said of the hallmarks of our current situation. 

You only get to leave the house for specific reasons and sometimes only for minutes at a time. How do you positively impact those experiences? 

Coming to a Dispensary Near You

Why launch a new brand during a global pandemic? Trautt said his team had considered waiting it out and launching when the risk had passed, but instead they decided to push forward.

“People still need their medicine. People still need to be able to stay sane while they’re inside. And we believe we can bring help,” Trautt shared.

While the company had originally planned to launch in multiple locations to start, the recent pandemic forced them to scale back to just one in their hometown of San Diego. So to make it memorable, they pulled out all the stops. 

“Our launch may not be what we wanted it to be, but we picked the right partner in San Diego to do it in our hometown with people who know us. That’s why it’s exclusive now at Mankind. It is what we can do to keep our employees safe.”

Trautt revealed that additional launches in dispensaries around Southern California will soon follow. Check out the CLSICS website for more or follow them on Instagram for the latest. If you live in the San Diego area, stop by Mankind to experience CLSICS pop-up for yourself. 

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Consumer safety and product integrity are tied directly to lab testing in the cannabis industry: here is what to look for in a third party testing lab.

In California and similar legal cannabis states around the country, the legal cannabis industry is struggling to properly protect its consumers from dangerous or improperly labeled products. This issue is largely tied to the lab testing of legal cannabis products that takes place before these products can be legally sold. 

A required step in the process of bringing cannabis products to market, third party lab testing is a pinch point in the cannabis industry, creating an enormous demand for testing labs. This demand has invited savvy entrepreneurs with no training in analytical chemistry to take advantage of this opportunity.

That means that not all third party testing labs are the same, and cannabis brands looking to guarantee the integrity of their products must find an honest, experienced, high quality lab in order to get consistent and accurate results. 

Evaluating Cannabis Testing Labs

While many cannabis consumers picture testing labs as professional, sterile places with scientists in white lab coats, the truth is that a surprising number of “labs” are small, poorly equipped setups run by inexperienced technicians. 

Looking to take advantage of the rising demand for cannabis testing, these hastily started labs are more likely to generate inaccurate results, or even worse, purposefully produce false results, putting cannabis consumers at risk and hurting the reputation of the legal cannabis industry.  

What should cannabis brands look for when choosing a third party testing lab? Cashinbis sat down to speak with Josh Swider, CEO of Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs (InfiniteCAL), to learn more about why cannabis testing is so important and what companies need to know when selecting a testing lab with which to work. 

“In the legal market, cultivators and manufacturers are required to do their due diligence to ensure their dosing is right and their products are safe. Analytical testing by an accredited third-party lab ensures businesses can stand by the quality and safety of their products,” said Swider.

To protect their customers and avoid the bad press and expense that comes from a state mandated recall, cannabis manufacturers need to put in the time and expense attached to finding and working with a top quality testing lab. This will guarantee that products are free of dangerous contaminants and dosed correctly, ultimately protecting the end user, whether they are medical patients or recreational consumers. 

When cannabis manufacturers are searching for a lab, it is strongly recommended that they find one that is operated by knowledgeable professionals with an educational background specializing in chemistry. 

“An analytical lab should only be operated by analytical chemists who put in the work to develop and validate their own methods that are unique to what they’re testing,” Swider told Cashinbis. “The employees you’re trusting to correctly prep your samples and analyze them on complicated instruments should all have science degrees.”

This will mean that they have the experience necessary to produce accurate results and adjust their methods based on different types of samples submitted, including a wide variety of cannabis edibles, tinctures, and topicals. 

“Manufacturers should also pay attention to customer service. Do the account representatives know the most updated regulations? Can they guide you on what exact analyses you need for your products? Are they willing to work with you on your method formulations, or help you identify a possible source of contamination in your product? Your lab should be willing to guide you from cultivation and production to sale,” Swider revealed.

Protecting Your Customers

Cannabis consumers shop the legal cannabis market due to its perception as a safer source for cannabis products. That is because the products are tested by analytical labs and should be free of dangerous contaminants like pesticides, solvents, or cutting agents. It is this belief in its safety that separates the legal market from the black market. 

“Like we’ve seen with the recent EVALI outbreak, most illicit manufacturers are using contaminated raw materials and further diluting their concentrates with dangerous additives to increase profit with complete disregard for consumer health,” remarked Swider.

However, variation in testing results from lab to lab due to a lack of standards and inexperienced technicians, as well as schemes like paying for falsified results or taking a failed product batch to another lab hoping to get better results, also puts consumers in danger and hurt the public’s perception of legal cannabis. Only using honest testing labs staffed by skilled technicians is an important step toward protecting your customers health and advancing the cannabis industry as a whole. 

A Higher Class of Testing Lab

Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs was created to address what founders Josh Swider and David Marelius saw as a lack of consistency and transparency when it comes to cannabis testing labs that put consumers at risk.  

This missing consumer safety in cannabis products was inviting bad press and giving the burgeoning cannabis industry a black eye in the view of the public. InfiniteCAL set out with public safety as its number one concern, bringing a background in chemistry to cannabis testing to ensure truly accurate testing results. 

Unlike at other testing labs, the technicians at InfiniteCAL are trained scientists with bachelor’s degrees or higher. This foundation of education and experience gives their team the ability to produce accurate and reliable testing results time and again. The team is also able to answer any questions cannabis manufacturers may have about the testing process to encourage transparency and an investment in the testing process by cannabis business owners. 

When looking for a cannabis testing lab, it’s important to choose one that is staffed by experienced scientists who are dedicated to producing accurate results. This will ultimately protect the integrity of your products, improve the reputation of your brand, and ensure the safety of your customers. 

You can learn more about Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs here. 

Cashinbis is your source for cannabis industry news. Find more on our cannabis news feed.

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