At publication time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had identified 805 cases of lung injury, including 12 confirmed deaths, related to e-cigarette use or vaping. The cases, which spanned 46 states and the U.S. Virgin islands, left cannabis business owners and scientists scrambling to educate the public and the industry about vape technologies, the bioactivities of molecules and compounds in vape products, and the disparities between the legal and illicit cannabis markets (and the popular e-cigarette market). The most visible hypothesis is that illicit-market operators are distributing and selling untested cannabis vape cartridges with high levels of vitamin E acetate, a preservative often found in nutritional supplements or beauty products. And while public education is a vital job duty for anyone working the front lines of cannabis retail, the entire supply chain is involved in this conversation now.
Full Story: bit.ly/vaping-related-lung-disease
Vape Sales Hold Steady for Many Retailers Following Weeks of Negative Headlines
In the wake of the news surrounding vaping-related lung illnesses and seven reported deaths in the U.S.—and the first confirmed illness reported in Canada Sept. 18—cannabis cartridge manufacturers and retailers took to social media to convey the safety of their products. While some cannabis product manufacturers and retailers reported seeing negative hits on vape sales, it’s not yet clear if any of that is explicitly tied to the CDC reports or to some other, more nuanced trends in the industry.
Full Story: bit.ly/vape-sales-hold-steady
Berkeley Patients Group Turns 20: Compassionate Beginnings
Berkeley Patients Group, one of the oldest operating dispensaries in the country, celebrates its 20th anniversary in October. In Part I of a three-part series, CD spoke with BPG Co-Founder and Vice President Etienne Fontan about the dispensary’s origins, its founders’ passion for cannabis and their fight for patient access.
Full Story: bit.ly/berkeley-patients-group-turns-20
9 Tips for Creating a Winning Cannabis Business License Application in New Markets
As new states legalize and regulate cannabis, prospective business owners looking to set up shop in these new markets must first navigate the license application process. CD spoke with Derek Sigman, director of licensing for SIVA, a full-service cannabis business development firm that provides state license application support, for his top tips for securing a cannabis business license in Illinois’ nascent adult-use market and beyond.
Full Story: bit.ly/cannabis-business-license-application-tips
