Cannabis growers, we need to talk. The industry is changing rapidly, and as legalization comes knocking, the old ways of growing will not be viable any longer. Today, I see us on the cusp of the first big shake-out of growers. The next 12 to 18 months will be hell for people who can’t adapt.

We need to start acting like adults and treat Cannabis as a serious 9-to-5 business.

Who am I to tell you this? Well, let me start by saying that I have never grown cannabis legally. I got my start by growing floriculture crops legally in large, commercial production facilities. I would go on to grow Cannabis illegally in a 3000 square foot grow room for 8 years. I never got caught and never ran into trouble. I avoided marijuana mitigation efforts by the state of Missouri. We grew and sold in bulk only, focusing on increasing the number of grams per plant.

During the farm crisis of the 1980s, I saw a lot of greenhouse growers knocked out of the market. Many hippies became land-rich and money-poor in no time. The smart ones shifted gears and focused on niche markets. I could list several hundred different growers who survived the crisis by specializing. What did these growers have in common? They could beat out the competition. They knew how to survive trying economic times by cost accounting. They were so familiar with cost accounting that they could tell you the cost of any crop by unit. We aren’t doing that yet in the cannabis industry, and it’s something we need to start doing.

Of course, cost accounting isn’t our only issue. There’s a host of other issues we need to resolve to be seen as a mature market. Here are some of the problems I see in today’s grows:

1. Genetics

The genetics system we have in place currently is unreliable and inconsistent. We can’t even get our names right. Other agricultural industries can buy seeds of a particular cultivar by the thousands and have a thousand identical plants. And that’s by seed, not by clone.

As the market shifts, it’s very likely we’ll see fewer cultivars come out, but they’ll have more consistent genetics and behaviors. The companies that are producing these new cultivars will be movers and shakers in the industry.

2. A Lack of Differentiated Market Segments

Market segmentation is a business term used to refer to targeted marketing. You focus on a particular audience or group of consumers (or multiple groups of consumers) to help make your product stand out. Right now, our industry is focusing either on broad swathes of society or very niche markets, missing out on significant marketing opportunities.

For example, flowers versus concentrates. The two require different approaches to growing, marketing, and accounting.

3. Too Much Pseudoscience and “Woo”

The cannabis industry relies too much on anecdotal thinking and superstitious beliefs. That is not the sign of a mature industry, and growers who are able to use scientific literature will experience much greater, more reliable success.

4. Inconsistent Growing Patterns and SOPs

We have not well-defined what makes a “great” plant, and in turn we haven’t determined the best ways to grow that “great” plant. Standardization helps reduce costs and improve quality, and growers with standardized processes will be incredibly competitive to those relying on their intuition alone.

5. Failing to Treat Cannabis as a Commodity

This goes back to what I was describing in cost accounting. Currently, accounting is not the primary driver of a grow. Since we are in the business of growing, our accounting needs to support the grow. Not the other way around.

In the next five years, we are going to see the good growers succeed and dominate the industry. These growers will generally fall into one of two groups: Big Cannabis and specialty growers. Both of these groups are going to face the same basic problems:

1. They will need to determine the cost of a gram per square-foot-week. Whoever is able to drive the cost down will dominate their market segment.
   1. Big Cannabis will be in greenhouses for bulk flower and in the field for concentrates.
   2. Boutique growers will be able to persist with higher costs in indoor grow rooms and will have to charge higher prices for it. They will have more limited market segments.
2. Growers will need to make the switch from vegetative cloning to F₁ seeds. This will be a huge shift for the industry, but seeds will lower production costs and control viral diseases, massive advantages that cannot be ignored.
3. Standardization of growing practices and cost accounting will become primary business drivers. End-to-end cost accounting will rule the grow.
4. Artificial lighting will sort itself out. Only a few specialty lighting companies will remain, and they will let the grows define the spectrum for each phase of the grow.
5. Environmental controls will become simpler. Greenhouse-specific controls will have to match the market pressure of cheaper office and home environmental controls as the margins for Cannabis begin to slim.
6. Growers using synthetics will have an economic advantage over organic growers. Organic growers will need to start marketing like they are the “Whole Foods” of cannabis and appeal to consumers.

Right now we stand on a precipice. We have a lot of great opportunities as growers, but we’re also looking at lots of challenges in the near-future. The cautious, science-based growers who have a strong emphasis on R&D and good accounting are going to win.

From the voices in my head.

You friend in growing,

Ethan

Today’s topic may not make for polite dinner conversation, but it’s an important one to have around the subject of cannabis’ effects on culture. Few things affect people’s underlying philosophies like their religions do. So how has cannabis influenced those religions? Let’s take a look, and I’ll try to break it down by major religions.

Author’s Note: A caveat is that there are a lot of religions in the world. In this article I will attempt to focus on the largest religions (the Abrahamic faiths, Hinduism, Buddhism) and a few other notable ones such as Rastafarianism. I shall try my best to be as objective as possible.

We’ll start this piece off with the religions that the majority of the world’s population believes in. Many studies and surveys place the total percentage of believers in Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) at around 55 to 56% of the total world’s population. That’s a lot of believers, so let’s get a little more specific and delineate their views:

Cannabis did not serve a major role in Judaism, and it is almost never mentioned, with one notable exception: the materials used to make traditional “holy anointing oil.” Holy anointing oil was used by priests and rabbis for various rituals, and was forbidden to common folk. In order to make holy anointing oil in the Jewish faith, you needed the following ingredients:

• 6 kg parts pure myrrh (a kind of tree resin)
• 3 kg part sweet cinnamon
• 3 kg part “Kaneh Bosem”
• 6 kg parts Cassia (another variety of cinnamon)
• About 4 liters of olive oil

Notice that third ingredient? “Kaneh Bosem”? This is where the contention lies, because Kaneh Bosem is not defined particularly well and is the subject of debate amongst Jewish scholars. Some speculate that this may refer to sweet cane, some think it is rosha grass, and few have suggested cannabis in the form of hemp. Because Judaism is such an old religion, translation and time have led to confusion over what “Kaneh Bosem” refers to.

Either way, this is the only possible reference to cannabis in the Hebrew Bible, and the only things that seem to get smoked are animal meats.

Christianity, like Judaism, did not generally refer to cannabis in its holy texts. However, there is a general consensus in most Christian denominations that cannabis falls under the purview of “intoxicants.” The Christian Bible generally refers to “wine” as being intoxicating, and several denominations have since expanded the list of intoxicants to include cannabis.

Of note amongst the different denominations, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS, or Mormons as they are colloquially known) prohibits almost all intoxicating substances, but does grant exclusions for non-intoxicating derivatives such as non-psychoactive cannabis.

Catholic popes have generally spoken against cannabis, and while Protestantism features no central authority, most large Protestant groups view cannabis use in a negative light.

The Quran does not say anything explicitly about cannabis, but most Islamic scholars view cannabis as an intoxicant, and thus haram (forbidden). Matter settled, right?

Well, not exactly. See, a lot of the countries that are majority Muslim are also where cannabis grows naturally (and likely originated), and it has become part of their culture. Hashish is historically Middle-Eastern, with origins tracing back to Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. Afghanistan is still one of the largest hash producers, and it’s a majority-Muslim country. Same goes for Morocco and Turkey -- cannabis predates Islam, and remains a major cultural symbol. Prohbtd did an excellent piece on this seeming contradiction, and you can read about it here.

Rastafarianism is considered an Abrahamic faith, and while the number of adherents are relatively small compared to other religions, it is worth mentioning the role that cannabis plays in Rastafarianism. For the Rasta, cannabis is a sacred herb, and ingestion brings them closer to Jah, or God. While cannabis use is not necessary to be a Rasta, many do partake.

Rastas point to Genesis 1:29, Psalms 18:8, and Revelation 22:2 as specific references to cannabis in the Bible, and treat cannabis as the herb to “heal the nations.”

If you would like to read more about the specific spiritual traditions of Rastafarianism and cannabis, you can read about them here.

Lest we be too Eurocentric, there are faiths of very significant size in India and China, as well as the rest of Asia and the Pacific Islands. Of particular note in the Eastern Hemisphere are Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Chinese Folk Religion (including Taoism) due to their large number of adherents. Let’s dive in!

In Hinduism, Bhang is a traditional beverage made of ground-up cannabis flowers and various spices, and is traditionally served during the festival of Holi. The act of drinking bhang is supposed to cleanse the body of sins.

In traditional Hindu lore, cannabis is directly associated with the god Shiva, and is considered one of the five most holy plants in the Atharva Veda. There are multiple differing stories about how Shiva is associated with cannabis, but all of them depict cannabis as a rejuvenating and cleansing plant. Many ayurvedic texts (early Indian medicinal books) recommend cannabis as a treatment for pain or as an aphrodisiac, but only in small quantities.

A typical depiction of Shiva. Notice anything about the leaves?

Cannabis is also referred to in several other Hindu holy scripts, including Dhanvantari Nighantu, Sarngandhara Samhita, and Kayyadeva Nighantu. Just in case you’re interested.

In Buddhist traditions, the five precepts, or five rules of training, are the underpinnings of Buddhist morality and constitute its code of ethics:

• The first precept is against the taking of life unnecessarily.
• The second precept prohibits theft.
• The third precept condemns adultery.
• The fourth precept preaches against lying or false speech.
• The fifth precept (and the most relevant one to us) prohibits intoxication.

The fifth precept is the most important in our discussion. Some practitioners believe that the fifth precept is meant to apply specifically to alcohol, but others believe it also applies to any drug or narcotic as well.

Additionally, after I spoke with a few Buddhists, it became clear that every precept may have exceptions depending on circumstance. If an action does more good than harm, it may be an exception to the precepts. For example, if cannabis is used to resolve a medical issue and not just get high, then it is an exception to the fifth precept. Cannabis is part of traditional Buddhist medicines, so there are established exceptions in place for it.

Some Sikhs celebrate the festival of Holi like Hindus do, and consume Bhang as well. However, the first Sikh guru stated that any mind-altering substance was forbidden, including cannabis.

Chinese folk religions include a wide swathe of different religious beliefs, including Taoism and Confucianism.

Editor’s Note: Please note that there is a large amount of variation in traditional Chinese religions, and they don’t always agree on certain subjects.

Cannabis has been traditionally grown in China for thousands of years, and is considered an important part of agriculture in the region. Its fiber was used for rope and bow strings, and it is prescribed in many traditional Chinese texts as part of medicinal formulations.

Traditional Chinese medicines focus on the equilibrium of Yin and Yang (feminine and masculine, respectively). Cannabis was associated with Yin (femininity) because of the fact that female cannabis plants are more productive than male ones. As such, it was used to treat menstruation, gout, rheumatism, malaria, absentmindedness (Probably didn’t help with that!), and more. Later Chinese doctors would use cannabis as an anesthetic.

Certain sects of Taoism also used cannabis as part of the incense in their traditions, providing hallucinogenic properties to various rituals. There is even a Tao deity named “Magu” whose name is literally translated as “hemp maiden.” She is a symbol of longevity and womanhood in this lore.

There are a few religions that are worth a special mention because of their relationship with cannabis. While the number of adherents to these religions is quite low compared to the other religions we have mentioned in this article, we might as well mention them because of their strong emphasis on cannabis:

• THC Ministry
• Cantheism
• Church of Cognizance
• Church of the Universe
• Temple of the True Inner Light
• And several other organizations similar to the ones listed above.

Paganism is a very loose term applied to any non-Abrahamic faith. In the context of this article, we are referring to European paganism, and most specifically Germanic Paganism.

There is archaeological evidence in some sites around Norway and Germany that cannabis (typically referred to as hemp) was used in rituals relating to the goddess Freya, the goddess of love, war, and death. We also know that the Vikings used hemp frequently as part of the cordage to sail in their ships, as it was superior to the bast fiber they had been using prior, and hemp was highly valued amongst Vikings for this reason.

Some research I found suggested that cannabis was involved in a fertility ritual in Germanic Paganism, but I could not find an original source to back this claim.

Phew! I hope that brief spiritual lesson was enough to make you want to go smoke a bowl. Either way, let us know your thoughts about this kind of article in the survey below, or in the discussion on the forum!

We’ll start today’s article with the Blues, the musical origin of many different kinds of music. The Blues originated in the postpartum American South, and developed from African-American spirituals and chants about struggles and discrimination. In the United States, cannabis has been stereotypically associated with African-Americans and Mexican immigrants, and some singers and songwriters played this association up. Here’s a piece from Ella Fitzgerald about how she dealt with struggles in her life:

Because Blues started in poor regions of the American South, recordings of early Blues music are generally rare, so it’s somewhat more difficult to track the role cannabis played in some of this music. However, references to it do appear from time to time in songs like “I’m Gonna Get High” (1937), “We Gonna Get High Together” (1938), and “Weed Head Woman” (1941).

Jazz was directly affected by the Blues, and originated around the same time. Unlike the Blues, however, Jazz is manic in its style, often with free melodies, and a wider variety of instruments. Where Blues has a relatively strict structure, Jazz does not. However, like the Blues, Jazz musicians referenced cannabis in many of their songs, and nowhere is this more obvious in songs referencing “reefer.”

Some other older Jazz songs that reference Cannabis are “Jack I’m Mellow” (1922), “The Man From Harlem” (1932), and “All the Jive is Gone” (1936). Famous Jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong were noted as lifelong users of cannabis.

Unfortunately, the Marihuana (sic) Tax Act of 1937 effectively made cannabis illegal, but cannabis would continue to remain in musical minds regardless of its legal status.

Over in Jamaica, cannabis culture was alive and well thanks to the Rastafari. And nowhere else is it clearer that cannabis has had a serious impact on music than reggae and ska, which originated out of Jamaica. Bob Marley, one of the most famous reggae musicians, is often considered an international symbol representing cannabis.

The religion of Rastafari celebrates cannabis as a holy herb and uses it in a variety of different religious rituals. As a result, it affects many aspects of culture in Jamaica, including reggae.

Some of the earliest rock-and-roll musicians, the Beatles, were known to be big fans of cannabis use. Much of their music contained hidden references to cannabis, and when they wanted to go smoke a joint, they would use the expression “Let’s have a laugh!” And of course, they could use a little help from “a friend.”

Paul McCartney, the bassist for the Beatles would go on to have his own solo career, and referenced cannabis in several of his solo songs, including the song “Hi, Hi, Hi”. Many other influential rock and roll bands such as Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, and more would reference cannabis from time to time in their songs.

Hip-hop music originated out of blues, reggae, and rock in the 70s, and also inherited their love for cannabis. Needless to say, plenty of hip-hop music contains references to cannabis. Some of this music could get pretty raunchy, and because we try to stay professional, we’ll avoid linking anything too negative or rude. Instead, here’s a positive take on cannabis:

Rap and Hip-Hop are sometimes used interchangeably, but rap is only sometimes included in hip-hop music. Regardless, rap music carries on hip-hop’s tradition of referencing cannabis to this day.

From my time looking at some of the history of 19th and 20th century music, it’s pretty clear that cannabis has had a strong influence on major musicians. While not every band consumed, many prominent musicians and music styles would have been very different without the effects of cannabis.

Every profession, industry, or hobby has its own technical jargon. This jargon can often confuse the general populace because it may use terms with entirely different meanings. For example, a scientific “theory” is completely different from the usage of “theory” in common parlance. A scientific theory is considered the most rigorous scientific understanding of a given subject, but in common usage it means what scientists would consider a hypothesis.

The Cannabis industry is no exception to this principle, and as such uses many terms that may be misconstrued or confusing to people who are not “in the know.” Because Growers Network is dedicated to educating both the Cannabis industry, we wanted to take this time to help educate the general public about these terms. All terms listed here are available in our glossary, or will be added to our glossary. If you would like to skip to any section, click on the links below:

1. Biology
2. Chemistry
3. Consumption
4. Cultivation
5. Processing

Biology

CB₁ / CB₂ Receptors

The CB₁ and CB₂ receptors are receptors found in the signalling pathways in the human body that are responsible for picking up different cannabinoids. CBD and THC often interact directly with these receptors.

Endocannabinoid System

The endocannabinoid system is a signalling system found within most animals and is responsible for the regulation of a variety of different hormones and chemical signals. In humans, the endocannabinoid system is what Cannabis acts upon, altering its normal behavior.

Indica / Sativa / Ruderalis / Hybrid

Indicas, Sativas, and Ruderalis refer to different subspecies of Cannabis, found natively in different regions of the world. Each type has its own unique properties associated with it. Hybrids are a combination of these different subspecies.

Hemp / Marijuana / Cannabis

Each of these terms refers to the genus Cannabis. Hemp and marijuana are just different names for the same thing. Industrial hemp, however, refers to something specific. Industrial hemp is Cannabis that contains 0.3% THC or less, and thus cannot used for recreational purposes.

Chemistry

Cannabinoids

Cannabinoids are a group of compounds that can be found in Cannabis and in the human endocannabinoid system. There are a large number of different cannabinoids, and they are often written in their abbreviated form.

Note: Every single cannabinoid has an “acid” precursor form. These acid precursors are produced by the plant, and are converted into their non-acid form in a process known as decarboxylation, which we will describe later. Acid precursors have their abbreviation appended with an “-A” or “A.” (IE: THCA / THC-A, CBDA / CBD-A)

• Tetrahydrocannabinol (Abbrev: THC)
  1. THC is the primary psychoactive compound in Cannabis.
• Cannabidiol (Abbrev: CBD)
  1. CBD is valued for several medical properties, and is non-psychoactive.
• Cannabinol (Abbrev: CBN)
• Cannabigerol (Abbrev: CBG)
• Cannabichromene (Abbrev: CBC)
• Cannabicyclol (Abbrev: CBL)
• Cannabivarin (Abbrev: CBV)
• Cannabielsoin (Abbrev: CBE)
• Cannabicitran (Abbrev: CBT)
• Tetrahydrocannabivarin (Abbrev: THCV)

It is very likely more cannabinoids will be discovered in the feature, so keep an eye out for any abbreviation that begins with “CB.” There are also less-common cannabinoids which are isomers of other molecules, such as THC-8.

Decarboxylation / Decarb

Decarboxylation is a chemical process that relies upon heat (often from smoking or cooking) to cause a carboxylic acid group to leave the cannabinoid. This is how the acid forms of cannabinoids are converted into their non-acid forms. For example, THCA is converted to THC by decarboxylation.

Terpenes

Terpenes are a group of chemical compounds found in nearly all plant life on Earth, with Cannabis being no exception. Terpenes are responsible for the wide variety of smells and flavors associated with different Cannabis strains.

Consumption

Bong / Bowl / Water Pipe

A bong or “water pipe” is one method of consumption that essentially acts like a hookah, but for Cannabis. Ground-up Cannabis is placed into a bowl, which is then heated and the smoke is pulled through the apparatus by the user’s lungs. Thus, it is sometimes called “smoking a bowl.”

Dabbing and Nails

Dabbing is a consumption method for Cannabis that uses concentrates instead of flower. Dabbing uses a “dab rig” that appears similar to a bong, but with a few key differences:

• A “nail” typically is composed of titanium, quartz, ceramics, or glass. Nails that are made of quartz are sometimes called “bangers”
• A “cap” to allow the accumulation of smoke (sometimes called a “carb cap” because it acts like a carburetor)

Edibles

Edibles are a large variety of different foods that are created using Cannabis concentrates. Generally edibles are made using infused sugar, infused oil, or infused butter. A small list of edibles includes:

• Gummies / Lollipops / Taffy / Candy
• Brownies / Baked Goods
• Sodas / Drinks (such as Bhang)
• Cannaoil or Cannabutter mixed in with other food items such as popcorn or salad dressing.

Joint / Spliff / Doobie / Marijuana Cigarette

Possibly the oldest form of Cannabis consumption, a joint is simply ground-up Cannabis flower rolled with a rolling paper into the shape of a cigarette. The joint is then lit on the opposite end and inhaled.

Pipe

Probably one of the oldest forms of consumption, besides a joint, is a good old pipe. Ground-up Cannabis is placed inside of it, and heated up. The user then inhales. Pipes are typically made of glass or ceramics, but can be made with other heat-resistant materials.

Tinctures

Tinctures is a term used to refer to cannabis extracts/concentrates that are typically delivered under the tongue (sublingually) or in a mucous membrane via an eyedropper. Tinctures are intended to be a fast delivery method without smoking.

Topicals / Transdermals

Topicals and transdermals are consumption methods that use a lotion or patch to apply the cannabinoids to your skin. This delivery method is slower and less efficient than other delivery methods, but its effects are longer-lasting and subtler.

Vape / Vaporizer / Vape Pen / Vape Cartridge

A vape, vaporizer, or vape pen is a convenient method of consumption that takes a vape cartridge full of concentrate or extract and heats it up with a small coil. The vaporized contents are then inhaled by the user.

This method of consumption is very common, due to the small size of vape pens and the ease of usage.

Cultivation

Aeroponics

Aeroponics is a hydroponic cultivation method where the plant’s roots are suspended in air and sprayed regularly with a fine mist of nutrient solution. Unlike other hydroponic methods, aeroponically grown plants do not have their roots suspended in water.

Buds / Nugg / Nugget / Flower

Buds and Nuggs are used to refer to the Cannabis flower. Unlike other flowering plants, Cannabis flowers are dense and concentrated, making them resemble little gold nuggets or chicken nuggets.

”Feminized” Seeds

Feminized seeds are female seeds that have been separated from male seeds. This can be done using genetic testing. Cannabis as a plant can be male, female, or both (sometimes called “herms”), and female plants are the most productive of the sexes. As a result, most growers seek out feminized seeds.

Flowering

Flowering is a late stage in the life cycle of Cannabis. It is the stage where buds become dense, trichomes start appearing with greater frequency, and the Cannabis plant begins to prepare for reproduction. After flowering, Cannabis plants will die.

Geoponics

Geoponics, as opposed to hydroponics, is a conventional growing method using soil.

Hydroponics

Hydroponics is a growing method that does not rely upon traditional soil. Plants can be grown in a variety of inert mediums (or media) and fed a steady diet of nutrient water. There are different methods to feed the plants, including ebb-and-flow, aeroponics, deep water culture, and more.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Integrated Pest Management is a pest control strategy that focuses on preventative and proactive techniques, rather than reactive pest control. For example, a common problem in indoor and greenhouse grows is powdery mildew. Many growers will add fans and increase the airflow in the grow to prevent the formation of powdery mildew. This would be considered an IPM approach.

Medium

The “medium” is the substance in which the plants roots are held. This can be traditional soil, coco coir, rockwool, clay, sand, pebbles, or other solid media. Every growing media has its own perks and drawbacks, and many growers will have a preferred medium.

”Mother” Plants

Mother plants, known as stock plants in the horticultural world, are Cannabis plants that are kept permanently in a vegetative state in order for growers to take cuttings from them. These mother plants serve as the genetic basis for the clones in a growing facility.

Propagation

The propagation phase of a grow is the phase in which plants are either cloned or grown from seed. This is the most delicate phase of the grow.

Strains

“Strains” is the current term used to refer to Cannabis cultivars. Each strain has a different set of traits and different chemical composition associated with it.

Veg / Vegetative State

The vegetative state is the period in-between propagation and flowering. It is a period where the Cannabis plants have a sturdy root system and are growing steadily. The plants are not flowering during this period, and the plant is instead focusing on growth.

Processing

”Crystal”

Some isolates can be converted into a “crystalline” form. The most common crystals you’ll hear about will generally be THC crystals or CBD crystals. These crystals have a very high intensity, and should be treated with caution.

”Full-Spectrum” Extract

This is a special term used to refer to extracts that contain more than just cannabinoids, but also the majority of the cannabis’ terpene content.

Isolates / Distillates / Extracts / Concentrates

All the terms above describe products that are made via a chemical extraction process. Essentially, these products remove the compounds we are really after from the plant material. Cannabis, like most plants, produces a variety of different chemical compounds necessary to support its structure and support life. These compounds are largely irrelevant to consumers and patients, and isolates, extracts, concentrates, and distillates separate the relevant compounds from the irrelevant ones.

Wax / Shatter / Live Resin / Cherry Oil / Honey Oil / Rick Simpson Oil / Butane Hash Oil / Hash / Crumble / Rosin / CO₂ Oil / Dab / Kief

Whoooooa Nelly that’s a lot of terms!

All the terms listed above are different kinds of extracts and concentrates. Most of the names for these extracts describe the physical appearance and characteristics of the concentrate. Some also describe how the extract is produced.

There are many more terms that I haven’t even included in this list. Some of the naming schemes may also vary by locality and preference.

Rosin Press / Closed-Loop Extractor / Subcritical or Supercritical CO₂ Extraction / Short-Loop or Short-Path Distillation / Vacuum Oven

These terms refer to some of the equipment and methods used to create the extracts and concentrates we mentioned above. Every extract listed above is produced with a different method.

On both personal and professional levels, the cannabis industry is an extremely exciting thing to be a part of. For many who work in cannabis, there is an inherent pride in helping shape the industry into something great, something to be proud of. Yet, as the entire market is comprised of startup businesses, there are many challenges that job seekers would likely not see in more established lines of work.

Due to the novelty of the cannabis job market, there is great deal of volatility in job security. This can be for any number of reasons, including an inherent lack of organization, a lack of proper capitalization, or even a lack of a proper business plan. Additionally, there are a good number of business owners and investors who have inflated plans of “getting rich quick” in the industry, treating it as though it’s a gold green rush, not a serious business.

As a result of the instability of the cannabis space, it is vital that job searchers vet their potential and future employers. Doing some preemptive research about a business can help people better understand what sort of company it is they may be working for. Similarly, approaching a job interview with a critical awareness of the market can be helpful to one’s chances of being hired. With any luck, extra precautions can save the job seeker some serious heartache and frustration.

With the above ideas in mind, here are some great avenues to explore in vetting potential cannabis industry employers:

An extremely effective way to avoid taking the wrong job in cannabis is to simply be upfront and forward during the interview process. This often means asking tough questions like: “Why did the last employee in this role leave?” or “What sort of turnover rates do you have?” While it may seem somewhat daunting to press a potential employer on these tough questions, the best employers should respect applicants for being upfront and honest. In the event that the potential employer seems agitated by your questions or tries to deflect, it's probably a warning sign that they have something to hide.

Editor’s Note: Don’t fall prey to asymmetric information. Being upfront during an interview establishes yourself as someone who should not be taken advantage of.

After the initial interview phase, some of the more astute job searchers will ask to speak to other employees at a company in deciding if the business is a fit for them. With this inside information, applicants can get a feel for their potential co-workers, as well as the general morale of the workplace. Potential coworkers demeanors and beliefs should be pretty telling about the business as a whole.

A major theme seen amongst dissatisfied cannabis industry employees has to do with the funding behind an operation. Namely, the industry is plagued by startup business owners who cannot pay their employees on time, if at all.

As such, doing some internet sleuthing on the financial state of a potential employer is never a bad idea. In fact, prior to starting a job search, we often encourage candidates to research what cannabis companies have recently received funding. With this critical approach, job searchers can identify and focus on businesses who have ample liquidity to handle payroll.

One of the great things about using financial data to vet a company is that cannabis companies who have received funding have already been thoroughly vetted by their financiers, which says a good deal about their internal organization and business model. If they have a business model and organization that appeals to these standards, they should have their business in order.

Do you have any other tips for vetting employers? Let us know in the survey or on the forums!

If online Google searches are anything to go by, it seems like the general populace doesn’t know the difference between hemp and marijuana:

So let’s address the elephant in the room: Hemp, marijuana, and Cannabis are all different names for the same species of plant belonging to the Genus Cannabis. Cannabis, in all its different forms and different strain names, is the same species as hemp.

Once more: Hemp is the same species as Cannabis. Biologically there is no difference.

Well, the simple answer is that the cannabis people use to smoke joints and get high off of has a slightly different chemical composition than industrial hemp. Cannabis that is grown for its flowers and buds typically has a high concentration of THCA, the acid precursor to THC. THC is short for Tetrahydrocannabinol, and is the primary psychoactive ingredient that gets users “high.” Generally these varieties of Cannabis have anywhere from 2% to 30% THC in them.

Hemp products, unlike smokeable Cannabis products, generally have less than 0.3% THC in them. This means that Hemp flowers/buds are virtually useless to anybody who is trying to get high off of them. You would have to burn a lot of these flowers to feel even a minute effect.

Unlike the early 1900s, we know which chemical is the source of the buzz, and governments around the world have recognized this fact. Hemp is making a major resurgence as an agricultural product, because the entire plant can be used to make a variety of different products:

• The seeds are edible and high in caloric content.
• The stalks and stems are very high in fiber content, and can be used to make textiles, cordage, and even construction materials.
• The flowers and plant material can be chemically extracted for a variety of different chemical compounds that play a role in medicine, including CBD.
• Cannabis roots are edible and used in old, traditional medicines.
• Cannabis leaves can be used to make a juice that is supposed to help people with IBS and Crohn’s Disease.
• The entire plant, when dried, can make excellent kindling and fire material.

In fact, Cannabis is so useful that the NCBI has a rather lengthy review of the plant’s different applications.

I hope that answers your question! Hemp is the same species as Cannabis, and the only real difference is in THC concentration. If you have any other questions, why don’t you let us know in the survey below, or join the community to discuss it on our forums?