Michigan Momentum & Heavy Highlights
Plus: Events everywhere.
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Time to read: About 4 minutes. Contains 886 words.
Good morning!
Peeking out from my pile of pre-book launch to-do’s to check in and say hello! To the paid subs wondering where the Friday newsletters went the past couple of weeks—they’ll be back and better than ever, I assure you. I’ve got some insightful interviews, roundtables, and trend reports in the works, just distracted until pub day.
Thank you to everyone who’s pre-ordered their copy of Green Scenes! This is the first-ever guide to cannabis destinations in legal states, and, good sales numbers willing, it won’t be the last! The curation of cool, ethically-operated dispensaries, fun experiences, and flower-friendly lodging is the culmination of my ten years of reporting and a ton of additional research, and I’m so excited for the cannabis community and the rest of the world to see it. If you’re interested in wholesale orders, let me know!
Alright, let’s catch up on a lil news, gossip, and happenings.
One-Hitters: Cannabis News at a Glance
The vulnerable reality of renown. Any cannabis brands who felt the sting of jealousy when they saw Edie Parker’s New York Times feature ought to take a peek at the comments section on that Instagram post now. “Deeply uncomfortable considering the amount of non-white people who have been put behind bars for weed use and distribution,” reads one comment with 581 likes. “Incredibly out of touch with the reality of weed criminalization for predominantly non-white people,” reads another. “Cringe” is mentioned more than once. I mentioned that I was happy to see this post last week, and I still am—we need more lighthearted stories about cannabis in major media outlets that predominantly stick to policy, illegal activity, and struggle when it comes to weed. These reactions reveal how the (young) mainstream audience is looking at New Weed right now. I honestly think the issue is less about being tone-deaf and more rooted in how rare these profiles are. There are cannabis businesses with stylish approaches owned by chic Black and Brown women, too—they just aren’t getting the same profiles. It’d be ideal to no longer live in this split reality of legal cannabis businesses operating while people serve time for cannabis-related charges. It’d also be nice to see more balanced lifestyle coverage.
People don’t know when they’re shopping legally vs. illegally. It’s one thing to encourage people to choose to drive to their local dispensary instead of calling the classic dealer—it’s a different challenge altogether when shoppers visiting a dispensary don’t know if it’s an unlicensed operator or not. In New York, and apparently California, this is a massive obstacle. In a survey of 1000 people by California’s Department of Cannabis Control, only 42% said it was difficult to tell if a retailer was licensed or unlicensed. I believe some states have special stickers they place at the front of licensed dispensaries. I’ve seen what looks like a cease and desist order affixed to the front door of some illicit New York operators—if even those aren’t working, we’re going to need bigger signs/ideas.
The legal state to pay attention to: Michigan. In its latest review of state-by-state cannabis regulations and market potential, law firm Thompson Coburn LLP put the midwest state at the top of its list of ones to watch. The rankings took into account variables like medical and recreational cannabis legality and licensing, commercial licenses, regulatory agencies, trends in cannabis legalization support, and business opportunities based on operators, consumers, and industry potential in the state. Illinois took the #2 spot—bolstered by population density and the recent removal of residency requirements—and California sat at #3.
A flashy new Las Vegas consumption lounge. Smoke and Mirrors opened its doors earlier this week, welcoming guests into an upscale environment appointed with velvet green couches and offering infused mocktails. The endeavor is a related to Thrive Cannabis Marketplace dispensaries and local cannabis hospitality company, RESET, and I imagine will become a powerful spot to network in by the next MJ BizCon.
The weed celebs were out at CHAMPS Trade Show. Speaking of weed biz networking opps—I honestly have been sleeping on CHAMPS. Seth Rogen manned Houseplant’s booth; Mike Tyson showed up to promote his latest collab with Royal Queen Seeds (and forcibly shotgun Floyd Mayweather). Billed as the ultimate “counterculture” B2B expo, there’s a lot more than weed going on, and a lot of the tired but true hot-girls-handing-out-samples energy going on. Nothing revolutionary, but seemingly still a potentially worthwhile palace to find partners/distributors. Curious to hear if any of you readers attended? Share in the comments!
Fun, creative cannabis events throughout March. All of this hubbub bodes well for what’s to come in April!
Mexico City this Saturday, 3/2: Rose Los Angeles is making an appearance at a special dinner with chefs Joey Rachel and Huerik Palos at Casa Teo.
Los Angeles on 3/3: A beads and buds craft sesh with Nancy Chains making beaded charm bracelets, sipping espresso and matcha, and smoking Alien Labs flower.
Los Angeles on 3/16: A workshop on growing cannabis at home in your backyard or on a patio with Emily from @growitfromhome and Penny Barthel, author of The Cannabis Gardener, hosted at the International Garden Center.
Chicago on 3/24: Herbal Notes is hosting a snacky celebration of flower and skewered eats, highlighting influences spanning the streets from Tokyo to Mexico.
Until next sesh,
Lauren Yoshiko