Public Consumption & Pinata Pipes
Public Consumption & Pinata Pipes
Plus: A call for more storage options.
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Time to read: About 6 minutes. Contains 1,100 words.
Good morning!
I hope everyone is finding peace where they can this week.
I’m finding zen in the leafy canopies of my home base of Portland, OR, which are currently shifting into a warm kaleidoscope of gold and red. I love this time of the year—fall TV is back (anyone else getting creeped out by The Changeling on Apple+?), the tree-lined streets are different colors every day, and the crisper breeze carries fresh momentum.
That’s not to knock the f***-it, midweek river days and softer deadlines of the summer—much appreciated, to be sure—but I relish the ramping up of productive energy that comes with harvest time. It’s a time of bringing projects to fruition (just finalized my book cover! 🥹) and lightning strikes of creativity; planting fresh seeds and all that.
I was particularly energized last week by the rare treat of getting interviewed by a fellow journalist—you can read the whole Q&A with Donnell Alexander on his Substack, West Coast Soujourn—and if you haven’t listened yet, my conversation with Lauren Carpenter of Embarc dispensaries and Events is a fascinating temperature check on ideating and producing cannabis events. A useful listen for anyone starting to plan 2024 calendars.
Something wicked comes this Friday…my annual spooky trend report. 🐈⬛
It’s no secret that cannabis lovers tend to have a penchant for the occult. There are likely hundreds of smoke sessions happening right now in which alien theories, supernatural stories, and unsolved mysteries are dominating the conversation. This Friday the 13th trend report will cover the latest October launches catching my eye, creative IRL experiences brands and cities have put together for the weed-inclined, as well as some musings on how brands can harness inspiration, clicks, and foot traffic from this love affair between the spooky and the stoned.
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One-Hitters: Cannabis News at a Glance
In California, Governor Newsom vetoed a handful of cannabis bills, including one that would’ve enabled licensed dispensaries to serve non-infused food and host events like live concerts and the broad AB 1207 that would’ve severely limited the way cannabis was packaged and labeled. Newsom did sign SB 51 into law, allowing social equity retailers to be issued provisional licenses for the next 5 years, effectively buying them more time to get their ducks, permits, and funding in a row for official state licensure.
Another telling development in the CA market: this whole Susie Plascencia v. Humo situation. To recap, Plascencia served as a “brand partner” and face of the brand for its launch and beyond, officially working on brand development, social media, marketing, and sales. Unofficially, she was often assumed to be a co-founder/owner. After conversations around equity grew hostile, Humo’s parent company, POSIBL, filed a lawsuit alleging breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and intentional interference with business relations. Plascencia has since filed a countersuit and activated her significant social media following, illustrating a David and Goliath situation and inspiring a slew of Team Susie campaigns. Much of the Latinx followers Humo targeted as a brand are now pitted against them. It begs the question: Was that lawsuit really worth it for Humo? Plascencia ultimately did her job, marketing the brand well and building loyalty on social channels. It seems like ego is the primary fuel for POSIBL’s legal action, and it’s going to cost them a lot more than legal fees.
The Conversation debunks myths and shares some facts at what’s really changed since Canada legalized cannabis for adult use in 2018. Charts following trends before and after legalization show how although cannabis use among adults did increase post-2018, it was already trending upwards. They also found that teen use—a huge concern of naysayers—didn’t prove to budge much after cannabis became legal. What did increase was children getting their hands on cannabis, which has more to do with alluring packaging and improper storage by parents than irresponsible cannabis businesses.
Despite an ongoing push for legalization in Pennsylvania, the latest dive by the Philadelphia Inquirer didn’t come up with a promising outlook in the foreseeable future.
I loved reading about an increase in Michigan farm tours. It’s a gamechanging experience to see a growing cannabis plant IRL, and one that’s much harder to access than say, visiting a winery. The first step towards really destigmatizing cannabis for the masses is more people seeing it as it is: a plant.
As the Massachusetts matures, growers are experiencing the same price drops the West Coast has been navigating. A few of them want to nip this plunge in the bud and have the state's Cannabis Control Commission limit the amount of flower grown to stabilize flower prices. I get that impulse, but I also know limiting grow licenses is a quick way to make a market less accessible to a broader, diverse range of entrepreneurs. It makes me wonder who might be the first state to experiment with regulating cannabis prices, the way Oregon’s Liquor Control Commission determines prices statewide. What are your thoughts on the state stepping into regulate flower prices?
High Finds: Lifestyle Goods I Like
After a year of evolving smoking habits, my tolerance is lower than it’s been for a long time. An eighth is lasting me a lot longer, which has resulted in more one gram pickups of a handful of strains and reignited my desire for a pillbox-like storage solution. Has anyone seen a stacking style of small, airtight containers? I like Cadence’s magnetic containers, but they’re a bit much—I may just glue 3–4 of Session Goods baby doob tubes together.
The perfect grinder for a pre-dim dum smoke sesh exists.
I am impressed by the way this limited drop of Wandering Bud ceramic pipes mimics piñatas, and I’m intrigued to learn that real piñatas were originally made out of clay.
In my journey to replace every textile in my life with hemp (it takes less water than cotton to grow, leaves the soil healthier than it was before, makes soft textiles that aren’t prone to pilling—it’s just better!), I came upon a sweet blanket drop by Rumpl—these CozyHemp throws seem perfect for camping/fall sports watching.
I don’t know how I missed this unofficial Buy Weed From Women X Barbie moment, but these nonsanctioned “Buy Weed From Barbie” shirts, jackets, and hats exist and are somehow still in stock.
Back to surfing the world weed web,
Lauren Yoshiko
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