Watercolor Glass & A Hash Boycott

Plus: Green Scenes is out!

Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Time to read: About 5 minutes. Contains 929 words. 

Happy Green Scenes day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My book is officially out in the world! If you received your pre-order and snap a pic while reading, tag me, and I’ll share your Story! If you were waiting to buy from an indie bookseller, now’s the time. If you’re interested in stocking the book in your business, just let me know. Thank you to all of you creative entrepreneurs for helping build weed scenes worth writing about. To those living in cities and states that didn’t make it into the book, don’t worry—I’m angling to write a second edition that includes more recently legalized states down the line! Say hello.

In the Sticky Bits universe, be sure to check out last Friday’s newsletter about Golden Hour’s launch strategy. Founder Miles McKirdy shares how he implemented what he learned from the hemp beverage brand he launched three years ago, where he’s focusing marketing bandwidth in the coming months, and why. It’s a great read for anyone with a launch on the horizon and anyone else feeling unsure about how to prioritize current marketing efforts. 

This Friday, I’m tackling one of the biggest, most potent elephants in the room of legal cannabis right now: cannabis psychosis. 

You’ve likely noticed a scary headline linking cannabis to serious mental health and heart issues in the past few months—nearly every major media outlet has run more than one. Cannabis and schizophrenia, cannabis-induced psychotic breaks, heart attacks, and even weed-fueled murder have been heavy in my Google Alerts of late. I wanted to wrap my head around these issues and separate clickbait from scientific fact, so I reached out to neuroscientist Dr. Adie Poe again to parse through the recent headlines, linked studies, undeniable truths, and incomplete anecdotes behind these news stories. 

Upgrade to a paid subscription to catch all of Friday’s illuminating dispatch. 

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The Nebula Collection by Serena Confalonieri.

One-Hitters: Cannabis News at a Glance

• Will this be the year Hawaii goes rec? The most comprehensive legislation yet just passed in the Senate and now moves onto the House. It’s no for sure thing yet, but proponents of Senate Bill 3335 hope that the 318-page document addresses every previous concern that killed the last few attempts. Of note: it would establish a Hawaii Hemp and Cannabis Authority to regulate medical, adult-use, and hemp systems, includes very strict odor regulation, and caps retail licenses at nine total. 
  
  

• One of the best in the game prepares to sunset in California. Cosmic View’s impending pivot will leave a soulful, significant hole in the state’s weed scene. The PhD cancer researcher mother-and-cancer survivor daughter-run business approached their tinctures and edibles with great care and creativity. Nicole Skibola taught me a lot about the importance of regenerative farmers in the Emerald Triangle for a past Broccoli commission. Those farmers are struggling with the same obstacles that she and her mother weren’t able to overcome, and I truly pray that California regulators revise the state’s program before it loses all the people focused on making great medicine instead of just profits. They’re selling off their lab equipment now—her contact info can be found in this thread if you’re in need, along with some refreshingly honest, heartfelt words of clarity about this choice to move on.
  
  

• Moroccan hash dealers are standing in solidarity with Palestinians. Business Insider reported that Moroccan hashish dealers are participating in a boycott of Israeli drug smugglers amid the ongoing war in Gaza, per a report in Israeli media outlet Mako.
  
  

• Custom opportunities for 4/20 merch. It’s just around the corner, y’all! But there’s still time to make something special happen for the holiday. If you get in touch now, Field Trip Rolling Papers can produce custom papers or cones in time for your 4/20 festivities. Reach out to: kat@fieldtrippapers.com.

  
  

• Financial savvy and entrepreneurial guidance in New York. On Thursday, March 21, an all-day event of entrepreneurial support will take place at the Work’N’Roll space in New York City. Girls Just Wanna Have Funds will feature a Financial Terms 101 session, plus lessons in pitch deck essentials, insights from investors, and an opportunity for fresh headshots so you’re ready to hit the ground running.
  
  

• Weed and wine-fueled fun in Los Angeles. Los Angeles’ reopened and rejuvenated OG Cannabis Cafe is co-hosting a fun, dancy, queer night every month with Ashlee Belzo of PuffDao. The next Verse Tuesday happens March 19, 7 pm–midnight.
  
  

• A correction for last week’s newsletter. I incorrectly credited MJ Biz for discovering the connection of the white couple behind several lawsuits holding up social equity programs across the country. It was in fact LJ Dawson at the Outlaw Report who first broke the story.

High Finds: Great Glass

• I had to catch my breath the first time I saw the Nebula bong collection by Italian artist Serena Confalonieri. The coloring on those pieces is not an edit on the image—the glass has that watercolor effect. She’s based in Milan, like WEED’D! Quite the high art smoking accesory scene developing there. 
  
  

• In other stunning glass discoveries, Go Easy just dropped a very dramatic, romantic flower one-hitter called Bad Bouquet. I received a sample, and after handling it, I get the name. Although it’s finely crafted, with delicate petals, it’s not at all dainty. She’s bad. Especially the chrome one. 🥵
  
  

• Burning Love dropped a sea-themed line perfectly timed for Pisces season, that includes not one but three kinds of seashell pipes! Pair it with Broccoli’s Seashell Oracle Deck for peak mermaid magic.
  
  

Your proud Piscean pothead (author!!!!!!!),
Lauren Yoshiko