Weed & Hemp Happenings
The latest news, launches and infused media debuts.
The Broccoli Report
Monday, March 29, 2021
Time to read: 4 minutes, 14 seconds. 847 words.
Good morning, Reportées!
Do you feel it? That frenzy gathering in the distance? According to the uptick in press releases hitting my inbox, 4/20 is just three weeks away. If you’re up to something cool on this hallowed day (other than a BOGO promotion), let me know!
ICYMI—We dropped a new episode of Broccoli Talk! Mennlay and I get real about being open about weed on the internet, of bonding and bans on apps, fear of smoking selfies and the multiplicity of online identities. Tune in, dial up, and enjoy.
This Friday, paid subscribers can look forward to a Q&A with one of our favorite independent boutiques. Our chat provides insight into the sourcing and sales of weed-adjacent items in non-weed retail, as well as a whole new perspective on the potential for multitasking brick-and-mortar retail spaces post-COVID. Whether you’re a retailer or a brand hoping to pick up more wholesale accounts, you don’t want to miss it.
One-Hitters: Cannabis News at a Glance
Well, turns out Uncle Joe is NOT that that chill after all. In an unfortunate turn of events, dozens of young staffers for the new Biden administration have been suspended, asked to resign, or placed in a remote work program due to prior pot use, and at least five White House staffers have been fired. This is sad for so many reasons. Yes, those kids just lost jobs for no good reason. But more significantly—they told the truth, and they’re being punished for it. This will lead to less transparency, a more hostile working environment, more cannabis stigma, more laborious concealment of cannabis use, and ultimately, work against any mission to get younger generations more involved in government.
New York lawmakers reached a long-awaited agreement to legalize cannabis for adult use with detailed reforms (i.e., how much tax revenue will go toward equity efforts); sign-off is to be discussed this week. The new law creates a dedicated state regulatory agency, the Office of Cannabis Management, and tackles the contentious topic of home cultivation. Residents will be allowed to grow up to six plants at home, the caveat being they can’t start for 18 months, giving dispensaries a chance to establish themselves. This new law is hugely exciting, and after chatting on this podcast with folks familiar with what’s happening in the state, I even heard whispers that adult-use legalization in N.J. and N.Y. could usher in the first interstate commerce agreement. That said, the law’s passage will probably not save Governor Cuomo’s career.
A team of doctors and scientists from across the country published the results of a clinical trial on cannabis’s short-term impact on PTSD symptoms. The aim was to collect preliminary data on the safety and potential efficacy of three active concentrations of smoked cannabis (“high THC”—around 12% THC; “high CBD”—around 11% CBD and 0.50% THC; and a 1:1 concentration, approximately 7.9% THC and 8.1% CBD), comparing effects and tolerability to placebo in the treatment of PTSD among military veterans. The results? All concentrations were comfortably tolerated, and safety was demonstrated. However, the six-week trial, broken in half by a week’s pause, was too brief to show any real impact on PTSD symptoms.
New documentary Weediatrics shows the stories of families who risk everything to get medical cannabis for their children, including risking a visit from Child Protective Services. Even in states where cannabis is legal for medical and adult-use, parents can still be charged with "severe medical neglect" for treating their chronically ill children with cannabis.
On that parental note, Judy Yee, co-founder and CEO of K-Zen (which includes Mad Lilly Spritzers), and her team launched Moms For Mary, a community blog for moms who are curious or enthusiastic about cannabis. Developed in the quarantine throes of heightened parental stress (and cannabis use), the blog is a space for moms to share their stories and experiences with the plant, helping spark conversations offline and chip away at the colossal stigma surrounding parents and responsible cannabis use. More to come on that topic in a later Broccoli Report. 👀
Hype travel platform Trippin launches Roots & Ritual, a new podcast exploring the origins and traditions of “the wellbeing pursuits of today.” Topics range from astrology to Japanese forest bathing, and in an upcoming cannabis-focused episode, hosts Yasmin and Robyn talk Rastafari “groundings” and modern remedies.
Goodekind—a hemp brand built around a commitment to donate an eighth of all profits to human rights organizations—launches vegan Delta 8 THC gummies that are available to ship nationwide. If you’re still a little fuzzy on the whole Delta 8 thing, we did a deep dive in this newsletter. Tl;dr: enjoy this even-less-regulated fun while we can, with caution. Oregon legislators are already talking about cracking down on this legitimately intoxicating cannabinoid.
Howl, a new CBD topical brand from the U.K., addresses the white space in the weed lube game: anal lubricant. The futuristic, queer-forward branding is pitch-perfect, and includes an accompanying zine dedicated to liberation in all forms. Weed’s potential power to destigmatize lube and sexual pleasure certainly doesn’t stop at cis-het pairings, and by focusing on CBD, these products allows those on the fence to take the e-comm plunge from home. It’s looking like these CBD topicals continue to be a potent gateway for a variety of demographics.
Session Goods drops Retrowave, a 1980s-inspired colorway for their award-winning bongs with interchangeable silicone accessories. They’re jazzing (synthing?) up the subdued original silicone piece options with a bright yellow, an amber orange, and a “cosmic, lilac purple.”
Wishing you a rad weekend,
Lauren Yoshiko