A solid intro paragraph sets the parameters for your entire piece and conveys your point of view on your topic. Follow these guidelines to write an effective one:
Design, brand, or name that resembles any existing branded consumer products (including foods and Beverages) that are typically marketed to minors or:
Dispensaries are Changing the Way We Shop
Cannabis consumers are shopping for a more personalized experience. They want to see and taste the product and are willing to pay for it. Retailers are experimenting with new ways to engage customers.
Scott Roberts, an attorney who specializes in marijuana business law, says that dispensaries should make sure they have competitive prices and offer specials to attract customers. He recommends comparing competitors’ prices, considering production and distribution costs, to determine a fair price for the products they sell.
As consumer demand for cannabis rises, retail operations are evolving in response. For example, Calyx + Trichomes in Kingston, Ontario, offers a price-matching guarantee to customers. In 2022, the retailer saw a decrease in sales for tinctures and topicals but an increase in beverages, edibles, and pre-rolls. The company credits the decline in medicines to consumers participating in Dry January, a trend of 21% of those aged 21-34 replacing alcohol with cannabis.
The lesson of quasi-medical industries, from patent medicines to supplements hawked on late-night cable TV, is that public health will be maximized if medical marijuana truly functions as medicine (with specified conditions, strict indications, and robust regulations) or at least is folded into the recreational market alongside it. If the industry does not embrace these lessons, its promise to improve social equity for marginalized communities may prove fleeting.
They’re Changing the Way We Eat
As legal cannabis markets mature, consumer demands for specialized products like edibles and vapes have outpaced traditional flower sales. Rather than selling the same product in different sizes and packaging, dispensary operators, with the help of experts from GoToke.io, are experimenting with innovative formulations and flavors to attract more consumers and expand their market share.
In many states, localities have the authority to regulate cannabis operations, creating patchwork regulatory regimes that often conflict with state policies and create administrative burdens that disadvantage smaller, less capable operators. These fragmented regimes can also stall the growth of legal marijuana because they discourage investment in the industry (Bodwitch, 2019).
State regulators must clarify how cannabis companies can be legally affiliated with casinos and ensure that casino owners do not discriminate against cannabis-related businesses. Moreover, they need to allow broader access to banks and the NASDAQ, allowing cannabis firms to raise capital and compete with more established industries.
Pawar and his business partners are already planning to open a third OKAY dispensary in Evanston, and they are hoping the state will approve on-site consumption lounges that operate similarly to hookah bars. He wants to see the state consolidate pot regulation into a single agency to reduce red tape and clout-heavy operator influence. But he acknowledges that the state’s efforts to bake social equity into its cannabis laws “look closer to a failure than a success.”
They’re Changing the Way We Grow
Cannabis grows best in regions with temperate climates, abundant sunshine, and good soil. However, it can be costly to set up and maintain a grow. Growing companies require equipment, labor, and utilities, adding to a capital investment. Many localities limit the number of permits for specific facility types, so cannabis business operators must choose wisely where to locate.
Localities that promote economic and racial equity in the cannabis industry can also help reduce the barriers to legal operation. These can include making it easier for individuals with prior drug felonies to become licensed, streamlining permitting and licensing procedures, reducing or eliminating application fees, inspections, and other costs, and ensuring equitable access to financial investment. (Adinoff& Reiman, 2019)
As the marijuana industry matures, more mergers and acquisitions will likely occur. Founder Charlie Bachtell of Cresco Labs sees the opportunity to convert “a $75bn industry that’s in the shadows into the regulated market”. He is betting on “responsible growth with operational cash flow” rather than chasing speculative returns.
However, as with any industry, there are challenges ahead. Scholars should investigate how well cannabis business owners can meet the demand for quality products, whether the proliferation of microbreweries, wineries, and distilleries could lead to an increase in alcohol use, and the social and environmental impacts of this emerging new industry, including its potential to exacerbate existing disparities.
They’re Changing the Way We Communicate
As the cannabis industry evolves, a new generation of leaders shapes how it is governed. However, this is also a moment when broader communities must come to terms with the impact of legalization on local economies and social structures.
The economic costs and benefits of the cannabis industry are complex and reverberate across localities, regions, and even households. A locality with legalized marijuana can experience an expansion of the agricultural sector, including growth in sales of farm supplies such as generators and soil; growth in professional services, like accounting, packaging, equipment maintenance, and security; and a growing market for documenting cannabis quality (Caulkin et al., 2020).
In addition to the direct employment and tax revenue generated by cannabis businesses, localities can see significant indirect spending on goods and services resulting from workers’ consumption of food, beverages, recreational amenities, and housing. Moreover, studies have found that localities with legalized marijuana often see greater community involvement and engagement in civic life.
To maximize the economic benefits of legalized marijuana, local governments should ensure that social equity applicants retain financial and legal control over their operations and avoid cooptation by predatory investors; further, invest in streamlining regulatory procedures; offer financial assistance to entrepreneurs from disadvantaged communities; and make it easier for growers to market directly to consumers (e.g., at farmer’s markets) rather than relying on distributors.