We’ve not only gone mainstream, but we’re zipping right into the future. Cannabis innovation has taken a while to catch up since decades of prohibition put it on hold for a good long while but we are quickly making up for lost time.
A Variety of Consumables
Creams? Edibles? What happened to the stuff we hid in a baggy in some obscure corner of our closet? Cannabis consumer products are flooding the market. Your favorite product can now be consumed in a variety of forms.
The Farmer Goes Tech
There is no need for cannabis growers in some states to covertly hide their crops hoping they won’t be caught. Cultivation has moved front and center as the race is on to make the best use of strains, space and growing processes.
We have already reached the stage where cannabis strains can be tailored and tweaked to individual needs. Cannabis cultivators are now able to develop particular strains with the emphasis on CBD as well as CBN and CBC.
The industry is now looking at new growing techniques like vertical growing, LED lighting, higher yield with less water by breaking down water molecules and sequencing DNA in order to create distinct flavors and attributes.
Extraction
New manufacturing techniques have developed ways to get nearly all the cannabinoids and terpenes from a plant. These concentrates yield a considerable amount of THC or CBD compared to smoking.
Cleaner Products
Now that cannabis is regulated on a state by state basis, there is an emphasis on clean products making their way to market instead of the old days of contaminants, pesticides and heavy metals on your black market weed.
Applications and Home Delivery
Imagine ordering your cannabis product with the same ease as ordering a pizza for delivery. In many states, that is already a reality. Cannabis apps not only allow you to find your closest dispensary but many will deliver it right to your door.
Marketing and Analytics
Despite still being federally illegal, cannabis has become a huge industry. There are companies that devote themselves specifically to marketing of cannabis products. The Cannabis Marketing Association has chapters throughout the United States.
As for sales, there are now programs that are able to manage the extremely rigid regulatory processes. There is also software available that can manage inventory and even keep data based on customer preferences and spending habits.
Payment Processing
Because of the federally illegal nature of cannabis, most banks in the United States are not willing to work with the cannabis industry.
Fortunately, there are companies that are providing secure and automated financial transactions for those customers and businesses. Some firms are making the entire flow electronic for marijuana products including tax payments.
The Cannabis Industry Into the Future
The cannabis industry today is already a multi-billion dollar industry and is poised for exponential growth into the future. Those individuals and companies who continue to invent and innovate stand to benefit enormously from this trend.