Lp,s are doomed!
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So neat to have a front row seat to this! :)
You have a perfect row seat to view that red line going down, down.
Happy, you are truly a cannabis culture expert!
Your pumping rules.
Talented cheerleader you are.
Others have left to the way side.
MMPRuser, DBrown, Stay Tuned Dorothy and Young Wild and Fluffy come to mind.
Monster+Coca-Cola+Constellation to merge to build a canna fiz empire
Another dud!
Cannabis culture don,t drink cannabis and non-user don,t do drugs.
You guys are all DOOMED!
Cannabis beverages were supposed to be the next big thing. So why are sales slow?
IRENE GALEA
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 14, 2021
Globe & Mail
-And I proudly helped fund that research by buying shares in the companies that were doing this research-
You are full of shit happy!!!
Your help funding research is b.s.
You are invested in a cartel to make money you freak.
But you are doomed.
Free market always win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Flat sales.
BUSINESSCanadian cannabis sales flat in September at $355M
Statistics Canada significantly lowered its sales data for August as well
Thomm Bonno
Canadian cannabis sales flat in September at $355M September cannabis sales stalled in every Canadian jurisdiction except Ontario.
In its monthly release of retail trade data on Friday, the agency said September retail cannabis sales were $354.7 million.
That number is just a hair above $354.0 in August, a figure which StatsCan revised significantly from the $356.9 million reported a month ago.
That update alters the month-over-month outlook for B.C. in particular, where the August sales figure was revised to $49.7 million from $52.3 million.
Ontario was the only region with any notable increase in September, with sales climbing nearly 2 per cent to $141.6 million from $139.0 million.
Sales were either flat or fell slightly in every other region.
While StatsCan says overall retail contracted by 0.6 per cent to $56.6 billion in September, led by weak sales in the motor vehicle sector. Core retail fell by 0.3 per cent.
But the agency’s outlook improves for October.
“Given the rapidly evolving economic situation, Statistics Canada is providing an advance estimate of retail sales, which suggests that sales increased 1.0 per cent in October.”
“Owing to its early nature, this figure will be revised. This unofficial estimate was calculated based on responses received from 50.3 per cent of companies surveyed. The average final response rate for the survey over the previous 12 months has been 89.5 per cent.”
When Thai sticks is the mood.
INTERNATIONALThailand registers 4 cannabis cultivars as national heritage
Thailand's deputy minister of health at cannabis cultivar ceremonyThailand's Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced in June that four cannabis cultivars would be registered as National Heritage. Image via Ministry of Public Health
Four cannabis cultivars from Thailand have been registered as national heritage as the country continues a slow process of smoothing out its pot laws.
By registering ST1, TT1, UUA1 and RD1, Thailand is making those cultivars legal — not for recreational use, however, which remains outlawed. The process is expected to be completed this month and the government suggested in June that the registry will promote cannabis research.
“We don’t have any legal strains in Thailand,” says Kitty Chopaka, a cannabis advocate in Thailand and CEO of Elevated Estate. “This is kind of a way for them to be able to convert something that was illegal into something that was legal.”
In 2018, Thailand legalized hemp and CBD. In 2019, lawmakers passed amendments to its Narcotics Act allowing medical and scientific use but with a lot of caveats.
The Thai cultivars have been developed by local farmers but are quite similar sativas and are essentially the same, Chopaka explains.
And she argues the names should have reflected the country’s heritage instead of being since a series of letters and numbers.
“Unfortunately, it seems like the people who have registered don’t actually know or understand cannabis,” Chopaka says.
The government is trying to solve the problem of legal access but they aren’t doing it right, she adds.
According to the Chiang Rai Times, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is supportive of medical cannabis and the designation will promote research of the cultivars. However, the minister’s suggestion about cannabis generating economic benefits for the country may not happen anytime soon.
Thailand’s cannabis market will take more time
While there is some momentum for policy change, Chopaka doesn’t see international business opportunities as viable options in Thailand yet.
“We still are finding our way and we can’t even do what the market wants,” she says, emphasizing the need to understand the country’s politics.
She explains natural cultivars found throughout Thailand tend to have loose flowers, which may not be the first choice of the cannabis industry. But she adds the taste and effect of Thai sativas are wonderful.
According to Bangkok law firm Tilleke & Gibbins, foreign participants aren’t allowed to directly participate in approved cannabis businesses until Feb. 20, 2024.
The firm notes that Thailand’s Narcotics Act must be “reviewed carefully by anyone seeking to take part in the industry.”
Some parts of the cannabis and hemp plant — such as stalks, stems, fibres and extracts with no more than 0.2 per cent CBD — aren’t listed as narcotics anymore, but marijuana seeds, buds, leaves and cannabis inflorescence are still considered narcotics.
The exemption only applies to locally cultivated cannabis in Thailand.
Early next year, Chopaka hopes some products will be out and that regulation changes will follow a few months later.
“Hopefully by then, something that is attainable or touchable would actually come out for it to make sense within the industry.”
Looking ahead, Chopaka believes Thailand is still years behind in embracing cannabis as progress is slowed by stigma within government, slow research processes and a lack of cannabis knowledge.
“Last year, I would say, we haven’t even prepped the soil yet. Now, we’re looking at putting in the seed. So it will take time,” she says of the country’s progress with weed laws.
Despite ample cannabis studies in and outside of Thailand, Chopaka says the country can only use local research or has to replicate it, and that research is needed to make policy changes.
“So this is also where we’re going to be set back in terms of our cannabis and hemp industry because anything that has even CBD or whatnot in it, and if you’re going to use it on a human, you need to go and do that research.”
Chopaka notes traditional Thai medicine often incorporates cannabis and kratom, “but because of the prohibition, it has been removed from a lot of recipes.”
However, later this month kratom — a tropical plant with stimulating effects and opioid properties — will be decriminalized and no longer considered a narcotic in Thailand.
That hasn’t happened yet for cannabis.
Recreational use of weed in Thailand is strictly prohibited and could result in jail time or fines, which is why Chopaka argues decriminalizing cannabis use needs to happen now.
INTERNATIONALThailand to set up International Medical Cannabis Research Center
On top of cannabis research, the centre will act as a knowledge exchange between medical institutions in other countries like Canada
Thom Bonno
Thailand’s public health ministry has partnered with a private Thai cannabis research company to set up the International Medical Cannabis Research Center, the country’s latest step to strengthen its position as medical cannabis producer.
The ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with RxLeaf World Medica on Nov. 10 to establish the medical research hub that will bring together international experts to conduct product research and development, as well as provide knowledge of medical pot to Thai partners.
To recover from the economic toll of the Covid-19 pandemic, the head of Thailand’s health ministry has pointed to the potential of medical cannabis revenues, and the research centre is one of the catalysts that could support recovery.
In a statement Monday, Amara Asia Company Limited, which owns RxLeaf World Medica, noted Asia’s projected cannabis market is estimated at about US$12.5 billion by 2024.
“Therefore, this is a tremendous opportunity for the country as Thailand has both the personnel and physical capability and potential to accept this challenge,” reads the statement.
“Creating a medical and wellness tourism hub will attract those who prefer integrative medicine and plant-based products such as those developed from herbs for cancer or seizure patients, as well as cosmetics and dietary supplements. Additionally, these products will add value to the food and drink market and allow both farmers and entrepreneurs to grow and develop sustainable products.”
Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul said the goal for Thailand is to become a “world-class” production and development site.
“In 2022, the Ministry of Public Health also emphasizes the policy to promote the development of herbs, cannabis, hemp, kratom and Thai wisdom,” he said earlier this month.
“The department of medicine plays an important role in the development of medicinal cannabis plants to create jobs, careers, income and patients have access to medical marijuana as an alternative treatment. This will help patients have a better quality of life.”
Thailand relies on domestic research to change its laws, which advocates have said contributes to a longer timeline for cannabis reform. But the centre could help speed up the process.
On top of cannabis research, the centre will act as a knowledge exchange between medical institutions in other countries, such as Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, Charnvirakul said.
The cooperation period is set for three years and sub-memorandums will be signed on a case-by-case basis to determine the proportion of contributors to intellectual property rights.
Charnvirakul has said cannabis in Thailand will soon become a cash crop, and promised further access to cannabis.
INTERNATIONALThailand to set up International Medical Cannabis Research Center
On top of cannabis research, the centre will act as a knowledge exchange between medical institutions in other countries like Canada
ByThomm Bonno
Thailand signs MOU to set up International Medical Cannabis Research CenterPhoto via ministry of public health
Thailand’s public health ministry has partnered with a private Thai cannabis research company to set up the International Medical Cannabis Research Center, the country’s latest step to strengthen its position as medical cannabis producer.
The ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with RxLeaf World Medica on Nov. 10 to establish the medical research hub that will bring together international experts to conduct product research and development, as well as provide knowledge of medical pot to Thai partners.
To recover from the economic toll of the Covid-19 pandemic, the head of Thailand’s health ministry has pointed to the potential of medical cannabis revenues, and the research centre is one of the catalysts that could support recovery.
In a statement Monday, Amara Asia Company Limited, which owns RxLeaf World Medica, noted Asia’s projected cannabis market is estimated at about US$12.5 billion by 2024.
“Therefore, this is a tremendous opportunity for the country as Thailand has both the personnel and physical capability and potential to accept this challenge,” reads the statement.
“Creating a medical and wellness tourism hub will attract those who prefer integrative medicine and plant-based products such as those developed from herbs for cancer or seizure patients, as well as cosmetics and dietary supplements. Additionally, these products will add value to the food and drink market and allow both farmers and entrepreneurs to grow and develop sustainable products.”
Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul said the goal for Thailand is to become a “world-class” production and development site.
“In 2022, the Ministry of Public Health also emphasizes the policy to promote the development of herbs, cannabis, hemp, kratom and Thai wisdom,” he said earlier this month.
“The department of medicine plays an important role in the development of medicinal cannabis plants to create jobs, careers, income and patients have access to medical marijuana as an alternative treatment. This will help patients have a better quality of life.”
Thailand relies on domestic research to change its laws, which advocates have said contributes to a longer timeline for cannabis reform. But the centre could help speed up the process.
On top of cannabis research, the centre will act as a knowledge exchange between medical institutions in other countries, such as Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, Charnvirakul said.
The cooperation period is set for three years and sub-memorandums will be signed on a case-by-case basis to determine the proportion of contributors to intellectual property rights.
Charnvirakul has said cannabis in Thailand will soon become a cash crop, and promised further access to cannabis.
With time cannabis will be sold like tomatoes at 4$ a kilo...
Luxembourg short on medical pot after ‘supply problems’ with Tilray
The health minister says the country has only a third of the October shipment left and more isn’t expected until next month
Luxembourg low on medical pot after 'supply problems' with Tilray
Supply issues from Luxembourg’s medical cannabis supplier, Tilray, Inc. (TSX: TLRY) (Nasdaq: TLRY) are causing a shortage of medical pot, according to the country’s top health official.
Thom Bonno
In response to a parliamentary question on Monday, Health Minister Paulette Lenert said that by Nov. 17, the country had gone through two-thirds of the 13.5-kilogram medical pot shipment it received from Tilray last month.
That was only for Tilray’s THC9: CBD9 product, and Lenert said that Luxembourg doesn’t have any flower with 18 per cent THC.
“A quality problem in the production of the [Tilray’s] THC18 cannabis blooms on the manufacturer’s side led to this,” she said.
The health minister said the “shortcomings are not due to a budget shortfall” but are solely due to “supply problems” with the cannabis producer.
Tilray chosen as supplier of medical pot in Luxembourg
The firm’s EU Campus in Portugal serves as an GMP-certified production hub for medical cannabis across the region.
Lenert added the budget can be reviewed when asked if that was necessary to prevent a similar shortage next year.
Luxembourg’s next shipment is expected in December.
The health minister also confirmed the first shipment of medical cannabis oil came in early November but didn’t provide an updated inventory. The delivery included:
100 bottles (25 millilitres) of cannabis oil with 10-per-cent THC and 10-per-cent CBD10,
100 bottles (25 millilitres) of cannabis oil with 25-per-cent THC, and
50 bottles (40 millilitres) of cannabis oil with 5-per-cent THC.
In June, the Luxembourg Times reported a medical canna shortage due to higher demand, with doctors prescribing 140 kilograms in 2020 — nearly three times more than in 2019.
Medical use of cannabis has been legal in the country of nearly 640,000 since 2018, but Luxembourg’s government hasn’t followed through on its promise to legalize the production and sale of adult-use cannabis.
The government has said it’s working on legalization and proposed plans for home cultivation.
If the proposal becomes law, Luxembourg will be the first in the European Union to allow recreational pot use in some form, though Germany has indicated plans for legalization as well.
Linton : i will build the world biggest Stock Market weed company
Hippy : how,s the taste (terp profile)?
Linton : don,t know... I don,t do drugs
Hippy : cramming millions of plants in greenhouses is looking for mold issues
Linton : drug addicts love that mold
Hippy : but... but... but it,s a receipe for failure... bone dry harsh chemical tasting bunk won,t have any traction with freaks
Linton : done matter... we create an illusion of big returns $$$$$
Hippy : stock market Ponzi caper, you should ashamed
Linton : it,s not a Ponzi, it,s a Linton
Branding Cannabis — Now’s The Time To Get It Right
Thomm Bonno
Cannabis presents a once-in-a-century opportunity to make transformative impacts on our troubled world.
"Cannabis presents a once-in-a-century opportunity to make transformative impacts on our troubled ...
My longtime carpenter was working on my home the other day and we got to talking. He asked me in his thick Irish accent about the cannabis industry in California and what happened to it. “It used to be for helping people but now it’s all about the money,” he said, while shaking his head in disbelief.
My heart sank when I heard his words. It was even more painful when I had to agree with him because he’s right...and not just in California.
The nascent cannabis industry used to have a good reputation with the public because medical cannabis operators like Harborside (my former company) were focused on wellness products and messaging. Our mindful communication with the public tapped into something that was already there.
Almost everyone in America knew someone with cancer who got better from marijuana during chemo. The media helped us tell stories of people with serious illnesses finding relief from cannabis. Even children with epilepsy made national news by benefitting from weed. After years of this branding work, pop culture defined the industry as a good force in society.
That perception is quickly changing with adult-use legalization and the injection of billions of dollars of capital to scale the industry. Like all things involving large transactions, greed moves goodness right off the headlines.
The media is now fixated on the capital and not the consumer. The culture of private planes and big exit events has permeated the branding of the cannabis industry in the minds of the public.
Some may say this is a good thing, as it further normalizes cannabis and assimilates it into the mainstream. What could be more normal than chasing a buck? I say it’s a troubling development that could jeopardize widespread access to legal cannabis in our society. When you’ve been doing this as long as I have, you remember the setbacks and how long it takes to recover from them. You see patterns over time that repeat themselves.
Prohibition does not come in one fell swoop. It happens bite by bite so the public supports each bite. This is what happened with things like urinalysis testing for cannabis in the workplace. If the perception of the industry is bad, the public gets more open to the bites.
The enemies of cannabis are not fools. They will pounce on any negative public perception to whittle away at legalization and restore prohibition. They will bare their teeth and then try to take their best bite.
First it may be to ban consumption clubs. Then onto potency limits and empowering local NIMBYS to block access to licenses. Next it will be taking away home growing (or not granting it in the first place) or lowering possession limits, and on and on until legalization becomes the twin cousin of prohibition.
Cannabis consumers will be pushed back into closets and punished for emerging with joints in hand. And the public won’t mind a bit. They may even support it if the industry does not get its branding house in order.
People want to support legalization but we have to give them good reasons and healthy examples to follow. It’s up to all of us to remember where cannabis came from and make sure the wellness roots of our industry remain center stage. And we have to restore justice and make sure our industry is inclusive. Those are the stories we need to tell. This is how we create positive vibes in the minds of the public.
Happy Danksgiving
Drinking Dom while flying on a private jet with pretty people consuming your weed brand might be a little out of touch with ordinary people. It can also cause resentment because most people don’t live like that. And it makes them wonder what the cannabis industry is for after so many decades of difficulty and injustice. It raises questions about legalization in the first place, and this is the last thing the industry needs right now.
If we act too transactional and allow the chase for global domination to take a hold on our branding, a backlash could occur. And it could take a long time to regain the trust of the public. The brand of the cannabis industry is at stake. Now is the time to get it right. More than that, cannabis presents a once-in-a-century opportunity to make transformative impacts on our troubled world. That is the branding we should be working towards and pushing out to the masses.
This is our most rewarding work because it’s about our legacy as much as our purpose. If we do a good job, I’m hoping a couple years from now my carpenter friend will compliment all of us on turning it around. Maybe he’ll say something like, “It looks like the cannabis industry finally got it right, thank you for making the world a better place.”
Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.
Andrew DeAngelo
Andrew DeAngelo
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I’m a cannabis business consultant and strategic advisor with a track record of enacting systemic social change... Read More
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Doing Good Data Means Doing No Harm
Nov 17, 2021,01:31pm EST
Doing Good Data Means Doing No Harm
GETTY
Tableau
Renee MacLeodBrand Contributor
TableauBRANDVOICE| Paid Program
Innovation
Data analysis and data communication are fundamental to the way people and businesses understand concepts, make decisions and create solutions.
Anyone who communicates with data needs to be mindful of the impact of the stories they tell. Sometimes they can do more harm than good. The reality is that unintentional harm can result from data that is misrepresented or misused—from reinforcing damaging stereotypes to compounding systemic racism and discrimination.
To influence change and advance the understanding of what it means to use data with empathy and fairness, the Urban Institute, in partnership with Tableau Foundation, created the “Do No Harm Guide: Applying Equity Awareness in Data Visualization.” This resource offers data communicators actionable insights to help ensure their research, analysis and visualizations incorporate principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. As a group of growing data communicators and data-driven organizations, we all must recognize that data points are more than marks on a graph—they represent real people.
Inspired By A Growing Conversation
The idea to create the “Do No Harm Guide” grew in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. Its creators, Jonathan Schwabish, senior fellow at the Urban Institute, and Alice Feng, senior data scientist at Natera, wanted to use their data viz experience to contribute to the bigger, growing conversation about race. The focus of their work expanded as they conducted conversations with nearly two dozen experts, uncovering a greater necessity to examine how people and organizations collect data, where the data comes from, why it’s necessary to respect and include the people you research, and how to explore the entire research ecosystem.
Topics include:
How the concept of empathy relates to data, research and visualizations.
What it means to approach data with an equitable lens.
How racial stereotypes can be reinforced and groups can be harmed by data that is not grounded in principles of inclusion and fairness.
Key Recommendations
In my conversation with Schwabish and Feng, it became clear that the guide should be an essential resource for any data communicator and organization, and that there is increasing interest in learning to do no harm with data. As Feng noted, “It’s an evolving document that will grow and expand as feedback is received, as the field matures and as more people think about these issues.”
Let’s look at 10 recommendations from the guide that can help anyone who works with data be more aware of its impact and learn to become more mindful, empathetic and inclusive when telling data stories and when talking about data with people or communities.
Graph chart showing average female height per country, represented by pink figures of varying sizes in dresses, with sizes of figures ranging from 5 feet to 5 feet, 5 inches.
Figure 1: The size differential among people in this chart creates ambiguity about the intent and could be interpreted as offensive. URBAN INSTITUTE, CITED FROM @REINA_SABAH
01 Critically Examine Your Data
Before you begin to visualize your data, consider the context of your data. Equity awareness begins with gaining a holistic understanding of the story behind the data. Where does it come from? Who is included and excluded from it? How was it collected? Why was it collected? And who benefits or is harmed by it? As Feng and Schwabish note in the guide, “If I were one of the data points on this visualization, would I feel offended?”
02 Use People-First Language
If your data is about people, make it extremely clear who they are, remembering that your data reflect real lives and experiences. It could include your co-workers, prospects or customers, candidates and more. Data labels should lead with the person, not their characteristics. In visualizations, you should strive to use people-first language: For example, “people with disabilities” is preferable to “disabled people.”
03 Label People, Not Skin Color
Nine small squares in different colors and shades stacked in a square with gray directional arrows and labels shown at the top and at the right of the square that read “More Black” and “More Poverty” in which the darkest square represents the “most Black” and “most poverty”.
Figure 2: This legend was later changed from “More Black” to “Larger Black Population” to put emphasis on people, not skin color. URBAN INSTITUTE, RECREATED FROM TABLEAU DASHBOARD.
Language is living, breathing and ever-changing. It’s only logical that certain labels that were previously used are no longer acceptable. They might, in fact, be offensive. In your data analyses, the best approach is to use full labels, such as “Black people” not “Blacks.”
The language in Figure 2 is not as inclusive as it could be. “Poverty” refers to an experience, not a static description, and “More Black” refers to skin color, not people. More inclusive language might be “Larger proportion of people experiencing poverty” and “Larger proportion of the Black population.”
04 Order Labels In Purposeful Ways
Have you stopped to consider who shows up first in a table, graph or visualization? Surveys and other data collection methods frequently order responses hierarchically and in ways that reflect historical biases. It’s the order in which groups are listed in visualizations or narratives that can impact how the data is consumed or interpreted. Listing “white” or “male” first, for instance, can imply that it’s the dominant or more important group.
Consider alternative ordering or sorting, such as study focus, specific story or argument, quantitative relationship, alphabetical order, or sample size.
05 Consider Missing Groups
It’s important to acknowledge who is or is not included in data and charts. One way to do this is using notes and narrative that offer essential context for viewers who may not understand why groups are or are not represented.
Sometimes, there are charts that show data in broader racial groupings rather than at a disaggregated level where nuances are better understood. For example, in the United States, many charts on race and ethnicity only show white people, Black people, and Hispanic or Latinx people, but not other groups. According to Feng, “When reporting at aggregated levels, we miss lots of variation. This creates implications in understanding issues, knowing what people or communities need help, and what kinds of programs or policies to design that will make a difference.”
To demonstrate how aggregating racial groups can mask variations across more detailed information, the corresponding figure shows the estimated 2019 poverty rates for 139 racial groups recorded in the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Dots show estimated poverty rates for all 139 groups and the overall poverty rate for major racial groupings frequently used in analyses. As you can see, the poverty rate for some of these groups varies widely.
Graph showing variation in poverty rates by race (American Indian/Native Alaskan, African American, White, Asian/Pacific Islander and other) and poverty rate (0% to 40%)
Figure 3: Disaggregated poverty rates across racial groups reveal variation that is missing when metrics are presented only for overall groups. URBAN INSTITUTE, CREATED FROM U.S. CENSUS BUREAU’S AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY DATA
06 Use Color With Awareness And Care
The way we use color can inadvertently reinforce stereotypes, offend and perpetuate inaccurate depictions of people and groups. To use color with the best intent, check your choices. Avoid colors associated with stereotypical gender labels—pink for women and blue for men, for example. Avoid colors also associated with skin tones or race, such as light-to-dark, or incremental color palettes indicating different demographics. And be aware of emotional connotations associated with certain color hues.
Color-coded chart legend where a colored square (red to gray gradient) represents different races and ethnicities (Black, Hispanic, American Indian, Native Hawaiian, Asian, White, etc.)
Legend showing a problematic color scheme applied to data on race and ethnicity. The shades of red apply to people of color while the only group that has its own color is white people, suggesting that they are the norm or default to which all other groups should be compared.
Red can have negative connotations in Western culture—often associated with danger or aggression. The graduated color palette can also be misinterpreted as suggesting a hierarchy.
See the guide for an example of a color palette without hierarchical connotations. URBAN INSTITUTE, RECREATED BASED ON THE JUNE 2020 VERSION OF THE DIVERSITY DASHBOARD FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, OFFICE OF THE PROVOST.
Consider The Impact Of Icons And Shapes
Icons, by their very nature, are intended to convey broad meanings—but they can perpetuate harmful, offensive stereotypes when used carelessly. Choose them with intention.
It’s essential that any and all stereotypical, discriminatory and racist imagery be avoided; depict people as empowered and dignified versus being helpless.
Reach Out And Involve Communities
For data to be meaningful and relevant, it’s important to work with the communities at the center of it. According to Channing Nesbitt, social impact program manager at the Tableau Foundation, community input is key.
“Without their guidance and hearing how they live through these experiences, it leaves out part of the information that needs to be displayed and shared,” Nesbitt said. Start with building diverse research teams, work closely with the communities studied, and receive buy-in from members, policymakers and other stakeholders to help the research be embraced.
Maintaining relationships also demonstrates commitment, partnership and that you’ve listened to and clearly understand the collective voices.
Reflect Lived Experiences
We don’t all have the same life experiences. Our individual characteristics, such as ethnicity, gender, neurodiversity and age, can deeply impact how we approach data and the ways in which we communicate it.
To help identify what perspectives and viewpoints may be missing, consult people within and outside of your organization.
Understand The Needs Of Your Audiences
The value of data lies in how it is used, shared and understood by intended audiences. As data communicators, we’re all responsible for ensuring that content is clear, unambiguous and useful.
This requires due diligence across all aspects of our work, striving to ensure that the word choices, terminology and languages we publish in are fully optimized for audiences.
A Path To More Inclusive Analytics
Ensuring that people are fairly represented is the cornerstone of diversity, equity and inclusion, and for data communicators, it’s foundational to building credible, more equitable analyses.
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach for organizations working to strengthen and expand their inclusion initiatives and do better with data, the “Do No Harm Guide” provides a solid framework for understanding the questions to ask, practical ways to drive inclusive thinking and strategy—and above all—how to lead with empathy.
Could,nt Constellation find a cheaper CEO?
They could save a few millions and last a little longer...
No need to pay good money for a CEO who runs the comp down
Shooting the shit
Cannabis is a complex plant, ideally labelling of cannabis products should accurately reflect the combinations of psychoactive ingredients present in a strain. (Shutterstock)
Indica and sativa labels are largely meaningless when it comes to cannabis complexities
November 21, 2021 8.20am EST
Thom Bonno
Indica and sativa are commonly used to describe cannabis strains, but what’s the difference between these two labels?
Almost half of all Canadians have tried cannabis at some point in their lives. If you’re one of them, you’ve probably been confronted with the choice between buying strains labelled indica or sativa.
Some people are adamant that indica strains are sedative with earthy aromas. In contrast, sativa strains are supposedly energizing with sweet aromas. However, the extent to which indica and sativa labels actually capture meaningful information is unclear.
Get news that’s free, independent and based on evidence.
Detailed strain analyses
Our team of researchers at Dalhousie University worked with Bedrocan International, a Dutch medical cannabis company, to study hundreds of cannabis strains with indica and sativa labels. We measured the chemical compounds produced by each strain. This included not only the major psychoactive cannabinoids like THC and CBD but also the terpenes that give cannabis its distinctive aromas. We also measured the genetic profiles and were then able to examine the chemical and genetic differences between strains.
If labels describing cannabis strains do in fact represent two distinct groups of cannabis, then the differences should be reflected by chemical and genetic differences. Our study, published in Nature Plants, found that indica and sativa labels are largely meaningless.
It was frequently the case that strains labelled indica were just as closely related to strains labelled sativa as they were to other strains labelled indica.
An example that illustrates the inconsistent use of these labels is that in 1999, a cannabis strain named “AK 47” won the Sativa Cup in the Cannabis Cup. The same strain went on to win the Indica Cup in the same competition four years later.
Not only did we find that indica/sativa labelling is misleading, but so are the names given to strains. For example, we found that two strains both named “OG Kush” were more similar to other strains with different names than they were to one another. Overall, strain names are often not reliable indicators of a plant’s genetic identity and chemical profile.
Broken telephone
If you’ve ever played a game of telephone, you’ll know how easily words can get twisted. Usually by the end of the game, the words are completely different from when it started. The way in which indica and sativa have been used over the years is similar to a very long game of broken telephone.
At one point in time, indica and sativa may have been used to describe two distinct species of cannabis. Over time, the two species likely hybridized to the extent that most of the cannabis grown and consumed today is a mashup of the two ancestral lineages. However, the use of indica and sativa has persisted as vernacular labels and have today taken on new meaning to describe psychoactive effects, aromas and morphologies.
People consume cannabis for a variety of reasons, including recreational and therapeutic purposes. (Shutterstock)
In certain cases, we found weak correlations between indica and sativa labels and a small number of the aromatic terpenes. Strains labelled indica tended to have higher amounts of the terpene myrcene, which is thought to contribute to sedation and the more intense “couch-lock” effect.
On the other hand, strains labelled sativa had higher amounts of sweet and herbal terpenes, like farnesene and bergamotene. These findings echo what cannabis consumers have long said about the differences between the two labels.
We have a hunch that due to the absence of strict naming and pedigree tracking, producers have been assigning labels to cannabis based primarily on aroma. Considering the historically clandestine nature of cannabis breeding, it’s unsurprising that labelling would have been relegated to more subjective methods, like smell, rather than a more consistent system that reliably distinguishes strains.
Improving labelling
After cannabis was legalized, a flood of cannabis strains and products entered the market, from consumables to oils and foodstuffs.
As Canada moves into its third year of legalized cannabis consumption, there is a need to revamp how cannabis is labelled, and clearly communicate its effects. The current way we label and name cannabis strains appears to fall short of the labelling standards applied to other agricultural crops.
For instance, imagine walking into a grocery store and buying a crunchy Honeycrisp apple, only to realize when you got home that it was in fact a less crisp McIntosh apple. Unlike apples, cannabis produces psychoactive compounds — the inconsistency of these labels could be very frustrating.
Cannabis is an incredibly diverse crop that produces over one hundred aromatic and psychoactive compounds with distinct aromas and effects. Adding to the complexity of cannabis compounds, research has also indicated the possibility of an “entourage effect,” whereby terpenes interact with cannabinoids to mediate different psychoactive effects.
Reducing cannabis to two categories does little to capture this incredible versatility and potential. We are likely better off abandoning the use of the terms sativa and indica altogether, and instead labelling cannabis with the quantities of key compounds that have medicinal effects or are known to affect consumer preferences.
Saponins
Spoke to a few Mexicano folks working for LPs on the weekend
They are happy for Mexico to rise to cannabis freedom
They won,t be back here working braking back minimum wages job
I wish Klein would be present.
Due diligence is mui important in any market.
You got to know your market (cannabis culture).
Rejoice and see you there.
INTRODUCING THE 2021 EMERALD CUP HARVEST BALL – A NEW EVENT IN SUPPORT OF SMALL CANNABIS FARMERS
Thom Bonno NOVEMBER 24, 2021
BEAUTYBUSINESSBUSINESSCANNABIS LEGALIZATIONCANNABIS NEWSCBD NEWSCONCERTSCONFERENCESCULTURECULTUREEVENTSFEATUREDFOODLATEST LEGALIZATION NEWSLIFESTYLEMARIJUANA LEGALIZATIONMARIJUANA NEWSMUSICNEWS & EVENTS10 VIEWS
The Emerald Cup is a cannabis event that takes place in Northern California. If you ask the organizers, it’s a celebration of cannabis. Those entered in the contest will say that it’s the final arena. Ask anyone else and they’ll tell you that it’s a really good time.
For the first time in their eighteen-year history, a new event will precede the Emerald Cup and put the spotlight on small cannabis farms. Announcing The Emerald Cup Harvest Ball. If you’re twenty-one or older, consider yourself invited.
What is the Emerald Cup?
Usually a two-day event, the Emerald Cup hosts a cannabis competition, marketplace, tradeshow, and social gathering. On top of that, there’s live music, expert panels, good food and lots of chances to sample products. The competition is world-renowned and very intense, with judges picking winners in over forty categories. Contest entry will open in mid-December and the date for the award ceremony has not been announced yet. In the meantime, there’s a pre-party happening and it’s got a great cause behind it.
Flashback to The 2018 Emerald Cup with Craig Ex from Expert Joints
Emerald Cup Harvest Ball
Taking place at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds and Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa, the Emerald Cup Harvest Ball is all about connecting the cannabis community. Between the entertainment, social set up and direct-to-consumer marketplace, this event is focused on creating good vibes and cannabis kinship. It offers all the fun and festivities that take place at the competition but the spotlight will be on small cannabis farmers. To support local growers, the event organizers created the Small Farms Initiative Program. Thanks to this new program, over thirty cannabis farms will receive free exhibit space, special promotion, and support.
“These small farmers form the true roots of our industry, so it means so much to me and all of us at the Emerald Cup to be able to help them succeed as our industry moves forward into a new age of cannabis production, sales, and consumption,” says Emerald Cup founder and CEO Tim Blake.
Emerald Cup Small Farms Initiative Program – Supporting Small Farms
The first roster of program participants has been announced (scroll to the bottom for the full list of selected participants). For those selected, this includes a sponsored entry for a premium spot, a reduced concession arrangement, and heightened brand promotion. In addition, each farm is being given the opportunity to submit three product SKU’s for special sales promotion. The goal is to connect the consumer directly to the farmer and help foster win-win relationships.
Program Eligibility
After each farm was accepted into the program, a lottery was held to choose thirty farms for the Harvest Ball. According to event organizers, qualified farmers were expected to:
Hold a current and valid cannabis cultivation license for the state of California
Have a maximum farm size of 10,000 square feet
Practice sustainable farming and/or participate in third-party certification programs such as OCal, Sun + Earth Certification, Clean Green Certification, Regennabis, Envirocann, etc
“These smaller farms have been struggling for years due to complicated regulations, onerous taxes, limited access to retail, and a volatile market,” says Small Farms Council chair Michael Katz. “We are thrilled at the range of participants in this program, and the opportunity to support farms already in the licensed consumer marketplace, as well as those just engaging for the first time.”
If you want to go, the event is happening this December 11-12, 2021, and is open to anyone twenty-one years or older with a valid photo ID. For more information about The Emerald Cup Events or to get tickets, click here.
Want to check out the green gold being grown? Sorted by county, here is a list of the farms selected for the Emerald Cup Small Farms Initiative Program.
Humbolt Valley
Woodnote Farms
Bella Farms
Native Humboldt Farms
Neukom Family Farm
Whitethorn Valley Farm
Briceland Forest Farm
Sunnabis: Humboldt’s Full Sun Farms
Redwood Roots Distribution
Lake County
Flower Lady Farms
Noble Gardens
Magic Meadow Farm’s
Mendocino County
River Txai Farms, Arcanna Flowers
Higher Heights
Lovingly & Legally
Flying Tiger Farm
Mendocino Family Farm
Esensia
Emerald Spirit Botanicals
Happy Day Farms
Sovereign
Mendocino Producers Guild
Nevada County
Bud Farm
Yuba River Organics – Sierra Sungrown Co-op
Frogville Farms
Down Om Farms
Santa Cruz County
Bird Valley Organics
WAMM Phytotherapies Inc.
Sonoma County
OG Gardens
Sweet Creek Farm
Spring Creek Farm
Trinity County
Sol Spirit Farm
Trinity Alps Farms (Hash and Flowers)
_Holzapfel, however, said it would hard for Germany to become a big producer nation given high overheads and inclement weather._
It is hard for Canada to grow fire as well.
LPs are burning $ like there is no tomorrow.
Cannabis has to be grown in the tropics where she belongs.
Canada is too cold and costly.
That has been my point ever since me first post here in 2014.
LPs are fighting a 70 year old well runningGLOBAL FREE MARKET.
Good luck with that.
There are no new customers and line ups are long gone Happy.
LPs are not selling milk here Happy.
+#- 30% no mass of total population indulge the plant.
Remember that cannabis is not for everybody.
Newbies usually don,t like that dizzy feeling one gets.
Users wont touch 10mg thc as it is a waist of good money.
This is were LPs have nowhere to go but down.
Prices are dropping monthly...
LPs have nowhere to go but down.
Free market runs on all 12 cylinders.
There is a strong free cannabis market in Europe
They have no choice.
They cater to newbies...
And most don,t like it.
Lps are doomed burning millions selling weed.
Amazing!!!
Bunch of BS!
There is no need to sue any one.
Yes, canna naive folks may green out...
It happens all the time with newbs.
Palpitation, heavy breathing, sweating, red eyes and a panic attack like you,ve never had before.
You think you will die.
Paranoid city, hiding under a bed for 3 hours Linton,s style.
Lot less severe than a hangover but.
Again Happy... you need to start slow.
Don,t drink that doobie all at once and you will be a-ok.
No worries,, contrary to alcool, cannabis is good for your endo-
cannabinoid system.
Cannot get quality weed with scaling
Ask yourself why LPs are in the red?
There is no traction because of quality issues brought up by scaling
LPs have to sell off assets and drop their selling prices
Artificial prohibition prices will come down as more LPs come into the fold fighting for that dolla
Selling at a lost is not a good business plan
Doomed senario
And i have,nt tell you about Hmong people growing fire.
And First Nation also is part of the game.
You fell for Grow at scaleBruce,s Ponzi...
Don,t you know that growing at scale is to grow bunk?
There is no traction for bunk!
And they won,t come back for more at these silly prohibition prices.
What is your favorite strain?
You are out of touch with what goes down canna wise.
There are 100,000 Canadians with medical licence to grow.
Amazon pops out thousands of canna grow tents weekly...
Add 4 plants grow per house owner, except in Qc and Sas.
Mix it all with folks who believe in free cannabis market...
Hardly any room left for bone dry stock market bunk weed.
The goal is to have canna prices on par with basilic.
Folks can web order Quads for 69$ per ounces and get it next day...
That is a good start.
Some folks are desperate
what is you favorite tilray strain twist?
LPs are fucked... and they know it!!!
But cannabis analists cannot expose the Ponzi.
They have to stay PO-SI-TI-VE.
Money is a hard business.
Data shows folks buy cannabis from friends & family growers or web.
Them free market web biz want repeat business!
So unlike LPs they grow dankness...
International Free Cannabis Market is were the goods are...
And it,s a tight knight loving community.
What,s not to like...
Groovy.
Bunk weed is a bitch.
You are out of touch with reality.
Every LP is losing money.
These cannabis naive cartel monopoly don,t know how to grow dank.
And for that reason alone, they are fucked.
What is your favorite strain?
added value is always welcome but
Craft & Free Market doing well...
THE B.C. COMPANY MAKING INDOOR GROWING FEEL NATURAL: INTERVIEW WITH TNB NATURALS
Thom Bonno 19, 2021
CANNABIS NEWS0 VIEWS
If you’re looking to enhance your grow room and buy from a great Canadian company, you should get to know TNB Naturals. Based in Vernon, a small town in the Okanagan Valley, since 2012 TNB Naturals has specialized in the manufacturing and development of safe and natural products to help grow your indoor products.
Meet TNB Naturals
I had an opportunity to ask co-owner, Josh Brazier some questions about the company.
What was your mission at the start of your business?
When we started out, we only had a single product, which is now known as The Enhancer; an all-natural CO2 generator designed to supplement CO2 levels in the grow room. Our mission became to put it in the hands of growers and grow stores everywhere. We knew it worked very well but hardly anyone else did and as a result, we were met with all kinds of skepticism and disbelief, especially early on.
TB
How did you come up with the name of your company?
When we first started experimenting with The Enhancer, we knew we had something special. Early on we had growers testing our prototype and when we asked one specifically what he thought about the product, his response was “there’s nothing better!” Shortly after, we took that statement and TNB was formed. We added Naturals to the end, as we planned on focusing our efforts on all-natural products.
TB
What is unique about your business?
One of the most unique aspects of our business has to be our flagship product, The Enhancer. Before its release, nobody had really seen anything like it and once we created The Refill Pack, which allowed growers to reuse their original Enhancer bottle, we gained even more attention. Furthermore, The Enhancer is heat and light-sensitive, so when the grow lights are on, it produces CO2 and when the lights go off, it actually slows the release of CO2 in order to give your plants a rest.
TB
How would you describe your company’s success so far?
It’s been a long road with all kinds of setbacks and speed bumps along the way, but we’ve never stopped grinding and as a result, we’ve enjoyed a great deal of success in a relatively short period of time. In the beginning, we were selling locally, then throughout Canada, then into the United States, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Africa and most recently, we broke into the South American market with distribution deals in Argentina and Chile. As it stands today, we’re available in six of the seven continents and still looking for a way to gain entry into Antarctica, so if anyone reading this has an in, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
TB
Do you have any competition and if so, what sets you apart?
When we first started out, we were definitely the underdog, especially when it came to CO2. There were more well-established companies that had products already on the market, but as time has passed and with the introduction of our Refill Pack, we started to take more and more of the market share.
From left to right, Daryll – Head of Sales and Marketing, Travis – Co-owner, Josh – Co-owner, Big Mine – Head of Production
TNB Naturals have a number of new products in the research and development stage, with their focus remaining on innovation and sustainability.
Available in over 30 countries and counting, customers have nothing but positive things to say about the products and they love the simplicity of the refill process.
Products are available at your local garden supply store, through their distribution partners and you can order on their website.
A relative of the Hells at a big legal pot seller
November 18, 2021
Thom Bonno
The Sûreté du Québec recently alerted Ottawa to the fact that the SQDC’s largest cannabis supplier has just acquired a business linked to a close friend of the Hells Angels.
• Read also: A mafioso survives a hail of bullets
• Read also: HEXO is shopping for a new CEO
The young Ontario entrepreneur Josh Hill multiplies the poses on the social network Instagram with members in good standing of the Hells Angels, the famous skull logo prominently.
Already a major shareholder of Ontario cannabis producer Redecan, Josh Hill’s family have now been shareholders of Quebec cannabis giant HEXO since the latter bought Redecan for $ 925 million in May 2021.
Hexo is the SQDC's largest cannabis supplier. She sells products like flowering cannabis.
Archive photo, Thom Bonno
Hexo is the SQDC’s largest cannabis supplier. She sells products like flowering cannabis.
HEXO is the preferred supplier of the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC), which has a monopoly on the sale of the pot in the province.
According to our police sources, the pictures released by Josh Hill are so disturbing that the federal government, which granted HEXO’s cannabis cultivation license, has been made aware of it.
Three members in good standing
Josh Hill (left) is pictured with Hells Dwayne Patrick Smith (center) and Joel Rollin (right). The latter was arrested for extortion and assault in 2012, and sentenced to six months in prison in 2013.
Screenshot from Josh Hill’s Instagram account
Josh Hill (left) is pictured with Hells Dwayne Patrick Smith (center) and Joel Rollin (right). The latter was arrested for extortion and assault in 2012, and sentenced to six months in prison in 2013.
On his internet publications in the last year, some of which have since been withdrawn, Josh Hill notably poses with individuals identified by our police sources as Dwayne Patrick Smith, Joel Rollin and Jason Hall. These are three members in good standing of the Ontario Hells Angels.
On January 25, Josh Hill (right) posed with Jason Hall, a member in good standing of the Hells Angels, and wished him happy birthday.
Screenshot from Josh Hill’s Instagram account
On January 25, Josh Hill (right) posed with Jason Hall, a member in good standing of the Hells Angels, and wished him happy birthday.
Smith was notably arrested and charged in April following an organized crime investigation.
Josh Hill also touched on Redecan’s mega-deal with HEXO on his Instagram account in May 2021, posting a screenshot of an article in the Globe and Mail referring to it.
“Congratulations brother,” wrote one internet user.
“Unreal,” commented another.
On his Instagram account, Josh Hill is surrounded by Peter James Montour (right) and William Montour with the mention
Screenshot from Josh Hill’s Instagram account
On his Instagram account, Josh Hill is surrounded by Peter James Montour (right) and William Montour with the mention “The Rede Gang”. The Montour brothers sit on the board of directors of HEXO.
Two of the current directors of HEXO, Peter James and William Montour, had also been photographed arm in arm with Josh Hill on Instagram, before the transaction.
An office at redecan
In response to a series of written questions relating in particular to the role of Josh Hill at Redecan, the representative of a strategic consulting firm hired by HEXO replied:
“There is no business relationship between HEXO and the person in question, either today or in the past. HEXO operates under the highest standards of legal and regulatory compliance. “
On social media, Josh Hill does not hide his great interest in cannabis.
Screenshot from Josh Hill’s Instagram account
On social media, Josh Hill does not hide his great interest in cannabis.
But we were able to confirm that Josh Hill previously had an office at Redecan. When our Bureau of Investigation contacted the company last week asking if Josh Hill is working there now, a receptionist told us yes. She added that he was not present at the scene at the time.
On a second call the next day, human resources refused to answer.
? The legalization of cannabis was announced in 2018 by the Trudeau government with the aim, in particular, of eradicating the presence of organized crime in the cannabis market.
His “brother” of the Hells
Screenshot from Dwayne Patrick Smith’s Instagram account
In this photo, we can see Josh Hill standing behind the Hells Angel Dwayne Patrick Smith. The photo was shared on Front_line_Affa’s account, owned by Dwayne. AFFA is an acronym of the biker group meaning “Angels Forever; Forever Angels ”.
Dwayne writes “me and my brother” in reference to Josh with the hashtag #loyaltyispriceless (“loyalty has no price” in French).
Dwayne Patrick Smith was arrested in April along with 27 others as part of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s Project Kakia and Durham Police targeting organized crime. He was charged in particular with trafficking in property obtained by crime. The case is now before the courts.
HEXO in brief
Founded in 2013 in Gatineau. It was then called Hydropothecary and obtained its medical cannabis license from Health Canada in March 2014.
As a “preferred” supplier to the SQDC, HEXO is the only producer to have won a five-year supply contract with the state-owned company in 2018, ie 45 tonnes.
The firm worked with the state corporation to develop products adapted to the Quebec market. Until mid-October, HEXO managed the storage and distribution of SQDC’s online cannabis purchases.
Redecan in brief
Founded in 2014 in Ontario, it obtained its medical cannabis license in June 2014.
It was founded by Richard Redekop, Peter James and William Montour.
In a January 2021 press release, the company said the Hills are part of the team of owners.
The Hill family in brief
It is established on the Six Nations reserve in Ontario. Josh Hill’s father, Ken, is the wealthy co-founder of Grand River Enterprise (GRE), an Indigenous tobacco company. Ken Hill died last January. His business partner was Jerry Montour, father of Peter James and William Montour (Redecan).
The Hill house is described by the Toronto Star like a 22,000 square foot mansion with a garage worthy of an airplane hangar that houses a collection of luxury cars.
In 2013, Josh, then an aspiring rapper, recorded a single named Blowed with Snoop Dogg, in his father’s recording studio.
A company in difficulty
HEXO is experiencing major financial difficulties, even though it is the largest cannabis company in the country and the largest supplier to the SQDC.
External auditor PwC even expressed “substantial doubt about its ability to continue operating” in a recent report. Last week, HEXO announced the closure of three facilities and the layoff of 155 people.
HEXO’s stock, which was already worth $ 41 in 2019, is trading today at around $ 2, down more than 50% since the start of the year.
On October 18, the company announced the sudden departure of its founder and CEO, Sébastien St-Louis, as part of a “strategic reorganization”.
Bad decisions
According to the Bloomberg BNN TV channel, the departure from St-Louis would also be no stranger to the arrival of Redecan last August.
In September, an investor by the name of Adam Arviv, who previously acted as a special advisor to Redecan, indeed sent a letter to the board of directors denouncing the bad decisions of St. Louis and the poor financial performance of HEXO. .
HEXO’s board of directors then, unanimously according to Bloomberg, voted to remove Mr. St-Louis. The latter nevertheless remains a member of the board of directors.
Ultimately, it was Scott Cooper, the CEO of Truss, the cannabis beverage joint venture created by HEXO and Molson Coors, who inherited the position.
Not pawns
The agreement for the transaction with Redecan also included the arrival of William and Peter James Montour on the board of directors of HEXO. Currently, Peter James sits there and William is a non-voting observer until his election.
These Redecan executives will have a major role in the new business. Under the terms of the transaction disclosed in May 2021, Redecan shareholders were expected to end up with around one-third of HEXO’s shares outstanding.
they will have one taste...
and go back to the free market in a hurry...
The Montour Brothers & Hells Angels = HEXO
But Simon cannot sell it...
He,s bunk fucked!