We want to be part of the local community. We want to have local manufacturing distribution, own all the key components ourselves and not have to rely on a third party.
In 2019, the Original Cannabis Cafe, formerly Lowell Cafe, burst onto the scene. It was the nation's first legally permitted cannabis restaurant, with long lines snaking out of the venue and down La Brea Avenue.
Jason Ambrosino, the CEO and Founder of Veterans Choice Creations, shared his experience of being prescribed numerous medications for severe pain, stating, 'They had me on a lot of different medications, a lot of gabapentin and the typical combination that the military sees. It turned me into a zombie, I couldn't handle it.' His struggle with medication led him to seek alternatives.
Food and stoner culture have always gone together, but these days chefs and cannabis professionals are working together to find thoughtful, new ways to incorporate weed into meals. For National Hot Pastrami Day on 14 January, a celebrated Jewish deli in Chicago teamed up with a local Illinois dispensary to give customers free pastrami sandwiches garnished with cannabis-infused mustard. The High on Rye event was held in the parking lot of Ivy Hall dispensary's Logan Square location.
In early February, Canadian researchers reported that rates of severe mental illness among young people have risen alongside increased access to high-potency cannabis (Callaghan, et al., 2022). Around the same time, a new book, A Killing in Cannabis (Kohn, 2024), revisited a 2019 California murder and highlighted how violence tied to the marijuana trade has persisted even after legalization. On February 9, 2024, an opinion piece from the New York Times editorial board
"We hold that at a minimum, to constitute a violation of (the open container law), marijuana in a vehicle must be of a usable quantity, in imminently usable condition, and readily accessible to an occupant," wrote Associate Justice Goodwin Liu in a unanimous opinion. Loose marijuana found on a car's floorboards is like spilled beer, the court ruled.
An analysis released Thursday by the Office of Cannabis Management claims that, without action, the shortage of flowered marijuana could reach 365,000 pounds over the next year. Citing the gap between supply and demand, OCM Acting Executive Director John Kagia said the state could issue licenses for 100 additional pot growers this year - while allowing dozens of existing cultivators to grow more flower.
For many cannabis consumers, there's one unmistakable sign that they've found the right dispensary: the flower smells alive. It's expressive, sticky, vibrant. At Purple Lotus in San Jose, that's not luck, it's the result of a freshness-first approach that begins long before the jar reaches the shelf. Fresh Flower Begins with Intentional Practices Purple Lotus restocks its flower selection every week, keeping shelves aligned with the natural rhythm of the plant.
Zach is the CMO and VP of digital marketing at CannaPlanners, where he leads a team powering SEO and digital growth for more than 150 dispensaries and 30 cannabis retailers nationwide. Zach honed his skills in the plumbing, HVAC and automotive industries, fields where success depends on mastering local search. We spent two minutes with Zach to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he's admired.
THC-infused beverages will now be available at special events in the United Center, the home of the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago Blackhawks, which some experts suggest may pave the way for other arenas to do the same. These drinks can be sold outside of state-legal recreational dispensaries because they are part of the hemp-derived cannabis market that is currently legal on the federal level.