Industry professionals, media, marketing teams, medical users, adult use enjoyers listen up! We are in tumultuous times in the cannabis industry today and an administration that has made less than friendly remarks about cannabis is currently in power. Many of us wonder how we can ensure a positive and healthy dialogue with those that oppose this industry, whether passively or aggressively and I have one simple thing you can do TODAY to pave the way to an open mind. Specifically, we need to stop using industry language that is derogatory when referring to the cannabis world. The term “marijuana” is a slang term made up by a prejudiced and racist group and should be eliminated from our vocabulary. https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/where-did-the-word-marijuana-come-from-anyway-01fb
Second, please call it “adult-use” instead of “recreational” when referring to 21+ product. “Recreational” has several negative implications but more dangerously it is appealing to children as “recreation,” while “Adult-use” says NOT FOR CHILDREN. We understand that government agencies and political parties across the nation are using these terms even in their names of governing bodies (IE Marijuana Enforcement Division in Colorado), it may take some time to change those official titles but we as advocates can change RIGHT NOW how we speak. Language is a very powerful medium to illicit feelings and responses in the public, as any marketing team will tell you. Our job is to advocate professionally for our industry and at the same time do everything we can to promote safe consumption and divert all adult use products out of the hands of children.
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Concerns about the impact on the environment coming from the marijuana industry are popping up in articles all over the internet. Some articles question whether the industry will ever be environmentally friendly, while others praise the job that has been done so far; a mixed reaction to primarily the cultivation centers that remain resource intensive without any initiatives in place. One of the biggest sustainability issues stems from the fact that Cannabis is a thirsty plant, so water conservation is a must. Growers are listening to these environmental concerns and some are even hosting and teaching innovative sustainable practice workshops. While many people are on the fence with the sustainable grows, not much is said about the other areas of the industry just yet.
So, we raise the question of sustainable practices in the realm of packaging, retail, and the cannabis consumer market. Sustainable grows are an important point to start but Smokey’s invites you to extend this notion to the packaging and consumption end of the cycle. We challenge to steer this industry towards having a positive impact on our environmental footprint, instead of leaving us in worse shape than during the times of prohibition. How does the cannabis industry support sustainability beyond the grow, and how can we, as consumers, help? The use of a guesstimated million+ tubes and drams each year (those colorful plastic containers that hold your flower, pre-rolls, and edibles) are 100% reusable and/or recyclable. Why throw them away? If you are like me you have a few of those reward cards/keychains and accounts with local businesses that give you points for dollars spent, including some dispensaries such as our beloved Smokey’s 420 House. To support sustainability, Smokey’s extends those rewards to the consumer by giving customers points for returned tubes and drams; one of the many reasons I am thrilled to work here. Sometimes you might even get an extra point boost, as we occasionally sneak in a double points recycling day (check the monthly calendar for possible dates) to show our appreciation for the consumer efforts to help the industry’s environmental footprint. So what happens to these tubes and drams that are returned for recycling? Well, customers bring them back into either Smokey’s location (Garden City or Ft. Collins) to be collected. You can bring in containers from ANY dispensary, though we only give you points for our containers! From there, they are picked up by to be sterilized. The sterilization process exceeds the regulations set by the FDA. (Meaning that the containers/drams can then legally and safely can be reused. At which point, Smokey’s brings them back into the cycle to go back into the consumer's hands packaged with a bit of cannabis yet another time. With the scale Coloradans are consuming cannabis, you can see how this can quickly add up. To that I say fabulous! Why is this important? Efforts are focused on the grows/cultivation centers right now. With a little education, that may also change the retail and consumer end of the industry soon. What better way to prove that this industry is not only concerned with sustainability in the grow, by supporting full reuse and recycling of marijuana packaging and extending those habits to the retail and consumer side of this exploding industry. Peace Do you remember what it was like getting “the kind”, “dro”, or “schwag” back in the day, never really knowing that there was a whole world of strains and flavors of amazing herb to explore? The whole realm of cannabis has exploded over the past few years as a result of legalization. The education and knowledge of cannabis has grown exponentially over the past decade and cannabis consumers are now becoming cannabis connoisseurs. Think microbrewery mentality, always seeking that new flavor or strain that you’ve never had the chance to experience. It is a beautiful time to be alive in the cannabis world, with a multitude of top notch growers sharing quality strains that have been coveted by the underground scene until recently.
Here at Smokey’s, our growers take extreme pride and LOVE in the beautiful plants they cultivate. We have a small team of growers that work hard 7 days a week to make sure that our customers get the best quality, hand selected, trichome packed buds. Our plants get plenty of one and one attention and you can definitely tell when you break it down and spark it up. All of our cones are hand packed by our AMAZING and hard working process team. This small but crucial team cranks out over 1,000 pre-rolls daily, all by hand. These people are so instrumental to the success of Smokey’s and yet many of our customers don’t get a glimpse into ‘behind the scenes’ and how much goes into keeping our stores stocked with quality choices. With so many great choices,produced by our own crew, it’s hard to pick a favorite! Smokey’s Grown Connoisseur Recommendations: Island Sweet Skunk, Black Russian, Vortex, Kali Diesel, and Sour Diesel (SO MANY GREAT STRAINS) The “support your local business” movement does not exclude the cannabis industry by any means. As legalization has transformed this beautiful state, we have seen a wide variety of Medical and Recreational stores flooding the scene in Colorado. There are many big names in the game, and most massive companies have disconnected with the reality that this industry has opened up the door to connoisseur consumers. One of the main reasons I personally wanted to work for Smokey’s 420 House was the fact that we are a smaller, locally owned and operated business. I am proud to know everyone I work with, even as we have grown in our success over the past two years since I joined the Smokey’s family. We have successfully grown enough to open our Ft. Collins store for Recreational sales, and will continue to grow and succeed but without losing sight of why we are all here. Everyone at the Smokey’s family has a passion for the benefits and relief that cannabis provides to so many people in our state. It is truly an inspiring business to work for within the cannabis world. Smokey’s cares about more than just dollar signs and profit margins, we care about the quality of our product, the communities we are involved in, as well as the people we serve. It is important for us at Smokey’s to also work with other companies within this industry that share that same passion for quality and love into what they are producing. We do work with a handful of carefully chosen wholesale growers that take the same pride in producing quality, potent, hand trimmed buds. Some of my favorite wholesale growers we work with are Mayflower Farms, Verde Natural, Locol Love, and Fire From Water. If you haven’t had the chance to check out some of these amazing connoisseur strains, do yourself a favor and stop in often. Our variety and selection changes day to day so you are sure to find something new to check out each visit. Mayflower Farms Connoisseur Recommendation: Hells Angel OG & Smurfette Verde Natural Connoisseur Recommendation: Face Off OG & Sno Cap Locol Love Connoisseur Recommendation: Bear Dance & Bio Diesel Fire From Water Connoisseur Recommendation: Sour Tangie & Legend Killer Chem If you ever want a strain or product recommendation shoot us an email! We would love to also hear your thoughts on anything cannabis related or other topics you would like us to explore. -MJ So You Want to Grow?
Part 1: Before you Grow- state and local regulations, and issues to consider for your home. As a resident of Colorado, I have discovered the joy of producing my own cannabis indoors using my small grow tent. In a space that takes up 8 square feet (48 cubic feet when you factor in tent height), I am able to produce a variety of strains to keep me stocked and smiling for several months of the year. With a little investment of time and money, it is simple to create an environment conducive to producing top-quality buds in a space the size of a spare bedroom closet. In the first installment of So you want to Grow? we’ll focus on the preparation and planning stage of your first home grow, and discuss the main issues to consider before you start growing your own cannabis in Colorado. Though it is legal to grow cannabis for personal consumption, there are several state and local regulations to consider before you plant your seeds or purchase clones. State and municipality regulations can conflict, so it is extremely important to know the laws before you set up your grow. For example, the state allows each individual in a household to grow 6 plants (3 flowering plants, 3 in vegetative stage), but the city of Denver only allows 12 plants per household regardless of the number of adults occupying a dwelling. Also, if you are a medical patient, regulations surrounding your personal grow will be different. The state and local laws of Colorado will dictate how you set up your grow, thus it is imperative that you understand these regulations before you begin setting up your grow. The following links provide information on state and certain municipality regulations concerning growing cannabis for personal consumption. Home Grow Guidelines- State of Colorado Safety Guidelines for Home Growing -State of Colorado Cannabis Regulations, including personal cultivation- City of Fort Collins Cannabis regulations, including personal cultivation - City of Greeley The next set of issues to consider are where you intend to grow and the utilities needed to grow. Again, to emphasis the importance of knowing the laws, one cannot grow cannabis outdoors legally. If you live in an apartment, duplex, or any type of building with shared units, you are prohibited from growing cannabis for personal use. If lucky enough to have a house, one should make sure the electrical system is up-to-date, and the area that you selected for your grow is located near a reliable power source, and said power source can handle the electrical needs of your growing setup. Like any other plant, cannabis needs air, water, and nutrients to grow, and depending on your grow setup, each of these items may require electrical energy to adequately supply your grow space. Will your space require fans for ventilation and air movement? Will you be running pumps for watering? What type of light do you plan to use, and what are the power needs? Can your circuit handle your electrical load? Best to find out beforehand, or you could risk an electrical fire. Also, clean running water nearby your grow space (or better yet, in the same room) helps in maintaining your grow in the long term (or putting out fires in the short term). We have only scratched the surface of preparing for your grow. In the next installment of “So you want to Grow?” we will examine some of the equipment you may want to consider for your home grow, including lighting, tray tables, fabric pots, and hydroponic equipment. Did you know that some forms of lighting, such as HID lamps like Metal Halide or High Pressure Sodium lamps can no longer be used in certain municipalities? These topics will be discussed in the next installment of So You Want to Grow? The following links and book suggestions are for those eager to learn more on their own! Happy Growing! Jorge Cervantes Ultimate Grow DVD- Beginner’s Guide to Growing Cannabis Closet Cultivator by Ed Rosenthal : Easy to ready cultivation guide. This was my first book about cultivation, and still serves as an excellent guide to growing cannabis for personal consumption. Ready, Set, Grow – High Times Growing Guide . Drew Bagby |
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