For instance, we’re wearing pajamas for longer amounts of time. And none of us has stepped foot into a movie theater or gym since March. (Maybe longer on the gym.)

It’s safe to say we’ve all had to find new ways to entertain ourselves. But Jerry Millen of the Greenhouse in Walled Lake never imagined asking people to add “rolling coins” to that list.

With his new Coins for Cannabis program, he’s doing just that.

U.S. Experiencing Serious Coin Shortage

On our blog a couple of weeks ago, we looked at the coin shortage that’s resulted from the coronavirus as the U.S. Mint takes necessary precautionary efforts to protect their workers from the virus.

The situation has become dire though, as coins are disappearing from circulation.

Many businesses have had to stop accepting cash and shifted solely to credit and debit cards. For customers who can pay only in cash, these businesses are able to offer their customers rewards cards and gift cards to make up the difference.

Not so with the cannabis industry though.

Because of Federal regulations, they are a nearly 100% cash business. Therefore, they lack access to real debit and credit merchant services. And many of them are just completely out of coins.

“We’re out of everything,” says Millen. “Right down to pennies. So now we’re rounding everything down. And we’re taking a financial hit.”

You Can Help Through the Coins for Cannabis Program

Millen and other dispensary owners know the unique challenges that come with the cannabis industry. They’ve also learned that unique challenges require unique solutions. They have to always be thinking outside the box.

So Millen has instituted a special Coins for Cannabis program at the Greenhouse to bring coins back into his business. Here’s the deal:

If you bring in $100 or more in rolled coins, you get a free pre-roll. Simple as that.

It can be quarters, dimes, nickels, or pennies. “Got some coins to roll? Get a free doobie out of it!” says Millen with a laugh, adding that the need for pennies is the greatest.

So if you have jars of change around the house, now’s the time to put your mad rolling skills to task. You can even bring the kids in on the fun.

Because when you get right down to it, what else do you have to do?

Lack of Coins Is Unprecedented

These are strange times, indeed. And we’re all doing our best to figure out how to overcome the obstacles.

If you want to help out the Greenhouse, take advantage of the Coins for Cannabis program. Come on in to The Greenhouse at 103 E. Walled Lake Dr. in Walled Lake with $100 or more in rolled coins and get a free pre-roll.

You roll the coins, they roll the weed. At the end of the day, everyone wins.

Could your cannabis business use some more exposure? Contact us to see how our marketing and public relations specialists can help.

The post Coins for Cannabis appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

A recent study revealed that the cannabis from a federally authorized cultivation site is genetically closer to hemp than the cannabis varieties currently available at dispensaries.

So what’s the big deal? Why not do research on marijuana from other sites then?

Because there is only that ONE federally authorized cultivation site. (They’re almost as rare as unicorns.)

And that their research-grade marijuana is closer to hemp than cannabis is… problematic.

How the Recent Study Was Conducted

This wasn’t the first study done on the only federally authorized research-grade marijuana, which happens to be cultivated at the University of Mississippi.

Previous studies found that the marijuana – funded, interestingly enough, by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA) – had lower levels of THC and CBD when compared to commercial cannabis products.

Intrigued by this, researchers at the University of Northern Colorado set out to understand the genetic variances.

It was a comprehensive study that looked at 49 different cannabis samples, including the NIDA-supplied marijuana, various commercial-grade indica, sativa and hybrid strains, and hemp.

Much to the surprise of researchers, genetic analysis revealed just how different NIDA’s marijuana is from the cannabis most people are consuming.

The NIDA marijuana shared a closer “genetic affinity with hemp samples in most analyses” than it did with commercially available marijuana, the study authors wrote. “To our knowledge, this is the first genetic study to include research-grade marijuana from NIDA, and its placement with hemp samples was unexpected.”

Research-Grade Marijuana Is Closer to Hemp?

As we said before, this is problematic.

The main concern being, of course, just how applicable the results of research using the government marijuana are when it comes to evaluating the effects of products people are consuming.

Federally approved marijuana research has relied on the NIDA supply. If the research was solely concerned with THC and CBD content, the samples might be useful. But study participants who consume the NIDA varieties could be experiencing effects that are quite different from those getting their marijuana from dispensaries.

“As the interest for medical Cannabis increases, it is important that research examining the threats and benefits of Cannabis use accurately reflect the experiences of the general public,” the researchers wrote.

Uh, yeah.

Pushing for Change

It’s no secret that the limited supply and lack of diversity of cannabis varieties available from this sole source in Mississippi is hindering research.

That’s why Attorney General William Barr recently received two letters from a group of bipartisan senators stressing the importance of kicking up the number of federally authorized growers of research-grade marijuana.

In one letter, the senators point out that adding more facilities wouldn’t represent a violation of international treaties. In the second letter, they focus more broadly on the need to expedite processing applications for additional cultivators.

“Our nation’s need for meaningful federally sanctioned research is critical,” the senators write.

“Research and medical communities should have access to research-grade materials to answer questions around marijuana’s efficacy and potential impacts, both positive and adverse. Finalizing the review of applications for marijuana manufacturing will assist in doing just that.”

Now it’s up to Barr and the other folks at the Justice Department to make it happen.

Keep Moving Forward

The fact that the sole source of research-grade marijuana is closer to hemp is a little unnerving. But at least there are responsible lawmakers in D.C. doing their part to advocate for the industry.

In the meantime, if your cannabis business could use a little more publicity, we’re here to advocate for you. Contact us today to see how we can boost your public relations.

The post Federally Authorized Research-Grade Marijuana Is Closer to Hemp Than Cannabis appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.