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.
I used to have about 20 pot plants growing on one side, just to experiment. But we're too close to the ocean and they got mold, so we harvested them. Every chance I get. I've been a sun-tanner all my life. The sun is why we moved from Canada to California.
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
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.
Between the two of us, we smoke one joint after 7 p.m. about four days a week. We also enjoy it on special occasions like holidays and birthdays. Lately, when our adult child has been over to visit and we step away to share a joint, they'll comment, I thought you only smoked on certain days or something to that effect. I feel like they're keeping tabs on us, or even judging us by saying OK in a disapproving way.
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.
Many Americans enthusiastically partake in Dry January, but it is rarely pitched as fun. After the holiday stretch of office parties and family gatherings, Americans have come to use the start of every year to abstain from alcohol in the name of health and auspicious beginnings. It's a time of discipline, of cleansing, of embodying your mood board, even if it makes you a drag at parties. And it is also, as weed companies have learned, a marketing opportunity.
