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Women in Cannabis

The Account Executive for HQ is a certified platinum talker. As the former No. 1 sales rep for long-distance carrier MCI’s Bilingual Division and a veteran of the tough-as-nails construction industry, she’s honed her skills in some of the most competitive arenas imaginable.
If you told Diane Willis in the early ‘90s that PT Bag Co., her humble family business selling small zip-loc baggies for carrying “jewelry” and “herbal blends” by the gram (we know what they were really for), would stand the test of time and be kicking ass more than three decades later, she’d probably laugh and tell you she was just trying to get through the day.
Picture this: It’s the early ‘90s, a time when the good herb was very much in the shadows—a subculture thriving behind closed doors. Wendy Campbell is a small-town girl from Ohio. She is introduced to something even more out of the ordinary: cannabis.
Rebecca Abraham is yet another extraordinary human facing another heroic task. A nurse by trade—and more importantly, by inclination —Abraham is working to convince the relatively conservative American medical community that cannabis does indeed have a role to play in clinical practice.

Heads of Industry

As HQ Magazine celebrates a quarter century, it’s only right that we pause to consider its journey. How did a print magazine launched at the turn of the century grow old enough to finish grad school? To find out, we went directly to the source: Sandy Caputo, the hard-charging president of HQ.
There are fake urine companies, and then there are fake urine companies. Serious Monkey Bizzness is one of the latter. Made exclusively for fetishists, pranksters, and novelty enthusiasts, the goods Serious Monkey Bizzness proffers are the stuff of dreams for a small but underserved market of devotees.
The CounterCulture Awards, organized by the CounterCulture Association (CCA), is an initiative designed to recognize and celebrate outstanding achievements within the cannabis, tobacco, other tobacco products (OTP), and alternative products industries.
There’s something about small companies. They move fast. They innovate. They provide god-tier customer service. Okay, maybe that’s not true for all small companies. But it is for Purr Glass.

Quest for the Best

The Best Products from HQ Wholesalers
Canna Aid
As the year wraps up, we’re turning the spotlight up to 11 and dropping our list of the Top 25 Products of the Year. These aren’t just the usual suspects—we’ve dug deep and brought the best of the best in smoke shop accessories and alternative supplements.
Jerome is the owner of three Los Angeles California-based smoke shops. We sat down with him to get his insight on the highs and lows of owning a smoke shop in 2024, including top selling-products, and how to stay profitable and successful in these uncertain times.
To help our readers navigate the trends and make informed decisions, we’ve turned to industry expert, Alfred Viggiani, the creative director and marketing consultant at Advantage Marketing Solutions.
Our fearless intern and ever-stalwart production assistant went full Gonzo at the 420 Expo in Edison, NJ this past fall to find out what cannabis consumer culture looks like in 2024. His findings may shock you (actually, they won’t.)
Lessons in content creation from a show about hicks and hockey bros.
As HQ Magazine celebrates its 25th anniversary, we’d like to take a moment and reflect on a journey that began in 1999 when Roger Kay and Ralph Garza envisioned a publication that would unite, solidify, and empower what had traditionally been a fragmented market.

Industry Associations

United we stand

In a bid to check the FDA’s abuse of power, 30 vapor manufacturers have sued the agency . . . one of those cases, originally brought by Triton Distribution, has finally made its way to the US Supreme Court.
It’s time for a bit of good news on the public health front. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that youth vaping has dropped to the lowest level in a decade. Over the last five years, it has declined by 70 percent. Just 1.55 percent of students in the survey vaped daily.
Adults have a natural right to use nicotine; any attempts to infringe upon this right should be met with resistance from everyone who values their liberty.
Now that you know switching is a relatively simple process, I want to make the case that it’s essential. Here are just a few reasons why adult smokers should at least try to switch.
If you’re truly ready to quit, here’s a beginner’s guide to help you make the transition that could save your life.
Hemp Alert: New Canna-Bev Laws Sweep Multiple States
Hemp Alert: URGENT – The Mary Miller Amendment
Why Did DeSantis Veto Florida’s Hemp Bill?
Please Take My Money: Point of Sale
North Carolina Senate Push for Medical Marijuana Linked to Hemp Regulation Bill