Industry Insights
You’ve chosen to work in a gray area.
You sell products that contain cannabis or cannabis-adjacent substances as well as accessories that can be used to consume it. And while that area has become less gray—you can see rays of sunlight peeking through—the skies are still cloudy. THC remains a Schedule 1 substance, even as medical marijuana has migrated to Schedule 3.
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If the United States were ever a country based on strict adherence to the law, those days are long past. The modern game lies in devising methods to circumvent laws. It’s how the rich avoid taxes, the powerful avoid jail, and industries of all kinds bypass regulations.
The paradox is that, despite its ubiquity, it’s not easy to stay beyond the reach of the long arm of the law. Well-moneyed, influential organizations still sometimes misjudge the political and legal playing field and have to pay up. The Sacklers (the family behind Purdue Pharma) eventually were bankrupted by the courts for their role in the opioid epidemic, and officials hit Meta with a $5 billion fine over privacy concerns.
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When you walk into a smoke shop today, you might notice the glass cases that once held rolling papers and blunt wraps now display CBD tinctures, functional mushroom capsules, kava elixirs, and hemp-infused sparkling water. The staff might talk to you about terpene profiles, cortisol levels, and a new vape line.
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There’s a paradox to business conferences. The best ones manage to swing from buttoned down to wildly unscripted—sometimes seconds apart. For attendees, it’s the combination of personal connections and professional development that makes regular trips to conferences worthwhile. And in an industry like this one, pulling that off is harder than it looks.
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Despite the fact that Michiganders have been enjoying medical and recreational cannabis within the state for quite some time now, Michigan’s cannabis industry saw a 16% decline in revenue from December 2025 to January 2026. But why the sudden decrease?
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The federal government seems mostly fine with cannabis. Democrats are all in on legalization. Republicans are split publicly, less so privately. And this mercurial president seems to be leaning toward greater leeway, teasing a rescheduling of THC while being cool with medical marijuana. And for better or worse, they're busy frying other fish.
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North Carolina might save us all. A new state bill may be the industry’s best option to save itself from demise when new federal cannabinoid bans take effect in November. And it could use your support.
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As part of the leadership of the William R. Seide (WRS) agency, he has helped many businesses in relatively risky industries feel more secure. Whether he has helped them curate a bespoke policy that meets their company’s needs or become a trusted partner throughout their journey, he and his associates have lowered the anxiety of being involved in the owning of many hemp businesses, cannabis dispensaries, vape companies, CBD wholesalers, accessories retailers, and more.
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And that’s a rut All Fun Gifts (AFG) had gotten into. They’d been around for 25 years, and they were a solid member of the industry that had emerged from the cannabis-and-accessories parking lot scene at ‘90s Phish concerts.
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ile Mike Wittenberg sat in a Dominican Republic prison, a thought occurred to him. “I could appreciate flushing the toilet,” he said. “When you’re in a third-world jail without running water 23.5 hours a day, you learn to appreciate the little things.”
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If you’ve been in Vegas in February with a badge from Champs, you might have visited the Starbase or Illuminarium after.
Maybe you walked in and saw B-Real from Cypress Hill. Or Too Short. Or John Hart. They were commanding the stage with a crowd dancing their asses off. You might have even watched people getting awards for best cleaner, nicotine pouch, nicotine vape, nicotine e-liquid, marketing, innovation, cannabis vape, glass line, new device, or shop.
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The growth of head shops has exploded, especially in states that are riding the wave of cannabis legalization. In some cities, head shops now outnumber gas stations, creating a surreal new retail landscape.
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Some things are just not working, and the clock’s ticking. Whether you’re having trouble moving inventory, getting customers in the door, or just letting people know you exist, you might need to take a clear-eyed look at how you’re operating and make some strong, strategic moves to update your business.
