January Welcome

January 2022 Welcome

The first issue of 2022 is here! The fact that we made it through the past 12 months is nothing short of miraculous, and we all know why, so there’s no need to revisit the chaos that was 2021. It’s time to move forward and embrace new adventures and opportunities. As we’ve discovered, germs, the government, and even the wrath of mother nature are no match for creativity, stamina and the entrepreneurial spirit. A big shout out to retailers, manufacturers, and distributors for finding ways to connect and deliver products that fit the needs of today’s cannabis enthusiasts and progressive wellness consumers. Pause for applause. We encourage everyone to join us in helping to bring more positivity, more stability, and more community to our industry. Stay tuned for another exciting giveaway coming up soon where you can win prizes galore from your favorite vendors. And don’t forget about the HQ Event trade show happening later this Spring. As always, it’s our continuing mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations — wait, that’s Star Trek — but our course heading is kinda the same: to boldly go where few B2B magazines have gone before, to bring you more products, more features, more news, more inspiration (more run-on sentences) not only in the print editions, but online and on the social media platforms where you get your news and information. Think of us as HQ-PLUS, the Metaverse of the smoke shop industry, but without the need for crazy goggles. v

  • CannaAid and Peak: Something new for everyone.

Recent Articles

As a lifelong stoner, feminist, and teacher, Luna Stower does know how intersectional plant medicine can be.
“Whenever somebody sees ‘Sales Guru’ on my card, they ask how you become one,” he says. “I tell them that you spend your life in sales, and you go to Nepal to climb the Himalayas to meet the real gurus. You get the wisdom from them, then you bring it back down and apply it to your life.”
Cryptocurrency is taking the world by storm. It’s been over 15 years since the launch of Bitcoin, and although it’s more popular than ever before, it’s not the only form of crypto available today.
We know breaking up is hard to do, but sometimes the thrill is gone, and it’s time to move on. It doesn’t matter how long a brand’s been riding with you or how tight you are with the sales rep. If the product doesn’t perform, or worse, if the brand loses touch with the culture, it’s dead weight. And dead weight doesn’t just slow you down; it can drown you.
At HQ, we don’t shy away from controversy, but we also don’t exist to tear down legitimate players in the industry. We chose instead to invite both perspectives to weigh in.
Ali Bianco wants to elevate the cannabis world one pink pre-roll at a time. Since high school, she’s been sick of the stigma around weed and the idea that stoners are lazy and unkempt. Inspired by Blake Lively’s character smoking pink cigarettes in the 2011 film Hick, Ali decided to “make weed something beautiful” with a feminist kick.
In the early days, we bought flower based on two metrics: THC percentage and the vague promise of either indica or sativa. It was like ordering wine based on alcohol content and whether the label showed a beach or a mountain. We’ve come a long way.
I've witnessed firsthand how patient advocacy can profoundly change healthcare and people's lives. Today, I'm honored to lead ASA once again, as we intensify efforts to ensure medical cannabis reaches all patients who need it, fully integrated into our nation's healthcare system.