July Welcome

By
HeadQuest

Finally…July! It is the month we have all been waiting for…not only are we all smack dab in the middle of trade show season, we are gearing up for our 2nd HQ Event this month! Can you believe it? If you haven’t registered yet, there is no time to waste. Register at www.theHQEvent.com to secure your spot. Recall the saying, “Curiosity killed the cat…but satisfaction brought it back.” Be curious, find satisfaction! This show is all about community and bringing advanced technology and increased professionalism to this fabulous industry! We can’t wait to show you everything we have in store. Don’t miss it!

As things are heating up this summer, be sure to check out the latest and greatest the HQ Quest for the Best section this issue! You really don’t want to miss the boat on these freshly launched products.
Now, we all know of some great stories that involve our industry comrades, but I bet you haven’t heard the one about Drake Fischer, owner of Durity Vape and Smoke Shop. Durity means “hardened, something that can endure pressure”, which just about sums up this awesome Shop of the Month story! Thanks for sharing with us, Drake!
Lastly, we are already prepping for THE Holiday edition of 2021. Wholesalers, do you have what it takes to make the list of lists? Send us an email to communications@headquest.com and tell us about your most popular, new launched, or most innovative product to date! We can’t wait to spotlight the best of the best as we kick things in high gear for the busiest time of the year!
See you all at the HQ Event. Be there or be square.

Recent Stories

Recent Articles

2026-06-01_20-59-01
By
Emily Long
Women in Cannabis – Dr. Chanda Macias
Dr. Macias first fell in love with science while studying at Howard University, where she completed her undergraduate studies and later earned her PhD in cellular and molecular biology. While at Howard, she became especially interested in cancer research due to personal ties. Growing up in a Creole family and predominantly Black community in Louisiana, Dr. Macias watched many women around her battle breast cancer, so at Howard, she decided to focus her research on the BRCA1 gene.
2026-06-01_20-45-52
By
Matt Weeks
Cards Denied: Smoke Shops, Dispensaries, and the Paradox of Modern Banking
It’s almost amazing that the same institutions that brought us the 2008 financial crisis have a problem with selling glass pipes. Almost. The truth is that an industry's past sins are only held against it when the money isn’t right. Big banks were willing to risk cratering the U.S. housing market because the profits were too good to ignore. But the cannabis industry rolls a different kind of paper, so instead of a slap on the wrist, it gets a surcharge.
2026-06-01_20-34-44
By
Karen Maina
Print Lives! Why Flyers and Posters Still Work
Smokeshop and counterculture enthusiasts enjoy discovery as part of the experience. Customers enjoy browsing. When they walk into a shop, they don't simply grab a product and leave. They look for something new. This is the main reason flyers and posters still work. Smokeshops and dispensaries are highly visual environments. You want to see bold artwork, psychedelic graphics, and street-style posters that naturally capture attention.
2026-06-01_9-58-51
By
Joe Reefer
Cannabis in Sports: Exploring Famous Athletes’ Cannabis Usage
The use of cannabis in professional sports has always been a controversial subject. While some are firm believers that all substances should be banned from professional sports altogether, most people aren’t thinking about cannabis when they’re discussing performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). In fact, there have been countless cannabis users in the world of professional sports throughout the years; some of whom are more open about their love for the plant than others.
NC Ban
By
Matt Weeks
Save Hemp, Save the World
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.
Tourism banner
By
Karen Maina
The Quiet Rise of Hemp Agritourism
Hemp is often considered for the things that it is not. It is not intoxicating, it is not illegal, and it is not marijuana. However, now we are seeing a focus back to what it can be. The plant is moving into the level of wine and chocolate and becoming a movement and a culture.
Schedule 3 1
By
Joe Reefer
What Does Schedule III Mean for the Industry?
It’s been several months since President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III within the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). On paper, the recent executive order, entitled “Increasing Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research,” is a huge step in the right direction for cannabis smokers across the country.
Sate of 3
By
Matt Weeks
The State of the States
For years, we’ve been told that this industry is the Wild West: a place where the only law amounts to whatever the guy with the gun says. But over the last 12 months, state governments have passed a spate of new regulations that promise to swap the relative lawlessness of poor enforcement of vague rules with real law and order.