Welcome July 2020

Happy July, fellow fringe entrepreneurs! If you’re reading this, that likely means we’re not all in bunkers yet, so let’s just take a moment to celebrate that thought. For a second there, the evening news was starting to look like the prequel for The Handmaid’s Tale. Over here, we’re still praying to our deities of choice that it really only lasts a few seconds and things will return to a semblance of normal soon. Here’s to hoping. But there is good news on the horizon, albeit, nothing that can dwarf the senseless death and destruction we’ve witnessed in these chaotic weeks, but in terms of the smoke shop world, it’s a pretty damn big deal. HQ Magazine, your authority on all things cannabis and counter-cultural for two decades and counting, is teaming up with Smoke Shop Events to create the first official HQ trade show. What will it be like? Exactly what you’d expect from the merging of the most innovative show and the longest running publication in the space; a one-of-a-kind experience that brings our industry into the new decade with state-of-the-art technology and high-tech advancement to significantly increase your return on investment and reinvent what a trade show is supposed to be. This is evolution, folks—and not the slow kind. We’re talking punctuated equilibrium. Are you ready? We hope so. Be well and be safe, one and all. We’ll catch you on the flipside.

  • CannaAid and Peak: Something new for everyone.

Recent Articles

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.
Clayton Smith was ready to die. Like all soldiers, the former U.S. Army Captain accepted the reality of losing his life on the battlefield. But preparing for death at home was different. Despite a good job and a loving wife, Smith hurt immensely. He had tried everything to stop the pain, but everything failed. Only one thing stood between him and suicide: a final gamble on a psychedelic called ibogaine.
The cannabis industry is evolving fast, but its most powerful force is not a new product or policy. It is the women leading the charge.
How many loyalty and rewards programs are you a part of? Do you know how to access your rewards without keeping track of a physical stamp card? And as a business, how are you reaching your customers to keep them engaged and coming back?
A copycat formula led us to abandon what made the industry great. You’ve got one last chance to change before it’s too late.
Is the Future of the Industry in the Past?
Back in September’s issue, we opened the door on the world of cryptocurrency and how it’s currently being used in our society. However, the crypto space isn’t all sugar and spice; there are some risks involved, too. We recently sat down with Kaz, the creator of the Kazonomics token, who is currently experiencing the downside of the crypto craze.
How Marcos Hurtado continues a legacy of service with Lambo Industries