Adam Grossman

#Trulieve Joins the #hemp #thc Market The biggest barrier is regulatory disparity and market positioning. Cannabis and hemp have been treated as separate industries due to differing legal frameworks, taxation, and licensing. Some cannabis operators see hemp as competition because it allows for easier market entry, while hemp businesses worry about overregulation if they align too closely with cannabis. For real collaboration, there needs to be: Unified Advocacy – Both sectors need to lobby together for fair and clear regulations that benefit the entire plant-based industry. Education & Public Awareness – Eliminating misinformation and showing the benefits of a cohesive approach can drive consumer trust and legislative support. Market Synergy – Instead of competing, businesses should explore cross-industry partnerships to create a stronger, more diverse marketplace. If these industries align, they can shape the future instead of letting fragmented policies and corporate interests dictate it. Who do you think should take the lead in bridging the gap? https://lnkd.in/eiV4zyRK

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Here's a PSA from us at Advanced Nutrients regarding the wildfires Impacting LA Cannabis Businesses. The growing wildfires in #LA, including the Pacific Palisades blaze, are truly terrible. They're causing significant disruption to cannabis businesses across LA County. With over 10,000 acres burned, dispensaries are struggling to remain operational while preparing for potential evacuations. Mandatory evacuations have led to the closure of several businesses, including 99 High Tide in Malibu. Other dispensaries, like Harvest Dispensary in Santa Monica, continue operations under uncertain conditions, with some lacking clear emergency protocols. Advanced Nutrients remains unaffected by the fires and is available to assist clients during this difficult time. In response, industry leaders are connecting through informal networks, such as large WhatsApp groups of retailers, to offer mutual aid and updates. The California Cannabis Industry Association is also advocating for disaster relief. For Licensees Affected by Wildfires: If you have moved cannabis or cannabis products to a secure location due to wildfire threats, take the following steps within 24 hours: ✅ Notify the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) at DisasterRelief@cannabis.ca.gov. ✅ Disclose the new location of your cannabis products. ✅ Allow DCC staff to inspect the location if requested. ✅ Within 14 days, submit a Request for Disaster Relief (Form DCC-8101) to DisasterRelief@cannabis.ca.gov, explaining which regulations you need relief from and why. For more information, visit the DCC website or contact info@cannabis.ca.gov or call 1-844-61-CA-DCC. This crisis highlights the urgent need for support for those in the LA cannabis community affected by these devastating events. Advanced Nutrients is here to help—please reach out if you need assistance and we will try to help during this challenging time. Advanced Nutrients

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Terpenes are present in the most successful cannabis product categories, but not THC drinks. WTF? Terps don’t just provide flavor and aroma — they modulate the effects of cannabinoids - the entourage effect. That means terpenes can help enhance relaxation, focus, creativity, or energy — depending on their profile — and tailor a more consistent and functional consumer experience. Yet, despite the growing sophistication of the cannabis market, most THC beverages are still designed with potency and flavor in mind, not experience. It’s a missed opportunity. The future of THC beverages isn’t just higher potency or bioavailability or better emulsions — it’s smarter formulations. Products that consider how people want to feel, not just how high they get. 🌿 Let’s stop treating terpenes as a side note. It’s time they took their place at the front of the label.

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"How we're building an eight-figure medical cannabis business – without traditional advertising" 🌿 Today a very exciting episode of the Founder Mode Podcast went live, where I had the chance to talk about my journey with enua and the cannabis industry. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to buy into enua as CEO and lead the company into a new growth phase together with the two founders Markus and Lars. Since then, a lot has happened: ➡️ Most importantly: thousands of patients gaining new quality of life through medical cannabis ➡️ 10% market share in Germany, top 3 ➡️ Eight-figures revenues That’s what we talked about. But also about some of the biggest myths in the cannabis market: Why medical cannabis isn’t just “legalized recreational weed” How we keep growing even though doctors prescribe active ingredients, not brands And how we build brand relevance despite strict advertising regulations What made it even more special: my friend Torsten from Four 20 Pharma GmbH joined the conversation! 💪 Even though we are competitors, we highly respect each other and regularly exchange ideas. Two companies. Two different stories. But one mission: To finally remove the stigma from cannabis. Big thanks to Moritz Blees & Feliks Eyser for the talk – and to Torsten for the open and valuable exchange. If you want to truly understand this market – highly recommended listen. The link to the podcast is in the comments. It is in German 😉✌️ Enjoy!

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Cannabis companies must maximize the ratio of revenue-producing staff to non-revenue-producing staff. Revenue-producing staff are salespeople, manufacturers, and budtenders. They bring in money to the business. Non-revenue-producing staff are managers, administrators, creatives, and c-suite executives. They cost the business money. Revenue-producing staff have workflows that can demonstrate profitability at a glance. Non-revenue-producing staff produce value that is harder to pin down. Adding non-revenue-producing staff should only be done in absolute necessity, under circumstances of true, sustained pain for the company due to the staffing gap. Likewise, even with sustained pain from exceptional revenue growth, you should be working dligently to do more with the same revenue-producing team. Ask yourself: how could we do this with our current team? Often, it comes down to: Better automation. Better SOPS. Better AI integration. Better execution. Better motivation. Building a dream team is absolutely essential to building a successful company, but too often, cannabis founders look to a new hire to spur growth or manage a project, instead of building better systems that augment the productivity of their current team.

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Addition by Subtraction:  Getting Major Cost Reduction in Cannabis During the cannabis salad days, many firms headed full speed into virgin markets, product categories and new capabilities.  Today, however, these companies are grappling with slow growth, a lack of focus and bloated assets. Cannabis firms can boost profits and unlock shareholder value by divesting or carving out parts of their business, including operating units, brands, or market access.   This is part 2 in my series on how large cannabis firms can dramatically reduce cost without hurting competitiveness and consumer focus. Cannabis businesses should undertake a D/CO for a variety of compelling reasons: 1️⃣ Stem the bleeding It’s common for weed companies to have chronically underperforming operating units which drag down profits and eat up scarce cash flow. Dumping these unprofitable revenues or assets will often improve financial performance. 2️⃣ Regain strategic focus Pragmatic leaders eventually come to the realization that parts of their company are unfixable and should be jettisoned.  These leaders may also want to double down on their core business.  3️⃣ Capitalize on your value Savvy owners recognize that selling parts of their business to another company will unlock hidden shareholder value.  Simply put, ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.’ I won’t name names but there are sizable MSOs & LPs who would benefit from getting leaner and meaner with D/COs.  However, D/CO gains are not easy to realize, especially in cannabis.  The challenges include: 📚 Disentangling regulatory requirements; 💰 Overcoming objections from revenue-hugging or 'size matters' staff; 📉 Coping with financial issues such as spreading fixed costs over lower volumes and losing scale economies. The public markets and social media can also be unforgiving.  When Curaleaf smartly pulled out of the sickly California market, they were pilloried by keyboard warriors and dumb retail investors. TerrAscend's exit of the ultra-competitive Michigan market was met with jibes about them overpaying with their 2021 market-entry Gage acquisition.  In both cases, the early share price lifts were not sustainable.  When working with clients on potential D/CO strategies, I will: ➡️ Bring transparency to the firm’s current strategic, operational, and financial situation; ➡️ Revisit the corporate strategy so that everyone is aligned around how we compete and why; ➡️ Perform a benchmarking analysis to understand our performance and capabilities relative to peers; ➡️ Undertake a ‘keep vs divest’ cost-benefit and risk analysis of possible divestments; ➡️ Work with a bank or corp dev team to identify potential D/CO suitors. Let’s chat about how we can right-size your business so you can compete better and make more money. 🔔 Ring the bell on my profile page to get VIP notifications #cannabis #cannabisndustry #divestments #MSOS #LPS #carveouts

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Long Island: July 14, 2025, cannabis licensee 1086 OCR LLC and partners sued the Town of Riverhead, challenging its Zoning Board’s June 12, 2025 denial of a variance under a 1,000-foot school buffer rule, double the state’s 500-foot standard. The suit argues Riverhead overstepped its municipal rulemaking authority, creating local zoning that conflicts with New York’s Cannabis Law and OCM regulations. At stake is more than one dispensary and the question of whether towns can rewrite the rules for a state-licensed, highly regulated industry after approval. This case could set the precedent for the limits of local control on Long Island and hopefully free up some eligible real estate in the process.

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“Is Cannabis Sickness Really What We Think It Is?” Over the past few years, a growing number of cannabis users — especially frequent consumers — have been reporting mysterious bouts of severe nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. As the state buries legal operators with taxes and fees, the underground legacy market continues to flourish. This unregulated market is creating a situation where cannabis gets a bad wrap, and I think people should be talking about it. Most doctors today call it Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS). But what if some of this sickness isn’t from cannabis itself — but from something hiding in the cannabis? As a cultivator who’s been growing cannabis for over 20 years, I’ve seen firsthand how far the industry has come — and how dangerous some of the shortcuts were in the early days...and sadly still today. I remember going to hydro stores where they kept special little bottles under the counter — expensive, unmarked, and sold like silver bullets. Growers didn’t know what they were really getting. Over time, we learned the hard way: many of those products were never meant for anything consumed, let alone smoked. As one of the first extractors to push for clean medicine, we have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on lab testing...one of our biggest struggles has been sourcing truly clean input material. It’s time to take a closer look at what could really be making some cannabis users sick — and what we can do about it. Stay tuned — in Part 2, I’ll break down the science, the chemicals involved, how contamination can happen without growers even realizing it, and how we move forward as an industry and community. #CannabisSafety #PublicHealth #CHS #PesticideAwareness #CannabisCommunity #OrganicCannabis #LegacyGrowers

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The Symbiotic Partners of Cannabis Cultivation In the pursuit of optimizing cannabis cultivation, much attention has been given to breeding, genetics, and environmental factors. However, an often overlooked aspect plays a pivotal role in plant health and productivity: the symbiotic relationships between cannabis plants and their microbial partners. The Rhizosphere: A Microbial Powerhouse The rhizosphere, the soil region influenced by root secretions, is teeming with a diverse community of microorganisms. These microbes form intricate networks that directly impact plant growth, nutrient uptake, and resilience. Mycorrhizal Fungi: These fungi establish a mutualistic relationship with plant roots, extending their hyphal networks into the soil. In exchange for carbohydrates from the plant, mycorrhizal fungi enhance nutrient uptake, particularly phosphorus, zinc, manganese, and copper, which are vital for cannabis growth. Rhizobacteria: Beneficial bacteria residing in the rhizosphere play a crucial role in nutrient cycling. They solubilize minerals, making them available to the plant, and release enzymes that break down organic matter, releasing essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Symbiosis benefits: Integrating beneficial microbes into cannabis cultivation systems offers several advantages: Enhanced Nutrient Availability: Mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobacteria facilitate the uptake of essential nutrients, promoting robust plant growth. Improved Stress Tolerance: These microbial partnerships can bolster the plant's resilience against environmental stresses, leading to healthier crops. Reduced Dependency on Synthetic Inputs: Leveraging natural microbial processes can decrease the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, aligning with sustainable cultivation practices. Embracing symbiotic relationships in cannabis cultivation represents a shift towards a more holistic approach. By fostering a thriving microbial community in the rhizosphere, cultivators can enhance plant health, reduce environmental impact, and improve crop consistency. Further Reading: "Microbiome diversity and variations in industrial hemp" – Nature Scientific Reports "Exploring the Symbiotic Relationship between Cannabis and Rhizobacteria" – FloraFlex "Mycorrhizal Fungi and Cannabis: Make Your Plants Thrive" – Beaver Lakes Nursery

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Here are my 10 best cannabis brand marketing tips from a Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)—balancing growth, compliance, brand positioning, and revenue optimization: 1. Know Your Regulatory Limits—Then Maximize Within (This is masters level art.) Every market (state, country, platform) has different cannabis advertising rules. Use legal constraints as creative boundaries, not blockers. Focus on compliant storytelling across age-gated platforms, educational content, and community engagement strategies. 2. Build a Community, Not Just a Customer Base The most successful cannabis brands don’t just sell—they create movements. Use community events, user-generated content, and ambassador programs to build loyalty. Tap into local influencers and cultural micro-movements, especially in wellness, music, and food. 3. Own Your Digital Real Estate Due to ad bans on Google, Meta, etc., your website, email list, and SMS database are gold. Invest in SEO, build a brand site with rich content, and offer incentives for signups. Control the funnel and own the customer relationship. 4. Lean Into Education as a Trojan Horse Education reduces stigma, builds trust, and sets your brand up as a thought leader. Host workshops, webinars, and collaborations with medical professionals or chefs. 5. Collaborate With Lifestyle and Cross-Industry Brands Strategic co-branding with wellness, fashion, beverage, or entertainment partners brings your product into new customer circles. Think: cannabis x skincare, cannabis x chefs, or cannabis x music festivals. 6. Treat Budtenders Like Influencers Budtenders are the gatekeepers of the cannabis industry. Invest in budtender education programs, and loyalty tools. Make them love your brand—because they’re the ones recommending. 7. Track Hyper-Local Data, Act Like a National Brand Use POS data, foot traffic trends, and local purchasing behaviors to drive precision marketing. Even if you’re only in one state, be a brand with professional assets, strong storytelling, and data-driven decisions. 8. Focus on Brand Architecture Early Don’t just push one product—build a multi-tiered brand system with room to expand. This means differentiated lines for rec, wellness, luxury, or entry-level. Strong architecture supports future licensing, vertical integration, and national scalability. 9. Go All-In on Experiential Marketing Pop-ups, tasting events, immersive brand lounges, or food pairings can make lasting impression. People remember experiences, not just Instagram ads. 10. Prioritize Diversity and Authenticity Cannabis consumers are diverse—so should your brand voice and team be. Support equity initiatives, hire inclusively, and show up authentically in every market. Customers are savvy; they’ll reward brands that walk the talk.

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As hemp-derived THC beverages begin to gain popularity in liquor stores, it’s crucial for retailers to understand that these products are not all created equal. Just as whiskey, rum, and wine each belong to distinct categories with unique characteristics, hemp-derived beverages also fall into various categories and subcategories. This differentiation is essential for creating an informed shopping experience for customers and ensuring these products are displayed and marketed effectively. Let’s take a closer look at the diverse world of THC beverages and how liquor stores can better organize and educate customers about them. https://lnkd.in/gMFRzQpx #hempbeverage #hempindustry #liquorstores #emergingmarkets #NA

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The U.S. Cannabis Spot Index - an assessment of the national wholesale spot price of cannabis flower - experienced volatility of 16.4% in 2024. Comparison with soybeans, wheat and corn in this two-pager. Cannabis Benchmarks® a division of New Leaf Data Services.

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