How tech is shaping the entire cannabis industry

Innovations are taking place constantly that you can notice whether you use cannabis for medical purposes or recreational purposes. The trend is likely to continue this way, thanks to the less strict policies now.

This allows enthusiasts to try new things with the help of new technology.

From getting a medical marijuana card online to cannabis extraction technologies, technology is shaping the cannabis industry in various ways.

We can say that technology has brought something for everyone; the consumers, businesses, and the cannabis industry overall.

The cannabis industry creates many jobs in the United States. As the cannabis industry is taking off, it is predicted that by the year 2025, it will be a $6.59 Billion industry (or even more).

With each passing year, more and more states are legalizing cannabis for medical or recreational purposes. It's clear that people have come a long way from the "War on Drugs."

There has been a wealth of technological progress, which is helping the cannabis industry to flourish in the modern era.

It is clear that the industry is evolving continuously, and more transformation is coming. And most of this transformation is likely to be technology-based. 

Today, we will discuss how technology is helping and shaping the cannabis industry.

The advancement of technology is changing how farmers and cannabis dealers used to do their businesses. Many benefits can be seen because of the improvement in technology.

It is beneficial for everyone as it's helping in sales, customization, manufacturing, deliveries, purchasing, and even the consumption of cannabis. It covers everything. Let's learn more about this, and see how technology is shaping the cannabis industry.

Technology For Consumers

Getting a Medical Cannabis Card Online

Starting off with the consumer side of things; advancement in technology has changed the way you can get a medical cannabis card in legal states. Things are changing, and now you don't have to go out of your home to get your MMJ card.

With telemedicine, you can apply for and receive your MMJ card without even leaving your home. People can now see marijuana doctors online with the help of telemedicine.

This is especially beneficial for those people who are suffering from some kind of chronic pain or a condition in which it's difficult to move too much.

This has been very helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic, as people are able to get MMJ cards while staying home. 

Introduction of Various Mode of Ingestion

Along with the way of getting your MMJ card, technology is also changing the way you consume cannabis.

Initially, the only reliable way to consume cannabis was smoking. But today, you have various options, along with this traditional way, of consuming cannabis.

There are a variety of styles you can choose from to consume cannabis. These include -

ˇ       Vaping pen

ˇ       Tinctures

ˇ       Edibles 

ˇ       Topicals 

As there are more ways to consume cannabis, new avenues for the development of equipment and tools are also opening.

This will enable the production of more cannabis products, which will give consumers more options in methods of consuming cannabis.

So, if a section of people doesn't like smoking, they can now choose other ways to consume cannabis. This is especially beneficial for medical cannabis users. 

The introduction of new methods of consumption has also given the businesses opportunities to come up with new products.

We now have various CBD products in the form of topical balms, capsules, and creams.

There are some beauty and wellness products as well on the market. Besides that, the advanced technology used in vaping devices allows consumers to vape discreetly.

They also don't have to worry about any unpleasant scent coming from their clothes afterward.

For Businesses

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LED Lighting

One of the most interesting technological developments in the cannabis industry is the use of LED lights.

Earlier, growers would use high-pressure sodium (HPS) bulbs when growing cannabis.

But now, LED lights have replaced HPS bulbs, on which the growers leaned on for a long time.

HPS bulbs allowed for a highly predictable yield - something growers like. But there are certain problems with HPS bulbs like they consume a lot of electricity.

Also, they do not have a great lifespan. The growers also had to implement a climate control system because these bulbs emit a lot of heat. This would also raise electricity bills for growers.

This is why companies started turning to LED lights that last substantially longer than HPS bulbs.

LED lights impose less strain on a climate control system, and draw far less electricity. One downside of LED lights is that they cost more upfront. However, they are worth it for long term use.

Although more research is still required to see whether the crop yield will be the same or not.

Customer Care

It can be a bit challenging for businesses to manage the expectations of customers. This is especially the case when the cannabis industry is growing rapidly. But with the help of technology, businesses and customers can engage more than ever.

Businesses have various ways to communicate with customers; and customers can also give their feedback easily on their issues. Businesses and clients can now talk through websites, social media handles, emails, and more.

Other than this, businesses can store the client's details and preferences with the help of Customer Relation Management (CRM).

This allows businesses to manage everything easily every time a customer visits their cannabis store. This makes it easier to communicate with customers. The customers also get the best experience from this entire process, which helps in uplifting the reputation of the business.

The data provided by CRM's analytic tell the business about the behavior and preferences of a customer. This information allows businesses to re-organize. And further helps to find the approach to improve customer relations.

For The Cannabis Industry Overall

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Apps

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that industries should be ready to adapt to global changes quickly.

This helps in minimizing the impacts on the economy. And the cannabis industry managed to achieve this successfully.

Apps have made it easy to buy cannabis online. Cannabis dispensaries made use of various apps like Eaze to deliver cannabis to consumers without breaking the social distancing rules.

This led to an increase in sales of cannabis all across the United States. While other industries were struggling, the cannabis industry was able to get through the pandemic.

There are many apps such as WeedMaps that provide valuable information to consumers about cannabis products. Users can get information about the cannabis dispensary near them with the help of these apps.

Some apps also provide information on cannabis strains. You can also find user reviews that help you learn about which strain is the best. 

Cannabis Extraction Technology

As I mentioned above, we now have a lot of options when it comes to methods of consuming cannabis.

Thanks to advancements in technology, we are not just relegated to smoking cannabis. You can say that now we have an expanded menu of cannabis products.

Along with vaping, dabbing, and other new options to consume cannabis, there is one more area that's grabbing the attention of people.

It is cannabis beverages. This has attracted investments from many brands like Corona beer. 

Two good examples of such technology are CO2 and BHO (Butane Hash Oil) extraction. This gives us various CBD products that we find on the market.

These technologies in the cannabis industry enable us to strip or extract certain elements of the cannabis plant separately.

That's why we can now get terpenes on their own, CBD oils and tinctures, cannabis concentrates, and much more.

Technology has enabled us to separate medicinal compounds from other marijuana elements.

Cannabis extraction technology has been very beneficial for CBD, particularly. Because now CBD can be accessed through low-THC hemp plants.

This makes it federally legal in the United States, and it also will not get consumers high. It is estimated that by the year 2004, the CBD industry will be worth over $20 billion. 

The final products of cannabis have to pass through safety tests, which guarantees product safety.

According to studies, the responsibility of these tests is to remove impurities, solvents, microbes, and other harmful compounds.

The Future of Cannabis

All consumers want to have convenience in buying cannabis strains of their preference, edibles, or oils. And it is now possible, thanks to today's technology.

New technologies are always helping the cannabis industry to constantly change and evolve. The points mentioned above are just a few examples of it.

New technologies are helping in all areas, from testing equipment to seeing marijuana doctors online. 

Cannabis is continuing to move closer into the mainstream as more states are legalizing cannabis for medical and recreational uses.

It is likely that these technologies will help the cannabis industry to grow even more.

Source: Techgeeked

Photo by ryan lange on Unsplash

Source: Techgeeked