Stephen Meade

#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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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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How Bitcoin Can Power Cannabis Companies   Few emerging technologies are as talked about and misunderstood as Bitcoin. This digital asset has many personal, finance and commercial applications. 💡 This post focuses on the role Bitcoin can play in the nascent cannabis industry, specifically the corporate treasury use case.   The corporate treasury function includes cash and liquidity management, operational risk management, and capital optimization activities. These functions must address a variety of known and unknown risks including economic headwinds like inflation, new tariffs, and rising interest rates as well as geo-political instability and 'Act of God' shocks like Covid. 💪 A Bitcoin treasury reserve strategy will allocate a portion of a firm’s balance sheet to Bitcoin as a long-term reserve asset.   Bitcoin provides some important advantages to a company’s balance sheet and risk profile-    1️⃣ Long-term balance sheet appreciation: Bitcoin has significant long-term growth potential. From July 31, 2010, to July 31, 2025, Bitcoin has an annualized return of 158%.    2️⃣ Diversification: Holding Bitcoin provides exposure to an asset that is uncorrelated to a firm’s P&L strategy and many other asset classes. Bitcoin’s correlation to large-cap equities is 0.29, to gold is 0.14, and to bonds just 0.03.   3️⃣ Macro hedge: Bitcoin is a valuable hedge against growing fiscal deficits, currency debasement, and geopolitical risks.   Over 100 publicly traded companies leverage Bitcoin, including some in highly regulated and stigmatized industries. Some cannabis and psychedelics pubcos are using Bitcoin in their treasury strategy: atai Life Sciences, Red Light Holland, and LEEF Brands, Inc.    Let’s explore what LEEF Brands, a leading California and New York-focused MSO, is doing.   Their vision is “to become the world’s largest vertically integrated extraction company.”  To my knowledge, LEEF is the first cannabis firm to incorporate Bitcoin into their strategic plans.   The CEO, Micah Anderson, is a bitcoin and weed pioneer: “The cannabis industry has faced relentless headwinds for years, with change always just over the horizon. By adopting Bitcoin, LEEF is strengthening our balance sheet with an appreciating, uncorrelated asset, harnessing a tailwind we can use now." Incorporating Bitcoin also adds strategic value. LEEF has been able to stand out in the crowded cannabis field and generate excitement among a new community of investors. According to Micah, “This proven asset brings a new kind of capital energy, allowing us to plan for the long term rather than react to short-term volatility. As global monetary policy shifts into a new digital age, I want to ensure LEEF is at the forefront of this transformation.” Call me.  I'll help you understand and implement a bitcoin strategy for your business. 🔔 Ring the bell on my profile page to get VIP notifications #bitcoin #cannabisindustry #MSO #cannabis #treasury #risk

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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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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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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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Michelle Cozzuol, founder of Count Canna Inc., and Joint Connections, is a trailblazer at the forefront of #cannabis tourism and hospitality, leveraging technology to connect and enhance experiences. Her platforms link cannabis producers for farm tours, curate road trip dispensary trails, and feature cannabis-friendly accommodations, making it easier for travelers to explore immersive cannabis experiences. https://lnkd.in/gDi3raZu Who else supports and embrace the potential of cannabis tourism to evolve and expand with women’s creative inclusion?

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🫏The Cold Hard Truth About Cannabis Entrepreneurship🌱🔦 Too many so-called cannabis entrepreneurs are paying consultants to write their entire applications. But if you can’t even put your own application together, how are you going to run a business in this industry? Consultants have their place—they can guide, refine, and strengthen your application. But they shouldn’t be the ones conceptualizing and writing it from scratch. That’s your job. Who’s business is it—theirs or yours? If you’re not willing to learn the rules, understand compliance, and do the work, you’re setting yourself up for failure. In cannabis, the real entrepreneurs are the ones who build from the ground up, not the ones looking for an easy way in👋 #gemz

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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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