NuggMD at MJBizCon

Several team members from NuggMD were honored to attend the largest cannabis business conference in the United States, MJBizCon, at the beginning of December. As a first-time attendee, I attended the last two days of the conference, which was filled with meetups and panels with industry leaders and professionals. 

While I landed in Vegas a couple of days too late to attend the ReMIND panel sessions for Psychedelics and the Science Symposium, I was ecstatic to be attending the conference for the first time overall. However, I would also like to give special mention to cannabis scientists leading the industry who were given the opportunity to speak about their specialized fields at MJBizCon. Some of these fantastic speakers included Christopher Hudalla of ProVerde Laboratories, Dr. Mark Scialdone of BetterChem Consulting, and Wes Cruces of Colorado Chromatography Labs, who spoke about the science of semi-synthetic cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC and potential clinical applications alongside regulatory challenges and how these compounds are produced. Teaching the Science Symposium attendees about the Flavorants of Cannabis were panelists Twinkle Paryani and Dr. Iain Oswald of Abstrax Tech and Murphy Murri of Life Cannabis LLC.

Thursday Recap

On Thursday, I had the opportunity to hear our Legal Analyst, Deb Tharp, speak on a panel titled Now What? How Rescheduling Will Impact the Future of the Cannabis Industry. Deb was joined by Aaron Smith of the National Cannabis Industry Association, Bryan Barash of Dutchie, and Rod Kight of Kight Law. 

This panel was full of insights, as the speakers detailed the potential challenges that rescheduling cannabis may or may not face as the new administration comes into term in January. The coming months are expected to consist of numerous hearings and meetings involving the DEA and CIA.

One point the panelists drove home was how rescheduling would allow cannabis businesses to deduct expenses because 280E would no longer apply. However, this doesn’t mean cannabis businesses will have an easier time working with banks, as the Safe Banking Act has to be passed separately from the rescheduling of cannabis. Overall, the rescheduling process is expected to take several years. 

In addition, a significant challenge for rescheduling will be states like Nebraska, which is poised to sue the federal government for an injunction to stop the rescheduling of cannabis. The panelists also discussed the possibility of the incoming administration following a state-level approach, allowing states to make their own laws regarding cannabis without federal oversight. This option is not without faults, however, as it means there would still be states where cannabis possession and use would be punishable under the law, whether it be medical or adult use. From my perspective, I don’t believe this would be the correct approach as it leaves too much up to the states regarding how they implement regulations like testing and manufacturing standards, which could lead to subpar products in states that have less stringent rules regarding what should be tested for and the safety of products sold to consumers.

Overall, it is essential to remember that we must keep lobbying and advocating for patients and consumers at both the state and federal levels. Organizations like Americans For Safe Access (ASA), the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), and the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) are just a few of the organizations leading the charge in helping lobby for broader access to cannabis.

After hearing such an interesting panel, it was time to explore the expo floor and check out some brands. Because the space was so expansive, I focused on the conference's retailer and dispensary hall. 

Trekking around the expo floor, I saw both legacy operators and new, innovative brands showcasing their products to industry professionals and consumers. My favorite part of the expo floor was all the various interactive booths, with my absolute favorite being the SENSEI booth by Abstrax. Here, you could smell the distinct aromas of cannabis cultivars and learn all about the latest research on prenylated cannasulfer compounds (PCSCs) and flavorants driving the aroma and flavor of various cultivars. 

Did you know that there have been over 60 flavorants discovered in just 31 cannabis cultivars? In addition, a cultivar's gassy, skunky smell isn’t from the terpenes but from compounds Abstrax discovered in 2021 named prenylated cannasulfer compounds or PCSCs. 

The next area of the expo floor that stood out to me was Equity Row, which featured several social equity brands, such as 40Tons, and organizations, such as Equity Trade Network, which promotes California-based social equity brands, and Free My Weedman, which advocates for the release of prisoners and pardons for those charged with cannabis crimes. 

A quick feature of the social equity cannabis business across the United States includes companies like: 

• Delisioso (IG: @_delisioso_)
• Green Label RX (IG: @greenlabelrx)
• Grow Weed At Home 
• PiF Cloudz (IG:@pifcloudz)
• Prophet Brands (IG: @prohetbrands)
• Simply Pure Trenton (IG: @simplypuretrenton)
• The 1937 Group (IG: @the1937group)
• The Chronic (IG: @thechronic.la)
• The Weed Lady 
• Trade Roots
• Up Elevated Cocktails (IG: @upelevatedcocktails)
• Upling (IG: @uplingllc_)
• West

I wrapped up my conference day after attending the Latinas in Cann Meetup at The Hub, which was a beautiful experience led by Susie Plascencia of Latinas in Cann, Sue Carlton of Ranchera Familia, and Amorinda Martinez of Tranquil Highs (IG: @tranquilhighs). Amorinda led a wonderful meditation ceremony centered around healing the harm done by the war on drugs to people in communities. It was a truly beautiful experience that I was honored to witness as a community of strangers was brought together in that moment.

On Thursday evening, I attended the Emjay Awards to support several industry nominees, including one of my close friends, Sue Carlton, whose farm, Ranchera Familia, was nominated for Best CBD/Hemp Brand of the Year. This event was so much fun, and I even had the opportunity to meet former Dolphins player Ricky Williams of Highsman, who was presenting an award at the ceremony.

Friday Recap

Friday was a light day after an eventful day and a fun night at the Emjay Awards to celebrate all the nominees and winners. The main event of the day, for myself specifically, was the Latinas in Cann Roundtable Panel held at Planet 13 titled The Power of Allyship: A roundtable discussion featuring leading industry professionals on the importance of fostering community while driving business growth. The panel host, Susie Plascencia (IG: @susieplascencia) of Latinas in Cann (IG: @latinas_cann) and Mota Glass (IG: @mota_glass), was joined by Sue Carlton of Ranchera Familia Farms (IG: @rancheramami @rancherafamilia), Thunder Walker (IG: @iamthunderwalker, Shaun Salvaje of Highly Enformed (IG: @shaunasalvaje, @highly.enformed), and Brian Holler of Beard Bros Pharms (IG: @holler1012, @beardbrospharms). 

The panelists were all insightful when discussing how other prominent and established cannabis businesses can help support and uplift minority business owners who are just starting or establishing and trying to grow their businesses. Sue Carlton spoke about how showing your support is essential if you have a large platform, like sharing posts and attending community events that the companies may host. Overall, uplifting others, having good intentions, and giving people the space and opportunities they need to grow is important.

Aside from the panel, I had the opportunity to experience the largest dispensary in the world, Planet 13, which offers an array of fun things to do before or after purchasing cannabis at the dispensary inside. These include an interactive panel on the entrance floor, a tattoo parlor, a bar and restaurant, and a smoking lounge. Did I mention they have an edible processing lab open for viewing behind a glass wall? 

Summary

Ultimately, my first MJBizCon was a great experience, full of various networking opportunities, great panels, and fun, interactive booths. It was an honor to attend such a conference, and I look forward to MJBizCon 2025. See you next year, Las Vegas!