While more countries are seen to be legalizing the consumption and use of cannabis, the use of technology is also rapidly growing. Everyone has been relying on technology to perform their daily tasks, and of course, the big players in the cannabis industry will not miss out on the opportunity by taking advantage of the various technologies made available. To date, the cannabis industry has been providing jobs along with the use of medicinal purposes. With that being said, here are some of the 5 ways technology has helped the cannabis industry to grow until today:
1. Nanoencapsulation
CBD is known to provide multiple therapeutic benefits for the body and mind of humans, including relief of chronic pain and inflammation. However, when it comes to CBD distribution, one of the biggest challenges is the nature of the chemical found in the oil. The oil itself is not water-soluble, making it harder to combine with the water molecules. In this modern era, many people rely on nanotechnology to aid in their production line, including cannabis. In order to effectively produce CBD-based products, manufacturers have been implementing the use of nanotechnology to add CBD into products that are water-based, such as beverages. The use of nanotechnology helps to combine CBD together with liquid products. This particular technology also helps the body to absorb the molecule into the bloodstream much faster.
Nano-CBD products are slowly on the rise and penetrating the market despite being early into the phase. The reason being nanoencapsulation enables consumers to take in a lesser amount of cannabis while being able to absorb way more and still obtain all the benefits of CBD. It goes without saying, it can be pretty expensive because of the technology being used throughout the process, making it suitable for those with a higher budget.
2. Lights
It is not unknown to most cannabis companies to make use of LED lights during production in order to increase their revenue and produce better quality weed. LED fixtures are known to provide better control during the growing process in comparison to the other technologies made available out there. If you’re a beginner in growing your own weed, then it is best to make use of LED lights to help you grow them efficiently. The best thing about LED lights is how anybody can grow their weed even during winter or non-ideal climates by growing them indoors all year long. Another great benefit of LED lights when growing weed is that it produces less heat, allowing cannabis companies to cut down cost on ducting and temperature control. Do take note the newer version of LED lights radiate a much better light spectrum compared to the older versions.
Other than LED lights, cannabis companies also use fluorescent lights, LEC lights and HID lights. Many of them heavily invest in lights since it plays a vital role in the quality and appearance of the plant. Even though natural sunlight is the best option to grow cannabis effectively and produce the best results, it may not be ideal during difficult situations and several contributing factors, which is why companies tend to grow them indoors instead. Growing cannabis indoors also gives more power and control during each growing phase.
3. The use of DNA Sequencing
Though it is pretty straightforward on the benefits of the components found in Marijuana, there have been some cases whereby the overall balance of CBD, THC and others are different. Hence, various cannabis companies have been trying to sequence the DNA of cannabis. With the help of gene editing, there are some marijuana plants being produced without certain components such as CBD or THC. Part of these company’s main mission is the possibility of extracting certain components and adding them into bacteria or yeast to aid in industrial production without having the need of growing a plant.
4. Personalized Marijuana Products
Every human body is made differently, including the way each body absorbs cannabinoids. Thus, the demand for creating personalized cannabis has been slowly increasing. For instance, one or more components found in Marijuana may not work well with your mind. Hence, you would need a certain type of product that balances well with your own body and mind. With the help of technology, manufacturers are able to measure the right amounts of each component to be inserted into the products. The company called CannabisDNA has already started producing personalized products by taking saliva tests from users and creating unique profiles based on the results. After all the data has been collected, they will generate several reports stating what kind of strain is suitable for every individual.
5. Purchase of Marijuana On Apps
With the rise of advanced technologies, buying products online instead of heading to the store has become the new norm. Although you can find a few physical stores including a weed dispensary in California or any other country that legalize weed, most consumers tend to feel safe when buying them online. One example would be due to the COVID-19 pandemic that happened in 2020, cannabis dispensaries have turned to apps such as Budly or Eaze to fulfil deliveries and pick-up orders without obstructing any law, causing a surge of sales during that period. There are also certain apps that show consumers where the nearest dispensaries are, such as WeedMaps, as well as apps that provide educational information like Leafly, helping consumers to find out which is the best strain.
Here are some of the popular apps made for weed enthusiasts:
Tork
An app that offers personalization in the sense that it caters to different types of experiences. Whether you are looking for a product that promotes relaxation or edibles, you’ll find all of the information you need here in this app. Based on whatever you are looking for, this app curates the right brand or sellers for you.
SimLeaf
Being one of the selected few apps that require consumers to pay, it is one of the best growing simulators that allows newbies to test out their growing process before the real thing. Not only will you be able to learn a lot about growing, but you’ll also be able to test out all your experiments without the risk of wasting resources.
