As the cannabis industry continues to grow, so too does the technology used to propel the industry further. Those involved with the plant are no longer just cultivators and retailers, there’s now a host of technological, ancillary companies that are capitalizing on cannabis.
Cannabis consumption was once an illegal, rebellious activity carried out in the shadows of society. Movie depictions of marijuana consumers showed them as lazy, unambitious, and generally pretty clueless.
Now, the cannabis industry is one of the primary job creators in the U.S., cannabis-derived medicines now have FDA approval, and as a result, the global industry is pegged by Grandview Research to be worth $73.6 Billion By 2027. With each year that passes, cannabis is made legal in a handful of new countries or states for medical or recreational purposes, serving to further embed the plant in our daily lives. Needless to say, the world has come a long way from the ‘War on Drugs,’ and it looks inevitable that the momentum surrounding marijuana will continue to grow.
Not only that, but while most industries are being crippled by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the cannabis industry has been deemed an “essential” service and is flourishing as a result.
Though the world hasn’t just progressed in terms of how it perceives cannabis; there has also been a wealth of technological progress that has accompanied the cannabis industry and enabled it to flourish in the modern era.
Let’s take a look at all the ways that technology has shaped the cannabis industry.
1. Apps
If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that industries need to be ready to adapt to global events as quickly as possible to minimize economic impacts. This is something that the cannabis industry managed to achieve rather successfully. As COVID-19 lockdowns fell upon the industry, cannabis dispensaries utilized apps such as Eaze and Budly in order to provide curbside pick-ups or deliveries without breaching social distancing laws. This meant that while other industries have had to close or lose sales during the pandemic, the cannabis industry actually managed to see an increase in sales all across the U.S.
Then there are apps like WeedMaps, which informs users where their nearest cannabis dispensary is, and Leafly, which provides a host of information on cannabis strains, with user reviews to help educate consumers on which strain is the best.
Another area cannabis companies have utilized apps is with Australia’s Althea Group Holdings, who developed their ‘Concierge’ app. The app arose after Althea noticed that a lack of information acted as a major bottleneck to the Australian medical cannabis industry, and so in order to remedy this, Althea released Concierge. Concierge is a platform for patients, pharmacists, and healthcare professionals alike, answering all of their questions while simplifying the prescription process. Thanks to the simplicity of the App, over 40% of Australia’s healthcare professionals now prescribe Althea products.
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