Aria Biswas

A smiling white woman with long, flowing blonde hair wearing a sleeveless gray top.

History of cannabis criminalization in US

The Cannabis 411 is a joint venture between Meadow and [The Cannabis Conservancy](https://cannabisconservancy.com/ "The Cannabis Conservancy"). The series aims to take an in-depth look at issues surrounding Cannabis criminalization, commerce, cultivation, and consumption.

### Overview
From the California Poison Amendment to the formation of the DEA, in the past 110 years a lot has changed in how Cannabis is criminalized and regulated in the United States. This issue of the Cannabis 411 focuses on the legal bodies and decisions that have moved the U.S. down the road of Cannabis Criminalization during the 20th and 21st centuries. There is a special focus on California, as the state has been a trailblazer for Cannabis. Though California was the first Western state to criminalize Cannabis, the state also attempted decriminalization decades before the rest of the country, and has pioneered the way for compassionate care. In order to write a document and not a book, this issue does not touch on every single law, nor does it delve into the many implications surrounding these laws. 

### Criminalization
The 20th century, particularly the first half, saw a sea change in government's involvement in the products that people consumed. As the nascent industry took shape, Cannabis and other drugs were shuffled between acts and amendments by a variety of state and federal bureaus. After decades of shakedown, the U.S. Government placed Cannabis in the strictest possible federal category. Nearly 50 years later, that is where it remains. Many states, including California, continue to craft new Cannabis laws that are a better fit for their health, safety, and economy. At present, any and all state laws that give any freedoms related to Cannabis are in violation of Federal law.

<figure>
 ![E.W. Kemble's "Death's Laboratory" 1906](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/4Y2RNF7Na9iBQlcAVSKvds/597ba8ab6def5db0e94c8b64b66a1c5c/Pure_Food_and_Drug_Act_1906.png)
  <figcaption>Source: E.W. Kemble's "Death's Laboratory" 1906</figcaption>
</figure>

### The Pure Food and Drug Act - 1906
In 1906, the U.S. passed the Pure Food and Drug Act. In part a reaction to "The Jungle", Upton Sinclair's expose on the Chicago Meat Industry, as well as the fraudulent yet flourishing patent medicine industry, the Pure Food and Drug Act made labeling of all food and drugs mandatory for the first time.

Furthermore, the act mandated that any product containing one of 11 potentially habit-forming drugs must include the amount of that substance on the label. These drugs were acetanilide, alcohol, alpha or beta eucaine, cannabis indica, chloral hydrate, chloroform, cocaine, heroin, morphine, and opium.

According to Thomas Szasz, author of "Our Right to Drugs", the phrasing of the law tells us the government more or less accepted the existence of a market in drugs, including cannabis, cocaine, heroin, and morphine.[1]

### The California Poison Act Amendment - 1913
In 1913, the California State Board of Pharmacy added "loco-weed" to the state's Poison Act, effectively banning its sale. Many sources claim this was a legislative error.[2]

### The Harrison Act - 1914
The Harrison Act levied a tax on anyone involved in the creation or movement of narcotics (specifically opium or coca products). The act originally excluded doctors, and did not explicitly include Cannabis; however, it is noteworthy for a few reasons. It is the first example of this sort of federal taxation, and paved the way for future prohibition, and it is an example of how frequently drugs were incorrectly classified in U.S. law. The Act was first enforced by the Treasury Department's Bureau of Internal Revenue.[3]

### The California Poison Act Amendment - 1915
In 1915, California expanded on its Poison Act Amendment, banning non-prescription sale of "flowering tops and leaves, extracts, tinctures and other narcotic preparations of hemp or loco week (Cannabis sativa), Indian hemp".[4]

### Eighteenth Amendment - 1919
The Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution banned the production and distribution (though not consumption) of alcohol; it went into effect the following year.[5]

### Narcotic Division - 1921
The Narcotic Division was formalized in the Federal Bureau of Internal Revenue in 1921. It is one of the earliest predecessors to the DEA.[6]
Narcotic Drugs Import and Export Tax - 1922
The aptly named Narcotic Drugs Import and Export Tax banned the import and export of narcotics in the U.S. Like the Harrison Act, it only mentioned Opium and Coca, but was used as a stepping stone for further Cannabis prohibition down the line. It led to the creation of the Federal Narcotics Control Board.[7]

### California penalties increase - 1925–1929
As anti-narcotics sentiment hardened in California in the 1920s, so did penalties. Illegal sale, which had initially been a misdemeanor punishable by a $100-$400 fine and/or 50–180 days in jail for first offenders, became punishable by 6 months to 6 years in 1925. Possession, which had previously been treated the same as sales, became punishable by up to 6 years in prison. In 1927, the law against opium dens was finally extended to Indian hemp, as originally envisioned in the 1880 Walker bill. In 1929, second offenses for possession became punishable by sentences of 6 months - 10 years"[8]

### Federal Bureau of Narcotics - 1930
Established in 1930, the Bureau of Narcotics was a merger of the Narcotics Division (1921) and the Federal Narcotics Control Board (1922). The Bureau was headed by Harry Anslinger, who played a key role in the U.S.'s increasingly stricter drug laws.[9] Mr. Anslinger has a troubled legacy. He is positively credited with dismantling many violent gangs throughout the country, and for running a successful government bureau on a shoestring budget during the Great Depression.[10]

However, Mr. Anslinger viewed Cannabis as the same, if not worse than, heroin, and would frequently give statements about cases of violence and insanity purportedly caused by Cannabis. With the inclusion of these embellished and apocryphal examples, Mr. Anslinger's testimony often reads like the script of a racist and misogynistic propaganda film - and a poorly written one at that. Unfortunately, his lies about Cannabis are one of the longest lasting parts of his legacy.[11]

<figure>
 ![War on Dope Harry Anslinger](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/6dLH2IVRV3fVUXuLlELf4b/38a04c8c83e44eb7b7496c6dbb9eaf9d/War_on_Dope.png)
  <figcaption>Source: Green Flower Media</figcaption>
</figure>

### The Uniform State Narcotic Act - 1932
The Uniform State Narcotic Act expanded on the Harrison Act to impose greater fines on those in violation of drug laws. Another aim of this act was to encourage states to pass further legislation against drugs; California had already done so with its Poison Act Amendment.[12]

### Twenty-first Amendment - 1933
The Twenty-First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, thus ending the country's prohibition of alcohol.[13]

### Reefer Madness Released - 1936
The propaganda film Reefer Madness was first released in 1936; it may be best understood by watching the trailer.[14]

### The Marihuana Tax Act - 1937
While the basis of the Marihuana Tax Act was to simply tax the legal sale of Cannabis, the Act's provisions were so expensive and extensive that it effectively rendered all Cannabis and its derivative products beyond the reach of any average citizen.[15]

<figure>
![Marihuana Tax Act of 1937](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/1CwKvEhn9PXEp5MJSMVeRo/73b2c40435e0b0eb7608ab7473df9478/Marijuana_Tax_Act_of_1937.png)
  <figcaption>Source: U.S. Customs and Border Patrol</figcaption>
</figure>

### Boggs Act - 1951
The Boggs Act imposed more serious sentences for drug convictions, including large fines and mandatory minimum sentences for first convictions.[16]

### Narcotic Control Act - 1956
The Narcotic Control Act further expanded the fines and mandatory minimum sentences of the Boggs Act.[17]

### Federal Bureau of Drug Abuse Control - 1965
The Bureau, a DEA predecessor, was part of the Food and Drug Administration.[18]

### Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs - 1968
Part of the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs was a merger of the Bureau of Narcotics and the Bureau of Drug Abuse Control.[19]

### Leary v. United States - 1969
In 1965, Dr. Timothy Leary was arrested for possession of Cannabis in Texas under the Marihuana Tax Act. He appealed this sentence, stating that the Act violated his fifth amendment right against self-incrimination; his case, Leary v. United States, reached the Supreme Court. In 1969, Leary won his case, as the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously deemed the Marihuana Tax Act unconstitutional. Dr. Leary's name may be familiar from his work with other psychotropics, particularly the Harvard Psilocybin Study.[20] [21]

Also in 1969, Leary ran for Governor of California against the incumbent Ronald Reagan. John Lennon penned "Come Together" for Leary's campaign.[22] Source: Docuhistorias

### Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act - 1970
The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act (CDAPCA) was enacted in 1970 "to amend the Public Health Service Act and other laws to provide increased research into, and prevention of, drug abuse and drug dependence; to provide for treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers and drug dependent persons; and to strengthen existing law enforcement authority in the field of drug abuse."[23]

Title II of the CDAPCA is known as the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Up until this point, most drugs were lumped into one or more categories without much thought. It is the CSA which first separated drugs into different categories - or Schedules - based on their alleged danger vs. potential for beneficial medical use.

Cannabis was placed in Schedule I of V. According to the original law, the findings required for Schedule I are:

A. "The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.

B. The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.

C. There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision."

Cannabis is listed on Schedule I both by name ("Marihuana") and chemical compound ("Tetrahydrocannabinols"). Up until this point, Cannabis was generally lumped in with opium and coca-derived products; however, according to this new scheduling, these drugs were allowed in the Schedule II category.[24]

Of the 11 potentially dangerous drugs listed in the Pure Food and Drug Act back in 1906, only Heroin and Cannabis were deemed as Schedule I. The rest of those drugs either had some form that was listed in a less severe schedule (including cocaine, opium, and morphine), or they were not on the list at all. It is worth noting that the Attorney General has the power to increase or reduce the Schedule of a drug as new information comes to light.

### Drug Enforcement Administration - 1973
Created through an Executive Order by President Nixon, the DEA replaced the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Nixon wanted to "establish a single unified command to combat 'an all-out global war on the drug menace.'"[25]

### Comprehensive Crime Control Act - 1984
The Comprehensive Crime Control Act was a wide sweeping piece of legislation that included a steep increase in fines for a variety of quantities of Cannabis.[26]

### U.S. v. Oakland Cannabis Buyer's Club - 2001
In 1998, the Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative, an organization formed to safely provide medical cannabis to very ill patients, was sued by the U.S. government; in effect, this suit claimed that Proposition 215, which had legalized medical Cannabis two years earlier, was in violation of the CDAPCA. The U.S. won this case, claiming that "There is no medical necessity exception to the Controlled Substances Act's prohibitions on manufacturing and distributing marijuana."[27]

### Gonzales v. Raich - 2005
This case was brought to the Supreme Court by a medical patient in California who had their Cannabis seized by the DEA. The outcome of the case asserted that the Commerce Clause of the Constitution - which states the U.S. has power "to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian Tribes" - allows the federal government to continue to criminalize Cannabis, even when patients are following the proper state laws of medical consumption.[28]

### Conclusion
The criminalization of drugs in the U.S. - specifically Cannabis - has been a meandering quest for public safety, fraught with misinformation and ingrained prejudices. It is perhaps best summed up with this quote below by Alexander Pope:

<callout>"A little learning is a dangerous thing; 
 drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: 
 there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, 
 and drinking largely sobers us again."</callout>

__Works Cited__

[1] Szasz, Thomas. Our Right to Drugs: The Case for a Free Market. Syracuse, 1996.

[2] Gieringer, Dale H. The Origins of Cannabis Prohibition in California. http://canorml.org/background/Origins_MJ_Proh_2012.pdf (24 October 2016)

[3] National Archives. Records of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Record Group 170: 1915–45, 1969–80. https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/170.html (24 October 2016).

[4] Gieringer, Dale H. The Origins of Cannabis Prohibition in California. http://canorml.org/background/Origins_MJ_Proh_2012.pdf (24 October 2016)

[5] Congress.gov. Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpreted. https://www.congress.gov/constitution-annotated/ (24 October 2016).

[6] National Archives. Records of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Record Group 170: 1915–45, 1969–80. https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/170.html (24 October 2016).

[7] Sixty-Seventh Congress of the United States. Session II. Chapters 201–201. 1922. http://legisworks.org/congress/67/publaw-227.pdf

[8] Gieringer, Dale H. The Origins of Cannabis Prohibition in California. http://canorml.org/background/Origins_MJ_Proh_2012.pdf (24 October 2016)

[9] National Archives. Records of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Record Group 170: 1915–45, 1969–80. https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/170.html (24 October 2016).

[10]Fearns, Sean. Transcript of "Standing in the Shadows: the Legacy of Harry J. Anslinger". DEA Lecture Series. October 15, 2014. https://www.deamuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/101514-DEAMuseum-LecturesSeries-StandingintheShadows-transcript.pdf (25 October 2016).

[11] Statement of Harry J. Anslinger, Commissioner of Narcotics, Bureau of Narcotics, Department of the Treasury. 1936. http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/taxact/anslng1.htm (25 October 2016).

[12] Bonnie, Richard J., and Charles H. Whitebread, II. The Forbidden Fruit and the Tree of Knowledge: an Inquiry into the Legal History of American Marijuana Prohibition. Virgina Law Review 56.6: 971–1203 (1970). https://www.votehemp.com/PDF/The_Forbidden_Fruit_and_The_Tree_of_Knowledge.pdf (24 October 2016)

[13] Congress.gov. Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpreted. https://www.congress.gov/constitution-annotated/ (24 October 2016).

[14] IMDb. Reefer Madness. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028346/ (24 October 2016)

[15] Solomon, David. The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. Schaffer Library of Drug Policy. http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/taxact/mjtaxact.htm (24 October 2016)

[16] Rothwell, Virgina L. Boggs Act. Encyclopedia of Drug Policy. http://sk.sagepub.com/reference/drugpolicy/n42.xml (24 October 2016)

[17] Cameron, Jennifer M., and Ronna J. Dillinger. Narcotic Control Act. Encyclopedia of Drug Policy. http://sk.sagepub.com/reference/drugpolicy/n238.xml (24 October 2016)

[18] National Archives. Records of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Record Group 170: 1915–45, 1969–80. https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/170.html (24 October 2016).

[19] National Archives. Records of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Record Group 170: 1915–45, 1969–80. https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/170.html (24 October 2016).

[20] ACLU. Leary v. United States. ACLU Pros & Cons. http://aclu.procon.org/view.background-resource.php?resourceID=003427 (24 October 2016).

[21] Sigel, Efrem. Psilocybin, Senate Race Highlight Harvard Year. The Harvard Crimson. July 9, 1963. http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1963/7/9/psilocybin-senate-race-highlight-harvard-year/ (24 October 2016)

[22] The Beatles Bible. Come Together. https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/come-together/ (25 October 2016)

[23] Public Law 91–513. The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. October 27, 1970. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-84/pdf/STATUTE-84-Pg1236.pdf (24 October 2016)

[24] Public Law 91–513. The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. October 27, 1970. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-84/pdf/STATUTE-84-Pg1236.pdf (24 October 2016)

[25] Drug Enforcement Administration. DEA History. https://www.dea.gov/about/history.shtml (24 October 2016).

[26] Public Law 98–473. Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1894. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-98/pdf/STATUTE-98-Pg1837.pdf (24 October 2016).

[27] United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyer's Cooperative. 2001. Legal Information Institute. Cornell University Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-151.ZS.html (25 October 2016).

[28] Body Politic: The Supreme Court and abortion law. Gonzalez v. Raich. Oyez - IIT Chicago Kent College of Law. https://www.oyez.org/cases/2004/03-1454 (25 October 2016)

History of Cannabis criminalization in America

Read more about the history of cannabis criminalization in the United States from the 1900s until the present

The Cannabis 411: A Brief History of Cannabis Criminalization in the U.S.

Vincent Ning CEO and Founder Nabis,  a California cannabis distribution company

Vincent Ning CEO and Founder Nabis Distribution California cannabis

Vince Ning is the Founder and CEO of cannabis distribution company, [Nabis](https://www.nabis.com/ "Nabis website"), and a Board Member of the Cannabis Distribution Association. In this Q&A, Vince shares about his leadership philosophy of building a cannabis company and team, and where he hopes to see the industry go in the future. 

__What brought you to the cannabis industry?__

With my background as a technologist, I often think about what new markets would benefit from new, improved technology. Cannabis was a personal passion of mine growing up that I shared with my childhood best friend and co-founder, Jun S. Lee. We always wanted to start a business together, and seeing the rapidly growing cannabis industry, we noticed the need for technology to help scale the industry. With our Tech and Entrepreneurial backgrounds, founding Nabis was the perfect opportunity for us to get into cannabis, technology, and a new market all while working together.

__How has cannabis served you?__

Cannabis has served me in so many ways. First, as a user of the product, I've developed lifelong friendships in social settings. And second, in my work as a cannabis entrepreneur, I've been fortunate enough to have this industry lift the sails of our business as legalization continues to unfold.

__In what ways have you served the cannabis plant?__

I've built a business in the past few years, where our mission is to empower the world to discover cannabis by providing choice, access, and innovation. We work hard each and every day to get the best quality cannabis products into consumers' hands at scale. Nabis now distributes over $350M worth of cannabis products by retail value, and we've built a platform that enables continuous product development and innovation.

![Nabis distribution](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/6VRR1GwupLpuZsM4NyOn9e/f78ce79c9f79a3b45193d0b69ece9472/Nabis_distribution.png)

__What is the reason your company or organization exists? Please brag about what you do:__

Nabis exists because brands need to scalably ship products from their licensed manufacturing and cultivation sites to retail dispensaries and delivery businesses. Nabis distributes over a quarter billion dollars worth of cannabis products per year. We currently work with 85 brands and ship their products out to nearly 100% of retailers across the state of California. Beyond just distribution, we offer a full-suite platform of services that helps a brand not only launch, but also scale. We help them with logistics, but as the brand grows, we provide them financial services, sales and marketing services, and analytics tools to help them scale even faster.

__What is your philosophy about building companies, teams and partnerships in this new industry?__

Nabis’ philosophy about building companies, teams, and partnerships, is to focus on providing the absolute best customer experience. We obsess over the customer and work backwards from what they need to determine what we build next.

__What do you hope the California cannabis industry looks like in 5 years? 10 years? 20?__

I hope that the California cannabis industry can exhibit two main characteristics:
1. Be an open and free market where brands that have the best product and consumer satisfaction wins.
2. Be regulated to ensure consumer safety with low enough taxes to combat the illicit market.

__What advice do you have to new or aspiring companies who are just starting out in California cannabis?__

The best advice I can give to an aspiring company just starting out in California cannabis is to have an open mind and be prepared to learn quickly. Cannabis is entirely a newly legalized market, which means there are no predefined notions or conventions. 

<callout>"The companies that succeed are led by operators who can bring their experience from other industries, and adapt them to the nuances of the cannabis industry and culture."</callout>

__What can the cannabis industry learn from other industries?__ 

Other industries are much better at planning and making more data-driven decisions. The cannabis industry is maturing and certainly getting there, but there is still a lack of enough data transparency to even make objective decisions to that degree. We’ll get there though!

__What is the highest vision for your cannabis business? What do you hope to achieve and contribute?__

Nabis will be the largest cannabis distribution company in the world. We hope to be able to help any entrepreneur be able to create a product from idea to implementation with very low friction, which will translate into providing the most choice and access to retailers. In doing so, this creates a more democratic market of products that will ultimately benefit the consumer.

![Nabis cannabis distribution](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/5p8uQg6K3rPoKoZplpJnk3/455ab3e9374901d3b6d7232fe72a4f01/Nabis_cannabis_distribution.png)

__How do you think about building businesses in a way that is both equitable and profitable?__

Nabis gives a 20% discount on all distribution rates for equity-owned and female-owned brands. Without a distributor in the industry who can offer that, these players will never have a chance of getting to market statewide and stay competitive.

__What do you look for when adding team members?__

When we add team members, we are looking for talented individuals who are really excited about building an entirely new supply chain and technology from scratch, be willing to learn, and be open to adapting to the unique challenges of the cannabis industry.

__What is the best investment you've made — resources, time or money, you've made in the last year?__

The best investment that we’ve made is first and foremost developing talent. There is insatiable demand for our distribution services since we offer the lower rates and the best quality of service. However, in order to continue scaling ourselves, we run an “atoms” business in many ways, not entirely a “bits” business, so we need to be able to continue to develop our staff to take on higher level roles.

__What are good examples of poor leadership and great examples of great leadership?__

I’ve witnessed poor leadership from those who make ego-driven decisions, which leads to a company that doesn’t serve its customers, but themselves.

<callout>"Great leaders are ones who have a really unique vision and principles that guide their actions to achieving their mission."</callout>

__What's the most effective habit you've cultivated in the last year?__

The most effective habit is to give our leadership team and managers more time to think strategically. As an earlier stage startup for the past three years, we have been in a constant mode of “doing things that don’t scale” in order to make that extra dollar and/or please a customer. However, the leaders of our organization are best equipped to plan and make long-term investments for the business that have a longer term payback cycle for us and our customers, rather than focus intensely on the day to day.

__What's your morning routine?__

I go on a two mile run early in the morning along The Embarcadero in San Francisco, where the water is gleaming and the air is crisp. On my way back, I pick up a cup of tea from Philz Coffee before I head home to start reading my emails.

__What are your 3 favorite cannabis products right now?__
1. GanjaGold Red Tarantula (Infused Pre-Roll)
2. Cookies Cereal Milk (Flower)
3. PLUS Sleep Cloudberry (Edible)

Learn more about Vince and his team: [nabis.com](https://www.nabis.com/ "Nabis cannabis distribution website")


Vincent Ning, CEO and Founder Nabis Distribution a California cannabis company

Vincent Ning CEO and Founder of Nabis  

Read more about Vince's journey and insights into starting one of the biggest cannabis distribution companies in California with his childhood best friend

Serving Cannabis: Q&A with Nabis CEO, Vincent Ning

cannabis consumption lounge at Northern Nights Tree Lounge

At the Northern Nights music festival, Meadow powered sales in the historic Tree Lounge, a pop-up dispensary and consumption lounge under the trees in the heart of the Emerald Triangle. This outdoor festival weekend was a highlight of summer 2019 for the Meadow team members who were lucky enough to call this "work":

<figure>
<video-player url="https://vimeo.com/514140463"></video-player>
<figcaption>Watch this highlight reel of this unique cannabis lounge and campout music festival experience in Northern California along the Eel River.</figcaption>
</figure>

### The Cannabis Retail Experience
Booths circled the perimeter of the Tree Lounge, which gave customers an opportunity to connect face to face with representatives of the participating brands. This gave festival-goers an opportunity to learn more about the cannabis products by speaking with growers and manufacturers and brand reps.

From their own iPad, rand employees sent orders to the central pop-up dispensary in an onsite barn, powered by San Francisco dispensary, [The Green Door](https://www.greendoorsf.com/ "The Green Door cannabis dispensary"), with support from licensed distributor Filigreen. After customers paid for and received their items at the barn, they could then enjoy them in the outdoor consumption lounge before returning to the multiple music stages or jumping on a floatie on the Eel River.

<figure>
![Buddy Buddy Cannabis](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/63qJ6skaVSrUeuE5bgCs4S/a3e6421ed1288edbb660515879581eeb/Buddy_Buddy_Cannabis.png)
<figcaption>"I've tried at least 4-5 different softwares in the cannabis industry, and this is definitely the most user friendly." - Beka, Buddy Buddy brand rep</figcaption>
</figure>

<callout>Want to be part of our California cannabis events community?
  <a href="#community-email-list">Join Meadow's Community Email List</a></callout>

![Northern Nights music festival](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/2ufnkkseDzFuEc82c6hkNj/1e55e48324c1c0c898929a92765bb6c7/Northern_Nights_music_festival.png)

### Interested in Selling Cannabis Directly From Your Event Booth in California?
Meadow offers compliant point of sale software and iPad or Elo-based hardware packages at licensed California [cannabis events](https://getmeadow.com/community-and-events "cannabis events") across the state. Contact events@getmeadow.com to learn more about our cannabis sales event rentals and our hands-on support.

Northern Nights cannabis consumption lounge

Watch highlights from this unique cannabis lounge and campout music festival experience

Northern Nights Cannabis Tree Lounge, Powered by Meadow

Cannabis Retail is easier with a connected dispensary POS

Modern cannabis customers expect the dispensary sales experience to be like any other retail industry — fast, easy, efficient, accessible everywhere. To fully capture every potential customer, dispensaries should offer a seamless customer experience, no matter where they're buying your products. This approach, which is designed to delight customers in every sales channel (online, via delivery, in-store, or curbside pickup) is called Omni-Channel:

*> "Omni-channel sales is a sales approach that focuses on providing seamless customer experience across all of your sales channels, whether the customer is shopping from a smartphone, a personal computer or directly in your cannabis retail store. Customer relationship management and marketing channels work together with these sales channels to improve customer experience and customer retention."*

### Why are Omni-Channel Sales So Important for Cannabis Retail?
It is important to meet your customers where they shop, as opposed to forcing them into a narrow customer journey. A [Harvard Business Review study](https://hbr.org/2017/01/a-study-of-46000-shoppers-shows-that-omnichannel-retailing-works) indicated that 73% of customers shop using multiple channels during their customer journey. Providing the customer with more flexibility throughout the ordering process leads to more sales and traffic both in your cannabis retail store and online.

Omni-channel sales also greatly improve customer loyalty. A consistent brand experience across multiple sales channels results in repeat visits to your website and/or your brick-and-mortar shop, as well as a higher rate of recommendations to friends and family. 

One of the most important aspects of an omni-channel strategy is that it allows you to make informed decisions based upon your own proprietary sales data. When you can easily see where your customers shop (online only? always for express pick-up or delivery? a mix of in-store and online?), it helps you better understand your customer demographics. Armed with more data about who your customers are and how they like to shop, you can then strategize on how to best market to these different segments of shoppers, and craft marketing campaigns to help re-engage with different segments of your customer base.

### Meadow Makes Omni-Channel Sales And Dispensary Inventory Management Simple

The true power of Meadow is in our connected [cannabis retail](https://getmeadow.com/blog/tags/cannabis-retail "cannabis retail") software; you can easily get insight into your entire operation and put your data to work to help grow your business.

With Meadow, from a single inventory reception via a Purchase Order, you instantly make products available for purchase across any or all of your dispensary sales channels: in-store, online ordering, delivery, pickup, Weedmaps, etc. If you want to offer a product as available in-store, but not on Weedmaps (i.e. a penny pre-roll next to the register), with the click of a button you can hide it from your Weedmaps menu. It's easy to decide where products will appear.

With each sale, your inventory automatically updates in every single sales channel, with no manual labor required.

Every customer who places an order has their information directly populated within Meadow's native CRM (customer relationship management software), where you can offer loyalty points or add them to a customer group for future automatic discounts. 

Over time, this collection of CRM data continues to become more valuable to dispensaries, as it gives you real data about your consumers (average basket sizes, frequency of purchases, which sales channels they use, which categories they typically buy, and more).

Where you're really able to make gains and increase your ROI is when you're able to put this historic customer and sales data to work. With a built-in [cannabis marketing](https://getmeadow.com/blog/tags/cannabis-marketing "cannabis marketing") suite in the same platform, you can segment your customers based on different layers of information like average basket size, categories, loyalty points and send targeted text marketing campaigs. These campaigns funnel customers directly back into your sales channels, helping you boost ROI and customer retention by keeping them happy and sending them relevant deals and discounts and VIP access that feels tailored to their needs and wants.

![Connected Cannabis Retail ](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/5TEYhM91BuXJi3oqOQCiLi/25d4f3ddc26d20c888ee82c1484550f4/Cannabis_Retail.png)

With Meadow's connected dispensary software, you unlock a complete set of revenue streams with in-store POS, online ordering, pick-up, and [cannabis delivery](http://getmeadow.com/blog/tags/cannabis-delivery "cannabis delivery software") in one simple-to-use platform. Smart workflows and fewer clicks to navigate the system mean everyone from budtenders to managers and accountants are happier when they upgrade to Meadow's streamlined dispensary software solution, built specifically for California's unique [cannabis compliance](http://getmeadow.com/blog/tags/cannabis-compliance "Cannabis Compliance Software") requirements.

![Green Cross Meadow Dispensary POS](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/iR7wmH4W1qWtBTt9tKTpO/279e48fbdb102cdafe9dee7835ba9d0d/Green_Cross.png)

Boost ROI and grow your dispensary using a connected, omnichannel approach to cannabis retail

Posts by Aria Biswas

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Omnichannel Sales: The Value of a Connected Dispensary POS for Growth

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