Legalization
As the United States prepares for an election, the Cannabis industry looks poised for a few wins. In many states, cannabis-use is legal for adults in either a medical or recreational capacity. The latest news in the cannabis industry is that a few more states might be joining in. According to cannabis industry news, there are a number of states voting by referendum on the ballots this November to legalize marijuana use. Among them are Arizona, New Jersey, and Montana which are voting on legalizing recreational-use; Mississippi which is voting on legalizing medicinal-use; and South Dakota which is becoming the first state ever to vote on medicinal and recreational use in the same vote.
The rise of the cannabis industry as legalization and commercialism grows has been unexpectedly unpredictable. This year with many states planning to vote on legalization, 2020 was going to be a big year for cannabis. Then the pandemic hit. Once again there was uncertainty around the success of the industry. Many states that meant to vote on legalization postponed due to priority changes, pausing of government sessions and safety concerns. However, while many businesses were required to shut down for a time, legal dispensaries were deemed an essential business and allowed to remain open. In some states, there were actually record highs of cannabis consumption.
While not all these amendments will necessarily pass next week, it’s still a significant move for cannabis. Many states where marijuana use is currently legal failed at least once before policies were successfully changed. So 2020 may still turn out a good year for cannabis.
Packaging Cannabis
Safety. Integrity. Quality. Like most producers of consumable products the priority in packaging cannabis is maintaining product integrity and quality- keeping your product secure, attractive, and fresh.
One of the challenges producers have to consider are the regulations on cannabis packaging. These regulations may affect how they choose to package their products. While regulations differ between states (and countries), in most cases packaging needs to be: 1. Child-resistant 2. Opaque 3. Resealable if intended for multiple uses 4. Clearly labelled. This can impact aesthetics and branding as well as the choice between rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible packaging.
When choosing packaging for cannabis products, producers have to consider their budget and required throughput and, most importantly, their product. Packaging for flower versus edibles, for example, presents different challenges. When packaging flower, freshness and integrity of the flower and trichomes are the top concern, whereas edibles may be more similar to food where freshness and shelf-life is the main priority.
Many producers look to Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) solutions to keep their product fresh and secure. By vacuuming and gas flushing a package producers can control the interior gas mix. By removing or reducing oxygen and flushing with nitrogen the risk of oxidation and decomposition is decreased. These methods allow the original quality of the product to be maintained longer and increase shelf-life.
Our Recommendations
With nearly 50 years of experience, Plexpack knows packaging. Having been involved in cannabis applications for several years now as the industry has grown, we know cannabis packaging too. Whether it’s sealing bags or bundling bongs, Plexpack has a “high” quality solution for your business.
Here’s what we recommend:
- Vacuum-gas flushing machines: Excellent for keeping products fresh and extending shelf life, uses a nitrogen flushing system to halt product ageing and help prevent mould growth.
- Continuous, high-speed MAP Solutions
- Impulse MAP solutions
- Table-top bag sealing machines: Excellent for small businesses, affordable and perfect for sealing small bags.
- Shrink wrappers and bulls-eye bundlers;
- Excellent for bundling large quantities of products, whether it be weed tins, vaporizers, bottles, machine parts, bongs or boxes of brownies.
Check out our other blogs on cannabis packaging:
- Don’t let poor packaging “blunt” the quality of your cannabis!
- This isn’t High School: How to Package Your Cannabis Products