[Purple Urkle]

(07-31-2013 03:44 PM)w00t Wrote:  

Good question. I have no idea. I doubt they would import cheap crap from china though, they propably produce their own or get them from german companies. But I really dont know.
I would guess the costs per unit are higher than 50 euros, they are big on quality control and labour cost is very high in Germany.

They still rake in a decent profit of course. I used to promote the volcano on an affiliate site and they were paying 10% commission on every sale without batting an eye.
Unfortunately they closed down their affiliate program.

Its a great device I own two, the Volcano Classic and Digit. But I stopped smoking/vaping so I will propably sell them off.

Here are some pictures of their headquarters Germany

http://www.storz-bickel.com/vaporiser/st...turer.html

Good for you, congratulations, quitting smoking ain't easy, but now that I've fully seen both sides, in most cases I do believe it's for the best. Note to all the young dudes out there: if you don't smoke don't start. All in all it's a huge waste of time and money... not to mention it can fry your lungs and make you so spacey and lazy that you'll crash your car and not be able to fix it because you'll be unemployed and broke. Exaggerating of course, Bob Dylan has been high for forty years straight and is doing okay for himself... but ask yourself this question: "Am I Bob Dylan?" The obvious answer is "no".

[Purple Urkle]

Looks like I might have to marry a Uruguayan. This stuff is going legit suit and tie sooner than later. I'm already figuring out my framework and billing cycle for consulting fees (this stuff ain't just plop a seed in the ground and watch it grow). Business class, suited down, four star hotels... sounds legit to me.

Headlines:

"Global Trendsetter? Uruguay Moves to Legalize Marijuana."

"Uruguay's Lower House Votes to Legalize Marijuana."

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

"If You Thought NSA Spying Was Bad, You Should See What the DEA is Doing."

No wonder the US is in such a precarious state. It's filled with magical thinkers who believe if they just push hard enough pot will go away and the gays will go back in the closest. Lol. Good luck with that.

Believe it or not there are lots of US law enforcement folks who agree that decriminalization is the only way out of the futile "war" on drug users, suppliers, and manufacturers. Check em' out: Law Enforcement Against Prohibition at http://www.leap.cc

[The Beast1]

FYI, burning cannabis through a pipe or papers isn't bad for you.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/20...74960.html

Vapes though are amazing. The experiences from different delievery systems very much change how the effects feel.

[Purple Urkle]

(08-06-2013 08:42 AM)frenchie Wrote:  

FYI, burning cannabis through a pipe or papers isn't bad for you.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/20...74960.html

Vapes though are amazing. The experiences from different delievery systems very much change how the effects feel.

It's like with coffee, some say good, some say bad. Who really knows? But think about it, thick, resinous, hot smoke loaded with butane from lighters constantly hitting the back of your throat and filling your lungs? Uh-uh, no, just not good. As an athlete whose life depends on my ability to hold my breath I can flat out say smoking diminishes my ability to perform. In addition, it IS addictive, period. Once you really embrace the 420 lifestyle it is very hard to break free. And so, with all the "thought," time and energy that goes into this fairly pointless hobby why not trade a unhealthy habit for a healthy habit? What if all the moments spent searching for, buying, discussing and burning this product were spent at the gym or surfing or practicing guitar or a foreign language, or making money, or cold approaching perfect 10's? As you get older you realize that time IS capital... spend it wisely.

[Giovonny]

(07-31-2013 03:52 PM)Purple Urkle Wrote:  

Have you tried the ploom?

No.

I use the "Pax".

250 US dollars.

I highly recommend it.

(07-31-2013 03:52 PM)Purple Urkle Wrote:  

My recommendations for a portable is the iolite by Jolie .

I will look into this.

However, my sources tell me that the "Pax" is the best portable vape on the planet.

(07-31-2013 03:52 PM)Purple Urkle Wrote:  

The Volcano

Yes, of course.

The king of vaporizers.

[Purple Urkle]

@Giovonny: Sounds good. If it ain't broke don't fix it. I'm off the market and out of the vape loop. Sounds like they are improving and getting cheaper all the time.

[Chauncey]

This thread is old and looks like it never really went anywhere with regards to the OP's intention of a thread about the LEGAL marijuana business. A lot has changed in the US over the past several years: 23 states currently allow medical marijuana and 4 states (Washington, Colorado, Alaska, and Oregon as of today) have legalized it for recreational use. Over the next few years it is reasonable to think that more states will follow suit.

My question is this: How would one go about getting set up as a licensed grower where it is legal? Does anyone have any experience with this or know how the process works?

I have about 100 acres of farmland available in a state that is currently not one of the four mentioned above. If and when this state legalizes marijuana I want to be ready with a game plan.

If this is a frowned upon subject for the forum or sharing details here would be too risky given the federal laws then we can let the conversation die with this post.

[Htownanddown]

Quote:

My question is this: How would one go about getting set up as a licensed grower where it is legal? Does anyone have any experience with this or know how the process works?

I have about 100 acres of farmland available in a state that is currently not one of the four mentioned above. If and when this state legalizes marijuana I want to be ready with a game plan.

I am in a similar situation and would love to hear if anyone has any advise on the subject. Presumably it would be nice to know what people did in the lead up to the legalization in Colorado. What worked and what didn't etc. I'm going to do some research in the next couple weeks and see what I can come up with. Chauncey send me a PM if you wanna knock around some ideas.

[Chauncey]

Htown,

I found this site (Cannabis Career Institute), it looks like they have events nationwide covering all aspects of the cannabis business, with prices ranging from $300-$500 to attend a seminar. I don't know enough about the industry or opportunity to know if it is worth attending at this point for me. I will spend some time on their website and looking around elsewhere to get a better feel of it over the next few days. At first glance though the seminar looks like a great intro to all facets of the industry.

I also found this Marijuana Business Conference & Expo

November 11-13 in Vegas. $600/person, $200 discount if registered by 8/27.

[germanico]

(07-02-2015 05:58 AM)Chauncey Wrote:  

I have about 100 acres of farmland available in a state that is currently not one of the four mentioned above. If and when this state legalizes marijuana I want to be ready with a game plan.

The minute pot is legal you will have a zerg rush of farmers flooding the market.

Stick to small boutique production of high quality pot and a small but loyal base of customers.

[teh_skeeze]

I imagine it will take another generation before cannabis use is fully legal and normalized in this country. Chris Christie has said he would shut the legal trade down if he were to become president. I know his chances are slim (heh), but it's safe to assume there are other politicians out there with the same mindset as him. It seems that most raids are done on dispensaries. If I were going to get into the game, I would focus on growing, or novelties.

[scubadude]

Having just spent some time in Colorado, here is my limited take on it.

50-60% of sales are in edibles, drops etc. From all the various cookies flavors to gummies and hard candies. Also the drops, sprays and transdermals are a big seller in many shops. The same 2-3 brands were the most prominent in all the shops I went to.

As far as having 100 acres to farm it. To sell buds you really need to grow it indoor where temperature, soil pH and soil amendments can be finely tuned. The buds in the shops sell for 12-15 per gram and none of it is ditch weed like you would get in a field. Field grown may be able to be used for extracts and oils, I really don't know.

Want to practice indoor growing before it becomes legal in your state? Grow tomatoes indoors, almost identical as far as requirements go.

[scotian]

I was considering a quick trip to Denver to check out the legal ganja scene but it looks like I won't be able to swing it due to work constraints but I am currently working in a city that is a quick ferry ride from Washington. Does anyone on here know if the scene in Washington state is as well developed as it currently is in Colorado? Basically I just want to spend a weekend in Seattle and get super baked on high quality weed, hash, dabs, edibles, etc.

[C-Note]

Here's a good example of something that will make left-wingers uncomfortable. Apparently, marijuana farms consume immense amounts of energy and are, thereby, having a disproportional effect on "global warming." As explained here.

Quote:

Marijuana might look and smell natural, but its ecological footprint is anything but green. Pot is power hungry.

The $3.5bn cannabis industry is one of the nation’s most energy intensive, often demanding 24-hour indoor lighting rigs, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems at multiplying grow sites.

As many as 10 states could legalize recreational marijuana this year, which means the resultant electricity consumption could cause problems for public utilities and city officials.

A study by scientist Evan Mills, with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, revealed that legalized indoor marijuana-growing operations account for 1% of total electricity use in the US, at a cost of $6bn per year. Annually, such consumption produces 15m tons of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2), equal to that of three million average cars.

In 2012, Colorado became the first state to legalize recreational marijuana. Two years later, Denver’s 362 marijuana grow facilities consumed more than 2% of the city’s electricity usage. Statewide facilities are behind roughly half of Colorado’s new power demands.

Cannabis growers are moving slowly toward energy efficient practices, largely out of fear for how changes might affect the quality of their product.

“They approach these things with a great deal of caution, especially when you talk about things that have a crop-wide effect,” said Ron Flax, sustainability examiner for Boulder County, Colorado.

“Each crop cycle has a lot of dollars associated with it, so they’re really hesitant to try something new and hope it works.”

“But they’re also paying very high utility bills.

Flax said electricity represented roughly 20% of the total cost of a cannabis operation.

In Boulder County during the second quarter of 2015, a 5,000 square foot indoor cannabis facility was eating about 29,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity monthly. A local household in the county was consuming about 630kWh.

Given cannabis’ appetite for energy – coupled with Colorado’s mostly coal-fired power plants – Boulder County has required commercial cannabis growers to either offset their electricity use with renewable energy, or pay a 2c charge per kWh.

The fees accrued go towards the Energy Impact Offset Fund, which is used to educate and finance sustainable cannabis cultivation in the county, such as installing energy monitors at grow facilities.

But prohibition has also kept energy efficient technologies from budding. Even after legalization in Colorado, new grow operations largely resemble underground operations. Investors have been hesitant to jump onboard.

“But it’s shifting,” said Flax, “as lots of energy professionals and knowledgeable product manufactures are entering the marketplace.”

Data centers, for example, have similar high-intensity energy profiles. Flax said some experts are moving into the weed sector, to profit from crossover technologies.

‘Some have created dangerous situations’

In other states where the recreation market has taken off, cannabis production is having a similar effect.

According to a report by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council in Oregon – where recreational marijuana has been legal since 2014 – an indoor grow system for only four plants sucks up as much energy as 29 refrigerators.

The report also estimated that the emerging market could warrant the electricity demands of a small city in the next 20 years.

Such needs have put strain on public utilities. Last summer in Portland, Oregon, Pacific Power reported seven outages from cannabis production. Portland General Electric (PGE) experienced similar blows.

“We don’t track the numbers specifically related to cannabis producers, but some have created dangerous situations by overloading existing equipment,” said Steven Corson, a PGE spokesman.

Customers of PGE and other Oregon utilities are directed to the Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO), which offers cash incentives and technical services to marijuana businesses looking to save energy and reduce costs.

“For a few lighting projects we’re helping medical marijuana growers complete, the cash incentives range from $15,000 to $80,000, depending on the size of the lighting system,” said Alex Bartini, industrial senior program manager for ETO.

Oregon, like Colorado, has no statewide energy efficiency regulations or rules that are specific to growing marijuana.

“We are in the learning stages, as is much of the industry, on where and how marijuana growing operations can reduce energy consumption,” said Bartini.

In Washington state, which legalized recreational cannabis in 2012, rewards programs are cropping up.

Like most growers of cannabis for recreational use, Solstice grows indoors, but outdoor cultivation may become more popular. Photograph: Solstice

Solstice, a Washington-based cannabis grower, worked with public utility Seattle City Light to establish an incentives program for energy efficient upgrades for “indoor agriculture”.

Alex Cooley, vice-president of Solstice, said the utility agreed to give them a six-figure rebate if they used 100 LED lights in their growing operation. The upgrade will put less burden on City Light’s infrastructure and save Solstice 50% of their energy use.

“It’ll be less money for us to operate the facility over time,” said Cooley.

Solstice uses 1,000W high intensity discharge lamps (HID), which easily compare to LEDs for the vegetative phase, where roots and leaves are developed.

But, said Cooley, “we don’t believe that the LED technology is necessarily there yet for the flowering side”. Flowering is when the plants grow smokeable buds.

Gabriel Romero, communications at Xcel Energy in Denver, Colorado, has heard similar feedback. Excel works directly with growing operations to determine their energy needs.

“Growers tell us that it takes an extra four weeks with LEDs, and to them it’s just not worth it from a financial standpoint,” he said.

And while Xcel does provide rebates to businesses that lower their kilowatt hours, the cannabis industry accounts for only a handful of such rewards. The reason is that cannabis cultivators have no guidebook.

“In growing operations each person has a different way of doing it,” said Romero. “There’s no standard.”

‘It’s the closest thing to the sun’

As long as lighting continues to account for 80% of any indoor grower’s electricity use, lighting companies can feast on the marketplace.

Boulderlamp, in Colorado, has created the 315W CDL Agro grow light, which uses less than half the wattage of a standard 1,000W high-pressure sodium grow lamp.

If growers replace one standard lamp with two 315W CDLs, said Jack Elliot of Boulderlamp, they can increase production by roughly 25% while saving up to 45% on energy.

“Its spectrum resembles the sun’s spectrum more than any other artificial light source,” Elliot said. “In the cannabis world, it’s the closest thing you can put in an indoor environment that mimics the sun. And the plants go absolutely crazy under these things.”

Sunshine is what growers seek, but outdoor operations leave crops vulnerable.

“[Indoors] you’re able to perfect your yields and your quality much more,” said Alex Cooley at Solstice. “But if you’re outdoors, you’re completely subject to the season.

“As well, the vast majority of us growers have learned indoor as a result of prohibition.”

Consumers may have been trained to believe that indoor-grown is simply better bud, but Solstice has partnered with farmers that use multiple outdoor operations and greenhouses for cannabis cultivation. He believes the market will eventually head outside.

“In my opinion, indoor cannabis is going to be a very shrinking component of the market, because it’s just too expensive,” he said. “You can’t justify the cost of $400 or $500 a pound to cultivate inside when you can cultivate outside for $50 a pound.”

Imagine having a global warming protest outside a hippie-owned pot dispensary in Colorado.

[bootyhuntah]

Has anyone tried the grasshopper vaporizer yet? Www://grasshoppervape.com. It has a lifetime warranty, looks like a pen, has replaceable batteries, 5 second heat-up time and uses convection heat to vaporize dry herbs. Also the company is based out of Boulder, CO. I think it's the future of portable vaporization.