Tom Edathikunnel

Banking has been a notorious pitfall for marijuana business owners. Even in Colorado, the first state to sell recreational marijuana legally, banks still refuse to work with dispensaries, growers and any other industry ventures for fear of federal scrutiny. The majority of Colorado's marijuana economy is all cash-based, which comes with a variety of safety concerns for customers and gray area for business owners and tax officials.  As a result, Littleton-based CanPay is becoming a popular solution.

For decades, cannabis has been portrayed as an illicit substance associated with burnouts and addicts, one that clouds mental performance and drains ambition. However, long-standing opinions are beginning to change as more research continues to demonstrate the medical benefits of THC and CBD oil with regard to such debilitating conditions...

As Colorado’s cannabis industry continues to grow and mature, dispensary owners and other ganjapreneurs are taking a more analytical approach to retail marijuana. According to industry experts, dispensaries cannot hope that the novelty of cannabis and tourism continues to support the market. Rather, they need to dive deeper into customer engagement.

Arizona state rejects prop 205—marijuana legalization. Many pro-legalization organizations voted down prop 205 claiming it was too strict and did not address the draconian laws around possession.