By Greg James
As we started preparing for this issue several weeks ago, I sat down and re-read several of the articles from the June issue of Marijuana Venture. I learned a lot in a short period of time, and was very impressed with the quality of our submissions.
There was information on copyright issues, current legal questions surrounding the status of I-502 in Washington and how it relates to federal law, articles about the many rules and regulations facing legal marijuana businesses and the IRS, as well as invaluable tips on how to set up a really advanced grow room. The June issue was packed with important information from really smart professionals who offered up their expertise to help our readers create a sound business in an environment with lots of unanswered questions and grey areas.
But then again, that’s the reason I launched Marijuana Venture. I had a hunch there would be a real need for a top-notch magazine that focused on all the various aspects of legal marijuana production and sales, while staying away from the counterculture, consumer angle.
If you want to read about where the next big “bud bowl” will be, or the price of an ounce of pot on the streets of New York, go to “High Times.”
On the other hand, if you want good information on the fast-changing legal environment facing licensed business owners, or the most efficient way to grow market-ready legal marijuana, or smart strategies for dealing with tax issues associated with the trade in THC, then Marijuana Venture is going to continue to be your best source of information.
Let me also state right now that we’re not going to shy away from publishing articles that might fly in the face of conventional wisdom. In this issue, I wrote a piece about the efficacy of HID lights. I spent a fair amount of time reading university studies on the subject.
Rather than talking to my buddy in the local grow shop, I went directly to two college professors who are experts in horticulture. They have spent decades researching the best ways to promote photosynthesis with electric lights. The conclusion: high-pressure sodium is a more efficient, better source of electric light for plants and the process of photosynthesis than metal halides during all stages of growth (See Page 17 for the full story).
Why is this important? Simply put, information like this will lead to a more profitable business for growers.
Boeing spends billions of dollars researching ways to make jetliners 2-3 percent more fuel efficient, because in the long run it saves tens of billions in fuel costs and helps airlines become more competitive and profitable.
Likewise, solid information on better ways to grow cannabis or operate a retail store will help our readers run better businesses and be more profitable.