By Eric Robichaud CEO, and Vincent Bitetti CCO at Green Goddess Supply
What’s that sound? It’s cannabis professionals applauding Virginia’s approach to cannabis legalization. Of this writing, approximately 34 states plus the District of Columbia offer some form of legal access to retail cannabis. But as each individual state rolls out its own legalization process, some states have gotten it right and others have gotten it quite wrong.
Having been involved with the cannabis profession since its legal inception, we believe that the Governor of VA made the right moves. Instead of merely decriminalizing possession, they have legalized home grow along with the dispensaries. Other states, including California, have done likewise. While California was the first state to legalize cannabis, most people casually assume that all Californians now have access. They assume wrong. The state law makes it an OPTION for Counties to authorize retail cannabis cultivation and sales, not a requirement. As such, an overwhelming majority of California residents actually do not have access to retail cannabis! While the big cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco and San Diego, etc. all have legal pot shops, large swaths of suburban and remote counties do not.
It might seem like a minor nuance, but it’s actually incredibly important with huge ramifications. Some states, such as New Jersey, have legalized possession and legalized dispensaries, but did not legalize personal home grow. With all the of the bureaucratic regulatory framework-building that needs to be done, and the licensing and building processes required, it will realistically be two to three years before dispensaries are opening doors for business. Where are people supposedly getting their hands on these 6 ounces of weed, then? The answer: the black market.
By failing to enable personal home grow, cannabis users in those states are going to turn to the black market. But in states with legal home grow provisions such as California, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia and others, there’s a clear and legal path to obtaining legal cannabis in the meantime: growing your own at home.
That sounds easy enough but in reality, growing at home can be daunting to the casual consumer. Home growing can be complicated, frustrating and expensive, not to mention nearly impossible in some situations. For example, where are you putting a big, ugly, noisy grow tent in a 1,000 s/f apartment? Until legal retail shops are an option, an easier method of home grow is sorely needed.
Green Goddess Supply produces an award-winning home grow system called “The Armoire” which is designed to look like furniture and meld nicely into any home décor. We have seen a big uptick in sales of The Armoire in Virginia since July 1st. Last month 50% of our sales came from Virginia. It stuck out like a sore thumb to us. So, we went back and looked and sure enough it started around mid-July. That’s when we made the connection.
Most cannabis enthusiasts don’t want to deal with red tape or politics. They just want high quality, clean, organic bud at home quickly, easily and inexpensively. The new Virginia cannabis legislations allows that to happen.
Virginia is now the state of lovers, and cannabis lovers.
Eric Robichaud is the CEO at Green Goddess Supply, a “cultivation to consumption” cannabis lifestyle brand offering a line of high-quality products to grow, store, prep and consume hemp flower and cannabis products. Vincent Bitetti is the CCO. The company sells direct to consumers at MSRP through its website, and also offers wholesale and distributor accounts to brick and mortar storefronts and industry distributors. Green Goddess Supply strives to exceed expectations and delight customers with quality products and amazing customer service.
The Armoire, a turnkey home grow system that even your most judgmental aunt won’t detect, is patented by and a trademark of Green Goddess Supply. Green Goddess Supply is a privately held company headquartered in the suburbs of Boston, MA with additional distributions centers in Los Angeles, CA; Long Island City, New York and Pooler, Georgia. For more information about Green Goddess Supply, visit the website at https://www.GreenGoddessSupply.com/
