May/June 2025

Tribal governments throughout the US are developing cannabis and hemp regulations to cultivate, process, and sell cannabis products to tribal members and non-members alike. Each tribe has its own approach to navigating this space, with independent indigenous entrepreneurs expanding opportunities outside the reservation.

There is a great deal of innovation happening in the cannabis edibles space as formulators overcome challenges in taste and texture to make delicious creations that offer a high quality user experience.

The volatility of wholesale cannabis prices marked by large fluctuations and regional disparities highlight the inherent instability still present in the cannabis marketplace. Adapting to shrinking margins and increased competitions is putting pressure on operators, causing them to adopt cost-cutting technologies, expand into edibles and extracts, and secure long-term supply agreements. Understanding these evolving dynamics is essential for companies to adapt, compete, and thrive in the industry.

The second half of this two-part series focuses on recent vape hardware innovation, as well as best practices in disposable vape pens and 510 cartridges that improve the user experience, preserve extract quality, and mitigate clogging, leaking, and degradation.