During New York’s Cannabis Advisory Board’s meeting on September 26, 2023, the Office of Cannabis Management’s (OCM) Executive Director Christopher Alexander revealed that the OCM anticipated issuing “over a thousand, closer to 1,500 licenses” as part of the initial licensing window that is currently scheduled to open on October 4, 2023. As referenced in this comprehensive summary from John Schoyer of the Green Market Report, the OCM had previously disclosed that the OCM ultimately envisions a market with at least 2,000 retailers and 800 growers.

Executive Director Alexander’s announcement did not provide any insight into how the OCM plans on allocating licenses among the license types that will be available during the initial application window. Nor did it indicate whether there will be any sort of geographic allocations in the same way that the Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary licenses were limited by region.

From an application perspective, it is most interesting (or, more appropriately, alarming), that the OCM’s announcement reiterated the October 4, 2023 application opening date. Although Executive Director Alexander stated that there will be a guidance document published in the coming days, no such guidance document has been published to date. It is difficult to comprehend the doubling down of an application start date with so much in the air and so little time, but, well, here we are.

As we openly begged in our recent plea to the OCM, applicants are still missing necessary application forms and crucial guidance for prospective applicants. We guess we’ll just have to see what happens with New York cannabis licensing as we get ever closer to October 4, 2023. Stay tuned.

Ultra Cannabis, a recreational dispensary headquartered in Michigan, is demonstrating its solidarity with the committed members and suppliers of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union during the ongoing strike against prominent automakers. In a gesture of support, Ultra Cannabis has unveiled an exclusive 25% discount for all UAW members and supplier associates who provide a valid union ID.

The UAW strike, which commenced on September 15, 2023, has garnered widespread national interest, particularly among Ford Motor Co. employees. General Motors and Stellantis have joined forces to advocate for fair contracts and improved working conditions. As the strike’s effects ripple through Michigan, impacting both families and communities, Ultra Cannabis is steadfast in its dedication to providing vital support to UAW members and their suppliers during these challenging times.

Jonathan Yaldo, the owner of Ultra Cannabis, expressed that UAW members and suppliers are more than just customers; they are our neighbors, friends, and extended family. They are committed to alleviating the financial burdens of the strike, and this discount is a small but meaningful gesture to illustrate the strength that comes from unity in assisting one another.

The 18207 West 8 Mile in Detroit dispensary is extending a 25% discount on all recreational cannabis items to UAW members and supplier associates who can present a valid ID. This offer remains accessible for the entire UAW and supplier strike duration.

Strike Expands To 20 States

Ford managed to avoid additional strikes because the company had addressed some of the union’s demands during negotiations over the past week, as UAW President Shawn Fain reported during an online presentation to union members.

Fain noted, “Substantial progress has been achieved at Ford. While significant issues still require resolution, it’s important to acknowledge Ford’s genuine commitment to reaching a mutually agreeable deal. However, the situation at GM and Stellantis presents a contrasting scenario.

He emphasized that GM and Stellantis, the successor to Fiat Chrysler, have rebuffed the union’s propositions concerning cost-of-living adjustments, profit sharing, and job security, stating that they will require significant pressure to agree.

GM stated that it had proposed five “historic” offers encompassing wage and job security considerations. GM characterized the UAW’s leadership’s decision to escalate the strike as unnecessary, alleging that personal agendas drove it.

Stellantis, on the other hand, asserted that it had presented “a highly competitive proposal.” They claim to offer all current full-time hourly employees with earnings between $80,000 and $96,000 within four years and seven months, focusing on “workforce stability” during that period. The company reported that the UAW had yet to respond.

Instead of targeting additional production plants on Friday, the UAW directed its actions toward the distribution centers responsible for supplying parts to car dealer service departments. This strategic move could involve consumers in the dispute if dealers experience shortages of essential elements.

According to the UAW, more walkouts are expected to impact 5,600 more workers and the nearly 13,000 who initiated strikes last week at three Ford, GM, and Stellantis assembly plants. The initial strikes will persist, as confirmed by the union.

It’s worth noting that the UAW continues to refrain from targeting plants responsible for producing Detroit’s best-selling vehicles, such as the Ford F-150 and Stellantis’ Ram pickups. These models account for a significant portion of the companies’ revenue and profits. This approach reflects the union’s strategy of gradually intensifying the strike’s impact on the automakers.

Impact of the Strike

Amid negotiations, the union is pushing for wage increases of around 36% over four years, citing the carmakers’ substantial recent profits and high CEO compensation as justification.

The companies, in response, have offered a little over half of that amount, citing their need to invest in transitioning from gas-powered vehicles to electric ones. Some of the union’s demands, such as 40 hours’ pay for a 32-hour work week, have been outright dismissed.

While Ford has made some concessions, including reinstating cost-of-living wage increases and improved profit-sharing and job security, significant gaps still exist in critical economic issues.

The union has been negotiating concurrently with all three Detroit giants instead of focusing on one company and setting a pattern for contracts at the others. By favoring Ford after a week of negotiations, the UAW is following its traditional bargaining pattern of securing the best deal from one company and expecting the others to match it.

The recent escalation of the strike, targeting parts distribution centers, could quickly impact GM and Stellantis. According to analysts, this strategic move is seen as a bold and potentially risky poker move by the UAW. However, some experts believe involving current owners of GM and Stellantis vehicles in the dispute may backfire on the union as those needing car repairs may not be sympathetic to the strike.

Despite the strike expansion, it involves only a fraction of the UAW’s total membership, allowing the union’s strike fund to last longer as most members continue to work under the expired contract and contribute to the fund. However, an extended strike raises the risk of division among workers receiving entire paychecks and those receiving strike benefits.

Conclusion

CANNABIS INDUSTRY WORKERS JOINS UNION, GETS FIRED, WINS JOB BACK!

Skills to Learn if you want to be able to “Smoke on the Job” without getting Fired!

Life’s necessities like housing, food, and gas just seem to get more expensive by the day. Finding good, stable work to keep up can be a real challenge, especially for stoners. Clocking in sober when you’d rather be smoking definitely sucks. But as technology evolves and new fields emerge, fresh opportunities arise for making bank from the comfort of home.

In this article, I’ll be covering some lucrative skills worth exploring if you want to be able to smoke cannabis while you work. I’m not talking about slacking off – you’ll still need to deliver results. But mastering these areas can land you sweet remote gigs or steady contracting that afford flexibility. Just imagine taking client calls or meetings with a joint hanging from your lip!

The key is finding roles revolving around freelancing, consulting, or specialized technical skills. When you have in-demand expertise instead of being easily replaceable, you gain leverage to dictate your own working conditions. Set your own hours, bring your own habits.

Of course, fields like manual labor or food service on location won’t fly for wake and bake. But the virtual domain offers many cannabis-friendly ways to profit. With the right skills, you can earn income on your schedule from anywhere. Who says you can’t build a career you love while loving the flower? Let’s get started!

3D Design – Figma, Canva, Blender, Unreal

The world of 3D design has opened up immensely in the past decade, allowing creatives new avenues to generate income. With free software like Figma, Canva, Blender, and Unreal Engine, anyone can start crafting unique digital works and assets. The skills scale exponentially too.

For example, Figma allows you to easily design websites, apps, prototypes, presentations, graphics, and more. It’s an incredibly intuitive and flexible platform. With practice, you can specialize in UI/UX design, landing pages, wireframes, or even entire interface systems.

Similar story with Canva – start by making social graphics and editable templates. But master visual communication and branding approaches to offer social media kits or visualized strategy decks. The deliverables span far and wide.

With Blender, both 3D modeling and animation are at your fingertips. Build environments, prototype products, create text/logo intros, animate characters, the list goes on. Pick a specialization and build a stunning portfolio.

Game design and interactive 3D experiences are possible with Unreal Engine. Craft immersive worlds, program gameplay mechanics, and bring digital creations to life. The core skills apply across industries.

The beauty is that these emerging design mediums are cannabis-friendly. You can spark your creative flow while working from anywhere. Brand yourself for what you uniquely offer – the baked artistry sells itself. As long as you manage time and meet expectations, you can excel while exhaling.

So if you want design skills enabling location freedom and wake ‘n bake workflow, look no further than 3D. Make the digital realm your oyster while paying the bills your way.

Become a “Code Monkey”

Learning to code is like being handed a money printing machine. With so many businesses going digital, programmers have become incredibly valued in every industry. And the opportunities span far beyond just web development.

For example, mastering Python can let you build chatbots, machine learning apps, dynamic web backends, scripts to automate tasks, and much more. As AI proliferates, that skillset pays dividends. Just look at all the sites offering “free trials” before charging monthly subscriptions for basic chatbots. Build it for them once and collect a nice check.

App development is another lucrative path. Flutter for cross-platform mobile apps, React Native for iOS/Android, Swift for native iOS, etc. So many businesses want their own branded apps these days – be the one selling them polished products.

Or dive into backend with Node.js, Django, Ruby on Rails. Every site needs smooth user interfaces but also complex databases and infrastructure behind the scenes. Specialize in transforming concept to reality.

With research and consistent practice, you can level up your expertise in any of these areas. It’s never been easier to access the training for free. Identify high-demand skills and commit to mastery.

The beauty of code is that results matter far more than process. As long as you meet project expectations, clients don’t care if you’re baked around the clock. Just be that anti-social code monkey who delivers gold in exchange for green!

AI-Money Mastery

Artificial intelligence has handed creative entrepreneurs an unprecedented money-making tool. As AI content and image generators explode in sophistication, the real value lies in applying them strategically. With know-how, you can systemize passive income while you chill with cannabis.

For instance, websites like ChatGPT, Anthropic, and Copy.ai offer conversational AI capable of generating marketing copy, articles, emails, social posts and more. Feed it prompts aligned to your audience and curate the outputs into dank content.

You could rapidly build a publication in your niche fueled entirely by AI. Or offer “Done for you” services for clients based on AI content personalized to their brand. Set it and profit while the robot cranks.

Graphic AI platforms like Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and DALL-E 2 enable ostensibly unlimited image generation tailored to any concept. Want trippy psychedelic designs for merch? How about AI-generated landscapes for prints you can sell? The possibilities are endless.

Combined with print-on-demand services like Redbubble, Society6, and Etsy, you have instant potential for passive income. Upload AI art to products people can buy with no upfront investment or risk to you. Ka-ching while you kick back.

And we’ve only scratched the surface of AI’s potential. Chatbots to automate customer service, AI tools to streamline SEO, leveraging algorithms to mass produce Youtube Shorts or TikTok videos – the applications abound.

Of course, blindly throwing AI at money-making schemes won’t work. You need an intuitive understanding of what resonates with humans. But blend that creative instinct with AI’s untiring output, and you have a cash cow.

Be one of the innovators who recognizes AI’s strategic potential early. Let the robots work while you reap the rewards. The sky’s the limit to tap new markets and optimize existing ones. Just don’t get too stoned and let your AI moneymaker become sentient!

Become a Headshop!

Owning a cannabis culture store or headshop can be an incredibly rewarding venture for stoner entrepreneurs. I’ve known two friends who started from scratch and grew successful regional chains. With the right hustle and passion, you can make this dream a reality.

My buddy Daniel began with a tiny rented space in a flea market-style mini mall. He curated quality glass pipes, vapes, and accessories while providing stellar customer service. Within five years he expanded to 4 prime locations, including a two-story flagship store in the mall.

Another friend, Lalo, couldn’t afford retail space starting out. So he created compact display cases of pipes, grinders, rolling papers etc. Then arranged deals with venues to place them there for a split of sales. Before long he had dozens of cases spread across different high-traffic stores, bars, even barbershops!

Both integrated social media marketing and inventory management early on. This allowed them to curate precisely to local customer demand and turn over products quickly. They reinvested profits to grow while enjoying the ride.

With a bit of starting capital, you can launch your own specialized oasis catering to fellow stoners. Focus on stellar products that you personally love while providing a welcoming vibe. If your passion shines through, success will grow.

Make it a goal to offer the widest selection of quality gear. Foster community with events and enthusiasm. Be the ultimate hub for all things cannabis culture.

Done right, you’ll have a fun, fulfilling and yes – profitable – venture. Getting to sample products and interact with fellow stoners all day? That’s the dream life right there! Just remember the business basics through the bake sessions and you’re gold.

Of course, the skills you’re going to be learning here is how to run a business. Buying, selling, finding the best deals, knowing what’s hot! You’ll probably mess up and run into some issues along the way – but stick to it and you’ll learn the joys of making money doing something you love!

The Sticky Bottom Line

The bottom line is that technology has leveled the playing field, allowing even the “unschooled” to master lucrative skills and get paid. You just have to actually put in the work to build expertise and a polished portfolio.

Show, don’t tell.

With social media and content marketing, you can establish your brand as a top creator without begging gatekeepers for a chance. Let your projects speak for themselves.

Start by picking a skill that genuinely appeals to you – don’t just chase money or you’ll burn out. If you enjoy the craft, your passion will show through. Build a personal website to showcase your best work prominently.

Stay active posting samples on Instagram, Twitter, Behance, DeviantArt, wherever your audience resides. Social proof matters, so highlight client testimonials and collaborations.

Once you’ve honed your skills and curated an impressive portfolio, it’s time to find work. Browse popular freelancing sites like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer to bid on projects that fit your abilities.

However, cold pitching potential clients directly can be even more lucrative. Find companies you’d like to work with and email them personalized offers to solve their problems. You’d be surprised how many will give you a shot.

DRUG TESTS AT WORK, READ ON…

DRUG TESTS AT WORK, CAN THEY MAKE YOU TAKE ONE?