Sean K Fay

Heads up Marketers, got data? "Results: Five core themes emerged: cannabis culture (42% of brands, n = 106), product characteristics (30%, n = 76), medicine and health (23%, n = 58), environment and nature (20%, n = 51), and identity and culture (14%, n = 34), with 15 subthemes. Brands only marketing CBD products more often had names with medicine and health (45%, n = 18) themes with subthemes of health and wellness (30%, n = 12) and expected effects (18%, n = 7) in contrast to brands marketing THC products (18%, n = 14; 2%, n = 2; 11%, n = 9 THC-only; 20%, n = 26; 5%, n = 6; 13%, n = 17 THC and CBD). Brands marketing THC products more often had names with cannabis (12%, n = 10 THC-only; 18%, n = 23 THC and CBD; 8%, n = 3 CBD-only) and spiritual/mystical (9%, n = 7 THC-only; 9%, n = 12, THC and CBD; 0%, CBD-only) subthemes. Food type subthemes were also more common among brands marketing THC products (19%, n = 15 THC-only; 21%, n = 27 THC and CBD; 8%, n = 3 CBD-only). Unconventionality (6%, n = 5 THC-only; 2%, n = 2 THC and CBD; 0% CBD-only) and names and places (16%, n = 13 THC-only; 5%, n = 8 THC & CBD; 5%, n = 2 CBD-only) were subthemes more common among brands only marketing THC products. Conclusions: This study identified distinct cannabis edibles brand name marketing strategies for THC versus CBD products that may affect consumer appeal and perceptions of harm, underscoring the need to monitor and potentially regulate cannabis edibles marketing to ensure that it does not mislead consumers or downplay potential risks." Read the study at: https://lnkd.in/gapY4drm #marketing #hemp

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MSOs & LPs: Don’t Let AI Take Over Your Strategic Thinking Many cannabis workers are embracing AI for tasks like content generation, automating workflows and research.  Early adoption is valuable for its productivity gains and learning. However, AI-powered strategy development and planning can be a ‘weapon of mass destruction’ in some firms 4 problems arise when firms put too much faith in AI: 1️⃣ AI hallucinations and problematic recommendations Google these terms, or do you own experiment.  I used GPT-5 to generate a map of North America, a map that hasn’t changed in decades.   How many errors can you count in the accompanying picture? I stopped at 40. I grant you AI is still a work in progress and will get better.  My concern for cannabis is that the outputs are only as good as the inputs.   AI scours in order Reddit, Wikipedia and YouTube for its knowledge (see chart in comments).  One doesn’t find the most current, relevant and accurate cannabis data in these sources.  Reddit and Wikipedia dominate because they are overflowing with user discussions, definitions, reviews, and advice, much of that generated by AI. However, citation frequency is not the same thing as a quality knowledge source. 2️⃣ Regression to the strategic mean The strategic impact goes deeper than errors.  When people in different companies match prompts and the LLM draws on the same data, businesses end up with copy-cat strategies.  This is the antithesis of what’s needed: bespoke, practical strategy that outflanks the competition. 3️⃣ Dumbs down organizational talent An over reliance on AI reduces your team’s critical thinking, communication skills, and curiosity. This is fine if the employee already has the competencies. But if they don’t, they could turn into a robot-like worker.  Firms that become dependent on algorithmic thinking will lose the capacity for judgment and creativity. 4️⃣ Hurts the user AI is a people pleaser.  GPT-5 won’t say your prompts or questions are dumb when they are.  This dishonesty gives the user a false sense of their abilities.  When this deceit is mated to a senior but inexperienced person the results could be dangerous. Maybe worse, companies may inadvertently be training their employees for obsolescence. When your primary skill becomes prompt engineering rather than providing functional or cannabis expertise, the boss can replace you with a $20/mo. GPT-5 subscription. Moving forward The solution is not to ban AI or add more review layers. AI is valuable and here to stay.  Cannabis firms must understand that driving business performance requires preserving and enhancing uniquely human capabilities plus strategically deploying AI. Those that master this balance will thrive.   🔔 Ring the bell on my page to get VIP notifications Call me.  I help leadership teams develop AI programs that reduce cost, improve productivity and enhance decision making. #AI #management #cannabis #cannabisindustry #artificialintelligence

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Wow! Thanks Peter Su, CTP, CCBP, CCCE, GRCP, GRCA, IDPP, ACBP, CBE for including Alibi in this great discussion of the New York cannabis space. It was exactly 5 years ago that I started making connections and building my network in NY, so we definitely took a long time, but so far it has worked! "Too often, out-of-state brands prioritize speed over fit. But the ones finding success are those who spent months, not weeks, identifying operators who shared their standards and could help them build trust — not just move units. In a market this fluid, alignment matters more than volume." https://lnkd.in/gS4_R3ws

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The hemp industry is at a crossroads. And it’s not about bubbles vs gummies. It’s about whether policy will protect an entire regulated category… or carve it down to what fits neatly inside a cooler. I just published a new opinion piece titled: “When Alcohol Giants Pick Profits Over Patients.” In it, I explore: • Why “safety” arguments often focus on format instead of dose • What the Minnesota model proves about compliant edibles • How beverage-only carve-outs could reshape the hemp market • Why consumers who rely on low-dose THC for sleep and pain should be paying attention This isn’t an accusation piece. It’s a market structure discussion. For many consumers, this isn’t about novelty. It’s about access. If you believe hemp regulation should focus on testing, labeling, and responsible dose limits — not just packaging format — this conversation matters. I’d genuinely like to hear from: • Retailers • Regulators • Distributors • Consumers • Fellow operators Should hemp policy be comprehensive? Or should it prioritize one format over the rest? Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g46fGuKj Let’s have the conversation openly. #HempIndustry #CannabisPolicy #THC #Regulation #Retail #MinnesotaModel #ConsumerAccess

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Since the headlines yesterday didn't do the bill justice, I read the Wyden Bill and wrote about it. It sets a federal framework for cannabinoids where states do not already have laws, but it does not preempt them from creating their own laws around milligram limits or venue of sale - both more and less restrictive than prescribed. It does preempt packaging and labeling regulations to create a standard. My full write up is here: https://lnkd.in/guYfDuSF

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Most cannabis brands are still treating delivery systems like a checkbox. That’s a mistake. In my latest Rare Report Substack, I dig into why emulsions aren’t a solved science and how better delivery unlocks better products. 🏃‍♀️ Faster onset 💪 Improved bioavailability 😊 More predictable effects 👅 New ways to modulate bitterness and function If you’re still formulating like it’s 2020, this is your wake-up call. Let’s talk about absorption, water-soluble powders vs. liquids, why your emulsion isn’t as stable as you think, and what comes next.  👇 Link in comments #Cannabis #Innovation #CPG #ProductDevelopment #MinorCannabinoids #RareReport

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Epigenetics: The Key to Precision Cannabis Medicine? One of the biggest challenges in cannabis-based medicine is that no two patients respond in exactly the same way. The same strain, dosage, or formulation can bring profound relief for one person, while showing minimal effect in another. Epigenetics looks beyond our DNA, focusing on how our genes are switched “on” or “off” by lifestyle, environment, and even stress. By mapping these unique gene-expression patterns, we can understand how an individual’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) is functioning and crucially, how cannabis compounds interact with it. What does this mean for patients? More personalised treatment plans based on individual biology, not guesswork. Insights into which cannabinoids, terpenes, or flavonoids are most likely to provide therapeutic benefit. The potential to create dynamic therapies that adapt as the patient’s epigenetic profile changes over time. Instead of one-size-fits-all, epigenetics allows cannabis medicine to become targeted, evidence-led, and truly personalised. This is the future of plant-based healthcare: not just treating symptoms, but aligning treatment with the unique biological blueprint of each individual. This is the path we are building: combining advanced epigenetic insights with terpene-rich cannabis formulations, to deliver therapies that are precise, safe, and effective.

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"Take four letters, put it in a string, and you have a new cannabinoid." We explore product formulation on a previous episode of High Functioning. Adam Terry or Cantrip defines a THC drink. The market standard is Delta 9 THC. Consumers want authentic products. Transparent ingredients build trust. What do you look for in a beverage? Check the first comment for the full episode link. 👇

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