The cannabis trade is big business. According to recent projections, the U.S cannabis industry alone is worth $61 billion, which explains the growing number of investors considering taking their chances in the lucrative marijuana market. 

But like any business, excelling in the cannabis industry is a lot harder than most aspiring traders may want to believe. You cannot outpace the competition by simply setting up a cannabis store then sitting pretty as you wait for buyers to come along. On the contrary, you’ll need to pursue robust marketing campaigns to raise your brand awareness constantly. 

One way to strengthen your brand’s identity is to ensure the proper packaging of your cannabis products. In this post, we highlight the top things to remember when packaging cannabis products.

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• Safety and Legality

Cannabis is marketed for its numerous health benefits. According to researchers, extracts from the plant may treat several medical conditions, such as pain, anxiety, nausea, seizures, inflammation, and insomnia. 

But despite the many diseases that marijuana may relieve, extracts from the herb remain illegal in many countries around the world. So, it’s imperative to check your local marijuana laws even before setting up a cannabis venture. Otherwise, you risk having your business closed down and charged for dealing in illegal drugs.

Now, the rules on cannabis legality also apply when it comes to packaging and labeling. In many jurisdictions where marijuana is legal, local authorities still impose regulations on containers that cannabis retailers should package their products in. Most importantly, the authorities may require marijuana traders to include specific words or phrases in their product labels to certify that such products have been duly approved as safe for consumption.

• Protection against Degradation and Accidents

If you sample products by reliable cannabis suppliers like Daily Marijuana stores in Canada, you’ll realize that such products are packaged in a manner that reduces the risks of contamination. This is not only true for cannabis goods but also any product intended for oral administration.

The packaging material that you use should act as an effective barrier against possible contamination. This will ensure that your consumers have access to fresh products all the time. Plus, it will go a long way in increasing your products’ shelf life while they’re still in stock.

Another reason to consider an effective barrier is to prevent your clients’ children and pets from getting their hands (or paws) in the products. Note that both children and pets can benefit immensely from marijuana’s therapeutic properties. However, the soft sealing material may lead to accidents where kids or pets consume more than their fair share of cannabis.

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• Design Concept and Audience

Your cannabis packaging must clearly show that the products are intended for adults. Again, note that marijuana is medically beneficial even for kids. However, the assumption is that all your customers will be of legal age. Therefore, the overall presentation must be appealing to adults and unattractive to minors. That means going for design concepts that are high-quality and minimal. 

But that’s not enough. It would help if you also established whether you’re targeting a predominantly senior audience or millennials. That’s because these two consumer segments have pretty different spending habits.

If targeting senior users, endeavor to place more emphasis on high quality and tactile user experience. For millennials, consider products that feature simplicity and sustainability. Millennials also tend to follow trendy designs and are drawn to products with high celebrity endorsements. Plus, you can employ scarcity marketing on this consumer segment by including words like ‘limited edition.’

• Proper Labeling of Ingredients

The active ingredients in all cannabis products must be clearly labeled to leave no room for confusion. This is especially true for products that contain psychoactive chemicals like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The rule of thumb here is to start with the most abundant chemical (cannabinoid) and proceed to the least. 

The following words may help your prospective clients know what to expect from your products;

• Isolates

Isolates are cannabis products formulated with just one active cannabinoid. For instance, CBD isolates contain cannabidiol only.

• Broad-spectrum

These are cannabis products containing only non-psychoactive compounds. Broad-spectrum CBD means that the product contains cannabidiol and possibly other cannabinoids but no psychoactive compounds like THC.

• Full-spectrum

These are cannabis products formulated with both psychoactive and non-psychoactive compounds. Such products are believed to offer compounded healing benefits via a mechanism called the entourage effect and are generally recommended for seasoned users.

Besides labeling the cannabis compounds, also remember to tag all the non-cannabinoids present in the product. Examples include flavor enhancers, preservatives, penetration enhancers, etc.

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• Focus On Being Informative

Much as cannabis is gaining widespread popularity, the herb is still met with some skepticism. One way to reassure your prospective clients to buy your products is to let them know how they stand to benefit. That’s especially if you’re dealing in medical marijuana products. 

For instance, you can briefly include the medical conditions that your products claim to relieve. Also, show your clients that you care about their health by warning against overdose. As cannabis has no ideal dose, you can add a short note asking them to begin low. 

Take note of certain cliché words that may be counterproductive to your marketing campaigns in the same breath. Examples include ‘high,’ ‘stoned,’ ‘weed,’ etc.

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There goes our definitive guide on cannabis packaging. If done correctly, proper packaging can help you to outpace the competition by endearing more prospective cannabis users to your brand.