Q&A with Spiritleaf CEO

Spiritleaf is one of the biggest retailers in Canada.

The Inner Spirit Holdings chain made headlines early on in legalization with its partnership with The Tragically Hip's licensed producer, Up Cannabis. They have grown to be a leader in Ontario, as well as the Western Canadian market.

Here's our interview with the company's founder, director and CEO, Darren Bondar.

the oz. –  Can you give us a picture of who the new users are and what’s drawing them in?

Bondar – They come across a broad spectrum of demographics. What we’ve noticed is most new users don’t necessarily like to smoke. Bringing on 2.0 products like beverages and edibles has really helped transform people’s outlook on cannabis, and is something that’s more palatable for otherwise more health conscious consumer to try. Older users are definitely looking more to edibles and beverages.

the oz. – What more can we be doing to draw people from the illicit market to the legal market?

Bondar – I think we’re doing a great job. We’re now over 50%, which is according to Stats Canada. By being able to provide affordable cannabis, and a good selection and a good retail experience, I believe that most Canadians are lawful and want to buy a legal safe product. We just need to continue to get that message (out), and law enforcement needs to continue to stamp out the illicit market—and I think that we need to convert as many of those original pioneer illegal growers, and see if they’ll come over.

the oz. – What is Spiritleaf doing differently?

Bondar – Right from the outset, we were very focused on our guest experience, we were very focused on our brand, and we were focused on our business model, which was local entrepreneurs providing that personalized service and working and investing back in their communities. Those three elements have not changed since we’ve started.

Fire at BC Cannabis Store 

The BC Cannabis Store’s opening day in New Westminster went up in flames.

It was set to open Wednesday, but a fire Tuesday afternoon quashed those plans. Smoke could be seen billowing from the roof of the city’s provincial government store location.

Fire crews responded and attacked the flames from the outside.

Viviana Zanocco with the BC Liquor Distribution Branch said the fire broke out in the roof of the location.

“The fire was quickly extinguished and we are grateful that no one was injured,” she told the oz. “The cause has not been determined.”

She said they are assessing the damage and arranging for repairs to be completed.

There is no new date for the official opening.

“Employees of the store have been rescheduled to work at our BC Cannabis Store in Port Coquitlam,” she said.

New Westminster Fire and Rescue said the blaze is still under investigation.

In other news...

Quick hits

 The Valens Company is adding another white label product to its lineup, DAIZE vapes.

 A police incident on Okanagan Indian Band land was the result of a dispute between two cannabis shops.

 Licensed producer Flowr has closed on another tranche of funding.

 An Okanagan woman using potent cannabis oil is selling jams, crafts to fundraise for medication.

 Canopy Growth is donating $50,000 to Wounded Warriors Canada through its medical arm, Spectrum Therapeutics.

 A Canadian study has found a link between starting medical cannabis and stopping drinking.

 #ICYMI Seth Rogen talks about growing up in Vancouver and the stigma of being a pot smoker. 

Slash pen by Stonesmiths

If you’re looking for a convenient way to hit cannabis concentrates, the Slash by Stonesmiths is a solid option.

Disclosure: I’ve been intimidated by dabbing. It can be prohibitive to a newbie like me, as it looks more like a science experiment than a way to catch a buzz.

My first time was with the Slash; this new dab pen designed by Edmonton-based Stonesmiths managed to ease my entry into the world of concentrates.

Its thoughtful, well-designed packaging hints at what’s inside. The pen is lightweight but solid. The magnetic mouthpiece, which has a built-in dab tool, is one of my favourite features.

The concentrate pen can be used with cannabis concentrates, waxes and distillates.

With flavourful hits from its ceramic bowl, the Slash has been a smooth experience so far.

The pen comes with an extra loading tool, a spare silicone mouthpiece, a heat protector band, a Type-C cable, and instructions. They are hidden at the bottom of the box under a foam square, so don’t throw them out by accident.

It communicates through a pattern of LED lights that are reminiscent of the PAX Era. They tell how much battery is left and temperature of the unit.

The vape’s battery is charged with a USB-C port on the bottom. It takes about an hour to fully charge the battery from 0 to 100%.

The top cap is isopropyl safe, so once the silicone mouthpiece is removed, that part can be soaked in alcohol for a good clean. Concentrates get sticky.

The Slash rings in around $75-$100, depending on where you buy and if you have a discount code. They come in three types: gunmetal, stainless steel, and matte black.

It’s such a discreet way to get high fast, and only a few hits go a long way.

Inspired by Men In Black

Levi Hornak, who’s with Stonesmiths, told the oz. in an interview the company’s founders spent a year designing the device before releasing it this past summer.

“The idea came from the designer and the CEO. They were smoking dabs out of a competitor’s pen and they were watching Men In Black,” says Hornak. “So if you notice the design of the Slash, it kind of looks like the Neuralyzer.”

He says the main designer got fed up with the other pen gunking up that he figured he would try to make a better device.

The name comes from the mouthpiece, which looks slashed.

“If you use an e-cigarette or if you use another concentrate device, a lot of people tend to hold it horizontally as compared to vertically. That will make your concentrates leave the heating element and can cause that burnt taste,” he says. “We made it very apparent you should hold this up vertically.”

They brought prototypes around to different shows and it took off, selling across Canada.

Hornak predicts concentrates will take over the market in the next few years, and a simple pen is the best way to start. That way people don’t need to purchase a dab rig, butane torch, nail, and all the other bits and pieces needed to take dabs the traditional way.

There are three more designs in development.

He says that concentrates do feel a little weaker when vaped through a pen, rather than a rig.

— David Wylie

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