Cannabis Uncaged: A Year in Review

Shouting Into the Void, But With Purpose

For those of you just joining us here at Cannabis Uncaged - or for anyone who hasn’t been paying quite as much attention as I have (fair enough) - I thought it might be helpful to pause and reflect on the past year(ish) of work: what I’ve been trying to say, why I’m saying it, and why I believe (or at least hope) this perspective is both valuable and unique.

Here’s how it all breaks down:

1. Building the Foundation: The Theory of Purposeful Cannabis Consumption

At the core of Cannabis Uncaged is this mission: to fundamentally redefine how we think about and talk about cannabis. For decades, stigma has cast a long shadow, but the data we’ve gathered at Jointly paints a very different picture: not only is the stigma wrong, but the opposite is true - cannabis can be a meaningful tool for wellness and personal growth.

The Theory of Purposeful Cannabis Consumption is my attempt to lay down a framework for understanding this plant’s full potential. Here’s how it goes:

1. Introduction: Defining the terms, the problem, and the solution.

2. Plant: Cannabis is a complex organism with effects as varied and nuanced as the people who use it.

3. Purposes: People use cannabis for inherently productive reasons - improving sleep, reducing stress, enhancing creativity, or increasing focus, to name a few.

4. People: Each person’s relationship with cannabis is unique, shaped by their biology, context, and personal goals.

5. Conditions: Success with cannabis depends on creating the right conditions - dosing, timing, mindset, and environment all play a critical role.

6. Conclusion: Bringing it all together to prove one simple truth: You + Cannabis > You.

At the heart of this framework is the idea that cannabis can elevate our lives. The key is understanding how to unlock that potential - how to, you might say, “uncage” it.

2. Empowering the Consumer

A central focus this year has been helping consumers understand how to make cannabis work for them. Too often, people approach cannabis passively or out of habit, which leads to inconsistent or disappointing outcomes. What I’m advocating for is a mindset shift toward purposeful consumption - using cannabis with intention and clarity.

Here are a few highlights:

1. Habitual vs. Intentional vs. Purposeful Consumption: Breaking down the different ways people use cannabis and why purposeful consumption is the key to unlocking its full potential.

2. Unlocking Success with Cannabis: Practical, data-driven steps for improving cannabis experiences - a quick start guide for new consumers or those who feel “stuck.”

3. What Does It Mean to Be Pie High: Breaking down the pieces of the pie that add up to a 10 out of 10 experience using real data. This is the key to demystifying what an “ideal” cannabis experience looks like.

4. The Goals of Cannabis Consumption: Five years of asking consumers, “Why do you use cannabis?” has given us deep insights that can guide others toward better outcomes.

5. Solving the Cannabis Puzzle: A follow-up to the Pie High piece, exploring how to address inconsistency in cannabis outcomes.

3. Critiquing the Industry

The cannabis industry is full of missed opportunities. Too much focus on price and potency; not enough attention paid to purpose, personalization, or the consumer experience. This year, I’ve worked to shine a light on these issues while offering constructive solutions.

Key pieces from this section include:

1. Beyond Price and Potency: Why the future of cannabis lies in purpose, performance, and personalization. (And yes, I’m still debating whether “palette” deserves to join my proud lineup of Ps.)

2. An Open Letter to Cannabis Retailers: A direct call to action for retailers to embrace data-driven practices that actually serve their customers.

3. Cannabis Shopping Simplified: Highlighting the flaws in outdated retail strategies - like relying on strain names and types - and offering a better way forward.

4. From 6.5/10 to Great: A reflection on the “average” cannabis experience and the untapped opportunity to make it exceptional.

5. CBN for Exercise: A case study in why oversimplified marketing can do more harm than good. Just because something sounds good doesn’t mean it’s the best solution.

4. Connecting Cannabis to Broader Topics

Cannabis doesn’t exist in a vacuum - it intersects with culture, technology, and even philosophy. Some of the most exciting work this year explored these connections and the larger context of cannabis as a tool for self-improvement and societal change.

Highlights include:

1. What Can AI Do For Cannabis Consumers: Exploring how artificial intelligence can empower consumers through personalized recommendations and education. (Technically a 2025 piece, but it snuck in early.)

2. AIs and Starry Skies: Drawing parallels between the way large language models work and the random graph theory that shapes our understanding of patterns, meaning, and discovery.

3. Beyond Rescheduling Cannabis: Reimagining cannabis as a tool for wellness, placing it alongside exercise, meditation, and good nutrition.

5. Personal Insights and Reflections

Cannabis isn’t just about the plant - it’s about people, and the lessons we can draw from life itself. This year, I shared a few personal reflections that connect back to the larger journey:

1. Lessons from a Decade in Bicycle Retail: How running a bike shop taught me lessons about retail, customer service, and community - lessons I offer to the cannabis industry..

2. 12 Books That Made Me Me: A personal list of the books that shaped my thinking and inspired this journey.

The Bigger Picture

My overarching / underlying goal with Cannabis Uncaged is to tell a cohesive story:

• From stigma to empowerment: Shifting the narrative from shame to purpose.

• From chaos to clarity: Providing consumers with tools, data, and frameworks to achieve better outcomes.

• From individual use to societal integration: Positioning cannabis as part of broader cultural, technological, and wellness conversations.

• From theory to action: Advocating for industry change while giving consumers actionable steps to elevate their experiences.

How did I do?

More is brewing for 2025.

Thanks for reading. I’d love to hear your feedback / thoughts.