Marijuana Kiosks For Seniors Are Coming To Independent Living Communities Across Arizona

Senior residents in Arizona independent living communities could soon see a different kind of care service available in their neighborhoods: Kiosks allowing them to view and buy marijuana products from licensed dispensaries.

The retailer Life Is Chill and cannabis technology company LoveBud announced on Thursday that they were partnering for the launch of the novel initiative, which will involve deploying the kiosks in participating senior living communities that residents can use to learn about and order marijuana products for delivery.

“We are launching something Arizona has not seen yet, a kiosk experience that makes ordering simple when ordering from licensed dispensaries,” James Watkins, CEO of LoveBud, said in a press release. “This creates a clear revenue opportunity for smaller dispensaries and gives customers a guided way to place orders with confidence.”

With a focus on education, the kiosks are meant to help seniors make informed decisions about their cannabis purchases, while helping facilitate access through the delivery service that can be especially useful to residents without means of transportation to dispensaries.

Dana Lillestol, Life Is Chill’s senior education advocate, said the kiosk model “can improve access and education for older adults who want a straightforward, guided experience.”

“When people can review clear product information at the point of ordering and choose delivery, it can remove common barriers and support more informed decisions,” she said.

Not all independent senior living communities in Arizona will be involved in the rollout—but for those that do permit marijuana for their senior residents and incorporate the kiosks, the new initiative could help improve access while providing information about what types of products could best suit a given senior.

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Meanwhile in Arizona, senators recently approved a pair of measures that would make the act of creating “excessive” amounts of marijuana smoke or odor a criminal nuisance punishable by jail time, even if the person is using cannabis in compliance with state law in their own homes.

Also in the state, anti-cannabis activists are working to put an initiative on the state’s November ballot that would significantly roll back its voter-approved marijuana legalization law.

A GOP congressional lawmaker said recently he’d like to see his state take that action—but he also acknowledged that President Donald Trump’s recent federal rescheduling order could complicate that prohibitionist push.

Under the proposal, possession would remain lawful if voters chose to enact the initiative—and Arizona’s medical marijuana program would remain intact—but the commercial market for recreational cannabis that’s evolved since voters approved an adult-use legalization measure in 2020 would be quashed.

A findings section on the latest initiative states that “the proliferation of marijuana establishments and recreational marijuana sales in this state have produced unintended consequences and negative effects relating to the public health, safety, and welfare of Arizonans, including increased marijuana use among children, environmental concerns, increased demands for water resources, public nuisances, market instability, and illicit market activities.”

“Arizona’s legal marijuana sales have declined for two consecutive years, resulting in less tax revenue for this state, while some patients have relied on recreational use of marijuana instead of utilizing the benefits of this state’s medical marijuana program,” it says.

The initiative would also instruct the legislature to make conforming changes by amending existing statute as it relates to the commercial industry, including tax and advertising rules.

In order to make the ballot, the campaign will need to collect 255,949 valid signatures by July 2. If the proposal goes to voters and is approved, it would take effect in January 2028.

It remains to be seen if there will be an appetite for repeal among voters, as 60 percent of the electorate approved legalization at the ballot in 2020.

What’s more a poll from last year found majority support for medical cannabis legalization (86 percent), adult-use legalization (69 percent) and banking reform (78 percent).

Montana Retailers Have Sold More Than $1 Billion Worth Of Recreational Marijuana Since Legalization Took Effect

Over the four year period, the state has collected $217 million in cannabis tax revenue.

By Jacob Olness, Montana Free Press

In the four years since Montana began allowing the legal sale of adult-use marijuana on January 1, 2022, the state’s retailers have sold more than $1 billion in product as adult-use sales rise more than enough to offset a sharp decline in purchases regulated and taxed as a medical product.

From January 2022 through December 2025, total monthly medical and adult-use marijuana sales increased by about 13 percent to $27.3 million according to data from the Montana Department of Revenue. Over that same period, monthly medical marijuana sales alone fell by more than 70 percent.

The department tabulated $327 million in annual sales last year, 90 percent of that sales labeled as adult use. Those sales translated into nearly $60 million in tax revenue.

In 2022, Montana dispensaries sold about $304 million in marijuana products, roughly a third of that for medical marijuana sales. By 2025, annual sales had risen to about $327 million—or $287 per capita—with adult-use sales accounting for nearly 90 percent.

The result is a market that looks markedly different from 2022, when legalized sales approved by voters in 2020 took effect in some counties under implementation law passed by the 2021 Montana Legislature. Medical marijuana, which had been legal to patients with medical marijuana cards since 2004, represented 40 percent of sales in 2022 but now accounts for around one-tenth of the overall market.

Monthly sales fluctuated throughout the period, typically rising during the summer months and dipping slightly in the winter. Throughout 2022, adult-use sales climbed to nearly $20 million by year’s end. Medical sales declined sharply over the same period, falling from over $10 million in January to less than $6 million by December.

Excluding local-option taxes, medical marijuana sales are taxed at 4 percent, while adult-use marijuana is taxed at 20 percent—five times higher. As a result, the growth in adult-use sales generates substantially more revenue than medical marijuana, with annual tax revenues increasing 44 percent between 2022 and 2025.

Over the four year period, Montana collected $217 million in marijuana tax revenue. Of that, about $207 million came from adult-use sales, compared with under $10 million for medical.

Some adult-use purchases may still be driven by medical needs, said Kate Cholewa, a Montana-based marijuana policy lobbyist, noting that for many buyers there are “calculations involved” around cost and privacy. People who use small volumes of marijuana for medical purposes, for example, may not recoup the upfront cost of a medical marijuana card that qualifies them for the lower sales tax rate.

“I would suspect there are people in the adult market who are medical,” she said.

This story was originally published by Montana Free Press at montanafreepress.org.

Pre-Rolls Are A Key Driver Of The Cannabis Retail Market’s Success (Op-Ed)

“Pre-rolls are now a key component of any smart cannabis retail strategy. They are popular, easy to merchandise and serve as consumer entry points for new brands and formats.”

By Harrison Bard, Custom Cones USA and DaySavers

In today’s cannabis market, pre-rolls are no longer a novelty, they’re essential to retail success. Once seen as an add-on, pre-rolls have become one of the most dynamic and profitable product categories in the industry.

According to 2025 Headset data, over 310.7 million pre-rolls were sold through October, generating nearly $2.8 billion in revenue across 13 recreational markets. That gives the category a 15.8 percent market share, third behind flower and vapes. In Canada, pre-rolls have even surpassed flower to become the country’s top-selling cannabis product.

Driven by convenience, innovation and accessibility, pre-rolls consistently increase basket size, drive repeat visits and stabilize revenues, making them a core pillar of modern retail strategies.

A Category Defined By Variety

At its most basic, a pre-roll is a ready-to-smoke joint; flower packed into a pre-rolled cone or tube with a filter or crutch. But beneath that simplicity lies one of the most diverse and innovative corners of cannabis, with producers infusing concentrates, adding novelty filter tips, offering multi-packs and refining strain combinations to meet a wide range of consumer preferences.

No cannabis product moves more units than pre-rolls. They are perfect for everyday use, sharing at parties and gifting, giving shoppers the opportunity to grab something quick and affordable, test a new strain or splurge on premium infused products combining flower and concentrate.

So what are the top-selling segments of the pre-roll market?

Infused Pre-Rolls: The Top Revenue Engine

Infused pre-rolls dominate in both sales growth and margin contribution. These premium joints combine flower with concentrates like distillate, resin, hash and/or kief, delivering higher potencies and brighter flavors, two things consumers consistently tell us they look for when shopping.

So far in 2025, infused pre-rolls have generated more than $1.1 billion, or 48.5 percent of all pre-roll revenues. That’s up 14 percent year-over-year. They now represent 38 percent of units sold, a 28 percent YOY increase. Given those figures, any dispensary without a wide selection of infused pre-rolls is leaving money on the table.

Single Strain Hybrids: The Volume Leader

While infused pre-rolls top the revenue charts, single strain hybrid pre-rolls move the most units. So far in 2025, this segment has notched about $987.4 million in sales (36.3 percent of category revenue) but leads in units sold at 142.8 million—46 percent of all pre-rolls sold, up 14 percent year-over-year.

Hybrids remain the everyday go-to option for many cannabis consumers, so stocking a diverse selection of hybrid pre-rolls should help ensure a reliable and consistent source of revenue.

Indica And Sativa: Maintaining Balance

Sales drop off beyond hybrids, but Single Strain indica and sativa pre-rolls still represent crucial segments.

Indica pre-rolls brought in $179.1 million in 2025, while sativas generated $160.5 million, an 8.6 percent jump year-over-year.

In units, indicas sold roughly 26 million (up 11.3%) and sativas about 18.8 million (up 8.7 percent).

Each accounts for roughly 6 percent of total category sales and are an important part of the retail balance.

Mixed Strain And CBD Pre-Rolls: Niche But Important

Mixed Strain pre-roll sales declined this year, with revenue down 15.9 percent to $51.9 million and units dropping 6.3 percent to 4.2 million.

Single Strain CBD pre-rolls, representing just 0.16% of category revenue (~$4.6 million on 450,000 units), remain small but growing, up 14.4 percent from 2024.

Though smaller, these segments serve loyal, niche audiences, so retailers should continue to stock limited but steady selections, monitored closely through POS data to prevent over-ordering.

Blunts: Poised For Growth

The blunt segment is a curious case. On paper, it accounts for only 0.47 percent of pre-roll revenue and 0.3 percent of units sold. However, survey data shows that blunts remain the third-most-preferred consumption method among users.

A deeper analysis of the data tells a different story, since infused blunts are grouped within the infused category, skewing visibility. In fact, a closer look at the 200 top-selling products with “blunt” in their name shows $67 million in revenue across 3.5 million units sold.

With this in mind, retailers should make sure to keep in stock a variety of pre-rolled blunts, especially infused blunts, to capture this growing audience segment.

Trends In Packaging And Filter Tips

The top package size in terms of units sold is 1-gram, though often that means multipacks of two half-gram pre-rolls. In fact, the vast majority of the top-selling pre-roll products are multi-packs of half-gram, or 84mm, pre-rolls.

Also growing in popularity are smaller formats (e.g., “dogwalker” 0.3-g, 70 mm pre-rolls), which appeal to trial-minded shoppers. Multi-packs also generally carry higher margins and can satisfy both new and returning customers as they provide both trial-sized formats for experimentation and higher-quantity packs for loyalty and convenience.

Filter tips are another differentiator. Premium tips—such as wood, glass or ceramic—enhance the smoking experience by cooling smoke and reducing particles/resin. These features can elevate the humble pre-rolled joint into a premium accessory, helping justify higher price points and reinforcing perceived value.

Selling Strategies For Maximum Impact

Pre-rolls make perfect impulse or upsell items and are ideally positioned near the register, with clear pricing and eye-catching displays.

Like candy at a grocery checkout, they make a great add-on to any basket.

It’s also key to make sure your budtenders are trained on the strains, infusion types and packaging options so they can suggest pairings or introduce shoppers to new formats, particularly since budtender advice is a top mover of product.

Finally, stay data-driven. Use your POS analytics to track sales and adjust inventory accordingly to avoid overstocking or missing out on trending segments.

Final Thoughts

Pre-rolls are now a key component of any smart cannabis retail strategy. They are popular, easy to merchandise and serve as consumer entry points for new brands and formats.

A balanced pre-roll program that offers a variety of strain, size and pricing options can help dispensaries increase revenue, expand basket totals and strengthen customer loyalty.

Pair that with quality POS data tracking and analysis, and your store can turn pre-roll momentum into lasting, dependable growth.

Harris Bard is CEO and co-founder of Custom Cones USA and DaySavers.