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April 2022

High Potential: The Marijuana Market Embraces Technology

It’s not often that you get a chance to build a security technology department from scratch in a rapidly evolving business vertical. But that’s exactly the opportunity that Brandon Smith jumped at in 2018 as Canada was moving forward on fully legalizing cannabis for recreational and medicinal use.

Three years after Canada legalized cannabis, research and market analysis valued the global marijuana marketplace at $13.5 billion in 2021 and forecasted revenue of $70.6 billion per year by 2028. One of the biggest companies in this marketplace is Smith’s employer—Canopy Growth Corporation.

As the director of security technology, Smith oversees a team that has done work in Australia, Canada, Colombia, and Germany to help set up the infrastructure to maintain and secure Canopy’s assets and family of brands.

Fast Facts for a Budding Market

The legalization of marijuana for recreational and medical use has brought a score of security requirements with it. We’ve put together a list of fast facts to help you navigate this new landscape.

Developing a Better Detection Method

Marijuana is one of the most commonly used recreational substances responsible for employee impairment. Researchers are continuing to develop understanding of what impairment means and how to detect it in the workplace.
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