Industry Intel

Cannabis education from people who actually care about quality.

Why Vape Cartridges Have to Be Tested After They're Filled (Not Before)
Industry Intel

Why Vape Cartridges Have to Be Tested After They're Filled (Not Before)

Missouri just pulled hundreds of vape carts because they were tested as bulk oil, not as finished cartridges. Here's why that gap is a real safety problem.

Malcolm Smith·8 min read·Jun 15, 2026
Pride and Pot: How the Castro's AIDS Crisis Built California's Cannabis Industry
Industry Intel

Pride and Pot: How the Castro's AIDS Crisis Built California's Cannabis Industry

California's legal cannabis industry traces its political origin to the Castro during the AIDS crisis. Pride and Prop 215 share more history than most people know.

Malcolm Smith·8 min read·Jun 4, 2026
Why Vape Cartridges Clog (And What We Did to Stop It)
Industry Intel

Why Vape Cartridges Clog (And What We Did to Stop It)

The cannabis industry has been selling carts it knows will clog for almost a decade. Here's the physics of why it happens and what we did to stop it.

Malcolm Smith·12 min read·May 29, 2026
Revelry Upstate 2026 Was the Best Trade Show We've Ever Done
Industry Intel

Revelry Upstate 2026 Was the Best Trade Show We've Ever Done

Revelry Upstate in Hudson, NY was the highest-ROI cannabis trade show Halara has ever done. Eight orders on the spot, a confused bartender, and a New York buyer-urgency gap worth watching.

Malcolm Smith·4 min read·May 20, 2026
Glass vs. Plastic Vape Cartridges: Why Your Cart Material Matters
Industry Intel

Glass vs. Plastic Vape Cartridges: Why Your Cart Material Matters

Nick is a chemical engineer. He knows what happens when you heat plastic to 400°F. Here's the science behind glass vs. plastic vape cartridges and why we switched to full glass.

Malcolm Smith·8 min read·Apr 22, 2026
Your 420 Vape Guide, From Someone Who Actually Makes Them
Industry Intel

Your 420 Vape Guide, From Someone Who Actually Makes Them

I've filled over a million cartridges. Here's what I'd tell a friend before they walk into a dispensary this weekend.

Nick·6 min read·Apr 15, 2026
Halara's First Solventless Rosin AIO Is Here
Industry Intel

Halara's First Solventless Rosin AIO Is Here

We just filled our first run of solventless rosin all-in-ones. Ice and pressure, no solvents, California only. Here's what it is and why we made it.

Malcolm Smith·3 min read·Apr 15, 2026
Hall of Flowers Ventura Had Something Last Year Didn't
Industry Intel

Hall of Flowers Ventura Had Something Last Year Didn't

More small growers, real energy, and a floor that felt like California cannabis is figuring itself out.

Malcolm Smith·4 min read·Mar 20, 2026
California Cannabis Vape Brands: Who's Clean and Who's Been Recalled
Industry Intel

California Cannabis Vape Brands: Who's Clean and Who's Been Recalled

California's recall list is public. We read it so you don't have to. Here's every major vape brand's safety record, sourced from DCC data.

Malcolm Smith·4 min read·Mar 10, 2026
Best Live Resin Carts in California (2026)
Industry Intel

Best Live Resin Carts in California (2026)

We make live resin carts. We also buy other people's. Here are the California brands actually doing it right — and a few that have been recalled.

Malcolm Smith·6 min read·Jan 29, 2026
Nick's Strain Selection Process (Or: Why We Say No to 90% of Flower)
Industry Intel

Nick's Strain Selection Process (Or: Why We Say No to 90% of Flower)

Not every strain makes a good cart. Our extractor breaks down what he looks for, what he rejects, and the blending philosophy nobody else talks about.

Malcolm Smith·7 min read·Dec 17, 2025
Long Live the Classic Strains
Industry Intel

Long Live the Classic Strains

Why we're bringing back the legends in Halara Live Resin Sauce — GDP, Trainwreck, Green Crack, and more.

Malcolm Smith·3 min read·Aug 15, 2025
California's Pesticide Recalls: What Happened, Why It Matters, and How to Shop Smarter
Industry Intel

California's Pesticide Recalls: What Happened, Why It Matters, and How to Shop Smarter

Multiple cannabis brands faced recalls for banned pesticides. Here's what happened, what regulators are doing, and how to stay safe.

Malcolm Smith·3 min read·Jun 7, 2025