By Benjie Cooper
IG: @nuglifenews
YouTube: Lucid’s Vlog
In the modern cannabis market, there are an incredible amount of choices that are available to both medical patients and recreational consumers. But which product is right for the customer? “Since 1975” is a newcomer to the California cannabis world and is aiming to reach a segment of the marijuana-consuming crowd that they feel is largely neglected. I recently spoke with Steve, one of the Since 1975 co-founders about the company’s history, what their primary focus is, and where they would like to take the Since 1975 brand in the future.
Benjie Cooper: How were you first introduced to cannabis?
1975: I’m East Coast, I grew up in New York, and as far as being introduced to it, I’ve been around weed people making a living off it from a very young age. In New York where weed’s illegal, opportunity’s not anywhere near where it is in California.
BC: Tell us a little bit about how you got into the cannabis industry and started your own company, Since 1975.
1975: Well, with my partner, our backgrounds are in marketing and branding, and we ended up getting some clients who were in the industry who were all looking into re-branding, getting some packages done. So we were doing that for them, and as we were doing that, we got a look at what the industry was, what it looked like, what the numbers looked like. We wanted to present something that we thought was different and we thought we would be able to portray that message better than what was being done at the moment.
BC: So you were looking to produce a higher quality product than you were seeing?
1975: Yeah, for us the biggest thing was creating a brand that was a voice for people who don’t have a voice. Because still, the industry very much caters toward this element that wants to get really, really high; but there’s another consumer who is not like that, you know, they’re a more casual smoker, and there was no brand that was speaking to them, who they can trust and depend on. That’s what we wanted to create.
BC: Where did the inspiration for your company’s name, “Since 1975” come from?
1975: We used something that has significance, that was solid and would also make you feel like they’ve been around for a long time. So then we cited something from when weed first became legal in 1975 because that was actually the first year that people in America ruled that it was okay to have cannabis for personal use. That would be the Alaskan Supreme Court in the case they called Ravin v State.
BC: Many cannabis companies tend to stick to producing either flower, concentrates, or edibles, but you make all three. What made you decide to branch out like that?
1975: We wanted to be like a house name brand for all the people who aren’t the daily stoners, but may want to indulge occasionally. Those people like to try new things; they’re experimental. We wanted to just give everybody an opportunity. We also didn’t want to alienate the stoners at all, so we have the wax concentrates which is more catered to them. We have the flowers… it was about being able to present an entire line of products and also stand out as very good. Most brands, like you said, don’t do that. They focus on the different products. We wanted to be able to have whatever you want; you can come to 1975 and get, and know that it’s a good quality product.
BC: Do you grow indoors or outdoors?
1975: Everything is grown indoors here in L.A.
BC: Soil or hydroponic?
1975: Soil.
BC: Indica, Sativa, or hybrid?
1975: Our flower is more of an indica strain, but it does have properties of both. It’s our own strain, but it’s comparable to Skywalker OG. For us, it’s our 1975 flower.
BC: So is that your flagship strain?
1975: That is correct.
BC: Would you say “PIONEERING A HIGHER STANDARD” is your mission statement for your company?
1975: It’s a slogan. For us, it’s all about our consumers; they might be coming from a scene where they don’t feel comfortable letting people know that they smoke cannabis and we want to remove that stigma. We want to make them feel completely comfortable with using 1975.
BC: Looking forward, what are some of your goals for the future of the Since 1975 brand?
1975: We’re so young and new, we’re just trying to expand throughout California. We are going soon to be introducing a CBD line. Also, right now we’re really trying to focus on figuring out a way to go direct to consumers, delivery or subscription-based format, with not knowing what the laws are going to look like. We’re just trying to figure out the direction for that if the law allows.
