Weedgets, an innovator in cannabis consumption technology, has announced a partnership with the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA) set to roll out in 2024. This collaboration includes co-branded marketing initiatives and grants Weedgets the right to use the ACNA stamp on all marketing and educational materials and updated product packaging.
“We are proud to align with the ACNA,” says Michael Barenboym, CEO and founder of Weedgets. “Our hardware and accessories are designed with patients in mind, and this partnership will provide greater access to those in need. We are excited to progress together.”
Led by Barenboym, Weedgets is known for its health-oriented cannabis devices and accessories that promote healthier consumption through patented smoke filtering and cooling technology.
Since its inception in 2006, ACNA has been a leading organization representing endocannabinoid therapeutics. It provides scientific, patient, and educational resources to help nurses advocate for their patients’ needs.
“The ACNA is dedicated to ensuring our members have access to top-quality medical-grade products,” Nicole Foss, President of ACNA, adds. “Partnering with Weedgets, a renowned innovator in hardware, allows us to uphold our commitment. We look forward to launching co-branded activities to benefit our registered patients throughout the year.”
This partnership marks ACNA’s official endorsement of Weedgets’ flagship Maze-X pipe. It will include regional showcases, educational webinars and materials, product marketing sheets, and ongoing thought leadership in communications and newsletters.
Genesis of the Partnership
The partnership between these two organizations is rooted in a shared commitment to enhancing the safety and education surrounding cannabis consumption.
“My background in biomedical mechanical engineering and my experience in developing medical devices led me to start Weedgets with a simple goal: to make smoking safer for patients, especially medical patients,” Barenboym explains. “We found that ACNA aligns with our educational goal, not just in product development but also in educating people about safer cannabis consumption methods. This is why we reached out, and we believe this collaboration will be fruitful.”
Foss shares similar enthusiasm for the collaboration. She highlights the unique value that Weedgets brings to the medical cannabis space, emphasizing its alignment with ACNA’s mission and vision.
Having been in the cannabis space for about 13 years, transitioning from medical to recreational use, she approaches it from the lens of a nurse.
“When we find unique products and people genuinely interested in medical cannabis, like Weedgets, it’s exciting. Weedgets’ focus on medical devices that help patients aligns with our mission and vision for the future of cannabis medicine,” she says. “We see this partnership fitting into our broader scheme, not just in the current landscape but also in future scenarios, including potential insurance reimbursements for medical devices and cannabis as medicine.”
Key Benefits of ACNA’s Endorsement
The endorsement of Weedgets by ACNA offers significant benefits for both organizations. Barenboym highlights the importance of validation from a respected medical association,
“First, it’s validation because our products have been tested by several members of the Cannabis Nurse Association, and everyone loved them,” he says. “Validation from a medical perspective is crucial because we design and develop pipes and accessories that are more medically inclined than other devices.”
He also emphasizes the practical benefits for patients.
“The ACNA works with patients who can benefit from our technology, especially those with COPD and asthma. Our devices eliminate or minimize the harshness of smoke, allowing these patients to inhale combustion smoke comfortably. This alignment makes our products perfect for those in need.”
Ideal Partnership and Alignment with ACNA’s Mission
From the ACNA’s perspective, Weedgets is an ideal partner because its products align closely with the association’s mission. Foss states, “Our mission is to advance excellence in cannabis nursing practice through advocacy, collaboration, education, research, and policy development. Weedgets’ product line impacts almost all of these areas.”
She explains the importance of harm reduction in cannabis consumption, noting, “We know many of our cannabis patients still prefer smoking cannabis. While there are other methods like topicals and tinctures, smoking remains popular. As nurses, we need to meet our patients where they are and help reduce the harm and risks associated with smoking. Weedgets helps us educate patients on the risks and how to reduce them using innovative products designed with the end user in mind.”
She continues, “When our nurses evaluated the products, they initially wondered if it was just another smoking device. But they were impressed by the thought and care Barenboym and his team put into considering the patient. This focus on the end user makes Weedgets an ideal partner for our collaboration.”
Aligning with Patient Preferences
Meeting patients where they are is a key principle for the ACNA. Foss explains that many patients prefer smoking cannabis over other methods such as tinctures and edibles due to familiarity and accessibility.
“This is how we’ve been doing it in this community for a very long time because that was what was accessible. Tinctures, lotions, and new products aren’t necessarily widespread or widely adopted. Additionally, many of our medical cannabis consumers are older and prefer methods they are familiar with,” she says.
Barenboym adds a scientific perspective, noting that smoking cannabis provides the fastest onset of effects. “Inhaling combustion smoke gives you the fastest onset and a very controlled environment. Unlike edibles, which take longer to process and offer less control, smoking allows patients to know they will feel the effects within minutes and be done within a short period. This immediate relief is crucial for many medical users,” he says.
Foss agrees, emphasizing that while other methods like FDA-approved THC injectables exist, they are not as accessible. “Smoking provides the quickest and most controllable way for patients to experience the benefits of cannabis.”
Co-Branded Marketing Initiatives and Educational Activities
The partnership between Weedgets and the ACNA will introduce several co-branded marketing initiatives and educational activities throughout the year. One key effort involves recording ACNA nurses demonstrating how to use the Maze-X pipe, with plans to release a YouTube video for widespread consumer education.
The collaboration will also engage nurse entrepreneurs through online webinars and regional meetups, allowing them to try the Maze-X pipe and interact with the Weedgets team. Traditional advertising, newsletters, and social media will be utilized to keep ACNA members informed about advancements.
Barenboym emphasizes the importance of the ACNA platform for delivering messages to their consumer and patient base. Beyond product promotion, the partnership will focus on educating the public about safer inhalation techniques to reduce the harm from smoking.
These techniques include inhaling air first, taking smaller puffs, and not holding smoke in the lungs for extended periods. The market currently lacks education on safe consumption practices, and this partnership aims to address that gap through videos, YouTube content, and podcasts.
Technology Behind Weedgets Products
The technology behind Weedgets’ products, particularly the Maze-X pipe, is designed to promote healthier cannabis consumption by reducing smoke temperature and filtering out harmful elements. Barenboym explains that the key to reducing harm from smoking is to lower the temperature at the intake point and to clean the smoke of toxic elements like tar and resin.
This is achieved through a simple yet effective design. The Maze-X pipe uses a longer smoke path created by an intricate maze within a short physical distance. “A direct flow pipe might be about three inches long, but our maze provides 14 inches of the smoke path in a very short distance,” Barenboym states. This extended path allows the smoke to cool significantly before reaching the mouth.
Additionally, the maze design forces the smoke to change direction repeatedly, which helps to cool it further and causes heavy particles like resin and tar to lose velocity and settle inside the pipe rather than being inhaled. “As a result, you’ll see a lot of gunk collected inside the pipe instead of your lungs,” Barenboym notes.
This technology includes three filtration points, with an option to add a charcoal filter for a fourth level of filtration. “Filtering and cooling the smoke are two major things that make smoking a lot safer,” Barenboym says.
The Maze-X pipe’s patented technology effectively reduces the temperature of the smoke and filters out unwanted materials, promoting a healthier smoking experience.
Integration into ACNA’s Educational Efforts and Member Feedback
The ACNA plans to integrate Weedgets’ products into their ongoing educational efforts and member resources by showcasing the Maze-X pipe’s benefits and ease of use. Foss shares that the feedback from members has been overwhelmingly positive. “Our nurses didn’t know this product existed, and those who have purchased it or are considering using it in patient care are very impressed,” she says.
The ability to clean the pipe easily has been particularly exciting for the nursing community.
“From a healthcare perspective, cleanliness is crucial, and the fact that you can disassemble the pipe and clean it thoroughly has been a major plus,” Foss adds.
Nurses appreciate the medical perspective Weedgets brings to cannabis consumption, and they feel this product belongs in the future of cannabis medicine.
Barenboym elaborates on the ease of cleaning, adding, “These pipes are designed to be disassembled quickly, exposing all dirty surfaces, unlike pipes with internal surfaces that need to be shaken to clean. We suggest placing it in a Ziploc bag with isopropyl alcohol and cleaning it with dish soap under running water. These are the easiest pipes to clean simply because of their disassemblable design.”
Long-Term Goals and Evolution of the Partnership
The partnership between Weedgets and the ACNA aims to make significant strides in promoting safer cannabis consumption and advancing the field of cannabis medicine. Barenboym envisions the collaboration as a pioneering effort in the United States to address safety in smoke consumption.
“I want to see our two organizations as the first in the United States pushing towards safety in a detailed manner, providing solutions to that. No one else is talking about safety in smoke consumption,” he says.
Barenboym highlights the importance of educating the public about the misconceptions surrounding vaporization and the benefits of using filtration and cooling to reduce harm from smoking.
Foss adds that the partnership aligns perfectly with the ACNA’s broader goal of making cannabis medicine a recognized field.
“We are working on our scope and standards through the American Nurses Association, which will help nurses understand their roles. Harm reduction and education are major aspects of this, and Weedgets meets both of these needs strongly,” she says.
Foss also sees potential for advocating with insurance companies to cover medical devices like those developed by Weedgets, further legitimizing and expanding the cannabis medical field.
Upcoming Developments and New Products
Weedgets, known for its innovative approach to cannabis consumption technology, has several exciting developments on the horizon. The company, which started with a simple filter tip for pre-rolls and joints on Amazon, has grown rapidly and now commits to releasing at least two to three new products each year.
This year, Weedgets introduced a range of accessories and became the first company to release pre-roll cones with real charcoal filters, eliminating charcoal dust for a cleaner experience. Additionally, it released charcoal filters based on new technology that prevents inhalation of charcoal dust, significantly improving the smoking experience.
Looking ahead, the company plans to continue developing new products using its patented technology for pipes, bongs, and one-hitters, all aimed at making cannabis consumption safer and more enjoyable. Barenboym highlights that one of the greatest advantages of legalization is that companies like Weedgets can significantly improve consumer safety by providing cleaner and safer consumption methods.
Evolving Role of Nurses in the Cannabis Industry
Foss sees a significant evolution in the role of nurses within the cannabis industry.
“We are co-publishing the cannabis nurse Scope and Standards, which will serve as the foundation for future credentialing,” she explains. “This will allow nurses to become certified in cannabis nursing, much like they can in other specialties such as NICU or OB-GYN.”
She envisions nurses partnering with large health organizations to implement cannabis medicine, particularly as federal regulations evolve. “Our role is to educate patients on harm reduction and the various ways to consume cannabis safely. While it’s not our role to prescribe, we support patients in their healthcare journey.”
Foss highlights the entrepreneurial spirit among many ACNA members who have embraced cannabis nursing due to the traditional healthcare field’s slow acceptance of cannabis medicine.
“We are excited to lead this change, start conversations about cannabis, and set the stage for future integration with insurance companies and large healthcare organizations. We know it won’t be a fast adoption, but we are laying the groundwork for what comes next.”
Moving Forward
The partnership between Weedgets and the ACNA represents a significant step forward in promoting safer cannabis consumption and advancing the field of cannabis medicine. With a focus on education, innovation, and patient-centered care, both organizations are committed to improving the health and well-being of cannabis users.
By combining Weedgets’ cutting-edge technology with ACNA’s dedication to harm reduction and patient advocacy, this collaboration is poised to make a lasting impact on the cannabis healthcare industry. As Barenboym and Foss continue to lead their respective organizations, the future of cannabis medicine looks promising, with safer consumption methods and enhanced patient support at the forefront of their efforts.
Daniel Casciato is a highly accomplished healthcare writer, publisher, and product reviewer with 20 years of experience in the industry. He is the proud owner and publisher of Healthcare Business Today, a leading source for the healthcare industry's latest news, trends, and analysis.
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