Destination Cannabis: Insight for New Jersey Hospitality and Tourism

Join a panel of cannabis experts for a discussion of legal recreational cannabis use, its impact on resort destinations, and opportunities for New Jersey hospitality and tourism business.  Special focus will be given to destination marketing, and the intersection of cannabis with agritourism and food and beverage tourism.

This event is presented by the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality, School of Business Stockton University in partnership with the Greater Atlantic City Chamber and Stockton University Cannabis Studies program.
 

Panelists:

Brian Applegarth,

Founder, Cannabis Travel Association 

co-Founder, Cultivar Brands

Brian is a strategic voice and leader of cannabis tourism and travel. He is the Founder of the Cannabis Travel Association - an international non-profit organization focused on advocacy, education and networking, and the co-Founder of Cultivar Brands - a California-based marketing and events agency that provides strategy and solutions for destinations at the intersection of cannabis and travel. Brian serves as a subject matter expert for industry organizations like the California Travel Association, Destinations International, San Francisco Travel, Visit Greater Palm Springs, Visit West Hollywood, and the Las Vegas Chamber of Cannabis. Brian was the sole expert advisor for the first ever national research on the Cannabis Travel Audience profile in the United States.  

@briancapplegarth   ba@brianapplegarth.com

Susan Dupej, PhD

SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Guelph

Dr. Susan Dupej, PhD, is a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Guelph in the School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management, in the Gordon E. Lang School of Business and Economics. Her research investigates how cannabis legalization opens up new economic, social and cultural possibilities that impact the tourism industry around the world. Currently, Dr. Dupej is involved in several research projects that include the investigation into cannabis tourism supplier best practices as a form of social responsibility, prospective travel motivations and preferences of the cannabis tourist to Canada, and how economic productivity can be fostered through relationships between agriculture and tourism by way of 'farmgate' opportunities for cannabis producers. Dr. Dupej also teaches a variety of undergraduate courses including Human Geography, Economic Geography, Tourism Geography, and International Tourism. 

Her latest research is published here: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/cog/tri/2021/00000025/00000004/art00006

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/susandupej/

Instagram: @cannabistourismresearch

Jamie Hoffman,

President, Craft Elixirs LLC

Chicago native Jamie Hoffman runs Craft Elixirs, a small-batch, cannabis-infused edible company in Seattle, Washington that specializes in simple syrups, oils, and confections made with locally sourced high-quality ingredients. Jamie finds her ingredients for Craft’s operations through a network of local cannabis and fruit grower farms. She’s partnered with Washington growers such as Puffin Farm, Doc & Yeti Urban Farms, and Sidhu’s Blueberry Farms to help deliver on one of her core tenets: to produce the best products using superior ingredients sourced locally. 

Jamie’s partnerships and commitment to quality ingredients have paid off by helping Craft Elixirs take home the Dope Cup two years in a row with their fruit chews called Pioneer Squares, a self-described fruit-nom. The Pioneer Square is a gem of semi-transparent candy that houses a sugary piece of fruit in every nom. 

Craft Elixirs offers delicious cannabis confections with their mouth-watering Pioneer Squares, in award-winning flavors such as: Black & Blueberry, Pink Lemonade, and Pineapple Crush.

Rob Mejia,

Adjunct Faculty, Cannabis Studies Minor – Stockton University

President, Our Community Harvest: A Cannabis Education Company

Rob Mejia is the author of multiple books written explicitly to introduce adults to cannabis and the cannabis industry. The Essential Cannabis Book: A Field Guide for the Curious and The Essential Cannabis Journal: Personal Notes from the Field (Cedar Lane Press 2018, 2019) provide researched information about cannabis with an authentic, engaging narrative and real-world examples that demystifies the plant, explains the science, and examines the stigma and social and racial justice issues surrounding cannabis. His expertise in cannabis extends to cooking with cannabis as Rob has produced and hosted a number of edibles events and meals. He also registered two national cannabis trademarks -California Homegrowers Association® and Our Community Harvest: A Cannabis Education Company®- and represents two cannabis artists (Pat Ryan and Laurence Cherniak) via the website www.CannabisArtAndDesign. He was recently honored by New Jersey Cannabis Insider as one of "22 to Watch in 2022" in New Jersey cannabis.

Moderator:

Jenna Misciascio, 

Event Coordinator, Bootleg Avocado L.L.C.

Jenna Misciascio graduated from Stockton University in 2021 with a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies and a minor in Cannabis Studies.

During her time at Stockton, Misciascio founded Stockton's chapter of The Student Marijuana Alliance for Research and Transparency (SMART) and was featured in Weedmaps as a panelist for “Cannabis – The Future of Jobs in New Jersey” in 2019, as well as Student MMJ's "5 Women Leaders In College Cannabis" in 2021.

Since graduating, Misciascio has taken roles in cannabis hospitality through independent work curating cannabis and food-focused events in NYC for Bootleg Avocado LLC, as well as creating customized 'Wine and Weed' tours in Sonoma and Napa Valley for Happy Travelers Tours and Old Vine Wine Tours. 
Misciascio has moderated panels for Cannademix and SMART and continues to work with several cannabis-focused organizations along with returning to her Alma Mater, Stockton University, for public speaking engagements and events.