Silverpeak Cannabis

Until recently, the common thing was to travel to the city of Aspen mainly to ski in its majestic and cold mountains. Now there is a new reason to reach them: the recreational use of Cannabis.

Aspen´s local authority is composed by five members who are responsible for reviewing alcohol and marijuana permits. The first license in Aspen to sell recreational marijuana was given to Silverpeak Apothecary, located on Cooper Avenue. Its owner, Jordan Lewis, already has a medical dispensary where he provides Cannabis with a medical prescription to lots of patients. He obtained the permit and he is the pioneer of its sale in Pitkin County, to which this city belongs.

He immediately began an expansion of his current store, with an independent entrance, where he will be able to promote and exhibit products related to the consumption of marijuana for recreational use: pipes, books, electronic cigars and vaporizers. This will give visitors a more open look.

In addition, Jordan is interested in offering an experience that illustrates and informs people who have never tried it. Silverpeak is undoubtedly the best store of its kind in the country.

Admission to these stores will only be allowed to people over 21 years old. The law will require inventories that separate medical marijuana from recreational marijuana. They still do not know how to do it. Maybe they will be separate cash registers, or some kind of code. What is certain: the price of medical marijuana will be lower than that of recreational consumption.

Despite this, an avalanche of clients is expected every day. They will even have to hire more employees to take care of the demand. The stores will grow by more than 50 percent in the first months and an increase in tourists in the region is expected.

It is a fact that the price rises if the demand grows and this is what is expected. But there will also be regulation on the amount of marijuana that can be purchased. The community hopes that it is not so expensive, to avoid pushing the consumer to get it on the black market.

Locals don´t think that this would affect Aspen negatively. People who have always smoked marijuana found a new way to get it and acquiring it from now on will only be easier. They don´t see that there is danger to society and don´t believe that consumers will smoke more. Additionally, they will no longer have to buy it on the black market and those taxes will benefit the city, instead of that money being used in illicit activities.

In Aspen, the priority is to live near the mountains and locals don´t think marijuana will affect. “The people who smoke it are not in danger or cause it to others. Even being high while skiing is ideal. It is more dangerous to drink alcohol at mealtime. That drug weakens more than marijuana” says Patrick, a local skier.

For him, the fact that it's legal will not create a big change. Those who have always smoked it will continue to do so and those who do not consume it will not try it only because it is legal. What will happen is that it will stop being done secretly. You may think that there is more consumption because it will be more evident.

Patrick thinks that it won´t affect children negatively either. He thinks they've grown up watching adults drink alcohol, a more harmful addiction. "They will learn to make their own choices when they grow up."

Colorado has always been the first marijuana consumer state in the United States, Patrick says without hesitation. It is normal that it is the first state to legalize it. The law must still be adequate. For example, will there be a fine for those who smoke and drive a car? It is difficult to prove this, because marijuana stays in the system for several days and it is difficult to confirm when it was consumed. They will have to invent some other scientific way to record consumption. There will be more dispensaries. But now it will not be enough to take out the local license; the medical field has become commercial and consumers will have to pay 2 thousand dollars to obtain it.

Currently, in Denver there are already limousines where marijuana is offered on board. An TV promotes it. It was discussed how to protect the drivers from being contaminated, so they will implement new methods of isolation where the driver does not get the smoke.

The restaurateur Wheaton Augur, owner of the 520 Grill - next to the Apothecary - says that the legalization is historic and will benefit his business, located in a basement that is not very exposed. The sale of weed will bring you more customers.

In Colorado towns such as Breckenridge and Steamboat, they are already selling it at $ 30 a gram. Residents are concerned about high taxes, they think they will push consumers into the black market. For tourists it will be fun to acquire it legally. The hotels and restaurants of Aspen will benefit. The first day of sale reached more than 1 million dollars in the state.

The government spent a lot on applying the law when it was illegal. Now, that money can be invested in infrastructure of schools and roads.

At the beginning many tourists will arrive but then it will be normalized. It will be interesting to see how many people will come to visit the state for that. Although it will not be seen on the street because it is prohibited, just as it is illegal to drink alcohol in public.

And they already started to give some nicknames to Aspen: "Aspendam", for example, in reference to the use of Cannabis in Amsterdam.

Both the planting of marijuana and its sale are strictly regulated. Stores should choose their suppliers very well to meet the demand.

Colorado residents over the age of 21 can purchase one ounce daily. While non-residents and tourists up to a quarter of an ounce daily.

The dispensaries will have a meticulous protocol. They should check the identity card of each buyer and thus keep a record. It can only be consumed in private residences. It is also illegal to consume it on federal land, which has caused some confusion and concern.

The sale of marijuana by medical prescription will continue. People who need it for health reasons can acquire it with the special card that is granted in these cases. They do not have to be of legal age and neither are Colorado residents.

In Aspen, Silverpeak will be the leader in this business, says Sara Jan Jhonson, expert in tourism promotion in the area. They are currently renovating their facilities. They have invested a considerable amount of money that they prefer not to make public.

Designing for success – extract from Munda webpage (munda.com.ar), an Argentinian advertising agency

Fresh from the farm, produced locally, of superior quality, harvested by hand, and with a strong sense of social responsibility - all healthy and sustainable. So when you hear what product is involved, you're sure to be surprised.

In 2012, the American state of Colorado legalized the sale of cannabis. The highly feared negative impact on crime statistics did not materialize. What developed instead was a new and very lucrative segment of the economy. This success reached the suppliers, most of whom present themselves as serious businesses, such as Silverpeak, for example, one of the pioneers in the sale of cannabis. This company, directed by Jordan Lewis, supports sustainable agriculture and responsible marketing, with the emphasis on enjoyment.

In 2014, the designers of the Argentine design agency Munda came on board to develop the corporate image of Silverpeak. In addition to the brand, the development of an application, a website, merchandising and the interior design of the store were also part of the brief. Since cannabis was previously a banned substance in the region, many people still had negative associations with this product. The solution for the designers was to give the brand an image of elegance and sophistication. A personalized logo in combination with a sober typography sans serif (Replica) created a contemporary and clear look. A stylized cannabis leaf and rich and strong colors, printed on posters, generate a radiant image, a world away from associations with marijuana houses, full of dark smoke. Munda not only managed to give Silverpeak visual appeal, they also created an authentic brand experience - but maybe that was not really that difficult with a product like this.

According to the designers, the challenge for the identity was double as there were no references worldwide to contextualize this case. The brand manages to combine attributes of the place of origin with characteristics of global brands. The results of the identity communicate the distinctive values of the business in an elegant and responsible way, inviting you to get to know the Silverpeak experience.