Earlier this week it was revealed that software giant Microsoft has partnered up with California-based Kind Financial to offer the wild, wild world of weed a piece of software that tracks cannabis plants from “seed to sale.” Bill Gates and crew will now power Kind’s tracking software “Agrisoft Seed to Sale” through its popular Azure cloud computing service.
While an increasing number of states have legalized marijuana for recreational and medicinal purposes, the bulk of the legislative statutes behind many of these programs require the industry to carefully monitor every aspect of a cannabis plant up until the point when the product is sold to the customer. The Agrisoft program, which has been on the market for the past three years, gives legal states the tool they need to guide the leash of their respective pot markets in an effort to make sure the business remains on the level.
Microsoft’s toe-in-the-water approach to hooking up with the cannabis industry may seem miniscule to some, but it actually points to an inevitable crossing over of what was once considered an outlaw movement into the realm of legitimate commerce. After all, even though this software is designed specifically for states and local municipalities, it is exactly the kind of technology the United States government needs to start feeling more comfortable with the concept of allowing the cannabis industry to go nationwide.
“No one can predict the future of cannabis legalization, however, it is clear that legalized cannabis will always be subject to strict oversight and regulations similar to alcohol and tobacco; and, KIND is proud to offer governments and regulatory agencies the tools and technology to monitor cannabis compliance,” KIND Financial Founder & CEO David Dinenberg said in a statement. “I am delighted that Microsoft supports KIND’s mission to build the backbone for cannabis compliance.”
A report from the New York Times indicates that Kind Financial has not yet landed any government contracts, but the company is hopeful that its newfound relationship with Microsoft will change that. For now, Kind is working to gets its system into Puerto Rico, which is considering marijuana for medicinal purposes, and it has its sights set on a number of states and foreign nations that are currently making progress, in one way or another, toward a regulated pot market.
Kind’s Agrisoft program is the only marijuana-related software to be supported by Microsoft.
No, even if marijuana became legal in some states, the stigma about the drug is still worst than alcohol and tobacco. And I hope, involving Microsoft in Cannabis Industry would benefit those who rely on medicinal cannabis more than the company.