With many states in the U.S., as well as Canada, legalizing medical and/or recreational use of cannabis, we asked in November's monthly reader poll: Is your business diving into the cannabis market?

Survey responses suggest that over one-third (37 percent) are getting into the sector, while 33 percent are not going to add it to their product lines. Adding to the "yeas" are 21 percent stating they plan to add it to their business. Those unsure as of now — 9 percent. So more than half of respondents are getting into the business, and we may see some "nos" moving to "possibles" in the near future with the rapid rise of cannabis in the packaging space.

To date, 33 states in the U.S. have legalized marijuana for medical purposes and 10 states for recreational use, as well as Canada’s legalization. Thus, the packaging world has seen an uptick in child-resistant and resealable, tamper-evident and odor-proof packs.

The U.S. cannabis industry is expected to reach $24.5 billion by the year 2020, with $11.2 billion for recreational products and $13.3 billion for medical products. However, packaging designers sometimes are challenged with creating compliant packaging while also producing great designs.

We expect to see more changes in machinery as well. Brother Gearmotors has designed an AC induction gearmotor that is being used for the GreenBroz Dry Trimmer Z, a dry trimming machine for cannabis. Check it out here. 

Has your plant changed its setup for the cannabis industry or added new machines? If so, let us know at kazariank@bnpmedia.com. We would love to see what else is out there.