Smokey’s Cannabis Co.: Living Soil and Sana Packaging’s First Customer

Smokey’s Cannabis Co. holds a special place in Sana Packaging’s history.

It was our first customer.

That relationship began with packaging, but our conversations with the Smokey’s team also explored living-soil cultivation, resource reuse, community involvement, and the responsibilities that come with operating in the cannabis industry.

This updated spotlight combines material from two earlier articles: a 2019 video featuring Grow Team Manager Nicholas O’Leary and a 2021 interview with Robb Mueller.

The company details and practices described below reflect what Smokey’s representatives shared at those times. They should not be interpreted as a current assessment of the company, its locations, or its operations.

From Cannabis Care Wellness Center to Smokey’s Cannabis Co.

During the 2021 interview, Smokey’s explained that the company began in 2009 as Cannabis Care Wellness Center.

It became Smokey’s 420 House in 2014 before rebranding as Smokey’s Cannabis Co. in 2018. The rebrand reflected an effort to move beyond narrow cannabis stereotypes and focus on education, product quality, community, and its living-soil cultivation program.

At the time of the interview, Smokey’s operated cultivation, distribution, and retail activities in Garden City, Colorado, along with a second retail location in Fort Collins.

Locations, products, services, and operating details may have changed since the original interviews.

Taking a Chance on Sana Packaging

Smokey’s was the first company to place an order with Sana Packaging.

In 2021, we asked what inspired the team to work with a new packaging company.

We knew from the very beginning that Sana Packaging was going to make a difference in an industry plagued with a tremendous amount of waste.

At the time, the relationship included pre-roll tubes made from plant-based hemp plastic and reclaimed ocean-bound plastic.

Those material descriptions identify what the packages were made from. They do not establish that the complete package was recyclable in every community or that the package, product, or company satisfied a broader environmental standard.

For Smokey’s, the decision also came down to working with a supplier whose goals aligned with its own.

We were pleased to jump in and place that first order and start a new partnership with such an amazing company.

Why Living Soil Mattered to Smokey’s

Smokey’s reported switching to living-soil cultivation at the end of 2016.

Before the transition, the cultivation team used bottled salt-based nutrients and a soilless growing medium that was discarded after each production cycle. The team also described using substantial amounts of water to flush its flower rooms before harvest.

Under the living-soil system described in the interviews, Smokey’s:

• Reused the same soil through multiple cultivation cycles
• Added compost, leaf waste, and dry amendments
• Composted or fermented plant material for reuse
• Reduced the need to discard growing medium after each harvest
• Eliminated the end-of-cycle flushing process described under its previous system
• Tested soil after harvest to guide nutrient adjustments

These practices were described by Smokey’s representatives in 2019 and 2021. They are not a current independent assessment of resource use, cultivation performance, or environmental impact.

Smokey’s Living-Soil Video

In 2019, Sana Packaging spoke with Nicholas O’Leary, who was then Smokey’s Grow Team Manager.

The original video will remain embedded in this article.

Video Transcript: Nicholas O’Leary, Grow Team Manager

The transcript has been lightly edited for punctuation and readability.

Living soil is, as the name suggests, soil that is alive. It’s full of different forms of life.

We reuse that soil over and over again. Instead of discarding the soilless medium like we used to with synthetics, we now harvest and re-amend it with organic amendments and other inputs, such as compost and leaf waste. Then we transplant right back into it in a matter of a few days.

At the time of this interview, we were achieving record yields, producing more terpenes than ever before, and using significantly fewer inputs.

There has been a big push in this industry for sustainability, and we feel like we’re on the front lines. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and you really have to have the end user in mind.

It takes companies to push this industry forward. If you consider all the different waste that cannabis production creates, addressing that waste is critical to the development of the industry.

As we progress, we want to work with people who are like-minded and have similar goals. We want to push ourselves and the industry toward better environmental stewardship, not only for us but for our children.

Reuse, Take-Back, and Community Commitments

The 2021 interview also covered practices beyond cultivation.

At the time, Smokey’s reported that its locations composted organic material and reused resources where practical. The company also described a take-back program that accepted used cannabis packaging, including Sana Packaging pre-roll tubes and containers from other suppliers.

Collection does not guarantee that every returned package will be recycled. Material, contamination, component separation, local processing options, transportation, and the requirements of the receiving program can all affect the outcome.

Smokey’s also reported achieving Bronze recognition through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Environmental Leadership Program in 2020 and working toward the program’s next level in 2021.

That recognition and the related goals describe a specific historical period. They should not be interpreted as current certification or program status.

Education and Community Involvement

Smokey’s described education as an important part of its work with customers and the surrounding community.

The team discussed providing information about cannabis, cultivation, packaging recovery, and waste reduction. Robb also spoke about working with nonprofit organizations and helping reduce the stigma surrounding cannabis.

These efforts were presented as part of a broader commitment to the people and communities the company served.

More Than a First Order

Being first carries a special kind of significance.

Smokey’s took a chance on Sana Packaging before there was a long customer list, an established track record, or years of orders behind us. That first order became a relationship built around packaging, shared questions, and a willingness to explore different ways of doing things.

The 2019 video and 2021 interview provide a historical look at that relationship and the people behind it.

If you are evaluating packaging for a cannabis product, contact Sana Packaging to discuss your product, intended market, quantity, timeline, and customization needs.

Last reviewed: August 31, 2026.

This article combines a 2019 video and a 2021 customer interview. Company names, ownership, locations, personnel, products, cultivation practices, packaging, recovery programs, certifications, and operations may have changed. Historical statements reflect what Smokey’s representatives shared at the time and are not a current independent assessment.