Microsoft, KIND Financial Inhale Marijuana Partnership

In its more than 40 years, Microsoft has had a lot of “firsts.” Now, it’s the first tech company to explore working with cannabis. And somehow, it’s been able to pull it off without any issues.

How? Through certain software, without ever touching the plant.

Back in June, it paired up with marijuana tracking software startup KIND Financial, which provided the infrastructure.

According to a release, Microsoft chose KIND to create Microsoft Health and Human Services Pod for Managed Service Providers. Ultimately, that goal was to to provide states, counties and municipalities with solutions for track-and-trace (‘seed to sale’ in the cannabis industry) technology.

Working with pot growers, sellers and government entities, KIND coordinates the connections through that “seed-to-sale” method, collecting and analyzing the related data so that everything is in compliance with all current laws. What that means and includes is overseeing and ensuring that legally grown pot doesn’t abscond to the black market and those that need to pay taxes on it do.

Some that have previously worked in government and close to the marijuana issue are involved and are already weighing in, positively.

“As a regulatory expert in the legal cannabis industry, I have chosen KIND Government Solutions as my preferred choice for track-and-trace solutions,” said Matt D. Cook, former senior leader of Colorado’s Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division and KIND’s special advisor on government matters. “In my opinion, their technology offers the most advanced software solution available, and it provides government with critical tools to ensure transparency and accountability, which is imperative for government agencies managing a successful cannabis program.”

The software is a cloud-based host of tools that will be distributed to certain states, counties and other government entities.

That said, the partnership has yet to land a contract.

Experts close to the deal say that Microsoft was interested in the KIND partnership because it doesn’t actually come near the plant, which may pose a legal risk considering that the drug is not legal in all 50 states. However, Seattle is marijuana-welcoming.