The path towards legalization of cannabis on a national level has moved at a glacial pace. In nine US states, recreational cannabis is legal, and this last October, Canada became the second country (following Uruguay) to legalize the use of the kind herb. Many nations have varying degrees of decriminalization for cannabis possession and use, stopping short of legalization and treating usage as a minor offense.

While legalization has brought some positives, like increased tax revenue, freeing up law enforcement resources and increased tourism, it’s not all flowers and sunshine. With legalization comes packaging regulations which have created two unintended consequences some cannabis consumers are starting to notice: more packaging waste and the inability to reuse cannabis packaging.

Prior to legalization in places like California, there were no rules regarding cannabis packaging. Dispensaries sold product in everything from baggies to beautiful, professionally-designed packaging. Some environmentally-conscious pot shops offered discounts or free product to consumers that BYO’d or returned canisters used to package flowers.