Smoke Reports, a cannabis technology company, released an open API that provides access to a growing list of more than 16,000 strains, extracts, edibles, products, producers, seed companies and dispensaries. The company expects other cannabis businesses to integrate the Smoke Reports API with apps, websites and business tools to automatically update content with the largest cannabis database on the market.

"We believe information can be one of the most powerful forces in ensuring an open and free industry where everyone can thrive on an equal playing field," David Drake, Smoke Reports' founder and CEO, said in a press release. "That's why we're offering an API to let our cannabis community build upon the years of work we've done to catalog and organize this fast-evolving industry."

Smoke Reports' database continues to grow through the use of its Universal Cannabis Product Code (UCPC) system. Smoke Reports describes UCPC as the "UPC for cannabis." The system tracks and links products throughout the industry. A unique 25-digit UCPC is designated for a product. Accordingly, businesses can use the UCPC for labeling, and consumers gain access to information about the individual product (e.g., seed company, strain, producer, product and batch).

The API itself is RESTful and returns data in a JSON format. For the time being, the GET function constitutes the only public-facing request. Smoke Reports encourages those interested in adding to or editing the database via POST, PUT or DELETE methods to reach out to the team. To obtain an API key, first register for a Smoke Reports account.

The cannabis industry continues to expand as recreational use becomes legalized across the U.S. As the industry grows, the need for service providers to serve the industry grows as well. Smoke Reports is one of the industry's first technology companies, and its API strategy offers the same value to its target audience as APIs offer players in other industries. Whether the consumable is cannabis, candy or cars, the modern consumer demands as much information on the product as possible, and APIs represent the most streamlined manner by which to deliver such information.