Privacy Policy

Calm Effect (“we,” “us,” or “our”) operates [YOURDOMAIN.com] (the “Site”), a directory of cannabis dispensaries, brands, deals, and state law information. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. By using the Site you agree to this policy.

Who this site is for

The Site is intended only for adults 21 years of age or older, or 18 and older with a valid medical cannabis recommendation where state law allows. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 21 (or under 18 in medical-only contexts). If you believe a minor has provided us information, contact us at [CONTACT EMAIL] and we will delete it.

Information we collect

Information you give us

Newsletter signup. If you subscribe to our email list, we collect your email address, the state you select, and your confirmation that you are of legal age. This information is sent directly to our email service provider, GoHighLevel, which stores and manages our mailing list. For the newsletter, we do not store your email address in our own databases. Subscriptions use double opt-in: we only email you after you confirm from your inbox, and every email includes an unsubscribe link that takes effect immediately.

Enquiries to a dispensary. Some listings carry a contact form. If you use one, we collect your email address, the message you write, and your name and phone number if you choose to give them, together with the exact consent wording you agreed to. We store the enquiry in our own database and pass it to that dispensary through our customer relationship system so they can reply. We keep enquiries indefinitely, so that we can show a dispensary what was sent and when; you can ask us to delete yours at any time (see “Your rights”). We will email you about your enquiry only, and we never send marketing text messages.

Dispensary operator accounts. If you claim a listing on behalf of a dispensary, we collect your work email address, a password (stored only as a hash), and your name if you give it, and we email you a link to confirm the address. We keep a record of which listing fields you edited so that automated updates never overwrite them.

Information collected automatically

We log anonymous usage events — for example, that a dispensary page was viewed, an advertisement was displayed or clicked, or a newsletter signup happened on a particular page. These events contain the page and entity involved but no name, email address, or other personal identifier. We use them to understand which listings are most useful and to report aggregate statistics (never individual behavior) to our directory partners and advertisers. Our hosting provider (Vercel) may also collect standard server logs, including IP addresses, for security and operations.

Cookies

The public Site does not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies. We use a small number of functional cookies: one to remember that you confirmed your age, and a login cookie for our internal staff tools, and a login cookie for dispensary operators managing a claimed listing. [IF YOU ADD ANALYTICS OR ADS COOKIES LATER, DISCLOSE THEM HERE.]

How we use information

• To send the newsletter you asked for, segmented by the state you chose
• To deliver an enquiry you send to a dispensary, and to show that it was delivered
• To let a dispensary operator maintain a listing they have claimed
• To operate, maintain, and improve the Site and its directory listings
• To measure aggregate traffic and report anonymous statistics to partners
• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms

We do not sell your personal information. Other than an enquiry you ask us to pass to a particular dispensary, we do not share your email address with dispensaries, brands, or advertisers.

Who we share information with

We share information only with service providers who help us run the Site:

• GoHighLevel — email list management and sending (your email address and chosen state), and relaying enquiries to the dispensary you contacted
• Vercel — website hosting (standard server logs)
• Resend — sending transactional email, such as the link that confirms an operator’s address
• Neon — database hosting (directory content, anonymous usage events, enquiries to dispensaries, and operator accounts; no newsletter subscriber data)

We may also disclose information if required by law, subpoena, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of Calm Effect or others.

Email choices

Every newsletter includes an unsubscribe link; unsubscribing stops all marketing email. We send email only — we will never send you marketing text messages. You can also request removal by writing to [CONTACT EMAIL].

Your rights

Depending on where you live (for example, California residents under the CCPA/CPRA), you may have the right to know what personal information we hold about you, to request its deletion, and to opt out of its sale or sharing (we do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined by law). To exercise any right, email [CONTACT EMAIL] — we will respond within the time required by applicable law, and we will not discriminate against you for making a request. Because our email provider holds the subscriber list, deletion requests are forwarded to and completed there as well. If you ask us to delete an enquiry, we erase the personal details from it and keep only a dated record that an enquiry existed and was deleted.

Data retention & security

Subscriber data is retained by our email provider until you unsubscribe or request deletion. Enquiries to dispensaries are retained indefinitely unless you ask us to delete them. [OPERATOR ACCOUNT RETENTION — no decision recorded yet; state one here.] Anonymous usage events are retained in aggregate form for reporting. We use industry-standard safeguards (encrypted connections, access controls) but no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.

Third-party links

The Site links to dispensary, brand, and advertiser websites, and some outbound links are affiliate links from which we may earn a commission. Those sites have their own privacy practices, which we do not control. This policy covers only Calm Effect.

Not medical or legal advice

Content on the Site — including state law summaries — is for general information only and is not medical or legal advice. Cannabis remains illegal under U.S. federal law; always follow the laws of your state.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The effective date above reflects the latest revision; material changes will be noted on this page.

Contact us

Questions or requests: [CONTACT EMAIL]
[BUSINESS LEGAL NAME]
[BUSINESS MAILING ADDRESS — required for CAN-SPAM compliance in email footers]