In this video newsletter, we share the story of Solstice, a commercial cannabis producer founded in 2011 and based in the state of Washington. Vice president and co-founder Alex Cooley has infused his business model and practices with values that elevate the conversation around environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility in the cannabis industry.
Want to learn more about best practices and innovation for your cannabis business?
Register early for the best deals to attend NCIA’s Seed To Sale Show in Denver, January 31 – February 1, 2017. Sponsorship opportunities are also available!
DEA Rescheduling Announcement: What It Means, And What You Can Do
“DEA’s decision flies in the face of objective science and overwhelming public opinion.”
“The reality is that half of U.S. states have already passed effective laws allowing patients legal access to medical cannabis, and it is changing lives,”
“Continuing marijuana prohibition forces critically ill people to suffer needlessly, leaves life-changing treatments undeveloped, and keeps patients and providers in limbo between state and federal laws.
“We appreciate the positive step – however small – of opening up a few additional avenues for medical marijuana research. But patients deserve more, and Congress should help them by removing marijuana from the Controlled Substance Act, allowing state programs and medical research to move forward without interference.”
NOW WHAT?
This DEA decision presents an opportunity to elevate the conversations we are having with both the public and Members of Congress. It’s important that we continue to tell our stories about the benefits of state-regulated marijuana industries and the need to end federal marijuana prohibition.
Now, more than ever, is a chance to raise our voices in unison to make our issues undeniably heard.
We encourage you to get involved with Congress at home by attending a town hall meeting, inviting Members of Congress or their staff on a tour of your business, and scheduling meetings with your Member’s district office.
For advice, help, or materials to assist you, please contact NCIA’s Washington, D.C. office by emailing michelle@thecannabisindustry.org.
If your business is not yet a part of the movement, please join NCIA today.
Senate Subcommittee Just Says Yes… To A Hearing
by Michelle Rutter, Government Relations Coordinator
Earlier this month, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism held a hearing entitled ”Researching the Potential Medical Benefits and Risks of Marijuana,” which was presided over by Sens. Graham (R-SC), Whitehouse (D-RI), Klobuchar (D-MN), Grassley (R-IA), and Blumenthal (D-CT). Witnesses included Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), federal officials from NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), NIH (National Institute of Health), and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), and members of the medical and legal community. For more information on the hearing and the witnesses, click here.
The first panel included Sens. Gillibrand (D-NY) and Booker (D-NJ), who both testified on the benefits medical cannabis can provide and noted that they are both original co-sponsors of the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act (S. 683), better known as the CARERS Act. Some of the key points that the Senators mentioned during the hearing included removing cannabis from its designation as a Schedule I drug, dismantling NIDA’s monopoly on cannabis used for research, and the urgent need to ease restrictions to allow for more research.
The next panel was comprised of two government agency officials: the Director of the Division of Extramural Research at the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, and a doctor who is Deputy Center Director for Regulatory Programs at the FDA. Both panelists repeatedly stressed the importance of continued research into the therapeutic and medicinal benefits of cannabis, as well as the development of cannabis-based drugs. The FDA official also highlighted that the DEA is currently reviewing a recommendation on cannabis’s designation as a Schedule I drug, and the decision is pending.
The third panel included two doctors and a lawyer representing the DEA. The first doctor noted that THC and CBD do have therapeutic value but stressed the need for more research to determine if/how to mitigate any negative side effects of medical cannabis use. The second doctor on the panel is a well-known cannabis opponent, whose testimony sounded more like “reefer-madness” than a Senate hearing on cannabis in 2016. The lawyer present gave a moderately short statement, but did state that the DEA regulations around Schedule I drugs already provide a great deal of flexibility for research and can and are waived to allow legitimate studies and that the reclassification of cannabis to Schedule II would have little impact on the barriers to research – a statement that most in the cannabis community would strongly disagree with.
During questioning, Sen. Graham (R-SC) asked if the witnesses believed that cannabis should be re-scheduled as a Schedule II drug. Both the FDA official and the NIDA/NIH official weighed in, and with the same conclusion: more research is needed in order to make that determination. Chairman Graham also asked how to best facilitate medical cannabis research, which was answered by the DEA’s lawyer, who responded that the “flexibility” in the regulatory system could allow for it.
What does it mean?
Past Congressional hearings regarding cannabis have typically focused on the harms, not the benefits, of marijuana. As such, it’s a positive sign that the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, Lindsey Graham (R-SC), held a hearing on the potential therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis. The main takeaway from the hearing was the desire from all parties – Senators, government officials, and medical professionals alike – for more research on cannabis, its compounds, and its effects.
Regardless, this hearing shows the progress that the industry has made in Congress and the momentum building nationwide behind the cannabis movement.
Top 3 Ways to Get Involved with Congress at Home During August Recess
by Michelle Rutter, Government Relations Coordinator
Each year, Congress recesses for the month of August. Traditionally, this time has been used for Members to return home to their districts and meet with constituents and, of course, campaign for re-election. Though this makes August a quiet month in D.C., it’s a great time for you and your colleagues to get involved with the political process, engage with Members of Congress, and educate them on cannabis policy.
Here are the top 3 ways you can get involved at home during August recess:
Attend (or plan) a town hall
Town hall meetings are an excellent way for businesses, local leaders, and representatives of the cannabis movement to communicate with elected officials about issues affecting your community. Make sure you call or check your Representative and Senators’ websites to see if any town halls have been scheduled during August recess. If they aren’t planning on holding one, consider planning a town hall yourself and inviting various elected officials to talk about cannabis policy in your community and on the federal level.
Invite Members of Congress or their office staff on a tour of your business
Even though cannabis is arguably more mainstream than it’s ever been, many elected officials still have not had the chance to experience what the responsible and legal cannabis industry looks like firsthand. Whether you’re involved with growing, processing, or dispensing cannabis, or operate an ancillary business, a tour with a Member of Congress and/or their staff can be invaluable to them. Reach out to your elected officials’ district office and ask if they would be interested in a tour- their answer may surprise you!
Schedule a meeting with your Member’s district office
August recess means Members of Congress are home for an entire month and is a great opportunity to meet with them and their staff! There are very few things more compelling than a personal story when talking to elected officials, so whether your experience has been with the benefits of medical cannabis, the unfair tax burden of 280E, or the struggle for traditional banking, be sure to schedule an appointment with your district office to tell that story. Click here to find out who your Representative is and visit their website to see where their district office is located.
We all have a responsibility to educate and engage with elected officials in order to change the perception surrounding cannabis. August recess is the perfect opportunity to get involved with federally elected officials without having to leave home! If you need advice, help, or materials to assist you, remember to contact NCIA’s Washington, D.C. office by emailing michelle@thecannabisindustry.org.
Member Spotlight: Cannabis Consumers Coalition
In the cannabis industry, the life cycle of growers, retailers, extractors, and infused product manufacturers would not exist were it not for the consumers. As we move toward self-regulating our industry from the inside out, it’s important to consider all views and perspectives in those decision-making processes. This month, we check in with Larisa Bolivar of Cannabis Consumers Coalition to talk about the work she’s doing to protect the interests and concerns of cannabis consumers.
I have been in the cannabis industry/movement since 2001 when I moved to Colorado as a medical cannabis refugee, and I have been a cannabis consumer for 25 years. I helped to establish safe access for Colorado patients through my organization called Caregivers for Safe Access, which became the Colorado Compassion Club and the first dispensary in Colorado prior to 2009. After several years on hiatus from the front lines of the movement, and spending time consulting on policy, business and communications in the emerging industry, I saw a need for more consumer-focused advocacy and that what was missing was a consumer protection agency. Much of the conversation had been focused on the needs of the industry, and that continues to play out today. It is my mission to change that. I believe that consumers are who drive the economy.
I believe my background is perfect for the task of playing watchdog for the industry. I have worked in startup and corporate environments in multiple emerging markets, including software, dot-coms, clean tech, and cannabis. My work in clean tech and software really prepared me for working in a tightly regulated environment. The clean tech company that I worked at, GridPoint, a billion-dollar-valuated startup with successful launch and exit is a smart grid company focused on energy management in the utility space, one of the most regulated industries in our country. When working in software, I worked as a technical recruiter staffing sensitive, high-level technical contracts mostly in defense, which is also highly regulated. I understand highly regulated environments really well, and it is easy to forget the consumer when trying to jump through so many regulatory hoops. I believe that with a strong consumer voice, we will eventually have fewer regulations.
Larisa Bolivar, Executive Director of Cannabis Consumers Coalition.
How does CCC provide unique value to the cannabis industry and movement?
The mission of the Cannabis Consumers Coalition is to provide cannabis consumers with a voice in the growing cannabis industry, and to ensure consumer rights and ethical behavior on behalf of cannabis-related businesses. The biggest value we provide is giving consumers a powerful voice and helping them to realize the purchasing power they have with their dollar in helping to hold the industry accountable to operating in an ethical, consumer-centric model. We provide consumers with a powerful voice, and have been very effective in changing laws to protect consumers. This occurred recently when we obtained and released the names of pesticide violators in Colorado. We quickly made a lot of enemies, and good friends, in the industry. Some business owners have called us anti-industry, which is quite the contrary. I risked my life trailblazing medical marijuana and laying the foundation for the launch of a billion-dollar industry in Colorado. This was pre-regulation, prior to when moneyed interests got into the game and created the framework for regulations. The industry began with blazing the path to create that possibility, breaking ground for the foundation to be laid. As such, I feel personally accountable for it, along with many of my peers and supporters who were also trailblazers and pioneers.
Consumers deserve the right to know that the cannabis they are purchasing is indeed the quality that is being marketed. They also need a strong voice to fight for their rights, and that is what I myself provide, especially with my history of activism, along with the support of our legal team at Fox Rothschild LLP. An Am Law 100 law firm, they have nearly 750 attorneys spanning multiple practice areas and across multiple industries, and have a reputation for working with nonprofit organizations and community groups.
Another value we provide is in helping businesses strive to provide the best consumer experience and high quality products. Quality end products in the cannabis industry are multi-faceted, starting with how a plant is grown, how it’s positioned in the market, to the consumer experience at retail outlets. All of it is so interrelated.
Here in Colorado, the issue of public consumption is hot and there are a couple of initiatives in the works this year to address that need. Can you tell me more about that and how you’re involved in this effort?
Indeed this is probably the hottest issue Colorado. Voters voted for the right to use cannabis legally, yet there are no places to consume. This also poses issues for cannabis consumers visiting the state. There are bed and breakfasts and some hotels that allow for consumption, but there are no places to consume and socialize. There are two initiatives in consideration.
There is the Responsible Use initiative put forth by Denver NORML, which is a private club designated license that requires people to become members, bring their own cannabis and allows for permitted events. The other initiative, The Neighborhood Approved Cannabis Consumption Pilot Program Initiative, will give permission to businesses, including bars, to allow cannabis consumption. Either one will be good for consumers. One is more exclusive, and by requiring membership it keeps things manageable and accountable by limiting the amount of people who can join, it does alienate neighborhood groups and businesses. My concern with the initiative permitting businesses to allow consumption, including bars, is that tourists new to cannabis consumption and consuming alcohol, can easily over-consume the two if they are not “seasoned” cannabis consumers.
Why did you join NCIA?
We joined NCIA after careful research into industry trade groups and selected the one that was the most diverse, influential, and had an ethical and inclusive industry. It is our desire to see a successful multi-billion dollar industry built on a foundation of integrity and inclusiveness, and NCIA offers that. While we may not align with the philosophies of all members, the organization pushes integrity in all that is does, and what I like the most is that it has organized councils that are really committed to creating an exemplary foundation for the entire industry, not just its members. You can see this in their Minority Business Council, where the discussions are always industry and community focused. I also like the networking available, especially meeting other passionate cannabis business owners across the country and having dynamic and energizing conversations.
NCIA is seeking a Business Development Specialist
NCIA is now hiring to expand our ten-person national team!
We’re seeking a Business Development Specialist. The application process is detailed below. (Do not call NCIA’s office to apply or follow up.)
Business Development Specialist – Membership and Relationship Sales:
This position can be based in any of the following regions: Denver, CO; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; or San Francisco, CA. NCIA, the undisputed leading trade association in the fastest growing industry in the US is seeking a sales consultant and account executive, able to up-sell existing members and attract new members to the organization, and its mission.
This full-time position will handle business development and current client relationships in a specified territory.
We’re a hard working team seeking a candidate who is self-motivated, innovative, and dedicated to giving our team and clients the very best.
Key Responsibilities:
Prospect multiple direct-to-plant businesses, via cold-calling (50-70- cold calls per day on certain days), networking, and email/e-marketing.
Attend cannabis industry events to network and prospect, and represent the association.
Articulate the association’s value proposition to decision-makers to assess buying interest.
Promote the association’s products and services with various management levels and professionals across business disciplines.
Achieve or exceed goal for evaluations and first meetings on a monthly basis.
Qualify all sales leads based upon specific lead qualification criteria definitions.
Provide baseline research within targeted accounts to identify the key contacts and critical account information prior to calling.
Develop superior customer service relationship with prospects.
Learn and demonstrate a fundamental understanding of the association’s products and services, and clearly articulate capabilities and advantages to prospective members.
Contribute to every component of the critical functions associated with fulfilling the sales cycle (forecasting, reporting, customer database maintenance and data entry, correspondence, and communications).
Engage with social media platforms, create alerts on keywords, research topics and share information with individuals responsible for decision making in this industry.
Update lead rank/stage and prospect interaction in CRM. A high level of proficiency with CRM workflow, web-based demonstrations, shared calendars, Skype and instant messaging, as well as with office software such as Word and Excel and their Google equivalents is required.
Qualifications
Professional level sales experience required. Experience in association sales is preferred, as is experience in the cannabis industry. Ideal candidates will be located to work from the Denver, CO office, or work from home office in Seattle, WA, Portland, OR or San Francisco, CA.
Your sales process will be primarily telephone and online application based with regular territory visits. The Business Development Specialist reports to NCIA’s Director of Development. Frequent travel throughout the U.S. is required.
How to apply
Follow all of the instructions below to e-mail a one-page cover letter and resume to jobs@thecannabisindustry.org.
Please include the job title, “Business Development Specialist” in the subject line of your email.
In your cover letter, please specify how you learned about the job opening, your stance on marijuana law and the industry’s role in reform, and why you think you would be an excellent fit for the position sought. Feel free to include any other information you deem relevant, as long as your cover letter is limited to one page.
Your cover letter and resume must be sent as one single PDF document that includes your first initial and last name in the file name.
When your application is received, you should receive an automatic email confirmation. Do not call NCIA’s office to follow up. If we are interested in more information or an interview, we will contact you within about a week.
Salary:
Base salary plus commission, negotiable.
Benefits:
Full health, dental, and life insurance coverage, an employer-matched retirement plan, and a generous PTO policy.
Education:
4-year Degree
Colorado Cannabis Cultivators: Participate in an Energy Use Case Study
The Cannabis Conservancy (TCC) is inviting all types of growers (indoor, greenhouse, and outdoor) in Colorado to participate in an Energy Use Case Study for the Colorado Energy Office (CEO). Growers can choose to be named and celebrated for their participation or remain absolutely anonymous. Participation is requested as soon as possible, and no later than July 31, 2016. If you are interested, contact Jacob Policzer, President of TCC, today.
The Study TCC has been contracted by the Colorado Energy Office to conduct a research report on energy use in the marijuana cultivation industry. The purpose of the report is to understand where the industry is developing in Colorado, how energy (and water use) by the industry is impacting our grid (and water supplies), what is feasible and available to the industry in terms of operational and technological efficiencies and funding, and to create a baseline for the industry with accurate data. As part of this study, TCC is required to conduct case studies and work with growers of varying operational types (outdoor, indoor, and combination) in the state to track interval load data to create a baseline for the industry.
Grower Involvement Growers will be required to have smart meters and sub meters installed at their operations and participate in an individualized on-site participant energy workshop. TCC will pay for the installation and maintenance of the meters as well as compensate growers for workshop participation. The choice to participate anonymously or publicly is absolutely at the discretion of the participant.
The individualized participant energy workshop will include: document reviews, building envelope analysis, grow system analysis (based on TCC Sustainability Standards), interviews, and meter installation.
What are the Benefits to Growers? By participating in the case study, growers will learn very detailed information about their energy consumption, which is the first step in system optimization, leading to higher yields and cost savings. Growers will also receive energy and water use consultation services from TCC for system optimization and are one step closer to Sustainability Certification. If growers choose to be named in the case study they are demonstrating their industry leadership and commitment to sustainability.
What is the Colorado Energy Office (CEO)? The CEO’s mission is to improve the effective use of all of Colorado’s energy resources and the efficient consumption of energy in all economic sectors, through providing technical guidance, financial support, policy advocacy, and public communications.
What is The Cannabis Conservancy (TCC)? TCC’s mission is to empower and assure that the regulated cannabis industry achieves environmental, economic, and social sustainability.
Video Newsletter: #CannaBizSummit Recap and Seed to Sale Show Announcement
Did your team join us for NCIA’s 3rd annual Cannabis Business Summit & Expo in Oakland last month, where we got inspired, educated, and connected with more than 3,000 cannabis industry professionals?
In this month’s video newsletter, hear from NCIA’s Aaron Smith and Brooke Gilbert as we look back on the most exciting and successful event in NCIA’s history, and announce our upcoming Seed To Sale Show, happening in Denver, January 31-February 1, 2017.
This month’s NCIA Member Spotlight takes us to Ohio to speak with Andy Joseph, founder and president of Apeks Supercritical, whose company manufactures botanical oil extraction systems utilizing subcritical and supercritical CO2. Apeks recently became Regional Winner and National Finalist of the EY (Ernst & Young) Entrepreneur of the Year — recognized for outstanding leadership, ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit.
NCIA Member Since:
August 2013
Tell us a bit about you and why you founded Apeks Supercritical?
Andy Joseph, Founder and President of Apeks Supercritical
I had been building botanical extraction equipment in my barn on weekends for about ten years as a side business to help pay college expenses for my five children. I saw an opportunity to grow my Apeks business with the sky-rocketing demand for extraction equipment as legalization of cannabis expanded. Along with that, after talking to many physicians, I became inspired to have a role in helping provide patients with cannabis that’s safer to consume with products processed from non-toxic CO2 subcritical and supercritical extractions.
So I left my job as Director of Welding and Testing Labs at Edison Welding Institute (EWI) to go all in with manufacturing CO2 extraction equipment, primarily for the cannabis industry. Apeks plans to eventually expand into other industries as well. We want to bring CO2 extraction to the masses.
How do you provide unique benefits to cannabis business owners?
Apeks Supercritical Systems
CO2 extractions offer greater safety on two levels: processing and consumption. CO2 is not flammable or explosive so our equipment is safer to operate for our customers, and they don’t have to worry about processing requirements associated with butane and ethanol. In addition, our customers can offer their customers purer extractions because there are no residuals in the extracted material when using CO2 as a solvent.
CO2 is environmentally friendly and recyclable which saves operating expenses for our customers.
Our extraction systems deliver processing efficiencies. Our Diaphragm Compressor Technology provides faster and more energy-efficient extractions and our patented Valveless Expansion Technology (no decompression valves) removes the risk of product getting clogged.
Also, in-house financing to customers. This is especially helpful given the difficulty people in the cannabis industry have in getting financing from banks for large capital purchases. We’ve provided financing for 40 to 50 customers.
As a business owner, you’re very involved in not only federal, but also state and local politics. Can you tell us more about the progress being made on behalf of cannabis policy in your home state of Ohio?
Last year’s ballot initiative in Ohio was so misguided, I had to speak out against it. Since then, I’ve been proactive in educating state and local legislators about the multi-faceted factors surrounding legalization of medical marijuana, even arranging for Dr. Sue Sisley of Arizona and other experts to testify on the benefits of medical cannabis. Now that Governor Kasich has signed a bill legalizing medical marijuana, I am lobbying to be appointed to the state’s Medical Marijuana Advisory Commission to help to ensure the program is properly administered.
Andy Joseph testifying to Ohio House of Representatives
There needs to be a proper balance between patient access to safe, tested medical cannabis and the requirements placed on the businesses that make it available. For patients to have the access they need, there must be an appropriate list of qualifying conditions, physician protection, and access to dispensaries. Likewise, regulatory measures on businesses must be reasonable. If licensing or taxation is too burdensome, businesses will not be sustainable, especially given that many start-ups in this industry already struggle to get the financing they need.
Why did you join NCIA?
I joined soon after NCIA was established because I appreciated its focus on supporting businesses in this fledgling industry. Now that medical marijuana is legal in Ohio where we manufacture our equipment, Apeks will begin processing as well. So I appreciate even more the work of NCIA in lobbying for federal policy reform, particularly 280E tax and banking solutions, as Apeks transitions from an ancillary business into the processing side as well.
More than 3,000 people converged in Oakland, CA last week for the National Cannabis Industry Association’s 3rd Annual #CannaBizSummit. Take a sneak peek into the cannabis industry’s most influential event of the year, and stay tuned for more coverage.
Interested in attending another upcoming NCIA event? Register for our Quarterly Cannabis Caucus series taking place in July nationwide -> http://thecannabisindustry.org/events
July Quarterly Cannabis Caucuses Are Coming!
By Brooke Gilbert, Director of Events & Education
Registration is now open for the third quarter of our Quarterly Cannabis Caucus events series! Join more than 600 cannabis industry professionals this July in networking and sharing best business practices, as well as the latest national and local policy updates.
Tuesday, July 12 – Portland, OR – Opal 28 – Register!
Tuesday, July 12 – Washington, D.C. – The National Press Club – Register!
Thursday, July 14 – Boston, MA – Hyatt Regency Cambridge – Register!
Thursday, July 14 – Miami, FL – Biltmore Hotel – Register!
Tuesday, July 19 – Chicago, IL – The Chop Shop – Register!
Tuesday, July 19 – New York, NY – LMHQ – Register!
Thursday, July 21 – Denver, CO – Jane HQ – Register!
Thursday, July 21 – Phoenix, AZ – mod – Register!
Tuesday, July 26 – Las Vegas, NV – Place on 7th – Register!
Tuesday, July 26 – Santa Monica, CA – Real Office Centers – Register!
Thursday, July 28 – San Francisco, CA – Gateway Cannabis Accelerator – Register!
Thursday, July 28 – Seattle, WA – Sole Repair Shop – Register!
The second round of NCIA’s new quarterly educational and networking series took place this April and they were a success by every measure. Thank you to the 235 member companies and 650+ supporters who joined us over the course of three weeks in 12 different states around the country.
Haven’t been to one of NCIA’s Quarterly Cannabis Caucuses before? Check out these photo highlights from the second quarter:
NCIA’s Colorado Quarterly Cannabis Caucus with Dana Rohrabacher
We could not have held these events without the support of our sponsoring member businesses and hosts so huge thanks to all those listed below!
Want to download the information we provided during the second quarter of our Cannabis Caucuses? Check out our Cannabis Caucus Resources page.
Have any feedback from a Caucus you attended in April? Fill out our short attendee survey to provide us with valuable feedback we’ll use to improve future events.
Interested in sponsoring an upcoming Cannabis Caucus in your area or a series of events across the country? Check out our Cannabis Caucus sponsorship guide which outlines pricing and benefits.
See you at the next Caucus!
2016 Mid-Year Federal Policy Recap
Michelle Rutter, NCIA
by Michelle Rutter, NCIA Government Relations Coordinator
With 2016 being an election year, things seem to have been moving at an even slower than usual pace here in Washington, D.C. All House and some Senate members are in campaign mode, while others in Congress weigh in on the presidential candidates and give their endorsements (or voice their opposition). Even so, there has been promising movement on the cannabis issue in D.C. Let’s take a look at 2016 so far:
January
After the usual end-of-year budget negotiations and the holidays, 2016 was off to a quick start. At the beginning of January, a federal judge ruled to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Fourth Corner Credit Union against the Federal Reserve in hopes of providing banking services to the legal cannabis industry. In his ruling, Judge R. Brooke Jackson said Congress must provide the answer, stating, “I regard the [cannabis banking] situation as untenable and hope that it will soon be addressed and resolved by Congress.”
Putting even more pressure on Congress to act, the White House also weighed in on marijuana in January. Press Secretary Josh Earnest stated that any action on re-scheduling or de-scheduling cannabis would need to come from the legislative branch.
February
In February, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Rules held a hearing on the Financial Institution Customer Protection Act of 2015 (H.R. 766). This bill prohibits federal agencies – including banking agencies – from terminating certain bank accounts simply due to the nature of their business. Longtime cannabis champion Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) used this hearing as an opportunity to offer an amendment to the legislation. His amendment would have allowed banks and credit unions to offer financial services and maintain relationships with state-legal, licensed cannabis businesses, without fear of federal prosecution. The committee ultimately voted Rep. Perlmutter’s amendment down: the 3-9 vote broke along party lines, with all Democrats voting in favor and all Republicans voting in opposition.
Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton also gave her opinion on cannabis in February, stating, “Right now, a number of states are experimenting with marijuana laws. Seventeen states have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana; four states allow recreational use; and about half of all states allow medical use. These statewide experiments can help us point the way to national policy, so I’ll continue the Obama Administration’s enforcement guidelines that allow states to experiment.”
March
In March, federal banking agencies began having discussions with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) about guidance on how financial institutions can serve marijuana-related businesses. Many banks are concerned that FinCEN’s previous guidance on submitting marijuana-related Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) is not sufficient to overcome the legal risks of serving marijuana businesses.
Reinforcing the urgency of the cannabis banking issue, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and three other senators sent a letter to the Federal Reserve, Treasury Department, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and National Credit Union Administration, requesting more guidance on what banks can do with marijuana-related businesses in states where cannabis is legal.
In addition, Congressmen Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) circulated letters in Congress asking Appropriations Chairmen to include pro-cannabis amendments in future appropriations bills.
After considering the lawsuit filed by Nebraska and Oklahoma against Colorado’s legal cannabis industry, the Supreme Court declined to take up the case in March. Nebraska and Oklahoma claimed there was “a direct and significant detrimental impact — namely the diversion of limited manpower and resources to arrest and process suspected and convicted felons involved in the increased illegal marijuana trafficking or transportation.” The Obama administration had urged the Court not to take up the case late last year.
April
In April, longtime cannabis opponents Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) (co-chairs of the Caucus on International Narcotics Control) held a drug caucus hearing entitled, “Is the Department of Justice Adequately Protecting the Public from the Impact of State Recreational Marijuana Legalization?” The hearing was prompted after a recent report that the senators requested from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded that the Obama Administration has no written, documented plan to discourage issues like diversion, sale to minors, and adverse public health effects from states that have chosen to legalize cannabis. The witnesses were completely biased: all four have been openly against the legalization of cannabis. NCIA and other cannabis reform groups used this opportunity to call on the Senators to hold a hearing on the CARERS Act (S. 683), which they have not done – even though the bill has more than 15 bipartisan co-sponsors in the Senate.
Also in April, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an amendment to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill that would ease access to medical cannabis for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, serious injuries, and other debilitating conditions. The amendment was offered by Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and would prohibit federal funds from being used to enforce a ban on V.A. doctors from recommending a patient medical cannabis in a state where it is legal.
May
In May, the U.S. State Department responded to a letter from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and said that the DEA’s monopoly on cannabis for research in the U.S. is wrong. The released document stated that a country issuing more than one cultivation license “would not be a sufficient basis to conclude that the party was acting in contravention” with international drug treaties.
There’s no doubt that cannabis was on Congress’s mind because NCIA held its sixth annual Cannabis Industry Lobby Days in May! More than 150 cannabis professionals convened in Washington, D.C., for two days of advocacy that included more than 200 scheduled meetings and approximately 175 more drop-in meetings, as well as a PAC reception that had almost a dozen members of Congress in attendance.
Just days after NCIA’s Lobby Days, the House of Representatives and the Senate voted in favor of an amendment that would allow Veterans Administration doctors to recommend medical marijuana for their patients in states where medical marijuana is legal.
June
Though we’re barely halfway through June, it could be a big month for cannabis policy in D.C. It’s appropriations season here in the nation’s capital, which means that there could potentially be multiple opportunities to include pro-cannabis language in the budget. Though it is still unclear if Congress will have ‘regular order’ during the appropriations process, NCIA will continue to lobby on your behalf and keep you updated as the appropriations process unfolds.
A new poll from Quinnipiac was released in June and concluded that slightly more than half of Americans (54 percent) believe the use of marijuana should be made legal across the country, while 41 percent said it should not. When asked whether people should be allowed to use medically prescribed marijuana, 89 percent of respondents overall said they would be in favor, while just 9 percent opposed.
Congress only has a handful of days left in session before they return home for the majority of the summer to campaign, attend their parties’ conventions, and enjoy the annual August recess, so be sure to keep an eye out for news from NCIA about the developing appropriations process and other news from your government affairs team in Washington, D.C.
Video Newsletter: Member Spotlight on Bryna Dahlin of CannaRegs
In this month’s Video Member Spotlight, we introduce you to Bryna Dahlin, a double-member of NCIA through her law firm Rollman & Dahlin, LLP, and as general counsel to CannaRegs.
CannaRegs provides enhanced access to all cannabis-related rules and regulations from state, county, municipal, and federal sources, and aggregates these rules and regulations. NCIA’s new State-by-State Marijuana Policies Map is powered by CannaRegs and provides a valuable overview of every state’s approach to cannabis and cannabis markets. (Click here to request a demo of CannaRegs’ services and save 15% if you’re an NCIA member.)
Watch this video to hear more from Bryna, and catch her speaking on two panel discussions at the Cannabis Business Summit and Expo next week in Oakland, CA, June 20-22. All NCIA Members save $150 on admission. Register today!
Guest Post: Waiver Program Could Clear Path for State Legalization
(AS WITH ALL GUEST POSTS ON NCIA’S WEBSITE, THIS POST SOLELY REPRESENTS THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS OF ITS AUTHOR AND DOES NOT REPRESENT AN NCIA ENDORSEMENT OR OFFICIAL POSITION. ~ EDS.)
Congress is considering a potential waiver program where states will be given an exemption to federal prohibition of cannabis.
On April 17 and 18, NYU hosted the Cannabis Science & Policy Summit where a panel discussion took place titled “Federalism & Cannabis Policy: What Can & Should Washington Do?” The panel consisted of experts in law and drug policy, including Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Sarah Trumble, senior policy counsel at Third Way, a public policy think tank based in Washington, D.C. The panel discussion delved into the restrictions of the DEA’s power to reschedule cannabis by Congress and appropriate policy alternatives to clearing the path for state-by-state cannabis legalization.
According to Cody Stiffler, vice president of Government Affairs at BioTrackTHC, who was also present at the panel discussion, Congress has placed so many restrictions on the ability and powers of the DEA, that they can only reschedule cannabis to a Schedule II status. He believes there is almost no possible way that the DEA can de-schedule cannabis. The panel discussed Congress’s consideration of a waiver program for states with legalized cannabis in some form or another. “They [Congress] plan to give the U.S. Attorney General powers to offer waivers to state governments, exempting that state from federal law regarding cannabis, allowing banks and other institutions to take part in the industry without fear of federal backlash under the Controlled Substances Act,” says Stiffler. The waivers would have a duration of a number of years and a reporting and review process would follow the expiration of each waiver. “If the Attorney General decides that states are following the directives of the Cole Memo, then they will be able to continue, but if the data collected proves otherwise, those waivers would then be suspended or revoked,” adds Stiffler. It is important to note that the bill gives states the opportunity to correct any failures before those waivers are revoked.
According to Sarah Trumble, public opinion favors a policy move towards allowing states with cannabis legislation to operate freely. A poll conducted by Third Way found that 67% of voters would support Congress passing a bill giving states freedom from federal intervention with respect to cannabis policy as long as there is a robust regulatory framework in place. In October of last year, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA) introduced the bill, H.R. 3746, The State Marihuana [sic] And Regulatory Tolerance (SMART) Enforcement Act. The bill outlines the waiver plan and would exempt states from the prohibition of cannabis as a result of The Controlled Substances Act. It also has measures in place to help prevent diversion of cannabis into the black market, protecting consumer safety and public health, eliminating criminal enterprise involvement and more.
According to Trumble, the SMART Enforcement Act would resolve many of the conflicts between federal law and state legalization measures. “It is the bridge that gets us from the broken system we have now to a future date when public opinion and Members’ positions may have shifted, while in the meantime fixing the problems people are experiencing on the ground,” says Trumble. She believes the bill provides for the protection of consumer safety through logical regulatory systems while eliminating federal prohibition of cannabis. “Every three years, a state will have to re-apply for the waiver and submit data showing that their regulations are working to keep Americans safe.” This would allow states to have the space they need to implement a sound regulatory framework.
One can speculate on a broad range of possible effects this bill could have. “It would allow banks to open accounts for and offer services to legal cannabis businesses so they no longer have to operate on an all-cash basis,” adds Trumble. Perhaps the most significant effect this bill could have on the cannabis industry is knocking down the burden of the 280E tax code on cannabis businesses primarily because it would exempt states from The Controlled Substances Act. “It would protect businesses owners and employees—as well as customers and patients—from federal prosecution and arbitrary DEA crackdowns, now or in the future,” says Trumble. This bill has the potential to be a panacea for so many ailments facing the cannabis industry. Participants in the cannabis marketplace should let their representatives know that they support this bill and show up at the polls in November to elect representatives that support this piece of legislation.
Aaron G. Biros is the editor-in-chief of CannabisIndustryjournal.com, an online trade journal focused on regulatory compliance, quality and safety in the cannabis industry. Hejoined Innovative Publishing, LLC full-time after graduating from Tulane University. Graduating with a B.A. in Environmental Studies, his coursework involved environmental sustainability, conservation policy, design thinking in collaboration, social innovation & entrepreneurship, food production & health, and environmental & health risk assessments. He has two years of experience working on staff as an associate editor for FoodSafetyTech.com, writing a series of articles focused on the intersection of food safety and environmental sustainability. Aaron is now the editor and publisher of CannabisIndustryJournal.com, a B2B digital trade publication that seeks to educate the global cannabis industry on everything seed-to-sale in both recreational and medical markets. CannabisIndustryJournal.com covers news, business trends, technology, regulatory compliance and other important areas, aiding in the advancement of a well-informed and safe market. Cannabis Industry Journal became a member of NCIA in May 2016.
NEW: NCIA Launches Interactive Map For State Cannabis Policies
Thanks to a collaboration with NCIA members CannaRegs and New Frontier, we are pleased to announce a new resource now available on NCIA’s website to help you stay up-to-date with each state’s cannabis regulations and market size estimates. NCIA’s new State-by-State Marijuana Policies Map provides a valuable overview of every state’s approach to cannabis and cannabis markets.
Users can explore valuable information in this new interactive map by simply clicking on each state to see detailed summaries of the state’s cannabis market and regulations. This information is compiled and updated regularly by CannaRegs and New Frontier as changes are made to regulations and more data becomes available.
The map provides information including medical and adult-use laws, as well as the number of cannabis cultivations, dispensaries, manufacturers, and testing labs allowed and issued in the state, fee structures for applications and licenses, residency requirements, and qualifying medical conditions for patients. The map also includes current medical and adult-use sales estimates, as well as projected sales for the year 2020. This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not legal advice or substitute for legal counsel.
CannaRegs is a web-based subscription service for cannabis professionals that provides enhanced access to all cannabis-related rules and regulations from state, county, municipal, and federal sources, and aggregates these rules and regulations in an intuitive, easy-to-use database. Click here to request a demo of CannaRegs’ services and save 15% if you’re an NCIA member.
New Frontier is a data collection and industry-reporting firm in the cannabis industry, providing data, analytics, and customized actionable intelligence to investors, operators, and legislators in this new blooming sector.
Hopefully by now you know the importance of building your brand’s presence on social media. However, there may be days when you ask yourself, “WTF am I doing?”
Oftentimes social can seem overwhelming and confusing. For example, you may log onto Pinterest to try to figure it out and three hours later all you’ve found is an amazing recipe for brownies (marijuana optional).
Most cannabis business owners have got the “weed porn” portion of social down – meaning they know how to post pictures of weed on Instagram and Facebook but don’t worry about much else.
Well, I’m here to tell you that there is a lot more to social than weed porn.
And… weed porn is one of the big red flags for Facebook and Instagram and is a great way to get your account shut down.
If you are ignoring a larger content marketing strategy and only posting content that is full of hype and sales, you are not only likely to get your account shut down, but you are also very likely to turn off your prospective customers.
Thanks in part to an over-saturation of weed porn and of course constantly changing algorithms (Facebook, Instagram… who’s next?), there is a need for a robust strategy that can evolve.
Like most marketing strategies, this can seem like a ton of work and may not have your full attention.
So on that note, here are four easy ways to maximize your social presence and make social media marketing work for you (beyond weed porn and pot brownies).
Choose your platform(s).
You don’t need to be an expert at every channel. Pick the two or three channels where you know your audience hangs out and master them.
Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are the big three that you should know how to use strategically. There are other cannabis social channels such as MassRoots but they don’t have the impact and reach that the big three have, at least not yet.
Make sure your imagery matches your brand’s promise and is consistent.
From your logo to your profile name and picture, everything across your social channels should be instantly recognizable and represent your brand’s promise. Make sure you are following your branding guidelines and using the correct fonts and colors to design your pages and establish your brand.
Create engagement with valuable and shareable content.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of posting things that you and your employees like without really knowing if your audience feels the same way. Make sure you are creating content that your audience is excited about and eager to share. One of the easiest ways to determine what content your audience likes is by tracking the likes, comments, and shares on your posts and by watching what other successful brands within your niche are doing.
Engage with your followers by taking part in the discussion.
One of the quickest ways to create your tribe is to socialize your content. The easiest way to do this is to reach out to industry influencers and mention their names in your posts. Once you do that you can start to create a relationship with the key players in the industry and inspire them to connect with you and share your content.
Again, the content needs to be fresh, relevant and exciting.
Weed porn alone won’t cut it.
As a successful entrepreneur, longtime marijuana advocate and medical grower, Alexa Divett understands the unique needs of the cannabis industry. Alexa is the founder of Alexa Divett LLC, a business coaching and consulting company helping cannabis business owners achieve success through the implementation of sound business practices and time-tested marketing techniques.
Alexa’s achievements include co-founding Maya Media Collective, a Portland, Oregon-based creative firm that specializes in the cannabis industry, and writing the “Marijuana Millions” Ebook series, which The Weedblog called the best marijuana-branding book to date. Additionally, Alexa speaks about marketing and branding cannabis businesses at local and national events. Alexa’s products and presentations on starting and running successful cannabis businesses have made her an in-demand and innovative expert in the cannabis business world.
Member Spotlight: BDS Analytics
As the cannabis industry expands and continues its upward growth, data has become a valuable tool to help business owners make important decisions about running their businesses. For the month of June, we speak with Roy Bingham, co-founder of BDS Analytics, which specializes in collecting, processing, and presenting point-of-sale market share data for the cannabis industry. NCIA is launching a partnership with BDS Analytics at this year’s Cannabis Business Summit and Expo, offering free interactive access to a selection of BDS Analytics data as a new benefit to our members. Read on to learn more about Roy and the BDS team.
Tell me a bit about you and why you founded BDS Analytics?
Roy Bingham, co-founder of BDS Analytics
I grew up in the U.K. and after nine years in banking and corporate treasury in London, I moved to the U.S.A. in 1993 to go to Harvard Business School. I loved it here and decided to stay, working initially as a consultant at McKinsey in Boston and then building a business called Health Business Partners (HBP) in Rhode Island. HBP focused on the natural product industry – essentially anything that you could buy in Whole Foods Market. One of the things that we did early on was invest in or create information businesses including Nutrition Business Journal, The NBJ Summit, and a data analytics company called SPINS. SPINS worked with data from retailers such as Whole Foods and hundreds of independent health food stores and small chains to aggregate data about products and categories in the health food channel. It was very successful and is the dominant point-of-sale (POS) data analytics company in that channel. Later in my career, I co-founded a nutraceuticals company and then ran a division of RenewLife, which is the largest natural digestive care company in the U.S. We used SPINS data extensively to help us with three main things:
1. Product development – identifying market opportunities by assessing category size, growth characteristics, competition, and product attributes
2. Marketing – assessing the effectiveness of campaigns using “off the shelf” sales data and then modifying and launching more effective campaigns
3. Sales – we expanded from independent health food stores to Whole Foods and then to mainstream such as CVS, Walgreens, Costco, Wal-Mart, etc. Our most convincing sales tools were SPINS’ charts showing our market leadership or strong growth characteristics in existing channels and convincing new retailers that they should introduce our products into their stores
My long-time friends and colleagues founded CanopyBoulder in 2014. They called me very persuasively in early 2015 to encourage me to create SPINS for the cannabis industry. Naturally I thought they were inviting me to take a crazy risk – at least until I understood how exciting the opportunity was. What they explained was that this industry was desperate for data to guide decision-making, and the data that is in every other industry just did not exist in cannabis.
Liz Stahura, co-founder of BDS Analytics
With help from CanopyBoulder, I was introduced to Liz Stahura, who became my co-founder. Liz had ten years of experience building a POS data analytics company for the biking and outdoor industry called Leisure Trends. It was a similar business to SPINS and had recently been acquired by NPD, the number-3 player in the industry after IRI and Nielsen. Together we set to work to recruit the team, build the technology platform, build partnerships with dispensaries, and more recently make the data available to our brand/grower/producer clients. We also raised $1.5 million from investors in the summer of 2015.
How does the data analytics you provide benefit cannabis business owners?
Our software and service helps two kinds of clients in several ways.
A. Dispensaries are our partners and clients. They provide anonymized data that we aggregate and organize in our database of more than 20 million transactions. We clean up all that data and match every transaction to a product and every product to categories and attributes. Then the dispensaries can access our portal 24/7/365. They are able to see how their store sales are progressing by category, sub-category, brand, and individual item. This alone provides great insight and is provided for chains at the individual store and aggregate chain levels. But then… they can compare their own sales to the averages for their states – all at the category, sub-category, brand, and item levels. This quickly and easily reveals actionable insights such as “Which categories and products am I not carrying that would sell well?” or “Which do I feature too heavily?” The result is increased sales and profitability, as well as customer loyalty and fewer customer/patients leaving without the item that they came to find.
B. Brands, manufacturers, and growers use our software in the same ways that I described using data analytics when I was at ReNewLife:
a. Sales – Third-party data to validate the importance of their brands and items and convince customers to carry them in their dispensaries
b. Marketing – assessing the effectiveness of campaigns using “off the shelf” sales data and then modifying and launching more effective campaigns or pricing strategies
c. Product development – identifying market opportunities by assessing category size, growth characteristics, competition, and product attributes
As a business owner, you’re very involved in your community and in causes that you care about. Can you tell us more about what matters most to you, and how your business participates in pushing for progress?
The BDS Analytics team
First, I believe in education, information, and freedom of choice. I think everyone should have the opportunity to study and learn by experience and I think most people make wise decisions for themselves and their families if they are empowered in this way. I think the “war on drugs” has been the worst policy disaster of the last 100 years. It has destroyed countless lives and enriched those that prey on others. It should be over now.
As a business, our mission is to drive the cannabis sector to thrive with well-informed decisions based on factual data. Our success is the success of our clients. So we believe in helping to create the right conditions for our clients and the industry overall to succeed. This includes wise regulations, positive and well-informed media attention, free markets, smart decision-making, and availability of human and financial capital.
Why did you join NCIA?
The first check that we wrote after capitalizing our company was for membership in NCIA. It was a “no-brainer.” It is vital to the success of our industry that it has a clear, united, and loud voice that ensures regulatory obstacles are removed. NCIA has also provided a very supportive community that has enabled us to get up the learning curve and make deep relationships. NCIA also provides other great benefits and we are thrilled that one of those starting very soon is access for all members to our GreenEdge data!
Get your first look and a demo of this new NCIA member benefit from BDS Analytics at the 3rd Annual Cannabis Business Summit and Expo, June 20-22! Register today!
I began my career as a professional chef at high-end, Michelin Star restaurants in San Francisco. I worked with phenomenal chefs, and I always had the goal of being a James Beard award-winning chef. Cooking was my passion, and I learned from the best about sourcing ingredients and creativity in the kitchen.
When I was cooking, the Bay Area was home to a new sustainability movement that focused on local ingredients. Pioneering chefs like food activist Alice Waters led a sustainable revolution that spread across the country. Local, seasonal cooking has replaced elaborate neo-classical cuisine. Diners want to know where their ingredients are from, and why the chef has chosen a specific preparation. Our cooking at home is more aware too.
I was thinking about ingredients and recipes a decade ago, when I got involved with cannabis edible products. A friend approached me about making edibles when his father, a cannabis patient living with HIV/AIDS, could no longer smoke. Pharmaceutical medications prescribed to patients for wasting syndrome and other complications from HIV/AIDS caused nausea, and cannabis proved an effective counterbalance.
I started getting positive feedback on my edibles’ effectiveness for pain, nausea, sleep problems, stress, depression, and end-of-life transitions for those in hospice. I remember a call from a patient who was on the edge of tears because cannabis allowed them to enjoy breakfast. I saw what a beautiful thing it is to ease people’s suffering, and I was all in from that point on.
At a recent event, I spoke with a woman about her catering services, a service that pairs fine dining with smoked flower. When I asked about using cannabis as an ingredient, psychoactive or not, she said it was “too dangerous.”
I realized that even though Colorado has had adult-use cannabis for more than two years, and medical cannabis for longer, there’s still so much fear about edibles. Media attention on a few bad actors is keeping consumers away from a cannabis product with incredible potential for good.
Edibles producers are waging a constant battle against misinformation. Legislators react to perceived public concern by over-regulating our sector. Regulation is relentless: new measures take shape before we have time to measure existing rules’ effectiveness. Edibles companies struggle for survival as new, hastily crafted, fear-based regulations are enacted.
Over-regulation has become counter-productive. Our concerns about restrictive standards for marking, stamping, and packaging limit our ability to be creative with ingredients and presentation. As a chef, it’s disheartening.
Mountain Medicine recently became the first edibles company to co-brand with a mainstream (non-cannabis) food manufacturer. On my constant hunt for the best local ingredients, I discovered Highland Honey, a beautiful, locally sourced raw honey from Boulder. I was lucky that the owner aligns with my values and beliefs about local ingredients and cannabis as medicine. Sadly, regulatory hurdles, liability, and image concerns keep exciting partnerships out of reach for edibles producers and the industry as a whole.
It’s frustrating to create a great product and make it bend to regulations that prioritize fear over food quality. As legislators attempt to protect consumers, edibles are treated more like poison than food, and patients lose access to quality products.
As I expand my business, I’m often advised not to mention edibles. Cannabis is normalizing, but there’s still a huge stigma attached to edibles. Irrational fear keeps consumers away from the healthiest, most controlled way to consume cannabis. I’ve seen first-hand the incredible impact edibles can have on quality of life, but I worry that patients won’t have the chance to experience it themselves.
Activists have endured a difficult, decades-long battle for any access to cannabis. The fight we are facing now for access to edibles will be just as difficult.
As cannabis enters the mainstream, our entire society is beginning to understand the many positive effects of cannabis. We fought for decades to bring the truth about this amazing plant to light, but current perceptions about edibles make it clear that it’s not over yet. Our challenge now is to shape the conversation about these products and the relief they bring. The freedom to consume cannabis is critical, but the fight for access to quality products will shape this industry’s future for many decades to come.
Jaime Lewis has more than nine years of experience managing the production of medical marijuana-infused products (MIP), as well as all facets of managing and operating a medical and recreational marijuana dispensary. A California Culinary Academy graduate, she’s worked in many highly acclaimed kitchens, including serving as the executive chef of a Michelin-rated three-star restaurant in San Francisco. She began creating medical marijuana edibles for HIV/AIDS patients in California in 2006 as part of a Compassion Co-op.
In 2009, Jaime moved to Colorado and founded Mountain Medicine, a medical marijuana-infused product manufacturer. Mountain Medicine supplies high-quality medical and recreational marijuana edibles and products to a number of dispensaries throughout the state. As the founder and executive chef, Jaime designed the commercial kitchen and supervised its start-to-finish construction. She developed recipes leading to a variety of product lines to meet patients’ individual needs and developed product packaging that favors discreet design on behalf of patient confidentiality and safety.
Jaime is responsible for strategic planning and business development, policy development and governmental affairs, marketing and serves as the community liaison to demonstrate good corporate citizenship.
Jaime is an active member of the cannabis community. She is one of the founders and serves as the Chair of the Cannabis Business Alliance, as well as chairing the board of the National Cannabis Industry Association. Jaime takes great pride in changing the conversation around safe and responsible cannabis use both in the state of Colorado and on the national level.
Cannabis Business Summit Inclusion Scholarships – Give or Apply!
NCIA’s Minority Business Council is now accepting applications for scholarships to attend NCIA’s Cannabis Business Summit!
Supported by contributions from NCIA and its members, with the objective of encouraging an industry more inclusive of people from all backgrounds, the 2016 Cannabis Business Summit has made a number of scholarships available for people from under-represented groups seeking to take advantage of the Summit’s education and networking opportunities.
NCIA – including members, leaders, and staff – believes that diversity and inclusion are essential to the fulfillment of our mission. We value inclusiveness in every facet of the legal cannabis industry, including: access to licensing, business opportunity, education and training, industry climate, staff recruitment, hiring, and retention.
The Summit, the most influential business and policy event in the cannabis industry, takes place this year in Oakland, CA, June 20-22. Attendees will be exposed to the most concentrated learning opportunity this industry offers, with an ideal chance to meet with many of the industry’s leading professionals, from all aspects of the business.
Anyone can apply for the Inclusion Initiative scholarships, but preferential consideration will go to those from groups currently under-represented in the cannabis industry and in need of assistance to enter or grow within the industry. The recipients will be selected by the members of NCIA’s Minority Business Council.
Your support will help us take concrete steps to build the kind of inclusive, level playing field that is essential to the industry’s success. Sharing the wealth of information and opportunities this industry has to offer with those who may not otherwise have this kind of access is one way to strengthen and diversify our community.
Video Newsletter: Lobby Days 2016 Recap
This year’s NCIA Cannabis Industry Lobby Days were the largest and most influential in history.
Watch the video above for a recap of our most successful Lobby Days yet!
Our Government Relations team in D.C. been hearing back from our advocates in Congress saying how happy they were with the meetings and how they have heard from other offices looking to co-sponsor our priority legislation. NCIA’s message is being heard on Capitol Hill.
Even if you weren’t able to attend this year’s Lobby Days, you can still contribute. Use our simple online tools to email or call your representatives in Washington, D.C., and tell them to fix federal marijuana laws!
2016 Board of Directors Election Results
NCIA members have voted in the association’s annual board of directors election and 11 candidates have been elected to serve on the board for the 2016-18 term. Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to all of the candidates for their commitment to NCIA!
NCIA is proud of its open and transparent process for selecting board members. The board has oversight over the association’s strategic direction and budget, so it’s important that they represent the membership’s interest. The new board members-elect will join the NCIA executive director and the 11 other elected members at the next board meeting.
The Life of a Cannabis Grower – 10 years from the first plant
When asked to write for the NCIA blog, I first thought I’m not sure if anyone really wants to read my ramblings via an open blog format. So I thought about where most of my cannabis conversations start and end. More often than not, I am asked how I started out, what it has been like, and where I think the industry, Solstice, and myself are headed. Recently I celebrated 10 years cultivating the cannabis plant and I figured this format is as good as any to rehash (pun intended) the last decade of my life.
In 2006 at the ripe age of 21, I took my first step into the cannabis cultivation world for two reasons; an act of civil disobedience, and so that my friends and I could have the best cannabis around. I was given a few seeds and a light from a close friend and in a rather paranoid fashion I began my journey in a small closet in my one-bedroom apartment in Seattle. I read everything I could get my hands on and constantly experimented with the plant. Faster than I had imagined, I was through several harvests and quickly converting my bedroom into a grow room. As the size of my grow increased, so grew my paranoia and I determined I could no longer risk my future by illegally growing cannabis.
Within days of deciding to stop growing I was introduced to the realities of medical cannabis and that I could cultivate legally with a doctor’s recommendation. Receiving my first recommendation was a massive catalyst of learning and consciousness. As a person who dealt with chronic pain for most of his life and as a respite care provider, my world was forever improved. I realized that I personally could massively benefit from the medical values of the plant and as a care provider I could help to provide these values to others. Upon that realization I jumped head first into the pool and rented my first grow house.
All the while I was growing medical cannabis for others and myself, I never planned on doing it forever. During this time I was going to college to obtain degrees in education and I never saw “Elementary Teacher’s Marijuana Grow House Discovered by Seattle Police Department” as being a good headline or one that would help me further my career as an educator. It was planned that I would stop growing at the scale I was when I finished college, but it turned out that the universe had different plans for me. My world changed forever when Seattle Public Schools went on a hiring freeze and I was told it would be years before I could get a job in Seattle.
At that point I was lost and if it were not for a good friend, Trek Hollnagel, who I had taught to grow, opened my eyes to the reality of a career in the new world of the cannabis industry. To say the least in those early days we had little to no clue what we were doing. We went from moving to California, to deciding to “revolutionize” medical cannabis in Washington by starting four companies from dispensaries to merchant services. Of course we attempted to do all of these at once. After a few years of being pulled in 1,000 directions I decided to bow out and begin a new adventure. It was then in early 2011 I founded Solstice with Will Denman and hoped to only be pulled in 100 directions by focusing on cultivation.
Will and I started Solstice with the goal of helping to legitimize and normalize medical cannabis by being a public cannabis cultivator that was transparent about what we did and why, with everyone from law enforcement to patients. Simply put, we wanted to take the plant from what marijuana was to what cannabis can be. This was a rather crazy concept at that point in Washington’s history, but we took Steve DeAngelo’s charge of “out of the shadows and into the light” to heart. When the first Times article came out about how we were building the state’s first fully permitted cultivation facility, my paranoia was elevated to say the least.
Fortunately, instead of being cast out of society and thrown in prison we were embraced and celebrated. This gave us a platform to further our goal of helping to legitimize/normalize and we were welcomed in by legislators and regulators to craft what the world of regulated cannabis was going to look like. It was then that we successfully helped to write and pass our first ordinance for cannabis at the city level. From there under the Solstice flag we have helped to craft countless pieces of legislation and regulation from the neighborhood micro level in the SoDo District to the international stage at the United Nations and everything in between. Though we spend a lot of our time working on policy (I’m currently on a plane to DC to lobby Congress with NCIA!) we actually grow a good amount of cannabis.
At Solstice we have done so much with the plant and a have stellar team that has grown the business beyond my wildest dreams. It’s crazy, we’ve gone from starting the company in the downstairs of my house to building multiple state of the art facilities and working with sun-grown partner farms with canopy exceeding acres and acres of cultivation in both the medical and adult uses systems. We are also very proud to have the distinction of being the first cannabis brand in the first fully legal state. Along the way, we have grown cannabis that has won countless awards, stopped children from having seizures, at a high point employing 75 people, and had a lot of fun along the way.
Looking back ten years to that day I propagated those first seeds in my closet, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I have been so incredibly fortunate to get to learn so much, grow a business, manage to succeed while failing a lot, make life-long friends, and some say, change the world. Going from not planning to do this for that long to not even being able to comprehend doing something else with my life; it’s been quite a ride. In truth for me, cannabis is my life’s work.
For more information about my story, please check out the Solstice Company Story video:
In order to cast a vote, you will need to log into NCIA’s secure member ballot using your member company login. Only ONE ballot can be submitted per member company.
Please be sure to download and review our complete Voter Guide (PDF) before casting your vote.
Board of Directors Candidate – Etienne Fontan
by Etienne Fontan, Director of Berkeley Patients Group
In the early days of Berkeley Patients Group (BPG), we had visions of a mature, responsible industry that would provide affordable, high quality medicine to everyone who needs access. We envisioned a future where truth and science trumped fear and lies. We dreamed of an industry with quality and testing standards and favorable banking regulations. And we did everything in our power to push this agenda forward with courage, integrity, and the patients at the center of everything we do.
Look how far we have come.
Today, many of our early visions have come to fruition. Through our hard work and relentless drive, we live in world that is far more tolerant to cannabis than ever. We live in world where more than half of America lives in a state with some form of legal cannabis. But there is still an incredible amount of difficult work to be done.
Throughout my tenure at BPG, I have worked tirelessly to innovate and question our own thinking and overall direction. I have been instrumental in constantly redefining (and occasionally disrupting) the industry. These efforts have driven positive change for our business and our industry alike.
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
— President John F. Kennedy
After 23 years in this industry, my focus continues to be on our very bright future. We are in a time of great progress and rapid development; visionary leadership at the helm of the NCIA is integral to further legitimizing and solidifying our nascent industry.
When you cast your vote by May 16th, please cast your vote for innovation, progress, and integrity. I look forward to continuing to serve all of you.
In order to cast a vote, you will need to log into NCIA’s secure member ballot using your member company login. Only ONE ballot can be submitted per member company.
Please be sure to download and review our complete Voter Guide (PDF) before casting your vote.
Board of Directors Candidate – Aaron Justis
As someone who’s been active in the cannabis movement for nearly two decades, and a member of the NCIA board of directors since 2014, I’m thrilled by the progress we’ve made in the last two years towards ending cannabis prohibition and creating a properly regulated economy around this most beneficial plant. But it’s not enough. My driving motivation, now as when I first became a member of this culture, remains helping to create a world where no adult faces punishment for cannabis, and the plant is safely and readily accessible to all who want or need it.
In my role as president of Buds & Roses, a vertically integrated medical cannabis dispensary in Los Angeles, I’ve experienced firsthand the political, legal, and commercial challenges facing cannabis growers, product manufacturers, and retailers, while navigating one of the most difficult and shifting regulatory environments in the country. Despite these and other business challenges, I’ve nonetheless made a personal commitment to devote at least half of my working life to supporting cannabis as a political cause, including by attending NCIA board meetings and working directly with our members, tirelessly lobbying public officials, speaking at events and conferences, serving as a trusted source for the media, and holding leadership positions in local, state, and national organizations that promote sensible industry regulation. including the Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance (GLACA), and the California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA).
Looking forward to the next two years, my main focus will be working to shape inclusive and effective cannabis regulations in Los Angeles and the rest of Southern California, as this is not only my home base, but also the largest legal market in the country. I’ll also strive to ensure that The Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act—California’s new set of “seed-to-sale” regulations—is implemented in a way that supports a robust and broad-based industry that actively serves the needs of patients.
Also, this November, it’s likely that California voters will have a chance to approve full legalization of cannabis, assuming the Adult Use of Marijuana Act makes the ballot. As in many other areas of public policy—from automobile emission standards to consumer protection laws—the massive size and influence of California as the nation’s largest state and the world’s eighth largest economy ensures that the system implemented here will serve as a starting point for many future legalization/regulation efforts across the country, so it’s vital that any system we create and implement here works for growers, manufacturers, and retailers of all sizes, as well as consumers and patients.
While more broadly, with the presidential election rapidly approaching, the future of federal cannabis policy—as it relates to everything from enforcement to scheduling to tax reform (including 280E and banking)—looms large as both an exciting opportunity for progress and a potentially serious challenge, depending on who wins the presidency, and how our industry responds.
To continue our incredible progress, and not suffer a setback, I believe it’s vital that we’re represented by leadership with a long track record of promoting cannabis legalization as a public policy issue, or we risk coming across as just another industry lobbying in its own financial self-interest.
If I win re-election to the NCIA board, I promise to use all of my experience and resources to continue our breathtaking progress, and that I won’t stop advocating for this cause until all 50 states (and the rest of the planet) have ended their unconscionable War on Cannabis. If you have any questions or concerns, or just want to hear more about my goals and strategies, please contact me via budsandrosesla.com.
In order to cast a vote, you will need to log into NCIA’s secure member ballot using your member company login. Only ONE ballot can be submitted per member company.
This will be the 3rd NCIA Lobby Days I’ve organized, and each year has gotten bigger and better. In my first year, we had about 60 attendees and about 60 congressional meetings. A year later, we had 100 attendees and 100 meetings. This year, we aim to keep that growth going, with a goal of 150 attendees and 200 congressional meetings. Think about it – having 200 meetings would be such a powerful image for our movement and show Congress the strides we have made over the past few years.
When you attend Lobby Days, you work together with like-minded industry leaders from around the country to make your voice heard. The power of numbers is enormous. Even more importantly, you protect your interests. I don’t have to remind you that cannabis is still illegal at the federal level and people’s businesses are still being shut down, assets seized, and lives ruined. This will never change until Congress addresses this injustice and changes federal law, and they won’t change the laws if the American public is silent on this matter. If you don’t take the time to lobby on these issues and make your voice heard, who will? If you don’t care enough about protecting your business interests, why should Congress care?
NCIA is fighting every day for your interests, but we can’t do it alone. We need you to amplify what we are doing, and be the positive public face of the industry we talk about every day.
For those of you who think, “What difference does it make?” check out Ean Seeb’s recent blog post. Ean visited Washington, D.C., in January and educated members of the Hawaii delegation on the latest in our industry. Soon after, Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) co-sponsored our banking bill (S. 1726). Constantly reminding offices about our issues keeps it on their radar and hearing it from constituents is so important.
Finally, if you’ve been following NCIA, you know we’ve had a lot of success passing pro-cannabis amendments on appropriations bills. It is looking like the House of Representatives will be debating an amendment soon after our Lobby Days that would allow Veterans Affairs doctors to discuss cannabis with their patients. The timeliness is great and gives our members a chance to remind offices why they need to support ALL cannabis reform legislation. With your help, we can have another cannabis victory!
I am excited to see old friends and meet new members next week. I am looking forward to hitting our Lobby Days goals and need your help to make it happen. Remember, if you don’t fight, who will? Please join me.
See you next week!
VOTING NOW OPEN: 2016 Board of Directors Election
NCIA’s annual board of directors election is now open for all members looking to help select the leadership of the cannabis industry’s only national trade association!
If you are a member of NCIA, we hope that you will take some time to consider the great candidates vying for a seat on the board and cast a vote between now and May 16, when the online election closes.
For NCIA members:
In order to cast a vote, you will need to log into NCIA’s secure member ballot using your member company login. Only ONE ballot can be submitted per member company.
If you do not remember your password or are having trouble logging in, please contact us at info@thecannabisindustry.org or (303) 223-4530.
Please be sure to download and review our complete Voter Guide (PDF) before casting your vote.
Not yet a member of NCIA? If you are not a member of NCIA but want to participate in the election, join today and we’ll provide you access to the online ballot. Your membership will also support the industry’s only unified and coordinated effort to reform federal marijuana laws as well as provide other member benefits enjoyed by the nearly 1,000 responsible cannabis businesses that make up NCIA’s network.
A few other important items about the board election:
Each member business can only vote once and votes cannot be changed once submitted online.
Members can vote for up to 11 of the 22 nominated candidates.
Votes are weighted according to membership status. If you are a member and would like to upgrade your membership to increase your influence in the board election, please contact us at (888) 683-5650 to process the upgrade before completing your online ballot.
There are eleven open board of directors seats and 22 nominated candidates (including ten current board members seeking reelection). Please refer to your voter guide for information on all the candidates and for more information on board election logistics before casting your vote online.
2016 Board Candidates:
Caela Bintner – Faces Human Capital Management
Brian Caldwell – Triple C Collective
Alex Cooley – Solstice
John Davis (incumbent) – Northwest Patient Resource Center
Troy Dayton (incumbent) – The ArcView Group
Etienne Fontan (incumbent) – Berkeley Patients Group
Steve Janjic – Amercanex
Neil Juneja – Gleam Law
Aaron Justis (incumbent) – Buds and Roses Collective
Brendan Kennedy – Privateer Holdings
Kris Krane (incumbent) – 4Front Ventures
Neal Levine – LivWell Enlightened Health
Jaime Lewis (incumbent) – Mountain Medicine
Randy Maslow – Ianthus Capital
Norris Monson – Cultivated Industries
Lance Ott (incumbent) – Guardian Data Systems
Erich Pearson (incumbent) – SPARC
Glenn Peterson – Canuvo
Tom Quigley – Gluu
Ean Seeb (incumbent) – Denver Relief Consulting
Bryan Sullivan – DANK
Scott Van Rixel (incumbent) – Bhang Corporation
Participation in NCIA’s board election is one of the most important ways to engage as a member of your trade association, as it ensures that your values are represented within NCIA’s leadership. NCIA’s elected board is responsible for approving the organization’s budget and strategic plan as well as contributing to the organization financially and through developing membership.
Thank you for your membership and commitment to working together to build the responsible, legitimate, and sustainable industry that we envisioned at the founding of NCIA.
Member Spotlight: District Growers
While the fate of establishing a well-regulated cannabis industry in the District of Columbia remains up the air, a small handful of medical marijuana dispensaries have been operating for several years to serve extremely ill patients in our nation’s capital. Located in the northeast neighborhood of our nation’s capital, District Growers is a close-knit, local business founded with the goal of creating only the highest quality cannabis products on the market. This month, we chat with owner Corey Barnette to hear more about efforts to serve the community of Washington, D.C.
Tell me a bit about you and why you opened District Growers?
District Growers owner Corey Barnette
My background is that of an engineer-turned-investment-banker-turned-venture capitalist. In early 2003, I stepped away from the Small Enterprise Assistance Fund, an emerging market venture fund, to acquire small high-growth companies operating in traditional industries. Between 2003 and 2010, I and my team acquired six different small businesses across the country in numerous industries.
In 2008, a friend and colleague invited me to serve on the board of – and eventually acquire – the San Diego Medical Collective (SDMC), a dispensary in San Diego, California. The purchase of SDMC was my entry to the formal medical cannabis industry. While operating in San Diego, my team and I built two of the ten largest dispensaries out of more than 238 dispensaries in the San Diego area. We served a patient base greater than 16,000 patients strong and produced approximately 30% of the medicine provided within our own patient gardens. After federal authorities began threatening landlords in the San Diego area, I sold the operations in San Diego to my employees after converting our platform to a delivery service.
Upon winning a license in Washington, D.C., where I maintained residence since 1999, I founded District Growers to offer medical marijuana program patients with safe, high-quality, medicinal-grade cannabis and cannabis-infused products. I also acquired the Metropolitan Wellness Center, a licensed dispensary in Washington, D.C., to provide a high-quality, dignified purchasing experience to patients in a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing environment. Leveraging our prior experience, knowledge of local preferences, and superior operating tactics, we have become the largest dispensary operator in Washington, D.C., with approximately a third of patients belonging to our dispensary exclusively.
Why should patients seeking medical cannabis seek out District Growers?
At District Growers, we recognize that patients depend on our products for their livelihood and well-being. Further, many of those patients are our employees, relatives, and friends. Because of this, we engage in a constant quest to offer the best quality products – bar none.
Internally, we use the phrase “Grow True” to define our efforts. We use this term as a constant reminder of our goal to provide to those who depend on our solutions. To accomplish this, we marry cutting-edge cultivation solutions, proven technologies, and nature’s very own touch to achieve unmatched quality. When it comes to cultivation, we believe that convenient shortcuts should never overcome proven methods. Consequently, we have taken the time to optimize our methods and processes to deliver the highest quality. From our production methods to our service, we endeavor to exceed all expectations. It is not enough to be the best if the best is not perfect. Put simply, to Grow True is to pursue perfection.
As a business owner, you’re very involved in your community and in causes that you care about. Can you tell us more about what matters most to you, and how your business participates in pushing for progress?
The team at District Growers
As a provider of relief solutions to the sick and vulnerable, District Growers views its entire offering as a betterment to the community. Additionally, we recognize that our industry carries with it a negative taboo. To combat this taboo and to carry the burden of good stewardship within our community, we push for progress primarily in three ways: in the garden, in the community, and in the town hall.
In the Garden – Simply put, we endeavor to be the most trusted source of medicinal grade cannabis to patients seeking treatment with cannabis.
In the Community – District Growers is a strong supporter of community gardens in Washington, D.C. We offer employees paid time-off when such is approved in the service of working with community gardens and in-home fruit & vegetable gardens.
In the Town Hall – District Growers actively works with legislators, regulators, and activist organizations to set policies around cannabis that better serve the public interest. It is our belief that today’s prohibitionary policies do more harm than good to our society. Consequently, we actively seek to change these policies for the betterment of our communities and our industry.
Why did you join NCIA?
Because we exist in an industry that suffers a negative stigma, it is imperative that we organize as an industry to promote our industry image, to promote good policy, and to promote good outcomes. NCIA is best positioned generally to do that. Consequently, we seek to be supportive.
On April 4th, Senator Schatz of Hawaii became the 12th Senate co-sponsor of the Marijuana Business Access to Banking Act (S 1726).
Ean’s overall sentiment about the experience? Hard work pays off.
Ean Seeb, Denver Relief Consulting:
It was a sense of accomplishment in that when you’re working with Congress, things are very slow-moving and we have been dealing with the banking and tax issues repeatedly since my first NCIA Lobby Days in 2013.
As far as the experience of going into a congressional office and telling them you’re working with cannabis and asking them to back or co-sponsor some legislation, back then, it was a foreign thought. Contrast that with now – to walk in and have the recognition, know what we’re doing, and three months later to see a Senator actually fulfilling the only request that we made to him, specifically, to co-sponsor this bill.
All of our efforts are not for naught. If you put your mind to it, you go to work, and you extend some effort on behalf of the industry, you can make powerful, meaningful change here. Having another Senate supporter, even harder to come by than on the House side – it’s an incredible accomplishment.
I was delighted. It’s not due to any one person individually. NCIA’s Michael Correia, Director of Government Relations, set up the meeting and put it all together. It made me feel better about working hard and diligently with a team and getting to the solution to the challenge we’re facing. Sen. Schatz can’t himself enact the banking bill, but this is one more step toward chipping away at cannabis prohibition as we know it.
Tae Darnell and Ean Seeb stand outside of Senator Schatz’s congressional office in D.C.
It was really helpful to have my fellow NCIA member Tae Darnell there. I didn’t know it at the time, but Tae wrote the draft legislation for Hawaii, so he was really well-informed on the issues we were discussing and was able to provide some good examples as to why it was important to get behind the bill.
Tae Darnell, Sensi Media:
I’ve been deeply involved with Hawaii since 2010, when I drafted the first version of the medical marijuana bill that just passed. Although much has shifted since the original version, I’ve developed close connections at the state level and have a particular affinity for Hawaii’s role in the advancement of cannabis regulation because of those relationships.
When Ean approached me about lobbying with Michael and speaking with the federal arm of Hawaii (one of those being Senator Schatz’s office), I jumped at the opportunity. I think it’s incredibly helpful to be able to share direct experience and engage conversation that personalizes the story at a federal level. I also think it helps to be able to diversify perspective. In that regard, Ean was able to share his NCIA experience as well as Denver Relief’s experience both as a dispensary and consultant. I was able to share my experience as an (almost) 10-year cannabis lawyer who assisted Colorado with HB 1284, SB 109, and A64, and also as a drafter of Hawaii’s legislation. As a co-founder of Surna and Sensi Media, I was also able to share my experience as an entrepreneur on the ancillary side.
In the end, and based on my experience as a cannabis lawyer and entrepreneur, I’m incredibly excited that the work of NCIA is able to facilitate such incredible accomplishments. The countless hours of effort, put in by so many, are rewarded when we, as an industry, are able to accomplish goals like gaining sponsorship for critical banking legislation. I think successes like these are further validation of how critical it is that we continue to aggressively support the work of NCIA. The time is now to effect change, and the nearly 1,000 member businesses of NCIA are a major catalyst for why it’s happening.
Want your voice heard in our nation’s capitol on issues affecting the cannabis industry? Join us for our 6th Annual NCIA Member Lobby Days in Washington, D.C., on May 12 & 13, 2016.
To make the most out of the Lobby Days experience, register early so that we can begin the process of setting up meetings for you on the Hill. Members who register before April 30th will be entered to win admission and travel expenses for two at NCIA’s Cannabis Business Summit & Expo, including airfare and lodging.
Breaking It Down: Appropriations
by Michelle Rutter, NCIA Government Relations Coordinator
CannApprops
Every year, Congress must pass appropriations legislation to fund federal government operations for the upcoming fiscal year. This annual funding bill has been one of the only avenues by which pro-cannabis reform language can be inserted into the federal budget, due to Congress’ inability to pass meaningful stand-alone legislation addressing the legal cannabis industry.
The Appropriations Committees have always been two of the most influential committees in Congress, since the Committees’ power is derived from its ability to disburse funds. The House Appropriations Committee is currently chaired by Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), with Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) as the highest-ranking Democratic member, and the Senate Appropriations Committee is chaired by Thad Cochran (R-MS) with Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) as the ranking Democrat.
Because it is unlikely that Congress will enact stand-alone pro-cannabis legislation this session, NCIA has decided to focus intensely on the appropriations process this year. In addition to making sure that the Rohrabacher-Farr medical cannabis amendment passes for the third year in a row, NCIA will be focusing on getting amendments included in the final budget bill that pertain to banking access and that protect all state-compliant cannabis businesses, not just medical ones. The continued inclusion of the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment in the final budget bill is crucial to cannabis policy moving forward into a new administration. We at NCIA want to ensure that this amendment is seen as non-controversial as we go into FY2017.
Over the years, the budget process in Washington, D.C. has become broken and it has become harder for Congress to perform basic functions. New Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) has thrown his support behind returning to “regular order” in the budget process – meaning that Congress would return to the piece-by-piece appropriations process rather than passing large omnibus budget bills as has been the case in recent years. Although the Speaker has good intentions, small groups and caucuses in the House of Representatives are unhappy with the spending levels proposed in many of the new appropriations bills, making it more likely that an omnibus bill will again be passed, despite Speaker Ryan’s desire to return to regular order.
This “regular order” of the appropriations process usually starts in February as various pieces of legislation works its way through the Appropriations Committee and finally to the House/Senate Floor. Congress typically starts with less controversial bills in April and then works through the spring and summer months until all appropriations bills are completed. Legally, they need to be completed by September 30th (as October 1st is the start of the new fiscal year). Regular order gives NCIA multiple opportunities to insert pro-cannabis amendments into the legislation. With an omnibus or stopgap bill, it becomes much more difficult to include pro-cannabis amendments.
In Years Past
Last year, there were two pro-cannabis amendments included in the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill that made it into the final budget: the Bonamici-Massie industrial hemp amendment and the Rohrabacher-Farr medical marijuana amendment. The Bonamici-Massie amendment blocks federal money from being used to prevent states from allowing the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of industrial hemp. This means that the federal government cannot use federal funds to enforce federal law against state-compliant businesses dealing with hemp. This measure passed the House of Representatives overwhelmingly: the vote was 282-146, with 101 Republicans voting in favor.
The second pro-cannabis amendment in the FY2016 budget was the Rohrabacher-Farr medical marijuana amendment, which was included for the second year in a row. This amendment bans the Department of Justice from spending money to prevent the implementation of state-level medical cannabis programs, in addition to removing funding for federal medical cannabis raids, arrests and prosecutions in states where medical cannabis is legal. The vote count increased from 219-189 in 2014 to 242-186 this year, with 67 Republicans voting ‘Yes’. Just like the Bonamici-Massie hemp amendment, the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment prohibits the Department of Justice from enforcing federal law against state-legal medical cannabis businesses.
Remember…
It’s crucial to remember that these appropriations amendments only pertain to the current fiscal year and have to be voted on and renewed every year. The NCIA team and our lobbyists in Washington, D.C., are working intently with appropriators and other Members of Congress to ensure that pro-cannabis amendments and provisions are included in the federal budget this year – whether that be through “regular order” or otherwise.
Want your voice heard in our nation’s capitol on issues affecting the cannabis industry? Join us for our 6th Annual NCIA Member Lobby Days in Washington, D.C., on May 12 & 13, 2016.
To make the most out of the Lobby Days experience, register early so that we can begin the process of setting up meetings for you on the Hill. Members who register before April 30th will be entered to win admission and travel expenses for two at NCIA’s Cannabis Business Summit & Expo, including airfare and lodging.
Video Newsletter: Member Spotlight on Eden Labs
In our latest Video Member Spotlight, NCIA introduces you to one of our Sustaining Members based in Seattle.
Eden Labs specializes in the design, manufacture, research, and development of a wide range of botanical CO2 extraction equipment. CEO AC Braddock also serves on NCIA’s Board of Directors.
Watch the video to hear AC describe the passion for plant-based medicine that brought her to Eden Labs and the commitment to advocacy and community that brought her to NCIA.
“Once you become a businessperson in this industry, you automatically become an activist…”
You can meet the Eden Labs team and more than 3,000 other cannabis industry leaders at the 2016 Cannabis Business Summit in Oakland, CA, June 20-22. Get your tickets today!
Want your voice heard in our nation’s capitol on issues affecting the cannabis industry? Join us for our 6th Annual NCIA Member Lobby Days in Washington, D.C., on May 12 & 13, 2016.
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“The reality is that half of U.S. states have already passed effective laws allowing patients legal access to medical cannabis, and it is changing lives,”
Each year, Congress recesses for the month of August. Traditionally, this time has been used for Members to return home to their districts and meet with constituents and, of course, campaign for re-election. Though this makes August a quiet month in D.C., it’s a great time for you and your colleagues to get involved with the political process, engage with Members of Congress, and educate them on cannabis policy. 
There’s no doubt that cannabis was on Congress’s mind because NCIA held its sixth annual Cannabis Industry Lobby Days in May! More than 150 cannabis professionals convened in Washington, D.C., for two days of advocacy that included more than 200 scheduled meetings and approximately 175 more drop-in meetings, as well as a 
According to Cody Stiffler, vice president of Government Affairs at BioTrackTHC, who was also present at the panel discussion, Congress has placed so many restrictions on the ability and powers of the DEA, that they can only reschedule cannabis to a Schedule II status. He believes there is almost no possible way that the DEA can de-schedule cannabis. The panel discussed Congress’s consideration of a waiver program for states with legalized cannabis in some form or another. “They [Congress] plan to give the U.S. Attorney General powers to offer waivers to state governments, exempting that state from federal law regarding cannabis, allowing banks and other institutions to take part in the industry without fear of federal backlash under the Controlled Substances Act,” says Stiffler. The waivers would have a duration of a number of years and a reporting and review process would follow the expiration of each waiver. “If the Attorney General decides that states are following the directives of the Cole Memo, then they will be able to continue, but if the data collected proves otherwise, those waivers would then be suspended or revoked,” adds Stiffler. It is important to note that the bill gives states the opportunity to correct any failures before those waivers are revoked.
ccording to Trumble, the SMART Enforcement Act would resolve many of the conflicts between federal law and state legalization measures. “It is the bridge that gets us from the broken system we have now to a future date when public opinion and Members’ positions may have shifted, while in the meantime fixing the problems people are experiencing on the ground,” says Trumble. She believes the bill provides for the protection of consumer safety through logical regulatory systems while eliminating federal prohibition of cannabis. “Every three years, a state will have to re-apply for the waiver and submit data showing that their regulations are working to keep Americans safe.” This would allow states to have the space they need to implement a sound regulatory framework.
Aaron G. Biros is the editor-in-chief of 
Hopefully by now you know the importance of building your brand’s presence on social media. However, there may be days when you ask yourself, “WTF am I doing?” 
Thanks in part to an over-saturation of weed porn and of course constantly 
As a successful entrepreneur, longtime marijuana advocate and medical grower, Alexa Divett understands the unique needs of the cannabis industry. 
When I was cooking, the Bay Area was home to a new sustainability movement that focused on local ingredients. Pioneering chefs like 
At a recent event, I spoke with a woman about her catering services, a service that pairs fine dining with smoked flower. When I asked about using cannabis as an ingredient, psychoactive or not, she said it was “too dangerous.”
Mountain Medicine recently became the first edibles company to co-brand with a mainstream (non-cannabis) food manufacturer. On my constant hunt for the best local ingredients, I discovered 
Jaime Lewis has more than nine years of experience managing the production of medical marijuana-infused products (MIP), as well as all facets of managing and operating a medical and recreational marijuana dispensary. A California Culinary Academy graduate, she’s worked in many highly acclaimed kitchens, including serving as the executive chef of a Michelin-rated three-star restaurant in San Francisco. She began creating medical marijuana edibles for HIV/AIDS patients in California in 2006 as part of a Compassion Co-op.
When asked to write for the NCIA blog, I first thought I’m not sure if anyone really wants to read my ramblings via an open blog format. So I thought about where most of my cannabis conversations start and end. More often than not, I am asked how I started out, what it has been like, and where I think the industry, Solstice, and myself are headed. Recently I celebrated 10 years cultivating the cannabis plant and I figured this format is as good as any to rehash (pun intended) the last decade of my life.
In the early days of 
As someone who’s been active in the cannabis movement for nearly two decades, and a member of the NCIA board of directors since 2014, I’m thrilled by the progress we’ve made in the last two years towards ending cannabis prohibition and creating a properly regulated economy around this most beneficial plant. But it’s not enough. My driving motivation, now as when I first became a member of this culture, remains helping to create a world where no adult faces punishment for cannabis, and the plant is safely and readily accessible to all who want or need it.
By Michael Correia, NCIA Director of Government Relations
At District Growers, we recognize that patients depend on our products for their livelihood and well-being. Further, many of those patients are our employees, relatives, and friends. Because of this, we engage in a constant quest to offer the best quality products – bar none.
