You’ve hired your team! Now, how do you manage that talent?
Most small business owners have demonstrated they are savvy enough to have launched an organization under the most demanding circumstances in business today. But I believe all small business owners go through a rude awakening when they realize the demands of being responsible for every aspect of that business – marketing, legal, accounting, IT, operations, and human resources. If HR isn’t one of your strongest skill sets, I hope to share insights that will build your HR competencies!
Your people are your greatest asset. Are you wondering how to maximize their value to you and your organization, and vice versa? Here are what I consider to be the top five steps to take to drive results and ensure success.
SET GOALS
What are your organization’s goals for the next year? Do you want to increase revenue by 20%? Increase production by 10%? Once you have one to five goals for the organization, set team goals that directly support the organization’s goals and individual goals that support the team goals. Then, everyone is aligned with your vision.
COMMUNICATE
You have to tell the teams and the individuals what those goals are so 1) they have purpose, and 2) you can hold them accountable. Remember, communication is the exchange of information. So collaborate with your teams and utilize their input and ideas. Make time to communicate with all the individuals that work for you – regularly and frequently.
REWARD YOUR PEOPLE
Competitive compensation and benefits are important, but most of us place more value on other forms of recognition. Have you witnessed the expression on an employee’s face when thanked for a stellar idea? Have you seen the flush of pride when an employee is publicly recognized for a job well done? The gesture costs nothing but your time and effort. There are many zero-to-low cost means of rewarding employees that one can consider.
DON’T AVOID CONFRONTATION
As a new manager, I found this to be the most difficult task to learn – to address poor behavior or performance immediately. Always discipline in private, present the issue for discussion, consider the employee’s side, and work together towards a solution. If the behavior or performance can’t be improved, then you need to get better talent. Often, the business suffers solely because we are avoiding confrontation.
BE A LEADER
Communicate your vision and compel employees to follow you by being collaborative, decisive, and respectful!
Carole Richter, CRichter ~ HR Consulting
Managing your talent can be one of the most difficult and rewarding aspects of being a business owner. The task is difficult because you are always dealing with variations on a theme! The people and the factors involved in each developmental opportunity are rarely the same. But, when your employee succeeds, you succeed.
Carole Richter, owner of CRichter ~ HR Consulting, has been a member of NCIA since May 2014. Carole consults with owners of small-to-medium-sized businesses to support, complement, or develop their skill set in talent management. She offers extensive experience in recruiting, training and facilitation, employee relations, negotiation and conflict resolution, talent management, leadership development, and succession planning.
For more on navigating the complex issues of human resources, register today for NCIA’s upcoming Educational Series event, Recruit, Retain, and Develop Your Talent, taking place on March 2at the History Colorado Center in Denver!
Recruit, Retain and Develop Your Talent — This panel of experts will help you build your human resources competencies! They will present the latest trends in talent acquisition and management. You will learn how to select the best person for the position and your organization, discover how to set and align your teams towards organizational goals, and drive and engage your best performers while managing others, up or out! Acquire the knowledge and tools you need to ensure your employees and your organization are successful.
Guest Post: Illinois Cannabis Businesses – Guidelines for Compliance with Illinois Employment Laws
By Jennifer Adams Murphy, Esq., and Ryan Helgeson, Esq., of Wessels Sherman
If you are successful in obtaining a dispensing or cultivation license under the Illinois Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act (“IMCA”), you have already made a substantial time and financial investment in your new business. You know that to be successful, you must have a dependable workforce. Continued success, however, will require employment policies which will minimize the substantial risks and costs of employment litigation and regulatory challenge. To that end, the following issues should be addressed before you begin to hire employees:
Hiring Considerations
Needless to say, your application process must be compliant with state and federal discrimination laws. Of specific relevance to your business will be federal and state laws pertaining to arrest and conviction records. The EEOC generally considers blanket rejection of applicants with conviction records illegal, and state and federal laws prohibit inquiries regarding arrest records. These laws require special attention in your business because the IMCA requires that all employees of a dispensing organization or cultivation center obtain an “agent identification card” which will not be issued under the (proposed) regulations when an applicant has been convicted of violent crimes and certain felonies. Without a card, an individual cannot commence employment under the IMCA. Because of the potential conflict between IMCA regulations and these employment laws, the safest practice is to advise applicants that their employment is contingent upon their receipt of an identification card from the state (rather than incorporating the conviction restriction into your application).
The IMCA requirements for issuance of an agent identification card, which appear to require an applicant to have a Social Security card, are in potential conflict with I-9 employment authorization requirements. Pursuant to I-9 regulations, an employer may not specify which documents an employee provides to demonstrate their employment authorization. An employee can provide any documents that satisfy the Form I-9 requirements; employers cannot insist upon a particular document such as a Social Security card. To avoid violation of federal law, your application process should clearly state that the required Social Security card and state identification card are to meet the agent identification requirements and not for employment authorization purposes.
A contract disclaimer should be included in your employment application to ensure the at-will status of any hired employees.
Employment Record Retention
The proposed IMCA regulations require that all employment-related documents be retained for five years. I-9 employment authorization forms must be completed and retained apart from employees’ personnel files.
Employee Classification
Employers who grow and transport cannabis may be able to take advantage of overtime exemptions under state and federal law. In certain situations, minimum wage exemptions may also be available. However, do not assume minimum wage or overtime exemptions apply — careful evaluation is required. Also, regardless of classification, hours worked must be recorded and retained.
Other Policy Considerations
An employment handbook should be considered. Handbooks should have contract disclaimers and must include anti-harassment policies. In addition, employment policies should address privacy issues, particularly given the regulatory requirements of video monitoring in this industry.
Required posters pertaining to employment laws must be posted.
Adoption of an employment dispute arbitration policy should be considered. A carefully drafted arbitration policy will provide for resolution of employee disputes through arbitration rather than in courts.
Voluntary compliance with the Illinois Drug-Free Workplace Act may be a wise choice. After a conditional offer of employment is made, cannabis cultivators may wish to require a drug screening. Thereafter, a program of reasonable suspicion or random drug testing could be implemented.
Employment laws are always challenging to navigate. The issues outlined above are examples of some of the issues which are easily overlooked or misunderstood. A thorough understanding of your responsibilities as an employer in this highly regulated area will diminish the risk of costly and disruptive claims.
For further information, please contact Jennifer Adams Murphy, Shareholder at Wessels Sherman Law Firm (630-377-1554 or jemurphy@wesselssherman.com) or Ryan Helgeson, Associate Attorney (312-629-9300 or ryhelgeson@wesselssherman.com).
Wessels Sherman is a law firm with offices in Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa with a practice limited to management-side labor and employment law, and has been a member of NCIA since September 2014. Ms. Murphy has been practicing for over 27 years, counseling clients and litigating before agencies and state and federal courts. Mr. Helgeson counsels and represents clients in connection with immigration and other employment-related matters.
For more on navigating the complex issues 0f human resources, register today for NCIA’s upcoming Educational Series event, Recruit, Retain, and Develop Your Talent, taking place on March 2 at the History Colorado Center in Denver!
Recruit, Retain and Develop Your Talent — This panel of experts will help you build your human resources competencies! They will present the latest trends in talent acquisition and management. You will learn how to select the best person for the position and your organization, discover how to set and align your teams towards organizational goals, and drive and engage your best performers while managing others, up or out! Acquire the knowledge and tools you need to ensure your employees and your organization are successful. Featuring: Kara Bradford, Chief Talent Officer, Viridian Staffing — Carole Richter, Principal, CRichter ~ HR Consulting, LLC — Maureen McNamara, Cannabis Trainers.
NCIA Member Profile: MBank
In the course of less than a week at the end of January, Oregon-based MBank went from announcing that they would be doing business with cannabis companies in Colorado to breaking the news that they would be retreating from Colorado for the time being, unable to support the infrastructure required to offer these services in the state. As NCIA’s first bank member, we sat down with CEO Jef Baker to ask a few questions and get to know them better.
Cannabis Industry Sector:
Financial Services
NCIA Sustaining Member Since:
December 2014
One of MBank’s brick and mortar locations in Lake Grove, Oregon.
How does MBank uniquely serve the cannabis industry?
One of MBank’s goals is to serve the underserved. We recognize that serving the cannabis industry very much meets that objective. With that mission in mind, we set about figuring out how to provide banking services. We’re a little unique in that way as a bank has to be creative and innovative in order to go about solving problems.
Why should cannabis industry professionals looking for financial services use MBank?
While we recognize there are very few banks legitimately operating in this space and therefore few good choices for cannabis industry professionals, our hope is people choose to bank with us for the same reason anyone does. That means they understand what we’re about and hopefully appreciate wanting to partner with someone that has a vision they agree with. Beyond wanting to change the status quo with regards to banking, we also take great pride in customer service through treating people with respect.
NCIA’s primary mission includes advocating for equal access to banking, but many banks in this country are reluctant or not willing to work with cannabis business owners. What are your thoughts on the future of banking in the cannabis industry? How will this situation improve for the industry going forward?
Smaller banks will most likely lead the way as they tend to embrace innovation a little more than larger institutions. As banks successfully demonstrate their ability to serve this industry, more banks will follow. If there are additional changes at the federal level, that most likely would generate more banks entering this space.
What are some of the challenges that banks have to deal with to do business with the cannabis industry?
CEO Jef Baker inside one of MBank’s Oregon locations.
Our challenge is to make sure we support and serve customers who understand that compliance is critical. We feel it is extremely important to ensure we implement strong policies and procedures, especially for new lines of business. The systems created are not designed to be intrusive or overbearing, but they are developed to help us manage risk, as we interpret it, as well as those that regulate us.
Do you still want to do business in Colorado, or other states?
The reason we are one of the first banks to so aggressively enter this space is part of our mission is to serve a completely underserved market. We very much want to serve customers in Colorado but have discovered we need to build our program to better handle the huge volume there.
How do you characterize your relationship with regulators on marijuana banking?
It is our belief that regulators do not object to their banks providing services to the cannabis industry. We believe they do have a high expectation of their banks developing strong compliance programs in this area. This is new and we are all learning together. It is critical for us to have a strong relationship with our regulators.
Why did you join NCIA?
MBank currently offers banking services for the cannabis industry in Oregon.
We believe this organization wants to see the cannabis industry be treated fairly by helping ensure that quality banking services are available. That is right in line with our mission of serving the underserved. Our position is not one that supports legalization or advocacy for legal matters (that is for others), but rather a focus on providing an industry banking services they deserve, which means both access to services as well as treating people with respect. We believe NCIA is an organization that will allow us to further and pursue that vision.
If you are a member of NCIA and would like to contribute to the NCIA blog, please contact development officer Bethany Moore by emailing bethany@thecannabisindustry.org.
Guest Post: Tax Time – Using an LLC To Minimize Section 280E Selling Costs
Although there are many legal considerations when choosing the right type of legal entity for your business, one consideration that is often overlooked is Section 280E. Corporations, including S corporations, are required to pay reasonable salaries to owners and officers working in the business. By “reasonable” in this context we mean a certain minimum salary amount. This requirement is due to Social Security tax issues that are beyond the scope of this article. The point is that owners must draw a salary and if that owner is involved in selling, marketing and/or delivery, then these salaries are subject to disallowance under 280E.
IS A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY RIGHT FOR MY BUSINESS?
A Limited Liability Company is different in this regard. There is no requirement to pay a salary to the business owner who works the business. Instead the net profit of the business is the income reported by the owner. (This applies to both single-member LLCs as well as to multi-member LLCs that are taxed like partnerships.) When owners report net income rather than salary, then they have no salary expense to be disallowed under Section 280E.
CONSULT YOUR CPA
Note that this benefit does not have to be limited only to the founder-LLC member. It is possible, with proper advice and planning, to create an LLC structure whereby all of the workers get treated as LLC members. Such a structure could substantially reduce your 280E expenses and give you the competitive advantage you need to succeed.
Want to learn how to navigate the complex tax & legal landscape of the growing cannabis industry? Join us for NCIA’s first Cannabis Tax And Law Symposium on January 21-22, 2015 in San Diego, CA, offering CPE and/or MCLE credits to attorneys or accountants that attend to learn more about these important topics! Register today.
Luigi Zamarra, CPA, has been a member of NCIA since 2013. Luigi CPA is an accounting firm located in Oakland, CA, that helps all types of businesses and individuals with tax planning, tax compliance, and tax dispute services. Luigi specializes in the medical marijuana industry. He helps these businesses comply with IRC Section 280E so as to balance tax cost against audit examination risk.
*Disclaimer: NCIA does not provide legal or financial services or advice. Any views or opinions presented in this guest blog post are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the organization. You must not rely on the legal information on our website as an alternative to legal or financial advice from your lawyer or other professional services provider.
NCIA Member Profile: The Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center
NCIA is kicking off the new year by celebrating one of the founding members of our association, The Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center, Inc., where they are committed to providing safe, dignified, and affordable access to medical marijuana for approved patients in the State of Rhode Island. CEO Gerry McGraw served as a licensed caregiver in the Rhode Island program, providing medicine for a patient with a chronic neurological disorder. He has advocated for the state’s program in legislative and other public forums, and retains deep relationships with key decision-makers in federal and state government.
Cannabis Industry Sector:
Medical Cannabis Providers
NCIA Founding and Sustaining Member Since:
April 2011
How do you uniquely serve the cannabis industry?
Rhode Island law allows for three licensed dispensaries (or “compassion centers”) to provide medicine to registered patients in the state. We are grateful and humbled to have the opportunity to care for a wide array of patients, offering safe access to high-quality medicine. The needs of our patients are quite varied, so it’s important not only to cultivate superior medicine, but also to produce a diverse product line to help the greatest number of people. We believe the choices offered to patients and the knowledge and compassion of our staff are what makes the Slater Center so unique.
Gerry McGraw, CEO of The Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center
Why should patients looking for medical cannabis go to The Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center?
Patients looking for medical cannabis should go to the Slater Center if they seek quality medicine, affordable prices, a secure environment, diverse product offerings, and a knowledgeable staff. First and foremost, our medicine is grown organically by a team of expert cultivators that understand strain diversification and achieving optimal results for patient efficacy. Our team is constantly developing new products for a variety of ingestion methods, empowering patients and helping them determine the best options for their care. We maintain a mission of helping all patients regardless of their ability to pay with the provision of free and reduced-price medicine. And our Providence location is a warm and inviting oasis that offers unmatched security for all patients under our care.
Medical cannabis patients have such a wide array of challenges, many of which are often met without the guidance of their doctors. How do you empower patients and help improve their quality of life?
Our commitment to patients goes well beyond simply providing high-quality medicine. We’ve created a new department in our facility called Patient Outreach Services. The focus of Patient Outreach is to offer ancillary health, wellness, information, and support services all free of charge. We provide regular programming like Cooking With Cannabis 101, grow classes, and nutrition seminars. Our expert staff members speak before Parkinson’s Disease support groups and have even presented to local chapters of state medical societies. We have an extensive in-house library with books and medical literature devoted to the research and healing advances associated with cannabis. And since we opened in 2013, we offer free massage therapy and Reiki therapy to all our patients — delivered right here in our facility. At the Slater Center, we strive to be a true patient resource that serves the full spectrum of needs of our patients.
An inside look at The Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center
Why did you join NCIA?
We are a proud to be a founding member of NCIA, having joined when the organization was first launched. Our CEO, Gerald McGraw, Jr. is also proud to serve as a founding NCIA board member. The Slater Compassion Center was first conceived in 2010, taking years of planning and dedication to finally become a reality. We knew right away that cannabis establishments needed to come together with leaders from all over the country to share best practices and raise the standards for this nascent industry. Moving forward, we also believed that corralling the efforts of advocates on state and federal legislative and regulatory issues would be increasingly important. NCIA was the perfect conduit to bring together folks from all corners of the country to unify the voice of those in the cannabis industry. We are thrilled to see the organization’s incredible growth and effective advocacy.
Everybody must get stoned. Okay, so Bob Dylan was actually referring to the heartbreak of relationships in this song, not our fair state of Colorado since the legalization of marijuana in 2012. But after you take a look at the numbers you’ll likely agree that “never gonna be the same again” is a fitting Dylan lyric to describe Colorado’s current cannabis culture. That includes, perhaps most significantly, the legal bud marketplace.
A recent study prepared for the Colorado Department of Revenue painted a telling picture of marijuana usage in the state. One surprising figure is that only 9% of the population consumes cannabis in some shape or form. But it’s the flipside of that statistic that makes Colorado, and other states like it, such a tantalizing opportunity for budding marijuana businesses. While Colorado has less than 500,000 cannabis users, those users do so at extremely high rates, to the tune of more than 120 metric tons annually.
Assuming the cannabis industry is here to stay, that begs the question: who is positioning themselves to reap the benefits of this legion of dedicated cannabis users? The answer: those who understand that the legal marijuana business is just that, a business. A key to long-term, sustained success in any business is creating brand loyalty. And, as of now, we know that Colorado marijuana consumers who shop retail have yet to develop any.
This isn’t lost on us at Atomic20. We’re a creative agency that specializes in market strategy and design for marijuana companies. We recently commissioned an independent study of cannabis users with the help of consumer research expert Koert Bakker. The findings paint a clear picture of the current consumer landscape…
Less than half, or 42%, of frequent marijuana shoppers have a regular store they visit.
Only 18% of casual/occasional shoppers favor any given store.
67% of occasional buyers are still learning what they like and rely on a friend or budtender to influence what they buy.
Bottom line: There is a lot of market share to be had with nearly 80% of occasional buyers and 60% of frequent shoppers still up for grabs.
So how do you go about capturing the frequent and occasional buyer, and then convert them into lifelong brand loyalists? Obviously, there’s no simple answer to that question. But here are few things to keep in mind:
Competitive pricing: Don’t kid yourself. Price supersedes just about any other factor in most buying decisions. Offering daily promotions and periodic sales is enticing to any marijuana user.
High quality: For pot smokers, this is one factor that can take precedence over price. If they find a strain they like, they will search it out and buy it again and again. Developing proprietary strains is one way to give a retail shop its own unique identity.
Market expertise: You have to have a clear understanding of what your customers want. Merchandise your shop in a logical way. Determine which edibles sell and only carry those.
Strong social media presence: Having great product at excellent prices means nothing if consumers don’t know about you. In the medical marijuana industry, social media has become an effective way of reaching out to patients. For example, having a Facebook page gives you a way to stay in touch with customers on a daily basis.
Knowledgeable and friendly customer service: This sounds easy enough, but you’d be surprised how many pot businesses fall short. Do the basics. Make sure the waiting area is clean and has comfortable seating. Offer pre-rolls that are rolled professionally. And, of course, know your product inside out.
This is a defining moment in the emerging Colorado marijuana industry. The consumer base is still anyone’s for the taking. So, even if everybody isn’t getting stoned, there’s no denying that the times they have a-changed, and the cannabis business is ripe for the picking.
Mike Kennedy is a staff writer for Atomic20 (A20) — Atomic20, a Sponsoring level member of NCIA since August 2014, is a full-service marketing agency and shared creative workspace in Boulder, Colorado. In mid-2014, A20 assembled a qualified team of MJ marketers and research experts to serve the rapidly growing needs of the cannabis industry. With a local network of 85 top designers, developers and researchers, A20 has the ability to curate the perfect team for its clients with a focus on dispensaries and MJ brands.
Guest Post: Say It Right – Colorado’s Retail Cannabis Advertising Regulations
By Jeff Cohn, COHN, Inc.
With the Colorado market looking to reach $1 billion in sales this year, as well as Oregon and Alaska joining Washington and Colorado in making recreational marijuana legal, the cannabis industry is exploding at unbelievable rate with no end in sight. With so many land mines to navigate in this nascent industry, we wanted to simplify the legal jargon for the Colorado advertising regulations in a quick reference guide. We hope you find this resource useful in building your brand while abiding by the regulation nuances.
NCIA Member Profile: The Om of Medicine
NCIA recently had a chat with Mark Passerini, co-founder of Om of Medicine, a provisioning center and non-profit organization in Ann Arbor, Michigan, founded to assist their members in safely and securely obtaining medical cannabis in accordance with the Michigan Marihuana Act of 2008.
Mark Passerini, co-founder of Om of Medicine
Cannabis Industry Sector:
Medical Cannabis Provider
NCIA Member Since:
2013
How do you uniquely serve the cannabis industry?
The Om of Medicine uniquely serves the cannabis industry by offering a state-of-the-art members-only facility that provides an unparalleled experience of service, amenities, and information/education pertaining to all things cannabis. Located in downtown Ann Arbor, Om is where the art is, providing a place for local artists to display and make their work available for purchase. Om is a major participant in the Michigan medical cannabis movement by following and supporting local and state political issues affecting cannabis laws, lobbying on behalf of patients, as well as educating through social media. In a broader sense, the Om of Medicine is a cannabis headquarters for the community by staying up-to-date on new research, informing patients on political issues that require action, and by offering seminars from leading experts in the field. We offer a safe, enjoyable, and inspiring experience for our patients supplemented by free comedy shows, cultivation classes, political activism workshops, guest lectures, and much much more. The Om of Medicine is deeply committed to environmental responsibility and has implemented a robust sustainability action plan for the past four years of the facility’s operation. This commitment has included dedicating funds to energy efficient investments throughout the facility, as well as investments in off-site renewable energy generation to produce the state’s first and only carbon-neutral dispensary.
Why should patients looking for medical cannabis services go to Om of Medicine?
The Om of Medicine is not just an entity, it represents an ideal. Om was founded in 2010 in order to provide the safest and most secure access to the highest quality medicinal cannabis for qualified patients. Both founders and all employees subscribe to the underlying principle of compassion coupled with excellence.
The Om of Medicine. Ann Arbor, MI
We provide the optimal visiting experience for patients that are either familiar or new to cannabis by personalizing each visit to fit the individual’s medical needs. We offer a private, one-on-one consultation that ensures each patient gets the time and attention they deserve. Our selection of medicine is unparalleled and the variety of delivery mechanisms we offer are wide-ranging and ever-changing. Our knowledgeable staff welcomes and assists patients with any questions and provides aid with the state’s patient registration process. Our commitment to individualized healing combines lab-tested therapeutic remedies with patient-based research to achieve holistic lifestyle wellness. Our member lounge is enhanced by local art. Cannabis can inspire creativity and the Om of Medicine is a testament to this. There truly is no place like Om.
What is the medical marijuana community like in Michigan?
There are more patients in Michigan than in any other state besides California. Michigan was the 13th state to pass MMJ laws and now there are 23. Every state after Michigan has implemented some type of distribution/dispensary model yet Michigan State Legislature has been slow to act on this issue which leaves many patients without a safe place to acquire their medicine. The past six years have been difficult on the community due to some unfortunate court decisions as well as reductions in protections for patients. Despite several setbacks, the medical cannabis community in Michigan is a persistent bunch and we’re confident that the more we engage in the political process and educate and advocate for transparent, reasonable and accountable laws, the quicker patients will have permanently secure and safe access to their medicine.
Where do you see it going?
Over the past couple of years, with the help of several advocacy groups and our full time lobbyist in Lansing, there has been much progress. There are two bills awaiting passage in the State Senate. The first, HB 4271, will allow a local option for licensed dispensaries. The second bill, HB 5104, will provide alternative delivery methods other than smoking. Both bills overwhelmingly passed the State House 95-14 and 100-9, respectively. We have no doubt that the State Senate and Governor will do the right thing and pass these two important pieces of legislation.
You recently began helping to form the Illinois Cannabis Industry Association (ILCIA), a state-affiliate of NCIA. What led you to step up your involvement in this way across state lines?
Our experience in Michigan has made it clear that political involvement and education early on is key to moving this issue forward. The law narrowly passed in Illinois with 78 House and Senate members voting “NO” on HB 1 with the House only passing the bill by a marginal 4 votes. There is clearly much work to be done! In terms of state population, Illinois is the second largest [medical marijuana state] after California and has a chance to lead on this issue. The state has touted its medical cannabis law as the most restrictive and closely monitored law in the country. We want to make sure that the rights of the patients are not infringed upon and that the 4-year ‘pilot program’ becomes a permanent option for the patients of Illinois. As the state’s affiliate to NCIA, ILCIA will provide a voice for businesses, patients, and other key stakeholders by advocating for laws, regulations, and public policies that foster a healthy, professional, and accountable medical cannabis industry in our state.
Why did you join NCIA?
We joined NCIA because we realize that there is power in numbers. NCIA has been the country’s only industry-led organization engaging in legislative efforts to expand and further legitimize the legal cannabis market in the United States. The members we have met through NCIA and its leadership are second to none and we are confident that they will push this issue over the finish line. The work they are doing to reform tax laws and allow access to banking is of the utmost importance for our industry to survive. It is difficult work but in order to succeed, we must work together!
If you are a member of NCIA and would like to contribute to the NCIA blog, please contact Development Officer Bethany Moore by emailing bethany@thecannabisindustry.org.
ServSafe® & SELL-SMaRT™: NCIA Partners with Cannabis Trainers for Pilot Training Series
The National Cannabis Industry Association is pleased to announce an exciting new partnership with our member Cannabis Trainers™!
In a pilot project reflecting our commitment to high industry standards for quality, safety, and responsibility, NCIA will host a series of training courses focused on food safety and responsible selling, open to all cannabis industry professionals but heavily subsidized for NCIA member-businesses.
With cannabis businesses under a microscope, NCIA wants to help our members continue developing the kinds of best practices that define a professional, sustainable industry. That includes the safe handling of cannabis edibles and the responsible, knowledgeable, and safe sale of cannabis in any form to their customer base.
NCIA’s pilot series will include both ServSafe® Food Safety Basics courses and Sell-SMaRT™ Responsible Cannabis Vendor training courses produced by member business Cannabis Trainers™. The first trainings will take place in Denver, Colorado in August, with additional trainings to be scheduled in the coming months.
Maureen McNamara, the founder and chief facilitator with Cannabis Trainers™ has 20 years of professional training experience, with an extensive background in food safety and responsible alcohol service training. She has served as a consultant and facilitator for courses and course design with the National Restaurant Association and has partnered with the Colorado Restaurant Association to deliver their trainings since 1999. In that time, she has trained and certified over 10,000 employees, managers, and owners in these national certification programs. Additionally, she worked with the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Liquor Enforcement Division to develop the Responsible Vendor Act that was passed in 2005 and will be working with the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division to design the Responsible Cannabis Vendor Program this year. Maureen and the team at Cannabis Trainers™ deliver highly interactive, compelling workshops and now are ready to bring this expertise and customizable training for professionals in the cannabis industry.
The first ServSafe® food safety training program will take place on August 6th from 9 am – 12 pm at the Colorado Restaurant Association in Denver.
The nationally accredited ServSafe® program provides food safety training, exams, certifications, and educational materials to professionals in the food service industry. Blending the latest FDA Food Code, food safety research and years of food sanitation training experience, this will be the first-ever ServSafe® course solely for makers of cannabis infused edibles. Employees and managers alike will learn to implement essential food safety practices and work within a culture of food safety. This course is in full compliance with and fulfills the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division’s requirements to demonstrate an understanding of basic food handling safety practices or attend a food handler training course prior to manufacturing any Edible Retail Marijuana Product.
This three-hour course is $10 for each NCIA member employee and $45 for each non-member employee. Registration for the ServSafe® training program is available online here: http://ServSafeAug6.ezevent.com/
The first Sell-SMaRT™ training program will take place on August 19th from 12 pm – 5 pm at the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado non-profit space.
The Sell-SMaRT™ course is a responsible vendor training program aimed toward owners, managers, budtenders, and all front-line store staff to prepare for safely and effectively handling complex situations in operating a business. The responsible vending program will cover such topics as educating consumers about potency, dosage, and effects of different forms of cannabis. In addition this course will encompass issues regarding ID verification and following the numerous and varied legal regulations around selling cannabis.
This five-hour course is $97 for each NCIA member employee and $147 for each non-member employee. Registration for the Sell-SMaRT™ training program is available online here: here: http://SellSMaRTAug19.ezevent.com/
NCIA strongly believes that the knowledgeable, responsible production and sale of cannabis products is a cornerstone to the success of our industry. Educating yourself and your employees is one of the most important things you can do to build a sustainable future for your business.
If you aren’t yet a member of NCIA, please consider joining today! Membership starts as low as $100 a month or $1,000 a year and not only do you receive benefits such as discounted prices for these trainings, but you support the cannabis industry’s only unified and coordinated national campaign to change laws and public opinion.
Florida Medical Marijuana Constitutional Amendment Clears Final Hurdle
Yesterday, the language of the constitutional amendment to allow Floridians access to medical marijuana was approved by the state Supreme Court, placing the ballot question in front of voters this November, where it is expected to be approved given the strong support it already enjoys from Florida voters.
The initiative itself is quite brief in comparison to other laws which have recently passed and leaves most of the details of implementation to regulatory bodies. Importantly, patients with conditions such as PTSD, dementia, and other conditions aided by cannabis but not typically included in medical marijuana qualifying conditions will have the opportunity to legally access cannabis as the law allows patients to be qualified if their “physician believes that the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks.”
Additionally, the measure defines a “medical marijuana treatment center” as an “entity that acquires, cultivates, possesses, processes (including development of related products such as food, tinctures, aerosols, oils, or ointments), transfers, transports, sells, distributes, dispenses, or administers marijuana, products containing marijuana, related supplies, or educational materials to qualifying patients or their personal caregivers and is registered by the Department.” The Department of Health is required to issue regulations within six months instituting “procedures for the registration of Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers that include procedures for the issuance, renewal, suspension, and revocation of registration, and standards to ensure security, record keeping, testing, labeling, inspection, and safety.”
Importantly, the measure’s presence on the ballot could set the stage for the first election with national prominence where safe access to medical marijuana is a critical issue for candidates. As Reuters reports, a strong majority of Florida voters support the measure including a majority of Republicans. However, in what is expected to be a closely fought battle, Florida’s incumbent Republican Governor Rick Scott is opposed to the measure while his challenger, Democrat Charlie Crist, openly supports it. Marijuana policy advocates watching this race should expect to note a distinct increase in conversations — both publicly and privately — about the merits of legal medical marijuana among those interested in the race.
The United for Care campaign, a project of People United for Medical Marijuana, has received the bulk of its financial support from prominent Orlando attorney John Morgan, whose father and brother both benefited from the use of medical marijuana. The campaign is being managed by veteran Florida politico Ben Pollara, and has the support of many local and national organizations. And, while the measure is certainly expected to pass, the Florida legislature is currently considering other bills which would bring medical cannabis to Floridians even more quickly.
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