#IndustryEssentials Webinar Recording – Fireside Chats with NCIA’s Government Relations Team: Thinking It Through – A Discussion on Cannabis & the 2020 Election with Think Tanks
The Fireside Chat series of NCIA’s #IndustryEssentials webinars are an exclusive opportunity for NCIA members to hear from our government relations team and guests about the latest developments in federal policy.
In this edition of our Fireside Chat series originally broadcast on Wednesday, August 26, Mike and Michelle were joined by John Hudak of the Brookings Institute and Jeff Vanderslice of the CATO Institute to discuss what this November would mean for the future of the cannabis industry for years to come.
As the 2020 election was fast approaching, there was one thing on everyone’s mind: what would the results mean for cannabis policy? During this webinar, they examined key congressional races, reviewed how the changing makeup of Congress might shift opinions about marijuana, and chatted about what these organizations are researching and writing about next.
Panelists:
John Hudak
Deputy Director of the Center for Effective Public Management
Brookings Institute
Jeff Vanderslice
Director of Government Affairs
CATO Institute
Michael Correia
Director of Government Relations
National Cannabis Industry Association
Michelle Rutter-Friberg
Deputy Director of Government Relations
National Cannabis Industry Association
#IndustryEssentials Webinar Recording – NCIA Committee Insights: Capital Raising & Deal Flow for Social Equity Operators and Applicants
NCIA’s #IndustryEssentials webinars are our weekly educational series featuring a variety of programs allowing us to provide you timely, engaging and essential education when you need it most. The NCIA Committee Insights series showcases content produced in partnership with one of our 15 member-led committees.
In this edition of our Committee Insights series hosted by NCIA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee and originally broadcast on Monday, August 24 we learned what to do to break through barriers and raise the capital you need.
Are you a Social Equity Operator or Applicant seeking capital? Is access to capital a major barrier to your growth and stability in the Cannabis industry? Are you unsure of how the fundraising process works? Or perhaps you would like to assist Social Equity Applicants in their quest to raise capital, and would like a better understanding of their problems and obstacles. Hear from special guests who have successfully raised capital as minorities in Cannabis, and learn how they did it so you can too.
Learning Objectives:
• Help Social Equity Applicants identify next steps to raise Capital, based on where they’re at in the process
• Provide personal experiences and perspective to facilitate mindset shift for Social Equity Applicants struggling to raise capital, particularly in the early stages
• Provide professional allies (such as attorneys, fund managers, financial advisors) with a deeper understanding of the barriers
Speakers included:
• Khadijah Adams, President and Managing Member, Khadijah Adams LLC
• Karim Webb, CEO, 4thMVMT
• Seun Adedeji, CEO, Elev8 Cannabis
• Keyston Franklin, Halo Holding Group
• Mike Lomuto, Co-Founder, Boost
• Tahir Johnson, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager, National Cannabis Industry Association
#IndustryEssentials Webinar Recording – Committee Insights: Enforcing Cannabis-Related Contracts in Federal Court
NCIA’s #IndustryEssentials webinars are our weekly educational series featuring a variety of programs allowing us to provide you timely, engaging and essential education when you need it most. The NCIA Committee Insights series showcases content produced in partnership with one of our 15 member-led committees.
This edition of our Committee Insights series was produced in partnership with the International Cannabis Bar Association and hosted by NCIA’s Risk Management and Insurance committee on Thursday, August 24.
Federal courts have increasingly ruled on disputes arising out of the cannabis industry and judges have applied federal statutes to cannabis-related matters. Although federal policy regarding enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act has shown ambivalence where the possession and distribution of marijuana is consistent with well-regulated state law, many federal courts take a nuanced but strict position with respect to enforcement of cannabis-related contracts and other rights.
A federal judge in Nevada has recently issued a ruling that calls into question the ability to enforce cannabis-related contracts in federal courts. A panel of experts will examine how this case compares to other federal and state cases examining this question and what impact these cases may have on how cannabis deal-making gets done as well as best-practices to mitigate the risk of non-enforcement.
Speakers included:
Ian Stewart
Attorney
Wilson Elser
Katy Young
Managing Partner
Ad Astra Law Group, LLP
Jason Horst
Principal
Horst Legal Counsel
#IndustryEssentials Webinar Recording – Policy Council Conversations: Interstate Commerce – Environmental, Economic, and Social Equity Implications
In this edition of our Policy Council Conversations series originally aired on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 panelists discuss the findings of NCIA’s white paper on interstate commerce.
What happens when a state like New York decides to legalize? New York has traditionally imported its cannabis from the west coast through the illicit market, and with a population of nearly 20 million people, it’s unclear how the state could grow all the cannabis it would need to supply a legal market without massive infrastructure and environmental costs.
NCIA’s Policy Council and State Regulations Committee have just wrapped up a blog series and white paper around interstate commerce. This webinar will discuss what the participants in that effort learned from their work. We’ll examine the movement to begin legal cannabis commerce between states, starting with the 2019 bill passed in Oregon followed shortly after by the The State Cannabis Commerce Act of 2019 introduced in Congress. We’ll also discuss how allowing interstate commerce will be better for the environment and patients/consumers, will undercut the illicit market, and will boost an industry that struggles to survive within the confines of state borders.
Learning objectives: • Why interstate commerce makes sense environmentally and economically • How patients/consumers would benefit from interstate commerce • Ways that interstate commerce could potentially be used in a social equity model • How to successfully lobby for an interstate commerce bill in your state
Panelists:
Rachel Kurtz-McAlaine
Deputy Director of Public Policy
National Cannabis Industry Association
Adam Smith
Founder and Director
Craft Cannabis Alliance
Gabe Cross
Odyssey Distribution
Shanita Penny
Odyssey Distribution
#IndustryEssentials Webinar Recording – Service Solutions: Get Connected – Exploring the newest NCIA Member Benefit
In this edition of our Service Solutions series originally aired on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 NCIA staff gave an overview of our online community, NCIA Connect.
In Summer 2020 NCIA rolled out an exciting new member benefit: NCIA Connect! NCIA Connect is an online community for NCIA members to engage in thoughtful discussion and learn from other cannabis industry professionals while enjoying exclusive access to important industry resources and members-only content. This webinar includes a guided walk through some of the key features of the platform from members of NCIA’s Business Development, Events, and Marketing teams. Learn more about this new member benefit and find out how it can positively impact your business!
#IndustryEssentials Webinar Recording – NCIA Committee Insights: What are Standards Development Organizations and How Will They Shape Federal and Global Cannabis Policy?
In this edition of our NCIA Committee Insights series originally aired on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 we were joined by members of NCIA’s Scientific Advisory Committee as well as representatives from ASTM International, AOAC, and USP for a discussion on standard development organizations as they relate to cannabis policy.
Up until 1942, the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) published a monograph (a standard specification) for cannabis which was used by physicians across America. The USP is a nonprofit organization that develops compendial quality standards for medicines, food ingredients, and dietary supplements and is recognized by the under law as an official source for standards of drugs. The USP formed a Cannabis Expert Panel in 2016 and they recently published recommendations for quality attributes for cannabis flower. ASTM International and AOAC International have also formed volunteer committees to develop consensus quality standards for cannabis for several years. Certain USP standards are recognized under the Federal Food Drug & Cosmetic Act. Additionally, in accordance with OMB Circular A-119, under certain circumstances the federal government must use voluntary consensus standards, such as those developed by AOAC and ASTM, in lieu of government-unique standards. Therefore, depending on the legal landscape for cannabis, regulators may rely on these standards-development organizations for quality standards for the cannabis industry. In this panel, leaders from relevant standards-development organizations will give updates on the work being done in their cannabis working groups. They will also explain how their work compliments and how you can get involved.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand what standards-development organizations are, and who are the key players in creating quality standards for cannabis. • Learn about the cannabis standards that have been published or are in production. • Learn how to contribute to a standard organization, and what is involved. • Understand the work being done by NCIA, USP, ASTM, AOAC, and other similar groups.
Panelists:
Alena Rodriguez
Managing Director
RM3 Labs
Robert Morgan
Director of Technical Committee Operations
ASTM International
Scott Coates
Senior Director of AOAC Research Institute
Project Lead for AOAC’s CASP Program
Dr. Nandu (Nandakumara) Sarma
Director of Dietary Supplements and Herbal Medicines
USP
Video: NCIA Today – New Equity Scholarship Program, New NCIA Connect Member Benefit, And More!
Host Bethany Moore, NCIA’s Communications Manager and host of NCIA’s weekly Podcast ‘NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice‘ brings you an in-depth look at what is happening across the country in federal cannabis policy reform and with NCIA.
This episode is sponsored by NCIA Connect, the newest member benefit from NCIA.
From the top, Bethany discusses the #IndustryEssentials webinar series, highlighting the topics covered in the echelon of digital webinar content the NCIA team has been bringing you the last few months. Topics have included protecting your brand and retail success strategies to a Policy Council conversation titled “Just Say NO: Keep The DEA Out of Cannabis Research.” We’ve been joined by Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). Missed a live webinar? NCIA Members can access them exclusively on Connect now.
In June, our exclusive education and policy event series the cannabis caucus series to a cyber audience. The fun, online setting allowed our members across the country to come together over two weeks and check in on federal and local updates on policy and regulation updates that could affect them. NCIA launched the latest phase of our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion plan in June. This included making Tahir Johnson our Business Development and DEI Manager, and spearheading the DEI initiatives and committee. The first action taken has been creating the Social Equity Scholarship Program, which will award complimentary annual memberships to all social equity licensees and applicants.
NCIA Director of Marketing, Kaliko Castille, checks in with Bethany to discuss NCIA Connect, our newest membership benefit.
Finally, we end with a check-in with our CEO Aaron Smith.
#IndustryEssentials Webinar Recording – Fireside Chats with NCIA’s Government Relations Team: SAFE Banking – What Will It Take?
In this edition of our Fireside Chats with NCIA’s Government Relations Team originally aired on Wednesday, June 24, 2020 we hosted a conversation surrounding the progress of the SAFE Banking Act with special guest Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-CO).
The SAFE Banking Act passed the House of Representatives in September 2019 in an overwhelmingly bi-partisan vote of 321-103. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the cannabis industry’s need for financial certainty has become even more pronounced, as cash transactions should be minimized to limit possible exposure to the virus. Although the House of Representatives included SAFE Banking language in its recently passed coronavirus relief package (the HEROES Act), the bill’s fate in the Senate is still uncertain. That leaves many of us asking: what’s the hold up? What will it take to get SAFE over the finish line? Join us as we discuss various options moving forward and what it will take to get this legislation signed into law.
Panelists:
Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) U.S. House of Representatives
Tanner Daniel Vice President American Bankers Association
Jack Jacobson Advisor Thompson & Coburn LLP
Michael Correia Director of Government Relations National Cannabis Industry Association
Michelle Rutter Friberg Deputy Director of Government Relations National Cannabis Industry Association
#IndustryEssentials Webinar Recording – Policy Council Conversations: Just Say No – Keep the DEA out of Cannabis Research
In this edition of our Policy Council Conversations series originally aired on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 we hosted a conversation surrounding our public comments submitted to the the Drug Enforcement Administration regarding proposed rulemaking on cannabis research.
The Drug Enforcement Administration issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on cannabis research in 2020. If adopted, this rule would fundamentally change how cannabis research is conducted. NCIA submitted public comments, rejecting the DEA’s power grab and strongly suggesting that a public health agency (i.e. Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, etc.) lead on cannabis research. Simultaneously, lawyers at Yetter Coleman filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against DOJ, demanding the release of an OLC memo relied upon by DEA in their rulemaking. That successful suit was brought on behalf of Scottsdale Research Institute. This panel discussed the critical importance of cannabis research, the DEA rulemaking and NCIA’s numerous objections, and the lawsuit against DEA and the resulting disclosure of the DOJ policy memo.
Panelists:
Andrew Kline
Director of Public Policy
National Cannabis Industry Association
Jodi Avergun
Chair, White Collar and Criminal Defense and Investigations Group, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Former Chief of Staff, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Sue Sisley, MD
Principal Investigator
Scottsdale Research Institute
In this edition of our NCIA Committee Insights series originally aired on Wednesday June 3, 2020 we were joined by members of NCIA’s Scientific Advisory Committee for a thorough discussion on label claims.
Panelists discussed how label claims came to be, what they look like in sister industries, and why label claims are important for cannabis products. Attendees will leave with a thorough understanding of what drug labels look like, what food labels look like, and why cannabis labels are different. A review of state based regulatory requirements and why they matter was also provided.
Panelists:
Tiffany Coleman Director of Quality Copperstate Farms Management
In this edition of our NCIA Committee Insights series originally aired on Monday, June 1 we were joined by members of NCIA’s Retail Committee for a discussion highlighting best practices in cannabis retail.
According to a recent Gallup poll, 66% of Americans support the federal legalization of recreational marijuana and with that comes an ever-expanding retail footprint. This session is designed to address the unique challenges faced by cannabis retail leaders and entrepreneurs in planning their operations for success in a modern retail environment. The panel will take a look at Talent, Brand, and Compliance strategies with real-life case studies to help provide valuable take-aways for the implementation of a Retail 2.0 strategy.
Panelists:
Liz Stahura
President & Co-Founder
BDSA
Ryan Rapaport
Managing Partner
Digital Venture Partners
Melissa Stapley
Founder
MJ Hybrid Solutions
Larina Scofield
Director of Operations
Lucy Sky Cannabis Boutique
Webinar Recording: Managing Novel Risks During The COVID-19 Crisis (Part 2)
Watch this webinar recording to learn more about managing novel risks during the COVID-19 Crisis.
A conversation with industry legal and financial experts discussing how cannabis operators can mitigate the financial risks presented by coronavirus.
Get actionable advice and insights regarding how to manage your financial risk and avoid pitfalls.
Topics addressed include:
Managing finances in a business deemed “essential”.
Navigating the legal, financial nuances of assistance programs.
Federal and State Financial assistance programs.
What aspects of these programs can cannabis businesses utilize?
Legal ramifications and implications of applying for assistance.
CARES Act, upcoming changes to SAFE Banking, and what they mean to you.
Frequently misinterpreted language in 280E.
What coronavirus teaches us about the import of proactive financial risk management.
The panel:
Summer Jenkins, CLCS, Senior Product Manager of Cannasure Insurance Services, LLC (Moderator)
Christopher Davis, Executive Director of the International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA)
Michelle Rutter Friberg, Deputy Director of Government Relations at NCIA
Kevin Haller, CPA, Principal of Akene Consulting LLC
Webinar Recording: NCIA Committee Insights – Managing Novel Risks During the COVID-19 Crisis
In case you missed it, watch the recording of this webinar from April 27, 2020. NCIA’s Risk Management and Insurance Committee presents a conversation regarding how cannabis operators can mitigate the risks that the coronavirus presents to their customers, their employees, and their businesses. Get actionable advice and expert insights regarding how to manage your risk and avoid potential liability while keeping your essential business open.
Topics addressed include:
Identifying all novel risks presented by COVID-19
Addressing the availability for insurance coverage for COVID-related losses
Creating SOPs around employee and customer safety
Increased delivery exposure and SOPs around fleet management, driver safety/protection
Managing increased cyber security risks through insurance and strong SOPs
What coronavirus teaches us about the import of proactive risk management
Speakers include:
Jason Horst, Principal
Horst Legal Counsel
Stephanie Bozzuto, Co-Founder & President
Marketing Cannabis Connect Insurance Services
Summer Jenkins, CLCS, Senior Product Development Manager
Cannasure Insurance Services
Eric Rahn, Managing Partner
S2S Insurance Specialists
Wes Gilbreath, CFO
Continental Heritage Insurance Company
Eduardo Provencio, General Council
Mary’s Medicinals
#IndustryEssentials Webinar Recording – Fireside Chats with NCIA’s Government Relations Team: Highlighting Advocacy
In this edition of our Fireside Chats with NCIA’s Government Relations Team originally aired on Wednesday, May 27th, Mike and Michelle chatted with other industry association lobbyists from the Marijuana Policy Project, the Drug Policy Alliance, and NORML for a discussion on the importance of advocacy.
For decades, cannabis activism, advocacy, and lobbying have been intertwined. Sometimes, it’s portrayed that “advocacy” groups and “industry” associations are at odds, however, you’ll be surprised to learn that while we may have differing opinions or strategies occasionally, we all still work incredibly closely together and consider one another friends. We hope you can join us for a discussion about how cannabis advocacy has changed over the years, an inside look at what’s next in state and federal policy, and learn more about why cannabis legalization can’t (and won’t) pass without addressing the harms of the war on drugs.
Panelists:
Michael Correia
Director of Government Relations
National Cannabis Industry Association
Michelle Rutter Friberg
Deputy Director of Government Relations
National Cannabis Industry Association
Chris Lindsey
Director of Government Relations
Marijuana Policy Project
Maritza Perez
Director of National Affairs
Drug Policy Alliance
Justin Strekal
Political Director
NORML
Webinar Recording: All Gave Some, Some Gave All – A Policy Discussion on the Veterans Cannabis Conundrum
In case you missed this webinar on Memorial Day, watch this recording.
Especially around Memorial Day, it’s important to remember the reason for the holiday: our veterans. Unfortunately, though all gave some and some gave all, the vast majority of our veterans are still unable to access safe, regulated cannabis. Many individuals in the veteran community struggle under unique health burdens stemming from their honorable service, and have experienced little success in managing their conditions with available pharmaceuticals. Through cannabis, veterans of all generations and with various conditions have experienced improvements in their quality of life by using cannabis.
In Congress, two bills aimed at tackling this issue have already passed out of the House Veterans Affairs Committee — H.R. 712: the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2019, sponsored by Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA) and H.R. 1647: the Veterans Equal Access Act, sponsored by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). In March, the Congressional Budget Office scored H.R. 1647 and found that passing the bill into law would cost the federal government exactly $0.
Enjoy this webinar focused on cannabis, health, and our armed services members. NCIA’s Government Relations team is joined by none other than the lead sponsors of the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2019 and H.R. 1647: the Veterans Equal Access Act, Congressmen Lou Correa and Earl Blumenauer, respectively. Our panel also includes the cofounders of the Veterans Cannabis Coalition, Eric Goepel and Bill Ferguson. This unique opportunity will allow you to hear from the lead sponsors of legislation designed to give our veterans the best quality of life possible, interact with member(s) of Congress, and learn more about the prospects of these bills passing into law.
Veterans And Cannabis: A Discussion With Congressional Champions
by Michelle Rutter Friberg, NCIA’s Deputy Director of Government Relations
Last week, NCIA’s Government Relations team honored the veteran community and Memorial Day through our latest #IndustryEssentials webinar. Our Director of Government Relations, Mike Correia, and I “Zoomed” with congressional cannabis champions Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA) and Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), as well as the cofounders of the Veterans Cannabis Coalition, Eric Goepel and Bill Ferguson. During the webinar, we talked about how through cannabis, veterans of all generations and with various conditions have experienced improvements in their quality of life and also discussed policy and legislation to address this conundrum. NCIA members can catch the full webinar recording, but in the meantime, check out a few highlights:
Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR):
“In fact, if we were able to have the Veterans Administration (VA) embrace medical cannabis, veterans would get better care because they could deal directly with their primary care physician, who is in the best position to give them appropriate advice. But sadly, the VA is caught with this federal restriction and they have a very narrow interpretation of what they can do, and how they can do it, and they simply do not permit their physicians to work with veterans to discuss and work with — let alone prescribe — medical cannabis.”
Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA):
“These folks came back from the theater of war with a lot of invisible, psychological scars– many of them that never were addressed. Back when I was the Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the state of California, I would go on to have town halls and I remember veterans more and more would ask me, ‘Hey state senator, what’s going on with cannabis? I prefer cannabis to opioids, it makes me feel a lot better, I’m being able to function much better, why can’t I be prescribed cannabis by my VA doctor?’ And that really set me off on a quest to address medical cannabis in reference to veterans. Now in Congress, that’s something that I’m trying to work on front and center, and when I say trying to — I am working on it — I’m trying to score some victories there and get this legislation to the President’s desk for a signature, but again in the context of an election coming up, it’s going to be a challenge. But nonetheless, I think it’s a task all of us must take to heart and work hard towards.”
Veterans Cannabis Coalition Co-Founders:
Bill Ferguson: “I think it’s really cool that both of those politicians you know — and you know, they’re not backbench guys either — they essentially say that, you know, like if we can get the VA bill to pass, that will be like opening the floodgates for the rest of the cannabis legislation, you know like the banking and all that kind of stuff. And I think they’re right because you know once you poke a hole in a dam, you know eventually a dam is going to break.”
Eric Goepel: “The problem is that they’re largely out of step with the population — like the general population and the veteran population. I mean Pew’s been tracking public support for medical cannabis legalization and adult-use legalization and it’s 92% in favor of medical use and 60 plus in favor of legalization. That’s pretty overwhelming when it comes to any political issue. Like these issues out-poll most politicians and popularity and certainly, maybe beyond like universal background checks, I can’t think of too many other major policy issues that have this level of public support that see no conversion into federal legislative change.”
We are all so grateful to the Congressmen and the VCC team for joining us. While Memorial Day has now passed, I’m continuing to feel so appreciative of our fallen service members. While all gave some and some gave all, the vast majority of our veterans are still unable to access safe, regulated cannabis, and since they fought for us, we’ll keep fighting for them.
Webinar: NCIA Committee Insights – Cannabis Retail Success and Strategies
NCIA’s #IndustryEssentials webinars are our new weekly educational series featuring a variety of programs allowing us to provide you timely, engaging and essential education when you need it most.
The NCIA Committee Insights series showcases content produced in partnership with one of our 15 member-led committees.
According to a recent Gallup poll, 66% of Americans support the federal legalization of recreational marijuana and with that comes an ever-expanding retail footprint. This session is designed to address the unique challenges faced by cannabis retail leaders and entrepreneurs in planning their operations for success in a modern retail environment. The panel will take a look at Talent, Brand, and Compliance strategies with real-life case studies to help provide valuable take-aways for the implementation of a Retail 2.0 strategy.
Register now to join us on Monday, June 1 at 1:00 PM MT.
Ryan Rapaport
Managing Partner
Digital Venture Partners
Melissa Stapley
Founder
MJ Hybrid Solutions
Larina Scofield
Director of Operations
Lucy Sky Cannabis Boutique
Webinar: Policy Council Conversations: Just Say No – Keep the DEA out of Cannabis Research
NCIA’s #IndustryEssentials educational webinar series is our new digital platform featuring a variety of programs to provide you timely, engaging, and essential education when & where you need it most!
The Policy Council Conversations series features insights & invaluable content directly from members of NCIA’s Policy Council, the preeminent “Think Tank” for the cannabis industry.
The Drug Enforcement Administration recently issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on cannabis research. If adopted, this rule would fundamentally change how cannabis research is conducted. NCIA recently submitted public comments, rejecting the DEA’s power grab and strongly suggesting that a public health agency (i.e. Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, etc.) lead on cannabis research. Simultaneously, lawyers at Yetter Coleman filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against DOJ, demanding the release of an OLC memo relied upon by DEA in their rulemaking. That successful suit was brought on behalf of Scottsdale Research Institute.
This panel will discuss the critical importance of cannabis research, the DEA rulemaking and NCIA’s numerous objections, and the lawsuit against DEA and the resulting disclosure of the DOJ policy memo.
Register now to join us on Wednesday, June 3 at 12:00 PM MT.
Jodi Avergun
Chair, White Collar and Criminal Defense and Investigations Group
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
&
Former Chief of Staff
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Andrew Kline
Director of Public Policy
National Cannabis Industry Association
Sue Sisley, MD
Principal Investigator
Scottsdale Research Institute
NCIA’s #IndustryEssentials webinars are our new weekly educational series featuring a variety of programs allowing us to provide you timely, engaging and essential education when you need it most. The NCIA Committee Insights series showcases content produced in partnership with one of our 15 member-led committees.
Members of NCIA’s Scientific Advisory Committee will discuss how label claims came to be, what they look like in sister industries, and why label claims are important for cannabis products. Attendees will leave with a thorough understanding of what drug labels look like, what food labels look like, and why cannabis labels are different. A review of state based regulatory requirements and why they matter will also be provided.
Register now to join us on Wednesday, June3 at 10:00 AM MT.
As the cannabis industry emerges from start-up to major economic player, the protection of intellectual property becomes all the more critical. This expert panel will discuss the options available to protect trademarks at the state and federal level, how to apply for and obtain a federal patent, and how to protect designations of origin (much like we protect Champagne or Bordeaux in France). The panelist will draw upon their professional expertise, as well as their practical experience in applying for and successfully receiving trademark and patent protections. A white paper summarizing the author’s recommendations will be released this summer by NCIA’s Policy Council.
Protected: Webinar Recording: Fireside Chats – Staying Politically Engaged in the Age of Coronavirus
Webinar Recording: Policy Council Conversations – Sustainable Cannabis Cultivation
In case you missed it, watch this webinar recording from Wednesday, April 22 to Celebrate Earth Day with NCIA. Learn about the environmental impacts of the cannabis industry and the sustainable best management practices that can be implemented for green operations.
You’ll get a sneak peek into NCIA’s upcoming white paper focused on sustainability in the cannabis industry, and learn from your peers by hearing from four sustainable cannabis cultivators: Terrapin Care Station, Native Roots, LivWell, and Cascade High.
Panelists:
Kaitlin Urso
Environmental Protection Specialist Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Emily Long
Communications & Marketing Consultant Rocky Mountain Reagents, Inc.
Sarah Davis
CEO S.R.D. Consulting, LLC
Peter Marcus
Communications Director Terrapin Care Station
Brandon Rhea
Compliance Officer and Sustainability Co-Chair Native Roots
James Schwartz
CEO Cascade High Organics
NCIA’s #IndustryEssentials webinar series are crafted for cannabis business owners highlighting the insight and expertise of NCIA members, NCIA staff, as well as regulatory and legal experts.
To us, webinars arenʻt just about getting some big-name talking heads on a Zoom call. Itʻs about giving you insights you canʻt find anywhere else, from experts who will surprise and delight you with their in-depth knowledge on relevant industry topics. Thatʻs why we have created our NCIA #IndustryEssentials webinar series. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be rolling out a variety of programs under this umbrella which will allow us to provide you timely, engaging, and essential education when you need it most.
Webinar Recording: #CannaBizSummit Speaker Series – Hacker-Proof Your Remote Operations
In case you missed it, watch this webinar recording from Monday, April 27. As companies reacted to the workplace changes COVID-19 required, many cannabis companies made rapid decisions to work-from-home, added curbside pickup, and enhanced delivery services. These decisions lead to additional security risks, and with hackers targeting companies more aggressively, these risks must be addressed to ensure business continuity.
In this webinar, GeekTek CEO/CTO Eric Schlissel and his guest Sophos Cyber Security subject matter expert Joey Ellison will discuss the current state of remote work, what to expect in the future and how to improve your organization’s security posture, moving from reactive to proactive protection. Intended for a non-technical audience, attendees will leave with clear next steps to improve their cybersecurity with minimal effort.
Speakers Include:
Eric Schlissel, CEO & CTO
GeekTek
Joey Ellison, Sr. Cyber Security Engineer
Sophos
Webinar: NCIA Committee Insights – Illinois Market – What’s Happening and What’s Next
Join us on Monday, May 11 at 1:00 PM MT for this webinar.
How is the 11th state to permit adult-use cannabis doing, and what’s coming next? Want to get your foot in the door? Join us in a lively conversation about Illinois application and licensing.
Considering expansion to Illinois from another market? Learn how Illinois differs from other markets on some key issues. Think it’s essential that states successfully innovate to promote social equity?
We’ll discuss what Illinois is doing well and where the gaps are in regards to their Social Equity program. Join industry thought-leaders from NCIA’s State Regulations Committee as they discuss these crucial topics and more.
Welcome to NCIA Today – tune in for our latest episode!
Host Bethany Moore, NCIA’s Communications Manager and host of NCIA’s weekly Podcast ‘NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice‘ brings you an in-depth look at what is happening across the country in federal cannabis policy reform and with NCIA.
From the top, Bethany discusses the newly-launched NCIA #IndustryEssentials series. Webinars that arenʻt just about getting some big-name talking heads on a Zoom call. This new series provides insights you canʻt find anywhere else, from experts who will surprise and delight you with their in-depth knowledge on relevant industry topics.
We check in with NCIA Social Media Manager, Vince Chandler, to hear some of the recent highlights from the Internet about cannabis policy reform, cannabis & COVID-19, and more. Our resident digital expert also breaks down the ways that NCIA is looking to help our members improve their engagement and reach online.
Executive Director Aaron Smith joins Bethany on NCIA Today to discuss the unacceptable exclusion of cannabis from federal coronavirus relief efforts, especially surprising given that cannabis has been deemed essential. Join Aaron is calling Congress today and ask that they support The Emergency Cannabis Small Business Health and Safety Act.
As the fallout from COVID-19 ripples through the economy, cannabis businesses are once again faced with a plethora of conflicting information and uncertainty. As counsel to the NCIA and in service to its membership, Wykowski Law has put together a guide to the most common issues facing cannabis businesses in the wake of COVID-19. The guide focuses on national issues and focuses in on some issues specific to California.
Please check out the guide for more details, but here is a quick rundown of what you need to know as a cannabis business in the age of COVID-19:
As we’ve unfortunately become accustomed to, cannabis has largely been left out of relief efforts, particularly where the federal government is concerned. Like with anything cannabis, this means that we have to dig deeper and be more creative to survive.
What sort of help can cannabis businesses get from SBA, PPP, and EIDL? Are there alternatives?
Generally, the Feds are not going to let MRBs touch these funds. But don’t despair. There are potential alternatives at the state level (in California at least) including CalCAP, IBank, and JSLP. Of course, these programs present their own challenges for MRBs, but they do not categorically rule out lending to the cannabis industry.
What about taxes and tax relief?
Unfortunately, when it comes to the Feds we continue to live under the spectre of 280E which makes so many of the tax credits and relief potentially unavailable. There may be some strategies to take advantage of some of these programs, but they are largely dependent on your individual situation. Check with your tax expert!
Some of these regulations just aren’t practical during a pandemic. Are we really expected to comply?
There’s good news and bad news on that front. In California regulatory agencies are making some allowances including regulatory variances and allowing curbside pickups. But you have to get approval. Double (and triple) check what sort of regulatory relief your state is offering before deviating from any SOPs.
The bad news is that as an essential service in the age of COVID-19, many cannabis businesses are subject to additional health and safety requirements. California OSHA for instance has put out stricter standards for all businesses and we expect there might be more to come due to the nature of cannabis.
Times are tough, but not hopeless. And, all of the above is just the tip of the iceberg. The full guide goes into deeper detail. Of course, the information you obtain here and in the linked guide is meant to be informational only and is not, nor is it intended to be, advice legal or otherwise. For that you will need to talk to your lawyer and/or accountant.
Henry Wykowski is the founder of Wykowski Law a national cannabis law firm based in San Francisco that has represented the industry since its inception and successfully defended it in multiple landmark cases.
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“In fact, if we were able to have the Veterans Administration (VA) embrace medical cannabis, veterans would get better care because they could deal directly with their primary care physician, who is in the best position to give them appropriate advice. But sadly, the VA is caught with this federal restriction and they have a very narrow interpretation of what they can do, and how they can do it, and they simply do not permit their physicians to work with veterans to discuss and work with — let alone prescribe — medical cannabis.”
