State Campaigns: Proposition 64 (CA) – More Than Industry, Justice
*Editor’s Note: As we enter the homestretch of the critical 2016 campaign season, NCIA has invited the state campaigns on marijuana policy to submit blog posts about the important work they’re doing. These campaigns need the support of the industry and the movement as they approach the finish line. If you haven’t already, please consider making donations of money or time to one or more of the state campaigns that are working to end the failed policies of marijuana prohibition.**
They say there are moments that define an industry. A point where the creators and innovators look around and realize that things will never be the same. For the cannabis industry, that moment is November 8, 2016. It is that moment when the industry stands poised to enter the sixth largest economy in the world, the state of California.
On November 8th, Californians will vote on Proposition 64. Like the states that have gone before it, this initiative would legalize the personal possession and cultivation of cannabis for adults 21 and over in California, and like other states, it establishes a regulatory system for the cultivation, manufacturing, testing and distribution of cannabis products throughout the state. But, aside from the basics, there are several aspects of Prop. 64 that the cannabis industry should be particularly aware of.
First, Prop. 64 allows for, but does not require vertical integration. This means that businesses have the opportunity to perform more than one cannabis-related function, but they are not required to. Limits on vertical integration increase as the size of the business increases. For example, the smallest cultivator under the microbusiness license (less than 10,000 square feet), can vertically integrate under one license, whereas the largest Tier V cultivator, which will not be licensed until 2023, cannot vertically integrate at all. There is a flexibility in California’s regulations designed to accommodate the large variety of business types already operating in the state.
Secondly, Prop. 64 does not deny a license to an individual simply due to a previous drug felony. The first state to put this in the initiative language, California has an industry that has, for the most part, been operating in a gray/illicit market for the past two decades, despite the fact that California has allowed medical cannabis since 1996. For many of these folks, an arrest is par for the course, and these experiences should not exclude a person from participating in the legal market. This is especially true for people of color, who run a greater risk of arrest and felony charges for marijuana than white people.
Additionally, it’s not all about the plant. Although a lot of attention is paid to the growing of marijuana, creation of marijuana edibles, and the sales of marijuana, most of the new industry will revolve around ancillary products and services that do not touch the plant. This is especially relevant in California, which has a legacy of innovation, not just in tech, but also in agriculture and tourism. The infrastructure needed to support the legal market, especially given the high levels of regulation, still needs to be constructed in California, and should Prop. 64 pass, there will be an additional 39 million people living under these new rules.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, passing Prop. 64 will create opportunities for partnerships between the cannabis industry and the communities who have been most impacted by the war on drugs. Marijuana prohibition has caused immeasurable harm to vulnerable communities in California. And, while these communities exist in the current legal states as well, none of the legal states are as heterogeneous and have as much income and quality-of-life disparity as California. With a billion dollars a year of potential tax revenue on the table, and with 50 million dollars of that revenue promised to communities most impacted by the drug war, passing Prop. 64 is more a social justice issue than a regulatory one.
The cannabis industry has a lot to be excited about concerning legalization in California – the jobs and opportunities created and the innovation that can finally come out of the shadows. But it’s so much more than that. Legalization is about more than creating an industry; it is about civil rights, reducing mass incarceration, and advancing restorative justice. Passing Proposition 64 in California will be a powerful blow to the war on drugs, but we must know we must stay vigilant to the over-criminalization of people of color that will continue in America.
Amanda Reiman is Manager of Marijuana Law and Policy at the Drug Policy Alliance, where she works to develop DPA’s marijuana reform work as it relates to litigation, legislative and initiative drafting, campaign strategy, policy advocacy, media relations, fundraising, and public education in the local, state, federal, and international jurisdictions in which DPA is active. Reiman joined DPA in 2012 after working with Berkeley Patients Group, a renowned medical marijuana dispensary, as director of research and patient services. Reiman is currently a lecturer in the School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley, where she teaches Drug and Alcohol Policy, Substance Abuse Treatment, and Sexuality and Social Work.
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.
Member Spotlight: Palm Springs Safe Access
Every month, we zoom in on one of our members to hear their stories and learn more about their businesses in this ever-changing industry. For the month of April, we visit with Robert Van Roo of Palm Springs Safe Access in California. PSSA is a not-for-profit medical cannabis dispensary offering a modern, sophisticated environment for qualified patients to access affordable, high-quality, safety-tested medicine. PSSA strives to be a model corporate citizen, partnering with other organizations to help improve the community’s collective health.
Cannabis Industry Sector:
Medical Cannabis Provider
NCIA Sustaining Member Since:
October 2014
Tell us a bit about you and why you opened Palm Springs Safe Access (PSSA)?
My name is Robert Van Roo and I’m the co-founder and president of Palm Springs Safe Access. It’s been fifteen years since my first experience with cannabis. Spending most of my youth and adult life in Grass Valley and San Francisco, I’ve been exposed to a lot of friends working in the industry. I’ve seen this medicine change countless lives and it’s changed mine as well.
Throughout 2009, President Obama’s speeches struck a chord with me, with clear messages encouraging entrepreneurs to be bold and create new jobs and change. I took this calling very seriously – although I’m sure he wasn’t aiming at cannabis startups. To hone that entrepreneurial spirit, I knew I couldn’t stimulate job growth as a photographer. However, I saw the potential through cannabis. So began my journey working in the California cannabis industry, with the first iteration of Palm Springs Safe Access (PSSA) taking shape in late 2011.
CEO and Co-founder, Robert Van Roo, and VP & Chief Agricultural Officer, Cody Henderson
At PSSA we believe when entrepreneurs with the right intentions work with cannabis, it can better the communities in which they operate and someday change the world. The uses of this plant are endless. This industry has the capacity to change lives and create new economic growth not seen in the United States for generations. We understand this is a utopian view, but that’s why Cody Henderson and I opened Palm Springs Safe Access. We did it to create change.
Why should patients seeking medical cannabis come to Palm Springs Safe Access?
We believe that our patients deserve an exceptional experience that begins the moment they walk through the doors of our facility and continues when they return home and use their medicine. Steve DeAngelo said it the best: “Out of the shadows, into the light.” I took this statement literally, so we built a well-lit facility with sweeping views of the mountain range here in Palm Springs.
Cody and I are both artists by trade, so naturally we had to have a creative and visually stimulating space. We worked with an 8,000-square-foot blank slate, with just concrete floors and four walls with no power. Everything was done in-house, from the interior design to the layout, down to the manufacturing of light fixtures and the finish work.
We continued this trend with our in-house cultivation. This ensures best practices and quality control for our patients. When it comes to products we didn’t produce ourselves, we carefully vet sources and individuals, in many instances physically going throughout California to see for ourselves where the products provided to our patients are cultivated, manufactured, and branded.
Our patients deserve only the best. Absolutely all our medicine is lab-tested for safety and potency. Independent testing by the City of Palm Springs verifies that we have the cleanest products in the city. Our flowers are nitrogen-flushed and then sealed with Boveda packs inside. All the latest science points to the important roll terpenes play in the medicinal qualities of each specific strain. That makes this collaboration with Boveda, the leader in two-way humidity control, very exciting because early research is already showing that there is 15% retention of terpenes when the 62% moisture packs are present. The packs add moisture as well and since Palm Springs is located in low desert we have to compete with dry conditions.
We believe patients should seek out our facility for the exceptional experience and highest assurance of safety that Palm Springs Safe Access provides through the tireless efforts of our entire team.
The Palm Springs Safe Access team
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?
When it comes to cannabis, education and knowledge is paramount; we tirelessly work to educate patients, politicians, physicians, and peers in the industry. Lab testing became a benchmark mainly because those seeking the benefits of this plant often have compromised immune systems. Late in 2012, I began educating and lobbying the City of Palm Springs in regard to the importance of lab testing. Last year Palm Springs became the first city to ever contract a cannabis lab and independently test medicine being dispensed in their city.
I stay as active as possible with politics on local, state, and federal levels, continuing the conversation with city council members, members of Congress, and senators. We regularly create education and policy reports and actively engage policy makers. On a state level, we participate on both the Legislative and Retail/Delivery Committees with the California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA) and stay as active as possible with NCIA. In May, I’ll be going to Lobby Days in DC for my second year.
When it comes to community involvement, the support of local organizations is key, and PSSA does its part. We are regularly involved with charitable events and infuse local charities and political activism groups with significant donations, support, and sponsorships. We believe it’s our responsibility to be involved in creating change locally. We strive to represent an accurate picture of our industry as active community partners and show what the cannabis industry can do.
We contribute as much time as possible to the NCIA Minority Business Council, which aims to create an inclusive and diverse industry respectful of all persons and create unique opportunities to attend NCIA events. This is a huge undertaking and we believe with proper programs in place our industry can provide job opportunities for under-represented and disadvantaged groups and individuals to gain insight on opportunities that are available in the industry. That’s why we support the NCIA Minority Business Council scholarship program whenever possible.
Why did you join NCIA?
Robert Van Roo, CEO and Co-Founder of Palm Springs Safe Access
Joining NCIA was the first thing PSSA did when we received our local permit. While PSSA was successful in Palm Springs, the fight for fairness on a state and federal level was clearly the end game. It was the next logical step to take, and we believe it’s our responsibility as a legitimate and responsible member of the industry to support the important causes NCIA addresses.
When we joined, we were focused on helping advance causes like fair taxation, access to banking, and sensible policy on cannabis. Since then, NCIA has become so much more than that to us. It’s a community of like-minded cannabis entrepreneurs. We’ve developed relationships with industry peers throughout the country at NCIA events. We’ve expanded our breadth of best practices through the education received at the exemplary NCIA summits and symposiums and have managed to stay current with the ever-changing landscape of the cannabis industry.
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.
Member Spotlight: Naturally Mystic Organics
For NCIA’s March member spotlight, we cruise into Santa Cruz, California, to chat with the owners of Naturally Mystic Organics. Owners D’Angelo “Cricket” and Jozee Roberto offer the knowledge and traditions of ancient herbal medicine paired with their dedicated advocacy work in Santa Cruz on behalf of cannabis patients and environmental sustainability.
Cannabis Industry Sector:
Cannabis Infused Medical Products
NCIA Member Since:
May 2015
Tell us a bit about you and why you started Naturally Mystic Organics?
As we’ve raised our seven children over the past 23 years using plant medicines (non-cannabis), we’ve witnessed first-hand the amazing power herbs have to offer. We both have had the pleasure of growing up in California and being raised within the cannabis movement. Along the way we came to develop a personal relationship with cannabis as we’ve witnessed and experienced its numerous benefits. Quite compelled, we decided to share our high standards of what we consider to be real medicinal healing as an offering to the world.
Why should patients seeking medical cannabis look for products made by Naturally Mystic Organics?
We specialize in high-CBD products and provide the finest tinctures and topicals on Earth. We approach cannabis like an herb. As herbalists we take special care to craft with ancient methods, avoiding the use of metal to extract or infuse. We use glass, ceramic, and bamboo equipment and instruments.
In herbalism, as in any area of life, we learn that your final product is only as good as what you start with. For example, we pick only the best (top shelf) cannabis flowers for our tinctures, never trim, that has been grown with loving care and without the use of harmful pesticides or chemicals. Our topicals are made from the trim of these beautiful flowers. The spiritual connection between the plant energy and the herbalist is maintained throughout our process by setting the intention of health and well-being during production through prayer, silence, or chanting. If someone is having a bad day then that person does not make the medicine until a well-balanced attitude is in place. All other materials put into our products are certified organic and GMO-free. And to put the icing on the cake, we use violet glass bottles for our tinctures. Eliminating light is a supreme way to eliminate contamination after opening.
Tinctures provide a great alternative to consuming cannabis, as opposed to smoking it. Our tinctures, formulated for consistency and reliability of potency, are a great way to monitor dosage. Providing patients an opportunity to connect with other plant medicine that they otherwise might never have, we pair cannabis with other amazing herbs to help guide an endocannabinoid system to the desired outcome. Our Pure 1000 line of tinctures is designed for patients with extreme situations. Oh, and by the way, our tinctures taste great. Perfectly preserved terpenes make it taste like you are drinking a bud.
We are proud to present our humble offering to the world: supreme traditional cannabis herbal medicine in the form of tinctures and topicals – products fit for royalty.
You’re based in Santa Cruz, California, where regulations are constantly changing. Several pieces of legislation have been proposed to further regulate and legalize cannabis throughout the state. How have you been involved in this process?
We, Cricket and Jozee, are founding members and representatives of RCSC (Responsible Cultivation Santa Cruz). Santa Cruz County has a wide acceptance for the medicinal value of cannabis. Care for the environment and the safety of our communities are also shared values. Our county had a somewhat advanced policy about cannabis prior to 2015 that led to reports of environmental degradation and an assault to the quality of life in some communities because of an influx of production. This became a real issue that forced the County Board of Supervisors to respond. Their response came in the spring of 2015 as a vote to ban all commercial cultivation. The cannabis community responded. RCSC hatched out of community meetings hosted by the CAA (Cannabis Advocates Alliance) and petitioned to referendum before the ban became law. Our referendum was a success. The county had a couple of choices at this point to repeal the law or to put it before the county for a vote. They decided to repeal it and then a couple of Supervisors proposed the creation of the Cannabis Cultivation Choices Committee, aka C4. C4 was created as a conversation between community stake holders to propose recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for cannabis policy. Naturally Mystic Organics cofounder D’Angelo “Cricket” Roberto represents RCSC on this committee.
Naturally Mystic Organics., representing RCSC with Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA)
Santa Cruz County is on the leading edge of cannabis policy in California. C4 began holding meetings at the beginning of September 2015 and at this point the cannabis community wanted a clear pathway to legitimacy. Sometime after that our state legislature passed a bundle of bills that our governor signed into law, aka MMSRA (Medical Marijuana Safety & Regulation Act). This legislation helped to shape C4’s discussion from ‘what could be possible’ to ‘what is possible.’ The shared values of Santa Cruz are the core to the framework that C4 is building on. The recommendations that come forth will be to protect our environment, to protect the health and safety of our communities, and to assure an adequate supply of medicinal cannabis. It is important to note that these recommended regulations are being designed to nurture our current cannabis community and will restrict expansion so that we do so responsibly.
Santa Cruz County is the second smallest county in the state. We have a great portion of the population in the rural areas and much of our terrain is on slopes greater than 30%. We have a lot to consider here. In regards to any aspect of the emerging cannabis industry the question always is: How much and where? There are a lot of details. This is an industry that has struggled illegitimately for way too long and the side effects have finally forced society to realize the sensibility of a regulated system. We’re proud to be a part of history and helping to shape the future of cannabis in California.
Why did you join NCIA?
Naturally Mystic Organics joined NCIA to become a part of the foundation that helps to solidify the future of national cannabis policy. We’ve been very effective on the local level and are in entrenched on the state level. It’s been said that as California goes, so goes the nation. As we help to advance the conversation we hope to lend our voice to the choir at NCIA. To understand that we’re ushering in a new era is to preserve what the cannabis movement has taught us – empathy. Empathy leads to compassion, and as the cannabis industry unfolds we need to pass the values our history has taught us. This can be done through sustainable business models that encourage innovation and provide a real living wage. Society is in the middle of an overhaul and cannabis is in the center of it all. A healthy society shapes policies rather than policy shaping society. The cannabis policy landscape across the United States is transforming right before our eyes. The industry will revitalize the economy and create jobs. It will provide opportunities consistant with the promise of America. NCIA has positioned itself in the center of the conversation – right where we want to be.
Are you a member of NCIA interested in submitting a guest blog post? Please contact NCIA Communications and Projects Manager Bethany Moore for more information.
State of the States: NCIA’s Affiliate Program
What is NCIA’s state affiliate program?
Over the last two years, members from particular states have approached us here at NCIA with the idea of forming state-focused affiliates. While NCIA’s mission is dedicated to federal policy change and the support of a national industry that is coordinated, sustainable, and responsible, we’ve begun a journey with a few of these dedicated members looking to do the same at the state level. Many of our members are already familiar with our state affiliates in California and Illinois.
NCIA dedicates its policy work to issues at the federal level, which informs the playing field for all 50 states. However, individual state cannabis markets have their own unique needs and challenges. An NCIA state affiliate is tasked with pursuing the same priorities as NCIA’s federal mission – advocacy, education, and community – but with a zoomed-in focus on state legislation and regulations, city ordinances, and local networking and business development. The combination of NCIA and a state affiliate gives members a powerfully unified voice in influencing legislation that is fair towards our industry.
How does the state affiliate program work?
Each state affiliate is an independent entity from NCIA, which elects its own board of directors and has its own decision-making processes. The affiliates are non-profit organizations, and dues are collected from members to be used for state advocacy work.
Membership dues for the state affiliate are split between the state affiliate and NCIA, and members of the state affiliate are automatically added to the rosters of NCIA’s national membership, although many members still choose to maintain separate memberships with both the state affiliate and NCIA.
Our state affiliates currently exist in the two most populous states with active medical marijuana programs in place: California and Illinois. We checked in with the leadership of each affiliate to hear more about their progress and activities at the state level.
CCIA’s Executive Director and co-founder is Nate Bradley, who works closely with their official lobbyist, Amy Jenkins, to influence fair legislation and policies for the ever-evolving cannabis industry. CCIA’s membership currently sits at 132 members and growing.
“In 2015, CCIA hosted numerous well-attended membership networking and educational events throughout the state,” says Bradley. “We also added new staff to our ranks. In the fall we hired a Membership Coordinator. This in turn greatly increased our ability to reach out and provide services to our current members and build new membership at the same time.”
CCIA focuses on the state regulatory structure for California’s cannabis industry, working to influence regulations for the medical marijuana industry in the state legislature. CCIA has endorsed the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA), a full legalization state ballot initiative being proposed for 2016.
“More than any other legalization measures competing for the 2016 state ballot, AUMA represents the collective input of California’s lawful medical cannabis industry,” said CCIA President Sean Luse, who is also COO of the nation’s longest continually operating medical cannabis dispensary, Berkeley Patients Group.
So what are CCIA’s plans for the upcoming year?
“CCIA has a lot of big plans for 2016,” says Bradley. “Currently we are planning on bringing a new deputy director, increasing the amount of events we hold, developing our local government outreach program, and increasing the amount of membership committees we have.”
“We will also be heavily involved in any legislation clean-up, tracking the regulatory rule-writing process, and last but not least, making sure we are actively involved in influencing any cannabis ballot initiatives that may go before voters in November.”
CCIA’s 2015 victories are listed here, along with details of the requests that were successfully negotiated and included in the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act.
Kayvan Khalatbari, co-founder of Denver Relief, serves on the board of directors for ILCIA and offers insight into the progress of its formation over the last year. “With all the work the National Cannabis Industry Association is doing to progress policy, advocacy, and education on the federal level, it’s important to have that same influence on the state level,” says Khalatbari.
“We’re working hard to create a model that is in line with NCIA’s mission and tone, but also considerate of the cultural and political nuances present in Illinois. We’ve assembled a great group to form our initial board of directors, which includes cultivation and dispensary operators, attorneys, lobbyists and ancillary service providers… in a sense, most stakeholders in this new and exciting industry. We intend on bringing aboard a doctor and a patient representative as well in this new year to ensure all voices relevant to the success of this industry have a seat at the table.”
Kayvan Khalatbari, co-founder of Denver Relief and board member of ILCIA
“With our current 25 members we have some room to grow, but have no doubt that will happen as we become more active and visible in 2016. Between assisting in the development and implementation of the NCIA local Cannabis Caucuses here in Chicago, assembling our own quarterly educational symposiums, networking events, and a lobby day in April, as well as collaborating with other groups to add qualifying conditions in the medical cannabis program, we’re poised to make a big push in having a positive and responsible influence as this industry gets off the ground here.”
“The bridge to our national partners at NCIA can only benefit that push forward and help ensure that cannabis businesses in Illinois are represented at all levels of government for years to come.”
Looking to get involved in one of our state affiliates? Visit their websites:
by Michelle Rutter, Government Relations Coordinator
This year is arguably the most crucial yet for the burgeoning cannabis industry, especially as it relates to policy. Although NCIA primarily advocates for cannabis reform at the federal level, what happens in each individual state is vital to the stances Members of Congress take on our issues.
Members of Congress care deeply about issues that directly affect their specific state or district. It’s imperative that more states enact cannabis reform legislation so that more Members have a vested interest in protecting their constituents. While cannabis reform is sweeping the nation at an almost unprecedented rate, it takes time for politicians in Washington, D.C., to catch up with public opinion back home. If all of the federal lawmakers representing just the 15 states mentioned below were to vote positively on pro-cannabis legislation, it would add up to more than 180 Representatives and nearly 30 Senators.
Take a look below and see what’s coming up next in 2016. Remember that by becoming a member of NCIA, you are adding your voice to the coordinated and unified campaign at the federal level to allow cannabis businesses access to financial services, fix tax section 280E, and ultimately end federal cannabis prohibition.
The United States of Cannabis
Arizona activists remain ahead of schedule and have nearly gathered the 150,000 signatures needed to put the state’s Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol initiative on the November 2016 ballot. (The campaign ultimately aims to collect 230,000 in order to insure against signature drop-off.) It’s estimated that Arizona’s adult-use market could be worth up to $480 million.
With a multi-billion-dollar cannabis industry in California alone, passing an adult-use legalization initiative in the state is vital to ending federal prohibition. The most prominent full retail initiative gathering signatures for the November 2016 election is the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, which is backed by billionaire Sean Parker and the Marijuana Policy Project.
Legalize Maine and the Marijuana Policy Project have joined forces to legalize adult-use cannabis in 2016. Legalize Maine has already collected 80,000 signatures. Only 61,000 signatures are necessary to place the measure on a statewide ballot, but the organization’s goal is 95,000, to insure against drop-off. The deadline to submit signatures is February 1st.
Last August, a pair of cannabis advocacy groups separately filed paperwork to get adult-use legalization on the 2016 ballot in Massachusetts. The state recently confirmed that a measure to legalize recreational cannabis next year has enough valid signatures to force the legislature to consider the measure. If the legislature decides to pass, then the campaign will have to collect another 10,792 signatures to formally make the November ballot.
There’s no question that adult-use legalization will be on the ballot this year in Nevada. Initiative Petition 1, which would tax and regulate marijuana similarly to alcohol, has been certified for the 2016 ballot. Backers had previously collected nearly 200,000 signatures to either force legislators to enact their initiative or put it on the ballot. When state lawmakers abstained from voting on the issue, the measure was automatically forwarded to this year’s ballot for a popular vote.
In Florida, the group United for Care received clearance from the state Supreme Court for a 2016 ballot measure that would legalize medical marijuana. The group nearly succeeded in legalizing medical marijuana in 2014, garnering 58% of the vote but falling barely short of the state’s constitutionally mandated 60% margin needed to pass,
The nation’s capital continues to debate cannabis. In December’s federal budget bill, the taxation and regulation of marijuana in Washington, D.C., was blocked by Congress again, though possessing and gifting cannabis remains legal in the city.
This month, Hawaii will begin accepting applications for medical cannabis businesses. The bill signed into law last summer opens the door for up to 16 dispensaries on the islands.
It was recently announced that Illinois saw approximately $1.7 million in medical cannabis sales during November and December of 2015. There are already petitions being circulated in the state that would expand the law’s qualifying conditions.
Maryland will award cannabis cultivation, processing, and dispensary licenses this summer. Industry advocates were pleased with the amount of interest the state’s program garnered: more than 1,000 applications were submitted.
Officials in Michigan have approved language for three different adult-use cannabis legalization initiatives for the 2016 ballot. In order to have the best chance of passing, it’s important for these groups to coalesce behind one initiative.
At the end of 2015, New Hampshire began issuing medical marijuana cards to qualifying patients. It’s expected that the state will open medical dispensaries in 2016.
After a long and arduous journey, New York’s medical cannabis program became operational this month. The cannabis industry expects the program and the law’s qualifying conditions to expand this year.
In the first week of 2016, Oregon began accepting adult-use cannabis business license applications. The state has no limit on how many licenses they will decide to award.
Vermont may become the first state to legalize adult-use cannabis through the legislative process in 2016. The proposed bill would allow for up to 86 storefronts and five different business license types.
Bonus: Election 2016 – Yes, We Canna
As we all know, a new president will be elected this November, and with that a new administration will assume power next January. It is very crucial that Congress pass more pro-cannabis legislation before then.
It’s probable that Attorney General Loretta Lynch will be replaced in 2016 or early 2017. This is important because it is the Department of Justice that enforces and prosecutes federal marijuana laws.
Another possibility for 2016 is that the acting head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Chuck Rosenberg, could be replaced as well. Rosenberg is notorious for his gaffe last year when he called marijuana “probably” less dangerous than heroin.
On New Year’s Eve, officials from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration posted a notice on the Federal Register that calls for a report “presenting the state of the science on substance use, addiction and health” to be released in 2016. Industry advocates are hopeful that this report could be the first sign of re- or de-scheduling cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act.
During 2016, NCIA will continue working with D.C.-based public affairs firms Heather Podesta + Partners, and Jochum Shore & Trossevin PC to magnify our efforts to address the industry’s top federal priorities: access to basic banking services and fair federal taxation.
In addition to NCIA’s lobbying and advocacy efforts, NCIA exists to connect and educate our members on all facets of the cannabis industry. Our industry supports tens of thousands of jobs, tens of millions in tax revenue, and billions in economic activity in the United States.Our core mission is to ensure that our members are treated like businesses in any other American industry. Join NCIA today to get involved and be a part of the cannabis revolution!
Do you have questions regarding any upcoming events in your area or others across the country? Reach out to events@thecannabisindustry.org any time with your questions, comments, or concerns.
Interested in sponsoring one or a series of events in a particular region throughout the year in order to gain valuable exposure for your company to our nationwide network of established business owners? Please contact Brian Gilbert at brian@thecannabisindustry.org for more information on series rates and associated discounts for packages.
Interested in speaking at the upcoming Cannabis Business Summit? Please contact brooke@thecannabisindustry.org for more information on remaining opportunities.
Timeline: 2015 Legislative Year in Review
by Michelle Rutter, Government Relations Coordinator
As we look forward to 2016, there’s much on the horizon for the cannabis industry. NCIA remains dedicated in its effort to pass banking and tax legislation through Congress that would provide immediate relief to cannabis-related businesses all over the country.
In addition to the federal advocacy that NCIA engages in every day, there will be at least five states seeking to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis via the ballot initiative process: Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada. It’s also likely that Florida will have another ballot initiative relating to medical cannabis, and it’s possible that other states will move forward with cannabis reform through ballot initiatives or legislative processes. What happens over the next twelve months will be crucial in shaping the future of the legitimate and responsible cannabis industry.
While 2015 was a milestone year for cannabis reform, that same momentum will be necessary in order to continue moving the conversation forward with Congress in Washington, D.C. The Rohrabacher-Farr medical cannabis amendment earned more that 60 Republicans votes. For the first time ever, there are multiple pro-cannabis bills that have been introduced in the U.S. Senate. Continued progress is vital in garnering more national support for cannabis reform, so make sure your interests are heard through national advocacy, education, and community with NCIA.
The timeline below lays out some of the highlights from a busy year in cannabis industry advocacy. We look forward to more exciting milestones with your help in 2016!
*Click on the “Full Screen” button (with the four arrows) at the bottom of the image to expand its size.
Video Newsletter: 5 Years of Advocacy, Education, and Community
Even if you couldn’t attend NCIA’s 5th Anniversary Banquet held in Las Vegas on November 11th, you can still reflect on five years of industry advocacy, education, and community with a few of our founding members in this video presentation.
We are proud of the nearly 1,000 member-businesses that have come together as the unified voice of the cannabis industry.
Not yet a member of NCIA? It’s never too late to get involved in paving a prosperous future for the cannabis industry — join today!
Special Thanks to: Christie Lunsford, Jay and Diane Czarkowski, Brian Vicente, Ean Seeb, Erich Pearson, Étienne Fontán, Julianna Carella, Jill Lamoureux, Rob Kampia, and Steve DeAngelo.
Looking Back, Moving Forward: NCIA Honors Legislative Leader Rep. Barbara Lee
by Michelle Rutter, Government Relations Coordinator
As the year draws to a close, many of us in the cannabis industry are heading to Las Vegas for our annual trip to talk all things cannabis.
On November 11th, NCIA will be celebrating our fifth anniversary as the national voice for responsible cannabis businesses at a luxe banquet at the LiNQ Hotel + Casino, aptly themed “Looking Back, Moving Forward.” We’ll be taking a look back at how far we’ve come together in preparation for the hard work still ahead, while honoring some of the industry’s greatest champions on Capitol Hill. Las Vegas representative Dina Titus (D-NV) will give welcoming remarks to our guests.
To celebrate the progress that the cannabis industry has made, NCIA annually names a member of Congress as the recipient of our 2015 Cannabis Industry Legislative Leadership Award. Winners in prior years include true visionaries and cannabis champions Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA). Runners-up and “Honorary Legislative Leaders” of 2015 for the award this year included Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), and Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA). This year, NCIA has chosen to name Rep. Barbara Lee of California as the recipient of the 2015 Legislator of the Year Award.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee
Representative Barbara Lee is currently serving her ninth term in Congress as the representative for California’s 13th district. The district consists of the east San Francisco Bay Area, including Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Oakland, Piedmont, and San Leandro. The Congresswoman is a member of the Democratic Party and is the first woman to represent her district. She currently serves on the Appropriations Committee and on the Budget Committee in the House of Representatives, in addition to being the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
As a leader on issues that span both the social and economic spectrum, Representative Lee has long been a vocal supporter of the cannabis movement. In the 113th Congress, Rep. Lee sponsored the States’ Medical Marijuana Property Rights Protection Act, which would have exempted real property from civil forfeiture under the Controlled Substances Act due to medical marijuana-related conduct that is authorized by state law.
Currently, during the 114th Congress, Representative Lee has continued to be a champion for the cannabis industry on Capitol Hill. She is a co-sponsor of the Marijuana Businesses Access to Banking Act of 2015 — NCIA’s priority legislation that would end our industry’s banking crisis and provide financial services for the state-legal cannabis businesses. In addition to reintroducing her property rights protection legislation, H.R. 262, Rep. Lee is a co-sponsor of the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act and the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act.
Representative Lee is very familiar with the cannabis industry in her own backyard: her district is home to many NCIA members, including the nation’s longest continuously operating medical cannabis collective, Berkeley Patients Group, the internationally-recognized Oaksterdam University, and the country’s largest medical cannabis collective, Harborside Health Center.
We hope you’ll be able to join us at this historic event in Las Vegas on Wednesday, November 11th. Much has changed since NCIA formed back in 2010, and there can be no denying the monumental strides achieved since then by the cannabis industry.
Member Spotlight: Tahoe Wellness Cooperative
For this November member spotlight, we catch up with Cody Bass of Tahoe Wellness Cooperative, a patient-run medical cannabis cooperative in South Lake Tahoe, California. Cody talks with us here about his cooperative’s mission and values, his experience being raided earlier this year, and the new legislation in California. Cody currently serves on NCIA’s board of directors.
Cannabis Industry Sector:
Medical Cannabis Providers
NCIA Member Since:
2012
How do you uniquely serve the cannabis industry?
My life’s work is to free the cannabis plant. The perspective from working directly with the plant for nearly two decades has allowed me the vision to create a model that is unique. One thing that is unique about us is we use glass packaging at TWC for almost everything, which has created close to zero waste through our jar reusing program. We take a one dollar deposit on the jar when you purchase medicine and when you bring your jar back, you get your dollar deposit back. We installed a commercial dishwashing station and have virtually eliminated waste from our sales. This is one of many conscious standards and ethics you will find throughout Tahoe Wellness Cooperative.
Tahoe Wellness Cooperative
Why should patients seeking medical cannabis go to Tahoe Wellness Cooperative?
To get the highest quality, pure cannabis in California, in a safe space from a knowledgeable and compassionate crew. Our staff is very knowledgeable about cannabis and will ensure a patient has the understanding to choose the medicine they need. Your contribution is supporting a cooperative that is providing a variety of services to our entire community free-of-charge at our Community Center, which is open to all. TWC’s compassion program provides cannabis for terminally-ill patients at no cost. There is also a safe space for our patients to medicate, as well as a hash bar where we teach our patients how to make solvent-free hash.
Earlier this year in the summer, your cooperative in California was raided by local authorities. Can you tell us more about that experience, and how you’ve moved forward?
On June 1st, we experienced a SWAT-style raid on TWC from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s office. This came as a major surprise to all of our members and broader community. Even our local police department was shocked and unaware. We are licensed by the City of South Lake Tahoe and had gone through the renewal process with the city, with which we have worked cooperatively, hand-in-hand over the past seven years. We work and communicate well together. We operate under a local ordinance which has been effectively removing licensed operators that were operating illegally. When our local police department produced evidence that showed two operators were doing illegal things, both of their licenses were revoked and they were closed. So why would the Sheriff’s office raid a city-licensed dispensary that was current with all tax filings and the local ordinance’s current requirements? At this point we still don’t have all the details, and we are pursuing the District Attorney and Sheriff’s office to get our property and damages for their clearly unlawful action. However, I don’t have any other info at this time because I would only be speculating – better to wait for the facts.
As many know, I have been very opposed to the legislation signed by Governor Jerry Brown two weeks ago. I am not against regulations; in fact, Tahoe Wellness Cooperative has been operating under a local ordinance for over four years and paid all the required taxes. What I am so opposed to is what I see as a licensing scheme because of the distribution license. Having a license is great for producing and dispensing cannabis, but not for the distribution. Here in California, we produce half of the cannabis that America currently consumes. If we don’t create markets that are approachable by the buyer and the farmer, we are only further driving cannabis underground. In California, we must re-create the open market with an initiative in 2016 that allows for farmers’ markets, auction houses, or cooperatives, where distributors could exist, but not be the only choice. The distributor-only legislation is what would destroy the open market of cannabis, the biggest cottage industry that could ever hit America.
Why did you join NCIA?
NCIA was the first organized effort to step outside of the pure advocacy related to cannabis and form a membership of responsible cannabis pioneers that could see the need to change issues on a national level that are crucial to the evolution of cannabis. So really I joined NCIA for a unified effort. Since that time it has been remarkable to witness how many people NCIA has educated on pure cannabis knowledge, best practices, and compliance.
Guest Post: Deal for Regulations Passes California Legislature
by Nate Bradley, Executive Director of California Cannabis Industry Association
We did it! After almost 20 years without statewide regulations, the California State Legislature has taken an important first step in creating a legal framework for medical cannabis. On September 11th at 11:47 pm, CCIA staff watched as the legislature sent a package of bills to the Governor’s office. Those bills – AB 266, AB 243, and SB 643 – combined to make the Medical Marijuana Regulation & Safety Act (MMRSA).
The MMRSA establishes the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation under the Department of Consumer Affairs. The Department of Food and Agriculture has responsibility for regulating cultivation and processing, the Department of Public Health is tasked with developing standards for the manufacture, testing, and production and labeling of all cannabis products, and the Department of Pesticide Regulation oversees developing pesticide standards. For more information on what this legislation does, please check out CCIA’s “MMSRA Cheat Sheet” here.
We think it’s fair to say most CCIA members understand the need for regulation and are glad California has started the process. That said, we believe parts of the bills need fixing. We are eager to hear what you think. We will continue relying on feedback from our allies in the industry to help us develop follow-up legislation — and to take part in the rule-making process — to address these issues. That said, the clear message from our members has been: even strict regulation is better than no regulation at all.
Nate Bradley, cofounder of the California Cannabis Industry Association, an independent state affiliate of NCIA
We also hope this legislation will put California in compliance with the U.S. Department of Justice guidelines, which ought to end federal prosecution of lawful cannabis operators in California. The citizens of California spoke clearly when they voted for medical cannabis in 1996; their elected representatives have just spoken again. We hope the federal government will respect California’s clear desire to have a well-regulated medical cannabis industry.
Our expectation is that California will now be able to take its rightful place as the center of investment and innovation in the cannabis economy. Governor Brown and his colleagues in the legislature have just given the green light to let California’s cannabis industry become the thriving, tax-paying, job-creating industry it was always destined to become.
Nate Bradley, based in Sacramento, is the executive director and cofounder of the California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA). He is responsible for CCIA’s public policy advocacy and political strategy in California’s State Capitol. Nate also has ten years of education and experience in law enforcement and is a speaker for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP).
Member Spotlight: A Therapeutic Alternative
For April’s Member Spotlight, we spoke with Kimberly Cargile, CEO of A Therapeutic Alternative, based in Sacramento, California. Kimberly and her team have a deep commitment to patient education and being active in shaping the future of medical cannabis.
Cannabis Industry Sector:
Medical Cannabis Providers
NCIA Member Since:
2013
How do you uniquely serve the cannabis industry?
A Therapeutic Alternative’s patient-centered dispensary provides a variety of alternative healing therapies and lab-tested medicinal cannabis products to patients. Our patients have access to a range of complementary services, including yoga, Reiki, sound therapy, meditation, cranial sacral therapy, support groups, massage therapy, and acupressure. A Therapeutic Alternative is unique among dispensaries in California because we offer a holistic approach to treatment. We want to see patients heal, and we are dedicated to providing patients with natural therapies to use on their individual journeys. Lab testing medical cannabis is not required in California; however, we test all products with a third-party lab to ensure quality control. Products are tested for contaminants such as mold, mildew, bugs, pesticides, and solvents prior to being provided at A Therapeutic Alternative. We also test for the products’ cannabinoid percentages. This is very helpful to patients when they decide which strain to use. Because each cannabinoid produces differing pharmacological effects on the body, a product’s cannabinoid profile is extremely important.
Why should patients looking for medical cannabis services go to A Therapeutic Alternative?
A Therapeutic Alternative offers yoga, massage, Reiki, acupressure, and more.
A Therapeutic Alternative is a City of Sacramento permitted and regulated dispensary located in the medical district of Midtown. We are close to three major hospitals, the cancer center, doctors’ offices, and laboratories. We offer patients with immediate and long-term needs access to high quality service and products. Our outstanding service is due to the fact that we have hired a knowledgeable, experienced, and educated team. Together our team provides patients with support through diagnosis and treatment. A Therapeutic Alternative supplies a large variety of strains with varying cannabinoid profiles to cover a wide range of symptoms. We provide dried herbs, tinctures, topicals, edibles, capsules, concentrates, clones, and seeds. Our staff spends the time necessary with each patient to tailor a treatment plan for each individual.
Can you give us some insight into the medical cannabis community in Sacramento, where it’s been and where it’s headed?
It has taken a long time to make progress in Sacramento; however, the progress is great in respect to the rest of the state. The City of Sacramento’s staff, local patients, and advocates worked together to create a local ordinance regulating medical cannabis dispensaries. That process took about two years, starting in 2008 and finishing with a City Council vote in 2010. This allowed all 30 dispensaries to stay open and continue to operate through a stringent permitting process. A Therapeutic Alternative was the 5th dispensary in Sacramento to receive our final permit, a process that took nearly five years. There is a long road behind us and a long road ahead of us as we face state regulation legislation and adult-use or recreational use legalization initiatives in the next few years. Because we are operating in the capital of California, A Therapeutic Alternative has had a unique chance to have an impact on state legislation. We have given many tours to entities including state representatives, the Police Chiefs Association, California League of Cities and Counties, and the Board of Equalization. It is our goal to use our place in the capital to spread education about our industry’s and our patients’ needs.
Why did you join the team at A Therapeutic Alternative?
Kimberly Cargile, CEO of A Therapeutic Alternative
I have been working in the medical cannabis industry in California since 2003. When I graduated from Humboldt State University in 2006, I moved to Sacramento and took on my first job as the general manager at one of California’s first dispensaries, Capitol Wellness Collective. In 2007, I had an opportunity to work behind the camera interviewing medical cannabis patients for a documentary about the need for dispensaries. During that special time I spent with those patients, I realized that I had a responsibility to stand up and speak up for those who were too sick or too scared to do so for themselves. So, I decided to start volunteering for Americans for Safe Access and began organizing patients for City Council meetings, County Board of Supervisor meetings, Planning Commission meetings, State Senate and Assembly meetings, protests, and signature drives. In 2009, A Therapeutic Alternative opened up close to my house, and I joined the collective. Shortly thereafter I took on a consulting position to help the founders learn the ins and outs of managing a medical cannabis dispensary. I also started a yoga program at A Therapeutic Alternative for cancer patients, which I still teach to this day. In 2012, the founders asked me to join the board and take on a more active role in the dispensary. I am currently the CEO of A Therapeutic Alternative and enjoy my position managing the daily operations. Whenever I get stressed out or frustrated by the office work and politics, I go downstairs and spend time helping the patients. Talking with patients helps me to remember why I am doing it all and makes me thankful that I have the courage to help them access safe medical cannabis.
Why did you join NCIA?
When Aaron Smith told me he was going to fulfill the needs of our emerging industry by providing us with the National Cannabis Industry Association, I was thrilled. As we make progress throughout the nation, we need communication and education on multiple levels. We need it within our industry, between businesses, in order to set high standards and best operating practices. We also need it outside our industry with government, in order to make good laws protecting cannabis businesses and patients. The National Cannabis Industry Association does just that.
NCIA Member Profile: CBCB – Cannabis Buyers’ Club Berkeley
NCIA recently had an opportunity to speak with Aundre Speciale, director of CBCB, a locally-licensed medical cannabis dispensary in Berkeley, California. CBCB is a patient-centered collective with limited membership, bringing patients access to medicine in conjunction with a natural perspective of wellness, and they offer educational seminars, support groups, and a variety of services.
Aundre Speciale of CBCB sits with the late Jack Herer
Cannabis Industry Sector:
Medical Cannabis Provider
Sustaining NCIA Member Since:
2014
How do you uniquely serve the cannabis industry?
My background is a mix of activism, politics, and industry. I have worked for cannabis reform for 25 years as an activist and lobbyist, gaining civil disobedience experience as well as political allies. Through my activism I have been able to hear directly from patients what their needs are, and I now currently operate several dispensaries throughout the state.
My model for dispensing medical cannabis has included opening community centers that provide free services to patients and the local community, working closely with community service providers and city government to create enlightened cannabis policy, and funding major cannabis research and reform projects. I currently share my operational experience by sitting on the boards of a number of licensed dispensaries throughout California. I have been inspired by and learned from the compassionate models of people like Jack Herer, Eddy Lepp, Dennis Perron, Val and Mike Corral with WAMM, Debbie Goldsberry and Don Duncan with Berkeley Patients Group (BPG), and many more.
Why should patients looking for medical cannabis services go to Cannabis Buyers’ Club Berkeley (CBCB)?
CBCB was started in 1996 by patients with a desire to help other patients. It continues in the same spirit. We have two employees who have worked at the collective for more than 15 years, and we have patients who have been with the collective since its beginning. I became director in 2007.
CBCB’s style is uniquely Berkeley, as are its compassionate patient-centered programs. We offer many support groups, educational seminars, wellness programs, and a compassion program that provides free medicine for patients, including children with epilepsy, chemo patients, veterans, and end-of-life patients. Many programs and services are run by patient volunteers, “patients helping patients.” CBCB believes in community responsibility and not only funds and supports cannabis research, campaigns, and advocacy, but also supports community events, projects, and organizations. Our patient volunteers walk the neighborhood daily picking up all trash, while an extra CBCB security guard patrols the neighborhood greeting neighbors. Our employees are compassionate and cannabis-educated and are happy to spend as much time as patients need to assist them in finding the medicine that works best. CBCB has an unusually large range of products to serve the individual needs of our patients. We offer free fruit, coffee, and tea, and hugs are handed out liberally. Our official motto is ‘choose love.’
Tell us about your past involvement in the California medical marijuana community. Where do you see the laws and culture heading in California in the future?
Aundre Speciale stands next to the Hemp Bus, 1991
My passion for cannabis advocacy began in 1989 at the height of the “just say no” era when my neighbor, Jack Herer, asked me to join him on the Hemp Bus, touring California and the country promoting hemp for fuel, food, fiber, fun, and medicine. Thus began my life-long love for and dedication to cannabis reform. I have been involved in countless cannabis campaigns and projects, including the federal hemp foods ban protests, and I was key organizer on behalf of defendants in the first federal trials of medical cannabis providers. I’m a founding member of Americans for Safe Access, where I developed its popular peer counseling program, gathered data for lawsuits protecting and expanding patientsʼ rights, and provided best-practices training for dispensary operators. I served on the board of the Marijuana Policy Project for three years, holding the vice chair position. I have been an early dispensary operator, opening dispensaries and working with several cities to craft medical cannabis regulations, including San Francisco, Sacramento, Venice Beach, Berkeley, South Lake Tahoe, and Oakland.
California has had a thriving cannabis culture for generations, and it is hard to get everyone to all agree what direction cannabis regulations should go. But I see California, along with the rest of the country and world, having access to adult-use cannabis, as well as hemp products, in the very near future. People are looking for safer, more natural products, from their medicine to their paints, and cannabis is the answer. Cannabis is the “new” in thing.
Why did you get involved in NCIA?
I love NCIA. I know NCIA’s executive director Aaron Smith from the amazing work he did with the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), and he has a long record of successful campaigns. With NCIA, he has proven to be a strong, effective leader who has assembled an incredible staff. I appreciate the caliber and experience of NCIA speakers and members, truly the best in the industry, with whom I can truly learn and exchange ideas about timely and relevant industry information.
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.
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