Taylor West, deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, knows firsthand the value of seizing the political moment. NCIA was founded in 2010 to support the ranks of legal growers and sellers who’ve emerged in the wake of state- and municipal-level marijuana-legalization efforts. As legalization expands, the association has gained a legitimacy it previously lacked. As West puts it, “This is the first presidential election where marijuana policy is considered something to be talked about rather than dismissed or demagogued on.”

But marijuana, legal or no, is still a touchy subject for many candidates, which is why NCIA has adopted a strategy that promotes the job- creating aspect of the industry and pursues partnerships that promote its seriousness. NCIA encourages business owners to attend fundraisers and events to deliver plain talk about the association’s concerns, such as allowing dispensaries access to banks. “Some candidates are still anxious or nervous about being associated with our issues,” West says. “That’s where putting the faces of actual business owners into their orbit is so important.”

Read more: http://associationsnow.com/2015/12/ready-to-run-government-relations-in-2016/