A Unified Cannabis Industry Voice in Washington

Photo By CannabisCamera.com

by Michelle Rutter Friberg, NCIA’s Deputy Director of Government Relations

When I first started at NCIA nearly nine years ago, there were a lot less people lobbying for cannabis reform on Capitol Hill. As our industry has grown and expanded, so has the government relations presence in D.C., but that also means that unification and coordination has become more difficult. New trade organizations have been created, individual companies with competing interests have hired their own lobbying firms – it’s a lot to keep track of! As a result, one of the things we’ve heard most from Capitol Hill staffers is that a unified voice would be incredibly helpful when trying to get legislation over the finish line. 

So, NCIA got to work to make that happen, convening a working group comprised of the trade organizations in the cannabis space we work closely with on the Hill. In the following weeks, we sent a unified industry letter on SAFE Banking and hosted a briefing and reception for freshman members and staff on Capitol Hill. 

Industry Letter 

On March 21, NCIA, along with the National Cannabis Roundtable (NCR), United States Cannabis Council (USCC), Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), and National Hispanic Cannabis Council (NHCC) sent a letter to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Ranking Member Tim Scott (R-SC) calling on them to act to address the continued lack of equitable access to banking and capital for cannabis related businesses and expeditiously take action on the bipartisan SAFE Banking Act upon its reintroduction. You can read the full text of the letter here

Just a day later, the American Bankers Association (ABA) Washington Summit was held. Chairman Brown said, “Prognosis is positive… I’m hopeful we can do it [SAFE Banking] relatively soon.” Ranking Member Scott also spoke about the importance of moving the bill forward through “regular order” while reiterating that he doesn’t necessarily support the legislation himself. Scott, who is running for president in 2024, also said that cannabis reform broadly is, “something that we’re going to have to wrestle with as a nation and as a Congress and get to an answer there.”

Looks like the Senators agree with our letter! 

Freshman Briefing and Reception

As lobbyists, one of our biggest jobs is educating members of Congress and their staff about the issues facing our industry and how to address them. That can be difficult, however, there’s 535 members of Congress and a lot of staff turnover (not to mention elections every two years!). 

To combat this, NCIA, NCR, USCC, and the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) came together to host a briefing on Cannabis 101 for freshman members of Congress and their staff. This is the first time that all of the major trade organizations have come together to host an event like this and it was incredibly well received. Former Colorado Senator Cory Gardner (R) even said to me personally how remarkable the coalition was!  

The briefing included messages from all four members of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, panels on “Incremental Approaches & Comprehensive Reform” and “Current Operational Landscape Potential & Challenges” as well as a fireside chat between Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) and Sen. Gardner. 

Following the briefing, a reception was held in Rayburn Cafeteria where more than 100 Hill staffers and lobbyists mingled to discuss all things cannabis. All of the feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, with questions about when the next event would be! I made sure to remind everyone that NCIA’s 11th Annual Cannabis Industry Lobby Days would be taking place May 16-18, and that we look forward to visiting their offices and educating them further. 

You won’t want to miss this event – register today and sign up for our newsletter to make sure you continue to get all of the latest information and updates about how to get involved with our work in Washington!

Webinar Recording: In the Weeds – Cannabis Advocacy from the Statehouse to Capitol Hill

Watch this recent webinar from March 31 for a lively discussion about how to leverage your company, customers, and industry partners to achieve your state, local, and federal advocacy goals. Whether cannabis is already legal in your state or on the path to being so, learn the advocacy basics to ensure the industry’s, and your company’s, long-term success.

This panel of industry experts discuss:

– What types of activities and interactions with government officials trigger lobbyist registration requirements;
– Best practices for forming coalitions to achieve your advocacy goals, whether at the ballot box or in the statehouse;
– How to form a PAC or other advocacy vehicle; and
– What types of gifts to public officials may be off-limits because of the nature of your cannabis business.

Speakers

Moderator: D. Michael Stroud, Jr.
Partner at Nossaman LLP
Michael Stroud, Jr. brings more than 15 years of legal and legislative policy expertise in border security, infrastructure, national security, tax, transportation, trade, state and local municipal government, and water and wastewater utility. He has advised clients on federal campaign and lobby laws, gift rules, ethics compliance and investigations. Michael has also led efforts on appropriations legislation to obtain legislative changes to advance clients’ interests in the cannabis industry.

Amber Maltbie
Partner at Nossaman LLP
Maltbie is a campaign finance and election law attorney who advises clients in the cannabis industry, including trade associations, private, and publicly traded companies. She advises them on the permissibility of making contributions at the state and local level, preparing and filing campaign finance reports, tracking and notifying public officials who have received client gifts. She has helped develop a banking relationship and facilitated getting its PAC banked. She also advises on support and promotion of ballot measures and legislative advocacy. Amber’s practice covers all 50 states.

William Powers
Partner  at Nossaman LLP
William Powers focuses his practice on political law and campaign finance issues. Drawing on his decade-long career in government, including as a top enforcement official at the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Bill helps clients navigate laws related to campaign finance, lobbying, ethics, gift and gratuities and pay-to-play. His clients include companies and nonprofits at the cutting edge of their industries, and he brings a collaborative and flexible approach in helping them achieve their advocacy goals in elections, the legislative arena, and the ballot measure and initiative process.

 

Meet Anya – NCIA’s New D.C. Office Intern

By Michelle Rutter Friberg, NCIA Deputy Director of Government Relations

There’s no shortage of work to be done in cannabis policy reform here in Washington, D.C. and it seems like there’s never enough hours in the day! That’s why for more than two years, the NCIA D.C. office has utilized the help of interns to assist us with all of the important work we do here. From attending meetings and briefings, to doing research projects, to doing social media, our wonderful interns have done it all. This week, we want to introduce you to our newest intern in D.C., Anya Vining

Tell us about yourself! Where did you grow up and go to school? 

I was born in Ukraine but spent most of my childhood in upstate New York. I then moved to Boston where I went to school at the University of Massachusetts and studied political science and psychology. 

What did you do before this internship?

After graduation, I began working at one of the first licensed hemp farms in Massachusetts, BayGrown Farms. It was a great opportunity to learn more about cultivation and product development. After the harvest season, I spent some time traveling around the United States exploring new places! 

When did you realize you were interested in cannabis, whether personally or professionally?

Once I began working for BayGrown Farms I got to see the importance of legalized cannabis. I met so many people who relied on cannabis to improve the quality of their lives and saw first hand the positive effects! We also worked to repurpose old and unused farmland which provided farmers with another source of income. The positive impact on the community really inspired me to pursue cannabis professionally!

Do you see yourself entering the cannabis industry in the future? 

I would love to continue to work in the cannabis industry. I have been considering law school and specializing in cannabis law but I am always open to new opportunities. I think this will be an eye-opening experience and hopefully will give me more insight into what I want to do in the future!

What interests you about the cannabis space?

The cannabis industry is ever-changing and growing rapidly which keeps the space interesting and exciting! So many people are impacted by the industry and there is always room for more education and advocacy.

What are you most excited to do or learn while interning here?

I am most excited to gain more professional experience and learn more about lobbying for a cause that I am passionate about. I am also looking forward to meeting more people in the industry and hope to become more involved and invested!

If you’re interested in learning more about the work we do in Washington, D.C., or meeting Anya and our government relations team, make sure you save the date for NCIA’s 10th Annual Cannabis Industry Lobby Days, happening May 19-21, 2020! See you there!

2017 Year In Review: NCIA’s seven year history

Last year represented the most robust growth phase for NCIA in our seven-year history. The increase in membership and revenues has allowed us to expand our presence in Washington, D.C., provide better benefits and service to our members, and produce the best events in the industry.

Organizational Highlights

As we enter into our 8th year as your national industry association, we’re grateful to our more than 1,500 member businesses across the country who make our work possible. This year, it is more important than ever to unify as an industry and make our voices heard in the halls of Congress. Start planning now to join us in Washington, D.C., on May 21-23, 2018 for our 8th Annual Cannabis Industry Lobby Days. Let’s stand together and show our nation’s decision-makers what a legitimate, responsible cannabis industry looks like. See you in D.C.!

Member Spotlight: GENIFER M

This month, we’re highlighting long-time NCIA Member and cannabis advocate Genifer Murray, who recently launched her line of luxury cannabis-themed jewelry, GENIFER M, with the aim and intention to “elevate the conversation about cannabis through artisan jewelry.” 

Cannabis Industry Sector:
Accessories/Products

NCIA Member Since:
2012

Tell me a bit about your background and why you launched your company?

I launched GENIFER M to start the conversation about cannabis. With more than seven years of experience working in the cannabis industry, I have always been passionate about educating the public on the positive power and healing benefits of cannabis; GENIFER M is luxury cannabis inspired jewelry that aims to do just that through artisan jewelry.

My cannabis career started in 2010 when I co-founded one of the first cannabis testing labs in the U.S., CannLabs based in Colorado, where I was one of the first female CEOs in the cannabis industry. My passion and role as CEO became to be a champion for health and safety for patients. My mission with CannLabs was to provide safe and quality medicine to cannabis patients, which resulted in a bigger mission: to help others and the larger community that need this medicine through lobbying for its legalization. While lobbying, I wanted to better represent the cannabis industry and make a statement that illustrated cannabis in a non-threatening and elegant way. As a result, GENIFER M was born.

My dad, Glenn Murray, a technically trained and internationally recognized gemologist, made me a 2.5 carat diamond pave indica leaf lapel to wear with my suits while I was lobbying with NCIA and the Governor’s Task Force for Amendment 64 (ending marijuana prohibition). I wore the pin everywhere and could see it was not only changing minds, but starting conversations with people that traditionally wouldn’t openly discuss or inquire about cannabis. The pin created a movement, creating a non-threatening space for educating consumers about cannabis and its benefits. GENIFER M is an extension of that conversation and was launched to change the way people perceive, interact, and experience cannabis through luxe style and handcrafted quality jewelry.  

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

Our company is extremely unique in the fact that we are using a lifestyle to start the conversation about cannabis. GENIFER M creates luxury fashion that empowers, educates, and elevates the conversation about cannabis and what it means to each person who wears a leaf. Each GENIFER M cannabis inspired jewelry piece is designed to open discussions about topics of cannabis in a non-threatening way; we aim to create a space in which you can fully express your beliefs, hopes, and passion for the healing properties of cannabis with the mission to make a difference in people’s lives. It shatters traditional perceptions of cannabis to reverse 90 years of the propaganda in mainstream culture.

Cannabis companies have a unique responsibility to shape this growing industry to be socially responsible and advocate for it to be treated fairly. How does your company help work toward that goal for the greater good of the cannabis industry?

As business owners in the cannabis industry, we each have a responsibility to move this industry forward in the best manner possible, which is why GENIFER M is the alternative to mass production and traditional cannabis perceptions. We believe in the higher side of purchasing power and style — and making a difference in people’s lives through cannabis inspired jewelry. At GENIFER M, we want to give you the power to share your story and lead you to a lifestyle that embraces what cannabis means to you while honoring the progression from “pot culture” to “cannabis couture.”

What kind of challenges do you face in the industry and what solutions would you like to see?

There are several challenges like no traditional banking, the 280E tax problem, and of course the stigma, which still has a lot to do with why people are hesitating in the decriminalization of marijuana. However, we need more science to overcome the myths and stigma surrounding cannabis! We need the studies, clinical trials, and research. Thankfully the U.S. is finally allowing some of that to take place. I also see pharma as a huge challenge. As a cannabis community we need to work together to help end the pharma era and provide people with natural and holistic medicine — not synthetically made or chemically compounded products. Ultimately, creating platforms for cannabis education is the key to overcoming the challenges this industry faces

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best part about being a member?

I joined NCIA because we needed a national voice to be heard in D.C. I wanted to help educate lawmakers and the public about the issues challenging the industry, to help prepare for the issues that nobody knew about back in 2012. I also joined because the NCIA community and its members provided me support through my cannabis entrepreneurial journey; they knew exactly what I was going through and became a great network founded on the mentality of helping each other grow and succeed. We are all working together to pave the way for the industry.

For more information about GENIFER M, or to purchase its products and help start the conversation about cannabis, please visit www.geniferm.com.

CONTACT:
GENIFER M Facebook

Guest Post: The Common Ground between Advocacy and Business in the Cannabis Industry

by Adam Bierman, Managing Partner of MedMen

Adam Bierman, Managing Partner of MedMen
Adam Bierman, Managing Partner of MedMen

The growth of the medical marijuana movement presents a unique opportunity for advocacy groups to work hand-in-hand with the business community in order to bring about positive social change. Historically, advocates for important social reforms like the 40-hour week and safer working conditions had an understandably anti-business orientation. But when we’re talking about providing greater access to medical marijuana, such an attitude is less than helpful. In fact, it’s counter-productive. I believe if that fact were merely recognized and accepted by both medical marijuana activists and the business community, we would be much closer to establishing national acceptance than we are today.

Changing state law to allow access to medical marijuana always starts with advocacy. Most likely groups like NORML will have been agitating for years, and individual patients’ rights groups will have formed around specific issues like access for children with epilepsy or veterans with PTSD. Eventually the Marijuana Policy Project, the largest organization working solely on marijuana policy reform, will start backing the local movements by injecting capital and other resources as part of an organized push for either a statewide initiative or legislative action. Although that is an oversimplification, it paints a picture of the landscape.

Usually, once a state law has been enacted to allow for access, the advocates quiet down and business rules the day. Licensees, who are above all businesspeople thrilled at this newfound opportunity, plow full steam ahead. They raise money, build infrastructure, create jobs, and serve the community.

Although they have common interests, the link between businesspeople and advocacy groups is never formally cemented and no long-term commitments are ever made. It seems like every other big (or growing) industry understands the need for advocacy at the local and federal level. This is true across the board, not only for industries like ours which reside in a controversial space. This is reflected in the effectiveness of groups like the National Restaurant Association or the American Medical Association.

Our industry has failed to create an effective symbiosis and I lay the blame on both groups. I will start with the business element; since I am part of that contingency, I am more comfortable calling out my closest colleagues. Far too many of us fail to acknowledge that, although it may be legal to run a cannabis business in your state today, it wasn’t yesterday and it may not be tomorrow. State rules can change, and even in instances where access expands, that doesn’t mean those in the business will have a seat at the table. California is the greatest example of this. Those currently operating dispensaries in California are doing so without state licensure (as none exists). The fact that millions of dollars from the current industry participants are not pouring into advocacy and lobbying efforts to ensure California eventually does standardize licensing, and when they do, to maintain a window of opportunity for those previously operating, is mind-boggling.

All you have to do is look at the online gaming fiasco to see what could happen. Online poker sites were previously licensed offshore but doing business in the United States. When the U.S. finally accepted the reality of online gambling and allowed licensing, one of the first regulations was to ban participation by companies who had previously operated without a license. The result was the domestic closure of all the major online poker sites and a huge advertisement at the Las Vegas airport promoting real money online poker now available at WSOP.com (owned by Harrah’s). Why did this happen? Because the “big business” folks understood the link between advocacy/lobbying and business, and at the end of the day the Las Vegas casino corporations were the primary supporters of the new landscape, and of course they helped influence it being set up in their favor.

In addition to the possibility of being shut out of their current marketplaces, the cannabis business community must understand that success in their state is partially reliant on the growth of the overall marketplace and success in other states. The best thing for a licensee in Illinois is to have Missouri legalize medical cannabis. The ideal situation would be for the operators in Illinois to somehow leverage their experience in that state to access licenses in their neighboring state. The only way this has a chance of happening is for the advocacy side to be successful. For that to occur, they need money and a commitment of resources.

2013 Lobby Days, National Cannabis Industry Association, with Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
2013 Lobby Days, National Cannabis Industry Association, with Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)

To be fair, the advocacy groups have not done any better in forging lasting alliances. In fact, my biggest gripe with this community is their widespread distancing of their agenda from capitalism. Most, if not all, of the prominent drivers of social change on this issue have some part of their platform addressing the fact that this is about patients first. A downward spiral then ensues where, because it’s patients first, it must mean business second… or third or last or somehow altogether evil. Without successful businesses, patients will have nowhere to access the medicine that they fought so hard to get. Without successful businesses, there is no money to be poured into advocacy to open access in new states and hopefully once and for all, federally, which is the core mission of groups like the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA). There is absolutely no arguing this point. If that is the case, why is business so evil? It would be like a group that is fighting for family rights having part of their platform be anti-sex. Without sex you make no babies, and without successful business, patients have no cannabis.

Advocates and cannabis business owners have considerable common ground, but until they are willing to combine their efforts and wage a unified campaign, it’s going to continue to be a much harder fight than it should be.

MedMen is a medical marijuana licensing and management company with years of experience helping clients enter the field of medical marijuana, and has been a member of NCIA since August 2013. 


Without a strong political machine driving legal reforms across the country, there would be no cannabis industry.

If you are a member of NCIA and would like to participate in our Annual Member Lobby Days, please visit our event page with details about the NCIA Policy Symposium and Member Lobby Days in Washington, D.C. from April 28-30, 2015.

A one-day conference focused on the latest efforts to reform state and federal marijuana laws will be held alongside NCIA’s Lobby Days, and will feature panel discussions as well as an interactive workshop teaching you how to lobby for cannabis reform. Please join us and pre-register today!

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