LOBBYING FOR CANNABIS
A VOICE IN THE GOVERNMENT:
LOBBYING FOR CANNABIS IN MICHIGAN
By: Sandra McCormick, Executive Director of the Michigan Cannabis Development Association
WITH A burgeoning industry of any type, most businesses are
fending for themselves. Unfortunately, though that may be good
in the short term for those companies, it is inherently negative in
the long term. Only by working together for the greater good of
an industry as a whole can companies (and that industry) grow in
a positive way. Long-term success is vital. The cannabis industry
is no different. That is why a true lobby would be so valuable for
all sides.
Just as an example of this, think about the different
associations involved. Local governments, law enforcement,
and some public health groups see cannabis as an inherently
negative thing that should be stopped at all costs. Lack of
collaboration has resulted in inconsistent messages sent from
those entities to the public, to each other, and to the businesses
that are affected by the decisions that they make.
In my own role, I deal with activists and businesses. On a daily
basis, I see constant interpretations and reinterpretations of
what is currently going on and what may be coming in the future.
On the side of the activists, many have something akin to a savior
complex brewing about how governor-elect Whitmer might be
able to fix all of this and save the industry. Without legislative
change and some understanding of the process on the part of
the activists, however, all that will really happen is a throwing of
words back and forth between parties with no real movement on
the issues with real consequence.
Unfortunately, the current state of the industry can best
be summed up as “everyone working for themselves.” A few
individuals and companies have grouped together, but that
is primarily in localized areas around the state. They share
information and coordination, but there is no consensus building
within the industry among the different lobbying firms. As a
result, while there are some controls for certain points within
the process, there are some major issues as well. How do you
outwork other interest groups? How do you ensure the greatest
good for the greatest number of businesses?
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