Weed Wonks

Cannabis policy development has been driven by extensive stakeholder engagement processes and ongoing research into the business, economic, and public safety outcomes of legalization and regulation. In the latest Weed Wonks, Jordan Wellington speaks to Riana Durrett, vice chair of the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board and director of the Cannabis Policy Institute at UNLV, about cannabis policy in Nevada, its implications for other jurisdictions, and the role of research in responsible policy development. Now streaming here: https://lnkd.in/e_Fh2Ffz

It has been a little over a decade since the first legal adult-use cannabis sales took place in the U.S. A lot has changed since then — and a lot has not. Where do we go from here? In the latest Weed Wonks, Jordan Wellington hosts fellow cannabis policy dinosaurs Michael Bronstein and Chris Lindsey of the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) for an in-depth look at where legalization stands 12 years after Colorado and Washington became the first states to authorize adult-use cannabis, and why policy must continue to be crafted responsibly so that marijuana legalization does not become a cautionary tale.   Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/ejzeZvVr

Marijuana legalization initiatives in three states were defeated on Election Day, but that doesn’t mean cannabis wasn’t a winner at the ballot box. In the latest episode of Weed Wonks, host Jordan Wellington speaks with David Culver, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at the U.S. Cannabis Council about why there is reason to be optimistic about cannabis policy reform in the wake of the 2024 presidential election — and why even with the setbacks in Florida and elsewhere, there are clear signs of progress heading into 2025. Now streaming: https://hubs.ly/Q02YyVdN0

Florida voters have the opportunity to legalize adult-use cannabis this November, but the path to Election Day has been anything but easy. In our latest episode, Jordan Wellington hosts Lauren Niehaus, Executive Director of Government Relations at Trulieve, for a fascinating discussion on the difficult process of getting Amendment 3 on the ballot, and the time, resources, and effort that have been spent to give Floridians a chance to vote on legalization. They discuss what goes into drafting ballot initiatives and the compromises that must be made to maximize stakeholder support and engagement and create proposals with the highest probability of success. Now streaming here: https://lnkd.in/gFqNesZT

Cannabis consumption lounges have the potential to change how society views cannabis, how the industry engages with consumers and develops new revenue streams, and how consumers learn about and use #cannabis products. In our latest episode, Jordan Wellington hosts Scot Rutledge and Christopher LaPorte of RESET to discuss why #cannabishospitality and consumption lounges excite so many consumers and industry professionals. Now streaming wherever you're lounging: https://lnkd.in/ggaf6WHJ

What is working - and what isn't - in cannabis policy? In the latest Weed Wonks, Jordan Wellington hosts Erik Gundersen, founder and principal of ERG Strategies, and Mackenzie Slade, MPH, executive director of Cannabis Public Policy Consulting, for a long discussion about how cannabis policy seeks to balance public safety and market stability, the role of science and data in new market formulation, and what it takes to get businesses licensed in a manner that creates viable legal cannabis markets. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/g7qTCyAB

Weed Wonks in the news! "As with cannabis, psychedelics regulation is “going to be an iterative process,” said Dominique Mendiola, who holds split roles as the senior director of both Colorado's Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) and the state’s Natural Medicine Division. Both are under the Colorado Department of Revenue. Mendiola, who was also elected president of the Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) last year, was speaking on an episode of the Weed Wonks podcast with host Jordan Wellington, a partner at the cannabis policy and public affairs firm Strategies 64." Read more on Marijuana Moment here: (Link to Weed Wonks episode featuring Dominique Mendiola in the first comment)

In October, Kentucky will hold a lottery to see which of the thousands of applicants will receive the state’s several dozen highly-coveted medical cannabis licenses. In the latest Weed Wonks, Sam Flynn, Executive Director of the Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis, talks about the steps the Bluegrass State has taken to build a medical marijuana market that focuses on patient access and ensuring the economic viability of the market for cannabis companies. Check it out here: https://hubs.li/Q02Pmc4L0

"Dominique Mendiola, the head of both Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division and Natural Medicine Division, recently told an interviewer that she expects to use the lessons she’s learned in regulating the marijuana industry to inform her decisions for the state’s new psychedelics program. During an appearance on the Weed Wonks podcast, Mendiola said the two substances are “very different,” but many employees from the state’s marijuana regulatory agency are working “split roles” in both agencies based on their ability to leverage resources from their experience with cannabis." Our recent episode with Dominique Mendiola of the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division and Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) gets a mention in this article from The Paper: (link to episode in first comment)

In the cannabis policy world, 30 years is an eternity. In the latest Weed Wonks episode, Jordan Wellington and Mason Tvert of Strategies 64 talk to NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano about the three decades he’s spent in cannabis policy and what it has taken to change public opinion surrounding cannabis. They also discuss Armentano's work on federal rescheduling, which could be the most significant cannabis policy shift since prohibition commenced. Check it out here: