Last week Oster and Associates hosted its first, but not last, cannabis panel discussion. The event was called “The Business of Cannabis in California.” It was so well received that the agency has decided to hold a series of cannabis-related panel discussions every quarter.
About 60 people joined us at 5th Avenue Kitchen and Tap. They heard from Adelia Carrillo, founder and CEO, Direct Cannabis Network; Eric Gomez, CEO, Canopy San Diego, an investment group; Jason Klein, real estate broker, Agent Cannabis; Kimberly Simms, cannabis attorney, Law Office of Kimberly R. Simms and Dallin Young, executive director, Association of Cannabis Professionals. All shared their own views about the industry through their professional lenses. By the end of the discussion, what was evident is cannabis is here to stay. It’s not going away and if you’re not part of the discussion, then you’re missing out.
We titled the discussion “The Business of Cannabis in California” for a reason – cannabis has become a legitimate business and will continue to grow as such not only in San Diego but throughout California. There is money to be made if conducted properly. Since California voters overwhelmingly approved recreational cannabis in 2016, the flood gates have opened but the ones who will remain standing are those that can weather the regulation storm by playing by the rules and becoming part of the conversation. People need to get involved and work with their constituents to see real change happen. This starts with education.
There is a negative stigma surrounding cannabis or marijuana. One that will take time to undo. This is where Oster and Associates comes in. We decided collectively as an agency to support the cannabis industry for several reasons: 1) Cannabis is a business and we support businesses. 2) We believe in the product. We believe if taken wisely, responsibly and safely, it contains many health benefits. 3) It will generate money into San Diego, which is always a good thing. We understand it will take time and effort to educate the public and we are up for the challenge. We embrace it and welcome others to do the same.
The other take away is elected officials are open and willing to work with the industry. In turn, it’s our job as consumers to become more active and demand improvements. Forums and panel discussions like this one help bring everyone together to have those conversations.
We hope you will join us for our next panel discussion that will focus on the health benefits of cannabis. More information will be shared on our social media channels. Stay tuned!
