On Cannabis Boycotts of US Brands, Capital and Management

I’ve noticed some Canadians in the weed industry calling for boycotts of US brands sold here along with LPs with American investors and management.

Sadly, many of these large firms have been doxed.

I understand my fellow Canadians. I am a patriot, free trader and I don’t like being disrespected or bullied.

However, it’s one thing to be patriotic and wanting to help and it’s another to be impulsive, a virtue signaler or a low-resolution thinker. Crazy times should not incite more craziness.

Seemingly good ideas often collapse under scrutiny and in practice.

Cannabis boycotts or their cousin, Buy Canadian appeals, should not be encouraged for the following reasons:

1. What is Canadian, or true for that matter?

There are lists of Canadian LPs circulating the web. Not surprisingly, these lists have errors. It is also unclear who is truly or partly Canadian and what level of US investment, management or inputs will satisfy the activists.

One web site shouts ”Keep Profits in Canada. Avoid US Brands”. Maybe I missed the memo but where are these profits? Remember, US money buttresses our sector, their brands are produced locally and they make up a small share of the total Canadian market.

Before you bring up licensing fees flowing south understand that all LPs import American-made inputs and equipment that do not have a domestic equivalent. Should these firms also go on the boycott list?

2. Ethics, what ethics?

Innocent and vulnerable Canadian workers, investors and suppliers involved with these US-engaged LPs will be negatively impacted. Why should they pay the price of a boycott, especially if weed is outside the trade war (unlike steel etc)?

Does it matter that the boycott targets many fine people who do not agree with Trump? Aren’t we all part of a global weed community [sic] which ostensibly includes our Yankee brothers and sisters?

3. Hypocrisy, anyone?

I don’t cast aspersions when my house is not in order. Canada is not a cannabis free trader. Just ask the Jamaicans and Colombians who have launched trade actions against us. ‘Buy Canadian Weed’ actions do have a whiff of self-serving protectionism.

Speaking of punishing bad countries, why isn’t there a boycott of packaging, capital and hardware from China, a serial human rights abuser, unfair trader and bully?

4. Blowback

How do you think patriotic Americans will feel about LPs after this kerfuffle blows over? Will they line up to invest, partner or lend money? Will Canadian brands and LPs be welcome by US consumers - or even Trump?

Let’s not forget US-engaged LPs are Canada’s biggest exporters of cannabis. Hurting them could hurt Canada’s balance of payments. How is this a good thing for our economy right now?

In this time of uncertainty and fear let’s not forget some Canadian qualities, like prudence, moderation, and neighbourliness.

#boycotts #LPS #canada #tariffs #tradewar #Trump