Time to Dispel Some Cannabis Folklore

My semi-annual myth busting

Lieutenant Kaffee: I want the truth!
Colonel Jessup: You can't handle the truth!
A Few Good Men (1992)

Optimistically, most of you can.  I’m fortunate to have many thousands of readers and engagers on my posts.  Usually, the comments are supportive and accretive to my supposition.  However, I do get push back (PB), and most of it is sensible and respectful.  

Regretfully, I can’t always rebut their points though I ought to - people use their valuable time comment.  So here goes:

PB 1 - 'You can’t bring other industry learnings to cannabis' 

Indeed, cannabis is a unique industry and community. However, this assertion strikes me as a tad arrogant and narrow minded. Is there nothing to learn from related sectors?   Obviously, there are similarities especially in areas that count the most. For example, employee needs are consistent across all business.  Cannabis is subject to the same retail constraints as other consumer goods. Yada, yada, yada.

PB 2 - 'If you aren’t a grower (specifically a legacy one), you don’t know squat'  

Yes, growing the product does provide a rich understanding of a key part of the value chain. This, however, is an incomplete argument. Our industry is complex with a value chain (and accompanying profit centres) that extend beyond cultivation. Inevitably, parochialism leads you to biased decision making and business blind spots. Winning in cannabis requires extensive collaboration with other specialists not to mention continuous learning.  

PB 3 - 'One has to love cannabis to be in the industry'
  
Certainly, it helps to be very familiar with the product and have passion for what you do. However, this assertion is illogical.  At least 75% of the population does not deify cannabis.  Should we exclude this talent from the industry?  What is the ‘love’ standard, since cannabis in all its permutations affects people differently? Are employees in certain industries like pet food less productive or engaged because they don’t consume the product?  I could go on but you get my point.

PB 4 - 'Most leaders are crooks, exploitive or in the industry just for the money'
 
Like the other PBs, there is some truth in this statement.  And, I really sympathize with those that have been screwed over. Yet, this bold claim can’t pass muster.  Smearing an entire group or class of people is reductive and leads to unfair stereotyping.   Context, moreover, is key.  Cannabis has/is experiencing the same birthing pains (e.g., pump n dumping, extravagant business claims, outlandish pay packets) as other early-stage, capital-intensive industries like tech and crypto.  There are many culprits in this Greek Drama besides CEOs and early investors, starting with the Boards who ignored their governance and fiduciary responsibilities. Balance, people.

Thank you for all your feedback.  Keep it coming, even the rebuttals!

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