By Corey Barnette

It doesn’t take long to realize that the decades of negative press, inaccurate information, and false rhetoric have served to heighten the public’s skepticism of the Cannabis Industry.

Operators seeking new licenses need only face the litany of adverse community organizations, nay-saying anti-cannabis activists, and nearby community residents that live by the credo of “not in my backyard” to understand the taboo that stigmatizes our industry.

Further, as operators face the challenge of maintaining a positive image and interaction with our community, most are caused to make public declarations of their intent to be a good corporate citizen.

Even if a license seeker is able to avoid intense confrontations with community constituents (and very few do), they quickly become aware of the burden of operating effectively in the midst of public skepticism. Many operators find themselves challenged to live up to their promises and often outright fail the community’s trust by engaging in operating tactics that promote the very taboo they should be working to dismantle.

These are disingenuous operators. One need only examine the shelves of the average dispensary or advertisements in the public periodicals to know that the above is true.

Making it hard to build a positive image

Too often, product makers produce packaging and product with cartoon-figure logos and naming schemes that appeal more to children than to adults. Too frequently do we see advertisements with sexist or violent themes. Too regularly do we encounter product strategies that deceitfully mimic unrelated mainstream brands.

Without letting the dispensary owner off the hook, it the case that these products are not only carried in mass by dispensaries, but are also featured. I could go on, but I’m sure you get the point and can probably go on for me.

All of the above serve to destroy the hard efforts of those in our ranks that seek to build a more positive face for our industry. All of the above serve to diminish our cause to expand our industry and remove the taboo that limits our industry’s growth.

For those that would promote or defend such tactics for whatever reason, you should not be surprised to learn that you are a disingenuous operator in the eyes of the skeptical public.

Most people can both understand the difficultly of operating a new business and respect the need to achieve stability.  Also, just about anyone can understand the immense pressure under which a small business owner finds his or herself given the sizable investment needed to operate within our industry.

I get it! We all get it! However, few would sincerely argue that the above relinquishes the burden of responsible corporate citizenship.

Being a good corporate citizen

Even fewer still will accept that those who utilize the less than scrupulous tactics described above are at all concerned with being a good corporate citizen. In fact, most would likely call the unscrupulous to the mat on their behavior regardless of the reasoning for the actual behavior.

If being a good corporate citizen matters — and it does — then it is essential that one manage their brand and public image. Without doing so, one is highly subject to suffering the fate of those in other industries that fail the public trust.

The disingenuous would do themselves a service to examine the fate of the tobacco companies and liquor companies of yesterday that peddled products behind child marketing schemes to see their impending future. If history is in any way indicative of the public’s response to such action, the disingenuous should realize that their time is limited.

It is simply a matter of time before their actions serve to seal their fate.