Is the future of cannabis access at risk in a Trumpist America?

Fortunately, key institutions have been developed which will be critical in maintaining the gains and momentum of the cannabis movement, despite the misgivings of any one individual in power.

Cannabis wins at the polls, even in Trump dominated states. But will Trump let down his pro-cannabis voters?

The likely selection of Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions as Attorney General caused a serious deflation in the post-election mood of the cannabis industry. While voters roundly approved measures which advanced access, Sessions has expressed anti-progress sentiments as recently as April, saying “good people don’t smoke marijuana.” As head of the Justice Department, Sessions can decide to toss recent progressive policy and renew the crusade against cannabis.

However, the cannabis industry has taken steps over the past few years to cement the gains made from every election or legislative action promoting access. It has done this through developing a number of institutions. These institutions have single-handily been the most important driver in preventing policy regression and will continue to protect the industry through uncertain times to come.

Institutions are social structures that have attained a high degree of resilience. They are composed of cultural-cognitive, normative, and regulative elements that, together with associated activities and resources, provide stability and meaning to social life. Institutions operate at different levels of jurisdiction, from the world system to localized interpersonal relationships.

There are a number of key institutions in the cannabis, and it would serve well to mention them.

First and foremost, there are the current legal regimes. While the fact that each state is forced to build their individual policy seems to create weak institutions at first, as the process advances, it is streamlining in a way such that as new states come on board, they have more data and comparables on which to build their programs. In fact, having so many slightly different policy regimes allows for a wide degree of experimentation, and that, in turn, will expedite a comprehensive solution, massively reinforcing these legal institutions.

Related to these policy changes are several political action and advocacy groups — institutions which dance state lines to pass information about the positives of cannabis. They have moved from hyper-local, grassroots advocacy groups to wide-reaching and influential policy bodies, such as the NCIA (with CCIA and other states) MPP, SSDP, and state and local growers associations.

Institutions can be rooted in money, especially monies related to public use. Once it starts coming in, a consumption based tax on cannabis makes it tough for policymakers to get rid of, particularly those who see this as an opportunity to cut taxes elsewhere — one of the (formerly) few times many politicians will ‘compromise’ on one their social standards.

Investment money is another finance-centered institution builder. In addition to bringing capital into the market, it acts as a signal to the broader investment community that this new class of investment should be taken seriously and considered in any diversified portfolio.

Related, industry specific business accelerators, incubators, and institutional investors, such as Gateway, Canopy, and Arc View, use proven models to help rapidly build and professionalize the business ecosystem.

A robust business ecosystem, in turn, drives demand for greater access to and analysis of data. Streamlined research and consumer data collection are all rapidly advancing both how medical cannabis treatments are designed, as well as what drives adult use and social consumption.

Lastly, one of the most important institutions in any field is a standardized system to educate others, and that is strong in this industry as well. Places such as Oaksterdam University have developed curricula from scratch, covering topics including the history of the plant, legal issues, advocacy, and how to run a cannabis business as well — from seed to sale.

All of these institutions reinforce one another, establish norms, drive a new industry narrative, and build resiliency. It took a movement to build them, and it will take a movement to tear them down — much more than a single individual — or even administration — can muster.