#Cannabis Journalism Final Class
One of our final speakers was Lauren Gibbs, the founder of Rise Above Social. In addition she manages the social media strategy for Willies Reserve, a network of growers committed to providing high quality strains endorsed by music legend Willie Nelson.
Rise Above is a social media strategy, and management, company founded by Gibbs after creating The Daily Dog Scoop, a website that reports dogs in the news. After growing to around 1,000 monthly readers, Gibbs quickly became an expert in social media strategy.
She started Rise Above in order to marry her passion for social media management, with her longstanding commitment to cannabis legalization. Gibbs was also a founding member of Women Grow, a network of women in the cannabis industry.
Gibbs discussed some of the current issues facing cannabis companies when they attempt to promote themselves. Many social media networks have an unofficial, and selectively enforced, ban on images of cannabis. However larger companies with contacts at places like Instagram, and Facebook, have the capability to have their pictures and accounts reinstated much quicker than small companies.
The Social Cannaban disproportionately affects small businesses, and removes a very important marketing tool in the 21st century, from their wheelhouse.
We also met Emmet Reistroffer, a policy consultant for Denver Relief Consulting. Reistroffer and his company were both instrumental in the writing of Amendment 64, and Initiative 300.
Reistroffer sees the implementation of 300 as a difficult fight, and hopes that there will within the next year be safe places for people to consume cannabis outside of their homes. One of the most impacted groups affected by initiative 300 are the disabled, and veterans, who sometimes live in housing where cannabis consumption is prohibited. These people need a place to use cannabis for medical reasons, and currently they are being prevented from seeking alternatives to strong pharmaceuticals.
In addition tourists would be a major group to utilize these new public consumption spaces. This use would prevent visitors from smoking where it is prohibited by law, an issue that affects many Denver citizens.
Reistroffer takes issue with the portrayal of the initiative by much of the media. He believes too much focus was put on the use of cannabis in bars, when that was never the original intent of the initiative. rather the initiative does not expressly prohibit bars from obtaining licenses. The focus of the media on the mix of alcohol and cannabis has led to the Colorado liquor board preventing anyone with a liquor license from obtaining a cannabis use permit, something that may not have happened had undue attention not been paid to the issue.
