Successfully advocating and lobbying for meaningful cannabis policy modernizations is not an easy task, as any seasoned cannabis activist will quickly attest. Thankfully, passionate cannabis advocates are working very hard around the world to reform cannabis laws and regulations. The emerging legal cannabis industry would not exist without their efforts.

Many lawmakers and regulators know more about cannabis now than in years past. It wasn’t that long ago that nearly all politicians and government officials at all levels all over the planet refused to take cannabis politics seriously. That has changed in recent years, which is a great thing.

However, there are still too many policymakers who do not have a sufficient understanding of the cannabis plant and the industry that surrounds it, and opponents are working harder than ever to cling to industry obstructionist and prohibitionist tactics. It is why ongoing cannabis advocacy and lobbying are so important. It helps ensure that there is always a proper counterbalance to the misinformation that cannabis opponents are spreading.

A group of cannabis advocates and lobbyists participated in a panel discussion focused on effective cannabis advocacy and lobbying at the recent International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin. The esteemed panel discussed what goes into effective cannabis advocacy and lobbying in the current political and regulatory environment.

The panel was moderated by Rob Pero, the President of the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA). He was joined on the panel by:

• Georg Wurth – Leader Of The German Hemp Association (DHV)
• Dr. Michelle Corfield – Co-Lead, BC CANN × YD Pharmaceuticals Joint Venture
• Danielle Bernstein – Founder, The Alchemy Collective
• Omar Yar Khan – Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer, High Tide, Inc.
• Luna Stower, MAT, CG – Industry Ambassador | Brand Architect | Cross-Market Strategist

You can view the panel discussion in its entirety at this link here.