There has been a lot of speculation about what a Trump administration, and particularly a DOJ lead by Jeff Sessions, will mean for our burgeoning Marijuana industry. The short answer is nobody knows, and given the fact that the Trump team seems intent on using obfuscation as a strategy, I don’t think we will have any clarity on this issue any time in the near future.
The better question then becomes, what does the industry need to be prepared for? I’m working from the assumption that state-regulated marijuana is not coming to an abrupt end, but that we should expect greater attention from the DOJ in the coming years. Sloppy and apathetic operators will be most at risk. Though larger brands will also want to be wary of becoming a political trophy. Leases and other agreements need to better contemplate enforcement actions. Inventory tracking, pro-active employee and sales policies, and strict compliance with your state regulatory regime will be of paramount importance.
Our industry has seen an incredible increase in sophistication and maturity over the last 6 years. As of now, it looks like that pace will need to quicken if we want to continue to thrive.