Cannabis Alliance

Consumer's Cannabis Resources and Information for the end Consumer Information

Follow and Adopt best practice

Follow and Adopt Best Practice

Self Regulatory Model

The medical marijuana industry is a new frontier in Colorado and the United States. It is rare that a business is given the opportunity to produce, brand, and market a product directly to the costumer. However, the medical marijuana industry is unique, beset with boundaries obstacles and false preconceptions that other business in the state are not faced with. The Cannabis Business Alliance is committed to educating our members on how to be examples of good corporate citizens while promoting methods to increase your businesses success. The following best practices were constructed as a collaborative effort with professionals and consultants industrywide over 6 months. This is a working document and CBA will host follow up meetings as our regulatory environment changes and together as industry we begin to understand our business cycles. Please add your comments below or join us at a weekly board meeting to discuss and build this model.

Storefront

Your storefront is your calling card to your community. It is vital that your storefront represent the professionalism of your organization.

  • Keep your storefront clean
  • Discourage loitering, invite patients into an indoor waiting area. Be proactive with problem loitering and involve law enforcement if necessary.
  • Post state and local regulations conspicuously. Signage sets the expectations for people coming into your center.
  • Ensure your entry way is secure and well lit.
  • Mimic the design and character of your neighborhood.
  • Advertising should be discreet and professional

Marketing

Marketing should be consistent across the platform. Design your marketing campaign around creating a brand that highlights responsible use. Everything from your store signage to print advertising should be easily identifiable, highlight the medicinal value of your product and responsible usage. Advertising is an opportunity to educate your patients while building the credibility of your business.

  • Your storefront signage should be consistent with your surroundings and references to the medicine should be limited to the universal green cross.
  • Print advertising and exterior signage should lead with value and selection instead of price.
  • Advertising should target adults and focus on wellness highlighting illnesses and maladies for which that particular product may prove therapeutic.
  • Use print advertising to educate patients on responsible use, a few extra lines in advertising over time will prove a wise investment in the credibility of your business.
  • Any offsite advertising (Billboards etc.) should follow guidelines for advertising tobacco or alcohol near schools. Such advertising should respect both line-of-sight and pedestrian access to public and private primary educational facilities.
  • Be respectful of race, creed, gender, sexual orientation and physical disability in advertising messaging.
  • All imagery should be medicinally based and clearly not targeted to be attractive to children.
  • CUSTOMER LOYALTY! Your best marketing campaign is an enthusiastic patient base. Identify your patients that are your best advocates and ensure they are a part of any loyalty or rewards program your business offers.

Staff

Your staff should lead by example. Your staff serves your patients and their demeanor, appearance and professionalism must be a strategic and well planned part of your branding.
Staff should take a course on compliance to ensure they understand the regulations governing our industry.

  • Staff should be the front-lines of patient education. Create and education program and instruct staff to deliver a rotating series of responsible use messages with every patient interaction.
  • Dress code for staff should be consistent with the prevailing style of your neighborhood and your patients.
  • Train your staff to recognize the signs of inebriation.
  • Staff should follow all food safety standards for perishable food products when transporting medicine.
  • When transporting medicine maintain the chain of custody.
  • Have a plan for point to point delivery.
  • Any passengers must also be licensed by DOR

Product Quality

A quality product is the best way to grow your business. Testing, packaging and sanitation are paramount.

  • Testing should be for patient safety not marketing.
  • Test for CBD, CBN as well as pesticides and mold.
  • Labs should have common testing standards for consistency, TEST THE TESTER!
  • Dosages should be based on testing and patient focused.
  • Labeling should contain the amount of medicine in milligrams, dosage is not accurate enough -particularly for inexperienced users and users of edibles.
  • Labeling should be educational and contain nutritional and allergy information.
  • Packaging should be adult focused and childproof.
  • Labeling for edibles should contain information for the process of infusion or extraction.
  • Kitchens need to be sanitary and follow food safety standards.
  • Waste disposal must follow code.

Corporate Citizenship

In order to become a legitimate industry we must be partners with the communities we serve. Meet you neighborhood association and offer members appropriate tours of your facility. Knowledge is comfort, help your neighbors understand your business.

  • Learn the needs of your community and support fundraising and community development efforts.
  • Meet your local law enforcement officers and precinct captains.
  • Create a philanthropic mission for your business and host events and enlist the community in your efforts
  • Meet your City Council member(s), appropriate municipal staff, County officials and members of the General Assembly. Be an ambassador for the industry to your lawmakers so they understand our industry.