This article originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of Cannabis Business Times. To subscribe, click here.

Are your employees worried about their job security with a lot of uncertainty? Probably.

Should you, their employer, be concerned about employees who are anxious about their future? Definitely.

The media, both traditional and social, talk to your employees every day. Your employees hear about the amazing growth of the cannabis industry, expected to be many billions of dollars by 2020. The people who work for you also see increased retail outlets in their neighborhoods; they don’t need to be told that demand for marijuana products is growing. Their friends tell them about new job opportunities, especially for experienced workers. They also hear questions about the new federal administration’s stance on legalized marijuana, and they talk to their fellow employees and their friends about what could happen if the feds take a hard stand against the industry. And then it becomes personal: What is going to happen to me? To my job?

Do you know if your employees are anxious about their future? Do they understand your company mission and feel they are a part of it? Do they feel appreciated for the work they do?

Happy employees are more likely to stay with your company. They also tend to be more engaged and more productive. When employees leave for better job opportunities, it is easy to assume they left for bigger paychecks. But recent research tells us that most employees go to companies that offer non-tangible benefits such as interesting work, an inclusive culture, personal autonomy and career opportunities. Especially important to Millennials (likely to be the majority of your employees) is the idea of work-life balance, and a supportive and appreciative work environment.

What are some of the issues your employees are grappling with when they come to work each day?

• The new administration and the federal role in the cannabis industry has produced increased uncertainty; employees see that new cabinet picks have been largely anti-marijuana.
• Millennials are the new workforce (born between 1980 and 1996), and they are more likely than previous generations to switch jobs.
• Marijuana market growth continues to drive demand.
• Evolving state regulations and requirements require continuous flexibility and adjustment to rapid change.
• The uncertainty at the federal level has caused some companies to change or reduce their growth plans or put them on hold, which employees can view as career-limiting or cause for job shifts.
• More states are allowing recreational use of marijuana products, which impacts the size and rate of harvests.
• The industry is expanding to include more large producers, increasing strain on existing talent resources, as well as requiring more management and administration skills.
• Grow operations utilize sophisticated science and technology, which require a skilled workforce; the skills companies will need now and into the future are likely to require equal emphasis on hard technical skills as well as traditional by-hand trade skills.

To read the full article in the May 2017 print issue of Cannabis Business Times, click here.

Top © Eric Limon | Dreamstime.com

PRESS RELEASE - The list for pesticides that can be used on cannabis without being a violation of the Pesticide Applicators' Act has been updated. Please note the following products have been added:

• Azera Pro
• Purely Green Bio-Pesticide Super Concentrate

To view the updated list, click here for a pdf or click here for an Excel form. For questions regarding this change, contact Laura Quakenbush at (303) 869-9060 or email Laura.Quakenbush@state.co.us.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is currently reviewing pesticide labels upon request and maintaining a list of products whose label it has reviewed that it believes could be used on marijuana without violating 35-10-117(1)(i), as long as the applicator follows the label directions.

For the latest information on CDA's Pesticides Program, visit these important webpages:

• Main Pesticides Page
• Pesticide use in Marijuana Production

This article originally appeared in the April 2018 issue of Cannabis Dispensary. To subscribe, click here.

With increasing numbers of retail cannabis outlets comes additional pressure on operators to attract and retain valued employees.

A proven method for becoming an employer of choice in any industry is to offer an appealing benefits package to employees—especially to those you have trained and who are part of the value proposition in your company. Maintaining a good reputation as an employer and supporting your hard-working employees is not only the right thing to do, but it also makes excellent business sense.

Yet, tax code Section 280E makes this proven HR axiom more complex and challenging for the cannabis industry. Non-cannabis business entities can claim employee salaries and employee benefits—such as health, dental and vision insurance, or perks such as free coffee, snacks or gym memberships—as costs of doing business. A strict interpretation of 280E dictates that most cannabis retailers cannot do the same.

Size Matters

If you are a very small (less than four employees) retail business, then good employee benefit packages may not be affordable. Small retailers need to find other ways to make a job attractive and to retain experienced employees.

For larger cannabis retailers, the question becomes: Can you afford not to offer benefits or perks that will help retain employees and make your business more attractive to the best candidates?

Colorado’s Native Roots, with 20 dispensary locations and roughly 635 employees between its dispensaries and cultivation facilities, is among the largest dispensary businesses in the U.S. Its communications manager, Kim Casey, says maintaining loyal and trained staff is paramount, and is an important part of the company’s overall business approach. “The industry is rife with turnover, especially in the budtender and trimmer’s occupation. We want our employees to build their career at Native Roots, so we offer a good benefits package as well as a ‘living wage’—not just minimum wage—to keep our employees,” she says. “We offer full benefits, including health, vision and dental, which the company subsidizes.”

To read the full article in Cannabis Dispensary's April 2018 issue, click here. 

SALEM – Oregon’s chief federal prosecutor says his top priorities in enforcing cannabis laws will be threats to public safety and interstate trafficking fueled by overproduction of marijuana since the state legalized medical and recreational use.

U.S. Attorney for Oregon Billy Williams on Friday provided slightly more detailed information about the aspects of marijuana enforcement his office will prioritize now that Attorney General Jeff Sessions has given federal prosecutors wide latitude on the issue.

Cannabis is legal for adult use or medicinal purposes in 29 states, including Oregon, but it remains illegal under federal law.

In a memo released Friday, Williams said his office has five priority areas of enforcement:

• Marijuana “overproduction,” interstate trafficking and diversion of Oregon-grown marijuana across state lines.”Notably, since broader legalization took effect in 2015, large quantities of marijuana from Oregon have been seized in 30 states, most of which continue to prohibit marijuana,” he said.
• Threats to public health, including minors’ access to marijuana.
• Cannabis violations that involve firearms, violence or other threats to public safety.
• Organized crime.
• Protecting public lands and natural resources from environmental damage caused by pesticides or water use.

Read more

Top Image: © Andy Dean | Adobe Stock