Matt Freemantle – Prohibition Partners Live
January 25th, 2021
This online launch event takes a look forward with the recent changes in the North American cannabis industry; across potential federal reform, ground-breaking social equity programmes and future market growth.
With unmissable insights from our knowledgable researchers and lively discussion with key figures from the booming Cannabis movement in the US – join us to get ahead of the curve for an under the bonnet look at some of the key data, findings and research areas. Join our webinar to watch our Speakers discuss 2020 – a year of several challenges but also opportunities for the North American cannabis industry – and what lies ahead for 2021.
2020 started with the continued disruption caused by the US vape crisis which led to cannabis vape products becoming vilified and banned in certain US states and Canadian provinces. Cannabis 2.0 which was intended to bring a new wave of growth in the industry started slowly, due to technical issues with products and a lack of consumer demand. Alongside these issues, the COVID-19 pandemic was set to bring major disruptions to the world’s economy and pushed many legislative cannabis efforts on hold.
However, as lock-down restrictions were ordered and cannabis businesses were deemed essential, the adult-use industry saw record sales with California seeing a 156% sales growth at the start of the pandemic. The COVID-19 lock- down measures urged people to stay at home which led to many consumers purchasing adult-use cannabis to treat their anxiety and boredom. This led to monthly record sales in legal adult-use and medical cannabis markets in the US and Canada. The US voted to legalise adult-use cannabis in Arizona, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota, in addition to legalising medical cannabis programmes in Mississippi and South Dakota. The Democrats won the seat in the White House with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris coming into office.
Host
Jameson Berkow (The Weekly Chronicle)
After more than a decade in financial journalism with the Financial Post and BNN Bloomberg, Jameson Berkow joined The Globe and Mail in 2018 to cover the end of cannabis prohibition through an economic lens. In early 2020 he built and launched The Rise – an online magazine for cannabis entrepreneurs – on behalf of venture capital firm Canopy Rivers.
Speakers
Stacey Walker (Chair, Linn County)
Stacey Walker is a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He grew up on the southeast side of town and attended Washington High School. He went on to study political science at the University of Iowa. In addition to serving as the county’s legislative liaison to Iowa’s General Assembly, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Linn County Public Health Department, the Public Art Commission as well as many other boards in an advisory role.
Emily Galvin-Almanza (The Appeal)
Emily Galvin-Almanza has been a public defender in both California and New York, and now works to increase access to justice for low-income communities as executive director of Partners for Justice.
Alex Khourdaji (Prohibition Partners)
Alex Khourdaji is an analyst at Prohibition Partners as well as being the author of the North American Cannabis Report and a number of other Prohibition Partners reports.
Sign up for the live launch of The North American Cannabis Report – streaming on 10th February at 1600 GMT / 1100 EST.
The North American Cannabis Report: Second Edition is available for free download now.
