017: Uniting the Cannabis Industry and Criminal Justice Reform with Andrew Deangelo

Huge amounts of wealth have been created for entrepreneurs and businesses seeing success in the cannabis industry today. However, there are still many people all over the country incarcerated for cannabis-related offenses, and there is so much work to be done as we reckon with the legacy of cannabis prohibition. Andrew Deangelo has spent decades of his life working to address both of these issues. He’s the co-founder of Harborside Health and part of the Board of Directors at the California Cannabis Industry Association. Perhaps most critically, he’s also the co-founder of the Last Prisoner Project, which is laser-focused on getting cannabis prisoners out of jail and reintegrated into society through jobs, training, and housing. Today, Andrew joins the podcast to share stories about coming up in the nascent cannabis industry, why it was so hard to be a champion of cannabis over the last 30 years without getting arrested, and the power of storytelling to make change in our world. KEY TAKEAWAYS Why the frameworks surrounding cannabis regulation and taxation need to be improved - and how a lack of interstate industry creates massive inefficiencies and redundancies.  How the United States can end “Prohibition 2.0,” stop its war on the gray market, work with its legacy, and create a large, thriving legal market. What can be done to help those hit hardest by the war on drugs to build businesses - and how prior convictions create a series of neverending red tape and setbacks. The parallel barriers across the alcohol and cannabis industries - and the systems in place that lead to legal monopolies in both.  Why Andrew believes we’re still very far from full federal legalization. Show Notes For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com/17 To learn more about the podcast and get access to all episodes, visit: SoHoExp.com/GreenRepeal

Om Podcasten

Today’s Cannabis marketers are facing the same challenges faced by the alcohol industry in 1933 when prohibition was reversed — how do you successfully market a product and navigate an industry that is on the verge of becoming legalized on a federal level? Join alcohol beverage marketing experts and founders of SoHo Experiential, Rick Kiley and Jeff Boedges, as they interview economists, historians, entrepreneurs, legal experts, and more! Listen in as they track the path to a “Green Repeal”, through the lens of alcohol beverage professionals familiar with the trials and tribulations of marketing a “sin-dustry.” Through the podcast, listeners will get an excellent understanding of the Cannabis industry, how it will be governed, and how to successfully navigate the challenges of marketing a successful product in a heavily restricted industry.