Conversely, they say, under the wrong conditions, craft will perish and leave the space to a handful of cannabis conglomerates.
“We are in danger of rushing into implementation of this large industry so quickly and in such a way that it crushes the craft industry that does exist,” Adam Smith, president of the Oregon-based Craft Cannabis Alliance (CCA), told Marijuana Business Magazine.
“That is the main danger … that it will get crushed.”
To understand the dangers that a craft cannabis company faces, it helps to understand how industry stakeholders define “craft.”
Generally, it comes down to a set of factors:
- The business is majority-owned by locals and also sources its inputs locally, produces locally and employs locals.
- The business produces a smaller amount of product compared to larger competitors. (Exact numbers haven’t been defined.)
- The business stresses values – such as compensating employees well and contributing to the community – and puts them ahead of the bottom line.
- The business uses only organic or natural products and environmentally friendly methods.
- Growers, processors and other employees are able to offer personal care to individual plants and products that larger operations can’t provide.