Q+A: CANNABIS ADVANCEMENT SERIES PARTNERS ON WHAT THEY DO

Cannpreneur Partners ongoing series of events, aimed at presenting accredited investors with the top cannabis investment opportunities for private capital placement, continues this week in Boston’s seaport area.

We caught up with our partners, the founders of Cannabis Advancement Series on how how they’ve taken their collective backgrounds in veterans’ health advocacy, medical research and business development, and positioned their strategic campaign to impact local legislation utilizing the Veteran’s Health and Medical Cannabis Study data, and marketing the CAS mission via a branded community education development series.

MARION MCNABB

C3RN

On the value of data in informing our legislators and the public:

“Data from the veterans health and medical cannabis study is being used in several ways for community engagement and awareness as well as for policy changes necessary to increase access to medical cannabis for veterans in Massachusetts and nationally. Historically, due to the federal prohibition, medical cannabis research for veterans has been limited. Veterans face health conditions for which medical cannabis can be an alternative, yet veterans are limited in awareness and access. We are using the data to inform the public about the issues veterans are facing and how cannabis can be an alternative through our Cannabis Advancement Series (CAS) events in Massachusetts. Data collection for the study will end on December 31, 2019 and in early 2020 C3RN will prepare a final analysis and policy memo for use at the State and Federal Veterans Affairs offices.”

On the challenges with acquiring funding research for cannabis:

“Due to the federal scheduling of cannabis, there has been limited funding available for medical cannabis research, and research specifically in the veteran population. Additionally, researchers face regulatory hurdles conducting cannabis research studies. Additionally, U.S. government funded research requires using medical cannabis from only one approved cultivator at the University of Mississippi, which is not representative of what is available in the market.”

STEPHEN MANDILE

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT FOR VETERANS

What are the benefits of serving the military/veteran community?

“It was estimated that in 2017, there were approximately 37 million service members, veterans, and spouses with $1 trillion in buying power, with over 90% saying that have greater trust and consumer loyalty towards brands that directly target their community. The military community’s income is 35% higher than the national average. The public at large is also supportive of the military/veteran community and will choose to be return customers to spend their money at business where there is a focus on helping and serving them. Word spreads quickly through their networks and get echoed through the networks of those that ‘support the troops’.”

Why should businesses and investors look for veteran entrepreneurs.

“Veterans per their training are dedicated problem-solvers committed to completing the tasks assigned to them. In a recent study done by Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families, found that veterans as business owners are more likely to own a business than civilians, and tend to out-earn civilian entrepreneurs. The top skills most often associate with veteran entrepreneurs are teamwork, leadership and management skills, perseverance, work ethic/self-discipline, mental toughness, and crisis management. They also have access to many state and federally funded educational resources and programs that they have earned as benefits through their service. You can find the full report here, BRIDGING THE GAP: Motivations, Challenges, and Successes of Veteran Entrepreneurs.”

ANN BRUM

JOINT VENTURE CO.

Why should companies ultimately forge long term relationships with local initiatives?

“Creating long-term engagement is an authentic way of leveraging partnerships in creating and maintaining community impact. These partnerships by design can help to build a capacity for long-term, meaningful improvement, and champion a path for other leaders to follow.”

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