Their conversation explored the unique regulatory environment facing cannabis businesses, including why certain consumer trends that succeed in other industries have been slower to emerge in cannabis. They also took a closer look at the cannabis beverage market, discussing the economic and logistical challenges that continue to limit growth and the legislation considered this year in Colorado to address those barriers.
The discussion highlights the ongoing effort to balance innovation, consumer demand, and responsible regulation as the cannabis industry continues to evolve.
Weed Wonks Podcast: Pulak Sharma and Dr. Sean Arora on the “Wild West of CBD” and the Need for Customizable Medical Cannabis
They also examine the growing challenges created by the federal government’s bifurcated approach to cannabis policy, which continues to separate hemp and marijuana despite both originating from the same plant. Sharma and Arora explain why anticipating the future direction of cannabis policy — particularly around medical cannabis and cannabinoid therapeutics — is becoming increasingly important for healthcare providers, regulators, and industry operators alike.
S64 in the News: Colorado officials react to marijuana, AI executive orders
Amid reports that President Donald Trump is expected to advance cannabis rescheduling, Denver Fox affiliate KDVR interviewed Strategies 64 partner Mason Tvert, who spoke on behalf of Colorado Leads about the impact it would have on Colorado cannabis businesses. Watch a video of the news story below.
Mason highlighted how reclassifying cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III would greatly improve tax fairness, as state-regulated cannabis businesses would no longer be subject to Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code, which currently prohibits them from deducting ordinary business expenses like other businesses can.
The president signed an executive order on A.I. last week, and he could be signing an order dealing with marijuana soon. The two moves are getting different reactions here at home.
“Marijuana would still be illegal (at the federal level), but it would simply be treated differently under the law. And that has significant political and policy implications down the line,” said Mason Tvert of Colorado Leads.
The president said he is strongly considering rescheduling marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III, classifying it as a less dangerous drug. Tvert, a marijuana industry group, said the proposed change could allow cannabis businesses to be treated more fairly under federal tax policy, pave the way for more research and signify a shift.
“The most significant change for cannabis businesses would be the tax relief it provides. Currently, legal cannabis businesses are paying 70% or more in an effective tax rate, which is far greater than other legal businesses. They might see some relief if cannabis is rescheduled,” Tvert said.
S64 in the News: Marijuana tax collections exceed $3 billion since recreational sales started in 2014
Colorado Public Radio spoke with Strategies 64 partner Mason Tvert for its report on the latest major milestone for Colorado’s marijuana market.
Total taxes and fees collected from the marijuana industry in Colorado topped $3 billion since the first recreational sales began in 2014, according to new data from the state.
“Colorado and like many other states has generated billions of dollars in new revenue from the legal sale of cannabis that previously used to just disappear into the underground market,” said Mason Tvert, a spokesperson for Colorado Leads, a marijuana trade group. “And now it’s really important that we ensure these businesses and this industry stay afloat and thrive in this state.”
The tax revenue is earmarked for a variety of programs, including school construction, behavioral health programs, money back to cities and counties, and for regulation of the industry.
S64 in the News: Denver report finds marijuana legalization did not impact crime
Strategies 64 partner Mason Tvert appeared in Fox Denver’s coverage of the City and County of Denver’s latest annual report on marijuana in the city. His comments were also included in Benzinga’s coverage of the report. Watch the Fox video below.
Industry spokesperson Mason Tvert, a noted leader of initiatives that legalized marijuana, told FOX31 that revenues have declined since the high-demand phase of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It is a very difficult time for the legal cannabis industry,” he said.
Tvert said a solution to excessive supply is necessary and the industry must be supported as it continues to bolster efforts to address needs in the community.
“They want to pay taxes and they want to be regulated and treated like other businesses, but they cannot survive if we continue to overtax and overregulate,” Tvert said.
Weed Wonks Podcast: S64 talks with top Colorado marijuana regulator and CANNRA President Dominique Mendiola
The conversation covers a lot of ground, including the influence a decade of legal cannabis has had on cannabis policy, how policymakers have become more data-driven, and how Colorado’s experience with legal cannabis is shaping its approach to regulating natural medicine.
S64 in the News: Colorado Public Radio
Speaking on behalf of Colorado Leads, Strategies 64 partner Mason Tvert appeared on Colorado Public Radio to explain the steady decline in medical cannabis licenses and sales in recent years.
“As cannabis has become more accessible and available to adults who are looking to use it for a medical or non-medical purpose they’re less likely to go through the process of seeking what’s essentially a permission slip from the State of Colorado,” said Tvert.
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Tvert said that doesn’t mean that medical will totally vanish. Many patients may have a strong relationship with a doctor, and it’s a relatively easy and cheap process to renew their state registration. He predicts that pharmaceutical companies will develop new products from cannabis, especially once it is rescheduled by the federal government.
Many patients will stay in the medical market because of cost. The taxes on medical sales are a small fraction of many additional taxes levied on recreational marijuana purchase.
“When you look at medical patients who are having to use consistently, on a daily basis, they may be far more likely to go through that process,” Tvert said. “Because they’re going through much more product and therefore they’re saving a lot more money.”
Strategies 64 in the News: Colorado Springs Gazette
Although sales of medical marijuana have been declining across Colorado since high use during the pandemic, El Paso County continues to lead the state, by far, in having the most medical marijuana cardholders.
As of March, Colorado’s Medical Marijuana Registry program lists 22,634 patients countywide, according to the state Department of Public Health and Environment.
That’s about 3% of the county’s population and more than triple the amount of medical cardholders in Denver County, which is comparable in overall population. Denver County’s count last month was 7,327 registrants — about 1% of its population.
There’s a simple reason for the numbers, said Mason Tvert, spokesman for Colorado Leads, a cannabis industry organization.
“Colorado Springs has repeatedly refused to regulate the sale of adult-use cannabis, and as a result many people are still relying on medical cannabis cards to access cannabis legally and safely,” he said.
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“There are a lot of localities that have not regulated adult use, but they make up a fraction of the state’s overall population,” he said. “Local communities increasingly have been lifting prohibitions and choosing to regulate these businesses and collect the taxes.”
