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Recent surveys reflect a steady increase over the past decade of Americans supporting legalizing cannabis.  The market research firm SSRS found that 69 percent of Americans are in favor of adult-use legalization, and 92 percent back legalizing cannabis for medical use.  Harry Brelsford of The CannaTech Group sits down with Chuck Mains, Government Affairs Consultant/Lobbyist to discuss these findings, and how it is affecting government affairs. 

Video Transcription

Harry Brelsford 

Hey, welcome back to the Canna tech podcast. We are back with Chuck means the leading if not the only the leading industry lobbyist in the state of Texas for the hemp and cannabis space, primarily hemp. How’re you doing? Check?

Chuck Mains 

Good, Harry, how are you doing?

Harry Brelsford 

Good. Good. You shared with me in rehearsal, two interesting updates a poll from the University of Texas. What’s going on there?

Chuck Mains 

Well, the poll was released, I think we could go it just it was one of the one one of the many that has just seen the increase. But I couldn’t believe it. I don’t have the exact numbers in front of you. But it had a majority of registered voters in favor of expansion of medical slash recreational, which is just, you know, just kind of more of a sign of the times what’s happening around the nation. does it translate to actual action in the legislature? To be seen?

Harry Brelsford 

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, I had some interesting talks, the last month or so, about the state of Texas, I went to a conference, the retail solution provider Association, a trade group of technology professionals who do retail point of sale, so restaurants, movie theaters, and of course, dispensaries. And and that’s a hot growth area for that crowd. And we had one attendee from El Paso, Texas, a gentleman named Ross, who’s kind of curious about the business. And he was telling me about the cross border traffic with New Mexico, right there in the Texans, and I said, Yeah, I kind of saw that firsthand when I drove up some months ago to Crested Butte, Colorado for a little breather. And I went across, what is it? Text Line or state line? Red Zone? That’s yeah, yeah. And you crossed the border. And sure enough, there were dispensaries lined up in New Mexico. The point I’m making is, at what point does that enter the political dynamic, that the dollars are going to other states?

Chuck Mains 

Thing is now every every surrounding state of Texas has some form of medical or recreational? And, you know, doesn’t get a look at the look at the conservative base of those states. And you’re still you’re still seeing the same. So. I mean, it’s it is a it’s a it’s a big money loss that the state could be taking. Once when they tap into it. I think they’re going to glad they did.

Harry Brelsford 

Yeah, exactly. Hey, well, listen on. You said there was a very interesting lawsuit.

Chuck Mains 

Yeah. Yeah. So when when the original hit, cleanup did or the original bill to allow industrial hemp. One of the one of the provisions was about manufacturing smokeable here. And there was a lawsuit that’s been going for gosh, two years, nearly that just just finished and they have determined for the time being that Texas, you’re not allowed to manufacture hemp in the state of Texas. You can buy it in retailers can buy it from out of state, and they can sell it in their stores or online, but they’re not allowed to manufacture it, which is just kind of a weird deal. But that that that as is being appealed. So we should see what happens with that. But that’s kind of the latest update in IP world. And other than that, we’re just watching watching kind of things. Get ready for session. This is this is the time that we’re starting to wrap up for the upcoming session. So

Harry Brelsford 

okay, and yeah, what does that start in early January with the results of the election? Okay.

Chuck Mains 

I can Tuesday in January. So we’ll have the election in January, I mean in November, and then there’ll be a pretty much a lol If you want to call it. Legislation will will be filed during that time, but nothing, nothing will be done. Until legislature. The legislature starts on January the second the second Tuesday in June

Harry Brelsford 

sharp Sure, no problem. Hey, we’ll check in with the next quarter. Thanks for being one of our rotating analysts. Appreciate it. Chuck. Love to talk to you hearing. All right. Take care.