A newly formed cannabis group has pledged to offer a new avenue for promoting industry standards. It hopes to align stakeholders, advocates, regulators, and government agencies behind reform.
David Vaillencourt is the co-founder of S3 Collective, a nonprofit organization. He was vice-chair of ASTM International’s cannabis-focused standards committee. S3 stands for Standards, Science and Safety.
Vaillencourt, speaking to Marijuana Moment, said that while there is no shortage of marijuana trade and advocacy groups, S3’s mission is to fill the “major gaps” still present by collecting and disseminating “objective and trusted data and solutions”. Advocates can “use this to their advantage” to push for a harmonized frame and to advance their own efforts.
He said that having science-based and unified standards for the industry would help align the marijuana sector with the vast majority other industries who operate on the same principles.
Advocates are trying to convince more state regulators that they should adopt a universal symbol for marijuana packaging. This effort is spearheaded by Doctors for Drug Policy Reform and ASTM International.
Vaillencourt stated that the symbol is “a perfect example of a basic standard which is market-relevant and allows consumers know what’s inside their products and allows industry to be standardised.”
This work builds on the ASTM-assisted efforts to get the National Conference on Weights and Measures to adopt standards for cannabis packaging and labeling, which are now being incorporated into federal guidelines.
S3 believes that it is uniquely positioned to help identify and establish these standards. As a 501(c),(3) nonprofit, S3 does not lobby. It can also provide unbiased information for government agencies that are dealing reform issues such as the ongoing administrative review of marijuana’s status as a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has already conducted its own scientific evaluation and advised the Drug Enforcement Administration to shift cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III .
Nevertheless, once DEA has made its decision and opened the issue to public comments, it’s expected that a variety of sources will provide input. No doubt, industry and advocacy groups will contribute. But S3 plans to offer a scientific perspective without any financial incentives.
S3 will be a team of experts and scientists based in universities and private practice. The goal is for S3 to “contribute [to DEA] to create a comprehensive scientific answer that will support FDA findings.”
Vaillencourt explained that the ability to “correct misinformation” that is a result of the public comments period – such as from prohibitionist groups who have already begun to push DEA to refuse the HHS rescheduling recommendations – will “demonstrate the importance of this,” he said.
A second aspect of The S3 Collective’s Mission is to find partners who share the same ideologies in the advocacy and trading spaces. This includes a number major groups which have signed a pledge letter that lays out these shared principles.
Signatories include American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp, DDPR, NORML, National Cannabis Industry Association, Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation, and more.
The letter states: “In the dynamic cannabis industry, we, the associations undersigned, recognize collectively the need for a reliable, functional and safe marketplace for cannabinoids and cannabis products.” This can only be achieved through unity, collaboration and a commitment to ethical and scientific principles.
Vaillencourt explained that the letter was meant to demonstrate that, while groups “don’t necessarily have to agree”, they are “willing to engage in a discussion” on the larger issues.
He said, “Until you are willing to sit down and have a discussion at the table we cannot understand each other and harmonize and align our efforts.” “That’s critical. All of these entities are in agreement on the fundamentals. “That means that we have an agreement and you can start there.”
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Photo by Brian Shamblen.
The post A New Cannabis Nonprofit Is Trying To Promote Industry Standards As Support For Advocacy first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
