Why a consumer’s coalition?

As anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock should know by now, Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Washington, DC have legalized the recreational use of cannabis, with the first legal cannabis sales occurring in Colorado on January 1, 2014.   With that first sale, a new industry was launched.  Born from smaller, more exclusive medical marijuana industry, the recreational cannabis industry is opening the door to millions of people looking to buy legal weed.  This opened up a need for a collective voice for the cannabis consumer, whether that consumer be a recreational user, patient, or caregiver.
The cannabis industry is a brand new industry.  Issues are now coming up that impact the consumer most, such as edibles, labeling, dosing, patient plant counts, and high taxes; however, these issues are battled over at the capitol by industry lobbyists with special interests in mind, not the individual.  The consumers also need a voice in setting industry standards.  These standards include consumer and public safety, price gouging, customer service, quality control, and education.
While there are a variety of groups advocating for patient and industry rights, up until the founding of the Cannabis Consumers Coalition, there was no national cannabis watchdog group looking out for all cannabis consumers exclusively.  Most national organizations support the consumer and the industry, creating a conflict of interest that is never fully representing one specific group.  The Cannabis Consumers Coalition is a membership organization that caters exclusively to the concerns of the individual consumer.  It was founded by the people, for the people.
The name was chosen as a reflection of unity, and the logo represents the movement as it is, one for the people, the first representing power to the people, where it should be.  The motto is “My Coalition, My Voice, My Choice” and reflects the individuality of the group.  Together we have a collective voice, and together we have power.  Together, cannabis consumers will work to set industry standards that meet their needs.
As the cannabis industry grows, so will the voice of the consumer.  This is just the beginning of years of shaping and reshaping the industry.  The time is now for an organization that exclusively advocates for you, the consumer.