Newly Elected Official

INTRODUCTION Great news! Over the past several months, you have worked on the gubernatorial campaign of the chairman of one of the CBC subcommittees that you are a part of. Your hard work paid off and it looks like she will be elected governor. Cannabis regulation was a major issue leading up to the election and it is no secret that you will be appointed to be the head of the soon to be created Cannabis Affairs Agency. Joe thought it would be fitting to celebrate the occasion by throwing an election night soiree. During the festivities, you have an opportunity to meet with some old friends as well as some new ones. The following takes place during the election night party. While it may seem like common sense for there to be an agency dedicated solely to governing the cannabis industry in states where it is legal, that is not always the case. Some states do have such an agency but others put the responsibility of cannabis regulation on other governmental agencies that it can be loosely related to. There are two parts to this discussion. First, research the agency in your state that governs the cannabis industry. Is it a dedicated agency or is cannabis control under one that already existed? Are there any key individuals who play an important role in regulation? If you are in a state where cannabis is not legal, you may either look at proposed regulatory agencies or choose another state that has not already been covered by another student and report on their regulatory bodies. Next, consider whether it is better for a state to create a dedicated agency to oversee the cannabis industry or if you believe it can be adequately regulated by other agencies.