Starting a legal cannabis business is years of red tape bureaucracy, waiting on permits, checking with newly formed commissions of government. Frankly, I don’t have the patience or the fortitude for it.

Back in January of this year, I thought I’d explore the idea of starting some sort of cannabis adjacent business: one that serves the industry players but doesn’t actually touch the plant itself. After doing a capstone project with two of my Oaksterdam University Business classmates, I decided against it. It’s not as easy as it looks, and the risks are still inherent. Risks will continue to a varying degree, depending on the politics of your region, until we end Federal Prohibition.

What began as a curiosity seeking endeavor, something I told myself would lead to all kinds of other connections, (for example growing my cannabis network, learning about regulatory changes over the years,) instead turned into seventeen weeks of listening to what to watch out for, and how to protect yourself. All in all, I am glad I took the course, I did accomplish my stated goals.

The reality is, despite the massive changes in public opinion, (21 states, including D.C. and Guam, have legalized adult use!) there is very little precedent for what we’re doing anywhere. Business owners, coalitions of businesses who are reliant on one another (associations of cannabis farmers) are all still absolutely up against the whim of the commander in chief, and the drug czar, the speaker of the house and any other policy player you can think of at the federal level. We never can rely on The Government, to protect us right now, when in fact, we are the government. It’s delicate.

So while I might not start any cannabis-related business any time soon, I still vote weekly with my dollar, in supporting cannabis business that operate within the law. I have a list of links, all bookmarked, of Oaksterdam supporters and advocates, and of course, I do my best to do my part by putting my money where my mouth is, even when I’m kinda quiet about it.