3 Questions With the Cannabis Chamber of Commerce’s Ben Lewinger

We’ve all heard of chambers of commerce, whether it’s a small-town welcoming committee or a massive coalition of capitalistic-minded business owners we only hear from when ordinances and legislation are not “business friendly.” But with all things cannabis these days, there’s a weed counterpart.

The New Mexico Cannabis Chamber of Commerce definitely fits the bill of a business friendly group, and one that has felt the ire of medical cannabis patients several times. A striking difference between the cannabis chamber and its more traditional counterparts, though, is that the group of businesses, which span from weed growers to lawyers and money experts, are still trying to prove their worth to the rest of the business world.

Ben Lewinger has been director of the chamber since April 2019—just months after the its genesis. Lewinger, who’s worked in the nonprofit and public relations spheres for years, can often be seen—or heard, since COVID has forced everyone to the remote world—at public hearings, advocating for cannabis law changes. One of the biggest changes to state law was, of course, the Cannabis Regulation Act, which gives the green light for all you jokers, smokers and midnight tokers to buy, possess and smoke cannabis.

Lewinger was in the trenches for a handful of sessions leading up to the CRA, amplifying the voices of cannabis businesses. The New Mexico Legislature is expected to make some tweaks to the CRA next year, which could very possibly include a fix for delivery drivers. And you can bet your rolling papers Lewinger will be there, or at least on Zoom, next year doing his thing. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

It was only a few years ago that the idea of a cannabis chamber of commerce would have received more than a few laughs. Now that New Mexico is knee-deep in legalized cannabis, what has changed in terms of public perception of cannabis?

I think a lot has changed in terms of people understanding that people who use cannabis on a regular basis are high functioning, highly contributing members of society, both on a personal level and on the industry level. People understand that this is an industry that can support individuals and families, while also creating tax revenue that can help push New Mexico forward.

You’ve been around the public relations block a number of times, but how is this job different—what have been the primary challenges now that you’re advocating on behalf of this fledgling, formerly stigmatized industry?

I think it’s similar in the sense that the task of the cannabis chamber is to build a coalition of folks who are good spokespeople for the plant, and who are good spokespeople for the industry, and to keep everybody moving in the same direction. That’s the same as everything else I’ve done, whether it’s a coalition of educators or a coalition of family members who have lost loved ones, because of substance use, because of DWI. The way it’s different is, from the beginning, and even until now, there’s an extra level of having to prove ourselves as an industry, to prove that the industry is legitimate, that it’s not just a flash in the pan and it’s going to have lasting power to support New Mexicans and the New Mexico economy.

We’re still a few months away from the legislative session, where cannabis is guaranteed to be discussed, even if it’s not the primary focus. What are the top three issues surrounding the cannabis landscape, be they related to the CRA or otherwise, lawmakers need to address?

I’m looking at it in terms of three buckets: The first bucket is making adjustments and fixes to the CRA, knowing now what we didn’t know then. The second bucket is improving policy to curb the illicit market. And the third bucket is to create opportunities for homegrown microproducers and small- to medium-sized cannabis businesses, so they can be successful in New Mexico.

For the first bucket, the intention was to not co-locate alcohol and cannabis. The way the law was written is that anybody with a liquor license can’t also have a cannabis license. So that’s an example of something that was written that kind of had unintended consequences. I think the plant count for microlicenses needs to be taken out of statute and put in regs, just like the plant count for commercial producers. For the third bucket of curbing the illicit market, things like a more in-depth financial review and having a true seed-to-sale tracking, so there isn’t a way for plants that aren’t grown in New Mexico to be introduced into our traceability software.