Offers of funding and/or help from the marijuana industry???

There have been recent discussions in the prevention community regarding how to respond to the marijuana industry’s offers to provide us with funding and/or help.

As an example of a funding offer, Neighborhood House, the fiscal agent for the Southeast Seattle PEACE Coalition, was approached by an ad firm representing the legal cannabis industry, who said: “I am the president of an advertising agency that specializes in promoting social programs, and I represent several prominent clients in the legal cannabis industry. We would like to put together an event in April that raises money for your organization. Perhaps it will be a one-day event, or perhaps it is a percentage of sales for the entire month of April. I can bring 4-5 companies to the table - possibly more. We would need your agreement, of course, and discussions on what we can do.”

Mark Okazaki, the Executive Director of Neighborhood House, declined the offer by stating: “Among many other things we do to address poverty, my agency works on substance abuse prevention among children and teens.  It would not be appropriate for us to receive contributions from businesses that promote the legal use of marijuana.”

I have also been approached by members of the marijuana industry about how to collaborate on regional marijuana prevention efforts.

This issue was brought up at a 3/16/2016 prevention conference call convened by the Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention (WASAVP). Liz Wilhelm provided some information related to ethical considerations and other prevention professionals shared whether their coalition/organization collaborates with the marijuana industry and, if so, under what parameters. Following that meeting, the Coalition for Drug-Free Youth’s Policy Committee (based in White Center/North Highline, King County) discussed this and the need to create “rules of engagement.”

We raise this with you to ask whether you want to be part of this conversation, specifically, we are asking for individuals/prevention organizations to work with us to develop guidelines for the field, including:

• Marijuana industry offers to provide direct funding to prevention organizations, such as through sales, fundraisers and grants
• Marijuana industry participation/membership in prevention organizations/coalitions
• Marijuana industry participation in prevention/education activities
• Ethics involved with accepting funding from the proceeds of marijuana sales in Washington State

We would also request any examples of existing policies and practices related to the prevention field and the alcohol/tobacco/marijuana/other drug industry, which covers areas including sponsorships, fundraising, advertising and promotion. These guidelines may help other prevention coalitions and organizations as they think about creating or modifying their own policies and practices.

I understand that WASAVP will continue this discussion at an upcoming board meeting and other organizations such as the Washington Prevention Coalitions (I believe that’s the new name for the former Washington Coalition of Coalitions) are also interested in this issue.

Please email me at Jackie.Berganio@kingcounty.gov if you're interested in being part of this conversation and/or if you have any examples to send us of existing policies and practices.

Thanks. I hope to hear from you soon.

Jackie Berganio

Community Coordinator

King County Department of Community and Human Services

Behavioral Health and Recovery Division

Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Program