The Cannabis Beverage Association – Advocating for Change

November 9, 2021 by Ginger Bryant & Macai Polansky

Who We Are and What We Do 

If you’re reading this newsletter, chances are you already know the CBA is a California based industry trade association exclusively focused on cannabis beverage.  Now if we drill down a bit you may, or may not, know we work on several fronts including marketing, industry standards, education, and government affairs.        

Let’s Go Deeper with One of our Key Initiatives: Government Affairs

Ok, you’re still with me here, so what did this look like for the CBA in 2021? 

We introduced ourselves!  Through the medium of Zoom sessions, we met with members of the legislature, professional staff, and the Administration.  The CBA participated in over 50 calls, educating elected and appointed officials about cannabis beverage and why it’s a unique, sweet spot within the cannabis industry.    

We had our first piece of legislation signed by the Governor and AB 1222 will go into effect in January 2022.  What is AB 1222 you ask – in simple terms it allows cannabis beverage to be packaged in clear glass containers. A big beverage industry thank you to Assemblymember Phil Chen for sponsoring the bill and to our lobbyist, David Quintana, for working his magic as the legislation moved through the sausage-making process.     

We also advocated for a specific definition of cannabis beverage under the edibles category in the Code of Regulations.  There are so many things unique to beverage we started here and will continue to work to define and advocate for beverage so it’s recognized and stands on its own.        

So, what’s next for 2022?  

We keep building.  Our Directors, Associate members and working committees have tremendous depth and knowledge on all aspects of this industry, and from this perspective, we plan to work on: 

• Developing alliances within the cannabis advocacy space, rising tides float all boats!  
• Regulatory hurdles for product manufacturing and distribution. 
• Advocating for the highest industry-wide testing standards to ensure consumers have trust in a consistent, replicable, and enjoyable experience.
• Announcements due in early 2022 on strategic initiatives under development so to use the phrase – watch this space!  

To learn more about our Government Affairs work, you can do two things; join the CBA and look for us at the November 11, 2021 Cannabis Drinks Expo in San Francisco.  The CBA’s President Aaron Silverstein, past-President Macai Polansky, Lobbyist David Quintana, and CA Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua will be discussing the cannabis beverage industry and working with the California legislature in 2022.  See you there!