Experiences

• 

  Executive Director - PR & Comms

  Cannabis Trades Association

  2020

  The Cannabis Trades Association - CTA is a Business orientated membership organisation. Our members are involved in CBD and Medicinal Cannabis products selling into or operating within the UK, EU and RoW. We have just under 200 members mostly mid to larger sized companies. Of these around 60-70 are MedCan orientated businesses, many of which sprung from CBD companies.
  
  In wider context the CTA inputs to the FSA, MHRA, Home Office in the UK, FDA and EFSA and all the key international medicinal cannabis government bodies. One of our Non-Execs is Sita Schubert who heads the European Medicinal Cannabis Association so our reach is well outside the UK, and so is our business attitude.
  
  The CTA has to offers the following to ALL of our members:
  We offer members Regulatory compliance for website, social media, labelling, packaging, advertising, interpretation of CoAs, and vital speedy interpretation of current and new legislation and regulations.
  Members only Portal – regulations, notice board, knowledge resources.
  Member Services – Preferred and Discounted Member Offers for: Banking, Insurance, Laboratory Testing, Employment and Health and Safety providers, Cost-effective Product Testing, Trading Standards Assured Advice; Media Partner Event discount, and so on.
  
  Stakeholder Representation – APPGs, FSA (plus EFSA and FDA), MHRA, Ministries (e.g. DEFRA, BEIS, Overseas Development, Treasury etc.) International collaboration via other Trade Bodies and National Governments e.g. EIHA, EU Parliament, South Africa, Columbia, USA & Canada as examples. e.g. Delegation to Cannabis Europa `24 for Morocco – the UK visits were arranged by the CTA.
  
  B2B Contact and Networking A significant benefit to members is the direct introduction to companies and individuals within and outside our membership, and internationally. Distribution, contract manufacturing and production introductions are normal via the CTA. Our Directors benefit more from this and receiving `first word’ information, contacts, risk and other factors affecting the industry.
  
  Special Support to Members: Investment, M&A, Reading Pitch Decks & Financials, aiding in financial and production difficulties experienced by member companies, interceding with Government bodies and ministries should legal problems occur.
  
  Respond to Political and Press Interest: we advise and react to the ever changing political and press environment on behalf of our industry. It is always beneficial when bad news hits to have a Trade organisation speaking to the press and media.
  
  Regulation Adaption: Help regulators and ministries understand the needs of the cannabis industry  so that unforeseen inhibition to trading is avoided by unnecessary regulation. We also put pressure on moving legislation along related to increased knowledge and data (based on science) in opening up trading opportunities e.g.  advising the FSA to adopt the Swiss Model for Full and Broad Spectrum CBD plus requesting that ADI in isolated CBD placed on ACNFP agenda for upward movement.
  
  I should also mention that the CTA is working to have the Proceeds of Crime Act amended to `exclude all licenced and regulated companies’.
  
  The MedCan sector in the UK is highly active. The CTA has been approached by growers and distributors who are seeing poor quality unregulated medicinal cannabis being supplied to patients, and illegal operators forcing their way into the sector to the detriment of licenced and regulated producers. We have an action plan in place to support legal supply and quality of medicine to patients. The MHRA is tightening up imports and labelling as well shutting down direct marketing to prescribers and patients.  The CTA is also looking at getting Government support for a Cannabis R&D Hub so that clinical trials and data can be harnessed to support the development of cannabinoids for medicinal use including medical devices.
  
  The industry wants and needs a well-funded independent voice that can respond to events out of your control that would, if left to run, significantly impact company bottom line. This is recognised in all industries and sectors such as agriculture, vaping, tobacco, oil and gas, but is particularly true for this sector given the legal framework imposed by governments. If the CTA did not exist others in the medical cannabis sector would be exposed to uncapped and unforecastable costs.