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Hemp
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rack of the gummy substance in bulk sizes without any CBD, which Heritage sells to cannabis companies that infuse it with THC, which he is legally unable to handle.
“Right now, this is what pays
the bills, our bulk formulation,” he said. “We could morph into a candy company.”
McLaughlin said she brings a strong science background to her work at Heritage, citing the six different tests — checking for everything from pesticides to potency — each product has to pass along the production journey. “We wanted everything evidence-based. We really came at this trying to make the highest-quality product possible.
“It seems like a bit of a stretch from being a dietitian, but if you think about what a dietitian does, we study the effects of what you consume and
Job Market
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understand how they may fit into
it. “Who knows? This exposure may encourage them to someday own their own business.”
While retail cannabis operations have launched in many Western Mass. communities, the city of Holyoke has been most active, currently boasting four dispensaries, with at least two more scheduled to open in 2021. Based on workplace needs identified by these companies, the job market for canna- bis looks to be healthy through 2021. “By rough estimate, I anticipate, within the coming year, we will have 400 to 500 workers in the cannabis industry, just in Holyoke,” Hayden said.
Because Western Mass. offers both skilled workers and cheaper land com- pared to the eastern part of the state, Waterfall sees real growth potential and cited Holyoke as quickly becoming a center of cannabis commerce. “The city needed innovation and needed jobs. Cannabis is doing that very effec- tively in Holyoke.”
Such strong demand for talent would normally be an opportunity
for career centers like MassHire to be involved. That’s not the case, however; David Cruise, president of MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board, noted that his organization receives
Independents
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to mandatory treble damages for any unpaid wages. In addition, a prevailing employee will be awarded attorneys’ fees and costs of the litigation.
What is the takeaway on all of this for your company? While the law may be changing in other parts of the country, nothing has changed in Mas- sachusetts (so far). Massachusetts
how it affects your body, and this is no different,” she went on. “I saw all the potential and all the different areas CBD could help. And since we started, more and more research has come out about the positive effects of CBD. It’s exciting work, with incredible potential to help people.”
Van Epps said a growing public awareness about the benefits of CBD helps boost sales, but competition is fierce, too. “There are so many brands. What brands do you trust? We’re seeing lot of inferior brands that tried to get rich quick fall by the wayside.”
The key for Heritage, he added, is to stand out with quality products that are tested in transparent ways.
“We had a blank slate at first,” McLaughin said. “Anything known about formulating came from the black market, and you almost had to scrap it all and start over and understand there was most likely a better way of doing it.”
most of its funding from the federal government, which has not recognized cannabis as a legal substance.
“Until laws change at the federal level, we cannot be actively engaged in getting involved with job seekers in the cannabis industry,” Cruise said. While he is aware of the increase in local job opportunities in the industry, MassHire will be taking a hands-off approach to cannabis employment.
That presents a stark opportunity for HCC’s programs. In her conversa- tions with cannabis-industry employ- ers, Cabral found they are looking for workers who represent the diversity of their customers. One dispensary owner said clients can range from a 40-year- old woman craving a good night’s sleep to a younger person looking for a recre- ational product.
“The people who use the products are as diverse as the population in gen- eral, so that’s who we want to train, and that’s who the employers want to hire,” she said.
During training, Cabral reminds her students that success means following basics like showing up on time with a good attitude, effectively communicat- ing with the management team, and putting their cell phones away. “These are real careers in real businesses that are trying to make money, so come ready to work.”
law remains very strict and extremely restrictive when it comes to prov-
ing independent contractor status.
As noted, misclassifying a worker can carry steep penalties and trigger a vio- lation of various laws, as well as class- action claims.
But stay tuned. This area of the law seems to be evolving with the newly proposed federal rule and the Califor- nia state-law change. It is estimated
Altered States
More industry standardization would be another ‘better way’ to do business, said all those we spoke with. For instance, while Massachusetts lim- its THC levels in CBD to 0.3%, Vermont allows 1%. “In a perfect world, you’d standardize the rules across the coun- try,” Van Epps said.
Added Lupario, “you’ve got to be able to pivot and deal with all the upheaval of laws and everything that comes with the ever-changing dynam- ics of the agriculture industry. You’re going to see that for the next couple
of years until it settles down a bit; that will come with more federal oversight. We’re getting there.”
Van Epps said it’s been a tough year for some in the hemp industry, especially for farms that planted too much, too soon. “They thought it was a get-rich-quick scheme, and unfortu-
Hayden echoes that point and noted that, while it’s not surprising for someone who has an interest in canna- bis to work in the industry, employers will expect them to put in an honest effort and have an open mind to learn more and grow. He also advised they pay attention to the little things that can make a big difference.
“One employer told me, he chooses his customer-service people by wheth- er or not they walk into the room with a smile.”
Cultivating an Ecosystem
While the cannabis industry offers many career pathways, Hayden said it’s easy to forget about all the tradi- tional back-of-house functions such as accounting, marketing, and data ana- lytics that companies need on top of the industry-specific positions.
While it’s called the cannabis indus- try, Waterfall added, it’s really more of an ecosystem that encourages people to bring their diverse skills to it.
“While I run a nonprofit, I pay my bills by consulting with cannabis com- panies on marketing communications and business development,” she said, noting that she started out doing simi- lar work, except her clients were law- yers and accounting firms.
While COVID-19 has made it dif- ficult to get a clear sense of job growth,
that, collectively, Uber, Lyft, Insta- cart, Postmates, and DoorDash spent approximately $200 million to lobby California voters to change their state law on independent-contractor status. That may spark more challenges to independent-contractor laws in other states, including Massachusetts. u
Amy B. Royal, Esq. is a litigation attorney who specializes in labor
nately, a lot of farmers got hurt by that. Farmers who didn’t bite off more than they could chew will tell you it’s a good business, worth investing in, and they see long-term growth. It’s exciting.”
Goodyear said less than 25% of American adults have tried a CBD product, so there’s plenty of room for growth; in fact, he sees the potential for Heritage to expand from about 20 employee today to 150 in a couple of years.
The trend toward greater public awareness is certainly good for busi- ness, Lupario said, but it also boosts his mission to give cannabis and hemp a stronger connection to natural, plant- based wellness.
“It’s another plant within the herbal pharmacopeia,” he said — one whose story continues to blossom in Massa- chusetts and beyond. u
Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]
Hayden said the industry is just get- ting off the ground and still promises a strong growth trajectory.
“Like any industry, there will be ups and downs,” he added, “but the projec- tions post-COVID are suggesting we could hit a billion dollars a year in a short period of time.”
That kind of success helps over- come some of the stigma of cannabis use, which Waterfall admits can be very strong, whether coming from family or community. While she has been edu- cating her own family, some are still not comfortable with cannabis use.
“Then I hear from someone who tried an infused gummy and has never slept so well, or the person who told me she drinks a CBD tincture in the morning, and it makes her a better mom.”
Anecdotes like those help debunk the stereotypes and stigmas about who uses cannabis, and why. Cabral hopes more people come to understand this is a serious industry with products
that can be helpful to a wide range of customers. As such, cannabis needs a committed workforce that also takes itself seriously and moves past old stereotypes.
“Jobs in this field can be extremely technical,” she said. “It’s not just go lis- ten to Bob Marley and have a party.” u
and employment-law matters at the Royal Law Firm LLP, a woman-owned, women-managed corporate law
firm certified as a women’s business enterprise with the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office, the National Assoc. of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council; (413) 586- 2288; [email protected]
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