Tina Ulman, Co-CEO of The Grow Up Co-Op- Interview Series

For over seven years now, Tina Ulman has served on the Board of Directors and co-founded several different cannabis reform and industry-related organizations. From Las Vegas NORML to the Chamber of Cannabis and serving a variety of sales and marketing roles for some of Nevada’s most popular cannabis brands, Ulman’s professional and advocacy experience in cannabis is quite extensive. Recently, Ulman co-founded The Grow Up Co-Op, a sales and advertising cooperative offering all the most vital marketing services to succeed in the oftentimes confusing or convoluted world of cannabis marketing/advertising and subsequent sales.

Tell me about yourself and how you become involved in cannabis advocacy and working in the industry to the very involved and multi-faceted degree that you do? Were there any defining moments in that journey? I remember you telling me that your family member’s incarceration was a very influential factor in you becoming a cannabis activist.

I am a cannabis lover, activist, and entrepreneur. I have been enjoying the plant for almost 19 years, working in the industry for seven, and love spreading the “good green word” to anyone that will listen and even more so to those who don’t want to listen. I own a sales & marketing cooperative called, “the grow up co-op” with my partner in business and justice, Dani B. We represent conscientious and innovative craft cannabis brands in Nevada & Arizona. Beyond running our business, I love teaching about the benefits of the planet for the mind, body, and soul to those who would have never been open to it otherwise, such as conservatives, older folks, haters, you name it, I will gladly talk to all of them. I definitely feel in my purpose during those conversations.

I also love learning about how to make substantial and lasting change happen and sharing that knowledge with other people around me. My astrologer recently read my birth chart and told me I was a promoter of messages that other people didn’t want to talk about. I would say that’s pretty darn accurate and one reason that led to my level of involvement in both advocacy and the industry. There’s too much messed up stuff going on to not talk about it and ultimately find better solutions for it. Failed drug policy being one and the limited amount of opportunities for people who are not wealthy being the second.

For almost 20 years, I had to visit my family member in prison for a non-violent drug crime. His sentence was longer than some criminals who had committed murder and lost his entire family because of horrible unjust laws and the criminal unjust system. I knew from the time I was 10 years old, I wanted to do something to make a difference and as soon as I got in the industry, I became a sponge to learn how and aligned myself with people I could learn from. First by becoming a member and the Director of Development for Las Vegas NORML and then on to co-founding and leading the Chamber of Cannabis.

How did the Chamber of Cannabis form and what have been some of the most bright highlights of your experience running the organization?

We formed the association because we saw a need for the professionals and companies building the industry who loved and respected the plant to have a voice. People who weren’t just in it for the money and were committed using their knowledge to speak up on what were the best options for the industry as a whole, not just the business with the most capital and connections. It was important to the founding board members and myself to create an association that focused on impacting justice, commerce, and our community; a full circle of reform and success. We also formed this organization in October 2020, seven months into the Covid pandemic and at the height of law enforcement officers killing black Americans on camera for absolutely no justifiable reason. We had time on our hands, passion in our hearts and willingness to put in the work, and that’s what we did.

There were a lot of highlights, that’s for sure, but I have a few that stand out though. Creating new laws that will affect history and more people than we will ever know or meet is a big one. Organizing the lobby days in Carson City in 2021 & 2023, which are like the Olympics for activists, was so empowering and effective. All the fun and educational meetings we hosted with some pretty dynamic guests of honor. From legends like Redman and Ricky Williams to true influencers like CJ Wallace, Jasmin Ma’s, and Gary Chambers, we were able to bring messages that need to be heard in the cannabis community. It didn’t stop there, as we built relationships with political and judicial leaders who support sensible cannabis and who like to partake.

How would you describe the current overall state of the Nevada cannabis industry? There was a devastating $115 million drop in total sales from FY2022 to FY2023 and the corresponding months with FY2024 don’t look too promising either.

Its not in the strongest place, and unfortunately it’s causing many companies to get behind on paying each other, or often times not paying at all. Ultimately its theft at a much higher level then walking out the back door with a handful of nugs. The folks who are impacted the most are the farmers and small business owners who are getting paid last in the supply chain. If the Cannabis Compliance Board doesn’t step in to create a process to hold companies accountable for high level theft, it will continue to significantly impact the viability of businesses, the quality products we have to choose from and who has the opportunity to conduct business in Nevada.

The Chamber has suggested many ways previously to do this, such as not letting these companies renew their business license until they can pay their debt. It’s sad and frustrating that the government agency that was created specifically for cannabis is more focused on how high the sinks should be from the ground instead of solving of high level problems such as this one.

Have you seen the provisions of Nevada Senate Bill 277 (double daily purchasing limits, excluded felony offense law changing, etc) and Assembly Bill 341 (authorizing the opening of consumption lounges) be rewarding to the Nevada industry? If so, then how?

Yes, most definitely, we are still just in the beginning stages of expanding commerce and cannabis tourism to its full potential, but have seen progress.

There’s been a notable impact in the average transaction size going up which will help drive revenue through the supply chain. One large retailer in Nevada with six stores disclosed their average ticket size went up $10, something they have not seen in seven years. It’s also been great to hear feedback from budtenders that they can now sell more and are able to increase their tips and decrease the chance of overselling. We also received feedback from dispensaries in rural areas that the increase has helped patients buy more medicine at once and increased accessibility for folks who were limited prior.

Only three consumption venues are currently open and all three are attached to a retailer. Unfortunately, none of the independent venues have opened due to a long list of challenges. From finding a venue that is not near a casino, church, school, or park to having access to loans and capital. Many of the entrepreneurs looking to bring their vision to life have hit a few roadblocks, taking it longer for them to open. After having the opportunity to view their concepts though and see how innovative and fun their establishments will be its exciting to think about what’s to come for Las Vegas.

We also hope to see more people take advantage of offering infused food and beverages in their venues. The Chamber worked extensively with lawmakers and the health department to ensure we created space for canna-chefs, restauranteurs, mixologists, and service industry professionals to have a chance at bringing their visions to life. Now we just need those who won licenses to connect with these professionals in order to deliver a much higher level of service, food and drinks.

As someone so experienced in both cannabis advocacy and industry, what are your views on the rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III? Do you see this rescheduling as incredibly beneficial for both Nevada’s market and other state markets? Or does being grouped into the same Controlled Substances schedule as pharmaceuticals give you concern?

Well, there’s pros and cons.

The pros would be the normalization that is happening and the government is acknowledging there are in fact health benefits to the plant. De-scheduling would allow banking, access to capital and for businesses to take deductions which is desperately needed right now. This would be a game changer for both the Nevada market and country.

The cons would be that there would be more companies that will be purchased and owned by folks who have no business owning cannabis companies; such as big pharma, big tobacco, and big alcohol.

How can cannabis advocates make sure that they are truly voting for cannabis-friendly candidates?

Great question. If they are an incumbent, you can look at their voting record and everything you need to know is right there. We all know actions speak louder than words. If they are running for the first time, call them up! Tell them your concerns and see what they would do if elected to change it, then hold them to it if they are elected. I encourage everyone to google “find my legislature,” as almost all states make it easy to find out who is representing you.

Local elections matter, especially when the choices for the President suck. I truly hope more people take advantage of speaking with who is representing them and use their voice to to speak on topics that are important to them. It’s one of the most empowering moves a person can make.