While speaking at the New West Summit in San Francisco this past weekend Knight, luminary, and business magnate Richard Branson shared some encouraging words for those looking to get in the mix of the impending cannabis industry boom.
During his keynote address at the New West Summit, Branson, a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, provided this gem when asked if he had any advice for those looking to lead the charge in cannabis-based entrepreneurship, “…Screw it, just do it!.”
Branson, like the other 21 members of the GCPD, believes that regulation and legalization can shift the paradigm when it comes to drugs and remove the elements of criminality that have plagued drugs for decades. During his address, he cited the beneficial impact that such practices and policies have had on a country like Portugal. In 2001 Portugal decriminalized cannabis, cocaine, and other drugs, opting to provide treatment to addicts rather than toss them in the clink.
When asked if he would consider a future in the world of weed Branson responded by saying, “If I was not part of the global drug commission, I certainly would be out there in this industry. It's an industry with enormous potential, and it can do a lot of good.”
With a business acumen like his who knows what the future could hold for the marijuana industry.
