High dive: are we creating "Big Marijuana"? | Hilary Bricken | TEDxOrcasIsland

Hilary explains the far reaching impacts of Washington States historic 502 initiative, legalizing marijuana for recreational use. She explores the complex issues pertaining to big business entering into the marijuana industry.

One of the premier cannabis business and regulatory attorneys in the United States. As chair of Harris Moure’s Regulated Substances practice group, which includes the Canna Law Group, she helps cannabis companies of all sizes with their cannabis related legal issues.

In 2013, based on her work in the marijuana industry, The Puget Sound Business Journal named Ms. Bricken one of seven Deal Makers of the Year. In 2014 and 2015, she was named a “Rising Star” and a “Top Rising Star of Washington Women Attorneys” by Super Lawyers Magazine. Also in 2015, the Puget Sound Business Journal named Hilary to its Top 40 Under 40 list for business and leadership. Hilary frequently testifies before local, state, and federal government bodies regarding cannabis regulations. She also authors a weekly column for Above the Law (a widely read attorney website) featuring content on marijuana policy and regulation, and is a regular contributor to and editor of her firm’s Canna Law Blog.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

50 Comments

  1. Matthew Thomas on February 23, 2021 at 8:23 pm

    End prohibition and I’ll grow it myself! This self serving chick IS big marijuana!



  2. Bill Clark on February 23, 2021 at 8:26 pm

    Great job young lady. Keep speaking truth to power. You begin your speech very smartly including the audience and that is critical. You know what you’re doing- keep doing.



  3. GhostRaiter on February 23, 2021 at 8:26 pm

    Creating Big Marijuana?
    Its already done.
    Aurora and Canopy are already global. There’s a couple others that will be soon.
    This game is already over.



  4. Crazy Horse on February 23, 2021 at 8:27 pm

    So…….yet another example of powerful businesses corrupting and controlling government officials. Again and again and again and again it’s the same story. We have to put a stop to this and take our country back. Get active and vote Warren in 2020!



  5. troyhm69 on February 23, 2021 at 8:29 pm

    Pot legal or not is run by a bunch of crooks.



  6. Ace Adventura on February 23, 2021 at 8:30 pm

    Awesome speech.
    We can’t allow the ‘powers that be’ to capitalize Cannabis. This is not their choice, we are supposed to be living in a democracy. We, the people, elevated these governments to their positions.. in order to look after our best interests. When they start to put profit over the economy, environment and public health.. we have to raise our voices and be heard.

    If they give the UK a referendum to determine the ‘will of the people’ over our fate in the EU. Then we should have a peoples vote as to the legislation governing this natural plant. A plant that belongs to all of amus as homosapians, it has been demonized and prohibited for too long.



  7. Rodger Groyim on February 23, 2021 at 8:31 pm

    She looks stoned



  8. Robert Cowan on February 23, 2021 at 8:32 pm

    POT IS ADDICTING, I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE. AVOID AT ALL COST



  9. Skipper Sailor on February 23, 2021 at 8:32 pm

    Cannabis is more correct instead of the taboo name marijuana



  10. averat84 on February 23, 2021 at 8:32 pm

    Ha! _Big Cannabis_ was what got the initiative passed! I had so much to say about that and the trajectory of the industry and potential problems… and it all came true. There’s even a two-part article that covers it. I was approached by BIG money; pockets with no bottoms, of investors that you wouldn’t believe if I _could_ tell you.



  11. Flying Paladin on February 23, 2021 at 8:33 pm

    If it’s kept in the state under a state law, how did the feds have any jurisdiction whatsoever



  12. Pam Weinberg on February 23, 2021 at 8:35 pm

    Thank you so much. It sounds like if you really want to invest in any of these businesses, you don’t have a chance. You gave my husband and I a lot to think about. Very interesting.
    I notice as I am aging I can see some of the benefits that marijuana can provides for relief for medical reasons. On the flip side, I have also seen the destruction it does to some people and their social skills. Work, attitude, and motivation to get the things done you need to do in order to be successful in life. Pot can hurt parents and others when their children have no ambition. It’s very painful and concerning. (Not to mention their judgement at that time. Teenage pregnancy.)
    I’m actually for it. I think people should have free will but, I agree, “What are there side effects?” What will be the real price??? Big pharmaceutical company gets the money again? Who will win and who will lose??? It’s our children. Peace ✌️



  13. Mimi B on February 23, 2021 at 8:37 pm

    What I’ve heard is they can’t gmo it so…it it better than the cotton or timber industries, no wonder they smeared it and just haaaad to make it ‘illegal’ lmao



  14. Dean burney on February 23, 2021 at 8:38 pm

    LOVE HER. Yes. Of course Big Marijuana is ready to swoop but that’s Our system of economics! Forget fighting it! Let’s get rich!



  15. ear ugo on February 23, 2021 at 8:39 pm

    Mass production. Generalized sweeping regulations. Big business. All these things are the destroyer of quality and craftsmanship.



  16. Add Love!™ on February 23, 2021 at 8:41 pm

    "This BUD’S for You!



  17. Feral Cypher on February 23, 2021 at 8:41 pm

    They always try to force us to play by their rules!!



  18. Herschel Maasdorp on February 23, 2021 at 8:42 pm

    Brilliant!



  19. GhostRaiter on February 23, 2021 at 8:44 pm

    Its over. You guys are too late. Canada created Big Marijane and you yanks missed the boat.
    Snooze ya lose.



  20. Andrei Cotofan on February 23, 2021 at 8:44 pm

    Listen on 0.75x , you’re welcome



  21. Carl Parish on February 23, 2021 at 8:46 pm

    She speaks too fast and her words almost running into each other.



  22. Emilee Moreland on February 23, 2021 at 8:47 pm

    Thanks for this information! ❤️



  23. Alfred Nueman on February 23, 2021 at 8:50 pm

    Just so "no" to big corporate marijuana. Legalize it for everyone!



  24. equanimousawareness on February 23, 2021 at 8:51 pm

    In visiting a dispensary (no, not a gumball machine) in Oregon it became clear how the legal-lies-nation of cannabis created hundreds of new laws to fine thoae who break them.



  25. Greg Parousia on February 23, 2021 at 8:53 pm

    Great point. Cannabis can become tobacco. Capitalism poisons everything for maximum profit.



  26. Grow YourOwn on February 23, 2021 at 8:53 pm

    I grow my own…. it taste so much better and I know whats in it



  27. Phyphrus on February 23, 2021 at 8:54 pm

    Man, she’s wicked smart. She hit all the points. Her comprehension is baffling



  28. Claudia Camargo on February 23, 2021 at 8:55 pm

    She speaks like a boss. Very smart woman .



  29. brian b on February 23, 2021 at 8:56 pm

    I live in Wisconsin, a liquor state. The liquor companies give so much money to the government to keep marijuana illegal, we will be the last state to legalize.



  30. Jean-Claude van Damme on February 23, 2021 at 8:58 pm

    i prefer marley country over marlboro



  31. OVERFLOWWW official on February 23, 2021 at 8:59 pm

    🔵 Can we discuss her BEAUTY?!!! Just sayin 👀 …….



  32. Michael Casten on February 23, 2021 at 9:05 pm

    THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING PROFITS IF YOU DID IT WITH ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO WHY NOT WITH BIG MARIJUANA CORPORATIONS… EVEN ILLEGAL CANNABIS TRADE MAKES PROFIT ILLEGALLY…



  33. Reed Allyn on February 23, 2021 at 9:06 pm

    Its shameful that we have lawyers working beside researchers, clinicians, patients to allow them to source new and helpful medicines. In Canada, medical cannabis has been legal federally for 20 years and recreational, moving into its second year. A private citizen can grow it in his/her back yard, a private citizen can carry 35 grams of cannabis in their pocket, a Canadian citizen can fly back and forth across the country with a bag of weed in their carry-on without fear of persecution. Most importantly, a Canadian can smoke it, ingest it, drink it, whatever, for their medical need or recreational desire without the police, lawyers or judges involved. Regulation just puts money in the wrong pockets. Instead of paying this lawyer who is speaking to "navigate the laws" money should be going into research and bringing new medications to those who will benefit. Regulation and policy sometimes don’t make sense, only to those who stand to profit, is where it does.



  34. Rita Lynn on February 23, 2021 at 9:06 pm

    That commercial at 12 minutes YES it’s true, all of it. have you ever been in pain all day? Herb heals our mind when we can’t find the physical healing in our BODY!



  35. Rita Lynn on February 23, 2021 at 9:09 pm

    It’s a plant…. has anyone forgotten that part? Why can’t this be a free plant like the others?



  36. Andrew Karsten on February 23, 2021 at 9:11 pm

    Look I can understand regulations for selling, they’re kind of needed to ensure the consumer has the information needed to make an educated decision. That’s basic economics. It’s the same reason people need to know if there’s sugar in a drink. When regulation starts to prevent entrepreneurship and only allow big marijuana, that’s also obviously a problem. What isn’t so clear is why people can’t grow it at home for their own personal use, like growing tomatoes instead of buying them from the grocery store. I fear that because it’s a “drug” in the government’s eyes, we will be forced into buying it from dispensaries as the only legal method, which I also fear may be leveraged against us in the future. It’ll be another way to track what we’re doing, and I’m not sure how but I fear that one day the government will overstep its boundaries with this, just like how they’ve overstepped their boundaries countless times in the past. It’s not good that the government even is as powerful as they are right now, but we all seem to be too concerned with all of the little issues that we forget to keep an eye on the tyrannical tendencies of the federal government.



  37. mucharejo1 guacharacas on February 23, 2021 at 9:11 pm

    she is just lobbylng for the big corporations.



  38. silverace08 on February 23, 2021 at 9:12 pm

    really appreciate this discussion by someone who knows her stuff on the matter and is raising important awareness about it, sad to see this is where cannabis legalization is going, bob would be throughly dissapointed with how they be exploiting his message



  39. Claire Wheeler on February 23, 2021 at 9:13 pm

    Really interesting talk. Well delivered.



  40. gixxer6000 on February 23, 2021 at 9:13 pm

    Canada must be one of the greatest places to live if you like nice people.



  41. sideswiped on February 23, 2021 at 9:15 pm

    the rich have all the good stuff, now that have the best weed



  42. Flying Paladin on February 23, 2021 at 9:15 pm

    The federal government only has jurisdiction over 18 things. They bastardized the interstate commerce aspect in order to regulate States Andover Reach Federal power.



  43. David Canard on February 23, 2021 at 9:15 pm

    Put the issue in front of the people and let them VOTE.



  44. J Ramirez on February 23, 2021 at 9:16 pm

    America is being dumbed down with marijuana. This is a massive distraction to us being used as giant smoke screen because the us in in debt to it’s ears.



  45. Michael MMJiRuleCancer on February 23, 2021 at 9:16 pm

    The seed of greed…no one is surprised. Great job Hilary,,,,BRAVO



  46. Richard Master on February 23, 2021 at 9:17 pm

    Sure wish she would help put together a simple form of legalization here in the state of arkansas. Does she have her own youtube by channel, where one could reach her by comment?



  47. G R on February 23, 2021 at 9:18 pm

    Cannabis was always a big business thing. Look at way back when. It was in drug stores. It was grown as currency once.

    The big businesses are great for the industry. The crony capitalism, the red tape and the lobbying creates the issue. aka the government



  48. ΜΟΛΩΝΛΑΒΕ on February 23, 2021 at 9:20 pm

    (Before watching the video) no, but the politicians are….



  49. Ed` Bland on February 23, 2021 at 9:21 pm

    I am the CREATORS ‘healing’ warrior;
    FEDERAL agents are ‘blocking’ me from posting this comment on YouTube;
    Because of how bad I was from my 5.5 brain injury and how fast and well that THC helped my THOUGHT PROCESS work again I will never stop telling.
    STOP IT FELON FEDERAL AGENT ! Routers CenturyLink4347 & CenturyLink2825.
    FEDERAL MURDERER
    I am about HEALING earth and the ADVANCEMENT of HUMANITY.
    I am not about becoming rich !
    I am creating gold to prove that THC restores brain injuries.
    The proceeds I will use to create a self charging generator that will run HYDRO drive with 0 carbon output.
    Then will focus on getting DC electricity from atmosphere !
    ADVANCE HUMANITY
    I came forwards with how GOLD and PLATINUM were created to ‘prove’ my brain injury is being restored with THC so earth can be restored by growing HEMP.
    How else could a 5.5 TBI patient do this ?
    Growing HEMP will restore the ‘soil’, will restore the ‘atmosphere’.
    Will create BIO-DEGRADABLE plastics.
    This is the only way I can get this message out; HEMP plastics is the future for earth.
    LET IT BE KNOWN;
    I wrecked my Harley not wearing my helmet that stopped my heart 3 times, crushed my chest breaking all my ribs multiple times puncturing both lungs, put me into an 87 day coma waking with a 5.5 brain injury requiring relearning life. Once returning home I tried having my doctor do an MRI of my brain to compare to my wreck. He refused telling me that BIG PHARMA will financially destroy any doctor that proves THC restores brain injuries.
    This upset me so much that I taught myself MOLECULAR SCIENCE and went to the gold shop in KALISPELL MONTANA showing JB how copper transitioned into gold. This got me kicked out and he told ‘city council’ that I am making FOOLS GOLD from copper pass tests
    Boiling water proves that ‘heat’ excites MOLECULES allowing ATOMS to escape.
    This is how copper transitions into GOLD and nickel into PLATINUM.
    Earth must be restored by growing HEMP world wide.
    ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM
    Copper is 179 atoms and melts at around 1400F to 1800F.. You must bring it to a ‘boil’ that will be at 3500F but the ‘oxygen’ atom must never make contact or will explode burning on contact. In 72 to 100 hours, 100 atoms will boil out and melted BORAX will absorb them leaving 79 atoms that is GOLD.



  50. Blaize Felix on February 23, 2021 at 9:22 pm

    Beautiful 🤩