• by John Sidline , Columnist, February 9, 2018

On January 4, Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded the “Cole Memo,”  a policy memo in place at the Justice Department since August 2013 that effectively kept federal law enforcement from prosecuting what otherwise would be federal crimes in states that had made cannabis legal in some form.

Many people working in the legal cannabis market, understandably upset, participated in a big public meltdown, one that persists until today. Much of what has been posted is profanity-laced invective, often accompanied by photographic memes that portray the attorney general in various insulting, demeaning and often dehumanizing ways. 

The question we should consider is not whether any of these people are right in their anger, but whether the way they express themselves is appropriate, let alone constructive. There’s a right way and a wrong way for business people to behave in public, and that extends to the media and social media. Using the rescinding of the Cole Memo as an example, here is some advice on how to vent anger in public.

Why are you venting?

The first question you should consider before you write or say anything to share publicly is, what do you hope to accomplish? Thinking this question through can help shape the content of your message. Perhaps you want to persuade people who don’t share your point of view, or perhaps you simply want to join in the chorus and support your industry contemporaries, but have a reason. Before you publish anything, ask yourself, “Is this necessary?” If the answer is no, maybe reconsider posting anything written in anger.

Be aware of your audiences — all of them

The thing about “public discourse” is that it happens in public, meaning you won’t have only one audience. Your intended audience is dispersed among a much greater group of people that includes your current and prospective customers, investors, business partners as well as other people who could either positively or negatively impact your business. Think of the most important people to you and consider how they might react should they encounter the angry you.

Be aware of who else gets impacted

If you are part of company leadership, understand that what you post not only becomes intrinsically connected to your company’s brand, it also becomes associated with your coworkers’s reputations. Most businesses want specific attributes associated with their brands: knowledge, trust, ambition, quality, and service among them. Not among them: crazy. Even if you’re posting from a personal account or on a personal blog, what you say or do will reflect on your company and those who work for it. 

Whose voice should be heard?

Consider the perspective from which you’re sharing. Let’s say you produce medical marijuana products and you’re angry because rescinding the Cole Memo puts your business in jeopardy. But it’s also true that if your business goes away, some patients will no longer have access to your product upon which they’ve come to rely. Why not vent their anger instead of your own? It’s far more compelling to be the voice of many people who may become disenfranchised due to a particular event than it is to speak for your own self-interest. Not to mention, you’re more likely to get all those people on your side.

More credible with facts

Don’t just yell that someone is wrong, explain why. The internet is filled with research and factoids, and you’ll no doubt find some that support your thesis. Adding data to your argument not only adds credibility to it, but also positions you as an expert.

Venting done right

JJ McKay is the publisher of The Fresh Toast, a cannabis lifestyle publication. A few days after Sessions rescinded the Cole Memo, McKay sat down with Larry Smith of “Good Morning Washington,” a Washington, D.C., morning news program, to discuss the topic. Here’s how that interview began:

Smith: “Were you surprised that [Attorney General Jeff Sessions] rescinded the Cole Memo?”

McKay: “No. This is something he believes passionately about. It’s something he believes ideologically. But, he’s out of touch with the rest of the world. Cannabis is more like wine today. People see it as one option for recreation; and 76% of physicians, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, say it should be used for medical [purposes].”

Few people could disagree more with Sessions than McKay. But his response was respectful, acknowledges a real policy debate, and included facts to support his position. If McKay’s goal was to persuade people, he hit every note perfectly, and he made his case in a way that accentuates his and The Fresh Toast’s brand.