11/10/2019
One of the most challenging aspects of working in this industry is the disappointment in the intransigent and enduring stigma of cannabis, especially as it manifests through companies I once admired.
suspended our account today, which will temporarily cripple our ability to operate our business (and yes, I’m aware there exist other point-of-sale options). I know that this is a common occurrence in the industry, so when I explained to the rep that we were a training and education company, I was surprised by the reason that we were given for the suspension:
"We do not process any payments to any reference of cannabis weather [sic] it's talking about it or selling it, we do not process."
Clearly, this is a false statement. For example, I can donate to Smart Approaches to Ma*****na (SAM, an anti-cannabis company; don’t be fooled by the name) and PayPal will process the payment. Essentially, Radicle Health and SAM do the same thing—we provide information about cannabis.
To be clear, this is not a situation where PayPal is limited by existing federal laws or by the Schedule I status of cannabis—RH does not manufacture, sell, buy, store, distribute, or otherwise touch cannabis products. We provide training and education to doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
We talk about and write about cannabis.
PayPal, , and have all denied us service---because we provide scientific information about cannabis. Of course, I can no longer in good conscious recommend these companies or their services.
These are all point-of-sale companies who—at sometime in the near future—will come to cannabis industry with an outstretched hand. Collectively, I hope that our industry will continue to celebrate those companies and organizations that support us now and hold accountable those who have broadly shunned or punished companies in the cannabis space.
