The public sector continues to hemorrhage cannabis regulators, who have been increasingly jumping ship to the more lucrative private sector.
Andrew Freedman, formerly the director of marijuana coordination for the State of Colorado, and Lewis Koski, formerly the director of the state’s Marijuana Enforcement Division, have founded Freedman & Koski LLC.
Freedman was first hired in January 2011 by Lieutenant Governor Joseph Garcia to be chief of staff. He left that position in July of 2013 to become the campaign director for Yes on 66: Colorado Commits to Kids. In January of 2014 he was hired by Hickenlooper to be the State’s Director of Marijuana Coordination.
John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, will round out the team as the firm’s senior adviser.
Freedman and Koski intend to focus on government implementation of both medical and recreational marijuana regulations, according to a press release.
“Freedman & Koski LLC offers assistance to state and local governments as they work through legalization’s toughest issues to build an efficient, effective regulatory framework,” according to the release.
“Using its consultants’ extensive experience on the forefront of marijuana regulation, Freedman & Koski, LLC offers assistance to state and local governments as they work through legalization’s toughest issues to build an efficient, effective regulatory framework to protect public health and safety,” said the announcement from the new company.
Twenty-eight states have legalized cannabis for medical use, and 65 million people now live in states where recreational it is now legal.
In November’s election, California, Nevada, Massachusetts and Maine passed laws legalizing the recreational use of cannabis, while Florida, Arkansas, North Dakota and Montana passed medical marijuana laws.