EXCLUSIVE: Cannabis Entrepreneur Calls On Industry To Come Together, Voice Opinions And Make Themselves Heard

Cannabis entrepreneur Leo Hairapetian understands the industry is facing a tough uphill climb, but he's pushing back against the challenges as founder and CEO of Trufflez Inc.

Growing A Cannabis Startup: Trufflez aims to deliver a next-level customer experience by ensuring consistent high-quality standards via management of all stages of production. The company offers several unique strains and continues to push boundaries to remain an innovator in the cannabis space.

Cannabis is one of the hardest industries to enter because of limitations on banking and licensing, among other restrictions.

"We are constantly faced with challenges that are prohibiting us to move forward ... the return on investment is always short because of the challenges that come with this industry," Hairapetian said Wednesday at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Miami Beach. 

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A lot of operators in the space shy away from voicing their opinions with public figures, but that's what needs to happen for the industry to shake all of the limitations it faces that other industries do not, he said. 

Changes to legislation seem to get closer and closer to passing each year but they always fall short, he said. The cannabis industry needs more people to go out and voice their opinions and make themselves heard.

"We should be able to operate just like any other brand, just like any other business throughout the whole United States," Hairapetian emphasized. 

"Time will come where this will be federally legalized, it will be just as alcohol is today — everywhere — but we just have to get through it together ... everyone has to support everyone in this industry."

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