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Item 1.
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| City Council Work Session | |
| Date: | 04/15/2024 |
| Title: | Community Impact of Legalized Marijuana |
| Presented by: | Chris Kukulski, City Administrator |
| Department: | City Hall Administration |
| Presentation: | Yes |
| Legal Review: | Not Applicable |
| Project Number: | N/A |
RECOMMENDATION
Ben Cort will be presenting the Community Impact of Legalized Marijuana.
BACKGROUND (Consistency with Adopted Plans and Policies, if applicable)
Ben Cort has been sharing his expertise with Billings and several other Montana communities since the legalization of recreational marijuana. Ben will be in town next week to lead the community's continued dialogue, including a special session for policy makers Monday morning from 9:30 to 11:30 at the United Way before coming to our city council meeting.
Ben's passion for recovery, prevention and harm reduction comes from his own struggle with substance abuse. Sober since 6/15/96, Ben has been a part of the recovery community in almost every way imaginable; from a recipient, to a provider, to a spokesperson, Cort has a deep understanding of the issues and a personal motivation to see the harmful effects of drug and alcohol abuse minimized.In 2007, Ben left his full time position as a HR director inside of a Denver based S&P 500 firm to help start the Colorado based nonprofit, Phoenix Multisport (PM). As an original board member and their first full time employee, Ben was instrumental in building this organization that has received frequent national recognition for their innovative approach to building sober communities around sports and healthy activities.Ben joined the drug policy conversation at the national level in 2012 after leaving PM to be a part of the "No on 64" Campaign. Following the passage of A64 he has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana), as well as NALGAP (the National Association of Lesbian, Gay, and Transgender Treatment Providers and their Allies). Ben's passion about the intersection of recovery and public policy makes him a frequent guest in the media.Ben's first book, Weed, Inc., was published by HCI. Ben resigned from his position with the University of Colorado Hospital inside of their chemical dependency treatment service line to focus on marijuana education and consulting inside of the substance use disorder treatment field.
Ben's passion for recovery, prevention and harm reduction comes from his own struggle with substance abuse. Sober since 6/15/96, Ben has been a part of the recovery community in almost every way imaginable; from a recipient, to a provider, to a spokesperson, Cort has a deep understanding of the issues and a personal motivation to see the harmful effects of drug and alcohol abuse minimized.In 2007, Ben left his full time position as a HR director inside of a Denver based S&P 500 firm to help start the Colorado based nonprofit, Phoenix Multisport (PM). As an original board member and their first full time employee, Ben was instrumental in building this organization that has received frequent national recognition for their innovative approach to building sober communities around sports and healthy activities.Ben joined the drug policy conversation at the national level in 2012 after leaving PM to be a part of the "No on 64" Campaign. Following the passage of A64 he has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana), as well as NALGAP (the National Association of Lesbian, Gay, and Transgender Treatment Providers and their Allies). Ben's passion about the intersection of recovery and public policy makes him a frequent guest in the media.Ben's first book, Weed, Inc., was published by HCI. Ben resigned from his position with the University of Colorado Hospital inside of their chemical dependency treatment service line to focus on marijuana education and consulting inside of the substance use disorder treatment field.
STAKEHOLDERS
NA
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may:
- Approve; or,
- Not Approve
FISCAL EFFECTS
NA