5 Facts About Cannabis Transport and Security Careers

Transporting cannabis and cash is just as complicated as it sounds. Here's what you need to know if you want to enter this field.

As long as cannabis is a valuable commodity (and let's face it, that will likely be forever), there will be a need for cannabis security solutions — especially when it comes to transporting the federally illegal plant.

But because the plant is federally illegal, and many banks are still hesitant to deal with cannabis cash, the need for secure transport is even more important. That's why companies like Massachusetts-based Plymouth Armor Group, whose CEO chatted with Vangst Founder and CEO Karson Humiston in this week's Proud to Work in Cannabis podcast, are thriving.

Plymouth CEO Abbe Schnibbe told Karson that one of her biggest pieces of advice for those who want a job in this booming but unique sector of the cannabis industry is to dive into the regulations. That's because beyond cannabis banking, there are other obstacles: Every legal state, for example, has its own rules and regulations when it comes to cannabis transport as well as the transport of large amounts of cash.

We chatted with a Colorado expert, Amy Sharp, who has successfully launched both cannabis transport and cannabis delivery companies in Aurora, Colorado, and owns the Rolla Now CBD company. She was among the first to receive a business-to-business transport license, and the first social-equity delivery licensee in Aurora. She also works with Sensi Media Group.

Here are the 5 things Sharp said any aspiring entrepreneur or even employee should know:

1. Understand the value of insurance: Both Schnibbe and Sharp told Vangst that insurance should be priority No. 1: "Insurance is a must," Sharp said. That will require some research because insurance is tough to find for many plant-touching companies.
2. Connect with law enforcement: "I actually paired up with the Aurora police department," Sharp said. They exchanged tips and she was able to explain to the police what a manifest looks like and some of their procedures. "It was super important for that law enforcement knew what we were doing," she said. And that help went both ways: "They gave us tips on people trailing you," she said, which came in handy when she was transporting about 100 pounds of cannabis and had to shake off a white truck she feared was following her with bad intentions.
3. Connect with your financial institutions. "Your banks and credit unions are going to know if you can have an armed guard with you," Sharp said, noting that some states, like Missouri, didn't allow armed guards to travel in her trucks.
4. Aligning with Schnibbe's advice, Sharp recommends that you know your state's regulations and compliance rules. If you have the flexibility, you can pick the state with regulations that make the most sense for your business.
5. Remember you're a plant-touching business — that means your margins are going to be very tight, "even though I'm delivering a box of [cannabis] like I'm delivering a box of T-shirts," Sharp said. Federal Tax Code 280E means that plant-touching businesses can't write off many of the same expenses that other businesses can.

So whether you're looking to break into this part of the industry as an entrepreneur, or an employee, keep these tips on cannabis careers in mind as you look at cannabis security solutions.