The cannabis trade found itself in an even weirder position than most industries during the COVID-19 pandemic, declared an essential business in the states where it’s legal even while it’s refused federal business aid because of the plant’s prohibition. As the new head of the Marijuana Industry Group, one of Colorado cannabis’s largest trade associations, Truman Bradley had a lot of work to do.

A Denver dispensary owner for most of the last decade, Bradley had moved into his new role just as such tough issues as industry diversity, hospitality and delivery popped up. And, oh, yeah, COVID. We recently chatted with him about those challenges, and more.

Westword: With the current economy in mind, will more Colorado towns be open to allowing marijuana businesses?

Truman Bradley: I think they are, and they should. We saw that at the state level, when cannabis funds were swept into the general fund in order to cover the budget shortfall. It’s not like that totally closed a $3 billion gap, but it certainly made a nice little dent. I recently saw that Colorado Springs could be considering legalizing recreational sales, and they should. One of the highest-grossing recreational stores in the state is in Manitou Springs, for obvious reasons. There is a demand for adult-use cannabis down there.

I understand there is a lot of military and Department of Defense stuff down there, and Mayor [John] Suthers doesn’t want to lose that. I understand that. But when times are tough,…