Q • We will use current events to put salient marketing concepts into context (the context of a specific company, product/service, or industry). Medical marijuana (MM) has been legal in Michigan since 2008 and there are now about 220,000 registered mm user licenses. In January 2017 Michigan officially began to regulate MM in Michigan by providing licensing in 5 different business categories. In December 2018 Michigan legalized recreational marijuana. We will focus on the marijuana marketplace for this discussion. Just be aware that there are a lot of moving parts for the legal marijuana industry. And so, it makes for a great discussion about how the PEST-C fits into marketing decision making. Licensing regulates the market in Michigan which I believe will lead to extensive growth. However, there are some caveats like the black and gray markets (California is a great example. I like to use CBS 60 minutes as a contextual point of reference because they tend to put an anti-marketing spin on most things business related. Marketing isn't sinister or magical. It's strategic, like chess or war. And its process driven. Oh, and you'll quickly realize I like to use controversial companies/products/services/industries as a point of discussion. The pot industry (legal industry I mean)? Amazing. From a marketing and business perspective it has fascinating buyers and sellers. From an entrepreneurial perspective, WOW, what opportunities--especially in those states that appear to be on the verge of legalizing recreational use. So, please watch the CBS news video from youtube from 2014 (Colorado) and this more recent CBS all access video from 2019 (Califonia) and demonstrate an in depth understanding of: 1. value and core needs 2. Exhibit 1-1: A simple marketing system (simple but complex in this marketplace) 3. Assess the growth opportunities in Michigan (PEST-C--see the video on the PEST-C in the week 1 folder). You can evaluate all 5 a little bit or you can do a deep dive into one or two elements of the PEST-C in Michigan, Colorado, or California. Your 2nd post should simply add to what has been learned and posted. What more can you say and what did you learn from others perspectives especially as it relates to the PEST-C in Michigan? Sky is the limit in terms of creativity. I look forward to your thoughts and comments. Oh, and one last thing! It makes the DB so much more interesting and fun if your subject headings are creative : ) In case link #1 is broken, https://www.cbsnews.com/video/the-marijuana-effect/ or google "The Marijuana Effect CBS 60 Minutes". In case link #2 is broken, go to CBS 60 Minutes web site and look for season 52 which aired on October 27, 2019.