The following is an excerpt of SAFER Executive Director Mason Tvert's latest piece on HuffingtonPost.com. CLICK HERE to read the entire article, and please help us share it with others by commenting on it, Digging it, posting it on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.

Businesses Should Stay on Marijuana's Good Side

By Mason Tvert
February 5, 2010

A recent brouhaha between Starbucks Coffee and marijuana legalization advocates raises an important question for the broader business community: Can major national companies be successful absent the patronage of marijuana consumers and others who support marijuana policy reform?

Not too long ago, it was absolutely necessary for businesses to maintain an appearance of opposition to marijuana use and legalization. But the times they are a-changin', and it is beginning to seem like many major companies are striving to maintain an appearance of NOT opposing marijuana use and legalization.