The Cannabis Industry Expands Its Reach in Washington
Marijuana advocates exert their growing influence on Capitol Hill.
Pro-cannabis activists take part in a rally on Capitol Hill on April 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)
The legal and political landscapes for cannabis seem to shift every day and what was once widely condemned as a social ill is now legal in some form in 33 states and the District of Columbia.
The growing acceptance of the plant is paralleled by a burgeoning movement of cannabis advocates on Capitol Hill and K Street that want to see wider protections for users and businesses in the industry.
Michael Correia, the director of government relations at the National Cannabis Industry Association, said that he's seen a "sea change" in lawmakers' acceptance of cannabis over the past six years that he's worked at the trade association.
The nonprofit's political action committee can barely keep up with the requests it receives for donations. "I stopped answering my phone because it rings off the hook with so many politicians wanting our endorsement and our PAC money," Correia said.
The NCIA's political action committee has steadily increased both its funding and contributions in recent years, doling out $123,000 to candidates and other political committees in the 2018 cycle. That's up from $21,000 in contributions during the 2014 midterm elections.
The PAC's giving strategy changed in 2018. "Historically we tried to have parity," said Correia. "We tried to give to Republicans and we tried to give to Democrats, because we wanted to make this a nonpartisan issue." That changed in 2018, when the NCIA PAC shifted to backing mostly Democrats running against vulnerable Republican incumbents, after long-standing opposition from Republican House leadership.
Editorial Cartoons on Marijuana
"We had five years of trying to play nice with Republicans and seeing the Republican House leadership – Pete Sessions, Paul Ryan – constantly block us and never allow a vote, never allow a hearing, never allow anything" Correia said. "The only way we were going to get this discussion heard is if Democrats were in charge."
NCIA's lobbying presence has also expanded. The 2,000-member trade group spent more than $560,000 lobbying the federal government in 2018, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics, and it's on pace to match that sum in 2019.
The current Congress has introduced two landmark pieces of cannabis legislation. The STATES Act would prevent federal intervention in states where cannabis is legal, while the SAFE Banking Act would expand cannabis-related businesses' access to banking services.
Lacking access to traditional bank accounts, businesses in the cannabis industry are often forced to store and transfer large sums of cash. "It's the one issue that resonates the most with politicians and the public," said Correia. "It's not just a cannabis issue, it's a safety issue and it's a law enforcement issue."
Also advocating for the SAFE Banking Act is the Cannabis Trade Federation. A relatively new player on the federal lobbying scene, the trade group has already spent more than $232,500 in the first quarter of this year, despite being less than a year old.
Neal Levine, the CEO, said that CTF, which includes dispensaries, growing supplies companies and a cannabis-focused law firm among its board members, supports a host of cannabis-related legislation, but has been focusing its efforts on passing the STATES Act.
"The current slate of state marijuana laws that conflict with federal law has become an untenable situation," said Levine, citing a recent statement by Attorney General William Barr.
"Today, every person who showed up for work in a state-legal and regulated business in Colorado, committed a felony, by very simply showing up for work," said Levine, who also noted that President Trump has previously indicated he would sign the bill if passed. "That's why we're optimistic about our chances of getting the STATES Act passed."
CTF is also gearing up to make its presence felt on federal campaigns. The Cannabis Trade Federation Action Fund, its political action committee, formed in late 2018 and raised $21,000. It made its first contributions recently to the Congressional Black Caucus PAC and Rep. Barbara Lee of California, the co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.
The growing bipartisan caucus, formed in 2017, is evidence that lawmakers are slowly catching up to the public's sentiments about legalization. A 2018 Gallup poll found that two-thirds of Americans believe that the use of marijuana should be made legal, and that number has been trending upward for decades.
Though CTF's ultimate legislative goals – the full end of prohibition and expungement of most cannabis-related criminal records – won't happen overnight, Levine is optimistic about the immediate future.
"We should be having a serious discussion about what the end of prohibition looks like and, in the short term, we should end the conflict with the federal government and the state governments immediately," Levine said. "I think we've got a really good shot to do it."
https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/art...washington
Marijuana advocates exert their growing influence on Capitol Hill.
Pro-cannabis activists take part in a rally on Capitol Hill on April 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)
The legal and political landscapes for cannabis seem to shift every day and what was once widely condemned as a social ill is now legal in some form in 33 states and the District of Columbia.
The growing acceptance of the plant is paralleled by a burgeoning movement of cannabis advocates on Capitol Hill and K Street that want to see wider protections for users and businesses in the industry.
Michael Correia, the director of government relations at the National Cannabis Industry Association, said that he's seen a "sea change" in lawmakers' acceptance of cannabis over the past six years that he's worked at the trade association.
The nonprofit's political action committee can barely keep up with the requests it receives for donations. "I stopped answering my phone because it rings off the hook with so many politicians wanting our endorsement and our PAC money," Correia said.
The NCIA's political action committee has steadily increased both its funding and contributions in recent years, doling out $123,000 to candidates and other political committees in the 2018 cycle. That's up from $21,000 in contributions during the 2014 midterm elections.
The PAC's giving strategy changed in 2018. "Historically we tried to have parity," said Correia. "We tried to give to Republicans and we tried to give to Democrats, because we wanted to make this a nonpartisan issue." That changed in 2018, when the NCIA PAC shifted to backing mostly Democrats running against vulnerable Republican incumbents, after long-standing opposition from Republican House leadership.
Editorial Cartoons on Marijuana
"We had five years of trying to play nice with Republicans and seeing the Republican House leadership – Pete Sessions, Paul Ryan – constantly block us and never allow a vote, never allow a hearing, never allow anything" Correia said. "The only way we were going to get this discussion heard is if Democrats were in charge."
NCIA's lobbying presence has also expanded. The 2,000-member trade group spent more than $560,000 lobbying the federal government in 2018, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics, and it's on pace to match that sum in 2019.
The current Congress has introduced two landmark pieces of cannabis legislation. The STATES Act would prevent federal intervention in states where cannabis is legal, while the SAFE Banking Act would expand cannabis-related businesses' access to banking services.
Lacking access to traditional bank accounts, businesses in the cannabis industry are often forced to store and transfer large sums of cash. "It's the one issue that resonates the most with politicians and the public," said Correia. "It's not just a cannabis issue, it's a safety issue and it's a law enforcement issue."
Also advocating for the SAFE Banking Act is the Cannabis Trade Federation. A relatively new player on the federal lobbying scene, the trade group has already spent more than $232,500 in the first quarter of this year, despite being less than a year old.
Neal Levine, the CEO, said that CTF, which includes dispensaries, growing supplies companies and a cannabis-focused law firm among its board members, supports a host of cannabis-related legislation, but has been focusing its efforts on passing the STATES Act.
"The current slate of state marijuana laws that conflict with federal law has become an untenable situation," said Levine, citing a recent statement by Attorney General William Barr.
"Today, every person who showed up for work in a state-legal and regulated business in Colorado, committed a felony, by very simply showing up for work," said Levine, who also noted that President Trump has previously indicated he would sign the bill if passed. "That's why we're optimistic about our chances of getting the STATES Act passed."
CTF is also gearing up to make its presence felt on federal campaigns. The Cannabis Trade Federation Action Fund, its political action committee, formed in late 2018 and raised $21,000. It made its first contributions recently to the Congressional Black Caucus PAC and Rep. Barbara Lee of California, the co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.
The growing bipartisan caucus, formed in 2017, is evidence that lawmakers are slowly catching up to the public's sentiments about legalization. A 2018 Gallup poll found that two-thirds of Americans believe that the use of marijuana should be made legal, and that number has been trending upward for decades.
Though CTF's ultimate legislative goals – the full end of prohibition and expungement of most cannabis-related criminal records – won't happen overnight, Levine is optimistic about the immediate future.
"We should be having a serious discussion about what the end of prohibition looks like and, in the short term, we should end the conflict with the federal government and the state governments immediately," Levine said. "I think we've got a really good shot to do it."
https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/art...washington
