Today, the Marijuana Policy Project, along with other top cannabis businesses, associations, and advocacy organizations in the United States, launched the U.S. Cannabis Council (USCC), a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization that strategically aligns and unifies its members’ collective voices to advance cannabis reform.

MPP is proud to be a founding member of the U.S. Cannabis Council, a first-of-its-kind strategic coalition of businesses, associations, and advocacy organizations. The purpose of the USCC is to act as one unified voice advocating for the descheduling and legalization of cannabis. MPP Executive Director Steven Hawkins will serve as the Interim CEO of the USCC, which will focus on securing federal reforms that advance social equity and promote fair, safe and well-regulated markets nationwide as states continue legalizing cannabis at a rapid rate.

“USCC is a unified voice advocating for the descheduling and legalization of cannabis,” said Hawkins, a leader in civil and human rights. “Legalization at both the state and federal levels must include provisions ensuring social equity and redress for harms caused to communities impacted by cannabis prohibition.”

The alliance aims to raise ethical standards within the industry; achieve restorative justice for communities that have been disproportionately impacted by misguided state and federal cannabis policies; and create a healthy, inclusive, and well-regulated cannabis industry with social, financial and environmental benefits shared by all. It aspires to become a leading resource for cannabis policy in the U.S., impacting policy changes on both the federal and state levels.

The founding members of the USCC represent some of the most influential policy and business organizations in the modern cannabis industry from throughout North America including: Acreage Holdings; Akerna Corp.; American Trade Association of Cannabis and Hemp; Association for Cannabis Health Equity and Medicine; BellRock Brands; Buckeye Relief; Cannabis Trade Federation; Canopy Growth Corporation; Columbia Care Inc.; Cresco Labs Inc.; Cronos Group; Culta; Curaleaf; DNA Genetics; Eaze; Flowhub; Global Alliance for Cannabis Commerce; Good Chemistry; The Grove Cannabis Dispensary; Headcount’s Cannabis Voter Project; Husch Blackwell; iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc.; Jushi; Keef Brands; Lightshade; LivWell Enlightened Health; Marijuana Policy Project; Medicine Man; MedMen; Native Roots Cannabis Co.; 1906 New Highs; PAX Labs; PharmaCann; ProKure; Raw Garden; Schwazze; Scotts Miracle-Gro Company; Urbn Leaf; Veterans Cannabis Project; Vicente Sederberg LLP; Vireo; and Wana.

Speaking with Politico’s Natalie Fertig, Hawkins described a current “too many cooks in the kitchen” landscape, where so many voices trying to influence cannabis policy make it difficult to get anything done. He hopes USCC can alleviate that problem so the movement can proceed forward with a unified message. “We are expecting that there will be significant cannabis reform this session — hopefully this year,” said Hawkins. “This is the moment and that's why it's so important to be unified right now.”

To learn more about the United States Cannabis Council, visit http://www.uscannabiscouncil.org.   

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Early this week, former Republican House Speaker John Boehner announced his support for descheduling marijuana at the federal level. At the same time, he revealed his plans to become advisor to a multi-state marijuana industry firm with dozens of locations. This is a stark departure from his previous stance on marijuana. While in Congress, Boehner voted in favor of legislation that prevented the District of Columbia from implementing its voter-approved medical marijuana program for more than a decade, and was a vocal opponent of legalization.

Marijuana Moment reports:

Boehner, along with former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld (R), is joining the Board of Advisors of Acreage Holdings, which holds 35 licenses for cannabis businesses across the U.S.

“When you look at the number of people in our state and federal penitentiaries, who are there for possession of small amounts of cannabis, you begin to really scratch your head,” Boehner said. “We have literally filled up our jails with people who are nonviolent and frankly do not belong there.”

In a tweet, Boehner, who did not endorse marijuana law reform while serving as the House’s top official, said he now supports removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, a process known as descheduling.

In a 2011 letter to a constituent, the speaker wrote, “I am unalterably opposed to the legalization of marijuana or any other FDA Schedule I drug. I remain concerned that legalization will result in increased abuse of all varieties of drugs, including alcohol.”

But now, Boehner says that he and Weld will advise Acreage on navigating confusing and conflicting federal and state marijuana laws.

While Boehner should be commended for seeing reason and adding his voice to those calling for sensible marijuana policy reform, many advocates are concerned that he is set to profit from policies he opposed and is not doing enough to counteract the impact of his words and actions while in office.

MPP's Morgan Fox told The New York Times that Boehner "should be actively working to reform federal marijuana laws to allow states to determine their own policies, rather than just consulting with a business to navigate the conflicts between state and federal law. His positions on the issue while in House leadership most likely slowed progress for marijuana reform legislation, and he owes it to anyone whose life has been negatively impacted by a marijuana arrest to use his considerable influence to make up for that.”

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