What’s the current landscape: There are already at least five national trade groups seeking to influence cannabis policy on Capitol Hill. In addition, there are longstanding marijuana legalization advocacy groups like NORML and Marijuana Policy Project, as well as lobbyists for individual cannabis companies and larger umbrella groups such as the ACLU and Human Rights Watch. As Congress focuses more attention on cannabis policy, some have pointed out that the lack of unity could hold back legalization efforts.
Hawkins says he hopes USCC can alleviate that problem.
“The very fact ... that we've had so many organizations makes it very difficult to get anything done,” said Hawkins, who also serves as executive director of Marijuana Policy Project. “So the purpose of the U.S. Cannabis Council is to bring together a range of companies … to bring together advocacy organizations, to bring together associations, to bring together individuals, and to really have a unified voice pushing for, ultimately, the end of prohibition and the delivery of social equity.”
Who is involved in USCC: The Cannabis Trade Federation and the Global Alliance for Cannabis Commerce, two heavyweight trade groups, are founding members. Canadian cannabis behemoth Canopy Growth Corp. is part of the coalition, as is Acreage Holdings — which used to be part of National Cannabis Roundtable. Also participating is Cresco Labs — Cresco’s CEO Charlie Bachtell serves as chair of National Cannabis Roundtable. Other major companies on board include Columbia Care, Curaleaf and Eaze. Powerhouse cannabis law firm Vicente Sederberg and the Veterans Cannabis Project are also among the founding members.
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http://www.uscannabiscouncil.org/