The legal marijuana industry is coming to Washington this week for the NCIA 9th Annual Cannabis Industry Lobby Days!

On May 21-23, hundreds of cannabis industry leaders from around the country, who have seen the benefits of having a regulated cannabis market in their states, will join NCIA’s dedicated in-house government relations team to meet with more than half of the lawmakers in Congress and advocate for sensible cannabis policy reforms and fair treatment of this burgeoning industry under federal law.

There are currently 10 states, as well as the District of Columbia and several territories, that have made cannabis legal for adults, and 33 states have effective medical cannabis laws. All told, 47 states comprising more than 97% of the U.S. population allow cannabis to be used in some form. As more and more states are effectively regulating cannabis or considering laws to do so, it has never been more important for members of Congress to learn how we can carefully and reasonably move past outdated federal cannabis policies.

If you are a member of Congress or a congressional staffer and would like to set up a meeting with us, either during Lobby Days or in the future, please contact Government Relations Manager Michelle Rutter at michelle@thecannabisindustry.org.

For media inquiries, please contact Morgan Fox at media@thecannabisindustry.org or 202-780-1302.

On Tuesday, May 21, we are hosting a legislative briefing in conjunction with members of the financial services industry about the SAFE Banking Act, which would allow financial institutions to more easily work with cannabis businesses. This bipartisan bill, which currently has more than 170 cosponsors in the House and 25 in the Senate, would help address the safety and transparency issues that are created by forcing the legal cannabis industry to operate almost entirely in cash and will increase access to capital for small businesses. And on Thursday, May 23, we will be joined by representatives of the Congressional Black and Hispanic Caucuses and the Minority Cannabis Business Association for the release of a new NCIA report on ways to promote diversity and inclusion in the industry.

The National Cannabis Industry Association is the largest cannabis trade association in the U.S. and the only organization broadly representing cannabis-related businesses at the national level. NCIA promotes the growth of a responsible and legitimate cannabis industry and works toward a favorable social, economic, and legal environment for that industry in the United States.