Cannabis Advocates and Executives Discuss the Need To Support Advocacy for Further Reform

Marijuana Policy Project executive director Adam J. Smith on Wednesday penned an open letter to the regulated cannabis industry, calling on the community to support independent advocacy groups.

The letter, published in its entirety by IgniteIt as an op-ed, argues that robust, independent advocacy is indispensable to the goals of the regulated cannabis industry. Smith also calls for cooperation among stakeholders, including a more strategic deployment of the community’s political capital.

“I write today with real urgency to suggest that it’s time for a deeper, coordinated conversation between the leaders of industry at every level and the institutions of independent advocacy about how we move forward together,” Smith wrote. “That means renewed financial support, yes. But it also means better strategic alignment across our common goals and shared purpose as we confront our common challenges. Neither industry nor advocacy will succeed alone.”

Cannabis Execs Share Importance of Advocacy

Before Smith’s letter was published, IgniteIt reached out to representatives of the regulated cannabis industry to ask them about the importance of supporting cannabis policy reform advocacy efforts.

Howard Schacter, chief communications officer at licensed multistate operator MariMed, says that supporting reform and advocacy groups is “the right thing to do for the consumers we serve and for our business.”

“We have supported numerous advocacy efforts in the communities we serve, generally focused on helping raise visibility for the great work of organizations like NORML and MPP,” Schacter added. “At the Federal level, we are also active members of the US Cannabis Roundtable, which is doing great work advocating for rescheduling, banking reform, and more.”

Camilo Lyon, chief investment officer at Curaleaf, says that the company “invests heavily in advancing responsible cannabis policy, from federal advocacy to community-driven initiatives.”

“Policy reform is essential to the future of this industry. Without meaningful change at the federal level, cannabis businesses of all sizes remain constrained by outdated regulations that don’t reflect public sentiment or the realities of today’s marketplace,” Lyon writes in a statement to IgniteIt. “Supporting reform ensures we can operate safely, fairly, and transparently, while unlocking the economic and social potential that legal cannabis can deliver. At Curaleaf, we believe progress only happens when the industry works together toward a common goal rather than in conflict with one another.”

Vince C. Ning, co-CEO and co-founder of licensed cannabis marketplace Nabis, says that “Policy reform shapes the foundation on which our entire industry operates,” adding that “Nabis actively collaborates with industry trade organizations to champion legislation that strengthens the legal cannabis ecosystem.”

“In California, we supported the recently signed tax freeze to provide relief to licensed operators, and we advocated for a bill promoting accountability in credit and payment practices—an important step toward financial responsibility and transparency across the supply chain,” Ning writes in an emailed statement to IgniteIt. “In New York, we’ve worked to advance A5496A, legislation extending the timeline for excise tax submissions to better align with real business operations.”

Nicolas Guarino, co-founder and CEO of New York cannabis brand Jaunty, said that his company’s advocacy efforts are focused on state goals and initiatives. He adds that it is vital to support advocacy because “without sensible reform that takes into account the experience and expertise of actual operators within the industry, the legal cannabis sector will never be able to out-compete the illicit market.”

“We operate under unique structural constraints, including tax burdens, banking exclusion, and regulatory hurdles, that make it especially challenging for businesses, especially independent ones, to succeed, let alone innovate,” Guarino writes in an email. “Industry leaders must lend their voices so that policy catches up to reality, rather than forcing us to adapt to broken rules. Ultimately, reform isn’t optional, it’s essential for legitimacy, scale, and sustainability.”

Kim Sanchez Rael, co-founder and CEO of advanced infusions developer Azuca, says that she believes cannabis and hemp operators should develop cohesive advocacy efforts.

“I personally think that the industry needs to evolve our advocacy to a more basic set of foundational national reforms that both hemp and cannabis operators can align on,” Sanchez Rael writes to IgniteIt. “Our industry remains overly fragmented in its advocacy, and frankly, policymakers prefer not to act as referees in industry disputes.”