Top Cannabis Innovators Combine to Launch US Cannabis Council
Top cannabis establishments in the industry form the US Cannabis Council (USCC) to help landscape the future of cannabis.
In a recent press release (1), the formation of the largest coalition of its kind was announced—the US Cannabis Council (USCC), a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization. The USCC will strategically align and unify its members’ views collectively to continue to advance cannabis reform. USSC is compiled of some of the top cannabis businesses, associations, and advocacy organizations residing in the US.
Through this impressive alliance of individuals, businesses, and organizations, they plan to bring an end to the federal cannabis prohibition, work on securing federal reforms that will assist in the fight for social equity, and promote safe, fair, and well-regulated markets throughout the nation as states legalize cannabis.
“USCC is a unified voice advocating for the descheduling and legalization of cannabis,” said USCC Interim CEO Steven Hawkins, a leader in civil and human rights who also serves as Executive Director of the Marijuana Policy Project, a founding member of USCC (1). “Legalization at both the state and federal level must include provisions ensuring social equity and redress for harms caused to communities impacted by cannabis prohibition.”
By uniting together, USCC seeks to raise ethical standards within the cannabis industry, help get justice for the communities that were disproportionately impacted because of misguided federal and state policies, and build an inclusive well-regulated cannabis industry that includes financial, environmental, and social benefits partaken by all.
In Washington, D.C., congressional leaders are already eager to begin working with the USCC. The newly formed coalition plans on becoming a leading resource in the US so that it has stronger ability to influence policy change occurring at both the federal and state levels.
“As founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, I’ve seen firsthand that our most successful cannabis wins have been secured by a team,” said U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore (1). “That’s why I am glad to see this first-of-its-kind alliance. We have a unique opportunity in the 117th Congress to advance cannabis reform, but we must remain united to create the change we know is possible. I look forward to welcoming the United States Cannabis Council to Washington, D.C. and working together toward meaningful policy change in the months and years ahead."
“Today the cannabis industry has mobilized to make our message clear—we must deschedule and legalize cannabis, and it is critical that it is done the right way,” said Christian Sederberg, USCC’s Acting Board Chairman and a partner at national cannabis law firm Vicente Sederberg, a founding member of USCC (1). “After so many years working towards meaningful reform, it’s inspiring to see the diverse group of partners who have formed this collective voice, and together, we are hopeful that true, meaningful federal cannabis reform is within reach.”
The founding members of the USCC exemplify some of the most influential business and policy organizations in the cannabis industry. For every five board appointments, the USCC will reserve an additional board seat for members that represent specific areas of focus, such as, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as well as other environmental concerns.
Founding members of the USCC consist of multi-state and standalone associations, businesses, and advocacy organizations located throughout North America (1), 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
- Wana
If you are interested in becoming involved with the USCC or for more information, please visit www.uscannabiscouncil.org. The website also contains a full list of the USCC organization members (2).
References
Ep 24, Part III: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Kahn
December 26th 2024In the final part of this episode, Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn discuss the need for a national entity to centralize cannabis data collection, moving from snapshot data to continuous updates. They emphasize the importance of accurate lab data and adverse event tracking, suggesting QR codes on packaging to report issues. Yasha suggests harsher consequences for result manipulation and suggests collaboration between state departments and federal entities to support underfunded regulators. They also discuss the potential benefits of off-the-shelf testing and the importance of stability testing. Finally, Yasha shares his top three reading recommendations for the audience.
Ep 24, Part II: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Kahn
December 12th 2024Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn, co-founder of MCR Labs, discuss the discrepancies between current regulations and data on mycotoxins and pesticides in cannabis products. They highlight the need for updated regulations based on new data, emphasizing the importance of accurate testing and labeling. They also discuss the issue of result manipulation, particularly in THC content, and the need for public health officials to address this. Yasha suggests making testing data public to enhance oversight and suggests a national entity to manage this data for better consistency and public safety.
