Top Marijuana Reform Group Hires New Leader To Navigate ‘Unique’ State And Federal Policy Landscape
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A leading national marijuana advocacy organization has brought on a new leader who says he is “beyond excited” to navigate the “unique” and rapidly evolving state and federal cannabis policy landscape.
The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP)—which has played a critical role in advancing the state cannabis legalization movement for decades—has selected Adam Smith, founder of the Alliance for Sensible Markets, to serve as its executive director.
In an interview with Marijuana Moment on Sunday, Smith said he wants to “continue the work that’s been done over 30 years to end prohibition in states that have not done that yet—with the goal that no one should be arrested, anywhere in the country, for possession or the use of cannabis.”
It’s a tumultuous policy environment that Smith is coming into, with outstanding questions about how the Trump administration will navigate cannabis issues in his second term and challenges at the state-level where advocates have seen funding dry up in efforts to enact legalization over recent years.
Smith will be replacing interim director Lauren Daly, who started her tenure after the departure of longtime MPP executive Matthew Schweich.
“It’s been a tremendous privilege to serve as MPP’s interim executive director,” Daly said in a press release on Tuesday. “I’m proud of what we accomplished during my tenure and look forward to cheering Adam on as he steps into this role.”
When it comes to the future of MPP, Smith is aligned with the organization’s longstanding principle: States will lead the way, with the ultimate goal of affecting broader policy change at the federal level. And Smith knows the trials states have faced, leading a coalition that has sought to open the door to interstate cannabis commerce that advocates and stakeholders say is one of the main barriers holding the industry back.
In that sense, Smith has had a front row seat to the complex nexus of federal-state marijuana laws. And he says he’s eager to find like-minded partners in the movement while ensuring that MPP maintains its legacy as a player in the community that supports the improvement of the cannabis industry as well as its continued focus on ending criminalization.
“MPP has the best legislative team in cannabis, led by the brilliant Karen O’Keefe, who has worked on nearly every state-level cannabis advance over the past twenty years,” Smith said, referring to the organization’s director of state policies. “I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to work with them. I think we can do important things.”
Betty Aldworth, MPP’s board chair, said “Adam’s sharp insight, deep expertise, and visionary leadership will catalyze MPP’s efforts to achieve transformative cannabis policy reforms at the local, state, and federal levels and advance justice, public health, and public safety.”
“He has been engaged with cannabis policy reform efforts since before MPP’s founding in 1995, and he continues to forge an inclusive, responsive vision for patients, consumers, and businesses,” she said. “Lauren Daly provided exceptional leadership throughout this transition, and thanks to the strong foundation she built, Adam and MPP’s expert team are well-positioned to drive meaningful and lasting change.”
Marijuana Moment spoke with Smith about the future of MPP and the broader cannabis movement as he enters his new role. The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Marijuana Moment: How do you plan to approach cannabis reform in this new role?
Adam Smith: We want to continue the work that’s been done over 30 years to end prohibition in states that have not done that yet—with the goal that no one should be arrested—anywhere in the country—for possession or the use of cannabis.
That’s the key to everything, because we’re in such a unique time, and we have a lot of uncertainty about what’s going on. We have a lot of uncertainty about what’s going to happen there at the federal level, and we have states beginning to think about how to handle that. And even a state like Texas, which has been a strong prohibition state for a long time, is now going to wrestle with “how do you regulate intoxicating cannabinoids instead of ban them?”
This is a real moment of truth of “how we are going to treat cannabinoids?” And so, overall, I’m hoping that we can take MPPs, credibility in the states—where they worked for 30 years—and begin to shape in places where they are trying to regulate, in places where they are have legal marijuana industries, how can we help lead to a place where we have legal markets for cannabinoids that are legally accountable—that protect public health and safety and that provide the level of access that will move consumers away from illicit markets?
MM: How do you see MPP allocating its resources and energy when it comes to state versus federal reform issues?
AS: There are a lot of folks and organizations working at the federal side. MPP will obviously keep its finger on the pulse of federal policy, and we will be involved in those conversations. But again, I think that where the movement isn’t doing as well is in an integrated approach to state policy. And because MPP is has real expertise and a real history of success in moving the issue has been in the states. I think that that fits perfectly well. And I think that a lot of our focus is going to be on state policy.
I mean, if the Trump administration decided tomorrow by executive order to deschedule, that would immediately just leave the states entirely on their own, and that would be great. There’s a need for a credible political actor and force that has public health and safety and access at the forefront of their agenda—who is working with the states to try to help bring together a coherent and sustainable industry.
We have a strong interest in seeing a sustainable industry and lots of different options for consumers and that sort of thing. We want to make that happen.
MM: It’s no secret that philanthropic and industry financial support for state legalization efforts has been underwhelming in recent years. How do you plan to navigate that as you continue to prioritize state reform?
AS: That’s the several million dollar question. I believe that we will find specific pathways that will align what we think is best for consumers and public health and safety and for the issue with the needs of segments of the industry. The trick is to raise the money and keep to your principles.
You can only do the work that you can afford to do, right? And there’s going to be things we want to do that we’re not going to have support from industry or philanthropists, and we’re going to have to wait on those and convince somebody that it’s important. The credibility of the organization is paramount to its effectiveness.
MM: You worked on interstate cannabis commerce issues before this. Do you see yourself continuing to advocate around that specific issue at MPP?
AS: I think interstate commerce was, in some ways, life and death for small producers in places that have traditionally produced—the Pacific Northwest in particular. I think that that it is still a vital piece for the industry survival, just like 280E, is a vital piece we want to push. I believe that the best outcome in cannabis policy will happen through the states.
Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer.
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