These Alcohol, Pharmaceutical And Food Companies Lobbied Congress On Marijuana And Psychedelics, New Records Show

While there’s been limited action in Congress on marijuana legislation so far this year, that hasn’t stopped a variety of interests—including advocacy organizations, industry stakeholders, prohibitionists, beer distributors, pharmaceutical companies and more—from putting dollars toward federal lobbying on the issue.

A look at the latest lobbying disclosures for the 2nd quarter of 2025, which covers April 1-June 30, reveals a wide range of activity around cannabis policy. Some descriptions of certain entities’ lobbying focus identify specific bills and issues, while other reports more vaguely name “cannabis” or “marijuana” as the topic of interest, without necessarily indicating a pro- or anti-reform position.

Several themes emerged in the disclosure reports, with cannabis banking reform and rescheduling being focal points in much of the marijuana-related lobbying over recent months. Many firms also described work that specifically targeted must-pass appropriations legislation, rather than standalone bills that some feel are unlikely to advance in the GOP-controlled House and Senate.

Among the notable entities reporting lobbying on cannabis are Mondelez Global, the parent company of multiple major snack brands like Oreo and Sour Patch Kids, the beer giant Anheuser-Busch Companies, PayPal and the University of Mississippi.

The last quarter also saw a handful of institutions and companies disclose lobbying on psychedelics issues—a subject of increasing bipartisan interest in Congress over recent sessions.

Here’s who disclosed lobbying on marijuana and psychedelics policy issues, with direct quotes from the latest filings on what they focused on:

Cannabis and psychedelics stakeholders and advocacy organizations

• National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA): Discussed potential cannabis-related appropriations amendments to CJS and FSGG subcommittee bills, including the reauthorization of the “Joyce-Blumenauer Medical Amendment”, as well as the State Legal Cannabis Protections Expansion (McClintock Joyce Blumenauer Amendment) and SAFE Banking Amendment; Lobbied offices on comprehensive marijuana reform, including provisions related to criminal, restorative, and economic justice for communities most impacted by cannabis prohibition; Lobbied against S. 471 and H.R. 1447, the No Deductions for Marijuana Businesses Act; Also discussed FY26 Ag/FDA subcommittee bills, particularly portions pertaining to hemp, quantifiable amounts of THC, and report language.
• NORML: Support Evidence-Based Drug Policy Act of 2025; Support HR-966 Safe Cannabis Use for Veterans; Support HR-2934 STATES 2.0 Act; Support HR-2935 Prepare Act; Oppose HR-1447 No Deductions for Marijuana Businesses Act; Oppose HR-875 Immigrants with DUID conviction eligible for deportation.
• Drug Policy Alliance (DPA): Federal marijuana reform, primarily descheduling legislation, such as the MORE Act and CAOA, as well as narrower related legislation.
• Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP): Opposition to S. 331 HALT Fentanyl Act; Support for cannabis decriminalization and retroactive justice (including H.R.6028 – States Reform Act, S.4226 – Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, H.R.5601 – MORE Act, H.R.2677/S.4161 – HOPE Act, H.R.10248 – Weldon Angelos Presidential Pardon Expungements Act, H.R.3082 – Evidence-Based Drug Policy Act, H.R.2772 – GRAM Act, H.R.7094/S.3671 – Marijuana in Federally Assisted Housing Parity Act, S.2650/H.R.2598 PREPARE Act, H.R.2934 – STATES 2.0 Act, H.R.966 – Veterans Cannabis Use for Safe Healing Act); S.5111 Fair Future Act; Support for psychedelic research and therapy.
• U.S. Cannabis Council (USCC): Related to cannabis industry.
• American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH): Treatment of hemp-derived intoxicants as related to farm bill and appropriations packages.
• Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education and Regulation (CPEAR): Issues pertaining to government-wide federal regulation of cannabis H.R. 2934 STATES 2.0 Act.
• Trulieve: Cannabis and cannabis related legislation, including SAFER Banking Act.
• Cresco Labs: The SAFER Banking Act, Section. 2860 – Issues related to cannabis laws and regulations.
• Curaleaf: Proposals to create protections for depository institutions that provide financial services to cannabis-related legitimate businesses and services for such businesses (SAFE Banking Act).
• U.S. Cannabis Roundtable (USCR): Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act – SAFE(R) – To be introduced in the 119th Congress, the bill provides protection for banks and credit unions from federal penalties when they provide services to legally operating cannabis businesses; The rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. Ending needless arrests and incarceration for cannabis conduct; The farm bill and any language addressing hemp.
• Weedmaps: Issues related to healthcare and cannabis.
• Verano Holdings: Provide strategic counsel and advocate on issues related to SAFE Banking Act, other related tax issues, and cannabis rescheduling
• Good Day Farm: Legislative and regulatory issues related to medical cannabis; Farm Bill Reauthorization; FY2025 budget reconciliation process; FY2026 Agriculture Appropriations Bill.
• Curio Wellness: Educate policymakers on the need for cannabis banking reform; Monitor updates surrounding Section 280e of the Internal Revenue Code and the reintroduction of “Small Business Tax Equity Act” draft; Educate policymakers and regulators on the impact of rescheduling versus de-scheduling cannabis; Educate policymakers and regulators on synthetically derived intoxicating hemp products.
• Reason for Hope: Issues related to psychedelics research and psychedelic-assisted therapy.
• Compass Pathways: Discussions regarding legislative and regulatory issues, including appropriations, pertaining to the use and application of psychedelic medicines.

Alcohol companies and organizations

• Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA): Intoxicating Hemp/ cannabis Policy Issues; Prepare Act, H.R. 2935.
• Anheuser-Busch Companies: Differentiation of beer from cannabis and hemp in tax and regulation.
• National Beer Wholesalers Association: Issues related to legal banking and effective regulation for cannabis products.
• Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.: Cannabis and regulatory issues.

Pharmaceutical companies

• Jazz Pharmaceuticals: FDA regulation of CBD Issues related to the regulation of cannabis and CBD, research and development of cannabis-derived therapies Farm, Food, and National Security Act; Issues related to the research and development of cannabis-derived therapies and FDA’s regulatory framework for CBD; Issues related to the regulation of hemp-derived cannabinoids, including H.R. 4121, FY26 Agriculture, FDA and Related Agencies Appropriations.
• Otsuka America Pharmaceutical: Psychedelics treatments for PTSD and mental health.

Prohibitionists

• Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM): Issues related to STATES Act to legalize marijuana; Appropriations amendments related to marijuana legalization; and criminal justice reform related to marijuana; Issues related to SAFE Banking Act regarding marijuana banking and investment; The effects of marijuana on children and the nexus between marijuana and psychosis; Safety issues surrounding marijuana. Marketing of high potency marijuana products to children; Federal role in marijuana laws; the legalization of marijuana; and criminal justice reform.

Cities and counties

• Humboldt County, California: Farm Bill Reauthorization, Cannabis Legislation.
• Medford, Oregon: Support legislation to remove banking restrictions on recreational and medical cannabis dispensaries.

Financial institutions and services

• PayPal: Issues related to cannabis banking, S. 1357, SAFE Banking Act, all provisions.
• National Association of State Treasurers (NAST): Banking issues related to marijuana policies.
• Credit Union National Association (CUNA): Issues related to marijuana banking
• National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies: Legislation affecting the regulation of insurance products and companies, including issues related… cannabis-related banking.
• Michigan Credit Union League: While MCUL takes no position on the issue of cannabis legalization, it supports the introduction and passage of legislation that would provide a safe harbor for financial institutions to serve their members needs in states where cannabis use has become legal.
• Community Bankers Association of Illinois: Federal Safe Harbor for Banking Cannabis-Related Businesses. Without taking a position on the legalization of cannabis, CBAI supports a federal safe harbor from sanctions for financial institutions that choose to serve legally compliant cannabis-related businesses (CRBs) and ancillary businesses that have commercial relationships with CBRs, in states where cannabis is legal. Allowing these businesses access to the traditional banking system and its services, versus operating exclusively in cash, is a public safety issue.

Miscellaneous

• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) and Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act – federal drug policy reform.
• University of Mississippi: Federal regulation of cannabis research.
• Mondelez Global: Issues related to cannabis edibles.
• Johns Hopkins University: Psychedelic Research.
• New York University (NYU) Langone Medical Center: Psychedelic research related issues.
• American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry: Cannabidiol and Cannabis related issues.
• American Psychological Association: Psychedelic assisted therapy.
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL): Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act.
• Epilepsy Foundation: Support rescheduling and safe and legal access to cannabis.

Again, not every firm detailed a specific position on the issues they lobbied on, but in general the descriptions indicate that the bulk of those working on marijuana and psychedelics policy are vying for reform. To the extent those dollars will translate into action in the 119th Congress largely remain to be seen.