2016 CBE Political 100 Influencers in Cannabis

By Christine V. Edmond & Rob Meagher

Releasing the top 100 political influencers in cannabis during this election year was important because quite a lot has happened since CBE introduced the Political 50 in November 2014. Notably, Washington began selling marijuana to adults in July 2015; Alaska, Oregon, and the District of Columbia legalized cannabis; and Oregon and Alaska set up a regulatory framework for adult use. In addition, several states such as Delaware, Illinois, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, and California set up state regulated medical marijuana (MMJ) programs. Even others like Louisiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania recently joined the MMJ fray to bring 50 percent (25 out of 50 states, plus Washington, DC) of the United States divided on where we should be with cannabis legislation.

More than 160 Million Americans (53%+) currently live in states with some form of access to medical marijuana based on our research. Pending ballot initiatives in November could move that number to more than 200 Million Americans (63% +).

Roughly 5% of the US population (almost 17 million) currently live in states where Adult Use Marijuana is legal and available in a regulated environment. That number could soar to 25% of the US population (nearly 80 Million people) if all of the proposed ballot initiatives succeed on statewide ballots in November. California alone is on the ballot to legalize Adult Use, which would triple the population of americans living in recreational states!

To recognize the individuals whose efforts have resulted in a legal and regulated cannabis industry in the United States and abroad, we compiled the 2016 CBE Political 100 of political influencers in cannabis.

Members of the CBE Political 100 come from diverse backgrounds, including (but not limited to) activists, advocates and advocacy groups, members of the legal community, state, local and federal government elected and appointed officials, heads of state, and prominent journalists and spokespersons who have helped shape public opinion. In most cases, folks were assigned rankings based on the impact that their efforts have on providing legal access to cannabis at home and abroad based on potential consumers added to the industries target lists.

2016 Representation of Political Influencers in Cannabis

2016 CBE Political 100 Number 1 Ranked Individual is…….

Congratulations to Rob Kampia, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), for the organization’s tireless efforts to work with advocacy groups, contributors, local and state legislatures, and congressional members. They not only raise the funds needed to organize ballot initiatives in various states, but contributed to writing legislation, regulations, and collecting signatures to meet state requirements for ballot initiatives.

MPP has been successful in funding legalization initiatives in many states for years. Most notably, the list includes Colorado—which is arguably the most successful regulated and legal marijuana market in the US. Whether you like their methods or not, MPP is the leading organization in driving legislative change, and their efforts to drive success in legislation are second to none.

Looking forward in 2016, MPP is a major player in the Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada campaigns to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol ballot initiatives. They are also supporting California for the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Proposition 64). Under Kampia’s leadership, MPP has had the most impact in affecting legalization and establishing a state-by-state regulated industry environment, which could include more than 30 states by the end of the year.

For the complete list of political influencers in cannabis, take a look below and as usual, let us know your thoughts about the hundreds of other individuals worldwide that you believe deserve to be recognized for advancing legislation. Policy changes domestically and around the globe create the framework for a fast growing industry in the US and abroad.

Ranking	Name	Job Title	Affiliation
1	Rob Kampia	Co-Founder & Executive Director, Marijuana Policy Project	Public Policy Advocate
MPP has been successful in funding legalization initiatives for many years. They are the leading organization in driving legislative change, and their fundraising efforts are second to none. In 2016, MPP is a major player in the Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada campaigns to Legalize Marijuana Like Alcohol ballot initiatives and is supportive of the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Proposition 64) in California.
2	Justin Trudeau	Prime Minister, Canada	Liberal Party
Trudeau has been very vocal about his desire to see Cannabis fully legalized in Canada, which already allows for national distribution of medical. A Federal program legalizing marijuana adult use would create a regulated industry conceivably envied by all, and one that has great international consequence, specifically for the USA. As our partners create the first fully legal national industry in North America, CBE believes its impact could accelerate the end of federal prohibition to allow the US to compete on a level playing field for the lucrative international market.
3	Bernie Sanders	US Senator, Vermont	Democrat
Sanders’ "Feel the Bern" campaign for the Democrat Presidential nomination had a great effect on cannabis legalization at the Federal level within the last year. At one time, Sanders was the only major party campaign advocating for the de-scheduling of cannabis and with a platform that the United States current war on drugs is a failed policy. He is an advocate for treatment of drug addiction and has repeatedly introduced legislation to extensively reform the criminal justice system along these lines. He supports medical marijuana, decriminalizing recreational marijuana, and states having the right to opt for full legalization.
4	Jerry Brown	Governor, California	Democrat
Governor Brown was previously on the record against marijuana regularly until he signed California's new medical marijuana program into law in February. Fortunately, the reality of an industry needing statewide regulatory guidelines overcame those feelings and Brown endorsed the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act that created up to 17 classes of licenses and precedes the November 2016 ballot initiative to legalize Adult Use (AUMA) in the state as well.
5	Gary Johnson	Libertarian Presidential Candidate	Advocate/Libertarian
This former New Mexico Governor has been in the middle of the legalization effort as an advocate, cannabis business executive, and Republican and Libertarian Presidential candidate. He is the 2016 Libertarian presidential candidate, and part of his platform, along with VP candidate Bill Weld, is legalizing marijuana. He believes that it is safer than alcohol, a better medicinal option than many big pharma products, and would help bridge racial disparities that can also move prison reform forward.
6	Gavin Newsom	Lieutenant Governor, California	Democrat
Since 2013, Newsom has chaired The Blue Ribbon Commission on Marijuana Policy, which identifies three key issues related to the possibility of legalizing, taxing, and regulating marijuana for adults. He is an advocate and supporter of California Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) Proposition 64, transparent about his desire to run for governor in 2018, and doesn't shy away from the responsibility of helping to shape a sustainable and regulated environment for a responsible industry.
7	Earl Blumenauer	US Representative, Oregon	Democrat
Along with Jared Polis, Blumenauer has sponsored numerous bills to de-federalize marijuana policy and create a framework for the federal taxation of cannabis. In 2012, Blumenauer and Polis introduced the End Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act to remove the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) authority over marijuana, and allow states to choose whether to allow marijuana for medicinal or adult use. Blumenauer’s home state of Oregon became the third market to legalize adult use marijuana in 2015.
8	Jared Polis	US Representative, Colorado	Democrat
Along with Earl Blumenauer, Polis has sponsored several bills to de-federalize marijuana policy and create a framework for the federal taxation of cannabis. In 2012, Polis & Blumenauer introduced the End Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act to remove the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) authority over marijuana and allow states to choose whether to allow marijuana for medicinal or adult use. His home state of Colorado became the first market to legalize adult use marijuana in 2012.
9	Ethan Nadelmann	Founder & Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance (DPA)	Public Policy Advocate
DPA was primarily responsible for Proposition 215, California's 1996 landmark medical marijuana law, which made cannabis available to patients as well as reduced criminal penalties for possession. DPA continued to weigh in on drug policy legislation with Proposition 215 in Alaska (1998), Oregon (1998), Washington (1998), Maine (1999), Colorado (2000), Nevada (1998 and 2000), and in New Mexico (2007). Nadelmann has led DPA efforts since founding the organization in 2000. The intro to his bio on DPA's website says it all. Nadelmann is widely regarded as an outstanding proponent of drug policy reform in the US and abroad.
10	Sean Parker	Individual Contributor	Advocate
The founder of Napster who made his fortune as the first president of Facebook threw his money and Silicon Valley influence into the cannabis ring by initiating and helping to fund Proposition 64. The California Marijuana Legalization Initiative (Proposition 64),which supporters refer to as the "Adult Use of Marijuana Act," will be on the November 2016 ballot. If passed, the bill would accelerate the move of California's "grey market" into a fully regulated state entity that could generate billions of dollars in the double digits for sorely needed revenues in the largest cannabis market in the country.
11	Keith Stroup	Founder, NORML	Lawyer/Activist
Keith started NORML in the early 70s with a clear mission of ending prohibition and assisting those who have run afoul of state and federal laws. Under his guidance, NORML has grown over the past 40+ years to be the leading advocate against the War on Drugs. He is a recipient of the Richard J. Dennis Drugs Peace Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Drug Policy Reform presented by the Drug Policy Foundation. After passing the torch on to others, Keith still fights for the cause as NORML's Legal Counsel.
12	Allen St. Pierre	Executive Director, NORML	Public Policy Activist
St. Pierre assumed the reigns at NORML in 2001. He spent the last 24 years tirelessly pursuing its mission statement from both a grassroots perspective (NORML now has over 150 active chapters around the US and the world) and by becoming a highly visible media spokesperson on the benefits of ending prohibition and changing the policies of the US Justice System. St. Pierre recently resigned from NORML, but will continue his advocacy in the private sector by working with industry media organizations such as WeedMaps and Freedom Leaf, and actively participating on the NORML board.
13	John Hickenlooper	Governor of Colorado	Democrat
This controversial Governor, whose position on Cannabis has flipped flop regularly, oversaw the implementation of Colorado's Amendment 64 to legalize adult personal use of cannabis and enact regulations for licensing its commercial production and sales. To date, Governor Hickenlooper and his public and private sector teams have successfully executed a model legalization program that is helping disprove many of the prohibitionist arguments about cannabis. In tandem, it is filling the state reserves with substantial tax revenues and savings from the state's law enforcement and incarceration budgets. His zero tolerance pesticide policy has also raised the visibility of the need to create industry standards consistent with Federal regulations covering other industries.
14	Jay Inslee	Governor of Washington	Democrat
Like his Colorado counterpart, Governor Inslee's administration oversaw the implementation of Initiative 502 and most recently Senate Bill 5052, bringing the grey market medical market business into the legal and regulated world under the controversial oversight of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Through June 2016, licensed PPRs have generated more than $440 million in revenues and an estimated $180 million plus in sales and excise taxes for the state.
15	Kate Brown	Governor of Oregon	Democrat
Brown replaced John Kitzhaber, who was less than supportive of the state's legalization efforts. Her administration oversees the implementation of Oregon's legalization legislature. It remains to be seen how the oversight of Oregon's Medical and Recreational programs will progress in light of the number of state regulatory agencies involved. But stay tuned—her leadership will be crucial!
16	Rand Paul	US Senator, Kentucky	Republican
An outspoken advocate for industrial hemp, Paul was a Republican primary candidate for President in the 2016 election. He helped stir the national debate regarding cannabis prohibition by introducing bills in the US Senate that would protect states that have implemented medical marijuana laws, as well as the patients and doctors acting in accordance with state law from federal prosecution. He co-sponsored The Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act (CARERS) in March 2015, which seeks significant reforms in marijuana policy in the US, according to the Brookings Institute.
17	Kirsten Gillibrand	US Senator, New York	Democrat
In March 2015, Gillibrand co-sponsored The Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act (CARERS) which seeks significant reforms in marijuana policy in the US, according to the Brookings Institute.
18	Corey Booker	US Senator, New Jersey	Democrat
In his short US Senatorial stint, the former Newark mayor co-sponsored The Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act (CARERS) which, according to the Brookings Institute, seeks significant reforms in US marijuana policy. He is also a rapidly rising star and likely part of the Democratic Party’s recently adopted convention platform pushed by the Sanders camp—including Marijuana legalization and prison reform.
19	Denny Heck	US Representative, Washington	Democrat
Along with Ed Perlmutter, Representative Heck, has led bi-partisan efforts to change federal banking laws that protect industry business owners and federally insured banks. Most recently, the Heck-Perlmutter-Lee-Rohrabacher Amendment passed the House, blocking the SEC and Treasury Department from spending money to penalize banks and other financial institutions for working with pot businesses that do not break state laws. In 2016, Heck and Perlmutter attempted to add an amendment to an appropriations bill that would have blocked federal enforcement against financial institutions servicing licensed marijuana businesses. Led by US Representative Pete Sessions (R-Texas), the House Rules Committee blocked a vote on the amendment, effectively killing it.
20	Ed Perlmutter	US Representative, Colorado	Democrat
Along with Heck, Perlmutter has led bi-partisan efforts to change federal banking laws that protect industry business owners and federally insured banks. Most recently the Heck-Perlmutter-Lee-Rohrabacher Amendment passed the house, blocking the SEC and Treasury Department from spending money to penalize banks and other financial institutions for working with pot businesses that do not break state laws. In 2016, Heck and Perlmutter attempted to add an amendment to an appropriations bill that would have blocked federal enforcement against financial institutions servicing licensed marijuana businesses. Led by US Representative Pete Sessions (R-Texas), the House Rules Committee blocked a vote on the amendment, effectively killing it.
21	Lyn Lyman	Senior Director of California, Drug Policy Alliance	Public Policy/Advocate
Lyman joined the DPA in 2012 after spending 20 years as a public servant in various roles. She’s led DPA's California efforts since 2012, and most recently focuses on conducting more than 100 consultation meetings with local governments, law enforcement agencies, environmental leaders, and the cannabis industry. She is also joining forces with Sean Parker's AUMA initiative.
22	Dana Rohrabacher	U.S. Representative, California	Republican
The longtime Medical Marijuana advocate has been active in passing legislation that prohibits the Federal Government from interfering with states’ rights to implement their own regulatory practices. In 2016, the Rohrabacher-Farr medical marijuana amendment to the FY2016 Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) Appropriations Bill prohibits the federal government from using any funds to arrest or prosecute medical marijuana patients or providers that are in a compliance with their states laws.
23	Tick Segerblom	State Senator, Nevada	Democrat/Attorney
Known as the Godfather of Cannabis in Nevada, Segerblom fathered Nevada’s Medical Marijuana law as Senate Bill 374 in 2013. He is currently a co-chair of the 2016 ballot initiative campaign to pass Nevada and MPP's recreational marijuana initiative, Treat Marijuana Like Alcohol.
24	Joe Brezny	Spokesperson Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Nevada .	Public Policy/Advocate
As spokesperson for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol in Nevada, Brezny has been actively working on the issue since 2014.
25	Peter Shumlin	Governor of Vermont	Democrat
Shumlin's administration pushed for legalization during the 2016 legislative season with the help of Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Sears. The bill passed through the Senate, only to get shut down in the House. With a new Governor being chosen this fall, it remains to be seen what will happen during the 2016 legislative season; but Shumlin has raised the issue’s visibility dramatically.
26	Taylor Bickford	Sr. VP Strategies 360, Alaska	Republican
Bickford is spokesman for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol that led to Alaska becoming the fourth state to legalize marijuana.
27	Bruce Schulte	Spokesman for the Coalition for Responsible Cannabis Legislation and Marijuana Control Board Member, Alaska	Small Business Owner
As a small business owner and spokesman for the Coalition for Responsible Cannabis Legislation, Schulte is a bush pilot with many titles Bruce, including board member of the Marijuana Control Board Member and president of the Alaska Marijuana Industry Association.
28	John Morgan	Attorney, Florida	Democrat/Activist
Morgan led the charge on funding the "Vote Yes on Amendment 2" campaign to legalize medical marijuana in Florida, which was narrowly defeated. Morgan was said to have contributed over $4 million to the cause. The United for Care chairman vows that Amendment 2 will pass; and the battle and war will be won this year.
29	Ben Pollara	Campaign Manager United for Care, Florida	Democrat/Activist
United for Care is the largest organization in Florida advocating for the passage of Amendment 2, "Use of Marijuana for Debilitating Medical Conditions."
30	Diane Savino	State Senator, New York	Democrat
After creating a Medical Marijuana program in the state of New York, Savino, along with state Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, continues pushing to expand the law that the Cuomo administration watered down to create the most restrictive marijuana program in the US.
31	Richard Gottfried	State Assemblyman, New York	Democrat
Gottfried has been championing legal medical marijuana since he first introduced the Compassionate Care Act in 1997. Most recently, he introduced bills with Savino that push to expand the law the Cuomo administration watered down to create the most restrictive program in the US.
32	Dr. Malik Burnette	Physician, Businessman, Advocate	Advocate
Dr. Burnette is a physician, advocate, marijuana law and policy expert, and civil rights and social justice reformer. While at DPA, he was DC Policy Manager with the Office of National Affairs during the successful Initiative 71 Ballot Initiative in Washington, DC. Malik is also a founding member of Doctors for Cannabis Regulation.
33	Adam Eidinger	Activist, Business Owner, Washington DC	Activist
Businessman, activist, and founder of DCMJ, Eidinger spearheaded Initiative 71, which legalized cannabis in the District of Columbia in 2015.
34	Dr. Sue Sisley	Psychiatrist, Advocate	Physician/Advocate
After gaining approval from the National Institutes of Drug Addiction (NIDA) in 2014 to study the effects of marijuana in treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at the University of Arizona, Dr. Sisley was unceremoniously fired before receiving a $2 million grant from the state of Colorado to study how marijuana affects veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Thanks to the new amendment passed by the Senate, veterans can now get medical marijuana in any state that allows the use of therapeutic cannabis. The Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors are also now allowed to prescribe or recommend the use of medical marijuana to patients.
35	Latrisha "Lolly" Bentch	Mother, Activist	Activist
After her daughter, Anna, was diagnosed with autism and mesial temporal sclerosis, which caused cognitive delays, intellectual deficit, sleep disorder, anxiety, and intractable epilepsy that caused up to 100 seizures a day, Lolly found that medical marijuana could help treat her daughters symptoms and began the journey to raising the visibility of the need for medical marijuana in the state of Pennsylvania. In April 2016, her efforts paid off as Governor Tom Wolf signed Senate Bill 3.
36	Mike Folmer	State Senator, Pennsylvania	Republican
The conservative Republican, along with Daylin Leach, was the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 3 that Governor Wolf signed into law. His Senate colleagues recognize his efforts to gain support for the bill vote-by-vote in the state legislature.
37	Daylin Leach	State Senator, Pennsylvania	Democrat
An ardent supporter of legalizing marijuana and ending the failure of prohibition, Leach was one of the key advocates and drivers producing Senate Bill 3 that legalized medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania in April.
38	Tom Wolf	Governor of Pennsylvania	Democrat
In April 2016, Governor Wolf signed Senate Bill 3 to legalize medical marijuana in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Health will begin the process of implementing the states Medical Marijuana Program that is expected to take between 18 and 24 months. When completed, the program will offer medical marijuana to patients who are under a physician’s care for the treatment of a “serious medical condition.”
39	Kenny Yuko	State Senator, Ohio	Democrat
Yuko spent over a decade pushing for legalization in Ohio. He provides a valuable perspective of the challenges associated with forming unity among advocates in his state.
40	Dave Burke	State Senator, Ohio	Republican
Burke is an advocate for Ohio to regulate medical cannabis through the state's pharmacy board. He also advocates broader options for patients to attain medicine with fewer restrictions.
41	Brandon Lynaugh	Campaign Manager for Ohioans for Medical Marijuana & Owner at Battleground Strategies	Consultant/Advocate
Lynaugh is a veteran of more than a dozen statewide ballot issue campaigns. He helped defeat last year's legalization initiative in Ohio, which was heavily criticized as monopolistic and exclusive.
42	John Kasich	Governor of Ohio	Republican
The presidential candidate reluctantly signed legislation in June and will now will oversee its implementation. Those who want to grow medical marijuana commercially must apply with the Ohio Department of Commerce and rules are being developed.
43	Dr. Sanjay Gupta	Chief Medical Reporter, CNN	Journalist
Well known as CNN's Chief Medical Reporter and host of the ‘Weed’ series on CNN, Dr. Gupta helped alter the perception of cannabis for many individuals not seeking information. The third installment of the series was released in 2015.
44	Dale Sky Jones	Executive Chancellor, Oaksterdam University	Advocate & Activist
Jones is the executive chancellor of Oaksterdam University and chairman of The Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform. She has been a longtime advocate and is known for her role in the pro-cannabis movement. She was also the chair of Reform California and one of the principal media spokespersons for the Proposition 19 campaign.
45	Michael Bronstein	Co-founder and President of Bronstein & Weaver, Inc	Advocate/Democrat
Bronstein is co-founder and president of Bronstein & Weaver, Inc.—one of the nation’s leading Democratic political media, strategic messaging, and government affairs firms. Bronstein has been a thoughtful voice of the emerging cannabis industry and is the co-founder of the American Association for Cannabis & Hemp (ATACH), where he directs all national and state level strategy. He has been called one of Philadelphia’s Mover & Shakers in marijuana by Philadelphia Voice and was featured as one of The 11 People Leading the Charge for Legal Pot in Philadelphia Magazine for his leadership of ATACHs Pennsylvania medical cannabis strategy. Michael also serves as: a national executive board member of the Coalition for Responsible Cannabis Production, a campaign strategist for New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform, as well as a member of Florida's United for Care policy committee.
46	Karen O'Keefe	Director of State Policies, MPP	Advocate
O'Keefe has been active in cannabis advocacy since 2003. She played a significant role in MPP’s successful medical marijuana campaigns in Montana (2004) and Rhode Island (2006She managed MPPs state legislative department during medical marijuana victories in Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Illinois; as well as successful decriminalization campaigns in Delaware, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Vermont. She is responsible for updating MPP's model legislation, which formed the basis for several laws.
47	Jan Schakowsky	US Representative, Illinois	Democrat
Schakowsky co-sponsored the States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act. He is a pro hemp advocate and big supporter of Illinois' medical marijuana initiative. Schakowsky is among 18 U.S. Representatives who sent a letter in February of this year to President Obama asking him to direct Attorney General Eric Holder to remove marijuana from the most restrictive list of banned substances.
48	Bruce Rauner	Governor of Illinois	Republican
This year, the Governor signed SB 10 into law, which extends the medical cannabis pilot program to at least July 2020 and added post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of qualifying medical conditions. The law also changed requirements related to medical marijuana recommendations by physicians. Additionally, the governor is expected to sign SB 2228 which would remove the possibility of arrest, jail, and a harmful criminal record for people in possession of a small amount of marijuana.
49	Jason Kinney	Principle, California Strategies	California
Kinney is spokesman for the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) campaign. The coalition includes support from former Facebook president Sean Parker and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.
50	Juan Manuel Santos	President, Colombia	Social Party of National Unity
President Santos signed a decree legalizing and regulating medical marijuana in December 2015. The manufacture, export, sale, and medical and scientific use of cannabis became regulated. Along with the presidents of Guatemala and Mexico, Santos requested that the United Nations focus its next special session (UNGASS 2016) on drugs on policy reform, rather than another progress review and the continuation of a failed drug policy.
51	Mike Liszewski	Policy Director, Americans for Safe Access	Advocate
As Policy Director at ASA, Mike works with patients, advocates, and elected officials at the state, local and national level to create new laws and improve existing ones that allow patients to have safe access to medical cannabis therapy. In addition to ASAs legislative work, Mike has also been actively involved with the implementation process to make sure these laws result in patients having legal and affordable access to medicine.
52	Joseph Souki	House Speaker, Hawaii	Democrat
Hawaii can prepare to vote on cannabis legislation, thanks to the efforts of Souki. He introduced a bill that would legalize and regulate cannabis in Hawaii, while also repealing certain medical marijuana penalties to make them more on par with alcohol prohibitions.
53	Will Espero	State Senator, Hawaii	Democrat
After submitting several initiatives on cannabis legislation, Espero takes a stance that consuming cannabis is "about being a responsible adult." He became the chairman of the Hawaiian conference committee, paving the way for dispensaries in Hawaii.
54	Ari Rosmarin	Public Policy Director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Jersey	Advocate
The public policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Jersey is calling for the legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana in New Jersey.
55	Bill Caruso	Lobbyist, New Jersey	Advocate
Caruso is a steering committee member with New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform (NJUMF). His goal is to create economic opportunities by capitalizing on New Jersey's geographic location, education, and health care infrastructure.
56	J.P. Holyoak	Chairman, Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Arizona	Advocate
Holyoak is Chairman of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, which collected 200,000 signatures to support the ballot initiative in Arizona. The initiative proposed would allow adults 21 and older to possess a limited amount of marijuana; establish a regulated system similar to alcohol; and enact a 15 percent tax on retail marijuana sales, from which a majority of the revenue would be directed to Arizona schools and education programs.
57	Ira Gaines	Businessman, Arizona	Republican Donor
The controversial Republican donor who made his money by buying and selling distressed assets has been a large contributor and advocate for the Arizona Medical Marijuana movement.
58	Carlos Alfaro	Marijuana Policy Project	Advocate
Alfaro is the policy director for the Marijuana Policy Project in Arizona. He is pushing the Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act in Arizona, which is one of two major initiatives submitted for the ballot.
59	Melissa Fults	Arkansans for Compassionate Care	Campaign Director
Fults is an active supporter of the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act and campaign director of Arkansans for Compassionate Care. She is a candidate to represent District 27 of the Arkansas House.
60	Ryan Denham	Arkansans for Compassionate Care	Advocate
Arkansans for Compassionate Care is a group that submitted the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act (AMCA) ballot initiative focused on medical marijuana patients. Denham was key in collecting enough signatures to submit the initiative to Arkansas.
61	David Rodgers	State Representative, Massachusetts	Democrat
The Massachusetts representative is a voice for the cannabis community in Congress. He proposed a bill in 2015 to legalize marijuana and establish a tax on the cannabis industry.
62	Patricia D. Jehlen	State Senator, Massachusetts	Democrat
Jehlen is a lead sponsor of HB1561 to legalize, tax, and regulate recreational use of marijuana. If successful, Massachusetts would become the first state to legalize both hemp and marijuana for recreational purposes through the legislature rather than the popular vote.
63	Curt Anderson	State Delegate, Maryland	Democrat
The State Senator from Baltimore has continued his track by sponsoring legislation to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol. In February 2015, he sponsored HB 911, the Marijuana Control and Revenue Act. He promises not to stop until prohibition ends in the state.
64	Jamie Raskin	State Senator, Maryland	Democrat
Along with Anderson, Raskin, a democrat from Montgomery County, has consistently supported the end to prohibition in the state. He introduced a companion bill, Senate Bill 531 in Feb 2015.
65	Diane Russell	State House Representative, Maine	Democrat
The longtime marijuana advocate most recently sponsored a bill to regulate marijuana like alcohol to beat the November ballot initiative which was voted down in committee and by the House.
66	Portia Simpson Miller	Prime Minister of Jamaica	People's National Party
This well-respected, diplomatic leader led the charge in reforming Jamaica's drug laws. Cannabis in small amounts was decriminalized during her tenure.
67	Mark Golding	Justice Minister	People's National Party
Mark played a key role in advancing government support of marijuana reform in 2015. Focus was especially placed on communities that use Cannabis for religious, scientific and medical purposes. Minister Golding has also been working to ensure that Jamaica's traditional cultivators are granted a space in the new system.
68	Angela Brown Burke	Deputy Senate President & Mayor of Kingston	People's National Party
Burke introduced legislation that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana and legalize cannabis for religious, medical, scientific and therapeutic purposes. It would also establish a licensing authority to establish regulations for the cultivation, production and distribution of cannabis for medical, scientific and therapeutic purposes. It would also establish a licensing authority to establish regulations for the cultivation, production and distribution of cannabis for medical, scientific and therapeutic purposes.
69	Katie Corkern	Mother	Advocate
The author of For Every Mom is an advocate for those w/epilepsy & developmental disabilities. She published a letter on the Huffington Post addressed to her legislator to gain visibility and ask for access to medical marijuana for her son with schizencephaly (a rare brain malformation), Septo-Optic Dysplasia (blind and completely hormone deficient), and daily medication resistant seizures.
70	Helena Moreno	State Representative, Louisiana	Democrat
Louisiana approved a measure to expand the list of conditions that medical marijuana can be used for as a treatment. She wants to make sure that families with sick children who need this medicine in Louisiana have access.
71	Fred Mills	State Senator, Louisiana	Republican
Mills has been pushing to make cannabis available to people suffering from debilitating illnesses for several years.
72	Tina Mu–a Barnes	Senator, Guam	Democrat
The Senator co-authored the original measure in Guam that proposed to legalize medical marijuana. She is still at the frontline of the Guam cannabis movement in claiming that she would consider legislation to protect patients and allow seriously ill patients to grow at home.
73	Enrique Pena Nieto	President, Mexico	Institutional Revolutionary Party
Despite personally being against legalizing cannabis in Mexico, President Nieto has opened the door to changing policy when he expressed in June that the US and Mexico could not follow divergent paths and that the policies of the last 30 or 40 years have failed. Marijuana has been a staple source of income for violent drug cartels in Mexico.
74	Maya Harris	Clinton Domestic Policy Advisor	Democrat
The former ACLU director of the Northern California chapter now has Hillary Clinton relying on her to stay abreast of policy issues this election year. She hosted an event with Eric Holder in Washington, DC to discuss the United States' current social and economic justice landscape.
75	Eugene Monroe	Retired NFL Payer from the Baltimore Ravens	Advocate
The athletic leader has been in the news frequently for taking a stance on NFL players being able to use cannabis as a medical remedy. His website states that his mission is "for the NFL to remove marijuana from the banned substances list; fund medical marijuana research, especially as it relates to CTE; and stop over prescribing addictive and harmful opioids."
76	John Bel Edwards	Governor of Louisiana	Democrat
This addition to the list may come as a surprise, since the Governor stated in October 2015 that he did not want to legalize marijuana. Number 82 comes with a shift in opinion for the Governor who now wants the legislature to pass a "meaningful" medical marijuana bill that will "actually work." He signed a landmark medical marijuana bill into law on May 19, 2016 that should make medical marijuana available to patients in Louisiana.
77	Amanda Reiman	Manager of Marijuana Law and Policy, DPA	Advocate
Amanda Reiman has been working on marijuana reform “related to litigation, legislative and initiative drafting, campaign strategy, policy advocacy, media relations, fundraising, and public education in the local, state, federal, and international jurisdictions” with DPA. She previously worked in the industry as director of research and patient services with medical marijuana dispensary Berkeley Patients Group.
78	Bill Maher	Real Time with Bill Maher	Advocate
Bill Maher openly smoked cannabis on television in protest and defiance of the drug war. Maher is said to be the inspiration for a mass protest in front of the White House in April, which resulted in a meeting with White House officials. He is also the executive producer of the VICE TV series, which has covered the industry worldwide for years.
79	Chip Paul	Chairman Oklahomans for Health	Business Owner and Advocate
As chairman of Oklahomans for Health, Chip leads the 2014 cannabis legalization petition to collect signatures and get on the ballot. While the group fell short of their signature goal, the conversation in Oklahoma changed, and the children's seizure legislation passed in early 2015, called Katie's Law. Chip and the group are currently campaigning again to collect signatures in hopes of making the November 2016 ballot.
80	Joe Dorman	State Representative, Oklahoma	Democrat
The renewed push to legalize medical marijuana in Oklahoma is being led by Joe Dorman and the Oklahomans for Health group. They are collecting signatures to get cannabis legislation on the 2016 Oklahoma ballot.
81	Margaret Rose Henry	Senator Committee Chairman, Delaware	Democrat
Efforts of the Senator led to Delaware decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of cannabis. In her role as chair of Delaware's Medical Marijuana Act Oversight committee, she has the authority to influence, evaluate, and make recommendations regarding the implementation of Delaware's decriminalization code.
82	Helene Keeley	State Representative,Delaware	Democrat
Residents of Delaware can thank Keeley for proposing the bill that replaced public cannabis possession from a criminal offense to a traffic ticket. Keeley's main approach is that criminalizing people for small cannabis possession is "outdated and counterproductive."
83	Jack Markell	Governor of Delaware	Politician
Contrary to his comment on legalizing cannabis while he's in office, Delaware's marijuana decriminalization bill was signed by Markell and passed in 2015. He aims to reduce the number of people entering the criminal justice system and refocus resources.
84	Alejandro Garcia Padilla	Governor of Puerto Rico	Politician
Despite being a US territory, the governor called for legalization of cannabis in his country. Garcia is a powerful pro-cannabis voice in the Latino community.
85	Jeff & Allyson Doctor	Co-Chairs Native American Cannabis Coalition	Advocate
NICC was formed to help move Tribal leaders through information hurdles of creating cultivation and manufacturing facilities. NICC is an educational resource for information on the medical benefits of cannabis; economic development opportunities for building a self-sustaining cultivation project from seed to sale; and investing with consideration for public health and safety.
86	Ricardo Baca	Editor, The Cannabist	Journalist
Baca is The Denver Post's first marijuana editor. He created the canna-centric publication in 2013, The Cannabist.
87	Chris Walsh	Editor, Marijuana Business Daily	Journalist
Marijuana Business Daily covers financial and legal news of interest to cannabis dispensaries, investors, lawyers, and related vendors. Walsh has been quoted in numerous publications including MarketWatch, USA Today, and the Boston Globe. He led the research team for the Marijuana Business Factbook 2013.
88	Mark Habbas	Lobbyist & Founder of Missourians for Compassionate Care	Advocate
After five years of lobbying for Missouri firefighters, Mark started the lobbying firm of Habbas & Associates and is founder of Missourians for Compassionate Care. He has worked with the Republican-run state legislature to advance to the cause that he has turned his passion to, approving Medical Marijuana legislation.
89	John Payne	Political Director New Approach Missouri	Advocate
Payne is the political director of New Approach Missouri and the 2016 Missouri ballot initiative. Before the campaign, John worked as the executive director of Show-Me Cannabis. He has also worked as a research analyst for the Show-Me Institute. New Approach has collected and submitted an estimated 275,000 signatures to the state and is awaiting confirmation of whether the initiative will be on the November 8 ballot.
90	Jeff Irwin	State Representative, Michigan	Democrat
Irwin introduced a bill to decriminalize and regulate medical marijuana in Michigan, claiming that cannabis is safer than alcohol. At the 44th annual Hash Bash in Michigan, Irwin announced that “It’s going to be Colorado improved in the Great Lakes state.” He is a leading and instrumental figure for the cannabis movement within the government.
91	David Simpson	State Representative, Texas	Republican
Thank you for leading the charge in Texas! Simpson sponsored a bill (that passed but fell through) to repeal marijuana offenses; prohibit the sale or distribution of cannabis to a minor, and to creating criminal offenses.
92	John Hudak	Deputy Director, Center for Effective Public Management	Brookings Institute
Along with several of his colleagues at one of the oldest DC-based think tanks, Hudak published numerous policy papers surrounding the legalization of marijuana in the US and abroad.
93	Chris Ingraham	Reporter, The Washington Post	Journalist
Ingraham has written several stories covering the progress of cannabis policy in and outside of the USA as a reporter for the Washington Post. He primarily focuses on debunking myths about cannabis using scientific studies and data.
94	Cecily Friday Shamim	Founder of the Tennessee Cannabis Coalition	Advocate
Cecily is the founder and executive director of the Tennessee Cannabis Coalition, an organizational resource for all statewide cannabis. The organization continues to make strides in educating the public about the now burgeoning field of research into the benefits of medical cannabis.
95	Michael Correia	Director of Government Relations, National Cannabis Industry Association	Advocate
Correia has worked tirelessly on Capitol Hill working on banking and tax reform, along with other legislative issues that are critical to the industry's success.
96	Eric Olson	Outspoken pro-cannabis Libertarian, North Dakota	Advocates
Along with a committee of 27 members, Olson filed a petition with the Secretary of State's office to make legalization a statewide vote this year. As a Libertarian, Olson promotes the personal freedom and liberty aspect of cannabis legalization.
97	Tabar Vazquez	President, Uruguay	Head of Broad Front Coalition
President Vazquez continued with the legalization initiative started by his predecessor, Jose Mujica, in a country where the majority of the population is against it. In leading the international journey to cannabis legalization, the Uruguay President openly criticizes the abusive and dangerous tobacco industry. He defends his country's sovereign right to act in the interest of public health and has added much momentum to the international struggle for legalization.
98	Dr. Jill Stein	US Presidential Candidate	Green Party
Stein is on the record stating, "legalize it. It’s time to take marijuana off the black market, end crime and violence related to marijuana trafficking, stop wasting money and ruining lives by prosecuting victimless crimes, reduce prison populations, increase tax revenue, allow sick people their medicine, let farmers grow marijuana and hemp, and give responsible adults their freedom by legalizing it! As President, one of my first actions would be to order the DEA and the Justice Department to cease and desist all attempts to harass or prosecute medical marijuana clinics or other legitimate marijuana-related businesses that are operating under state laws."
99	Gerald Murray	Director of the Costa Rica Medical Cannabis Movement	Attorney
In 2010, Murray helped campaign for Proposition 19 in California, which would have legalized and taxed marijuana for recreational use. Murray continues to push for legalization in Costa Rica. He also promotes less restrictive legalization over more controlled versions proposed in Costa Rica.
100	Lael Echo-Hawk	Member of Pawnee Tribe	Attorney
Echo-Hawk is a Washington DC-based attorney and general counsel for the National Indian Cannabis Coalition. She provides advice on internal tribal governance issues and economic development activities for the Pawnee Tribe. She also offers strategic policy analysis on national tribal legislative and regulatory proposals. Echo-Hawk is a past president of the National Native American Bar Association and the Northwest Indian Bar Association.