Leaders Lead, Government Bureaucracies Impede, CBE’s 2014 Political 50 I’m not sure this is what our founding fathers had in mind when James Madison and the US Constitutional Congress met in 1787 to come up with the law of the land. States’ rights and the fear of repeating what they saw as England’s tyrannical government heavily influenced the historic document that today is the model of government in the free world. The debate to legalize cannabis and hemp in any form has been led by several forces with opposing views typically represented by activists, grass root movements, government agencies or political leaders (predominantly Democrat or Republican) and of course wealthy or committed individuals that have played the dominant role in bringing the industry to where it is today. The editors of www.cannabisbusinessexecutive.com have had fun putting together the 2014 CBE Political 50 which attempts to identify who the leaders are and who is impeding progress as the train ride to federal legalization continues its uphill climb….we think the train has just about reached the top of the mountain! Don’t get us wrong, there are several pro prohibition folks who we respect as leaders even though their beliefs run counter to the industry’s goal to end prohibition. We respect CBE Political 50 members like Dr. Nora Volkow at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and former Democratic Congressman Patrick Kennedy, honorary advisor at Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) but cringe when we think about Richard Nixon (duh!) or Sheldon Adelson. My kid’s generation doesn’t feel that our fearless leader, Barack Obama, has done enough to end prohibition (CBE obviously disagrees!). Those of you that support the end to prohibition, remember Thomas the Train as you stay true to your cause, there are plenty of government leaders who have jumped on board and that are working diligently to create: Responsible and fair regulatory, licensing, and compliance guidelines. Fair and accessible banking for businesses and equal taxation guidelines. A criminal justice code where the crime and punishment systems at the state and federal levels truly reflect the reality of individual marijuana consumption and use. …..and most importantly, that cannabis is rightfully scheduled or not scheduled at all by federal regulatory agencies that have perpetuated the propaganda and policies of past generations and clearly impeded the progress that the industry has made. I can hear Thomas now…i think i can…I Think I Can….WE KNOW WE CAN!….as he reaches the apex and begins what promises to be a downhill ride, probably with a few detours along the way, in years to come. Cheers, Rob Meagher President & Editor and Chief THE CANNABIS BUSINESS EXECUTIVE POLITICAL 50 RankPhotoNameJob TitleCategoryQualification 1Barack ObamaPresident of the United States of America Democrat Congratulations to our Commander-in-Chief, President Barack Obama, CBE's Man of the Year, for setting in motion the path to ending prohibition. Without the Ogden memorandum in 2009 and the Cole memo issued in 2013, the cannabis industry would undoubtedly still be predominantly in the hands of the black market. Like all politicians, Mr. Obama has excited the proponents of ending the War on Drugs and prohibition of cannabis with his public comments, but he has yet to dive fully into backing legalization. He prefers the politically safe route of appealing to the largest base of political support in order to win elections and many younger voters feel that he hasn't done enough. With both houses of Congress in Republican hands, his window on seeing change to the federal scheduling of marijuana is coming to a close. 2Richard NixonPresident of the United States of America deceasedRepublicanMr. Nixon started the costly War on Drugs which effectively reinforced prohibition and set in place one of the most costly (in the form of incarcerated human capital and tax dollars spent), failed government programs in the nation's history. Under his watch, marijuana has been designated as a schedule 1 drug equating it with heroin and LSD with no recognized medicinal value. And, even after commissioning a predominately conservative group to measure the impact of his new policy, "Marihuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding." he ignored their prophetic findings and pushed on with his War on Drugs until resigning the presidency. His legacy lives on federally and to this day is the biggest impediment to decriminalization and legalization in the US. 3Ethan NadelmannFounder & Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance (DPA)Public PolicyDPA was primarily responsible for California’s 1996 landmark medical marijuana law, Proposition 215, which made cannabis available to ill patients as well as reduced criminal penalties for possession. DPA continued to weigh in on drug policy legislation with Proposition 215 in Alaska in 1998, Oregon in 1998, Washington in 1998, Maine in 1999, Colorado in 2000, Nevada in 1998 and 2000 and New Mexico in 2007. Mr. Nadelmann has led its efforts since founding the organization in 2000. The intro to his bio on DPA's website says it all. Described by Rolling Stone as "the point man" for drug policy reform efforts, Ethan Nadelmann is widely regarded as the outstanding proponent of drug policy reform both in the United States and abroad. 4Keith StroupFounder, NORMLLawyer/ActivistKeith started NORML in the early 70's with the clear mission of ending prohibition and helping those that have run a foul of state and federal laws. Under his guidance, NORML has grown over the past 40 plus years to be the leading advocate against the War on Drugs. He is a recipient of the Richard J. Dennis Drugpeace 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. 5John HickenlooperGovernor of ColoradoDemocratThis controversial Governor has overseen the implementation of Colorado's Amendment 64, which legalizes the adult personal use of cannabis and calls on state lawmakers to enact regulations licensing its commercial production and sales. He is personally on the record as being against the legalization of adult use marijuana. The Governor and his public and private sector teams have successfully, to date, rolled out a model legalization program that is helping disprove many of the pro prohibition arguments about cannabis while filling the state coffers with substantial tax revenues and likely savings from the state's law enforcement and incarceration budgets. He narrowly won this week's re-election bid. 6Jay InsleeGovernor of WashingtonDemocratWith the popular vote approving Initiative 502, Washington became the second state to legalize marijuana. Although against I-502, Governor Inslee has overseen a program that is licensing businesses through the state liquor board, to produce, process and distribute cannabis to adults 21 and older. This approach cuts the doctor out of the decision-making loop for potential consumers but poses another challenge that Inslee's team and the legislature must solve quickly, the licensing and regulation of the medical marijuana dispensaries that until now have existed under local regulations. 7Allen St. PierreExecutive Director, NORMLActivist, Public Policy, LobbyistMr. St. Pierre assumed the reigns at NORML in 2001 and has spent the last 23 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 being a highly visible media spokesperson on the benefits of ending prohibition and changing the policies of the US Justice system. 8Rob KampiaCo-Founder and Executive Director, Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). Activist, Public Policy, LobbyistAfter a stint at NORML, Mr. Kampia co-founded MPP in 1995. He put together a team and executed a plan to: Increase public support for non-punitive, non-coercive marijuana policies, Identify and activate supporters of non-punitive, non-coercive marijuana policies, change state laws to reduce or eliminate penalties for the medical and non-medical use of marijuana, and gain influence in Congress. Under his leadership, MPP's contributions in Alaska & Oregon were instrumental in this year's mid-term elections as were MPP's efforts and dollars contributed to many other ballot initiatives, especially Colorado. 9Jose MujicaPresident of UruguayLeader of the Broad Front CoalitionJose Mujica is known as “the world’s poorest president.” He gives 90% of his salary to charities representing the poor and small entrepreneurs. Since becoming President in 2010, he has legalized marijuana and gay marriage. The decision to legalize marijuana was motivated by Mujica's desire to take the money out of the cartels hands and cut down on violence. Though many oppose his position to legalize on the national level, he has received great praise from many outside of his country. 10Dr. Nora VolkowDirector, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)Federal AgencySince 2003, Dr. Volkow has led NIDA. The career bureaucrat, who served her psychiatry residency at NYU, is an expert on addiction and fervently opposed to the end of prohibition. She has been a road block to efforts to balance the research about the efficacy of cannabis while pursuing any and all avenues to perpetuate the federal government's prohibition rhetoric and stance. 11Eric HolderUnited States Attorney GeneralDemocratThe controversial Attorney General is the first African American to hold the position and one of the last remaining original members of the Obama administration. In 2010, upon California’s Proposition 19 vote, Holder said the DOJ would continue to prosecute on the federal level for marijuana related crimes regardless of the outcome. However, after the issuance of the Ogden and Cole memos, Holder and the Department of Justice have reversed course and pulled resources aimed at state regulated legal and licensed marijuana businesses. Holder has recently resigned his position but is staying on until a successor is appointed. President Obama nominated Brooklyn federal prosecutor Loretta Lynch this past week as Holder's replacement. 12Aaron SmithExecutive Director National Cannabis Industry AssociationActivist, Lobbyist & Public PolicyAaron Smith is the co-founder and executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association. Prior to his work with the NCIA, Smith was part of the California based, medical cannabis advocates group, Safe Access Now and became the California State Policy Director of the Marijuana Policy Project. 13Andrew CuomoGovernor of New York DemocratFollowing in his father's footsteps as the Governor of NY, Cuomo, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, signed into law New York's Medical Marijuana program in July that allows for consumption of marijuana but only in a non-smoking form. 14Jorge Mario BergoglioVatican Pope FrancisCatholic LeaderIn addition to working tirelessly to end corruption in The Vatican, Pope Francis is an outspoken critic of the Pro-Cannabis legalization movement worldwide. This past summer at the International Drug Enforcement Conference, he said, "The scourge of drug use continues to spread inexorably, fed by a deplorable commerce which transcends national and continental borders. Attempts, however limited, to legalize so-called 'recreational drugs,' are not only highly questionable from a legislative standpoint, but they fail to produce desired effects." 15Stephen HarperPrime Minister, CanadaConservative PartyHarper is a staunch anti-marijuana advocate who has fought with Justin Trudeau's Liberal party for control of public policy in Canada. With medical marijuana legal federally in Canada, the Conservative Party fights MMRP at every step. 16Enrique Pena NietoPresident, MexicoInstitutional Revolutionary PartyDespite 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. 17Steve FoxDirector, VS StrategiesLobbyist Mr. Fox has spent the last 12 years fighting for an end to prohibition in a variety of roles with MPP, as Executive Director of Safer Choice ("Marijuana is safer than alcohol, it's time we treated it that way"), as campaign director for Amendment 64 in Colorado and as a founding member of the NCIA. With VS Strategies, Fox has allied with Vicente, Sederberg to help the industry grow and prosper. One of his latest initiatives involves changing the banking laws to help licensed industry businesses operate on an even playing field. 18Michelle LeonhartAdministrator, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)Federal AgencyAs head of the DEA, Ms. Leonhart has led the agency's stonewalling efforts to remove marijuana from schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act and has chided the President for his stance on cannabis legalization. She has also consistently turned down research requests regarding the therapeutic and medicinal benefits of marijuana. 19Chris ChristieGovernor of New JerseyRepublicanLike his good friend, Governor Hickenlooper in CO, Christie inherited implementation of New Jersey's medical marijuana program that has floundered under his administration. An outspoken critic of Colorado and marijuana legalization, the potential 2016 Republican Presidential nominee has declared that marijuana will never become legal in his home state under his watch. 20Jared PolisUS Representative, ColoradoDemocratAlong with Earl Blumenauer, he has sponsored bills to de-federalize marijuana policy and create a framework for the federal taxation of cannabis. Polis’ Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act would remove the Drug Enforcement Agency’s authority over marijuana and allow states to choose whether to allow marijuana for medicinal or adult use. 21Earl BlumenauerUS Representative, OregonDemocratAlong with Jared Polis, Blumenthal has sponsored bills to de-federalize marijuana policy and create a framework for the federal taxation of cannabis. Polis’ Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act would remove the Drug Enforcement Agency’s authority over marijuana and allow states to choose whether to allow marijuana for medicinal or adult use. And like his friend and colleague, Blumenthal woke up this past Wednesday morning knowing that adult use marijuana has passed the state's ballot initiative. 22Ed PerlmutterUS Representative, ColoradoDemocratAlong with Denny Heck, Perlmutter has led bi-partisan efforts to change federal banking laws that protect industry business owners and federally insured banks. Most recently the Perlmutter/Heck/Rohrbacher 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. 23Denny HeckUS Representative, WashingtonDemocratAlong with Ed Perlmutter, Heck, has led bi-partisan efforts to change federal banking laws that protect industry business owners and federally insured banks. Most recently the Perlmutter/Heck/Rohrbacher 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. 24Dannel MalloyGovernor of ConnecticutDemocratSince being elected Governor, Malloy has overseen Connecticut's efforts to decriminalize possession of marijuana and instituted the state's medical marijuana program that went live this year. Although a progressive, Malloy does not support the full legalization of adult use cannabis, he was narrowly re-elected this past Tuesday. 25Dana RohrabacherUS Representative, CaliforniaRepublicanRohrabacher introduced the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act in 2013 which would prevent the federal government from continuing to prosecute residents who are acting in accordance with their state’s marijuana laws. The bill would legalize marijuana at the federal level to the extent it is legal at the state level. “This bipartisan bill represents a common-sense approach that establishes federal government respect for all states’ marijuana laws,” says Rohrabacher. “ It does so by keeping the federal government out of the business of criminalizing marijuana activities in states that don’t want it to be criminal.” More recently he co-sponsored a bill with Congressman Perlmutter and Heck (see above) that passed the house. 26Barbara LeeUS Representative, CaliforniaDemocratSince being elected to Congress in 1998, The Congresswoman has been a strong proponent of safe communities, affordable housing, the homeless, low income energy assistance, job training, making health care affordable and universal, just immigration policies, the establishment of a living wage, and protection of the right of women to make decisions about their reproductive health. Lee has also supported the efforts to loosen federal banking regulations, including promoting Fincen guidelines. Additionally, along with Californian Republican Dana Rohrabacher, she helped pass legislation that increases funding for the Second Chance Act that prohibits the use of funds by the Department of Justice to prevent states from implementing their own state laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana. 27Rand PaulUS Senator, KentuckyRepublicanAn outspoken advocate for Industrial Hemp, Paul is a potential Republican candidate for President in 2016. In the meantime he has helped ratchet up the national debate regarding cannabis prohibition by introducing bills in the US Senate this past summer protecting the states that have implemented medical-marijuana laws—as well as the patients and doctors acting in accordance with them—from federal prosecution. 28Steph ShererExecutive Director, Americans for Safe Access (ASA)Public PolicySteph Sherer is the founder and executive director of the nation's leading medical cannabis patient advocacy organization. She has built ASA into an organization with 16 active ASA chapters and a grassroots base of over 50,000 members. She also works with American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), to help establish regulations for the medical marijuana industry. 29Corey BookerUS Senator, New Jersey DemocratIn his short US Senatorial stint, the former Newark mayor has co-sponsored a bill with Rand Paul. The Amendment Seeks to Protect 32 States With Medical Marijuana Laws from Federal Interference. He is also stirring up the debate with Governor Christie regarding the state's less than sterling medical marijuana system. 30John KitzhaberGovernor of OregonDemocratIn his third term as the Governor of Oregon, Kitzhaber has said he would sign the marijuana initiative into law to set up a regulatory system and make Oregon the third state in the Union to legalize recreational marijuana use. Mission accomplished. 31Alison HolcombCriminal Justice Director for the ACLU of WashingtonLegal, ActivistAfter working on Initiative 75, which made marijuana enforcement the lowest priority for the Seattle Police Department Ms. Holcomb was one of the architects of Washington State's comprehensive I-502 bill and campaign. As reported last week by the NY Times, she has recently accepted a new position to head-up the new ACLU political campaign, financed by George Soros’s Open Society Foundations, to slash an incarceration rate that has tripled since 1980. There are currently some 2.2 million prisoners in the United States. 32Valerie & Mike CorralExecutive Director & Co-Founder, Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM)Activist and Public PolicyValerie and Mike Corral received the High Times Freedom Fighter of the Year Award in 2003 for their tireless efforts to legalize medical marijuana.They co-founded WAMM in 1993 and Valerie was a key-player in the crafting and passage of Proposition 215 (also known as the Compassionate Use Act of 1996), which allowed patients with a doctors recommendation to use marijuana medicinally. 33Rick ScottGovernor of FloridaRepublicanSigned into law Florida's CBD-only bill in June but he opposed the Amendment 2 ballot initiative that required a 60% super majority for passage. Amendment 2 was narrowly defeated this past Tuesday and Scott was re-elected. 34Jan SchakowskyUS Representative, IllinoisDemocratSchakowsky co-sponsored the States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act, is a pro hemp advocate and a 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. 35Tom VilsackUS Secretary of AgricultureFederalSecretary of Agriculture since 2009, Mr. Vilsack has indicated a preference of having hemp removed from the controlled substances act to allow US farmers to compete for their share of the global hemp industry. A provision in the 2014 farm bill signed by President Obama on Feb. 7 removed hemp grown for research purposes from the Controlled Substances Act, the main federal drug law. Section 7606 of the Farm Bill, "Legitimacy of Industrial Hemp Research" allows for research institutions and State Departments of Agriculture to grow industrial hemp in approved pilot programs -- provided they're located in one of the thirteen states with rugged hemp legislation. (CA, CO, IN, KY, ME, MT, NE, ND, OR, UT, VT, WA, WV) 36Betty AldworthExecutive DirectorActivist and Public PolicyMs. Aldworth has been involved in community outreach, public relations, advocacy, and policy reform as a consultant to cannabis-related businesses and nonprofit organizations. She served as spokesperson and advocacy director for Colorado’s successful Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, the collaborative committee responsible for legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana for adults in Colorado. Betty was the Deputy Director of NCIA in 2013, the organization’s largest year of growth, and she now heads Students for Sensible Drug Policy. 37Norton ArbelaezAttorney & Founder, Medical Marijuana Industry Group (MMIG as of 1/1/14 MIG) and a Principle at RiverRockPublic Policy, Legal, Medical DispensaryMr. Arbelaez is a member of the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Medical Marijuana Advisory Board, the City of Denver’s Medical Marijuana Workgroup, and Governor Hickenlooper’s Amendment 64 Regulatory Workgroup. He founded MMIG in 2010. MMIG was founded as a medical marijuana trade association in 2010 to help protect and promote the Colorado medical marijuana regulatory framework, serve as a responsible resource for policy makers, and protect the rights of medical marijuana patients. 38Peter ShumlinGovernor of VermontDemocratAccording to NORML, Gov. Peter Shumlin is one of three sitting governors in the last 40 years to aggressively support cannabis legal reform and the only current up and coming politician with national reach to push for the decriminalization of pot possession. Shumlin has signed off on research in the state to explore the possibility of legalization. His Administration is taking a serious look at the possibility of legalizing marijuana in Vermont and has contracted with the Rand Corporation, a nonprofit international research organization, to conduct a thorough investigation of the pros and cons of the issue for lawmakers to consider next winter. 39Hillary ClintonFormer Secretary of State/Senator NY/First LadyDemocratHillary Clinton is a former US Secretary of State, U.S. Senator and First Lady. As the projected 2016 Democratic nominee for the US President, Clinton has gone on record supporting state's legalization efforts as an incubator for possible federal policy changes in the future. Unlike her husband, she has gone on the record saying she has always abstained from using marijuana. 40James GrayFormer Judge, Activist & Libertarian Party Vice Presidential CandidateLibertarian An American jurist by training, Gray believes that the Federal government has stood in the way of rescheduling of marijuana and has been on a pro legalization crusade to remove the monopoly imposed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on licenses for the cultivation of medical-grade cannabis for research purposes. 41Don DuncanCalifornia-based Dispensary Owner/ Americans for Safe Access board memberMedical Dispensary, Public PolicyMr. Duncan is a co-founder and California Director of Americans for Safe Access (ASA), the nation’s leading medical cannabis patients’ advocacy organization. He works with lawmakers at all level of government to remove barriers to access to medical cannabis and expand patients’ rights. Mr. Duncan has played a leading role in the efforts to adopt legislation to protect and expand patients rights, and to preserve and better regulate medical cannabis cultivation and provision in California since 2008. He trains patients and other stakeholders and coordinates ASA’s state campaign. 42Mason TvertCommunication's Director, MPPActivist, Public Policy, LobbyistMr. Tvert is known for his challenge to Colorado Governor Hickenlooper and Pete Coors to a contest to take a puff on a joint for every beer they drank to demonstrate the mantra that he, Steve Fox and MPP developed to raise the awareness of marijuana's effects versus the effects of alcohol. He is the founder of Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation and current communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project Politico has called Tvert the "Don Draper of Pot" which also considers him to be one of the key reasons adult use legalization of marijuana in Colorado occurred. Mr. Tvert is the High Times Freedom Fighter of the Year 2012. 43Dale Gieringer, Ph.DDirector, California NORMLPublic Policy, ActivistDale has been involved with California NORML for the last 27 years. He is a NORML Lester Grinspoon Award recipient and the High Times Freedom Fighter of the Year 2010. 44Rachel Gillette, Esq.Executive Director, Colorado NORML, AttorneyLegal, Public Policy, ActivistSince beginning her cannabis related practice in 2010, Ms. Gillette has represented clients to navigate the licensing process, and businesses contending with the IRS application of 280E. She is also Co-Chair of the Coalition for Drug Testing Policy Reform and is committed to ending the prohibition of cannabis at the national level and ensuring state licensed marijuana businesses are fairly taxed at both the state and federal level. 45Ramsey ClarkFormer US Attorney General DemocratMr. Clark, 86, now long since retired, has been an activist, lawyer and public servant as Attorney General under Lyndon Johnson. He was an outspoken proponent of the War on Drugs and more sensible policies and a mentor to Keith Stroup, the founder of NORML. 46Vivian McPeakCo-Founder & Executive Director, Seattle Hempfest, Activist, MusicianPublic PolicyThis list would not be complete without Mr. McPeak who has spent the the bulk of his life fighting for marijuana policy reform. He co-founded Seattle Hempfest which began in 1991 as a small gathering of stoners and has grown into one of the most sophisticated cannabis policy reform events in the world. 47Patrick KennedyHonorary Advisor, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) DemocratThe former Congressman from Rhode Island and the son of former Senator Ted Kennedy, is a member of this bipartisan organization comprised of medical doctors, lawmakers, treatment providers, preventionists, teachers, law enforcement officers and others who seek a middle road between incarceration and legalization. 48Terry BranstadGovernor of IowaRepublicanSigned into law Iowa's Senate File 2360, legalizing one form of medical marijuana, The drug is only legal in the form of cannabis oil, a non-smoking product of marijuana with low doses of THC, the component that causes a high. Only those with intractable epilepsy will be eligible to use the drug, a type in which the patient does not respond to medication meant to alleviate seizures. 49Sheldon AdelsonChairman and CEO, Las Vegas Sands CorporationRepublican ActivistThis billionaire casino magnate bank rolled the opposition to Florida's Amendment 2 which would have legalized medical marijuana in the state. A super majority of 60% was required for passage and Adelson's financial support led to the Amendment's defeat by a narrow margin. 50John MorganAttorney, FloridaDemocratic ActivistLed the charge 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.