CANNABIZ LOBBYISTS BULLISH, DESPITE SENATE SETBACK

Horizontal color photo of White House and the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument in the distance at dusk in Washington DC from the viewpoint of Arlington Ridge Park on Thursday, July 4, 2019

On election night, the result many cannabis industry insiders wanted most was for the Democrats to retake the Senate. Unless they win two upcoming runoffs in Georgia, however, the Democrats fell short. Nonetheless, pot lobbyists remain largely bullish about what they can accomplish with the new Congress and Biden administration.
WeedWeek

• Notably, after the five state initiatives passed, some believe Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) may be more amenable to reform.
• Terry Holt, a spokesman for the National Cannabis Roundtable, a group associated with former Speaker of the House John Boehner (R), said the state elections demonstrate strong bipartisan support for reform. While federal legalization may not immediately be on the table, banking access could be doable.
• He said lobbyists are likely to focus on the economic benefits of reform, like tax revenue and job creation.
• “The national anthem isn’t playing anymore – the game has started and we’re at-bat,” he said.

Some insiders predicted the state ballot measures would galvanize support for federal reform.
WeedWeek

• Business Insider argued the Biden presidency will be good for the cannabis industry (paywall) and asked seven top industry execs (paywall) for their thoughts.

Quick Hit

1. Fox News suggested cannabis had kept the revelers mellow as they celebrated Joe Biden’s victory.
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