The largest bipartisan coalition of cannabis advocacy, industry, and grassroots organizations, is set to descend on the US capital for a week of action to push the Trump administration to legalize cannabis.
It comes as the government continues its blitzkrieg of existing regulations, announcing this week that it will slash federal research funding leading to the potential defunding of over 500 ongoing cannabis studies.
From April 28 to May 1, 2025, The Cannabis Unity Coalition, which includes leading advocacy organizations like NORML, Drug Policy Alliance, Last Prisoner Project, and the National Cannabis Industry Association, will head to Washington DC for a week of lobbying efforts.
The week kicks off with a policy summit on April 28, followed by a congressional press conference and welcome ceremony at the US Capitol Visitor Center on April 29.
Then, on April 30, advocates will participate in Lobby Day, meeting with legislators to press for reform. The week concludes on May 1 with a demonstration outside the White House, calling for presidential clemency for those still incarcerated for cannabis-related crimes.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), newly elected co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, said: “It’s beyond time to legalize cannabis nationwide and expunge records for those incarcerated for cannabis-related offenses. I’m incredibly grateful for the partnership of the Cannabis Unity Coalition and look forward to working together to get this done.”
Meanwhile, the rapid government shakeup under the new administration threatens to severely impact the progress of cannabis reform in the country.
MJBiz Daily reports that the Trump administration’s decision to cut federal research funding is threatening 565 ongoing cannabis-related studies, potentially impacting the highly anticipated cannabis rescheduling process.
Earlier this month, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it would reduce indirect costs covered by federal grants to no more than 15%, stripping the much-needed funding for universities conducting cannabis research at a critical juncture for the industry.
Several universities have already sued to block the NIH cuts, forcing an indefinite pause on the policy. However, researchers fear that if the legal battle is lost, their work could grind to a halt.
The cuts are particularly concerning for cannabis research, which has already faced significant regulatory barriers for decades.
The impact of these cuts extends beyond academia. The $32 billion legal cannabis industry relies on federally funded research to counter negative claims, defend itself from lawsuits, and support policymaking. Without reliable scientific data, cannabis companies face a harder fight against accusations of harm from high-potency THC products and political efforts to reverse legalization.
