SAFE dominates as cannabis lobbyists in the US spend more than $12m in Q1 2022

Spending on CBD- and cannabis-related lobbying in the US exceeded pre-pandemic numbers, with more than $12m spent during the first quarter of 2022 on issues such as efforts to support patient safety, legalisation, decriminalisation, and providing a proper framework for interstate commerce.

This included the expected insider groups and associations, which spent about $2m all told, but also a variety of outside major players, such as Amazon, the American Trucking Association, and the California Hospital Association.

These external entities spent about $10m on issues such as the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, Justice in Policing Act, and other cannabis reform efforts over the first three months.