A Republican from Florida and former House of Representatives member Rob Curbelo has agreed to function as a senior advisor with the Cannabis Trade Federation. According to Curbelo working as a legislator with the non-profit cannabis industry advocacy group was crucial to his decision of joining the executive team.
Curbelo said that when he was a congressman, he was working hand in hand with the Cannabis Trade Federation. He also said that he decided to join CTF’s team because he understands that they are the most effective cannabis industry lobby and that they have access to assets, skills, and experienced personnel necessary to spark a game-changing revolution at the federal level.
Curbelo worked for two terms in the House which represents the 26th congressional district of Florida, until when he lost his bid for re-election during the 2018 midterm votes to Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. When he was still a house representative, Curbelo was in favor of cannabis reform policy, including a failed measure to restrict cannabis companies with state permits from tax code section 280E, which restricts firm’s deductions popular in several organizations. He was also among the sponsors of the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment through Entrusting States (STATES) Act, which was meant to protect states with cannabis regulation from being interfered by the federal government.
According to Curbelo, his home state of Florida, 71 percent voted in favor of medical cannabis legalization, and voters in 33 states and D.C. have also decided to legalize the sales of cannabis in different ways. This is a states’ rights issue, and that’s why he decided to co-sponsor the STATES Act and why he consistently supported the goals of this legislation today.
According to the CEO of the Cannabis Trade Federation, Neal Levine, Curbelo was a vital advocate for cannabis reform when he was still a member of the Congress. Levine said that being a member of the Executive Team will give Curbelo the opportunity to talk about cannabis rights which will be very vital for the strategic growth of the organization.
Apart from Curbelo, there are other former House Republicans who have found themselves in the country’s nascent cannabis industry. One of them being Ohio Republican and former Speaker of the House John Boehner who is currently a member of the board of directors of cannabis firm Acreage Holdings. The firm, which started as High Street Capital Partners in 2014, was made public in Canada stock markets in 2018. Acreage Holdings currently holds a market capitalization of about $2.4 billion, which put the company among the biggest cannabis companies in the United States.
Additionally, Boehner has recently agreed to be a member of an industry trade group. At the beginning of the month, Boehner was named as the honorary chairman of the National Cannabis Roundtable, a group of advocates lobbying for marijuana policy reform. His role is to act as an adviser to the group and not serve as a registered lobbyist.
According to Boehner, the cannabis industry grows and matures, and it’s essential the people corporate for a valuable legal framework for cannabis policy.
