Dennis Peron’s vision of legalization will be complete only when the legal cannabis marketplace works for everyone without narcs and illicit alternative marketplaces. This effort continues in the California State Legislature and in the news media and in industry forums across the state and at the federal level.
Cannabis users would still be hiding from authority to this day but for the wisdom and sacrifice of some remarkable people who are mentioned in this brief history of Activism and Advocacy going back to 1964.
Current Advocacy
1. It is 2025 and we have a new President. We call your attention to and support for the “Evidence-Based Drug Policy Act” which will repeal the ridiculous law against the federal government researching and advocating for the legalization of Schedule I controlled substances such as cannabis. Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN)’s Act would repeal section 704(b)(12) of the ONDCP Reauthorization Act.
“They’re not allowed to sponsor any research on Schedule I drugs. They can’t even talk about it, to show you how ridiculous is,” she said. “And by law, they have to actively oppose the legalization of any substance that is Schedule I and not approved by the FDA. We’re trying to remove that prohibition.”
Marijuana legalization “is not some out-of-nowhere kind of issue. This is something that is truly mainstream,” Titus said. “So if we can get rid of that policy, we can begin to do research on some of the advantages, or how marijuana can be used and what are the medical implications so when they say, ‘Oh, we don’t know—we don’t know what it’ll do, it might be dangerous’—you can counter that with good research.”
Please contact your representative to Congress to urge them to support this important legislation.
2. June 30, 2025 — Urgent Federal Legislative Alert! — Medical Cannabis for Veterans.
Members of the House of Representatives have approved key military budget legislation containing an amendment introduced by Congressional Cannabis Caucus co-chairs David Joyce (R-OH) and Brian Mast (R-FL) allowing VA doctors to recommend medical cannabis to their patients in states where it is legal, and we need your help to convince the Senate to do the same.
Approximately one in ten military veterans acknowledge using cannabis and nearly half of them say that they do so for therapeutic purposes, such as mitigating chronic pain and symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Reducing their barriers to participation in state-legal medical marijuana programs will improve veterans’ lives and ensure that these patients are securing lab-tested cannabis products from state-licensed facilities rather than from the unregulated market.
Our veterans shouldn’t have to suffer unnecessary roadblocks to effective treatment. Our colleagues at NORML have done some great work on this issue (They have been medical champions for over a half a century!) and we are 100% on the same page. Please use this pre-written letter to tell your Senators to include this provision in Veterans Affairs budget legislation.
July 6, 2025 UPDATE: “House-approved VA budget bill ends restrictions on doctors from discussing medical marijuana with veterans.” Really excellent article from Stars & Stripes promoting this important legislation as it proceeds to the US Senate.
3. August, 2025 UPDATE: “Trump says he expects decision soon on reclassifying marijuana for pain, other ailments.” Another great article from our friends at Stars & Stripes.
Older Stuff…
A big Thank You to all who came to our benefit party on April 27, 2019 in Oakland. It was great to meet the folks from Sweet Leaf Collective and many others working to pass SB 34, the Dennis Peron & Brownie Mary Act. (Invitation is below.) Update: The bill passed and was signed into law by Gov. Newsom. It has become a integral part of the industry as I write this in 2025.
Previous efforts at the Federal Level:
Support the Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act
May 9, 2019: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Majority Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries introduced introduced S. 1552 / HR 2843 the Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act, to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and to provide funding for the expungement of criminal records for those with past marijuana convictions.
According to national polling data compiled by the Center for American Progress 68% of registered voters “support the legalization of marijuana,” and 73% support expunging the records of those previously convicted of marijuana-related offenses. The is the highest level of support for legalization ever reported in a nationwide, scientific poll.
Click here to write to urge your federal elected representative to support the Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and new House lead sponsor Representative Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) announce the reintroduction of the Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act, legislation that would remove cannabis from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act, effectively implementing decriminalization at the federal level. Schumer first introduced this legislation last year.