Conversations on cannabis policy.

2025 Summit Agenda

Please see below for NCPS 2025 panel topics.

The final schedule and featured speakers will be listed in the coming weeks. 

8:45am
Doors Open - Welcome Coffee Reception

Join us for coffee and light bites before the Summit begins. Grow your network and reconnect with colleagues from industry, advocacy, medicine and beyond.

10:00am 

Summit Program Begins

Bipartisan Solutions to Federal Cannabis Policy Challenges

In recent years, voices on both ends of the political spectrum have urged a reassessment of cannabis policies in the United States. Numerous bipartisan pieces of legislation have been introduced at the federal level, including several that promise to remove cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act. Despite forward momentum, and with 90 percent of states having some form of cannabis decriminalization or legalization, none of these pieces of legislation have passed. Are the obstacles facing cannabis legalization based on political ideology, generational differences, or are there other factors in the divide? What are the most compelling arguments for legalization that appeal to elected officials on both sides of the aisle? As we approach the Midterms, how does messaging need to be amended or focused?

Home Rule Through the Lens of Cannabis Legalization

Washington, D.C. has long been at the center of the cannabis legalization debate, where local efforts to regulate adult-use cannabis are blocked by congressional oversight. Despite D.C. voters overwhelmingly voting for cannabis legalization in 2014, Congress continues to restrict the city’s ability to establish a commercial market through the Harris Rider. Recently introduced legislation threatens to further erode D.C.’s Home Rule, potentially rolling back local autonomy across multiple policy areas—including cannabis. How does congressional interference impact D.C.’s cannabis businesses and what are the broader implications for D.C.’s self-governance? What are potential pathways for full cannabis legalization in D.C.? Do DC’s Home Rule concerns foreshadow greater challenges to states rights on cannabis and beyond?

Challenges and Opportunities: Small Business Ecosystems in the Cannabis Marketplace

As federal cannabis policy changes, small businesses remain at the heart of the industry’s growth and innovation. With barriers for sustainable operation such as high taxation, limited access to capital, and regulatory burdens, the promise of an equitable industry remains largely out of reach. As small cannabis businesses and social equity applicants face mounting challenges in an increasingly consolidated market, what are the structural obstacles preventing small operators from thriving? With pushing for full descheduling, how will the small business ecosystem be impacted by interstate commerce, ? How are advocates leveraging strategies for policy reform?

Descheduling vs. Rescheduling: Why Language Matters

The distinction between rescheduling and descheduling cannabis carries significant legal, economic, and public health consequences. With the Biden administration’s push for rescheduling under review, what are the implications of the different policy approaches? How does descheduling vs. rescheduling impact tax policy reform (280E)? What are the criminal justice implications for the differing approaches and how do they influence the broader narrative surrounding cannabis legalization?

Balancing Taxation and the Illicit Market in Cannabis Policy

High cannabis taxes have fueled the persistence of illicit markets, undermining legalization efforts in many states. As elected officials and advocates grapple between supporting burgeoning regulated small businesses and avoiding returning to punitive punishments for cannabis in states where it has been decriminalized and in some cases legalized, many are left searching for solutions. How can taxation policies strike a balance between generating revenue and ensuring a competitive, legal market? How can policies be amended to support regulated business and incentivize unregulated retailers to enter the licensed market? Where can we find examples of successful tax models that support economic growth and consumer safety? 

The Era of New Prohibition: State-Level Attempts to Roll Back Hemp and Cannabis Policy Reform

Despite growing public support for cannabis legalization, several states are implementing new restrictions reminiscent of past prohibitionist policies. From THC caps, limits on hemp and  increased taxes to limitations on access points and penalties for minors, these measures threaten to undermine existing medical and adult-use programs. How are concerns about consumer safety and harm reduction influencing policy? Are rollbacks and the reintroduction of mandatory minimum sentences in some states breathing new life into drug war policies of a bygone era? What do these trends mean for broader drug policy, criminal justice reform, and the future of harm reduction?

5:00pm

Post-Summit Networking Party

Network with NCPS speakers, advocates, business leaders and cannabis community members at the Post-Summit Networking PArty. Enjoy a live DJ, drinks, appetizers and the chance to mix and mingle on the rooftop of the MLK Library. 

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