Cannabis advocates from across the political spectrum went down to Washington, DC to lobby Congress for federal cannabis reform by decriminalizing and descheduling marijuana.
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The Cannabis Unity Coalition led a mobilization to demand immediate federal action in support of cannabis decriminalization, prisoner release, record clearing, and the restoration of rights for those negatively impacted by cannabis prohibition.
Forty-four organizations have all united around the message Decriminalize Now.
The Cannabis Unity Coalition, along with Heady NJ, advocates for descheduling. That means the complete removal of marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, which would ensure both justice and prosperity.
“Rescheduling is progress. But it is not legalization, and it will not deliver the promises that President Trump, former President Biden, and the American people hope to see,” said Kat Murti, Executive Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), the lead convener of the coalition. “Cannabis is still not federally legal.”
She said nearly 3,000 Americans remain behind bars in federal prison for cannabis-related offenses, and there were close to 200,000 cannabis arrests last year alone.
“Cannabis reform is the most popular issue in American politics… It’s on Congress to pass a comprehensive legalization bill that centers on the release of cannabis prisoners who should no longer be incarcerated,” said Jason Ortiz, Director of Strategic Initiatives at LPP.
“LPP stands ready to work with the Cannabis Caucus co-chairs and the Cannabis Unity Coalition to pass a full descheduling…,” he added.
Decriminalizing and Descheduling Lobby Day on Capitol Hill
Cannabis advocates and lawmakers also coordinated with Cannabis Caucus Co-Chairs Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV), and Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN). They also met with the Members of Congress who represent them specifically.
The harms caused by over a century of cannabis prohibition remain deeply personal for many advocates.
“70% of people sentenced federally for cannabis possession are Hispanic/Latino,” said Jessica F. Gonzalez, President of the Latino Cannabis Alliance. “This is not a coincidence but a feature of our current system. Given that cannabis prohibition and immigration laws are both federal, Washington has fused them into a deportation pipeline. The Latino Cannabis Alliance stands with the Cannabis Unity Coalition because decriminalization is the floor, not the ceiling.”
Rescheduling Progress versus Full Legalization
On December 18, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) signed an executive order to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. The move was officially enacted by the Department of Justice (DOJ)on April 23, 2026. So the DOJ issued a final order immediately moving two categories into Schedule III. That includes federally approved drug products containing marijuana and state-legal medical marijuana.
However, this move leaves adult-use cannabis in states where cannabis has been legalized still federally illegal. Interstate commerce is still prohibited. The broader system remains fragmented, and state and federal law will continue to operate in tension.
So the Cannabis Unity Coalition is calling for Congress to finish the job.
“As a cannabis operator, I see firsthand how prohibition still shapes this industry and who it leaves behind,” said Tiana Woodruff of the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA). “Ending prohibition without expungement, clemency, and release is not reform,…”
“While the federal rescheduling order acknowledges the medicinal value of cannabis, moving state-licensed medical marijuana products to another category within prohibition is not the same as ending prohibition itself,” said Dasheeda Dawson, Board Chair of the Cannabis Regulators of Color Coalition (CRCC).
Those who couldn’t join in DC can join the movement online by contacting their federal representatives and asking them to Decriminalize Now.
The Cannabis Unity Coalition
The Cannabis Unity Coalition is the largest bipartisan coalition of cannabis justice advocates working to end federal cannabis prohibition and repair the harms of the War on Drugs. It has a broad array of advocacy groups that span the political spectrum and include:
- Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP)
- Last Prisoner Project (LPP)
- Drug Policy Alliance (DPA)
- National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)
- National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA)
- Marijuana Policy Project (MPP)
- Marijuana Justice
- Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA)
- The Latino Cannabis Alliance
- Cannabis Regulators of Color Coalition (CRCC)
- Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP)
- the National Hispanic Cannabis Council (NHCC),
- The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)
- Freedom Grow
- United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW)
- The Reason Foundation
- Parabola Center
- Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA)
- the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)
- the National Coalition for Drug Legalization (NCDL)
- Supernova Women
- Latinas in Cannabis
- Mission Green
- the Equity Trade Network
- Cannademix
- Buds for Vets, Free Hearts, Rights and Reason Project,
- Ágora Ciudadanos Cambiando México
- Balanced Veterans Network (BVN)
- Queen Mary Brands
- Beard Bros Media
- the Ladies of Liberty Alliance (LOLA),
- the Forgotten Prisoner, Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM)
- EcoCert
- Skagit Organics
- The Cannabis Alliance
- Fireside Project
- Freedom Brands
- Baked by the River
- Cannawarriors
- Cannabis Wise Guys
- Dope CFO.
