The Council of State Governments (CSG) is excited to welcome its newest affiliated organization, Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA). Established in August 2020, the founding CANNRA members include the principal state cannabis regulators from states and the District of Columbia.
“We are thrilled to join CSG as an affiliated organization and look forward to working with their staff and nationwide membership of public officials on the innovative and constantly evolving issues surrounding cannabis policy,” said Norman Birenbaum, CANNRA president and director of cannabis programs for the state of New York.
CANNRA is not a cannabis advocacy group and takes no formal position for or against cannabis legalization. Rather, it seeks to provide government jurisdictions with unbiased information to help make informed decisions when considering whether or how to legalize or expand regulated cannabis. The organization’s mission is to identify and share best practices that safeguard public health and safety and promote regulatory certainty for industry participants. CANNRA works with a wide community of regulatory offices, public health officials, law enforcement agencies, research institutions and other supporting regulatory partners.
“The citizens and legislatures of many states have chosen, to varying degrees, to legalize and decriminalize the use of marijuana in recent years. We expect more states will follow in the years ahead,” said David Adkins, CSG executive director/CEO. “It has been left to the states to regulate a product and industry that is still not sanctioned by federal law. State regulators have worked to implement these new laws in a way that protects public safety and the health of their citizens.
“State officials also work to make sure taxes are levied and collected on legal transactions and that illegal activity is prosecuted. CSG is proud to partner with the cannabis regulators in the states to provide a forum for them to share information, cultivate collaborations and successfully carry out the laws of their states.”
CSG Affiliates are national organizations of state officials that facilitate the sharing of ideas and combining of efforts to accomplish mutual goals. CSG Affiliates contribute specialized expertise, information, resources and issues to the overall mission of CSG and, in turn, CSG offers a mechanism by which affiliates may tap into its products and services and provides a forum for bringing issues to a broader, collective state audience. CSG has 11 affiliated organizations serving unique constituencies of state officials.
For more information on CANNRA, please visit cann-ra.org. To learn more about CSG Affiliates, please visit csg.org/about/affiliates.
About The Council of State Governments:
Founded in 1933, The Council of State Governments is the nation’s only organization serving all three branches of state government. CSG is a region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy. This offers unparalleled regional, national and international opportunities to network, develop leaders, collaborate and create problem-solving partnerships. Learn more at csg.org.