Hemp & Cannabis IntelligenceAug 10, 2026Live Terminal

Terracotta

The Daily Hemp Desk

Cannabis vs Hemp

Political spending behind the rules, split by industry — because cannabis (rec/med) and hemp are different, often opposing, camps.

Hemp and cannabis are not the same fight. Hemp (0.3% / intoxicating-hemp — the gray market being restricted) and cannabis (state-licensed recreational/medical marijuana) are distinct industries, often opposed: the licensed marijuana MSOs frequently bankroll efforts to cap or ban hemp competition. This tracker keeps them apart — of the flows below, 29 are cannabis-industry money and 0 hemp-industry.

Money by industry

30 rows
IndustryFromToAmountPurpose
CannabisTrulieve Cannabis Corp.Smart & Safe Florida (Amendment 3 ballot committee)$141,900,000Fund the campaign to pass FL Amendment 3 legalizing adult-use recreational marijuana…
CannabisKen Griffin (Citadel CEO / hedge fund billionaire)Keep Florida Clean (a.k.a. Vote No on 3) — anti-Amendment 3 committee$12,000,000Defeat FL Amendment 3; Griffin called it 'a terrible plan.' Largest single funder of the…
CannabisVerano Holdings Corp.Smart & Safe Florida (Amendment 3 ballot committee)$3,500,000Support passage of FL Amendment 3 adult-use legalization.
CannabisCannabis industry (aggregate: Trulieve, Curaleaf, GTI, Verano, Cresco and interest groups)Federal lobbyists & consultants (Brian Ballard, Bryan Lanza, Daniel McFaul / ex-Gaetz staff, etc.)$3,200,000Retain Trump-linked lobbyists to press for marijuana rescheduling (Schedule I → III) via…
CannabisCuraleafSmart & Safe Florida (Amendment 3 ballot committee)$3,000,000Support passage of FL Amendment 3 adult-use legalization.
CannabisMarijuana Policy Project (MPP)Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (Ohio Issue 2 ballot committee)$2,520,000Top donor to the campaign that passed Ohio Issue 2 (2023) legalizing adult-use marijuana;…
OtherAmerican Rights and Reform PAC (cannabis-industry super PAC)Make America Great Again Inc. (MAGA Inc.)$1,050,000Second round of contributions to Trump's super PAC, bringing the PAC's total to MAGA Inc.…
CannabisVerano Holdings Corp.American Rights and Reform PAC (cannabis super PAC that funded MAGA Inc.)$1,037,500Largest single MSO funder of the pro-Trump cannabis PAC that channeled $2.05M to MAGA…
CannabisAmerican Rights and Reform PAC (cannabis-industry super PAC; treasurer Matt Harrell, Curaleaf VP of gov't affairs)Make America Great Again Inc. (MAGA Inc. — Trump's primary super PAC)$1,000,000First of two large donations to Trump's super PAC by the MSO-funded PAC, ahead of Trump's…
CannabisGreen Thumb Industries (GTI)American Rights and Reform PAC$1,000,000MSO funding of the pro-Trump cannabis PAC backing federal rescheduling.
CannabisCresco LabsAmerican Rights and Reform PAC$750,000MSO funding of the pro-Trump cannabis PAC backing federal rescheduling.
CannabisTrulieve Cannabis Corp.Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee$750,000Direct contributions to Trump's 2025 inaugural committee; part of cannabis industry…
CannabisCuraleafAmerican Rights and Reform PAC$750,000MSO funding of the pro-Trump cannabis PAC backing federal rescheduling.
CannabisAYR WellnessSmart & Safe Florida (Amendment 3 ballot committee)$510,000Support passage of FL Amendment 3 adult-use legalization.
CannabisGreen Thumb Industries (GTI)Smart & Safe Florida (Amendment 3 ballot committee)$500,000Support passage of FL Amendment 3 adult-use legalization.
CannabisCresco LabsSmart & Safe Florida (Amendment 3 ballot committee)$403,236Support passage of FL Amendment 3 adult-use legalization.
CannabisAmerican Rights and Reform PAC (funded by GTI, Verano, Curaleaf, Cresco, Trulieve, USCC)X Strategies LLC (Alex Bruesewitz's firm; Bruesewitz is a Trump ally/strategist)$300,000Strategic-communications/pro-rescheduling advocacy payment; paid ~2 weeks before…
CannabisCuraleaf (via U.S. Cannabis Council / USCC)Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee$250,000Contribution to Trump's inaugural committee routed through the USCC industry association.…
CannabisTrulieve Cannabis Corp.American Rights and Reform PAC$250,000MSO funding of the pro-Trump cannabis PAC backing federal rescheduling.
CannabisFarmaceuticalRX LLC (Columbus, OH cannabis operator)Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (Ohio Issue 2)$250,000Largest single industry-operator contribution to the Ohio Issue 2 legalization campaign.
CannabisINSASmart & Safe Florida (Amendment 3 ballot committee)$244,000Support passage of FL Amendment 3 adult-use legalization.
CannabisTrulieve Cannabis Corp.Pennsylvania lawmakers / legislature (lobbying)$210,000Top cannabis lobbying spender in PA in 2024, pushing to legalize an adult-use market.…
CannabisCuraleafCoalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (Ohio Issue 2)$200,000MSO contribution to pass Ohio Issue 2 adult-use legalization.
CannabisPennsylvania Cannabis Coalition (industry trade group)Pennsylvania lawmakers / legislature (lobbying)$171,720Trade-association lobbying for PA adult-use legalization.
CannabisTrulieve Cannabis Corp.Conservative Fighter PAC$50,000Contribution to a pro-Trump/GOP PAC amid the rescheduling lobbying push; Trulieve CEO Kim…
CannabisBenjamin Kovler (CEO/founder, Green Thumb Industries)PA lawmakers: Gov. Josh Shapiro ($25,000), House Majority Leader Matt Bradford ($10,000), Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward ($10,000)$45,000Executive personal campaign donations to top PA lawmakers amid the adult-use legalization…
CannabisPure Ohio Wellness (Springfield, OH operator) and its ownerCoalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (Ohio Issue 2)$26,000Local operator contribution to pass Ohio Issue 2.
CannabisCertified Cultivators Corp. (Dayton, OH operator)Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (Ohio Issue 2)$25,000Local operator contribution to pass Ohio Issue 2.
CannabisAnthony Georgiadis (President, Green Thumb Industries)PA lawmakers: Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman ($10,000) and State Sen. Dan Laughlin ($10,000)$20,000Executive personal campaign donations to key PA senators amid the adult-use legalization…
CannabisRon DeSantis-aligned committee (Florida Freedom Fund, established by Gov. Ron DeSantis)Anti-Amendment 3 opposition effort (Florida Freedom Fund itself)DeSantis-led effort to defeat Amendment 3 (which he called 'very, very extreme').…