The mission of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) Foundation is to increase public support for and identify and activate supporters of non-punitive, non-coercive cannabis policies. The goal is to regulate cannabis like alcohol in all 50 states, D.C., and the five U.S. territories.
MPP Foundation History
Founded in 1996, the Marijuana Policy Project Foundation helps to support the efforts of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) by focusing on public education. MPP Foundation envisions a nation where cannabis is legally regulated similarly to alcohol, cannabis education is honest and realistic, and treatment for problem cannabis users is non-coercive and geared toward reducing harm.
When MPP Foundation was established as a 501(c)(3) entity, medical cannabis was illegal in every state, and favorable legislation had not been introduced in Congress in a decade. Now, adult-use cannabis is legal in 18 states and the District of Columbia, and medical cannabis is legal in 36 states and the District of Columbia. MPP Foundation played a central role in achieving each of these milestones through coalition building, grassroots activities, media outreach, and educational initiatives.
MPP Foundation’s first of many victories took place in 1997, when the American Medical Association’s House of Delegates voted to adopt a report that (1) recognized the existence of scientific research showing the medical value of cannabis, (2) recommended that doctors and patients should not be punished for discussing cannabis as a treatment option, and (3) urged the federal government to expedite medical cannabis research. MPP Foundation worked for months to influence the AMA by connecting with and gaining the backing of physicians and encouraging them to support and adopt these improvements to their platform. This relationship prospered through the years, leading to the AMA’s 2009 decision to rescind its previous support of classifying cannabis as a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law alongside LSD, PCP, and heroin.
In March 1999, the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued its landmark medical cannabis report, finding that “there are some limited circumstances in which we would recommend smoking marijuana for medical uses.” MPP Foundation worked with patient advocacy groups and coordinated the testimony of dozens of medical cannabis patients and researchers at IOM’s hearings in order to make this progress.
Along with MPP, MPP Foundation has been the leading organization behind changing most of the state cannabis laws over the past two decades. From guiding Hawaii through the process of passing our nation’s first medical cannabis law through a state legislature in 2000, to supporting currently ongoing campaigns to enact similar — and broader — laws, MPP Foundation has provided the most effective educational materials and unifying messages necessary to build broad support for these crucial reforms.
Connecting and collaborating with local coalitions has been a formula for success, and MPP Foundation has a proven track record of boosting community outreach efforts that lead to positive change nationwide. MPP Foundation partners with regional organizations to support successful campaigns that expand cannabis access for patients and consumers.
MPP Foundation has also been instrumental in putting cannabis reform on the agenda of the federal government. In May 2014, MPP Foundation played an instrumental role in pushing for the “Rohrabacher amendment,” which was designed to prohibit the Department of Justice from using funds to interfere with state medical cannabis laws. Since December 2014, the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment has prohibited the Justice Department from spending funds to interfere with the implementation of state medical marijuana laws. This amendment must be renewed each fiscal year in order to remain in effect and has been included in a series of spending bills. MPP Foundation continues to educate key stakeholders on the importance of this amendment.
Positive cannabis bills have been introduced in several consecutive Congresses, with the U.S. House debating and voting on our legislation. The U.S. House has voted twice to end the crackdown on medical cannabis, demonstrating bipartisan support for real federal cannabis policy change. Most recently, in December 2020, the House voted in favor of the MORE Act, which would end the federal prohibition of cannabis. There is now more momentum than ever for ending prohibition.
Over the course of our 26-year history, MPP and MPP Foundation have been the most consistent and effective leaders in the movement to end cannabis prohibition, working closely with citizens, organizations, and elected officials to establish new policies that are both compassionate and responsible. More than half of U.S. states now have regulated medical cannabis programs, and MPP Foundation continues to provide the resources and strategies that will bring positive change for patients, consumers, and communities across the country.
