“If we don’t build real, sustained advocacy campaigns—the kind that mobilize voters, flood lawmakers’ inboxes and dominate local news cycles—we’ll keep losing ground.”
By Gretchen Gailey, Project Champion
The passage of SB 3 in Texas, banning the sale of nearly all hemp-derived cannabinoid products, is more than just another legislative setback—it’s a siren.
The cannabis and hemp industry has relied too much on quiet negotiations, lobbying behind the scenes and quiet discussions to safeguard their future. Policy memos and legal documents alone will not stop the political machine, which still views cannabis with a lens of stigma, fear and misinformation.
This was a blow in the face for those who have worked so hard to build this sector. But it wasn’t just a policy loss—it was a political failure. This should serve as an alarm. If we don’t build real, sustained advocacy campaigns—the kind that mobilize voters, flood lawmakers’ inboxes and dominate local news cycles—we’ll keep losing ground.
SB 3 did not appear out of the blue. The result is a coordinated campaign by anti-cannabis voices, law enforcement lobbyists and policymakers misinformed about the benefits of legal cannabis and hemp.
The Texas hemp industry—built by entrepreneurs, veterans, wellness advocates and working-class families—was caught flat-footed. Although lobbying was done, the bill still passed. Why? There wasn’t sufficient public pressure. No mass public mobilization. No specific campaigns. No credible election threat Quiet meetings held in quiet rooms.
It should. Cannabis industry players have seen it play out all over the nation. We also know that what works. In every state where legalization succeeded, it wasn’t lobbyists who got it across the finish line—it was the people. Voters in Colorado. Advocates in Michigan Missouri parents and children. These wins were possible because of grassroots pressure, public organizing and narrative shaping. We need to return to that playbook—and fast.
This brings us to Pennsylvania.
In this coming year, there is a good chance that the Commonwealth will legalize adult-use marijuana. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s (D) public endorsement of legalization is gaining momentum in the legislative. But make no mistake—this won’t be a slam dunk. There is still opposition, and there are competing interests that have already tried to influence the bill so as to exclude small business and legacy operators. If we treat this like another insider baseball game, we risk letting the moment slip away—or worse, watching a broken, exclusionary system get codified into law.
Pennsylvania is at the center of a national battle. The state is purple, with many veterans and union workers as well as a vibrant gray-market economy. The legalization of hemp in this state could be a template for other states, and influence the federal government.
The industry must show up. Not with just lobbyists and trade groups—with real people. Campaigns that place cannabis patients, growers and entrepreneurs at the center of attention. Media pressure, rallies, digital advertising and coalition-building that crosses ideological boundaries.
We cannot afford to lose another chance like in Texas. It’s not enough to just rely upon the same playbook which fails us when it’s most crucial. It’s not a fear mongering. This is a pattern.
In New York we’ve witnessed it, as implementation delays and chaos in enforcement have sabotaged equity goals. In California, legacy farmers have been drowned under taxation and regulation while the illegal market flourishes. We’re seeing it now in Texas, where a thriving hemp sector—one of the only accessible legal markets in the state—was dismantled in a single legislative session because the political groundwork wasn’t there.
Be clear, lobbyists do have a place. It is essential to translate complex policies into actions and negotiate language that will survive a vote. Lobbying does not replace public pressure.
The industries we’re up against—pharma, alcohol, law enforcement, prohibitionist nonprofits—understand this. The media campaign is funded by them. Public opinion is influenced by them. Town halls are a great way to get voters in. We need to play the same game—and play to win.
Cannabis and hemp industries need to act like movements instead of markets. The cannabis and hemp sectors need to think like movements, not markets. It means collaborating with civil rights groups, veterans’ organizations, patient advocates and even skeptical policymakers—not just to pass bills, but to change minds.
It was political. Undoing this war requires more than just policy changes. You can’t build political power without people, purpose, and pressure. Until we treat it that way—with real campaign infrastructure, voter education and organized grassroots power—we’ll keep losing ground even in states where we should be winning.
If your company is operating in hemp, cannabis or anywhere in between, your survival depends on political advocacy—not just policy engagement. SB 3 has shown us the consequences of the industry remaining in the darkness. Pennsylvania is a great opportunity to change the way we do things.
It’s closing fast. The window is closing.
Gretchen Gailey leads Project Champion. This collective is made up of former athletes that are advocating sensible reforms for hemp and cannabis. She has over 20 years experience as a journalist and communications strategist. Now she leads national campaigns on cannabis and other policy issues.
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