Recently, John Boehner joined the board of a marijuana company. While Boehner is not a consumer of cannabis, he has become an unlikely ally for reform advocates. In addition to his recent board membership, the former House Speaker also serves on the board of Reynolds American, the company that produces cigarette brands like Marlboro. While not a cannabis consumer, he is a former tobacco industry lobbyist who has accumulated several board seats and likely earns seven-figure retirement income.
Two of the companies that have been successful in bringing legal weed to consumers and patients have recently announced that they are recruiting former members of Congress to serve on their boards. Former House Speaker John Boehner is joining the board of Acreage Holdings, a multi-state cannabis corporation that has licenses in 11 U.S. states. Acreage has the largest footprint of any legal weed company in the country. Boehner and Bill Weld have both advocated loosening federal marijuana regulations.
Acreage Holdings is a marijuana company founded by former House Speaker John Boehner. The company aims to normalize the industry, while providing legal products for consumers. The company’s board also includes former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld. The two have helped shape the political course of this country for decades, but they now have a unique perspective on a rapidly-growing industry.
As a member of the Board of Directors of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, Boehner is attempting to avoid the pitfalls of a legalized marijuana company. Boehner’s position is not surprising given his ties auto flower white widow to Big Tobacco and the cannabis industry. But he does not seem to worry about the lack of research on the drug. While he might be worried about the risks of legalization, he seems to be optimistic.
While Boehner has always opposed legalizing marijuana, he changed his tune after seeing a friend get relief from back pain with cannabis. While his past opposition to legalization is unlikely to be reversed, he believes the drug can help people deal with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is important to note that marijuana prohibitions remain a hindrance to research, and he doesn’t want to become a part of this.
As the former speaker of the US House of Representatives, John Boehner once opposed marijuana legalization. However, he’s changed his mind about marijuana and has joined the board of directors of index cannabis company Acreage Holdings. The company currently grows marijuana in eleven states and has received approval from the DEA, and the former House Speaker was even part of an SXSW keynote.
Acreage Holdings recently announced plans to merge with Canopy Growth, the world’s largest cannabis company. The deal is expected to create an organization worth $18 billion, with each man earning up to $20 million from the sale. However, the deal is not yet final. Both Weld and Boehner admitted their past use of marijuana. They later tweeted that their views have evolved and that the deal was not about the political implications, but a chance to become rich from cannabis.
The decision by John Boehner to join the company has implications for state and federal policy. While the Tenth Amendment allows for state-level legalization of cannabis, federal policies remain unfavorable. Despite this, federal law still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance. It’s unclear what changes will result from such a change. In fact, Boehner recently admitted that marijuana removal from the federal list isn’t the top priority.