Cannabis and Hemp Association

What Cannabis and Hemp Association does

The Cannabis and Hemp Association (CHA) is a private, for-profit industry trade association founded in May 2014 and headquartered in New York. Its stated mission is to coordinate, organize, and mobilize a global community of cannabis and hemp stakeholders, though its documented operations to date are U.S.-state-focused (New York, California, Virginia) rather than globally distributed. The organization does not sell products or services and has no disclosed pricing model; its core output is policy advocacy, coalition coordination among licensed operators, and public-awareness campaigns aimed at distinguishing regulated cannabis commerce from illicit markets. Source materials describe CHA's technology footprint as "not applicable," reflecting that the entity is structured around legislative engagement and industry representation rather than product development or platform operations.

CHA's functional work centers on three documented state-level advocacy tracks: opposing a California Assembly bill that would cap THC in cannabis beverages at 10mg (a market generating $79M in annual sales where beverages exceeding 10mg THC represent over 93% of volume); supporting over 1,500 Virginia hemp small businesses and independent farmers facing a regulatory shift from a 25:1 CBD-to-THC ratio exemption to a 2mg THC cap affecting a $562M annual market; and coordinating five New York cannabis industry organizations that submitted seven policy recommendations to Governor Hochul, including state assumption of seed-to-sale tracking system costs. The association operates with 1-10 employees and routes all three efforts through direct legislative engagement, coalition building, and earned media.

Name

Cannabis and Hemp Association

Website

https://cannabisandhemp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Cannabis and Hemp Association is a New York-based industry trade association founded in 2014 that coordinates licensed cannabis and hemp operators across multiple U.S. states to advocate for favorable regulatory frameworks and oppose legislation threatening industry viability.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Cannabis and Hemp Association coordinates, organizes, and mobilizes a global community of licensed cannabis and hemp industry stakeholders to advocate for regulatory frameworks that preserve business viability and consumer safety. It delivers policy advocacy, coalition coordination, and public education on the regulated cannabis and hemp industries, with no commercial products or paid services offered directly to end consumers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legislative Advocacy and Lobbying Services Direct engagement with state legislators on behalf of licensed cannabis and hemp operators to influence pending regulatory and legislative outcomes, specifically targeting proposed THC caps and other market-shaping rules.
• Coalition Coordination and Policy Recommendation Development Coordination of multi-organization industry coalitions in states such as New York to develop unified policy recommendations, including requests that the state assume seed-to-sale tracking system costs and address leadership turnover at the Office of Cannabis Management.
• Public Awareness and Member Advocacy Campaigns Public-facing advocacy on behalf of Virginia hemp retailers, farmers, and Cannabis Small Business Association members, communicating the economic and operational impact of proposed legislation on small businesses and the regulated industry.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Licensed California Cannabis CompaniescoreOthersCoalition of licensed California cannabis companies and advocacy groups working together to oppose Assembly Member Jacqui Irwin's proposed bill that would cap THC in cannabis beverages at 10mg or less, arguing it would eliminate the current beverage category.
• Cannabis Small Business AssociationcoreOthersVirginia hemp retailers and farmers organized through the Cannabis Small Business Association, representing over 1,500 small businesses and independent farmers with an estimated $562 million annual market at stake, advocating for intervention in pending cannabis legislation.
• Five New York Cannabis OrganizationscoreOthersCoalition of five organizations representing New York's cannabis industry that sent a letter to Governor Hochul with seven policy recommendations to stabilize the state's legal marijuana market, including assuming costs of seed-to-sale tracking systems.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA): The largest US trade association for the legal cannabis industry, advocating on federal and state policy on behalf of licensed operators. Direct peer to the CHA in mission and constituency, though operating at a national rather than state-focused scope.
• Cannabis Trade Federation: A trade association representing cannabis operators, ancillary businesses, and advocates focused on federal policy reform including the SAFE Banking Act and rescheduling. Overlaps directly with CHA on policy advocacy for licensed cannabis businesses.
• Hemp Industries Association: Trade association representing hemp businesses and farmers, including CBD and hemp-derived product manufacturers. Directly comparable to CHA's hemp-focused advocacy on regulatory issues such as THC limits and farm bill-related rules.

Broad incumbents

• Drug Policy Alliance: Major national advocacy organization promoting drug policy reform including cannabis legalization. Comparable advocacy focus but broader drug policy scope rather than cannabis industry operator representation.
• Marijuana Policy Project (MPP): Major national policy organization working to advance cannabis legalization through state-level ballot initiatives and legislative campaigns. Comparable advocacy mission but broader national focus versus CHA's state-level operator representation.
• NORML: One of the oldest US cannabis policy reform organizations, focused on consumer-facing legalization advocacy. Differs from CHA in being primarily consumer-driven rather than representing licensed industry operators.

Emerging players

• Minority Cannabis Business Association: National membership association advocating for equity-owned cannabis businesses. Comparable mission of representing cannabis operators in policy settings but with a narrower equity-focused constituency.
• Cannabis Regulators of Color Coalition: Advocacy coalition focused on equity and inclusion in cannabis licensing and regulation. Shares policy advocacy orientation with CHA but emphasizes social equity rather than broad operator interests.

Regional players

• California Cannabis Industry Association: California state-level cannabis trade association. Directly comparable to CHA's California advocacy work, particularly the THC beverage cap opposition, though it is a regional rather than multi-state player.
• New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association: Regional trade association representing New York's licensed medical and adult-use cannabis operators. Comparable to CHA's New York-focused policy stabilization work but limited geographically to one state.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Cannabis and Hemp Association