National Cannabis Roundtable

What National Cannabis Roundtable does

The National Cannabis Roundtable (NCR), now operating as the US Cannabis Roundtable (USCR), is the principal federal advocacy trade association for the US regulated cannabis industry. Formed in January 2025 through the merger of NCR and the US Cannabis Council, USCR is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit headquartered in Washington, DC, representing leading multi-state cannabis operators (Cresco Labs, Trulieve, Curaleaf, Green Thumb Industries, Verano Holdings, Ayr Wellness, MariMed), ancillary technology and service providers (Dutchie, METRC, Proper AI, Flowhub), and cannabis-focused law firms (Vicente Sederberg, Foley Hoag, Greenspoon Marder). Its members collectively operate approximately 12,837–13,000 retail dispensary locations across 38–40 legal cannabis states and represent a workforce of roughly 440,455 full-time-equivalent jobs in the state-licensed cannabis industry.

USCR's core offering is federal policy advocacy and political coordination rather than a product or technology platform. Its functional priorities are: (1) cannabis rescheduling from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, which would eliminate the Section 280E tax burden and unlock banking and capital-markets access for member companies; (2) passage of the SAFE Banking Act and expanded access to capital including US stock-exchange listings; (3) preservation of states' rights to set cannabis policy; and (4) criminal justice reform including expungement. The organization engages directly with Congress, the Trump Administration, the DEA, HHS, and other federal agencies, leveraging advisory staff that includes former members of Congress, Trump administration advisors, a former HHS Secretary (Kathleen Sebelius, Honorary Co-Chair), and a former U.S. Deputy Attorney General (Jim Cole).

The organization's revenue model is subscription/recurring membership dues paid on an annual basis by operators and ancillary businesses. Membership tiers and specific dues rates are not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is community-led and relationship-driven, relying on coalition-building rather than commercial sales. The organization is governed by a board chaired by Charlie Bachtell (CEO of Cresco Labs) with Kim Rivers (CEO of Trulieve) as Vice Chair, and is led operationally by CEO Saphira Galoob. There is no equity, funding, or venture structure; the organization is a membership-funded nonprofit.

Name

National Cannabis Roundtable

Legal name

National Cannabis Roundtable

Website

https://uscr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

US Cannabis Roundtable (formerly National Cannabis Roundtable) is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(4) trade association that advocates federal cannabis reform on behalf of leading multi-state operators, ancillary technology providers, and law firms across 38 US states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Revenue is generated through membership dues from cannabis operators, ancillary businesses, and advocacy organizations. Members include leading multi-state operators, single-state operators, retailers, and ancillary service providers who pay for representation and advocacy services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

National Cannabis Roundtable, now operating as the US Cannabis Roundtable (USCR) following the January 2025 merger with the US Cannabis Council, is a 501(c)(4) trade association and federal advocacy organization. It provides collective lobbying, policy advocacy, and industry representation services on behalf of licensed cannabis operators, ancillary service providers, and advocacy organizations. Its core work focuses on advancing federal cannabis rescheduling, SAFE Banking legislation, states' rights protections, and criminal justice reform.

Product overview

The National Cannabis Roundtable (NCR) / US Cannabis Roundtable (USCR) is an industry advocacy organization, not a product company. It does not offer technology products or services. The organization provides policy advocacy, lobbying, and industry representation services for the regulated cannabis industry, focusing on cannabis rescheduling, SAFE Banking legislation, states' rights, and criminal justice reform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• USCR Trade Association Membership
• Federal Policy Advocacy and Lobbying Services
• Cannabis Reclassification Public Petition Campaign

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $30 billion in regulated cannabis industry revenue benefiting from proposed reforms
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• National Cannabis Roundtable (NCR) and US Cannabis Council (USCC) MergerflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2025The National Cannabis Roundtable and US Cannabis Council combined to form the US Cannabis Roundtable in January 2025. This merger unified the two largest cannabis industry groups to create a singular leading authority representing the industry in Washington, DC. Charlie Bachtell, CEO of Cresco Labs, serves as Chairman of both legacy organizations and the new combined entity. The combined organization represents operators across 38 states and approximately 13,000 retail locations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Drug Policy Alliance (DPA): DPA is a leading US drug policy reform organization advocating for decriminalization, harm reduction, and criminal justice reform. It overlaps with USCR on cannabis-specific reform and criminal justice priorities, and is part of the broader coalition ecosystem.
• NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws): NORML is a long-standing cannabis policy advocacy organization focused on legalization, decriminalization, and consumer rights. While more consumer/advocate-oriented than USCR, it is a direct peer competing for the same federal reform narrative and member/funder attention.
• Marijuana Policy Project (MPP): MPP is one of the most influential US cannabis policy reform organizations, focused on state-level legalization campaigns and federal legislative change. It is a direct peer in cannabis policy advocacy and an alternative channel for member engagement.
• National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA): NCIA is the largest US trade association specifically for the cannabis industry, representing operators, ancillary businesses, and advocates. It is the most direct peer to USCR and historically the primary rival for legitimacy as the industry's national voice in Washington.
• Cannabis Trade Federation (CTF): CTF is a national cannabis industry trade association focused on federal policy reform, banking access, and standards. It is a direct competitor to USCR for member dues and policy influence in Washington, DC.
• Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA): MCBA is a US trade association focused on increasing participation of minorities and women in the regulated cannabis industry. It overlaps with USCR on social equity and policy advocacy and is a peer for member crossover among diverse operators.

Broad incumbents

• US Chamber of Commerce: The US Chamber of Commerce is the largest US business federation, with deep relationships across the Trump administration and Congress. It is a broad incumbent in trade association advocacy, frequently mobilizing on banking, tax, and regulatory issues relevant to USCR members.
• American Bankers Association (ABA): ABA is the principal US banking industry trade association and a key partner in the SAFE Banking Act coalition. It is a broad incumbent with shared federal legislative interests and overlapping member relationships with USCR's financial-services-facing operators.
• Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA): PhRMA is the principal US pharmaceutical industry trade association, with sophisticated federal advocacy on rescheduling-adjacent issues including DEA scheduling, FDA regulation, and research access. It is a broad incumbent USCR may increasingly partner with or model itself after as cannabis moves toward Schedule III.

Emerging players

• National Hemp Association: The National Hemp Association advocates for industrial hemp producers and processors, with overlapping federal policy interests (2018 Farm Bill, FDA regulation, banking access). It is an emerging peer in the broader cannabis-adjacent plant policy ecosystem that USCR is increasingly engaging with.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/USCRorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-cannabis-roundtable
• Facebookfacebook.com/FollowNCR

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Cannabis Roundtable