Advance 360 in collaboration with NJ Cannabis Insider will host a national webinar “Cannabis Reform 2020: America’s Growing Pains & Possibilities” on July 13, featuring heavyweights in the cannabis space to discuss national and regional cannabis policy.

Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, chair of the influential House Committee on Rules, will join us as the keynote speaker for this special virtual event. In his role as chairman, McGovern, a supporter of decriminalization and expanding access to medical cannabis, has ended the longstanding practice of blocking amendments examining our nation’s marijuana policies from being debated on the House Floor.

How have disruptions from the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing economic downturn affected the U.S. cannabis industry? What are the prospects of reforms for adult-use beyond medical applications, and how much can the industry do to implement socially responsible programs?

Along with the congressman, several industry power players will take part in the 90-minute panel discussions, they are:

Roz McCarthy is the founder and CEO of Minorities for Medical Marijuana. McCarthy, who was named on High Times 100 Most Influential People in the Cannabis Industry in 2018, is responsible for the day-to-day operations and is the chief strategist involved in developing advocacy, education, and marketing campaigns to promote awareness, information, and education about the efficacy of medical marijuana.

Leo Bridgewater was an Army specialist who served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and the national outreach director for Reine Media. Bridgewater has many roles in the cannabis space but he’s known primarily for his advocacy for veterans and cannabis reform including his work to pass legislation for additional recognition and coverage of medical treatment options.

Karen O’Keefe is the director of state policies for Marijuana Policy Project. O’Keefe manages’s MPP’s grassroots and direct lobbying efforts in many state legislatures. She has played a significant role in passing more than a dozen major cannabis policy reforms, including managing MPP’s state legislative department during the legalization campaigns in Vermont and Illinois.

Justin Zaremba, an NJ Cannabis Insider editor and a longtime news reporter for NJ.com, will moderate the discussion.

Audience members will be able to post questions in advance of the July 13 webinar, which starts 1 p.m. EST (10 a.m. PST). After the live event, attendees will have an opportunity to continue the discussion and network in a closed forum, moderated by journalists covering marijuana and hemp industries.

To reserve tickets, go to advance360.com/cannabis-insider-live.

NJ Cannabis Insider, a local sponsor, is a weekly subscriber-based trade journal produced by NJ Advance Media, which has also produced several live events.

As with its May event, featuring Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Cannabis Insider has has partnered with Advance Local sister media groups across the country, including Staten Island Advance, Advance Media New York, PennLive, LehighValleyLive, MassLive, MLive, Advance Ohio and Oregonian Media Group.

For more information, you may reach us via email here.