Leah Harris

Marijuana Policy Project is a U.S-based organization focused solely on ending marijuana prohibition. Its aim is to change federal law to allow states to determine their own marijuana policies without federal interference, as well as to regulate marijuana like alcohol in all 50 states, D.C., and the five territories. Marijuana Policy Project hasbeen responsible for changing most of the state marijuana laws that have been reformed since 2000, including the legalization of marijuana in Colorado in November 2012 and in Alaska in 2014.The organization is composed of three separate organizations that include the main branch that deals with lobbying and ballot initiatives, the tax-deductible educational branch, and a branch that donates to congressional candidates. In addition, Marijuana Policy Project has state committees in the states where it is running ballot initiatives; these state committees are formed and closed every few years. For the three aforementioned core organizations, the annual budgets are usually 3,000,000 U.S. dollars, 2,000,000 U.S. dollars, and 100,000 U.S. dollars, respectively.Marijuana Policy Project typically has approximately 30 employees, two-thirds of whom are based in its headquarters in Washington, D.C. and this includes two full-time lobbyists on Capitol Hill. In addition, the organization usually has lobbyists on retainer in six or seven state capitals. It was founded in 2012.