Cannabis Reform Group MMP Names Adam J. Smith Executive Director

[PRESS RELEASE] – WASHINGTON, July 15, 2025 – The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), the nation’s leading cannabis organization, announced that Adam J. Smith will join the organization as executive director. Smith, a 30-year veteran of the drug policy reform movement, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of advocacy successes that will further MPP’s mission of ending cannabis prohibition and advancing sensible regulations nationwide.

“Adam’s sharp insight, deep expertise and visionary leadership will catalyze MPP’s efforts to achieve transformative cannabis policy reforms at the local, state and federal levels and advance justice, public health and public safety,” MMP Board Chair Betty Aldworth said. “He has been engaged with cannabis policy reform efforts since before MPP’s founding in 1995, and he continues to forge an inclusive, responsive vision for patients, consumers and businesses.

“Lauren Daly provided exceptional leadership throughout this transition, and thanks to the strong foundation she built, Adam and MPP’s expert team are well-positioned to drive meaningful and lasting change.”

Smith’s extensive career in drug policy reform includes significant contributions to the movement. In 1996, as associate director of StopTheDrugWar.org, Smith launched The Week Online, the nation’s first publication providing original coverage of domestic and international drug policy from a reform perspective. Two years later, Smith launched the Higher Education Act Reform campaign, the first successful effort to roll back federal drug war era legislation. He also laid the groundwork for the founding of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, incubating the group under his direction for nearly two years until SSDP’s launch as a stand-alone organization. 

As the founder of the Craft Cannabis Alliance and the Alliance for Sensible Markets, Smith wrote legislation and spearheaded successful efforts to pass the nation’s first three cannabis interstate commerce bills in Oregon, California and Washington. Smith was also a founding contributor to the “Marijuana Today” and “Marijuana Tomorrow” podcasts, appearing in more than 250 episodes from 2015-2023. He has organized and lobbied on behalf of craft cannabis producers, managed ballot initiatives and candidate campaigns, negotiated collective bargaining agreements for Oregon nurses, and built and served in coalitions driving legislative action on issues ranging from labor rights to election reform.
    
“I’m honored and excited to join the dedicated team at MPP and to build upon the organization’s extraordinary legacy in advancing sensible cannabis policy,” Smith said. “The cannabis landscape has transformed dramatically over the past 30 years, thanks in large part to MPP’s leadership. Moving forward, we will continue fighting to ensure that no one, anywhere in the country, faces arrest or criminal penalties for cannabis use. At the same time, we’ll address the critical task of transforming emerging and existing markets into well-regulated, accessible and equitable systems.

“After nearly a century of failed prohibition, it’s clear that the only effective path forward is to offer consumers a safer, economically vibrant and environmentally responsible regulated marketplace. I’m deeply humbled to have the opportunity to lead the nation’s most impactful organization in cannabis policy reform.”

Lauren Daly, who has served as MPP’s interim executive director since January, will depart the organization this month as she relocates to Germany.

“It’s been a tremendous privilege to serve as MPP’s interim executive director. I’m proud of what we accomplished during my tenure and look forward to cheering Adam on as he steps into this role,” Daly said.

Since its founding in 1995, MPP has been at the forefront of the movement to reform federal cannabis policy on Capitol Hill and has spearheaded the vast majority of major state-level reforms over the past two decades. With Smith at the helm, MPP is poised to accelerate its efforts, building on its history of impactful advocacy to achieve a more rational and just approach to cannabis policy in the United States.