Gretchen Gailey: Cannabis Industry Has No Idea How DC Works, Why Rescheduling Is Delayed

Politics is a dirty business. Sometimes being feared is the influence you need because access is not the problem. Politicians say "we'll take care of this." Gretchen Gailey has a different approach: stab them in the back, push them down the stairs, and take credit for the fall. It's time to put fear behind cannabis. She spent 20 years on Capitol Hill. She's watched cannabis show up once a year for fly-ins, throw money at the wrong politicians, and wonder why nothing changes. This episode breaks down why incrementalism is the only path, why banking matters more than you think, and why the industry needs to stop picking out curtains when it hasn't built a basement. This week we sit down with Gretchen Gailey: Stab them in the back politics Curtains before basement problem Project Champion playbook   Timestamps: 00:00 - The industry's fundamental misunderstanding about Washington politics 02:35 - Challenges with incrementalism versus desire for rapid change 04:47 - Supporting pro-cannabis politicians like Cynthia Loomis 06:45 - The role of education and public awareness campaigns 10:06 - Building a basic regulatory foundation: banking, safe products, and rescheduling 13:23 - The limitations of state-led models and the need for federal coordination 15:50 - The importance of transparency and federal standards for consumer safety 18:43 - The influence of political operatives and the importance of direct advocacy 22:51 - Using industry tools and data to inform policy and educate policymakers 26:15 - The significance of Congressional engagement and how to make cannabis an urgent issue 30:10 - The importance of political will and executive orders in advancing reform 34:40 - The disconnects within Washington and how industry can better influence policy 37:19 - Opportunities in leveraging symbolism like Veterans issues and Congressional events 41:14 - The disconnect between access and influence, and how to effectively make the case 44:40 - The necessity of creative strategies, public pressure, and celebrity involvement 50:21 - Successful stories: case of Cory Booker and the impact of direct constituent advocacy 52:16 - Final thoughts: how to stay engaged and educate the industry and policymakers Summary:  In this episode, Gretchen Gailey shares over 20 years of experience navigating Washington's complex cannabis legislation. We explore how industry players can effectively engage with policymakers, the importance of foundational regulations, and strategies to accelerate federal progress on cannabis reform. Guest Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchengailey https://projectchampion.org/ https://x.com/GretchenGailey Our Links Bryan Fields on Twitter Kellan Finney on Twitter The Dime on Twitter Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights. At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry. The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast  The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished. 🎥 YouTube:  The Dime 📸 Instagram:  The Dime https://www.newton-insights.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.