F. Aaron Smith, Executive Director

Prior to launching the nation’s first cannabis industry association, Aaron Smith distinguished himself as a public advocate for marijuana policy reform — first under the auspices of a California-based medical cannabis advocacy group, Safe Access Now, and more recently as the California state policy director for the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project. Aaron has successfully built coalitions with elected officials on both sides of the aisle in order to advance marijuana law reform legislation in the state capitol and among the voting public. Aaron’s opinion pieces have appeared in major newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times, and he has been a frequent commentator on national television news networks. Aaron is currently based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Steve Fox, Director of Public Affairs

Steve Fox is co-founder and chief lobbyist for the National Cannabis Industry Association. A long-time national leader in the marijuana policy field, Steve is uniquely qualified to serve as the cannabis industry’s advocate in Washington, DC. Steve is co-founder, former executive director, and current board member for SAFER – a non-profit dedicated to changing the image of cannabis in America. Additionally, Steve is co-author of Marijuana is Safer: So why are we driving people to drink?, a popular book about cannabis. Steve holds a law degree from Boston College Law School and is member of the Massachusetts Bar.