For the weed industry, NCIA is a new type of Washington player, in part because the group focuses on the commercial aspect of the marijuana trade. “We want to show a different face of the industry, the growing small-business, job-creating, entrepreneurial side of the industry,” says Michael Correia, the group’s in-house lobbyist. “A constant, recurring theme we hear from members of Congress is they think it’s great to have the industry represented by professional lobbyists, and they think the message on the banking issue and the tax issue is a lot easier for members to understand and support.”

Together with Correia, Podesta and NCIA’s other hired guns would hold some 50 meetings on Capitol Hill after signing on in the second half of 2015.

Read more: http://dujour.com/news/legal-marijuana-lobbying-washington-dc/