Marijuana Policy Project
A United States nonprofit advocacy organization focused exclusively on reforming marijuana laws and policy.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is a United States nonprofit advocacy organization devoted to changing marijuana policy through legislative lobbying, public education, grassroots organizing, communications, and ballot-measure campaigns. Its central policy position is that marijuana should be regulated and taxed in a manner broadly comparable to alcohol, rather than prohibited through criminal law. The organization also advocates honest and realistic public education about cannabis, non-coercive treatment for people experiencing problematic use, and harm-reduction-oriented approaches rather than punishment. MPP was incorporated in the District of Columbia on January 25, 1995, by Rob Kampia, Michael Kirshner, and Chuck Thomas. The founders had previously worked with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and created MPP after disagreements about organizational strategy and internal reform. From its beginning, MPP emphasized professionalized state-level lobbying and voter-facing campaigns intended to produce concrete changes in law. Its work has covered medical marijuana, decriminalization, adult-use legalization, expungement and sentencing reform, and the design of regulated cannabis systems. The organization operates through separate legal entities serving lobbying and public-education functions. This structure allows its education arm to receive tax-deductible contributions while restricting its direct political activity, while the lobbying entity can advocate for legislation and communicate with policymakers. MPP says it is funded by individual donors and members, with supporters located throughout the United States and in several other countries. Public descriptions of the organization have characterized it as one of the largest United States groups focused exclusively on marijuana-policy reform, based on staff, membership, and budget. MPP has worked both inside state legislatures and through direct democracy. Its state-policy activity contributed to medical-marijuana laws in Vermont, Rhode Island, Delaware, New Hampshire, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, among other jurisdictions. It has also supported decriminalization measures, including reforms in Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland, Illinois, New Hampshire, and Vermont. In Vermont, MPP participated in a long-running sequence of campaigns that helped establish medical access, add dispensaries, decriminalize possession, and later advance limited adult possession and home cultivation. The organization has supported or assisted ballot initiatives in states including Alaska, Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Arkansas, Florida, North Dakota, and Montana. In 2016, MPP supported adult-use legalization campaigns in several states and medical-marijuana campaigns in others; most of the measures it supported passed, although Arizona's Proposition 205 did not. MPP's approach generally combines model legislation, coalition building, polling and communications, testimony, lobbying, voter education, and campaign fundraising. Rob Kampia served as executive director from the organization's founding until December 2017. Matthew Schweich, who had joined MPP as director of state campaigns in 2015, then served as interim executive director. Steven W. Hawkins became executive director in August 2018 and stepped down in December 2021, when Toi Hutchinson was appointed president and chief executive officer. The organization remains active in efforts to replace criminal prohibition with regulated cannabis markets and to improve the implementation of existing medical and adult-use laws.
History
MPP was founded in Washington, D.C., on January 25, 1995, by Rob Kampia, Michael Kirshner, and Chuck Thomas. The three founders had been associated with NORML and left after an internal dispute over organizational change. They established MPP around a more focused model emphasizing professional lobbying, state legislative work, public education, and carefully designed ballot campaigns. During its early years, MPP concentrated on medical-marijuana protections and on building state-level political capacity. One of its earliest major successes came in Vermont, where a three-year lobbying effort helped produce a medical-marijuana law in 2004. Vermont's law was notable because it was enacted by the legislature rather than through a voter initiative. MPP later supported the creation of nonprofit dispensaries in Vermont, decriminalization legislation, and subsequent limited adult-use reforms. Rhode Island became another important part of MPP's history. In 2006, the Rhode Island legislature overrode the governor's veto of a medical-marijuana bill supported by MPP, making it the first state medical-marijuana law enacted over a governor's veto. In 2009, lawmakers again overrode a veto to establish regulated compassion centers. In 2012, MPP helped lead the effort to replace criminal penalties for possession of up to one ounce with a civil fine. The organization subsequently expanded its legislative work across the country. In Delaware, it supported medical-marijuana legislation in 2011 and decriminalization in 2015. In New Hampshire, MPP helped secure medical-marijuana legislation in 2013 and a later reduction in penalties for possession of small amounts. In Illinois, its long-running lobbying work contributed to a medical-marijuana law in 2013 and a possession-penalty reduction in 2016. Maryland adopted a series of patient protections, research provisions, medical-marijuana rules, and decriminalization reforms after years of advocacy involving MPP. Minnesota, New York, and Pennsylvania also enacted medical-marijuana laws with MPP participation or support. MPP's strategy has not been limited to legislatures. It has supported direct-democracy campaigns seeking to regulate adult-use cannabis like alcohol and campaigns establishing medical access. In Alaska, a measure backed by MPP passed in November 2014 and replaced prohibition with a regulated system. In 2016, the organization worked on a broad group of state campaigns. Measures concerning adult-use regulation appeared in Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, and California, while medical-marijuana measures were considered in Arkansas, Florida, and North Dakota; Montana voters considered an amendment to its existing medical system. Most of the supported measures passed, although Arizona's adult-use measure failed. Organizationally, MPP maintains separate lobbying and public-education entities. The distinction reflects United States tax and campaign-law requirements: the education entity can accept tax-deductible donations but cannot directly intervene in political campaigns, while the lobbying entity can advocate before lawmakers and support political policy campaigns within applicable legal limits. MPP has described itself as funded by individual contributions and supported by members in all U.S. states as well as several foreign countries. Kampia led MPP as executive director from 1995 through December 2017. Matthew Schweich served as interim executive director until August 2018, when Steven W. Hawkins was appointed. Hawkins left the role in December 2021, and Toi Hutchinson became president and CEO. Across these leadership periods, MPP has continued to frame cannabis reform as a public-policy, civil-rights, public-health, and regulatory issue rather than solely as a commercial industry matter.
- 2021
Toi Hutchinson became president and CEO
[1]Toi Hutchinson was appointed president and chief executive officer after Hawkins stepped down.
- 2018
Steven W. Hawkins became executive director
[1]MPP named Steven W. Hawkins executive director in August.
- 2017
Matthew Schweich became interim executive director
[1]Rob Kampia's tenure as executive director ended in December, after which Matthew Schweich served on an interim basis.
- 2016
Pennsylvania and Ohio adopted medical-marijuana laws
[1]Pennsylvania enacted a broad medical-marijuana law with MPP support, and Ohio enacted House Bill 523 following an MPP-supported initiative campaign.
- 2014
Medical-marijuana and decriminalization victories
[1]Maryland, Minnesota, and New York enacted medical-marijuana laws or major reforms with MPP participation, while Maryland and the District of Columbia also reduced criminal penalties for possession.
- 2014
Alaska voters approved regulated adult-use marijuana
[1]An MPP-backed initiative passed in Alaska, making it the fourth state to replace marijuana prohibition with a regulated system.
- 2013
Medical-marijuana laws passed in New Hampshire and Illinois
[1]MPP-supported efforts contributed to medical-marijuana legislation in both states.
- 2011
Delaware and Vermont expanded medical-marijuana access
[1]Delaware enacted a medical-marijuana law after an MPP-led effort, while Vermont authorized additional nonprofit dispensaries.
- 2009
Rhode Island authorized regulated compassion centers
[1]Lawmakers overrode another veto to create regulated nonprofit facilities providing medical marijuana to qualified patients.
- 2006
Rhode Island enacted a medical-marijuana law over a veto
[1]The Rhode Island legislature overrode the governor's veto of an MPP-supported bill protecting medical-marijuana patients from arrest.
Products and positioning
A specialist, policy-focused nonprofit positioned as a leading United States advocate for replacing marijuana prohibition with regulated, taxed, evidence-informed, and harm-reduction-oriented policy.
Policy advocacy
Model marijuana legislation
MPP develops and promotes legislative concepts covering medical-marijuana access, adult-use regulation, decriminalization, patient protections, dispensary systems, cultivation, taxation, and implementation rules. Its model provisions are adapted for individual state political and legal contexts and are used in lobbying, coalition work, and public communications.
Ballot advocacy
State campaign programs
MPP supports state ballot initiatives and legislative campaigns through campaign strategy, coalition building, voter education, communications, fundraising, and policy drafting. Campaign objectives have included regulating marijuana like alcohol, establishing medical access, reducing criminal penalties, and improving existing cannabis laws.
Education and communications
Public education
The organization's education work promotes what it describes as honest and realistic information about marijuana policy and advocates non-coercive, harm-reduction-oriented responses to problematic use. It also communicates the legal, social, public-health, and regulatory consequences of prohibition.
Marketing campaigns
- 20162016 state ballot initiative support
Arizona · Maine · Massachusetts · Nevada · California · Arkansas · Florida · North Dakota
MPP supported adult-use legalization campaigns in Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, and California, medical-marijuana campaigns in Arkansas, Florida, and North Dakota, and a reform measure in Montana.
Outcome. All supported measures passed except Arizona Proposition 205, according to the cited account.
- 2014Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska
Alaska
MPP backed the Alaska ballot campaign that sought to replace marijuana prohibition with a regulated adult-use market.
Outcome. Ballot Measure 2 passed in November 2014.
Brand decisions
2016
Supported Ohio ballot initiative while accepting legislative alternativeStrategyBackground
MPP funded and sought to qualify a proposed Ohio medical-marijuana initiative for the November 2016 ballot.
Action taken
After the Ohio legislature enacted House Bill 523, MPP supported the legislation while continuing to advocate for stronger implementation and improvements.
Aftermath
Ohio became the twenty-fifth state to adopt a workable medical-marijuana law in the account cited.
2014
Combined legislative lobbying with coalition advocacy in the District of ColumbiaStrategyBackground
The District of Columbia considered replacing criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana with a civil sanction.
Action taken
MPP worked with the Drug Policy Alliance and the American Civil Liberties Union on drafting, council meetings, working groups, testimony, and constituent advocacy.
Aftermath
The mayor signed legislation imposing a civil fine of $25 for possession of up to one ounce and limiting searches based solely on marijuana odor, subject to congressional review.
Recent events
- 2021
Toi Hutchinson appointed president and CEO[1]
Leadership change
Toi Hutchinson became MPP's president and chief executive officer after Steven W. Hawkins stepped down.
- 2016
Ohio enacted a medical-marijuana law after MPP-supported initiative campaign[1]
Product launch · Regulation
Ohio enacted House Bill 523 after an initiative campaign backed and funded by MPP helped create pressure for legislative action. The law authorized medical cannabis for qualifying patients and in-state cultivation and processing.
- 2016
MPP supported multiple marijuana ballot campaigns in 2016[1]
Campaign
MPP supported adult-use legalization campaigns in Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, and California, and assisted medical-marijuana campaigns in Arkansas, Florida, and North Dakota, as well as a reform measure in Montana.
- 2014
MPP-backed Alaska ballot measure ended state marijuana prohibition[1]
Other
A ballot initiative supported by MPP in Alaska was approved by voters, making Alaska the fourth state to replace marijuana prohibition with a regulated adult-use system.
- 2014
District of Columbia removed criminal penalties for possession of up to one ounce[1]
Regulation
MPP worked with the Drug Policy Alliance and the American Civil Liberties Union on legislation that replaced criminal penalties for possession of up to one ounce of marijuana in the District of Columbia with a civil fine.
- 2014
Maryland adopted medical-marijuana and decriminalization reforms[1]
Regulation
MPP supported Maryland legislation establishing a broader medical-marijuana framework and reducing penalties for possession of less than ten grams to a civil offense.
Sources2 sources
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