Cannabis Industry Has No Idea How DC Actually Works — Why Rescheduling Is Delayed | Gretchen Gailey

$160 million spent on Florida. Couldn't raise $20K for two days with Congress. The cannabis industry has no idea how power works in Washington — and it's why nothing changes. Gretchen Gailey spent 20+ years on Capitol Hill. She's seen every mistake: fly-ins that get forgotten, money thrown at politicians who don't care, an industry built by radicals now terrified of playing offense. Her solution? Stab them in the back, push them down the stairs, and make sure everyone knows cannabis did it. This episode breaks down why cannabis is popular but not important, how she got a small operator her license in 48 hours by putting a camera in Cory Booker's face, and why the industry keeps lobbying for carve-outs when there's no federal foundation. If you're wondering why DC ignores cannabis — this is the answer. This week we sit down with Gretchen Gailey: ● Stab them in the back politics ● Curtains before basement problem ● Project Champion playbook Timestamps: 00:00 — Why cannabis has no power in Washington 02:35 — Radicals who became scared of DC 09:50 — "Picking out curtains before building a basement" 15:50 — States Act and interstate commerce path 27:58 — Why $160M in Florida was the wrong bet 30:10 — Trump's executive order: what's stalling it 38:00 — Project Champion: $20K Congress wouldn't fund 47:10 — Cory Booker and the 48-hour license 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/