ACCM Launches Legislative Medical Cannabis Toolkit and Support Program
The American Council of Cannabis Medicine (ACCM) has unveiled a comprehensive Legislative Medical Cannabis Toolkit and a National Policymaker Support Program aimed at providing lawmakers with the necessary information and resources to develop responsible, patient-centered policies.
The toolkit, designed for federal, state, and local policymakers, addresses a wide range of issues including patient access, physician participation, whole-plant and whole-flower protections, insurance integration, industry standards, scientific research, small-business protections, and the role of state medical cannabis programs. It also explores critical issues as medical cannabis integrates more deeply into mainstream healthcare, such as continuity of care, physician education, insurance reimbursement, patient privacy, research access, and the potential impacts of federal scheduling changes.
“Medical cannabis policy is entering a pivotal era, and it’s crucial that legislators have reliable information from those who understand both patient care and the realities of the industry,” said Doug Benns, Executive Committee Chair of ACCM.
In addition to the toolkit, ACCM has launched a Legislative Response Team to offer legislative offices and government agencies policy briefings, proposed-bill reviews, committee preparation, background materials, stakeholder roundtables, technical assistance, and expert testimony. The team aims to provide policymakers with a broad range of informed voices, ensuring that decisions affecting millions of patients, caregivers, and families are well-informed.
ACCM can tailor its response teams to meet the specific needs of individual offices, committees, or agencies. Participants may include healthcare professionals, patient advocates, researchers, insurance experts, compliance specialists, technology providers, legal and regulatory professionals, dispensary operators, and representatives of medical cannabis businesses of all sizes.
The toolkit highlights the Next Frontier Platform, which facilitates connectivity among patients, dispensaries, and the insurance industry. It explains how the platform ensures safe and effective access to medical cannabis.
A central focus of the initiative is to ensure that future reforms advance research and innovation without eliminating whole-plant or whole-flower options, disrupting state medical programs, or creating compliance structures that exclude smaller organizations. ACCM supports policies that allow qualified healthcare professionals to discuss medical cannabis openly and responsibly with patients.
“Consistent standards will be essential to protecting patients and building public confidence as medical cannabis becomes more integrated with mainstream medicine,” said Priscilla Agoncillo, ACCM Standards Committee Chair.
Legislative offices can request the toolkit, schedule briefings, obtain expert testimony, organize stakeholder discussions, and receive assistance in reviewing legislation and regulatory proposals by contacting ACCM.
Founded in 2016, ACCM represents medical cannabis retailers, producers, healthcare professionals, researchers, insurers, patient advocates, and wellness providers. The organization works to expand safe, effective, and equitable access through policy advancement, physician engagement, and patient advocacy.