Exposing Pharma Strategies to Dominate the US Cannabis Market
- by Theresa Yarbrough, Georgia Cannabis Industry Alliance
Introduction
Federal rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) stands poised to be the most significant regulatory catalyst in the U.S. cannabis industry in 50 years. While much attention has been paid to the surge and correction in “pure play” cannabis equities and to state-legal operators awaiting tax and banking relief, comparatively less light has been shed on the multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical conglomerates—often referred to as “Big Pharma”—and their calculated maneuvers to control the next chapter of the cannabis market.