
Steve Fox
Of Counsel
Massachusetts
J.D., Boston College Law School
B.A., Tufts University
Overview
Steve serves of counsel at Vicente Sederberg LLP, and he is co-founder and managing partner of the firm's policy and public affairs consulting affiliate, VS Strategies. He is one of the leading figures in the movement to create a legal, regulated marijuana market in the United States.
Steve co-founded the National Cannabis Industry Association, which now represents more than 2,000 cannabis businesses, and he is a strategic advisor to the Cannabis Trade Federation. He served as director of government relations and director of state campaigns for the Marijuana Policy Project from 2002-2005 and 2009-2013, respectively, during which time he lobbied Congress and guided numerous ballot initiative campaigns, including the Amendment 64 campaign in Colorado. He also guided a lobbying team through the Amendment 64 implementation process.
In 2005, Steve conceptualized and co-founded Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) in Colorado with the express purpose to educate the public about the fact that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and change voters' mindset. He is also co-author of "Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?", which is based on the strategy proven successful in Colorado.
Publications
Books
- Co-author, Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?, Chelsea Green Publishing, 2013
VS Insights
- Author, "Cannabis in the 2020 Election: All Eyes on the U.S. Senate," October 26, 2020
Events
- Speaker, Vicente Sederberg LLP, "Webinar: Post-election Opportunities in the Cannabis Industry,” Webinar, November 19, 2020
In the Media
- Marijuana Business Daily, "Biden to Tap Merrick Garland for Attorney General, Offering Stark Contrast to Anti-cannabis AGs under Trump," January 6, 2021
- Benzinga, "The Plant Continues to Win House Support as Representatives Vote on Medical Marijuana Research Act," December 10, 2020
- Marijuana Business Daily, "US House Passes Bill to Expedite, Expand Medical Cannabis Research," December 9, 2020
- Marijuana Business Daily, "US House Passes Historic Bill to Legalize Marijuana at Federal Level, but Senate Looms," December 4, 2020
- Marijuana Moment, "House Approves Federal Marijuana Legalization Bill in Historic Vote," December 4, 2020
- Cannabis Business Times, "2020 Election Results: What Comes Next for Cannabis?," December 4, 2020
- Cannabis Business Executive, "Results of the 2020 Elections," December 3, 2020
- Cannabis Business Times, "What’s next for the Five States That Legalized Cannabis in the 2020 Election?," November 18, 2020
- Cannabis Dispensary Magazine, "How U.S. House, Senate Results Could Influence Cannabis Legislation," November 11, 2020
- NJ.com, "Legal Weed Proponents Look to Congress after Voters in N.J., Other States Approve Ballot Questions," November 10, 2020