Trump Taps Marijuana Industry ‘Visionary’

President Donald Trump has appointed the founder of a chain of marijuana
dispensaries to serve as his administration’s new special envoy to the
Republic of Iraq.

Mark Savaya, who founded the Leaf & Bud cannabis company in Michigan, does
not appear to have any prior government experience.

“Mark’s deep understanding of the Iraq-U.S. relationship, and his
connections in the region, will help advance the interests of the American
people,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday. “Mark was a key
player in my campaign in Michigan, where he, and others, helped secure a
record vote with Muslim Americans.”

Savaya’s cannabis business caused controversy with its aggressive billboard
advertising strategy, reportedly prompting the Detroit City Council to pass
restrictions on such marketing tactics.

Some Leaf & Bud ads promoted a line of products called the “Mark Savaya
Collection,” though most mentions of Savaya appear to have been removed
from the company’s website, according to The Independent.

“Reviews mentioning Savaya were still visible on the site as of Sunday,
including one noting that a picture of Savaya shaking Rudy Giuliani’s hand
was present in one store location,” the outlet reported.

The company’s website previously described Savaya as “the visionary behind
Leaf and Bud,” but that was removed sometime after August, when the page
was last archived by the Wayback Machine.

“With a passion for horticulture and a deep understanding of the cannabis
industry, Savaya has established Leaf and Bud as a leader in the field,”
the site had said. “His brand-label cannabis, called the Mark Savaya
Collection, features a hybrid strain that’s exclusively available at Leaf
and Bud, a growing chain of centers offering medical and recreational
cannabis in the Michigan area. Products include edibles, concentrates,
topicals, oils, and more.”

“Through innovative cultivation techniques and state-of-the-art technology,
Leaf and Bud produces high-quality cannabis products,” it said. “Savaya’s
commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility is reflected
in the company’s energy-efficient operations,”

Some ads from Savaya’s company that had caused local controversy reportedly
said, “Come get it. Free Weed.”

Savaya has regularly posted photos on Instagram of himself with Trump and
other administration figures. That includes Attorney General Pam Bondi, who
would oversee any action on the marijuana rescheduling proposal that the
president endorsed during last year’s campaign and said there would be a
determination on within a “few weeks” more than two months ago.

“I am deeply humbled, honored and grateful to President Donald J. Trump for
appointing me as Special Envoy to the Republic of Iraq,” Savaya said in an
Instagram post on Sunday. “I am committed to strengthening the U.S.–Iraq
partnership under President Trump’s leadership and guidance. Thank you, Mr.
President.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mark Savaya (@mark_savaya)

In an interview last week, an unnamed senior White House official said
cannabis reform is “good politics”—comparing the issue to how same-sex
marriage gradually gained bipartisan support over time.

Meanwhile, Trump’s pick for White House drug czar recently dodged a series
of written questions from senators about her position on marijuana
rescheduling, medical cannabis legalization and racial disparities in drug
enforcement.

Ahead of a Senate Judiciary Committee vote earlier this momth to advance
the nomination of Sara Carter Bailey as director of the Office of National
Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the nominee submitted responses to a variety
of questions from members, including multiple that dealt with cannabis.

Trump’s approval rating on marijuana policy remains largely underwater
among cannabis consumers, according to the latest quarterly
NuggMD-Marijuana Moment tracking poll. And while many stakeholders were
encouraged to see the president share a video touting the health benefits
of CBD, a majority of consumers don’t see it as an indication the
administration will be moving forward with cannabis rescheduling.

The post Trump Taps Marijuana Industry ‘Visionary’ As Special Envoy To Iraq
appeared first on Marijuana Moment.