Roopali Desai Brings Cannabis Law and Social Equity Experience to National Cannabis Roundtable Advisory Board
Looking to advance cannabis reform priorities, the National Cannabis Roundtable (NCR) invited Roopali Desai to join other prominent cannabis industry thought leaders from around the nation on a new Advisory Board.
Serving alongside notable members like John Boehner, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Kathleen Sebelius, former Secretary of Health and Human Services, Roopali will assist the advisory board in nurturing the growing cannabis industry, protecting consumers, and fostering social equity. Roopali was instrumental in the construction and passage of Smart and Safe Arizona (Prop. 207) that legalized the adult use of cannabis in the State of Arizona and continues to provide legal assistance to cannabis dispensaries, cultivators, transporters, and testing laboratories.
“Roopali’s leadership of Arizona’s of adult use legalization efforts, and her deep commitment to social equity within the Arizona program, give her invaluable perspective on the complex legal and regulatory issues with which we are grappling at the federal level,” said Saphira Galoob, NCR Executive Director. “Her depth of experience within a state-level program is a perfect complement to the likes of James Cole, former Deputy Attorney General, and former Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) whom she joins on the Advisory Board.”
In addition to representing a range of companies in the cannabis industry, Roopali negotiates with regulators over fair and equitable interpretations of the statutes, regulations, and regulatory actions arising from the laws. Because of her involvement in Prop 207, the Arizona Department of Health Services asked her to help develop the State’s Social Equity Ownership Program that will grant marijuana establishment licenses to individuals from disproportionately impacted communities.