Virginia tobacco giant adds hemp to its lobbying activity

Virginia tobacco giant Altria has added hemp policy to its lobbying activities, spending roughly $60,000 this year to lobby the U.S. Congress and U.S. Department of Agriculture on “matters pertaining to hemp and crop insurance.”

The lobbying, first reported by Cannabis Wire, marks an initial lobbying effort related to hemp by the parent company of Philip Morris USA.

The tobacco company’s disclosure does not say what the company is pushing for when it comes to hemp and how it is insured.

Atria joined the cannabis industry earlier this year when it invested about $1.8 billion in Ontario-based cannabis producer Cronos Group, taking a 45% stake in what so far is the largest investment by a tobacco company in the cannabis space.

To read Altria’s hemp-lobbying disclosure form, click here.