In the corridors of Washington, D.C., the past few months have seen a whirlwind of lobbying activity from some of the biggest names in both the alcohol and pharmaceutical industries. The third quarter of 2025, in particular, has been marked by a notable surge in efforts to shape federal policy around hemp, cannabis, and prescription drug pricing—a sign of the high stakes and shifting sands in America’s regulatory landscape.
According to newly released lobbying disclosures, major alcohol brands such as Bacardi North America and Moet Hennessy USA have joined the fray, focusing their attention on federal hemp laws and, more specifically, on THC-infused beverages. These drinks, which many consumers now reach for as alternatives to beer and liquor, have become a flashpoint in ongoing debates over how intoxicating cannabinoid products should be regulated. The lobbying push comes at a time when Congress and state legislatures are weighing options that range from outright bans on THC beverages to more robust regulatory frameworks aimed at protecting public health and keeping such products out of the hands of minors, as reported by Marijuana Moment.
It’s not just the alcohol industry that’s taking an interest. The third quarter of 2025 saw a broad coalition of stakeholders, from advocacy groups and government entities to non-cannabis corporations and financial institutions, all putting dollars toward influencing the outcome of cannabis-related legislation. Among the notable players were the office of Colorado Governor Jared Polis, tobacco giant Altria, beverage powerhouse Molson Coors, digital payment company PayPal, delivery service DoorDash, and the American Civil Liberties Union. Each brought their own priorities to the table, from cannabis rescheduling to legal banking for marijuana businesses and the regulation of hemp-derived products.
The filings reveal that the alcohol industry’s lobbying efforts were wide-ranging. For example, Anheuser-Busch Companies focused on differentiating beer from cannabis and hemp in both tax and regulatory matters, while the Beer Institute lobbied on issues related to the regulation of intoxicating hemp. The Distilled Spirits Council weighed in on policies affecting hemp-derived products, and the National Beer Wholesalers Association addressed legal banking and regulatory issues for cannabis products, including the status of the HEMP Act (S. 2113). Moet Hennessy USA, for its part, targeted beverage regulations pertaining to intoxicating hemp, and Molson Coors sought to educate lawmakers on the regulation of intoxicating hemp beverages.
On the government side, the Colorado governor’s office pushed for cannabis rescheduling, while the National Association of State Treasurers highlighted banking issues related to marijuana policies. Non-cannabis corporations like PayPal and DoorDash also got involved, focusing on cannabis banking and general hemp issues, respectively. Advocacy organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, continued to support marijuana decriminalization and the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act.
Financial institutions and trade groups were not left out. The Credit Union National Association and the Community Bankers Association of Illinois advocated for a federal safe harbor for banks serving cannabis-related businesses, arguing that access to traditional banking is a public safety issue. The Michigan Credit Union League echoed this sentiment, supporting legislation that would allow financial institutions to serve their members in states where cannabis is legal.
Cannabis companies and associations also intensified their lobbying. The Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education and Regulation, represented by former Rep. Greg Walden, addressed government-wide federal regulation of cannabis, while the National Cannabis Roundtable focused on the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act. Other industry groups, such as the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp and the Hemp Beverage Alliance, weighed in on the regulation of hemp products and the annual appropriations process.
On the prohibitionist side, organizations like Smart Approaches to Marijuana and SAM Action, Inc. lobbied for stricter federal enforcement of marijuana laws and advocated for a prohibition on hemp-derived intoxicants. Their activities included pushing for the closure of the so-called “Delta-8 loophole,” blocking marijuana rescheduling, and increasing research on high-potency marijuana.
Despite all this activity, progress on Capitol Hill has been slow. While lawmakers have voiced support for a bipartisan marijuana banking bill and President Donald Trump declared in late August that a decision on cannabis rescheduling was imminent, tangible reforms have yet to materialize. The House and Senate have taken divergent paths in their appropriations bills for hemp: the House advanced a measure that would ban any hemp products containing THC, while the Senate’s version omitted such language. For now, the future of federal hemp and cannabis regulation remains uncertain, leaving industry players and advocates alike in a holding pattern.
Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical sector has also been busy in Washington. Takeda Pharmaceuticals America Inc. disclosed $1,370,000 in lobbying expenditures for the third quarter of 2025, according to a new Lobbying Disclosure Act filing analyzed by Quiver Quantitative. The company’s agenda was packed: it included the FY 2025 Budget Resolution, policies to enhance patient access to medicines in Medicaid and Medicare, and the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program for the years 2027 and 2028.
Takeda’s lobbying topics ranged from the review of proposed rules regarding Medicare Part B prescription drug models to discussions on rebates, waiver policy, and funding issues. They also addressed reforms to the Inflation Reduction Act, including its impact on orphan drugs and the treatment of small molecule drugs. The company referenced a slew of legislation in its filings, such as the EPIC Act of 2025 (H.R.1492, S.832), the ORPHAN Cures Act (H.R.946), the Protecting Patient Access to Cancer & Complex Therapies Act (HR 4229), the DRUG Act (H.R.2214), and other bills related to drug pricing and patient access.
Other lobbying topics for Takeda included tax incentive issues, proposed tariffs, pharmacy benefit managers, and global tax proposals. The company also flagged concerns about the global pharmaceutical supply chain, co-pay accumulators, alternate funding models, and the Congressional Plasma Caucus. These efforts reflect the pharmaceutical industry’s ongoing attempt to navigate—and influence—the complex web of federal health care policy, drug pricing reforms, and global supply chain challenges.
Institutional investors have clearly been paying attention to Takeda’s moves. In the second quarter of 2025, 175 institutional investors added shares of Takeda stock to their portfolios, while 103 decreased their positions. Notably, Millennium Management LLC increased its holdings by over 2.8 million shares, a staggering 1,152% jump, representing an estimated $43.9 million investment. UBS Group AG, Morgan Stanley, and BlackRock also made significant additions, while others, like Adage Capital Partners and Van Eck Associates, trimmed their holdings.
All told, the third quarter of 2025 has been a period of intense lobbying and strategic positioning across industries that have a direct stake in how Americans access medicine, cannabis, and even their evening beverages. The results of these efforts remain to be seen, but one thing is clear: the battle for influence in Washington is as fierce—and as consequential—as ever.
As the year draws to a close, both the alcohol and pharmaceutical industries, along with their allies and opponents, are watching closely for any sign of movement on Capitol Hill. The coming months promise to be pivotal for the future of federal hemp, cannabis, and drug pricing policy in the United States.
