Andrew Freedman is the Executive Director of the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation (CPEAR) and a Senior Vice President at Forbes Tate Partners. Andrew was Colorado's first cannabis czar under Governor Hickenlooper from 2013 to 2017. He has since worked directly for dozens of governments including California, Canada, Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and Illinois; and testified to all governments considering legalization. He has been a featured speaker at dozens of conferences including Code Conference, Summit, and Aspen Ideas Fest.

Andrew’s role in developing a successful operating model for cannabis regulation and stakeholder collaboration was identified as one of the reasons for the State of Colorado’s success in implementing adult-use cannabis legalization by the Brookings Institution. Governor Hickenlooper has gone so far as to praise Andrew’s work while on national television, stating, “Andrew Freedman, who came in and helped us once it was passed . . . [has] done a remarkable job of creating a regulatory framework.”

Andrew has received national recognition for his leadership. In April of 2022, Forbes Magazine named Andrew as one of the five most influential voices of cannabis policy on a list also featuring Snoop Dogg, Charles Koch, and several U.S. senators and representatives. He was recognized as one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business” in 2016. Men's Health Magazine named him one of the 30 top health influencers of the last 30 years, labeling him “legal weed’s best friend”. He has been featured on 60 Minutes, NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, The Boston Globe, Governing Magazine, and dozens of local stories throughout the nation and internationally.

Andrew holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A. in philosophy and political science from Tufts University. ?