Sal Pace

Sal Pace (born December 14, 1976) is a former American legislator who served as a state Representative in the U.S. state of Colorado, where he rose to the position of House Democratic Leader. He also served six years as County Commissioner from Pueblo County, Colorado. Pace is credited with writing much of the world's first cannabis regulations while serving in the State House; and he is a recognized national cannabis reform activist and consultant. In Pueblo, he transformed the community into the "Napa Valley of Cannabis" of Colorado. Pace voluntarily chose not to seek re-election prior to his final term expiring in January 2019.Pace has led on cannabis politics and policy before the national paradigm shifted across the US. Pace is among the most recognized public leaders for crafting the world's largest cannabis market in Colorado. During his time in the Colorado General Assembly, he played a leading role in developing Colorado's medical marijuana model, earning him recognition as the “face of regulation” from local news media. Pace currently serves on the national board of the Marijuana Policy Project, the primary organization passing state-by-state ballot initiatives to legalize marijuana for both medical purposes and adult use. His legislative accomplishments, including drafting much of the first-in-the-world medical marijuana laws and helping shape the first-in-the-world adult-use marketplace, have left an indelible mark on the cannabis industry, policies and politics. He has been featured in Fortune Magazine, The Financial Times of London, and the New York Times among hundreds of other media outlets. As a County Commissioner, Pace pushed legislation to allow for outdoor and greenhouse cultivations, which transformed Pueblo County into the "Napa Valley of Cannabis". Pace also created the Pueblo County Scholarship Fund, which uses marijuana tax revenues to offer a college scholarship to every high school graduate in Pueblo County. He also helped found the Insti