Natalie Fertig

Natalie Fertig is a Washington, D.C.-based journalist specializing in cannabis policy and federal government reporting. Fertig has reported extensively on cannabis policy, elections, and the impact of federal legislation on rural communities. She began her journalism career as an intern at WNYC Radio, followed by positions at The Miami Herald, Village Voice, NY Daily News, NowThis News, and McClatchy Video Lab. Fertig later worked as a videographer, multimedia journalist, and cannabis reporter at Circa News.

Fertig serves as a federal cannabis policy reporter at POLITICO, where she covers the intersection of cannabis, drug policy, and federal regulation. Her interest in cannabis journalism began after a DEA raid on a dispensary near her home, which led her to investigate and write extensively about cannabis and drug policy. Fertig has produced and hosted documentaries focusing on medical cannabis refugee families in Colorado and individuals using cannabis as an alternative to opioids in Maine. She has also contributed freelance work to Rolling Stone, Leafly, and Marijuana Moment.

Fertig’s reporting covers a range of topics, including Chinese investment in illegal cannabis operations, access to medicinal marijuana, and the evolving relationship between the federal government, states, and cities. She focuses on how politics and policy affect rural and working-class communities, and her work has contributed to the mainstreaming of cannabis as a policy issue, particularly as it intersects with criminal justice reform, banking, and states' rights.

Fertig was selected as a National Fellow by the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism, a program focused on examining inequities in the United States. Her work has appeared in POLITICO Magazine and Rolling Stone, among other publications. Fertig holds a Bachelor of Science in history from Portland State University and a Master of Arts in journalism from the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. Her expertise in drug policy, multimedia journalism, and coverage of underreported communities positions her as a leading voice on the intersection of federal governance and American life.