About

Established in 2019,The Outlaw Report offers essential, reliable, and informative cannabis news from the D.C. area. We cover the culture, business, law, regulations, equity, advocacy, and science of cannabis—in the DMV, and beyond.

Our weekly newsletter is free, and we also offer paid subscriptions for professionals and businesses who want deeper insights into the local market, along with other exclusive perks.

Meet our team:

LJ Dawson

Editor-in-Chief

LJ Dawson is a journalist based in Washington, D.C., who has covered criminal justice and drugs for over six years across the nation. She is founder of the notable criminal justice news outlet The Des and covered protest movements, healthcare, criminal justice and more for POLITICO, KFN, CNN, TIME, NPR and Denver Westword, among other publications. Passionate about telling compelling stories, LJ believes in the power of journalism to build bridges and foster community.

Yutong Jiang

Reporting and Writing Intern

Yutong Jiang is a journalist based in Washington, D.C., who has covered a broad spectrum of topics—from student life and local governance to community food pantries and racial equity initiatives—during his time at George Washington University. He developed a passion for connecting diverse perspectives to create lasting impact. Driven by storytelling’s power to foster inclusive dialogue and policy, Yutong believes journalism can bring communities together.

Featured Contributors:

Gaspard Le Dem

Gaspard Le Dem is an investigative reporter and photojournalist. He’s worked in local and international newsrooms, covering a wide range of stories from voting hurdles for D.C. prisoners to exploding manholes in New York City. His work has most notably been published by Washington City Paper, DCist, THE CITY, and the Agence France-Presse. Send him tips on all things cannabis-related on Twitter at @GLD_Live. More by Gaspard Le Dem

Brandon Soderberg

Brandon Soderberg is a Baltimore-based journalist reporting on cops, drugs, and protest, who also reviews movies for Bmore Art and cannabis for the Colorado Springs Independent. His work has been published in the New York Times, Vice, the Outline, and many other publications and he is the former editor-in-chief of the Baltimore City Paper and a former contributing writer to Spin. His book, “I Got A Monster: The Rise and Fall of America’s Most Corrupt Police Squad” is out on St. Martin’s Press later this year. More by Brandon Soderberg

Meghan Thompson

Meghan Thompson is a reporter based out of Rockville, Maryland who covers the cannabis industry and its intersection with politics, criminal justice reform, and economic opportunity. Following her graduation from the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland in 2020, Meghan was a budtender at a dispensary in Towson for a year and moved onto become an editor for the National Institute for Cannabis Investors. More by Meghan Thompson

Ethan McLeod

Ethan McLeod is a freelance reporter in Baltimore. He previously served as an editor for the Baltimore Business Journal and the daily news website Baltimore Fishbowl. He has written about cannabis policy and criminal justice issues for CityLab, Slate, Leafly and elsewhere. More by Ethan McLeod

Julia Travers

Julia Travers is a writer who often covers social justice movements, the nonprofit sector and science. She has written for NPR, Earth Island Journal, YES! Magazine, Virginia Dogwood and Civil Eats, among other publications. A Virginia native, she currently lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge. She’s online at jtravers.journoportfolio.com. More by Julia Travers

Become a contributor:

Interested in writing for Outlaw Report? Send us your pitches at info@outlawreport.com!