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“We think that the jury was very perceptive and that they realized my client had life-threatening, life-altering injuries and that he’s never going to be the same.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent A St. Louis, Missouri jury awarded a California cannabis consultant $3 million on Thursday, following a four-day trial where he argued a 2022 lab accident ended his career in the marijuana industry. The incident happened when Mark Avent of Escondido, Calif., was helping build out the cultivation and manufacturing facility at 5401 Bulwer Ave. in St. Louis, which is owned by Blue Arrow Missouri LLC. Blue Arrow hired Avent in 2022 through a one-year, $100,000 contract to procure the necessary equipment to grow and manufacture marijuana products and train employees on the machines. During that time, a lab technician accidentally mishandled a commercial vacuum which was used to clean the lab equipment. The vacuum blew fine marijuana dust particles into the air, and Avent suffered a severe asthma attack that led to a heart attack. The jury unanimously found that Blue Arrow was at fault for 85 percent of Avent’s injuries, and Avent carried 15 percent of the fault. “We’re very pleased with the verdict,” said William Meehan, Avent’s attorney. “We think that the jury was very perceptive and that they realized my client had life-threatening, life-altering injuries and that he’s never going to be the same.” Blue Arrow’s attorneys had argued that Avent was partially responsible because he wasn’t wearing a mask even though he knew he had issues with asthma. “Mr. Avent was a highly intelligent, highly skilled individual who knew how to set up new labs,” said David Simmons, Blue Arrow’s attorney, in his closing argument Thursday. “And he also knew how to protect himself.” During the trial, one cannabis expert said the only mask that could have protected Avent from the amount of fine dust particles blown into the air that day was an industrial face respirator, not a surgical mask. Lisa Avent, Mark’s wife, said the jury may have missed the significance in the difference in types of masks necessary to prevent such a medical emergency. The jury awarded $2.5 million in damages to Mark Avent and $500,000 to Lisa Avent for distress. In their closing arguments, Meehan had suggested the jury award $5 million to the couple, and Simmons suggested the awarded amount be $325,000. “We’re not happy with the 15 percent, but I could live with it,” Meehan said. “The number is big enough, so we’re happy. And now it’s a matter of getting this company to pay.” A separate lawsuit is ongoing to determine which of the company’s three insurance plans may need to cover Avent’s claim. Blue Arrow’s attorneys declined to comment on the verdict, or whether or not the company will appeal the decision. In the meantime, Meehan said his clients will begin a “multi-front collection effort,” to get the claim from insurance companies and possibly garnish the company’s accounts. John Wilbers, founder and chairman of Blue Arrow, was not present at the verdict because he was attending his mother’s funeral. Wilbers, a personal injury attorney in St. Louis, started Blue Arrow with his mother, Kathy, who was the majority owner of the two cultivation, one manufacturing and one dispensary licenses the state awarded them in 2019, according records obtained from the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation. Wilbers told The Independent Tuesday said he intends to take care of Avent. “If somebody’s injured, we’re going to help them,” he said. After the lab accident, Avent was taken to the emergency room and lost consciousness in the ambulance. Doctors inserted a stent in his heart to save him, Meehan said, and he still hasn’t fully recovered four years later. On top of his ongoing medical bills, Meehan said Avent has lost at least $130,000 a year in income because he can no longer work in the marijuana industry. Mark and Lisa Avent said after the four-day trial that they were exhausted but relieved. They initially filed the lawsuit nearly three years ago. “We’re just glad it’s over,” he said. This story was first published by Missouri Independent. Photo courtesy of National Institute of Standards and Technology. The post Marijuana Industry Consultant Wins $3 Million Award From Jury Over Injury From Lab Accident appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“We didn’t ban potatoes just because someone turned them into moonshine. We regulate alcohol. We should do the same with hemp.” By Mike Simpson, Lovewell Farms via Rhode Island Current I co-founded Lovewell Farms, Rhode Island’s only USDA-certified organic hemp farm in 2018. Since 2019, we’ve been growing legal hemp outdoors, using natural ethanol extraction and creating safe, full-spectrum CBD products like tinctures, salves and gummies—all lab-tested, adult-use only and compliant with some of the strictest regulations and THC limits in the country. Our mission is simple: to make non-intoxicating, plant-based wellness options accessible. We’re not trying to get people high, we’re trying to help them feel better. But last week, Congress quietly passed H.R. 5371, a government funding bill that redefines hemp so narrowly it could effectively ban most full-spectrum CBD products, even those that are non-intoxicating, naturally extracted and legally sold under state law. The bill criminalizes any product with more than 0.4 milligrams of THC or THCA, and even targets products extracted “outside the plant,” including widely used, safe methods like ethanol distillation. What this definition ignores is botanical reality: It is virtually impossible to grow a CBD-rich hemp plant with absolutely zero THC. All cannabis plants, including federally legal hemp, naturally produce trace amounts of THC; it’s part of the plant’s chemistry. These trace levels are not enough to cause intoxication, especially when balanced by a dominant cannabinoid like CBD. Full-spectrum products rely on these naturally occurring compounds to work effectively and safely, not to get anyone high. So, what’s the result? Tens of thousands of compliant hemp businesses, including ours, could be shut down. Not for breaking the rules, but for following them. This isn’t science-based regulation. It’s 21st-century reefer madness. According to Reuters, the U.S. was already losing over 11,000 jobs per week as of October. Now, an additional 300,000 hemp industry jobs, from farmers to retailers to manufacturers, could disappear by 2027, threatening a $28 billion market. Even more frustrating: while the bill includes a one-year delay on enforcement and mandates a federal study by the FDA and USDA, it still amounts to a “ban now, ask questions later” approach. Unlike here in Rhode Island, where regulators kept regulations the same while a state-led study is underway, the federal law already rewrites the definition of hemp, locking in penalties before the study is even complete. For farmers like us, a year isn’t enough time. We make seed purchases in March, plant in April and harvest in October. If the ban takes effect in November 2026, we could be forced to destroy our entire crop at the end of next season, despite following all the rules. That’s not a transition plan, it’s a trap. At minimum, Congress should delay enforcement by 720 days to accommodate real-world timelines of agriculture. Rhode Island’s current rules already require lab testing, child-resistant packaging, adult-only sales and labeling that mirrors the state’s medical program. Yet our attorney general, Peter Neronha, signed a letter to congressional leaders describing the entire industry as “unregulated” and “marketed to children.” That’s simply not true, is deeply misleading to the public and harms compliant, state-licensed family farms like ours. In Rhode Island, the state requires customers to prove they are 21 -years old, and meet the same exact testing, packaging, and label requirements as the regulated adult-use and medical cannabis programs. The letter goes even further to claim that hemp-derived THC products “kill children.” In reality, only two isolated independent case reports exist linking child deaths to cannabis ingestion, and both involved illicit, unregulated products, infants and in one case, additional substances such as fentanyl and ketamine. These tragedies are not connected to regulated hemp products. A broad ban wouldn’t prevent harm; it would push the market underground, where unregulated products are more likely to pose real risks. Responsible regulation is what keeps children and consumers safe. That’s what we already have in Rhode Island, and it works. To date, there is no record of a single cannabis-related death, of a child, infant or adult, in the state. The letter Neronha and 38 other attorneys general signed also makes the claim that hemp-derived gummies and beverages are “designed to appeal to young children.” By that logic, the same could be said of alcoholic drinks like hard seltzers, which are often sweetened, fruit-flavored and brightly packaged. Yet alcohol wasn’t banned, likely because that industry is larger, older and has more powerful lobbyists. We didn’t ban potatoes just because someone turned them into moonshine. We regulate alcohol. We should do the same with hemp. Despite calls from farmers and small business owners across the state, both of Rhode Island’s U.S. senators, Democrats Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, voted to keep the ban language in the bill, citing Neronha’s falsehood-ridden letter as justification. Thankfully, Rhode Island’s Democratic Reps. Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo, both voted no on the corresponding House bill, though it still ultimately passed. We still have time to fix this, but only if the public speaks up. The bill allows for a year before implementation. That’s one year for advocacy, education and science to lead the way. Congress should be going after bad actors, not punishing compliant small farmers who follow the law, protect public health and provide plant-based wellness alternatives to pharmaceuticals. This isn’t a partisan issue. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, from progressive Democrats to conservative Republicans, have expressed concern about the impact of this hemp ban. That’s because it affects real people in every state: farmers, veterans, small business owners and families looking for natural relief. We need smart, bipartisan solutions, not rushed overreach that punishes the compliant. We don’t need another war on cannabis. We need honest, evidence-based legislation. Mike Simpson is the co-founder of Lovewell Farms, Rhode Island’s only U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic hemp farm. He is also a historian, educator and longtime advocate for policy reform. He was previously deputy director for Regulate Rhode Island and an initiative coordinator for Marijuana Policy Project in Maine. He now lives in Providence and farms in the village of Hope Valley in Hopkinton. This story was first published by Rhode Island Current. Photo courtesy of Max Jackson. The post New Federal Hemp Law Signed By Trump Amounts To ‘Ban Now, Ask Questions Later,’ Farmer Says (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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“I just don’t understand why they thought that prohibition would be the right answer.” By Isiah Holmes, Wisconsin Examiner When Jacob Diener first heard that the status of hemp could be reviewed, he wasn’t too concerned. With his company, A Good Plug, the 32-year-old expected to continue producing small batch hemp products like gummies, brownies and cheesecakes. “It seems around this time it happens every year that they want to re-assess the Farm Bill,” Diener told the Wisconsin Examiner. But 2025 was different and Diener, like others across the industry, was caught off guard when what amounted to a prohibition on his livelihood was discreetly attached to a deal to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. “It’s just weird and scary,” he said. Hemp businesses were allowed to flourish after the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized the production and distribution of hemp products with no more than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis. But under new rules that were included in the stopgap spending bill ending the federal government shutdown last week, products must contain no more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container. Steve Hampton, owner of the Eau Claire-based company Steve’s Hemp, says that standard is biologically impossible to meet. “[The] hemp plant struggles to grow to meet that guideline before it’s even harvested,” Hampton told the Wisconsin Examiner. “So, we’re seeing upwards to 99 percent of the industry get wiped out from this.” THC is the primary psychoactive compound in the cannabis plant. Although hemp and the psychoactive variety commonly known as marijuana are the same plant species, they have different chemical compositions. Many cannabis varieties are cultivated with high levels of THC for markets in states where the plant has been legalized medical or recreational. Hemp, with far lower concentrations of THC, is mostly used for rope, paper and industrial products. It is also offered in states that do not have legal cannabis markets as an alternative—a source for products containing delta-9 THC, THCa, THCp and other derivatives. The law reopening the government, however, effectively bans those products and gives the industry until next November to adapt or fizzle out. Erin Kelly, owner of the Wauwatosa-based hemp goods store Kelly’s Greens, told TMJ4 that even CBD products contain trace amounts of THC which make them effective medicine, and that the new rules would render that medicine ineffective. Wisconsin’s hemp industry is estimated to be valued at $700 million and accounts for at least 3,500 jobs, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. “Everybody’s frantic, you know, we’re all worried,” Hampton told the Examiner. Without an amendment to the new rules or legislative intervention, Hampton says the nation’s $28.4 billion hemp industry won’t survive, and that most of his own store’s inventory would be banned. More than just a cash crop When he was a teenager in Fond du Lac, Diener was introduced to cannabis through his grandmother, who used it to manage her pain and chronic illnesses. He began using it to help with his stress and the early signs of Crohn’s disease he was experiencing After years of working in the restaurant industry, Diener realized he wanted more out of life. “And so I started to get permission from my chef to start making candy in the kitchen behind the scenes, just learning the basics, but with the intentions that I wanted to make infused candy, gummy worms, stuff like that,” he said. “Stuff that I didn’t see on the market at the time.” Hampton also became involved in hemp after experiencing the medicinal value of the plant. “I was a college student at the time,” he said, “and was looking for some relief with some back pain, some sore muscles from the gym. And my dad had actually bought me some CBD oil to test out for my birthday. And it was from a local farm up here in northern Wisconsin. That helped me a ton with what I needed it for.” Hampton realized that there were not many such products marketed to younger people like him. He grew his business online before opening a storefront during Small Business Week in 2021. Today Hampton, 29, owns and operates his business alongside his wife and five employees. People of all ages come into his store. “In-store, we have a lot of customers who come in just looking for relief,” he said. Many of the customers are seeking a remedy for anxiety, as well as “a large handful of customers that have chronic pain,” he said. Steve’s Hemp carries flowers, vapes, gummies, candies, topical ointments and other products. Diener, who specializes in culinary cannabis products, makes everything from Nerds-covered gummies (a popular product he calls “Stoney Bites”) to other sweets. Diener describes his customers as “such a community of oddballs and people who have unique personalities. And that’s what I’ve always hoped for, and that’s kind of what I come from and who I am a person. People authentic to themselves.” The cost of prohibition Before the federal ban on THC-derived hemp products was added to the bill to reopen the government, Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin were already working on bills to restrict or prohibit the industry in the state. Representatives Lindee Brill (R-Sheboygan Falls), Jim Piwowarczyk (R-Hubertus) and others introduced what they called “a common-sense corrective bill” to close the “loophole” that allowed what they called “dangerous, psychoactive THC-laced products to proliferate in Wisconsin.” The lawmakers pointed to health advisory warnings issued by federal agencies about the use of delta-9 THC, and issues with unregulated markets across the country. In Wisconsin, hemp products from CBD to delta-9, HHH, THCa, and others can either be found at dispensaries where employees are often knowledgeable about their products, or at gas stations and smoke shops where customers don’t receive information and guidance. Wisconsin lawmakers have raised an alarm about emergency room visits and poison center calls linked to delta-8 THC and similar compounds, as well as concerns that children could easily purchase the products. Hemp business owners say they often applaud common sense regulation. They also support fully legalizing cannabis in Wisconsin—ending prohibition. To address concerns about health consequences and children’s access to cannabis, “what would really help that is regulation, not prohibition,” Hampton said. Everything from clear packaging guidelines to age restrictions, lab testing and education about where the product comes from and what it does could be part of a legal regulatory structure, Hampton argued. Rather than allowing any gas station to carry hemp products, Hampton would like to see licensed facilities staffed by people who care about what they’re doing. “Our main goal with this business was to educate our customers, and know what’s in our product, and recommend what would work best for our customer,” he said. One 2024 study analyzing national poison data systems found that between 2021 and 2022, reports of exposure to delta-8 THC increased by 79 percent. The study also found that poison center calls for delta-8 were significantly lower in places where either delta-THC was banned, or where cannabis use was already legalized. “Consistent regulation of delta-THC across all states should be adopted,” the study recommended. Other poison center data shows that since 2022, exposures to delta-8 THC have plummeted, a trend which has continued into 2025. Prohibition also creates economic stagnation, advocates contend. Tim Frey, of Ignite Dispensary and Cigar calls it “Wisconsin’s half a billion dollar loss.” Frey lobbied against state Republican bills to restrict hemp, and he argues that hundreds of millions are essentially handed over to Michigan and Illinois every year when Wisconsinites make the sometimes difficult decision to travel across state lines to obtain cannabis. “Now that Minnesota is opening up, with the largest border, we’re probably going to be losing approximately up to $200 million,” Frey told Wisconsin Examiner. “And then if they came up with a small tax on hemp-derived stuff, that’s easily $100 million there, if not more, give or take. So it’s going to be around half a billion dollars that Wisconsin could use to give to law enforcement, get fentanyl off our streets, reduce property taxes, invest in roads” and other uses. Hampton fears that now customers will go to the black market or risk being pulled over after driving to a neighboring state. “I just don’t understand why they thought that prohibition would be the right answer,” he said. As some Wisconsin legislators are working to enact a new prohibition on hemp products, others are trying to legalize medicinal THC cannabis in the state. Earlier this year, two-thirds of registered voters polled by Marquette Law School said that cannabis should be legalized in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have introduced what would be one of the country’s most restrictive medicinal cannabis programs. Frey is cautious of the medical-cannabis-only approach, however, “because it’s very hard to qualify with some ailments,” he told the Wisconsin Examiner. He added that if Wisconsin passed a restrictive medical cannabis program, then it would open the door for the state’s indigenous tribal communities, as sovereign nations, to open their own recreational programs. “So then we would be a recreational state without the control, or the revenue,” he said. Diener said that when conservative lawmakers talk about cannabis, they sound at least 10 years behind the times. “I think that right now there’s such extreme viewpoints on it that are outdated, and really just don’t line up with today’s market or today’s values with the plant,” he said. Frey believes that it’s past time Wisconsin had a serious discussion about legalization. “Limit the licenses,” he declared. “Control this, tax it, get licenses out there to responsible people that are going to do things the right way—that card people, that do truth-in labeling, that care about the quality of their products.” In addition to strict regulation, Diener said parents can protect their children from hemp products instead of the government banning them. “You have the responsibility just the same as if you have a gun in the home to keep your things in a safe space that your children cannot access,” Diener said. “You wouldn’t have your alcohol bottle sitting just, like, within reach or in a cupboard that your kids know they can access. Even growing up as a teen, when my mom knew that I was starting to go to parties and stuff, she would start to hide her alcohol.” After the federal hemp laws were changed, Piwowarczyk, in a television interview, said unsympathetically of hemp business owners that “you guys took a gamble when you decided to open up your hemp business.” Hampton counters that lawmakers like Piwowarczyk should “open their eyes, and look around, and actually meet with the constituents of their districts” who are the consumers driving the industry. Uneasy months ahead For now, hemp distributors and their allies have until next November to adjust to the new federal restrictions. Frey said Wisconsin could provide some protection for the industry by enacting its own regulations for hemp products, similar to the way states have legalized cannabis industries despite the ongoing federal prohibition. There are already state-level legislative responses in the works, he said. One bill, AB 503, would redefine the definition of hemp to prohibit THC-derived products. Another, AB 606, would add hemp to the responsibilities of the agency in the Department of Revenue that regulates alcohol. A bill authored by Senate Democrats, SB 644, would create a regulated framework and age limits for hemp products, though it lacks Republican co-sponsors. Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) is circulating a draft bill for co-sponsorship that also regulates hemp products. “That bill is probably the best, most common-sense written bill that I’ve seen,” Frey told the Wisconsin Examiner. While the Democratic bill would be promising, he said, he thinks it won’t gain Republican support. “It’s more crucial to protect this industry in Wisconsin than it is to craft the most perfect bill,” said Frey, adding that he thinks the hemp industry will get behind Testin’s bill “full force”. At the same time, however, Frey wonders whether the federal regulations will change by next November. He points out that the new law gives the industry a year to adapt instead of imposing a ban immediately. Frey thinks that if Wisconsin passes hemp regulations but the federal laws remain the same, then the hemp industry would risk losing its federal task deductions and also lose the ability to conduct interstate commerce. If there is no change to save the hemp industry, a cascade of effects will ripple out. Earlier this year, Hampton opened a new manufacturing facility just down the street from the Steve’s Hemp storefront. In the middle of next year, he will likely have to close that as well, he said. Once the new law takes effect, “our hands are pretty much tied,” said Hampton. “My wife and I will have to find new jobs for each other, continue to make ends meet. And then those families that work for us—those employees that work for us—will have to do the same.” Until then, Diener said, “I am going to continue to serve the people who need us the most and work to continue growing this dream and keeping this dream alive.” Hampton and his employees “are obsessed and passionate about this industry,” Hampton said. “We started this industry with hopes to run a legal dispensary out of Wisconsin, and hopefully transition into that. Now that plan is crushed. And so we don’t know what we’re going to do. We’re just going to try to keep our hopes up, and try to fight as much as we can to keep [hemp] legal, and if that isn’t possible, get recreational cannabis pushed through the state of Wisconsin.” This story was first published by Wisconsin Examiner. The post Wisconsin Hemp Business Owners Worry About Newly Approved Federal Ban On THC Products appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“We’ll continue to watch to make sure that public safety is being served across the state and to make sure that the business needs of consumers are being addressed.” By Jacob Owens and Karl Baker, Spotlight Delaware Less than three months after Gov. Matt Meyer (D) vetoed legislation to override Sussex County’s restrictions on recreational marijuana businesses, the county council has amended its zoning rules for them—but it’s unclear whether those changes will make a meaningful difference in the industry’s growth in southern Delaware. Meyer controversially vetoed a bill advanced by his fellow Democrats in the statehouse to loosen the reins on where marijuana dispensaries could locate. The governor cited concerns over subverting local control on zoning issues, and instead proposed a deal. If Sussex County removed its conditional use requirement for marijuana retail shops, which gives county leaders wide latitude over where to allow such storefronts, and reduced buffer requirements for them, he would advocate for sending 4.5 percent of marijuana sales tax proceeds to the county or municipality in which a marijuana business is located. On Tuesday, the Sussex County Council voted 4-1–Councilman John Rieley was the lone dissenter, expressing concern with marijuana use overall–to amend its zoning code to remove conditional use requirements for both the C2 (General Commercial) and C3 (Medium Commercial) zones. It also lowered the required buffer between a retail shop and the boundaries of towns or cities to from 3 miles to a half mile. However, the county retained 3-mile buffers between marijuana dispensaries and between a dispensary and any church, school, college or substance abuse treatment facility. Meyer told Spotlight Delaware on Wednesday that the amendments were a “good step forward.” “I don’t think in Dover we should be saying that in Fenwick Island or in Claymont, you have to allow a marijuana store 500 feet from elementary school,” he said. “We’ll continue to watch to make sure that public safety is being served across the state and to make sure that the business needs of consumers are being addressed.” Meanwhile, Democratic statehouse leaders had committed to attempting to override Meyer’s veto when they returned to Dover in January. It would require nearly all Democratic lawmakers to back that effort to clear the three-fifths threshold, assuming all Republicans deny it. A request for comment to State Sen. Trey Paradee (D-Dover), who sponsored a bill to overrule Sussex County’s zoning and lower buffers to 500 feet, on whether Sussex County’s amendments may avert that effort was not returned Wednesday night. He was among legislators who met Wednesday in Dover for an extraordinary session on corporate tax reform. Few obvious areas Before their vote, Sussex County Councilwoman Jane Gruenebaum asked whether, in lieu of the continued restrictions, it was “still plausible to find a space to have a store?” Assistant County Attorney Vince Robertson replied that he hadn’t checked to see whether the amendments would open any new property to such use. He noted that Sussex County has very little C2 or C3 zoned land because it’s a relatively new designation That means if a parcel could not meet the buffer requirements, an operator may have to look at rezoning a parcel that could, starting a more onerous and time-intensive process. “If that sort of sounds like I’m dodging your question, and I am to some extent, it’s because we haven’t looked at every property in the county,” Robertson said, noting they also did not examine how the proposal compared to other counties in Delaware. Spotlight Delaware did review Sussex County’s zoning map to try to identify parcels that could now be developed for marijuana businesses. Many of the C2 or C3 parcels identified, however, would seemingly be prohibited for use because of the buffers. In particular, the buffer required between marijuana dispensaries and churches would be difficult to overcome because of the sheer prevalence of churches in the county. In fact, a single church in Harbeson would prevent a half dozen C2 or C3 zoned sites off Route 9 from being used for marijuana businesses, according to Spotlight Delaware’s analysis. Several eligible parcels between Cave Neck Road and Nassau Road along Route 1 would likewise be prohibited due to several nearby churches on the highway. The same is the case for parcels near the intersection of Josephs Road and Route 9. Robertson said Sussex County chose the 3-mile buffer when it passed its original zoning ordinance in 2024 because that is the buffer required by state code to separate liquor stores. Seeking to mimic that code for limits between marijuana stores, the county council also sought uniformity in its buffers between municipal limits and sensitive places like churches, schools, colleges and substance abuse treatment facilities. “Rather than come up with just different arbitrary numbers for each one, we relied upon the 3 miles that was in state code for the separation distance from stores to stores,” Robertson told the council Tuesday. The limits on zoning will not affect the five recreational dispensaries currently operating in Sussex County, as they were grandfathered in under conversion licenses from medical marijuana dispensaries, but they will upend dozens of new entrepreneurs looking to enter the legal recreational market. For Louise Shelton, who has already spent several thousand dollars to acquire a social equity cultivation license for Sussex County, the new amendments have left her frustrated. She appreciated the council’s easing of regulations in certain zonings, but noted that the buffering is what has largely prevented her from finding anywhere to set up shop. Shelton had hoped to co-locate her growing facility on a plot of land along with a separate retail shop, but she’s been informed that isn’t permitted either. She has been working with a realtor to identify potential locations for her facility, but even with the latest changes, Shelton said, “It’s not looking up.” Licensees have 18 months from the issuance of their license to start operations or risk losing their business back to the state’s lottery system. Shelton got her license in September, meaning her clock has started ticking and having to undergo a lengthy rezoning process is unlikely to meet her needs. If she doesn’t find a suitable space, she told Spotlight Delaware that she plans to request a license transfer with the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner to move it to Kent County. This story was first published by Spotlight Delaware. The post Delaware Governor Says County’s Move To Loosen Marijuana Business Zoning Rules Is A ‘Good Step’ appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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A Democratic congresswoman is demanding that the Justice Department explain its apparent “reversal” of federal marijuana enforcement guidelines that was recently revealed by a U.S. attorney who said his office, in response to the Trump administration action, will be “rigorously” prosecuting people over cannabis possession or use on federal lands. Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Friday that said the revelation about the revised federal cannabis policy “raises significant concerns about transparency and the rationale underlying the Department’s enforcement priorities that will inevitably have a severe social and economic toll on communities throughout the country.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming said earlier this month that DOJ sent a memo to federal prosecutors in September, announcing the rescission of previously unpublicized Biden-era guidance that advised against going after people for simple possession on federal lands. “We need sensible cannabis policy reform,” Titus told Marijuana Moment on Friday after sending the letter to Bondi. “It is ludicrous for the Trump Administration to enforce an outdated law and target simple marijuana possession, claiming it as a public safety hazard. As Co-Chair of the Cannabis Caucus, I am taking the lead to challenge this decision that would continue a cycle of unjust incarceration and unequal enforcement.” Neither the memo nor that prior guidance has been made publicly available, and Titus is requesting that the Trump administration provide a copy of its message to prosecutors—and also answer additional questions about marijuana enforcement priorities—by December 3. I am concerned by @TheJusticeDept's decision to resume the prosecution of marijuana possession on federal lands. I am also asking @AGPamBondi to clarify the guidance she has given U.S. attorneys as it pertains to marijuana offenses on federal property. pic.twitter.com/5PS7zTJHOb — Dina Titus (@repdinatitus) November 21, 2025 “Simple marijuana possession poses no meaningful threat to public safety, and it is indefensible to revive prosecution under an outdated law that no longer reflects the current use of cannabis in the United States,” she said. “The War on Drugs has been a costly venture that has disproportionately impacted low-income and historically marginalized communities.” She added that marijuana continues to be the top driver of federal drug-related arrests “despite the fact that the vast majority of states have enacted laws that, to varying degrees, relax their prohibitions against the use of marijuana or its components.” “Reverting to punitive criminalization at the federal level will not deter use or strengthen public safety; it will simply continue a cycle of incarceration and unequal enforcement,” the congresswoman wrote. “The ripple effects of a charge for simple possession of cannabis can have life-altering consequences.” “The decision to resume prosecution for minor marijuana offenses demands immediate reconsideration. I urge you to reverse course and to release, without delay, the Biden-era guidance and the recission memorandum. The public deserves full transparency regarding the policies that shape federal enforcement priorities and determine how taxpayer dollars are deployed. This is especially critical given that nearly 70 percent of Americans support marijuana legalization and do not believe people should face criminal penalties for minor possession.” In addition to providing the September memo to U.S. attorneys concerning marijuana prosecutions, Titus is asking DOJ to specify what types of cannabis offenses they are prioritizing, what “data and evidence” it relied on to reverse the Biden-era guidance, how many cannabis possession cases on federal lands the department has prosecuted in the past 10 years and how many it expects to prosecute under the revised policy. “Thank you for your attention to this important matter,” the letter concludes. “I look forward to working with you to ensure federal enforcement policies are transparent and aligned with the values and priorities of the American public.” While former President Joe Biden granted two rounds of mass pardons for people who’ve committed federal cannabis possession offenses during his term—specifically including those prosecuted for possession on federal lands during the second round—the administration didn’t publicize that any prosecutorial guidance directive had been issued, and none has previously been reported. Questions remain as to the specifics of both the Biden- and Trump-related marijuana prosecutorial guidance, but the apparent decision to revert discretionary policy adds to the uncertainty around how the current administration views its enforcement role as federal and state cannabis laws continue to conflict. For example, the notice from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming came just one day after Trump signed a key spending bill that contains provisions to ban consumable hemp products with THC—a move that industry stakeholders say would eradicate the market that’s emerged since the president signed the 2018 Farm Bill legalizing the crop during his first term. Then there’s the ongoing marijuana rescheduling process that the president said in late August would be decided within a matter of weeks. That still hasn’t come to fruition—and a White House spokesperson told Marijuana Moment that “there is a process ongoing regarding the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on rescheduling marijuana from May 2024 and all policy and legal requirements and implications are being considered.” — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Trump endorsed rescheduling—as well as marijuana industry banking access and a Florida adult-use legalization initiative that ultimately failed—on the campaign trail ahead of his election to a second term. But when he was pressed on the status of the rescheduling process in mid-August, he was less clear about his personal stance. The administration was “only looking at that” reform, and it’s too “early” to say how the issue will be decided, he said at the time, adding that “it’s a very complicated subject.” Meanwhile, top White House staffers under the Biden administration recently shed new light on the mass marijuana pardon and cannabis rescheduling process they helped facilitate, revealing the extent to which they were involved in broader clemency actions that are now under scrutiny by GOP leaders. Also, as the marijuana rescheduling proposal awaits action, some GOP members of Congress have been urging Trump to move forward with the reform—with one lawmaker taking a jab at Biden by joking that it’s possible the prior administration “must have not been able to find the autopen in time” to complete the cannabis reform process it initiated. Separately, the president last month posted a video on his Truth Social platform promoting the health benefits of cannabis—suggesting that covering CBD under Medicare would be “the most important senior health initiative of the century.” The post Congresswoman Demands Answers From Trump DOJ Over Marijuana Prosecution Policy Change appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Oregon activists are no longer working to put an initiative to legalize cannabis social lounges on the state’s 2026 ballot. After filing two versions of the proposal and going through the steps to receive a certified ballot title for one of them, the Oregon Cannabis Cafe Coalition (OCCC) formally withdrew the measure on Monday. OCCC founder Justyce Seith, who served as the chief petitioner for the Oregon Cannabis Social Lounge Act, told Marijuana Moment that the decision to end the current effort was a “difficult but necessary” one. “Ultimately, a review of the current signature-gathering schedule and strategic planning led me to conclude that our resources and time would be better spent focusing on the next, more robust version of this proposal,” she said. “This is not the end of the road for public consumption lounges, it is simply a strategic pause to ensure the final measure is fully equipped for success.” “I want to deeply thank the volunteers and petitioners who dedicated their time to this important cause,” she said. “The widespread interest confirmed that cannabis consumption lounges is a vital conversation we must have in Oregon.” In September, Oregon’s attorney general issued a certified ballot title for the now-withdrawn measure, which came roughly a month after an initial draft ballot title for the marijuana initiative was circulated. That received only one public comment in response. OCCC—a Portland-based group that advocates for the legalization of marijuana smoking lounges and cafes where consumption of infused edibles would be permitted—first needed to collect least 1,000 validated voter signatures in order have the state attorney general prepare the ballot title and summary. The campaign in June submitted more than 1,400 signatures, which were then verified by the Secretary of State Office’s Elections Division prior to the issuance of the draft title. The sole public comment on the draft said that “the word ‘lounges’ is too ambiguous to be contained in a ballot Title. The electorate would be better served by using an objective, legally relevant term like ‘business establishments.'” But state officials said they disagreed with the comment. “‘Lounge’ is commonly used to describe public rooms in hotels or bars, and is a neutral descriptor,” Dena Dawson, director of the Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s Office, wrote. “Further, any ambiguity in the definition of ‘lounge’ is appropriately captured by the quotation marks, which signals to voters that the measure specifically defines that term and uses it in that specifically defined sense.” The person who filed the sole comment had an opportunity to petition the state Supreme Court for review, but they did not do so. If OCCC had pursued the measure, it would have needed to collect just over 117,000 valid voter signatures to put the initiative on the ballot. The certified ballot title and summary for the now-withdrawn measure read: Allows “lounges” open to public for consumption of cannabis products; requires licensing process, government outreach Result of “Yes” Vote: “Yes” vote allows “microbusiness” operated “lounges” open to public (21 or older) for consumption of cannabis products; creates licensing process; local oversight; mandates government outreach. Result of “No” Vote: “No” vote retains current law prohibiting public consumption of cannabis products. Summary: Currently, federal/state law prohibits the public consumption of cannabis products. Measure amends state law, requires Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) to establish/issue licenses to qualified applicants for operation of “social lounges” where adults may consume certain cannabis products in public. Only “microbusinesses” (undefined) eligible for license; cannabis retail dispensaries may not operate under license and legal entity name. Adults must bring own cannabis for consumption, no on-premises cannabis sales allowed. Operator may sell non-cannabis food/beverages if certified by local health department; may sell products containing hemp-derived CBD. Alcohol/tobacco products/consumption prohibited on premises. Local governments may issue permits, impose additional limitations/restrictions. Requires OLCC/public health authorities provide “educational materials and outreach programs” regarding purpose and rules governing lounges. Seith initially filed the initiative petition in March, a little more than a month after submitting a separate, similar proposal that would legalize cannabis cafes. The later initiative, which refers to the facilities as “social lounges,” is the measure the campaign went through the process of receiving a certified ballot title for. If passed, it would have legalized and regulated state-licensed cannabis consumption lounges, offering what the initiative described as “a safe, legal environment for adults to consume cannabis” in compliance with state law. “These lounges will operate in a manner that ensures public health and safety, while providing adult-use cannabis consumers with a designated space to enjoy cannabis in social settings, and allowing the sale and consumption of unmedicated food and beverages,” the petition’s purpose section said. It specified that cannabis social lounge licenses would have been available only to small cannabis business licensees, known in the state as microbusinesses. Under the proposal, cannabis social lounges could have allowed adults 21 and older to consume cannabis and sell “unmedicated food and beverages,” but they could not “sell, distribute, or provide cannabis for sale on the premises” of the business. Consumption of marijuana “must be limited to smoking, vaping, and the consumption of non-edible products,” the proposal said. Alcohol and tobacco—including nicotine vape products—would have been strictly prohibited at the businesses. They would have also needed to close by 2 a.m. It’s unclear whether local governments could have prohibited the establishments under the measure. The petition said they could “regulate the number of cannabis social lounges” and set further restrictions, but it didn’t address outright bans. Local governments would also have been able to inspect the lounges to ensure compliance with state and local law. Regulators at the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) would have oversee the new businesses. The petition outlined a license application process for lounges as well as basic penalties, noting, for example, that violations of any provisions in the act could result in fines and/or license suspension or revocation. It also said unlicensed operation of a lounge could carry civil and criminal penalties. As for public education, lounges would have been required to post “signs or other visual aids…to inform patrons about the risks of cannabis consumption and the lounge’s operating rules,” the proposal said. OLCC would have also worked with public health authorities ” to provide educational materials and outreach programs to ensure that Oregon residents understand the purpose and rules governing cannabis consumption lounges.” If passed by voters, it would have taken effect on January 1, 2027. The post Oregon Activists Withdraw Measure To Legalize Marijuana Social Lounges From Consideration For 2026 Ballot appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Really enjoyed reading this perspective — normalizing cannabis use for moms truly does help shift the conversation for everyone. It’s refreshing to see open, stigma-free discussions like this. On a lighter note, when I take short breaks during the day, I’ve been playing ragdoll archers unblocked to relax. It’s crazy how much a simple game can help reset the mind. Thanks for sharing this thoughtful piece!

A GOP senator says he’ll be filing a bill next week to protect the hemp industry from an impending federal ban on most cannabinoid products. He’s also calling out alcohol and marijuana interests for allegedly “join[ing] forces” to lobby in favor of the prohibitionist policy change, which will restrict access to a plant and its derivatives that are often used therapeutically—including by members of his Senate colleagues’ families. In an interview on “The Chris Cuomo Project” podcast that was posted on Thursday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) previewed his plan to push back against the hemp ban that was included in major spending legislation President Donald Trump signed into law last week. Paul has been sounding the alarm for weeks about the potential consequences of the hemp recriminalization provisions, which he says would cause mass job losses and a $25 billion industry to be “wiped out.” As he previewed during a separate webinar organized by the Kentucky Hemp Association on Wednesday, the senator told Cuomo that he intends to introduce legislation next week that would make it so state policy regulating hemp cannabinoid products—with basic safeguards in place to prevent youth access, for example—”supersedes the federal law.” I don’t use hemp, but I’ll defend your right to. Now Washington wants to wipe out a $25 billion industry and override hemp laws in 25 states. Kentucky regulates hemp responsibly. We allow a simple 5mg hemp drink because adults can make their own decisions. We also know legal,… pic.twitter.com/6S8uWNMpHS — Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) November 20, 2025 “Now, traditionally, if the courts interpret it, federal law trumps state law. But if you write a federal law that says specifically that this federal law trumps your other federal law” it can overrule the hemp ban that’s set to take effect around this time next year, Paul said. “But the irony of it is, is the states that had limitations [such as] you can’t buy under 21, all of that’s being superseded by federal law that doesn’t do anything and just sort of bans the product but doesn’t do anything about the age limits,” he said. I’ll introduce a bill to let state hemp laws override the new federal ban. The Constitution already puts these powers with the states, but Washington ignored that. Kentucky regulates hemp responsibly—with age limits, serving sizes, and anti-fraud rules. Washington erased all of… pic.twitter.com/oixdCDgiMu — Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) November 20, 2025 The senator also took aim at certain alcohol and marijuana businesses that he says joined prohibitionists in pushing for the hemp ban because they saw that market as a threat to their bottom line. “The cannabis industry saw it as competition. Alcohol saw it as competition…and then people from the Stone Age like [Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)], who saw “Reefer Madness” in 1925, live at the matinee, are still thinking: ‘The world’s going to the devil. We are going to all die if the Reefer Madness is exploded,'” he said. “And really, it’s a lot more complicated than that.” “It was kind of lame to hear some of these people from the alcohol industry that were lobbying against [his amendment to strike the hemp ban language]—but to have the alcohol industry sit around a big table with me, and they sound mad that they would ban alcohol–but they just want to ban hemp but they’re still fine with alcohol–the hypocrisy of it comes in bound.” Only in Washington would the alcohol lobby, the cannabis lobby, and stone-age lawmakers still fixated on Reefer Madness join forces to attack hemp. I don’t object to a 5mg gummy that helps someone’s grandmom sleep. It makes no sense. pic.twitter.com/Sbx2oMI8eb — Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) November 20, 2025 At the core of the issue, from Paul’s perspective, is a question of civil liberties and adults’ freedom to choose to use cannabis—including as an potential alternative to pharmaceutic drugs like the opioid Percocet, which he described as “legal heroin.” “I have people come up to me on the floor of the Senate, and they said, ‘Well, my mom takes a gummy to sleep at night, and it’s like, who am I to tell somebody’s mom or grandma [that they can’t use that alternative treatment option?] Drug companies are able to peddle their products freely, “but you can’t take a gummy with a little bit of THC in it from a plant” under the newly enacted law, Paul said. “I’m disappointed in it, but it’s a big industry.” “I’m not done fighting on, and we’re going to see if we can get it reversed.” “It’s just none of your damn business” if a adult uses cannabis, he said. “I’m fine with the rules— keeping it out of kids’ hands—but by making it illegal, you’ll actually drive it back into the hands of kids, because it will go back to the black market. And guess what? When you buy things from a drug dealer around the corner, they don’t check your ID. When you go to the store, they’ll check your ID. So legal things are actually much better controlled than illegal things.” I joined @ChrisCuomo on his podcast to break down the Epstein files fight, the surprise hemp ban buried in the shutdown bill, and why Congress keeps choosing secrecy over honesty. If we want real accountability on war powers, spending, or any other issue, we can’t keep governing… — Rand Paul (@RandPaul) November 20, 2025 Meanwhile, at the Kentucky Hemp Association event on Wednesday, Paul told stakeholders about his forthcoming legislation to ensure states have the autonomy to regulate cannabinoid products. “I like the approach of doing it [this way], because it’s not a direct repeal, and we’re [doing] an end-run around him,” Paul said, as Law360 first reported. “And if a state doesn’t have laws—and they want to have a hemp industry—they’d get pretty busy at their state legislature and go ahead and put something in place so they can have a hemp industry, because I don’t think you can have one under McConnell’s law.” “I probably would just be a little bit laissez-faire and let the states figure it out,” he said. “What I like about the approach is, I’m avoiding the debate completely—how many milligrams, what percent everything is. I’m just going to avoid that completely.” Stakeholders say the new definition will devastate the market, as even non-intoxicating CBD items typically exceed the proposed 0.4 mg THC per container limit that is set to be enforced around this time next year. Since a majority of his colleagues in the Senate opted to advance the appropriations bill, however, “now I’m asking them to repeal something they’ve already voted for,” Paul said. “But if I ask them to vote for language that lets their state make the decision on regulation, we might get more votes.” “A bunch of Democrats voted against us because the spending bill, the [continuing resolution, or CR], was all about opening government, and they were told by their leaders [that] this is about opening the government: ‘We don’t want you to mess with the CR and all this,'” he said. “But it was also kind of a lie, because they kept saying it was a clean CR—and this is a policy that they stuck on a clean CR, so they weren’t being honest. But in the end, there are more votes out there that we could get,” Paul said. The hemp debate has made some strange bedfellows, with libertarian-minded lawmakers like Paul finding themselves aligned with Democrats such as Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) on the need for regulations over prohibition. Omar, co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, is actively rallying federal legislators representing Minnesota to push the Trump administration to scale back the ban on hemp-derived THC by providing a carve-out for states that want to regulate cannabinoid products. Minnesota’s Democratic top prosecutor, Keith Ellison, was one of 39 state and territory counterparts who sent a letter to congressional leaders earlier this month that voiced support for the hemp provisions of the spending bill Trump signed. Ellison later defended his decision, in part by arguing that states with regulations in place for cannabinoid products like Minnesota should not have to worry about hemp entering their market from unregulated, out-of-state operators. On the other end of the debate, Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), who helped secure the hemp re-criminalization language, said this week that he’s not concerned about attempts to undercut the enacted law, brushing off arguments about the possible consequences of the policy change as “desperate mistruths from an industry that stands to lose billions of dollars by selling intoxicants to children.” Overall, there’s been widespread outcry over the pending hemp re-criminalization law, drawing criticism from parents of cannabis patients, veterinarians and influencers like Joe Rogan, for example. In response to the hemp ban, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) filed bill that would strike the contested provisions of the appropriations legislation. But some stakeholders worry that approach could backfire, and they’re hoping to see bipartisan bills introduced in he near future that would provide a robust regulatory model for intoxicating hemp products as a viable alternative to blanket prohibition. Meanwhile, GOP political operative Roger Stone said this week that President Donald Trump was effectively “forced” by Republican lawmakers to sign the spending bill with the hemp THC ban language. However, a White House spokesperson said prior to the bill signing that Trump specifically supported the prohibition language. The Democratic governor of Kentucky said last week that the hemp industry is an “important” part of the economy that deserves to be regulated at the state level—rather than federally prohibited, as Congress has moved to do. Also, a leading veterans organization is warning congressional leaders that the newly approved blanket ban on consumable hemp products could inadvertently “slam the door shut” on critical research. While many hemp stakeholders say the ban would effectively eradicate the industry–even applying to nonintoxicating CBD products that people use for medical reasons—there’s latent hope that they can strike a compromise deal with lawmakers before the prohibition is implemented this time next year. Lawmakers such as Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) also say that window could provide an opportunity to advance legislation to create an alternative regulatory model for consumable hemp products. There were attempts by GOP lawmakers in both chambers to strike the hemp prohibition provision. But the proposed amendments from Paul and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) did not make it into the final package. Massie tried to revive the push in the House with his own amendment mirroring Paul’s, but the prospects of its adoption were dubious at best, as there was generally consensus within the Republican caucus that the spending bill should advance without further modifications that could have sent it back to the Senate. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Since 2018, cannabis products have been considered legal hemp if they contain less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. The new legislation specifies that, within one year of enactment, the weight will apply to total THC—including delta-8 and other isomers. It will also include “any other cannabinoids that have similar effects (or are marketed to have similar effects) on humans or animals as a tetrahydrocannabinol (as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services).” The new definition of legal hemp will additionally ban “any intermediate hemp-derived cannabinoid products which are marketed or sold as a final product or directly to an end consumer for personal or household use” as well as products containing cannabinoids that are synthesized or manufactured outside of the cannabis plant or not capable of being naturally produced by it. Legal hemp products will be limited to a total of 0.4 milligrams per container of total THC or any other cannabinoids with similar effects. Within 90 days of the bill’s enactment, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies will need to publish list of “all cannabinoids known to FDA to be capable of being naturally produced by a Cannabis sativa L. plant, as reflected in peer reviewed literature,” “all tetrahydrocannabinol class cannabinoids known to the agency to be naturally occurring in the plant” and “all other known cannabinoids with similar effects to, or marketed to have similar effects to, tetrahyrocannabinol class cannabinoids.” The language slightly differs from provisions included in legislation that had previously advanced out of the House and Senate Appropriations panels, which would have banned products containing any “quantifiable” amount of THC, to be determined by the HHS secretary and secretary of agriculture. Meanwhile, advocates are sharply criticizing congressional leaders for advancing the spending bill ahead of Veterans Day that also omits bipartisan provisions allowing U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to recommend medical cannabis to patients in states where it’s legal—even though the policy was approved by the full Senate and House earlier this year. The post Rand Paul Slams Alcohol And Marijuana Interests Over Federal Hemp Ban, Announcing He’ll File A Bill To Reverse It Next Week appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A new Republican-led congressional bill would stop the implementation of a federal hemp THC product ban that was included in spending legislation signed by President Donald Trump last week. The bill, filed on Thursday by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and three bipartisan cosponsors, would strike a section of the recently enacted appropriations package that hemp stakeholders say will effectively eradicate the market by imposing severe restrictions on the kinds of consumable cannabinoid products that could be legally sold. Hemp businesses and industry groups have warned about the potential ramifications of the ban, but despite his support for states’ rights for cannabis and a recent social media post touting the benefits of CBD, Trump signed the underlying spending measure into law without acknowledging the hemp provisions. The new bill, titled “The American Hemp Protection Act of 2025,” would prevent that ban from taking effect, which is set to happen around this time next year. However, it wouldn’t on its own accomplish what many advocates have asked for: Regulations. Rather than outright prohibit consumable hemp products with small amounts of THC, the industry has generally pushed for a regulatory model that addresses issues with intoxicating cannabinoids that have become widely available since the crop and its derivatives were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed during his first term. Mace’s office did not reply to a request for comment from Marijuana Moment earlier in the week when it emerged that she was planning to file the new bill. Mace’s proposal is cosponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Zoe Lofrgren (D-CA) and James Baird (R-IN). In comments inserted into the Congressional Record last week, Mace, who has separately championed legislation to legalize marijuana, signaled that she’d be taking steps to address the hemp language in the spending bill—saying it would “deal a fatal blow to American farmers supplying the regulated hemp industry and small businesses and jeopardize tens of billions of dollars in economic activity.” The Farm Bill legalizing hemp and its derivatives “established a successful framework,” she said, adding that stakeholders have “stepped forward to self-regulate in the absence of uniform federal regulations–uniting behind a framework which restricts the sale and possession of hemp products to adults 21 years and older, standardizes packaging to eliminate ‘look-a-like’ products that are appealing to children, standardizes labeling to empower adult consumers to make informed choices and requires independent third-party laboratory tests for consumable hemp products.” “They have been asking Congress to pass legislation to responsibly regulate their industry,” the congresswoman said. “Rather than adopt this common-sense regulatory framework to protect children and allow adults to make informed decisions, Section 781 of this bill essentially imposes a national ban of all ingestible hemp products with any ‘quantifiable’ level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which represents between 90 and 95 percent of hemp products in the marketplace, including the vast majority of non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD) products offered in the marketplace. Section 781 of this bill would needlessly and arbitrarily change the definition of legal hemp rather than responsibly regulating the market.” “This would effectively turn out the lights on America’s legal hemp farmers, preempt the work being done in states to create regulatory frameworks for hemp products and restrict consumer choice for the tens of millions of Americans who use hemp-derived products,” Mace said. “Approximately 20 percent of American adults report using CBD or a hemp-derived product in the preceding 12 months. These products are here; they are widespread, and they are not going away. As the failed war on drugs has shown, provisions like this drive out responsible actors from the industry and embolden shady, black-market actors who care not for consumer safety or the protection of children. Rather than have a substantive, open debate on the future of hemp policy in America, prohibitionists slipped this provision into a must-pass government funding bill, forcing members of Congress to choose between voting their conscience on hemp and paying our military service members. This is wrong.” Mace said that she opposed the hemp provisions when “prohibitionists” sought to include it in last year’s U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appropriations bill, and “I continue to oppose this language.” “In the year before this provision takes effect, I will work tirelessly to reverse this harmful language and create a common-sense regulatory framework which protects America’s children, ensures product quality and preserves access to products used by tens of millions of Americans,” she said. As currently drafted, however, the bill Mace is circulating does not contain such a regulatory framework. And several hemp industry stakeholders told Marijuana Moment on Tuesday that there’s internal concern about the congresswoman’s standalone bill for that reason. The sources stressed that it’s imperative any alternative policy solution doesn’t simply reverse the ban but also specifically addresses the regulatory concerns that have arisen since hemp was legalized. They also said that there are bipartisan lawmakers in both chambers working to craft such legislation that could be introduced by the year’s end. Beyond hemp, Mace said last year that she believes her States Reform Act to federally legalize marijuana is the ideal vehicle for reform. She has not yet reintroduced that legislation in the 119th Congress. At the time, the congresswoman also weighed in on another controversial issue: updated guidance from a GOP policy committee she sits on that specifically urged members to oppose a marijuana banking reform bill and the Cannabis Users’ Restoration of Eligibility (CURE) Act she sponsored on marijuana-related security clearance denials. The post New GOP-Led Bill In Congress Would Reverse Hemp THC Ban That Trump Signed Into Law appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A Massachusetts campaign seeking to put an initiative on the 2026 ballot to roll back the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law is “confident” they turned in enough signatures this week to qualify—and they’re also pushing back against allegations that some of its petitioners violated election laws by peddling misleading claims about the measure. Wendy Wakeman, a spokesperson for Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts behind the “Act to Restore a Sensible Marijuana Policy” initiative, said the team believes they’ve submitted more than the 74,574 valid signatures needed to advance to the next step toward ballot placement. “The committee is confident it will have obtained sufficient signatures to place the question on the ballot,” Wakeman told Marijuana Moment on Thursday. The campaign turned in its signed petitions on the initial deadline Wednesday, but they must still be processed by local officials and then refiled with the state by December 3. The campaign previously said it’s aiming to submit more than 100,000 signatures to ensure the measure qualifies, though it’s unclear how many they’ve submitted so far. “The rollout of marijuana sales in Massachusetts has been rife with corruption,” Wakeman told CommonWealth Beacon. “The results of legalized marijuana have been higher traffic incidents and problematic experiences of parents, employers, and mental-health professionals,” she said. “Medical marijuana under our question would remain unchanged, but it’s time to take another look at the unfettered sale of a controversial product.” Under proposed initiative, adults 21 and older could still possess up to an ounce of cannabis, only five grams of which could be a marijuana concentrate product. Possession of more than one ounce but less than two ounces would be effectively decriminalized, with violators subject to a $100 fine. Adults could also continue to gift cannabis between each other without remuneration. But provisions in the state’s voter-approved marijuana law that allow for commercial cannabis retailers and access to regulated products by adults would be repealed under the proposal. Adults’ right to cultivate cannabis at home would also be repealed. The medical cannabis program would remain intact, however. In a separate interview with News Service this week, Wakeman said that “a group of parents and medical professionals, mental health professionals, educators, church leaders got together, and there are ways in which the rollout of recreational marijuana just hasn’t worked for people. “That has to do with—it’s unregulated levels of THC in marijuana products,” she said. “Some of the gummies seemed to be geared toward children.” Wakeman said that “most” signatures for the initiative were collected by paid professionals. But the campaign’s professionalism has come under question over recent weeks, with various claims from residents that they observed petitioners sharing misleading information about what the measure would accomplish. The state attorney general’s office has confirmed it’s received complaints to that end. Wakeman refuted those allegations when asked to comment by Marijuana Moment. “The ballot committee trained its signature gatherers. Folks worked hard and got the job done, via fair and ethical means,” she said on Thursday. “We have no concerns that signatures will be declared invalid on the basis of specious claims found on Facebook and Reddit.” Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s (D) office—which cleared the campaign for signature gathering in September–has also stressed to voters the importance of reading their summary, which is required to go at the top of the signature form, before signing any petitions. Wakeman, for her part, told News Service that there’s been “quite a bit of political corruption that surrounds the whole brand new cannabis industry,” and she similarly pushed back against claims that petitioners have used “unsavory” tactics to amass signatures, calling those allegations “completely off the mark.” In comments to The Boston Globe, the activist added that the “committee 100 percent does not support folks misrepresenting or lying about the petition.” But she also said that, “if this is happening,” then those who signed the petition based on misinformation without reading it only have themselves to blame. To that point, because misstating the content of a ballot measure is considered protected political speech, the attorney general’s office has taken the added step of putting out an advisory about the need to do independent research before voters attach their name to an initiative petition. The advisory didn’t specifically mention the cannabis proposal, however. Meanwhile, the head of Massachusetts’s marijuana regulatory agency recently suggested that the measure to effectively recriminalize recreational cannabis sales could imperil tax revenue that’s being used to support substance misuse treatment efforts and other public programs. If enough of the initial signature submissions are validated, the proposal will then go before the legislature, with lawmakers having until May 6 to enact it into law or propose a substitute. If they do not, organizers will then need to collect 12,429 additional valid voter signatures to put the measure on the ballot. Whether the cannabis measures make the cut is yet to be seen. Voters approved legalization at the ballot in 2016, with sales launching two years later. And the past decade has seen the market evolve and expand. As of August, Massachusetts officials reported more than $8 billion in adult-use marijuana sales. On Wednesday, the Massachusetts Senate approved a bill that would double the legal marijuana possession limit for adults and revise the regulatory framework for the state’s adult-use cannabis market. Similar legislation also advanced through the House earlier this year. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Separately, the state Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) recently launched an online platform aimed at helping people find jobs, workplace training and networking opportunities in the state’s legal cannabis industry. State lawmakers have also been considering setting tighter restrictions on intoxicating hemp-derived products and a plan to allow individual entities to control a larger number of cannabis establishments. Also in Massachusetts, legislators who were working on a state budget butted heads with CCC officials, who’ve said they can’t make critical technology improvements without more money from the legislature. Massachusetts lawmakers additionally approved a bill to establish a pilot program for the regulated therapeutic use of psychedelics. And two committees have separately held hearings to discuss additional psilocybin-related measures. Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan. The post Massachusetts Anti-Marijuana Campaign Is ‘Confident’ It Submitted Enough Signatures This Week For 2026 Ballot appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

MA double marijuana possession limit; TX Ag head opposes fed hemp ban; Conservative group to SCOTUS: Take cannabis case Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… Hold on, just one second before you read today’s news. Have you thought about giving some financial support to Marijuana Moment? If so, today would be a great day to contribute. We’re planning our reporting for the coming months and it would really help to know what kind of support we can count on. Check us out on Patreon and sign up to give $25/month today: https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW The Ohio House of Representatives passed a revised bill to alter the voter-approved marijuana legalization law by recriminalizing some cannabis activity and removing legal protections for consumers—while also restricting hemp products. The Massachusetts Senate passed a bill to double the amount of marijuana a person can legally possess and to overhaul the Cannabis Control Commission. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller (R) said the federal hemp THC product ban signed by President Donald Trump “should be repealed.” “We can protect kids and treat adults like adults at the same time. The federal bans [sic] takes our country backwards, destroys jobs, and hurts those who find relief in these products.” The conservative group Americans for Prosperity Foundation is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take up marijuana companies’ lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of federal prohibition. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) slammed congressional Republicans over a new federal ban on hemp THC products—saying, “For a party that claims to support business and job growth, they have a funny way of showing it with their continued attempts to stifle growth and innovation.” The Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission announced that only 38 percent of pre-applicants for social equity marijuana retail licenses reserved for people adversely affected by the war on drugs have qualified to submit a formal application. / FEDERAL A report on behalf of the Food and Drug Administration reviews the process the agency uses to estimate the domestic medical, scientific and reserve stock needs for Schedule I and II substance production. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) noted his support for descheduling marijuana and joked that mayors who said they don’t want to enforce certain crimes “may have been high when they were saying it.” Nebraska independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn said he agrees with Rep. Nancy Mace’s (R-SC) move to undo a federal ban on hemp THC products. The House bill to federally legalize marijuana got two new cosponsors for a total of 59. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — / STATES A Florida representative filed a bill to decriminalize drug checking equipment. Omaha Tribe of Nebraska regulators approved medical cannabis rules. New York regulators partnered with Red Hook police to close an unlicensed marijuana business. Oklahoma regulators published an annual medical cannabis report. Washington, D.C. regulators posted protest notices for proposed medical cannabis facilities. / LOCAL The Ann Arbor, Michigan City Council voted to reduce the required barrier between marijuana dispensaries and schools. / INTERNATIONAL A Brazilian task force has overturned 3,600 marijuana possession convictions following a Supreme Court ruling decriminalizing personal use. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A review concluded that “evidence suggests cannabinoids may have beneficial effects on anxiety and sleep disturbances, but methodological limitations and the lack of standardized dosing hinder definitive conclusions.” A study found that “CBD appears to be an effective and well-tolerated adjunctive treatment for drug-resistant [epileptic spasms] in children older than 2 years.” A study found that “legalizing recreational cannabis increases the odds of marriage for Black women without college education.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The Attorney General Alliance hosted a talk on cannabis regulation. The Global Commission on Drug Policy is criticizing the Trump administration’s military strikes on suspected drug boats. / BUSINESS A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit accusing Cresco Labs of mislabeling cannabis products to evade Illinois THC potency limits. Colorado retailers sold $115.4 million worth of legal marijuana products in August. Make sure to subscribe to get Marijuana Moment’s daily dispatch in your inbox. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: The post Ohio lawmakers pass new cannabis restriction bill (Newsletter: November 21, 2025) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

This initiative is fantastic! Helping female cannabis entrepreneurs gain the skills to thrive is crucial. Imagine these women building their empires, navigating the business world with finesse. It's almost like watching them expertly play the Google Snake, strategically maneuvering to grow and avoid obstacles. Their success will undoubtedly inspire others and reshape the industry. I'm eager to see the innovative products and services they bring to the market!