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“There may be some fiddling around the edges with THC limits and maybe with beverages.” By Phillip Smith, The American Hemp Monitor Congress is unlikely to do anything to undo the hemp ban it passed last year, and that will have devastating consequences for the hemp cannabinoid industry, leaders of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) said in a Wednesday Zoom call. Hemp—defined as cannabis containing less than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight—was legalized by Congress in 2018, but under legislation last fall, new, more restrictive definitions effectively criminalizing many hemp-derived cannabinoid products will go into effect in November unless Congress acts to delay or amend them. The new language counts not just delta-9 THC (what people generally mean when they refer to THC), but also delta-8 THC and THCA when measuring for that 0.3 percent threshold. It also limits consumer products to 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container and bans synthetic and converted cannabinoids. “Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) thought the hemp industry was out of control, and he could point to bad actors, sales to children, flashy packaging, things like that, to close the hemp loophole,” said MPP State Policies Director Karen O’Keefe. “He used the reopening of the federal government after last fall’s shutdown to rein in hemp, but instead of replacing the regulatory void that had existed since 2018 with a sensible regulatory structure, Congress effectively banned most hemp products starting in November.” That’s not likely to change between now and then, said MPP Executive Director Adam Smith. “We are unlikely to see further moves from the federal government on the cannabis front under this Congress,” Smith said. “Since Congress passed that ban on all hemp-derived products with more than a trace of THC, there has been a lot of work to try to delay or replace that ban. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) is about to introduce a hemp regulation bill, but we don’t see that happening,” he said. “There may be some fiddling around the edges with THC limits and maybe with beverages,” Smith continued. “The administration is pushing to allow a bit more THC, to bring in full-spectrum products,” Smith said, pointing to Howard Kessler as the administration figure leading the charge. “But I don’t see the administration pushing beyond that.” Kessler is a wealthy businessman and Trump friend who has advocated for years for medical marijuana and CBD and successfully pushed Trump to issue the executive order that will move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. Smith, O’Keefe, and MPP Southeast Legislative Manager Kevin Caldwell all shared a gloomy outlook on the consequences of the hemp ban taking effect. “It will be a financial disaster for companies built around selling THC products from hemp,” said Smith. “Unless Congress acts, they will go away entirely.” “Companies will have to shut down completely, shift to other products or work under federal illegality,” like marijuana companies in legal states, said O’Keefe. “And that means problems with banking, and cannabis employees can be permanently inadmissible if not U.S. citizens. Even if some states choose to continue to allow this, we would need to see a dramatic restructuring of how the industry operates.” “If the ban goes into effect, I think we will see a huge drop in both tax revenue and access for consumers, and a very large increase in the number of Americans arrested again. Those products will be considered marijuana. They will become illegal, with harsh penalties in some states,” said Caldwell. “One thing we’ve seen with hemp is a reduction in cannabis arrests in prohibition states. In many states, including Florida, North Carolina and Texas, the number of arrests declined either because consumers were purchasing hemp products or because crime labs lacked the bandwidth to test them all. The new cannabinoid thresholds are so low they will wipe out whole product lines, said O’Keefe. “That 0.4 milligram limit per container—and it’s total THC, not just delta-9 THC—is a very small amount. There are a lot of products, even including nonintoxicating ones, such as topicals or full-spectrum CBD products, that will have more than 0.4 milligrams of THC,” O’Keefe noted. “And it also bans synthetic cannabinoids.” That may not be such a bad thing, said Smith. “While this is a complicated issue, we don’t think it’s a bad thing to ban synthetics,” he said. “No one really knows the impact of consuming those molecules. And we don’t think having a totally unregulated hemp cannabinoid industry was an unalloyed good. We shouldn’t be putting stuff out into the world when we don’t know its effects, and we don’t want to sell unregulated products for human consumption.” “What we need is an overall rational cannabinoid policy,” Smith continued. “Hopefully, we will get to the point where we can put this all under one umbrella that keeps people safe but preserves access to cannabinoids. Synthetics and delta 8 would not exist but for prohibition. A lot of these problems we’re trying to solve are created by the fact that naturally occurring cannabinoids remain illegal in many states.” But what about the kids? “For 30 years, we’ve heard that legalization will addict our children, but teen use is near the lowest level since the CDC started asking the question back in 1975,” Smith said. “It’s been cut almost in half, and youth access is down. It’s important to understand that the idea that we are endangering kids by regulating the market is the opposite of the truth.” The alcohol industry is interested in the future of hemp, but different sectors have diverging and sometimes conflicting interests, said Smith. “Alcohol distillers are against allowing THC beverages, but distributors favor them,” he said. “There is a lot of money going into this from distributors. We’ve seen a drop in alcohol use as cannabis use rises, but around beverages is where we get lobbying voices outside the cannabis realm who have long-term relationships on the Hill and the money to make things happen.” In the meantime, people in the industry will have to hunker down. “It’s a really difficult time for folks in this industry; everything is very chaotic, people lobbying on all sides,” said Caldwell, “but I’m certain we are not going to see a repeal of this ban, a broad opening to intoxicating products, although beverages may be a different story. The ban will go into effect relatively close to what it looks like now.” “Hemp farmers are supposed to be putting their crops in the ground right now,” said Smith. “I’m glad I’m not a farmer in North Carolina or Tennessee trying to figure out if their product will be legal or illegal. They’re having to make very hard decisions.” This story was first published by The American Hemp Monitor. The post Congress Is Unlikely To Prevent A New Federal Ban On Hemp THC Products This Year, Top Marijuana Reform Group Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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The Trump administration is seeking to accelerate efforts to provide access to psychedelics for military veterans and others who may benefit from their therapeutic impact, but that push may be slowed when it comes to sourcing a particular substance to be used in studies, the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says. VA Secretary Doug Collins spoke about ongoing studies his department is conducting on the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics at a hearing before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Thursday, saying that “if it helps a veteran, we’re going to look into it.” He said that he appreciates President Donald Trump “stepping forward” on the issue by signing a psychedelics-focused executive order last month, noting that the administration’s work is a “combined effort” between VA and components of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). After referencing VA’s recent expansion of trials on MDMA, which he said are proceeding “ahead of the schedule,” Collins noted that “our next probably big one” is going to be focused on ibogaine. The secretary cautioned, however, that “it’s going to take a little time to get that, because we don’t have that.” “That’s got to come through [the Food and Drug Administration] first. We’ll be prepared for that,” he said. “We also have to have a federal source of sourcing the ibogaine, which we don’t have a costing on at this point.” Collins was responding to a question from Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), who noted the secretary’s previous positive comments about psychedelic therapies, but also decried general funding cuts to support research under the Trump administration. “Veterans facing PTSD, TBI and treatment-resistant depression are looking to VA to move faster in evaluating and supporting therapies that are showing promising results, especially for veterans who have exhausted more traditional treatment options,” the senator said. He pointed to a bill he is cosponsoring with Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) on psychedelics as “an important step toward ensuring VA is fully equipped to evaluate and responsibly deliver emerging therapies offering real hope to veterans.” The Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a hearing last month on the bipartisan legislation to promote research into the therapeutic potential psychedelics by creating a new office at VA that would advance the development innovative treatments for serious mental health conditions and assist in reviewing the scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA. Collins, for his part, responded to Gallego’s concern about funding for research by saying he believes “the president’s budget also supports anything we need to do to support” the psychedelics executive order. “We’re developing the standards right now on how we’re going to be implementing this,” he said. Our budget…is going to facilitate that, it’s getting us forward. The big issues that we have right now is making sure that we have the proper protocols, the proper rims in place to use these different psychedelic treatments.” Gallego pushed Collins for a “commitment” to “work with Congress on closing the gap between that research on these promising innovative therapies and veterans’ access to these treatments, because that’s usually kind of the gap that does exist.” The secretary pointed out in response that psychedelic therapies are “clinically intensive treatments.” “MDMA requires almost 120 hours per patient with two psychiatrists going through this,” he said. “So we’re working to work up to speed on that.” The House of Representatives, meanwhile, passed an amendment to a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) funding bill this month that seeks to raise awareness about the benefits of psychedelic and other therapies for military veterans. FDA and the HHS last month announced steps that they say will help with “accelerating” therapeutic access to psychedelics for patients dealing with serious mental health conditions. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said recently that the Trump administration is “very anxious” to create a pathway for access to psychedelics therapy and that top officials across federal agencies want to “get it out to the public as quickly as possible.” In an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience in February, Kennedy said he’s confident “we’re going to get it done,” with plans to develop and finalize rules that would enable patients with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression to access psychedelic substances like psilocybin and MDMA in a “very controlled setting.” “Everybody in my agency…is very anxious to get a rule out there that will allow these kind of studies and will allow access under therapeutic settings, particularly [for] the military soldiers who have suffered these injuries to get access to these products,” the HHS secretary said. “We’re working through that process now. We’re all working on it and trying to make it happen.” “I think that we’re going to get it done,” he said. Last June, Kennedy said his agency is “absolutely committed” to expanding research on the benefits of psychedelic therapy and, alongside of the head of FDA, is aiming to provide legal access to such substances for military veterans “within 12 months.” Collins disclosed last year that he had an “eye-opening” talk with Kennedy about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicine. And he said he’s open to the idea of having the government provide vouchers to cover the costs of psychedelic therapy for veterans who receive services outside of VA as Congress considers pathways for access. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Scamperdale. The post Problems Finding Ibogaine To Be Used In Research Could Slow Trump Administration’s Psychedelic Therapy Push For Veterans, VA Secretary Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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Marijuana impairment bill advances in Congress; DE gov signs medical cannabis in hospitals; Study: Psilocybin for depression 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… BREAKING: Journalism is often consumed for free, but costs money to produce! While this newsletter is proudly sent without cost to you, our ability to send it each day depends on the financial support of readers who can afford to give it. So if you’ve got a few dollars to spare each month and believe in the work we do, please consider joining us on Patreon today. https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved a bill to require federal officials to propose “evidence-based impairment standards” for cannabis and other drugs—with an amendment replacing “marijuana” with “intoxicating cannabinoids” in the text. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer (D) signed a bill to allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis in hospitals, subject to certain restrictions. The Veterans Action Council’s Doc Laing authored a new Marijuana Moment op-ed about how newly unveiled Department of Veterans Affairs documents obtained via the Freedom of Information Act reveal how medical cannabis rescheduling could meaningfully increase military veterans’ ability to legally access it through VA doctors—and also show what won’t change under the reform. This is the first in a multi-part series about what VAC found about VA’s medical cannabis policy via FOIA. A new study published by the American Medical Association found that “psilocybin may provide a rapid and relatively long-lasting antidepressant effect on major depressive disorder.” “A single dose of psilocybin was associated with rapid antidepressant effects.” More Missouri marijuana industry workers are seeking unionization following a favorable ruling by the National Labor Relations Board in the case of employees at a St. Louis cannabis company. / FEDERAL The Drug Enforcement Administration promoted an article that claims “vaping damages young people’s lungs as much as smoking.” New York Republican congressional candidate Greg Hach criticized SNY for airing ads for a cannabis business during New York Mets games. / STATES The Rhode Island House Corporations Committee held a hearing on legislation to remove the state’s residency requirement for marijuana business licenses amid litigation over the issue. A New York assemblymember appeared on a cannabis podcast. Louisiana regulators filed rules on use of medical cannabis by people on parole. The New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control issued an order on rules for the sale of hemp THC beverages. Michigan regulators published an updated compliance best practices guide for cannabis businesses. The Alaska Marijuana Control Board will meet on Tuesday. / LOCAL Washtenaw County, Michigan’s sheriff criticized an investigation into the discovery of marijuana in a department vehicle she had previously driven. / INTERNATIONAL A Canadian employment tribunal rules that flight attendants are not allowed to consume cannabis. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study suggests that CBD is “a highly specific, targeted molecule with a high potential for neuroprotective therapy in” Parkinson’s disease. / BUSINESS Vireo Growth Inc. is acquiring Bridgewell Agribusiness LLC. Canadian retailers sold C$471.4 million worth of legal marijuana products in March. / CULTURE Conan O’Brien discussed how he “nibbled” on a cannabis gummy his colleague gifted him. 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: Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post VA cannabis docs reveal Schedule III impact for veterans (Newsletter: May 26, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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The upcoming MOCANN BIZCON is shaping up to be an incredible event for anyone involved in or interested in the Missouri cannabis industry. This year’s expo will feature a hybrid format, allowing medical patients to participate for free in the virtual patient track. X. Andres/ excavator sydney

The Missouri Cannabis Business Conference seems like a good opportunity for networking and seeing new trends in the industry. I often keep short event recap videos through SnapTik to catch up on sessions I missed.

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A single dose of psilocybin, coupled with therapy sessions, significantly improved symptoms of depression within days and lasting for a period of months, according to a first-of-its-kind study out of Sweden that was published by the American Medical Association. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and the Brain Stimulation Clinic in Stockholm conducted the phase 2 randomized clinical trial, which involved 35 participants with moderate-t0-severe depression who received either a 25 milligram dose of psilocybin or a placebo of niacin. For the study, published in JAMA Psychiatry last week, patients also underwent five psychotherapy sessions to supplement the psychedelic or placebo experience. The psilocybin cohort, on average, showed clinically observable improvement in their symptoms compared to the placebo group at day 8. “This finding implies that psilocybin can be an option to standard treatments when rapid symptom relief is important,” the paper says. “A single dose of psilocybin was associated with rapid antidepressant effects.” By the sixth week of the trial, 53 percent of the psilocybin cohort were considered to be in remission for depression, while just 6 percent of the placebo group said the same by that point. However, researchers found that the overall effect seemed to subside after a year. ”Our results suggest that psilocybin can provide rapid, clinically meaningful improvement in depression and may serve as an alternative to standard treatment when fast symptom reduction is important,” lead study author Hampus Yngwe said in a press release. ”However, the long-term effects are uncertain. Repeated treatments may be needed to prevent relapse,” he said. “This needs to be investigated in larger studies.” “Our findings indicate that psilocybin might be a valuable addition to current treatments because of its rapid onset and relatively long-lasting effects, although the duration may not be as long as suggested by previous uncontrolled studies. Repeated dosing or maintenance therapy might therefore be needed to prevent relapse.” Johan Lundberg, a neuroscience professor at Karolinska Institutet, added that “it is important to emphasize that the treatment is not risk-free and that some patients may need extra support.” This marks the first randomized, double-blind study in Sweden investigating psilocybin for depression. Researchers received funding from the Swedish Research Council and Norrsken Mind. However, it’s hardly the only study suggesting that single-dose psychedelic therapy may have lasting impacts in the treatment of various mental health conditions. For example, another recent study published by the American Medical Association (AMA) found that one dose of psilocybin, with integrated psychotherapy, appears to be a “safe and efficacious” treatment option for people with cocaine use disorders (CUD). That research was being published about two months after AMA released a separate study finding that a single dose of psilocybin combined with therapy is associated with “significantly increased long-term abstinence” from cigarettes compared to nicotine patches. That indicates the psychedelic “holds potential in the treatment of tobacco use disorder,” the researchers said. As psychedelics policy reform advances in state legislatures across the U.S. and in Congress, Americans have shown growing interest in exploring the therapeutic potential of substances like psilocybin. To that point, a RAND Corporation analysis recently found that nearly 10 million American adults microdosed psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin, LSD or MDMA in 2025. A scientific review published by AMA last year that use of psilocybin has “surged” in the U.S. in recent years amid the decriminalization movement and in light of “promising clinical trial results” on its therapeutic potential. But the paper also pointed out that current federal laws present “a major barrier” to researchers gaining a better understanding of the psychedelic substance’s true impacts. Meanwhile, another study from last year found that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy “showed significant reductions in alcohol consumption and high smoking cessation rates” and has potential to lessen opioid dependence. In 2024, meanwhile, two other studies—including one with contributions from a top federal drug official—examined psychedelics and alcohol use disorder (AUD). One found that a single dose of psilocybin “was safe and effective in reducing alcohol consumption in AUD patients,” while the other concludes that classic psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD “have demonstrated potential for treating drug addiction, especially AUD.” The National Institutes of Health that year also announced that it would put $2.4 million toward funding studies on the use of psychedelics to treat methamphetamine use disorders—funding that came as federal health officials noted sharp increases in deaths from methamphetamine and other psychostimulants in recent years, with fatal overdoses involving the substances rising nearly fivefold between 2015 and 2022. In 2023, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) announced a $1.5 million funding round to further study psychedelics and addiction. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has recently taken steps to explore the therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as ibogaine, which has been touted as a potentially life-saving treatment option for people suffering from serious mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder. — 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. %5C Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Other research has also suggested that psychedelics could unlock promising new pathways to treat addiction. A first-of-its-kind analysis in 2023 offered novel insights into exactly how psychedelic-assisted therapy works for people with alcohol use disorder. In 2024, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), identified the treatment of alcohol use disorder as one of a number of possible benefits of psilocybin, despite the substance remaining a Schedule I controlled substance under U.S. law. The agency highlighted a 2022 study that “suggested that psilocybin may be helpful for alcohol use disorder.” The research found people who were in psilocybin-assisted therapy had fewer heavy-drinking days over 32 weeks than the control group, which NCCIH said “suggests that psilocybin may be helpful for alcohol use disorder.” Photo courtesy of Dick Culbert. The post A Single Dose Of Psilocybin Can Lead To ‘Rapid’ And ‘Long-Lasting’ Improvements In Depression, Study Indicates appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A congressional committee has approved transportation legislation containing provisions to require federal officials to study the issue of driving of driving under the influence of marijuana and other drugs and propose “evidence-based impairment standards.” The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted 61-2 on Thursday to advance the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development (BUILD) for America’s 250th Act, sponsored by Reps. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Rick Larsen (D-WA), who are, respectively, the chair and ranking member of the panel. The more than 1,000-page legislation covers broad areas of transportation, including roads, bridges, rail and highway programs. The proposal’s section on drug issues would require the secretary of transportation to collaborate with the heads of other relevant federal agencies to “study the effect that intoxicating cannabinoids and polysubstance impairment has on driving” and to analyze measures for detecting and reducing impaired driving. The federal officials would then need to “propose evidence-based impairment standards for intoxicating cannabinoids or polysubstance use,” and the transportation secretary would need to provide Congress with a report describing progress on the effort. A manager’s amendment to the bill that was adopted replaced an initial draft’s mentions of “marijuana” with “intoxicating cannabinoids.” A separate standalone amendment from Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA) sought to make the same change, but it was not considered as its substance was included in the chairman’s larger package. A separate provision of the advancing legislation would direct the secretary to establish a national drug involved crash data collection system. Its duties would be to: ‘‘(A) collect standardized toxicology data from States for fatal and serious injury crashes; (B) link crash data with medical, coroner, hospital, and emergency medical services records; and (C) provide model protocols for specimen collection, testing, and reporting.” Under that system, the Department of Transportation (DOT) could award grants to states assist with launching pilot programs for enhanced data collection and to support toxicology labs, specimen collection, training, data systems and data linkage. In order to protect people’s privacy, the data would need to be “deidentified” before it is made publicly available, including through a report the transportation secretary would be required to provide to Congress that would “analyze trends, substance types, and geographic patterns collected under the system.” The bill would require the department to spend $110 million to support the effort from Fiscal Years 2027-2031. Additionally, the legislation as approved would direct administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to submit a report to Congress on the status of the collaborative research effort to advance impaired driving prevention technology. Graves said after the panel’s 14-hour markup that he looks forward to “moving this bill on the House floor in the near future, and to working with the Senate to pass a final bill before the current law expires on September 30th,” referring to overall federal transportation authorization policy. Larsen similarly said he anticipates “swift passage by the full House.” The advancement of the large-scale transportation bill with impaired driving provisions comes days after DOT issued new guidance saying that truck drivers, airline pilots and other safety-sensitive workers still cannot use medical marijuana without punishment despite the Trump administration’s move to reschedule it. “Marijuana use is not compatible with safety-sensitive functions,” the agency said earlier this month. Medical review officers (MROs) who receive drug test results indicating cannabis consumption cannot deem them to be negative for illegal substance use, even when an employee says it was the result of state-licensed medical marijuana, the department said. “Currently, there is no instance when the MRO could verify a laboratory-confirmed marijuana positive drug test result as ‘negative’ when an employee claims the positive was caused by a State licensed marijuana product,” DOT said, explaining that even after rescheduling, medical marijuana dispensed in accordance with state law “does not constitute” a drug that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Last October, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy suggested President Donald Trump was “getting pressure” to reschedule cannabis—arguing that marijuana is “really addictive” and saying that policy reform around the issue sends a “dangerous” message. “At a time when culture is pushing and celebrating the use of marijuana, we’re not talking about the risk,” Duffy said. Last week, a pair of Republican lawmakers teamed up with anti-marijuana groups to push for a “carve-out” to ensure that safety-sensitive workers continue to be tested and punished for cannabis use. The post Congressional Committee Approves Bill To Develop ‘Impairment Standards’ For Cannabis appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“Thanks to the recent NLRB ruling we have the opportunity to sit at the table and make it better for us and the others to come.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent Katie Hazelwonder was ready for a change after 12 years working as a welder. The opportunity came unexpectedly, when one day she walked into a Proper Cannabis dispensary in St. Louis. “The people were great,” Hazelwonder said. “They were just so nice and welcoming, and no judgment. I was like, ‘You know what, I’m gonna look into this.’” Eighteen months later, she’s a trainer in Proper’s post-harvest department, where the workers largely process and package marijuana products. “I love it here,” she said. “We truly are a family, and I plan on retiring from Proper someday. But at the same time, we deserve better.” Hazelwonder was “absolutely heartbroken,” she said, when she saw the size of her department’s recent raises. While other departments at Proper’s cultivation facility received raises in dollar amounts, she says her team was given “under 50 cents.” Hazelwonder and 45 other workers in the post-harvest department filed a petition this week to hold an election to unionize, hoping to push for better pay, job security and working conditions, she said. What gave her team an extra boost of confidence to file, she said, was a federal decision earlier this month from the National Labor Relations Board, which decides labor disputes and sets national policy on union organizing. The board rejected another St. Louis marijuana company’s argument that post-harvest employees are agricultural workers, who are excluded from a federal act that protects most private-sector employees’ right to unionize without fear of retaliation. “Thanks to the recent NLRB ruling we have the opportunity to sit at the table and make it better for us and the others to come,” she said. “And it’s not going to stop with us. It’s only the beginning.” Proper Cannabis declined a request for comment. ‘Great momentum’ Jack Christian, a post-harvest technician, said he never expected to have a job he loves this much. “People tell me in the department, ‘You walk around so happy, like a cartoon character,’” Christian said. “It’s honestly because I really enjoy being here with you guys.” But there are hazards that come with the job, he said, that cause “alarm” for him and others.. Technicians like him search for mold in the dried marijuana on a daily basis. Some weeks, he said, there might be a “bad strain,” and workers will be picking through mold more than other times. “In the past year, I know three people in our department have gotten pneumonia,” he said. “The air quality is hard, and we’ve complained for months about that.” The company is currently updating the building with more fans, he said. Christian comes from a family of proud union members involved in different trades, he said, so he understands the challenges that could come now that the petition is filed. “The risk of even saying the word is in the workplace is a scary thing,” he said. A few days before Proper workers filed their petition, employees at Sinse marijuana cultivation and manufacturing facility in south St. Louis won an election to unionize after a two-year battle. The majority of the ballots had remained sealed since 2024 because BeLeaf Medical, the facility’s parent company, whether the workers were agricultural employees. The board stated in the decision that “none of the workers employed in the classifications at issue here are agricultural laborers under the secondary definition of agriculture.” The Sinse employees whose union votes BeLeaf questioned largely made pre-rolls, entered data on computers and processed dried marijuana into finished products, the board found. Those are similar tasks Christian’s team performs. The board’s decision also stated that each challenge would have to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, meaning not all post-harvest workers are automatically covered. Proper employees are represented by United Food & Commercial Workers Local 655, which also represented the Sinse employees. Christian understands Sinse workers faced a long battle and a number of their employees were fired after filing, he said, which worries him. “For Sinse, there was retaliation,” he said, “but also seeing how Sinse did just win their election was some great energy and momentum for us.” And there’s another reason to be confident they won’t face a challenge, Hazelwonder said. Missouri legislators passed a law last month that will give all people employed in cannabis-related businesses, “including cultivation, processing, manufacturing, distribution, retail and support operations,” the right to organize and to bargain collectively with their employers. “Cannabis industry employment, including work in climate-controlled indoor cultivation and processing facilities, is not ‘agricultural labor’ as used for purposes of exemptions from collective bargaining and shall be treated as covered employment under Missouri’s collective bargaining protections,” it states. Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) signed the bill into law the same day that the NLRB decision was issued, and the law goes into effect on November 12. “Honestly, both of them put together, I feel like we’re unstoppable at this point,” Hazelwonder said. “I mean the sky’s the limit. Each one of them helped, and the fact that they both kind of came out around the same time is huge.” This story was first published by Missouri Independent. Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post Federal Labor Decision Inspires More Missouri Marijuana Workers To Seek Unionization appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Delaware’s governor has signed a bill to let terminally ill patients use medical cannabis in hospitals. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives had unanimously passed the marijuana legislation from Sen. Marie Pinkney (D) this session, and Gov. Matt Meyer (D) signed it into law on Thursday. Under the reform, which is set to take effect one year after its enactment, patients and their caregivers will be responsible for acquiring and administering medical marijuana, and it will need to be stored securely at all times in a locked container. Smoking or vaping of medical cannabis will be prohibited, so patients will need to consume it via other methods. Healthcare facility officials will need to see a copy of patients’ state medical marijuana registry ID cards, and they will be required to note their use of the drug in medical records. They will also need to “develop and disseminate written policies and procedures for the use of medical marijuana within the health care facility.” Facilities will be able to prohibit medical marijuana use if they determine that such use would have an “adverse impact on the medical care and treatment of the patient or is otherwise contraindicated.” They will also be able to suspend permission to use cannabis if a federal agency such as the U.S. Department of Justice or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services takes an enforcement action against such use or “issues a rule, guidance, or otherwise provides notification to health care facilities that expressly prohibits the use of medical marijuana in health care facilities.” The right to use medical cannabis under the bill, SB 226, will not apply to patients who are in the emergency department. — 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. — Meanwhile in Delaware, the Senate in January voted to override the governor’s veto of a bill that would prevent local governments from imposing onerous zoning restrictions that make it more challenging for marijuana businesses to operate in their jurisdictions. The House has yet to take up an override vote. Lawmakers this session are also considering several competing bills to regulate hemp-derived THC products. Delaware’s adult-use cannabis market launched last August, with the governor touting the state’s first “successful” weekend of adult-use cannabis sales, with total purchases for medical and recreational marijuana totaling nearly $1 million—and compliance checks demonstrating that the regulated market is operating as intended under the law. The launch of Delaware’s legal market came about two years after marijuana legalization was enacted into law under former Gov. John Carney (D). Ahead of the sales roll-out, the governor last July toured one of the state’s cannabis cultivation facilities, praising the quality of marijuana that’s being produced, which he said will be the “French wine of weed.” The launch of the legal market came with some controversy, however, with critics alleging that allowing medical operators to start adult-use sales ahead of other license applicants is unfair. Dozens of other would-be retailers that have either already received licenses or are still awaiting issuance will need to wait for further regulatory approvals until they can open their doors—a situation that’s frustrated some advocates. Two lawmakers who led the push to legalize marijuana sought input from consumers and businesses about the market launch. Sen. Trey Paradee (D), the sponsor of SB 75, and House Majority Whip Rep. Ed Osienski (D)—the primary sponsor of the state’s 2023 legalization bills—put out an online form last year for residents to share thoughts and feedback about the cannabis program anonymously. Separately, a Delaware House committee in January approved a bill to decriminalize public consumption of marijuana. While certain legal marijuana states like Colorado and Ohio still impose criminal penalties for public cannabis use, Delaware stands out as especially punitive, with a maximum penalty that carries the risk of jail time in addition to a fine. The post Delaware Governor Signs Bill Allowing Medical Marijuana Use In Hospitals By Terminally Ill Patients appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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Rescheduling “might affect a VA provider’s ability to refer VA patients to State medical cannabis treatment programs,” one document obtained through FOIA says. By Doc Laing, Veterans Action Council The Trump administration’s move to federally reschedule medical cannabis could meaningfully increase military veterans’ ability to legally access it with the aid of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors, newly obtained documents via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) show—even if reclassification won’t change everything about how veterans who use cannabis receive care through VA providers. In response to a FOIA request filed by the Veterans Action Council (VAC), VA released more than 1,500 pages of internal records that offer a rare view into how VA’s Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has been implementing the department’s current cannabis policy, known as VHA Directive 1315, across its national system—as well as what might and might not change as rescheduling unfolds. This article is the first in a multi-part series focusing on what is working and what isn’t inside VA. While there has been a deliberate effort to ensure clinicians and veterans understand and follow the department’s cannabis policy as it stands today, officials have also dropped the ball in many ways. The newly unveiled records show a consistent, if insufficient, effort to educate providers and align care with federal policy while respecting veterans’ rights. A Clear Policy Reinforced Across The System Across multiple communications obtained via FOIA, Directive 1315 is referenced repeatedly as both a foundational document and an operational guide. It is referenced in cover letters, internal messages and across training materials. In total, it appears between six and ten times across the released records, depending on how the educational materials are counted. This level of repetition signals more than just awareness. It shows institutional reinforcement. An internal communication from the VHA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, for example, states clearly that providers are required to enable discussion of cannabis use and the evidence both for and against with their patients. That statement reflects the directive’s core principle: Engagement is required. Silence is no longer acceptable. The Veterans Behind The Policy This progress is the result of sustained advocacy by veterans. Among the most important contributors is Michael Krawitz. Beginning in the early 2000s, Krawitz and other veterans worked to change how VA approached cannabis. Their efforts led to the establishment of a formal policy in 2010 that confirmed veterans would not be denied care solely for participating in state-approved cannabis programs. Directive 1315 is built on that foundation. This reflects years of persistence by veterans who demanded recognition and fairness within a biased system. VAC recognizes and thanks Krawitz and other advocates for this work. Their efforts helped shift the culture from prohibition to clinical engagement. The contrast with earlier decades is stark. In the 1990s, VAC member Etienne Fontan was removed from four VA hospitals by security, simply for mentioning his medical cannabis use. At that time, even acknowledging cannabis could result in exclusion from care. The conversation itself was treated as a violation. Back then, providers would simply wave their hand and exclaim that “marijuana is illegal under federal law, so I can’t talk about it.” Today, providers are expected to have that conversation. That reflects real progress and sets a clear expectation. No veteran patient should ever again be treated that way by their healthcare system. Educating Providers At The Front Line—And Analyzing What Rescheduling’s Impact Might Be The FOIA release includes a cannabis provider education packet and supporting materials that translate Directive 1315 into clinical practice. These materials consistently emphasize several key points: Veterans who participate in state-approved cannabis programs must not be denied care. Those providers are expected to discuss and document cannabis use. Under current policy, clinicians may not currently ‘recommend cannabis’ or certify veterans for state programs—but that could change under the move to transfer cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to Schedule III. The reform “might affect a VA provider’s ability to refer VA patients to State medical cannabis treatment programs,” one document obtained through FOIA says. The standard of care would remain unchanged, however. Treatment plans must be protected, especially regarding mental health, unless strong evidence supports change. Together, the documents detail practical instructions for clinicians. The cannabis directive is being taught in a way that enables providers to apply it directly in patient care. The consistency of the message is notable. The policy is not hidden. It is actively communicated and reinforced across the system. One problem, however, is that veterans aren’t shown administrative policy memos. So despite VA posting a video about 12 years after the policy launched, many veterans still do not know Directive 1315 even exists, so they fear a punitive response for disclosing their use of cannabis—even though such punitive actions would be clearly against policy and unethical. A second problem is that clinicians face a barrage of anti-drug and drug misuse-focused memos that seem to contradict and obscure the existence of and intent of the cannabis directive. Further, we can see no evidence within the documents or elsewhere of continuing medical education cannabis university courses being propagated within the system, and we see no actions at the facility level to educate staff about this cannabis policy, which explains why the experiences of our veterans seem to vary so wildly from clinic to clinic, facility to facility. Stability As Policy Evolves Directive 1315 speaks to reality under cannabis’s longtime Schedule I status, so the memos VAC obtained via FOIA warn that veterans face arrest for possessing it on federal property. However, they also look ahead to how federal rescheduling may change some things at VA. The prohibition against doctors recommending cannabis will need to be revised under Schedule III, for example, as noted above. But guidance from the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention makes it clear that even under such rescheduling, the core approach of Directive 1315 will remain the same. Providers will still be expected to discuss and document cannabis use. The standard of care for mental health conditions will not change automatically. Any change to provider authority, such as referrals to state programs, would require separate legal and policy review. This reflects a commitment to stability. VHA is not reacting to speculation. It is maintaining a consistent framework within the standard of care and in line with best clinical practice. Following The Law While Supporting Veterans Directive 1315 operates within a complex legal environment. Cannabis remains federally illegal, while many states have legalized medical use. The directive creates a structure that complies with federal law while respecting veterans’ access to care. The FOIA responses confirm that this structure is being taken seriously. Facilities are guided by existing policies for conduct on VA property, while Directive 1315 provides a clear framework for clinical interaction. The core protections are straightforward. Access to care is not conditional on cannabis use. Clinical conversations are encouraged. Documentation supports continuity of care. These principles reflect a system that balances legal requirements with clinical responsibility. A Foundation Worth Recognizing This FOIA release shows that there is also progress worth recognizing. VHA is educating its providers. It is reinforcing Directive 1315 across multiple channels. It is maintaining a consistent message amid policy uncertainty. There is much more work to do, however, and future articles in this series will examine areas that need improvement. But the foundation is clear. Directive 1315 is being taught. It is being referenced. It is being followed. For veterans navigating both healthcare and cannabis policy, that consistency matters. It represents not only compliance with the law but a solid step toward restoring trust. The Veterans Action Council has long called for transparency and accountability within VA. We look forward to a good working relationship with VA and to our shared interest in ensuring that veterans have the best possible health outcomes. Doc Laing is an Army veteran, Colorado advocate and dedicated member of the Veterans Action Council who has consistently worked to elevate the voices and needs of veterans within the cannabis reform movement. Drawing from lived experience, his writing reflects a grounded perspective on veterans’ healthcare, personal freedom and the importance of honest conversations around cannabis policy and access. The post VA Documents Show How Veterans’ Cannabis Access Could Expand—And What Will Stay The Same—Under Rescheduling (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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Medicare CBD lawsuit dismissed; GOP reps want marijuana testing “carve-out” for rescheduling; Poll: VA gov veto unpopular; AK cannabis record sealing 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… Your good deed for the day: donate to an independent publisher like Marijuana Moment and ensure that as many voters as possible have access to the most in-depth cannabis reporting out there. Support our work at https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit from anti-marijuana groups and a cannabis-focused biopharmaceutical corporation that sought to block a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plan to cover hemp products for eligible patients. A coalition of 29 Democratic House and Senate members sent a letter urging President Donald Trump to use his power to commute the sentences of people still serving time in federal prison for marijuana as a follow-up to the administration’s cannabis rescheduling move. Reps. Andy Harris (R-MD) and Pete Sessions (R-TX) joined with an anti-marijuana group and a drug testing industry association to push for passage of a “safety carve-out” to ensure that transportation workers can still be tested and punished for cannabis use even after rescheduling. A new poll shows that Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s (D) veto of legislation to legalize recreational marijuana sales is overwhelmingly unpopular with voters—and that there’s strong support across party lines for launching a cannabis market sooner than later. Alaska lawmakers sent Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) a package of criminal justice legislation including provisions to let people keep marijuana conviction records confidential, subject to certain limitations. The Department of Transportation adopted a drug testing rule that will require truck drivers and other federally regulated workers to undergo “directly observed” urine collection because no saliva testing labs have yet been certified. The Alabama State Committee of Public Health voted to object to federal marijuana rescheduling in order to give officials more time to prepare for an automatic reclassification of cannabis under state law triggered by the Trump administration’s move. The New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill to allow liquor stores to sell large-sized hemp THC beverages and to let medical cannabis dispensaries add recreational sales without needing local approval. Delaware lawmakers are weighing four different bills to regulate hemp THC products as the end of the legislative session nears. / FEDERAL The National Institute on Drug Abuse posted notices of intent to award a contract to produce and distribute drugs for research. Former Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) called marijuana “one of the biggest scourges going in this country” and claimed that “states are going to lose money” from legalization due to the costs associated with use, adding that “there’s no real medical uses.” / STATES Texas Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Marcos Vélez discussed his support for legalizing marijuana. California’s attorney general announced the arrest of a “conman” who allegedly “defrauded investors out of more than half a million dollars through a fake cannabis investment scheme.” Minnesota lawmakers declined to enact legislation to create a psilocybin therapy program that had passed the House of Representatives. An Illinois representative discussed his cannabis reform legislation and the impact of federal marijuana rescheduling on the state. Colorado regulators are being sued by marijuana businesses that claim the state owes millions of dollars in tax refunds because they allegedly allowed so many sham transactions to proliferate that it undermined sales by licensed operators. Massachusetts regulators are moving to begin auditing state THC potency on marijuana product labels. Michigan cannabis regulators are inviting people to join a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workgroup. The New York Cannabis Control Board will meet on Friday. / INTERNATIONAL Guyana’s agriculture minister discussed moves toward developing a hemp industry in the country. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “cannabis alone and cannabis with the lower dose of alcohol did not reliably impact performance on behavioral tests (ie, SFSTs), commonly used by law enforcement to detect impaired drivers.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The Pennsylvania Democratic Party tweeted that Republican gubernatorial nominee “Stacy Garrity made clear that marijuana legalization is ‘never going to pass’ if she’s governor, and her running mate, Jason Richey, doubled down that it would be ‘catastrophic.’ Garrity and Richey are in lockstep on their extreme, toxic agenda that will hold Pennsylvania back — and that’s why we will elect Democrats up and down the ballot to finally get this done.” / BUSINESS Decibel Cannabis Company Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of C$29.8 million and a loss and comprehensive loss of C$2.2 million. / CULTURE Scary Movie 6 is being promoted with a bong-shaped popcorn bucket. 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 Lawmakers push Trump to pardon cannabis prisoners (Newsletter: May 25, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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“Every month that passes without certified oral fluid testing is another month when federal workers with paruresis face anxiety, discrimination, and career barriers.” By Kastalia Medrano, Filter The Department of Transportation will require “directly observed” urine drug testing in federal workplace situations where saliva testing has been called for, but is not possible. The clarification to DOT drug and alcohol testing procedures is the latest development in the trucking industry’s years-long push for oral fluid testing as an alternative to urine testing. The new rule was published in the Federal Register on May 11, and will take effect June 10. Truck drivers, who are subject to an inordinate number of federal regulations, don’t choose their method of drug-testing—their DOT-regulated employers do. The campaign for implementation of oral fluid testing has been led by the American Trucking Association (ATA), which argues that it’s necessary to “keep impaired drivers off the road and uphold the trucking industry’s commitment to safety.” The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) approved lab-based oral fluid testing in 2019, and DOT finalized its own regulations authorizing employers to choose this as an alternative to urine testing in 2023. But actual implementation requires at least two laboratories that are Food and Drug Administration-approved to process the tests—one for the initial analysis and another to confirm the results. Currently there are zero. Oral fluid testing appeals to many employers for a few reasons, one being the efficacy in detecting recent drug use—within the past couple of hours—compared to urine drug testing. Though the trucking industry has become the public face of the campaign, the regulations also affect federal workers in the commercial aviation, rail, public transit and pipeline sectors. One of the primary concerns expressed by the trucking industry has been that urine drug screens are not witnessed, and therefore easier to circumvent oral fluid testing. Another concern revolves around paruresis, more commonly known as “shy bladder” syndrome—if a driver is unable to produce urine when required to, they’re held for a three-hour waiting period, which obviously impacts their arrival time at their destination. And if they still can’t produce urine during that period, it’s considered a refusal to take the test and they’re removed from their duties. To return, they must “pass” a urine test that is witnessed by a same-gender observer. The new DOT rule also updates its prevailing terminology by replacing the word “gender” with the word “sex” in accordance with President Donald Trump’s January 2025 executive order, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” “Every month that passes without certified oral fluid testing is another month when federal workers with paruresis face anxiety, discrimination, and career barriers,” Dr. Steven Soifer, co-founder of the International Paruresis Association, stated in March. “We’ve been working on this issue since our founding [30 years ago]. Our members ask the same question every day: When will the federal government complete the work it already approved?” In April, at the request of the ATA, six members of Congress wrote to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. citing FDA regulatory barriers as the reason no United States labs are certified to process oral fluid tests. They cited an analysis by Quest Diagnostics that showed “substituted” urine specimens increased 370 percent from 2022 to 2023. Quest has a proprietary lab-based oral fluid collection method, Quantisal™, and as such has been an avid supporter of the campaign. On May 1, the FDA published a notice of its intent to consider revising the requirements that pertain to toxicology testing. That same day SAMHSA published a list of currently certified labs, which presumably will be updated in the future but for the moment simply confirms that there aren’t any. However HHS ultimately handles oral fluid testing will set the stage for what happens with hair follicle testing. The department was directed to create guidelines for hair testing in 2015, but has not yet done so. This article was originally published by Filter, an online magazine covering drug use, drug policy and human rights through a harm reduction lens. Follow Filter on Bluesky, X or Facebook, and sign up for its newsletter. The post Federal Drug Testing Rule Will Require ‘Directly Observed’ Urine Collection From Truck Drivers appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net