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Idaho voters have rejected a ballot measure that would have restricted their own ability to legalize marijuana in the future. The proposed constitutional amendment was trailing by a 69-31 margin on Tuesday night, with an estimated 32 percent of ballots counted, according to The Associated Press. If approved, the measure would have made it so that “only the legislature of the state of Idaho shall have power and authority to legalize the growing, producing, manufacturing, transporting, selling, delivering, dispensing, administering, prescribing, distributing, possessing, or using of marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances.” That would have meant that voters could never collect signatures to place an initiative on the ballot to legalize marijuana or other drugs for medical or recreational purposes. Adam J. Smith, executive director for the Marijuana Policy Project, said that “Idaho voters have scored a major victory for citizen-led advocacy and common sense by soundly rejecting HJR 4.” “Idaho’s cannabis laws are among the most draconian in the nation, and Idahoans suffer one of the highest cannabis arrest rates in the U.S.,” he said. “Simple possession in the state can be punished by up to a year in jail, while a second offense can be elevated to a felony. Medical cannabis is overwhelmingly supported by Idaho voters, and this year, advocates made a nearly successful run at putting the medical issue onto the ballot.” “HJR 4 was the legislature’s effort to silence their constituents on this or any other common-sense drug policy reform once and for all. We applaud Idaho’s voters for sending this powerful message to their elected representatives, and we hope this leads to an even stronger effort in the coming cycle to allow voters to override their legislature’s obstinacy.” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said the proposal, HJR 4, “wasn’t anti-marijuana; it was anti-democracy.” “In a healthy democracy, those with competing visions on public policy vie for voters’ support,” he said. “But Idaho lawmakers know that they can no longer make a rational case for the state’s prohibitive and punitive marijuana policies—policies that are out of step not only with most other states, but also with most Idahoans.” “Rather than evolve their views to align with those of their constituents, Idaho lawmakers cynically asked Idahoans to relinquish one of the most fundamental powers they have in a free society: their power to vote,” Armentano said. “Fortunately, voters rejected this authoritarian proposal.” Sen. C. Scott Grow (R), who led the effort in the legislature to put the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot, said the measure was a way to push back against the marijuana industry, which he claimed is trying to make money off of addiction. “The reason that people push this—the marijuana lobby, whomever—is because there’s money to be made, particularly when people become addicted,” the lawmaker said. “They can make it look chic, make it look wonderful, say it solves all ills. But the end game is money to be made by people that are purveyors of drugs, including marijuana.” Activists in Idaho tried to place a separate initiative on the ballot this year to legalize medical cannabis, but they failed to submit enough valid signatures to qualify the measure. The Natural Medical Alliance of Idaho (NMAI), the campaign behind that unsuccessful effort, has pushed back against the secretary of state’s determination about its signature submissions—including his decision to refer allegations of possible illegal petitioning conduct to law enforcement. Aside from the proposed constitutional amendment to restrict future voter initiatives on marijuana and other drugs, Idaho lawmakers have also pushed back against reform in other ways. Both the Senate and House of Representatives passed a resolution this session urging voters to “reject” the medical marijuana petition. The measure, sponsored by the Senate State Affairs Committee, claimed that cannabis legalization in other states has led to a host of harms, including “increased cartel activity, development of black market marijuana production, human trafficking, and increased crime rates” as well as “increased rates of serious health issues,” environmental harms and “safety concerns on job sites.” It argued that the marijuana initiative would not only increase costs to the state but that its list of approved medical conditions is “so broad that almost anyone could qualify.” “The Idaho Medical Cannabis Act lacks safeguards to such an extent that it would effectively legalize widespread recreational use of marijuana,” the resolution claimed. “The legalization of marijuana would have devastating impacts on Idaho children and their families… The Legislature urges the citizens of Idaho to reject any effort to bring the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act to the ballot.” A statement of purpose filed with the legislation said it “addresses the devastating impact that legalizing marijuana has had on other states” and “identifies the significant problems” with the ballot initiative. Contrary to the claims made about marijuana reform in the legislative resolution, advocates often point to data showing that legalizing and regulating cannabis diminishes the size of the illegal market and has not led to increases in youth use. Meanwhile, NMAI released an analysis showing that Idaho could see more than $100 million worth of medical marijuana sold on an annual basis and up to $28 million in new yearly revenue for state coffers if voters approved the legalization initiative. The campaign in February also released the results of a statewide poll showing that 83 percent of likely voters back medical cannabis legalization, including 74 percent of Republicans, 95 percent of Democrats and 92 percent of independents. Asked how they would vote if the current medical cannabis legalization does appear on the November ballot, 76 percent of respondents said “yes.” Of that cohort, 50 percent said they would “definitively” vote yes, and just 21 percent said they’d vote “no.” After the medical cannabis initiative was unveiled last year, a separate campaign that launched in 2024, Kind Idaho, told supporters that it would be suspending its own signature gathering for a ballot initiative to legalize the personal possession and cultivation of marijuana by adults. Kind Idaho previously introduced medical marijuana ballot measures intended to go before voters in both the 2022 and 2024 elections, but the efforts proved unsuccessful. — 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. — Legislators separately held a hearing last year to discuss a bill to enact medical cannabis legalization legislatively, but there hasn’t been meaningful action on the issue in the months since. Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) last year signed legislation setting a $300 mandatory minimum fine for marijuana possession. A prior version of the proposal, which did not pass, would have set a $420 mandatory minimum fine for possessing cannabis. The post Idaho Voters Reject Ballot Measure That Would Have Restricted Their Own Ability To Legalize Marijuana appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Voters in Massachusetts have rejected a ballot initiative that would have rolled back the state’s marijuana legalization law. Question 8 was trailing by a significant margin of 76 percent to 24 percent on Tuesday night, with an estimated 48 percent of ballots counted, according to The Associated Press. If approved, the measure would have repealed laws allowing the regulated commercial sales of recreational cannabis and home cultivation while maintaining legal possession and continuing the medical marijuana system. “There’s no ‘buyer’s remorse’ among voters when it comes to legalizing and regulating marijuana,” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “In fact, more Massachusetts voters support legalization today than did a decade ago, and these election results prove it.” “Proponents of this failed effort spent millions of dollars to, in their own words, reset the conversation around cannabis policy,” he said. “They found out the hard way that the public hasn’t changed their minds. Americans favor legalization and regulation over the failed policy of marijuana prohibition.” “This campaign was never about promoting the health and safety of Massachusetts residents. It was a trial balloon by prohibitionist groups intent upon rolling back legal cannabis markets nationwide. This decisive election day defeat will likely cause these groups, and those who fund them, to reconsider those plans.” Adam J. Smith, executive director for the Marijuana Policy Project, said that “despite a well-funded scare campaign, Massachusetts voters have chosen common sense by defeating the ballot initiative to end the state’s legal adult-use cannabis market.” “This outcome shows that Massachusetts voters recognize the true value of regulated cannabis markets: reducing youth access, which means significantly fewer kids using cannabis; safer access for adults to rigorously tested and properly labeled products; plummeting arrest rates, which means fewer lives needlessly disrupted and fewer tax dollars wasted; tens of thousands of new jobs, and hundreds of millions in new revenues; and a recognition of personal liberty and freedom of consciousness,” he said. Polls leading up to Election Day consistently found that a strong majority of Massachusetts voters opposed the anti-cannabis proposal, and one survey showed that most believe legal marijuana has been good for the state’s economy, tax revenue, criminal justice system and local communities. A host of major politicians had publicly said they planned to vote against making marijuana sales illegal again. That includes Gov. Maura Healey (D), who said “the cannabis industry is important” and her Republican challenger for reelection, Mike Minogue, who despite having opposed legalization initially said he is “not in favor of repealing it.” U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ed Markey (D-MA) both recently told Marijuana Moment that they would be voting against the anti-cannabis measure. “We could make improvements in the operations but legalizing cannabis is better than continuing an unregulated, underground market,” Warren said. “So I’m opposed to the repeal. I’m voting no on the ballot to repeal.” Markey, for his part, said the state’s marijuana legalization law that voters approved in 2016 continues to enjoy “overwhelming support.” “We’ve had debate,” he said. “The voters are satisfied at this moment with the experience that the state has had with it… I support keeping it on the books and overwhelmingly so do the people of Massachusetts.” Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) also urged voters to reject the measure, saying that “keeping marijuana legal in Massachusetts is both economic justice and racial justice policy.” More than 50 state lawmakers said they would be voting against the anti-marijuana ballot measure—including the House speaker and Senate president. Boston’s mayor also said she opposed the initiative to roll back marijuana legalization. The City Council in Worcester—the state’s second-most populous municipality—passed a resolution urging voters to reject the anti-cannabis initiative. Competing campaigns working to pass and defeat the legalization rollback launched a series of ads trying to convince voters of their respective positions. The prohibitionist campaign’s ads focused on the dangers of marijuana-impaired driving, while the campaign seeking to keep cannabis sales legal highlighted the public health and safety harms of sending consumers back to the unregulated market. The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), which regulates the legal industry, announced in September that the state has surpassed $10 billion in adult-use cannabis purchases since the market launched in 2018. CCC Chair Chris Harding told Marijuana Moment that he couldn’t comment directly on the initiative and that the commission does not take positions on pending ballot questions or legislation, but he said that, in general, “repeal of the adult-use industry could eliminate thousands of jobs, hundreds of businesses and billions in tax revenue.” Meanwhile, a top labor union—the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Massachusetts State Council— urged voters to reject the cannabis legalization rollback initiative. The National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NABLEO) also announced its endorsement for the No On 8 campaign, and a group of more than 50 current and former law enforcement officials separately signed an open letter opposing the anti-cannabis initiative. Leading up to the election, the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) issued a warning that passage of the legalization rollback measure would have had “disastrous political and economic consequences for legal cannabis markets everywhere.” “Even a too-close victory would spook markets and incentivize a rash of similar initiatives in states around the country, each costing millions to try and defeat,” the group said. After the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office determined that organizers for the anti-cannabis proposal had turned in enough valid signatures to put the measure before voters, a marijuana reform advocate filed an objection with the State Ballot Law Commission claiming that various signatures were not genuine, obtained through fraudulent means or were not “signed substantially as registered.” The body rejected the challenge to the legal marijuana rollback measure, however, clearing it to go before voters to decide. In June, the campaign behind the anti-legalization ballot measure fired a signature gatherer it says was shown appearing to engage in “wholly unacceptable” conduct in a recent video. As Marijuana Moment reported, a man petitioning for the Massachusetts initiative as well as a similar anti-cannabis proposal in Maine was depicted in recent social media posts seeming to argue that voters who support legal marijuana access should sign the petitions in order to advance or protect reform. The campaign later said it has “zero tolerance for any circulation tactics that would mislead petition signers.” “The identified canvasser was immediately terminated, in coordination with our vendor, upon being made aware of the alleged conduct,” the group said. “The conduct apparent in the video would be wholly unacceptable and does not reflect how this campaign operates. We demand honesty, transparency and professionalism from everyone associated with our effort.” A video posted to Reddit of the signature gatherer shows the man collecting signatures outside a retail store in Massachusetts next to a sign that says “keep cannabis legal.” When confronted by a marijuana reform supporter who recorded the petitioner’s interactions with voters, he appeared to be trying to convince them that it is important to qualify the anti-cannabis measure for the ballot in order to then defeat it. “This is what we’re fighting against right here. That’s why we vote no,” he said. “If we can get this to the ballot right here, we vote no.” The person who captured the video pointed out that Massachusetts voters already approved marijuana legalization years ago, and that the only way it could be imminently repealed is if the new ballot measure qualified for the November election. If the initiative did not get enough signatures to go before voters, the state’s laws would remain the same. The same man also appeared to also be gathering signatures for a separate measure in Maine that would similarly repeal laws allowing regulated adult-use marijuana sales and home cultivation rights for adults while keeping possession legal and adding new testing requirements for medical cannabis. A staffer for the prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), whose affiliated group SAM Action is largely funding the anti-cannabis ballot campaigns in both states, declined to comment about the petitioner’s conduct when reached by Marijuana Moment. The campaigns have previously been accused of misleading petitioning tactics. In Massachusetts, some voters reported that the campaign used fake cover letters for other ballot measures on unrelated issues like affordable housing and same-day voter registration during the first round of petitioning. Legal cannabis supporters filed an earlier formal complaint about the prohibitionist effort’s tactics, but the State Ballot Law Commission rejected the challenge. The measure also faced a legal challenge from cannabis industry operatives who argued it contains “impermissibly unrelated subjects,” and that the state attorney general’s official summary is “misleading and deficient.” The state Supreme Judicial Court heard oral arguments on the litigation challenging the anti-marijuana initiative but it ultimately ruled against the lawsuit. Broken Lizard, the comedy troupe behind films such as Super Troopers and Beerfest, recently launched a video ad that explains how Massachusetts residents who want to keep cannabis sales legal should vote on the measure given its confusing wording and path to the ballot. The Massachusetts House of Representatives recently passed a bill to increase military veterans’ access to medical marijuana by allowing them to receive patient cards without having to get a doctor’s recommendation and adding additional qualifying conditions. The post Massachusetts Voters Decide To Keep Marijuana Sales Legal, Rejecting Ballot Measure Bring Back Criminalization appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Voters in Houston, Texas have approved a ballot measure to make misdemeanor marijuana possession the “lowest possible enforcement priority” for local police. The initiative was leading by a strong margin of 72 percent to 28 percent on Tuesday evening. The measure was placed on the ballot by the City Council after activists with Ground Game Texas submitted nearly 40,000 signatures in support of the Houston Freedom Act, which will also ban no-knock warrants in the city. “The Houston Freedom Act is proof that when working-class Texans have the opportunity to shape the policies that govern their lives, they can change what’s possible,” Catina Voellinger, executive director of Ground Game Texas, told Marijuana Moment. “As election results come in across Texas tonight, we’re seeing a powerful reminder that the political future of our state is not set in stone.” “Texans are showing up, making their voices heard and demanding something different,” she said. “This is what democracy looks like when it’s built by us, for us. Tonight, the will of Houstonians prevailed.” The cannabis initiative says that its purpose is to “carefully allocating scarce city resources, reducing the risk of discriminatory enforcement practices, and focusing city resources on the highest priority public safety concerns.” “The City shall update its annual budget, police department manual, and relevant policies and procedures to ensure that public safety resources are not wasted on misdemeanor marijuana enforcement, and are instead targeted at other programs that best promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the people of Houston,” it says. The measure says the city should support diversion options such as referrals to treatment or participation in community service programs as an alternative to arrest for people accused of Class A or Class B misdemeanor marijuana possession. Officers will still be allowed to seize any substance that they have probable cause to believe is marijuana, however. — 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. — Now that the measure has passed, the city manager will need to ensure that budgets and reporting account for “total funds and staff time” spent on THC testing of cannabis-related substances. There will also need to be a one-time audit of all misdemeanor marijuana enforcement conducted by city police within the past five years, including a breakdown of arrests made and citations issued, with demographic breakdowns for age, gender, race and ethnicity. “To the best of their ability, the City shall determine: (a) the average total staff hours required per misdemeanor marijuana charge, including officer time, transit time, and any staff processing time; (b) the average total cost to the City per misdemeanor marijuana charge; (c ) the estimated total spent by the City on THC testing for each year under review; and (d) the estimated total spent by the City on misdemeanor marijuana enforcement, including staff and testing costs, for each year under review.” Going forward, local officials will additionally need to issue annual reports on implementation of the lowest-enforcement priority policy for cannabis possession arrests. Ground Game has previously organized efforts to put more far-reaching measures to decriminalize marijuana under local law on the ballot in several cities across Texas, with some passing and some failing. In general, the measures that have been approved in Austin, Denton, Elgin, Harker Heights, Killeen and San Marcos were aimed at preventing police from making arrests or issuing citations for Class A or B misdemeanor cannabis possession offenses, unless it’s part of a high priority felony investigation for narcotics or violent crime. State Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), however, has sued to block enactment of those local cannabis decriminalization laws—saying that “we don’t allow cities the ability to create anarchy by picking and choosing the laws they enforce.” The Texas Supreme Court sided with the attorney general in his quest to overturn the local voter-approved cannabis laws. Paxton ran for U.S. Senate this November. His Democratic opponent James Talarico supports cannabis reform and has said he would like to partner with President Donald Trump on federal marijuana legalization. Meanwhile in Texas, regulators have moved to ban certain hemp-derived THC cannabis products, including those containing delta-8 and delta-10 THC. Now classified as Schedule I drugs, possession is treated as a felony, carrying a punishment of 180 days to two years in prison and fines of up to $10,000. The restrictions are being challenged through litigation filed by hemp companies. Image element courtesy of AnonMoos. The post Houston Voters Approve Measure To Reduce Marijuana Arrests, Making Them The ‘Lowest Possible Enforcement Priority’ appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Most marijuana consumers believe that cannabis businesses that are no longer subject to a longstanding tax penalty due to the Trump administration’s federal rescheduling move should pass along the savings in the form of lower product prices, a new poll shows. Under an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E, sellers of Schedule I and II substances are not eligible to take tax deductions and credits that are otherwise available to most businesses. As a result, operators in the cannabis industry often have extremely high effective tax rates. But under the Trump administration’s move to transfer marijuana to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), compliant cannabis operators will no longer be subject to 280E and will be able to finally deduct business expenses from their taxes. In a new poll, the cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD asked consumers, “If cannabis companies get tax relief that comes with federal rescheduling, do you expect them to pass along the savings to you via lower prices?” Seventy-four percent said yes, they do expect marijuana businesses to lower their product prices in line with their new reduced operating expenses—compared to just 26 percent who expect the companies themselves to keep all the savings while maintaining current price levels. “Rising prices, high interest rates and a despondent job market are all squeezing consumers. They’re looking for relief wherever they can find it,” Tyler Elson, director of content at NuggMD, told Marijuana Moment. “And because cannabis banking and 280E have been such hot topics, many are aware of just how much cannabis companies stand to save if federal rescheduling brings tax relief.” The survey was based on interviews with 654 cannabis consumers who live in state-legal markets from October 8-15 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.83 percentage points. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and IRS said in April that they plan to soon issue guidance on tax issues for marijuana businesses stemming from rescheduling, but that hasn’t yet happened. In their announcement about forthcoming guidance, IRS and Treasury said they “expect DOJ’s action to have significant positive tax consequences for businesses in the medical marijuana industry.” “Accordingly, rescheduling generally removes section 280E as a bar to claiming deductions and credits for businesses that as a result of the Final Order no longer traffic in Schedule I or II controlled substances under the CSA,” they said. The agencies did not specify when they expect to issue the forthcoming guidance. In May, a group of congressional Democrats sent a latter asking Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano to issue “prompt guidance” on tax issues for marijuana businesses in light of the Trump administration’s move to federally reschedule cannabis. On the other side of the debate, a pair of Republican lawmakers in June sent a letter to the treasury secretary saying they are “concerned” and “troubled” that marijuana businesses will be eligible for tax relief now that cannabis is being partially rescheduled under federal law. Earlier this year, the Congressional Research Service published a report on the 280E tax penalty’s application to the marijuana industry. The post Three Out Of Four Consumers Expect Marijuana Businesses To Lower Prices As Federal Rescheduling Provides Tax Relief, Poll Shows appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“Becoming a credible healthcare category does not require whole-plant cannabinoid medicine to become indistinguishable from conventional pharmaceuticals.” By Matthew Myro Rothman, EM2P2 and CannaLnx For decades, the medical cannabis movement fought for something that should have been relatively simple: recognition that cannabis can be medicine. Patients fought for access. Physicians put their reputations on the line. Advocates changed state laws. Cultivators, breeders and dispensary operators built an industry while federal policy largely refused to acknowledge what millions of patients already knew. That fight is finally producing something closer to medical legitimacy: In April, the federal government moved qualifying state-regulated medical cannabis products from Schedule I to Schedule III. It’s an extraordinary acknowledgment from Washington that cannabis has accepted medical use. At the same time, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched a separate hearing process over the broader rescheduling of marijuana, proceedings with enormous implications for how federal law will ultimately treat cannabis beyond state medical programs, including the future of state-regulated adult-use markets. But legitimacy creates a new question for our industry, and we should be paying much more attention to it: Who gets to decide what cannabinoid healthcare looks like from here? The next cannabis fight will be less about legalization than about institutional power: who writes the rules, controls the data and builds the systems through which cannabinoid medicine enters American healthcare. Healthcare is made up of far more than medicines and doctors. It runs on standards, reimbursement systems, provider networks, clinical data, documentation, patient records, research protocols and trusted methods for exchanging information. Those systems determine which therapies are recognized, which providers participate, how patients access care and what information is considered credible. As cannabinoid medicine becomes more closely integrated with mainstream healthcare, those systems will have to exist here, too. The question is whether the cannabis industry helps build them—or eventually inherits systems designed by somebody else. Cannabis already has a body of medical knowledge This matters because medical cannabis is not arriving at healthcare’s doorstep empty-handed. Decades of state-regulated programs have produced an enormous body of practical knowledge about cannabinoid medicine. Patients have learned which formulations work for them. Clinicians have accumulated observations about dosing and outcomes. Breeders and cultivators have developed sophisticated knowledge of genetics and chemotypes. Dispensary professionals have spent years helping patients navigate products, delivery methods and cannabinoid ratios. All of this despite the federal government’s archaic rules restricting cannabis research for nearly a century. Much of that knowledge developed outside traditional clinical infrastructure because cannabis had no other choice. The challenge now is organizing and documenting it in ways that insurers, researchers, regulators and healthcare institutions can reliably use. If we fail to do that, a strange thing could happen: Cannabis could finally achieve the legitimacy the industry spent decades pursuing while much of the knowledge that built medical cannabis remains fragmented, underdocumented or pushed aside. That would be a tremendous loss. Healthcare integration should not require pharmaceutical assimilation Medical cannabis should meet healthcare expectations for safety, evidence, accountability and data integrity. Those expectations are appropriate. But becoming a credible healthcare category does not require whole-plant cannabinoid medicine to become indistinguishable from conventional pharmaceuticals. There is room for a parallel model: one that preserves state-regulated medical cannabis, patient choice and the expertise already developed within this industry while allowing secure interoperability with insurers, providers and the wider healthcare system. The goal should be for cannabinoid medicine to become a peer healthcare community: credible enough to stand alongside established medical institutions, capable of producing evidence those institutions can trust and equipped to participate in reimbursement and coordinated care. That requires infrastructure. Infrastructure determines who has a voice This is why the next phase of medical cannabis will be shaped by decisions that may initially sound boring: Who establishes standards? Who structures the data? How are outcomes documented? How are purchases validated for reimbursement? How do physicians, dispensaries, insurers and patients securely interact? Those decisions eventually become the architecture of an industry. In my work with the American Council of Cannabis Medicine (ACCM) and EM2P2 to develop the Next Frontier Pipeline, I have seen how much coordination this transition requires. Connecting cannabinoid medicine with healthcare means solving difficult questions around data standards, patient privacy, reimbursement, clinical evidence and interoperability. No single company or institution should answer those questions alone. The infrastructure connects patients, physicians, dispensaries, laboratories, insurers, employers, health networks and other stakeholders while supporting functions including reimbursement validation, standardized data exchange, real-world evidence and interoperability. I am obviously close to that work. But the larger point extends well beyond our platform. Cannabis needs infrastructure built with the participation of cannabis. The industry has an opportunity to organize its knowledge, establish credible standards and demonstrate that it can interact responsibly with mainstream healthcare without surrendering everything that made medical cannabis a distinct therapeutic community in the first place. Federal legitimacy was never supposed to be the finish line. It’s an invitation—and a warning—to build the systems that will determine how cannabinoid medicine functions for decades to come. The people who carried medical cannabis through prohibition should not be consulted after those systems are built. They should help design them now. The next victory will not simply be recognition that cannabis can be medicine. It will be a healthcare system capable of learning from what patients and practitioners already know—and putting that knowledge to work without erasing where it came from. Matthew Myro Rothman is the chief science officer at EM2P2 and CannaLnx, an intelligent health platform that connects patients, doctors, dispensaries and insurers to make medical cannabis care safe, data-driven, and reimbursable. The post Who Gets To Define the Future Of Cannabis Medicine? (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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A Massachusetts bill containing provisions aimed at increasing military veterans’ access to medical marijuana and adding new qualifying conditions to the state’s medical cannabis program is advancing in the legislature. The Senate Ways and Means Committee approved the House-passed measure last week, setting it up for expected floor consideration on Thursday. The large-scale supplemental budget bill that touches on a number of issues, including one section that would potentially allow veterans to receive a state medical cannabis card without having to get a recommendation from a doctor. The initial version of the legislation was filed by Gov. Maura Healey (D), though some provisions of her initial proposal were amended or removed by the House of Representatives last month. If the measure passes the Senate this week, and the House signs off on recent changes, it would then go to the governor to be signed into law. Because the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continues to prohibit its providers from filling out medical marijuana recommendation forms, many of their veteran patients are forced to either seek outside, often expensive physician consultations or go without legal access to medical cannabis. But under the legislation that is now advancing, veterans in Massachusetts would be able to become registered medical marijuana patients by providing state officials with “official documentation” from the federal Veterans Administration “indicating a diagnosis of a debilitating medical condition; provided, that the [Cannabis Control Commission (CCC)] shall not require a written or electronic certification from a healthcare professional.” In other words, VA doctors wouldn’t have to specifically recommend medical cannabis in order to help their patients get legal access and could instead just diagnose them with a qualifying condition under the state’s law. That latter clause of the provision in its current form is a change from Healey’s initial proposal, which had more simply read that veterans under statute could use VA diagnosis documentation to get medical marijuana “without the need for a written or electronic certification from a healthcare professional”—without any reference to CCC. The bill as approved by the House and the Senate committee also adds post-traumatic stress disorder, opioid use disorder and “a medical condition that produces chronic pain” to the definition of a “debilitating medical condition” that could qualify patents for medical cannabis. The version that was filed by the governor did not include opioid use disorder. While veterans and other adults over the age of 21 are already able to buy recreational marijuana in Massachusetts, medical cannabis purchases are exempt from sales, excise and municipal taxes that apply in the adult-use market. Medical patients also have higher purchase limits than adult-use consumers, and have access to higher potency products than are allowed in the recreational market. — 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. — The governor’s measure, if enacted into law, will also help to ensure veterans’ continued access to cannabis if voters approve an initiative on Tuesday’s ballot to roll back recreational marijuana legalization. The measure would repeal laws allowing the regulated commercial sales of recreational cannabis and home cultivation while maintaining legal possession and continuing the medical marijuana system. Despite the anti-marijuana measure qualifying for the ballot, recent polls show that a majority of Massachusetts voters oppose Question 8. In April, Healey signed legislation to double the legal marijuana possession limit for adults and revise the regulatory framework for the state’s adult-use cannabis market. In 2024, the governor approved a military veterans-focused bill that includes provisions to create a psychedelics working group to study and make recommendations about the potential therapeutic benefits of substances like psilocybin and MDMA. The post Massachusetts Lawmakers Advance Bill To Let Military Veterans Get Medical Marijuana Without A Doctor’s Recommendation appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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Ted Cruz’s marijuana & voting joke; NH gov & challenger debate cannabis; Police groups oppose MA legalization rollback; Federal registration op-ed 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 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) joked that Republicans can stave off a Democratic blue wave in this week’s midterm elections by tricking liberal voters with an offer of free marijuana edibles on Tuesday and pretending they don’t need to head to the polls until Wednesday. “All day Tuesday, they have free marijuana brownies at the YMCA.” New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) and Democratic opponent Cinde Warmington clashed on cannabis legalization at a debate, with the prohibitionist governor saying she is “not surprised that an opioid lobbyist would want to legalize recreation marijuana in this state, but I care deeply about our children.” The American Medical Association sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration raising concerns about scientific standards in the development of marijuana, kratom and other botanical drugs—while also supporting creation of a new “special schedule” to advance research on cannabis’s “potential medical utility.” The National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers is urging Massachusetts voters to reject a ballot initiative to roll back the state’s marijuana legalization law—and a group of more than 50 current and former law enforcement officials also signed a letter opposing the anti-cannabis measure. Americans for Safe Access’s Steph Sherer explains in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed what the federal government’s registration of more than 900 medical cannabis dispensaries means for patients, states and businesses. “For the first time, the federal government is recognizing and registering the medical cannabis dispensaries that patients fought to establish. This is a tremendous victory for patient access and an opportunity to build on 30 years of progress.” / FEDERAL The U.S. Sentencing Commission published an updated sentencing guidelines manual. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration tweeted, “Marijuana use while breastfeeding may expose babies to THC and other chemicals through breast milk. These substances may increase the risk of problems with brain development.” / STATES Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) touted his mass cannabis pardon. Kansas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cindy Holscher, currently a state senator, discussed her support for legalizing marijuana. The Pennsylvania Senate Democratic caucus tweeted, “Senate Republicans have blocked our efforts to address issues that will help Pennsylvanians. Including:… Adult-use cannabis.” A Nebraska judge upheld official misconduct convictions against a notary who worked on medical cannabis legalization initiative ballot petitions. California regulators are moving to adopt changes to rules on marijuana business license modifications. Illinois regulators published guidance on cannabis bundles and variety packs. Oklahoma’s departing top medical cannabis regulator discussed her thoughts on the state’s program after overseeing it for the past five years. Michigan regulators are accepting applications for a cannabis social equity grant program. Washington State regulators will consider changes to cannabis business rules on Wednesday. Colorado regulators will hold a hearing on proposed changes to psychedelics rules on Wednesday. — 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. — / LOCAL Voters in several Oregon cities will decide on local ballot measures to tax or ban the sale of marijuana or psilocybin. / INTERNATIONAL Nepal’s Supreme Court ordered the government to establish a regulatory framework for cultivation and production of cannabis for medicinal, scientific, agricultural, horticultural and industrial purposes within three months. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “cannabis use among cancer patients is common” and that “most patients believe cannabis improves cancer-related symptoms, yet many do not discuss its use with healthcare providers.” A review concluded that “psilocybin has relatively low acute physiological toxicity and potential therapeutic value when administered in controlled settings with psychological support, and professional training and clear clinical governance is required.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The Houston Chronicle editorial board is urging Texas voters to support candidates who back marijuana legalization. / BUSINESS Cresco Labs Inc. shareholders approved creation of a new parent company and elected board of directors members. Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. acquired an equity stake and certain operating rights in Boone Town Provisions. 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 AMA voices cannabis concerns to federal officials (Newsletter: November 3, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A psychotherapist and his wife discuss 25 years of using MDMA together, testing it safely in today's drug supply, and what it taught them about grief. Episode Summary Is MDMA safe after 70? Charley and Shelley Wininger have used it together more than a hundred times over twenty-five years, and they joined me to make the case that it belongs to midlife and beyond at least as much as it belongs to a festival crowd in their twenties. Charley is a licensed psychoanalyst and mental health counselor in Brooklyn, practicing since 1989, and the author of "Listening to Ecstasy: The Transformative Power of MDMA." Shelley is a retired critical care nurse. Neither of them treats this casually. We get into how they source and test MDMA, including a newer complication in drug checking that most listeners haven't heard of yet, and why the medications most people over sixty five are already taking change the entire experience and need a doctor in the conversation. We also talk about what it's actually done for their marriage, a chapter Charley reads aloud from his book about mortality, and what happened when Shelley used MDMA with a group of forty people in a park nine days after her son died. We are living through what public health researchers call an epidemic of isolation, and the Winingers' argument is a simple one: the antidote they found was not a program. It was each other, said plainly, a few times a year, for twenty five years. Key Takeaways Testing isn't one step anymore; it's two, maybe three. A reagent kit confirms MDMA is present. A fentanyl test strip checks separately for fentanyl. A newer class of synthetic opioid, chemically different from fentanyl and in some cases far more potent, won't show up on a fentanyl strip at all.Roughly one in five women in their forties and fifties are on an antidepressant, and that share keeps climbing after sixty (CDC/NCHS, 2015–2018). These medications don't clear quickly, and timing MDMA around them is a conversation for a prescriber, not a solo decision.A serotonin-recovery practice some people use after MDMA carries a real risk of serotonin syndrome if timed too close to the dose itself; harm reduction guidance calls for a minimum 24- to 48-hour wait.Grief, not a diagnosis, is often what actually brings people to this medicine. Shelley's story is offered as one data point on that, not a treatment claim.A twenty-five-year, 200-person community built on sober potluck dinners is the throughline of the Winingers' argument that MDMA's real value for this age group is connection, not escape. Timestamps 0:00 Welcome and tonight's topic: MDMA after 70 0:00 Charley and Shelley's origin story, and the "useless medicine" years 2:00 The isolation epidemic and sourcing MDMA through community 3:00 Testing MDMA safely: what's changed in the drug supply 4:00 Why Shelley tried MDMA, and what it gave her that nothing else had 5:00 Charley reads "Senior High" from his book, and the mortality conversation 7:30 Medications, contraindications, and talking to your doctor first 14:00 Community, chosen family, and 25 years of potlucks 15:30 Shelley's story: a grief circle in the park, nine days after loss 19:00 The closing question every couple should bring into the room Guest Charley Wininger is a licensed psychoanalyst and mental health counselor based in Brooklyn, in practice since 1989, and the author of "Listening to Ecstasy: The Transformative Power of MDMA" (Park Street Press). Shelley Wininger is a retired critical care nurse. Together they've used MDMA more than a hundred times over twenty-five years. Follow Charley on Substack. Psychedelic Salon at Town Hall Seattle: 2026-27 Schedule Follow April on Substack Visit aprilpride.com Original Substack post Hosted by April Pride IG: @aprilpridecreates - https://instagram.com/aprilpridecreates YouTube: https://youtube.com/@aprilpridecreates Catch the full episode here

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A national group representing Black police officers is joining with Massachusetts law enforcement officials in urging voters in the state to reject a ballot measure that would roll back the state’s marijuana legalization law. The National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NABLEO) on Monday announced its endorsement for the No On 8 campaign as a group of more than 50 current and former law enforcement officials separately signed an open letter opposing the anti-cannabis initiative on Tuesday’s ballot. “A return to the prohibition and criminalizing of cannabis commerce will only increase demands on already over-burdened law enforcement resources and raise serious questions regarding enforcement priorities, consumer safety and the effective use of public resources,” NABLEO Chairman Lieutenant Charles Wilson (Ret.) said. Meanwhile, current and former police officials from Massachusetts and other states signed a letter arguing that “repealing legal, regulated sales would not eliminate demand for marijuana or meaningfully reduce its consumption” and would instead “only strip the market of the licensing, testing and accountability the current regulatory system provides, pushing transactions toward sellers with no age checks, no product standards, and no legal responsibility to consumers or the state.” “Many of us spent our careers enforcing marijuana laws,” the letter, signed by former Massachusetts State Trooper Karen Hawkes, former Assistant Attorney General John Amabile, former Massachusetts Juvenile Court First Justice Jay D. Blitzman and former Brockton Police Department Detective Kenneth Williams, among others, said. “We know firsthand what that system cost: resources diverted away from violent crime and toward low-level cannabis offenses, lack of visibility into an unregulated market, and no tools to hold sellers accountable when something went wrong.” “The 2016 vote to legalize and regulate marijuana changed that. A decade later, the evidence shows the current system is working. There is no good reason to go back… Recriminalizing nonmedical cannabis sales would pull police, prosecutors, courts and correctional resources back into enforcement against activity that licensed businesses in Massachusetts have been conducting safely and legally for years. These resources are better spent on issues like violence, impaired driving, illegal sales to minors and organized drug trafficking.” Two retired police officers with the group Law Enforcement Action Partnership separately authored an op-ed urging Massachusetts voters to reject the anti-marijuana ballot measure, arguing that “police already face considerable demands on their time and resources, and renewed cannabis enforcement would add to that burden.” Stop the Repeal Chairperson Ryan Dominguez said in a press release on Monday that Massachusetts has “one of the most strict enforcement laws in the country that keep cannabis sales within a regulated and age-gated system with product testing from seed to sale.” “We should not be pushing consumers toward sellers with no age checks, product standards or oversight,” he said. “We are grateful to have the support of the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers in helping us to defeat this damaging ballot question that threatens public safety.” The law enforcement officials’ opposition to Question 8—which would repeal laws allowing the regulated commercial sales of recreational cannabis and home cultivation while maintaining legal possession and continuing the medical marijuana system—comes as a number of prominent elected officials are also speaking out against the measure. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) and GOP challenger Mike Minogue both recently said they support keeping marijuana sales legal, for example. Last month, more than 50 state lawmakers said they will be voting against the anti-marijuana ballot measure. That includes the House speaker and Senate president. U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ed Markey (D-MA) both recently told Marijuana Moment that they will be voting against the anti-cannabis measure. “We could make improvements in the operations but legalizing cannabis is better than continuing an unregulated, underground market,” Warren said. “So I’m opposed to the repeal. I’m voting no on the ballot to repeal.” Markey, for his part, said the state’s marijuana legalization law that voters approved in 2016 continues to enjoy “overwhelming support.” “We’ve had debate,” he said. “The voters are satisfied at this moment with the experience that the state has had with it… I support keeping it on the books and overwhelmingly so do the people of Massachusetts.” Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) also recently urged voters to reject the measure, saying that “keeping marijuana legal in Massachusetts is both economic justice and racial justice policy.” Boston’s mayor also said she is voting against the initiative to roll back marijuana legalization. The City Council in Worcester—the state’s second-most populous municipality—passed a resolution urging voters to reject the anti-cannabis initiative. Broken Lizard, the comedy troupe behind films such as Super Troopers and Beerfest, recently launched a video ad that explains how Massachusetts residents who want to keep cannabis sales legal should vote on the measure given its confusing wording and path to the ballot. The Massachusetts House of Representatives recently passed a bill to increase military veterans’ access to medical marijuana by allowing them to receive patient cards without having to get a doctor’s recommendation and adding additional qualifying conditions. The post Police Groups Urge Massachusetts Voters To Keep Cannabis Sales Legal By Rejecting Ballot Measure appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

The American Medical Association (AMA) is urging federal officials to uphold “known and widely accepted scientific and clinical standards for testing safety and efficacy” of botanical drug products—including cannabis, kratom and other plant-derived substances—warning that political and commercial interests should not circumvent the standard approval process. It also says a “special schedule” should be developed to support research on marijuana’s “potential medical utility.” The physicians’ group sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week, arguing that “social and economic concerns and disputes should not be permitted to play a part” in the agency’s decision-making process on regulations for botanical drugs. “The AMA believes that political considerations or conflicts of interest should not be allowed to overrule scientific evidence in making policy decisions,” the letter to Grace R. Graham, FDA’s deputy commissioner for policy, legislation and international affairs, said. “These principles are particularly important in light of the growing use and public health harms related to a wide range of botanicals, including kratom, cannabis, kava, kanna, and other botanicals that are increasingly used by consumers for specious health claims made by their manufacturers or influencers.” AMA said in the letter, which was sent in response to a request for information about botanical drug products that FDA launched in September, that it was “pleased” to see recent moves by federal agencies to use emergency powers to schedule kratom-related compounds. When it comes to marijuana, AMA said it supports “adequate and well-controlled studies” of cannabinoids “in patients who have serious conditions for which preclinical, anecdotal, or animal model evidence suggests possible efficacy and the application of such results to the understanding and treatment of disease.” High-quality clinical trials and postmarket safety monitoring are essential. The AMA is urging the FDA to uphold rigorous, evidence-based standards and resist political considerations, conflicts of interest and commercial pressure that could put patients and the public at risk.… — AMA (@AmerMedicalAssn) October 30, 2026 While the doctors’ organization said in the letter that “cannabis is a dangerous drug and as such is a serious public health concern,” it also believes “there is a clear role for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the DEA, and the FDA to develop a special schedule and implement administrative procedures to facilitate grant applications and the conduct of well-designed clinical research involving cannabis and its potential medical utility.” In particular, the letter said AMA supports: Disseminating specific information for researchers on the development of safeguards for cannabis clinical research protocols and the development of a model informed consent form for institutional review board evaluation; Sufficient funding to support such clinical research and access for qualified investigators to adequate supplies of cannabis for clinical research purposes; and Confirming that cannabis of various and consistent strengths and/or placebo will be supplied by the National Institute on Drug Abuse to investigators registered with the DEA who are conducting bona fide clinical research studies that receive FDA approval, regardless of whether or not the NIH is the primary source of grant support. “The FDA approval process for drugs containing cannabis or other botanicals should not be short-circuited or circumvented merely because of anecdotal support or growing public use,” AMA cautioned. “Manufacturers increasingly tout their products as ‘botanical’ while—as the DEA emergency scheduling action demonstrates—their products are incredibly dangerous, synthesized drugs that pose imminent public health threats to consumers.” “While the AMA supports innovation in drug design and development, we also urge extreme caution about deviating from known and widely accepted scientific and clinical standards for testing safety and efficacy. In a time where social influencers, rogue telehealth companies, and ‘botanical health’ companies ply consumers with promises of cures from ‘natural’ products, the AMA urges FDA to continue to rely on time-tested quality and research standards that have protected American consumers for decades. The lack of standardization by manufacturers for consumer products has resulted in a dangerous, buyer-beware marketplace. Whether it is a product containing kratom, cannabis, or other botanicals, the AMA strongly recommends that the substance—and its derivatives—be regulated by the FDA, and that its safety and efficacy be determined through clinical trials before it can be marketed or prescribed as treatment for any condition.” AMA President Willie Underwood III said in a press release about the letter to FDA that “as botanical manufacturers develop increasingly potent products in everything from gummies and powders to oils and injections, consumers are becoming the real-world guinea pigs—and suffering tragic consequences, including dependence, substance use disorders, overdose, and death.” “Calling something ‘natural’ doesn’t make it safe,” he said. “We need science, not social media hype, to determine what belongs in our medicine cabinets.” Earlier this year, the AMA’ House of Delegates adopted two marijuana-related resolutions—one that advocates for a ban on flavored cannabis vaping products and another that recognizes the risks and potential therapeutic benefits of use among older adults. Those measures were the latest in a line of drug policy-related resolutions the body has advanced in recent years that oppose commercial marijuana legalization while backing expungement of cannabis records and supporting broad drug decriminalization, among stances on other issues. In 2024, for example, AMA delegates adopted a resolution endorsing broad drug decriminalization. The group’s delegates in 2022 voted to amend its policy position on marijuana—which continues to oppose legalization—to support the expungement of past cannabis convictions in states that have legalized the plant. In 2023, AMA members adopted resolutions advocating for psychedelics research, opposing the criminalization of kratom, calling for an end to the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine and supporting the continued inclusion of marijuana metabolites in employment-based drug tests. The post AMA Raises Concerns About Marijuana, Kratom And Other Botanical Drugs While Pushing ‘Special Schedule’ To Support Research appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

New Hampshire’s Republican governor and her Democratic opponent clashed over the issue of marijuana legalization at a debate, with the incumbent citing the challenger’s previous work as a lobbyist for a pharmaceutical company that manufactured opioids. Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) has made her opposition to legalizing marijuana clear in several recent interviews and speeches. Cinde Warmington, the Democrat running against her in Tuesday’s election, supports cannabis legalization. The two were asked about the issue at a debate on Thursday. Warmington said New Hampshire is the “Live Free Or Die” state, arguing that its residents “have made it perfectly clear that they want access to this product, which they can drive over state lines and purchase—and which they are doing, and they are paying enormous amounts of taxes in those states to access this product.” “This is a product that they should be able to purchase here in our state, properly regulated and taxed,” the Democrat who previously served on the New Hampshire Executive Council said. “Other states are doing this, and they’re doing it safely. And we can do it here in our state as well.” Ayotte replied that she is “not surprised that an opioid lobbyist would want to legalize recreation marijuana in this state, but I care deeply about our children.” Over two decades ago, Warmington worked on behalf of Purdue Pharma to oppose New Hampshire state legislation to place restrictions on the prescribing of OxyContin. “If you look at the research that has been done, the clinical data, unfortunately, the marijuana, the recreation marijuana, the commercial marijuana, the big marijuana—if you think about your parents or the marijuana when you were young, it’s so much higher in strength, and it’s causing addiction, especially in our young people and our young adults,” the governor said at the debate. “I’m concerned about the mental health of our young people in this state,” she said. “In fact, the scientific research that has been done on this is showing that is increasing mental illness, including schizophrenia and psychosis.” “So when we think about our quality of life here in New Hampshire, I do not think it’s the right direction,” the governor argued. “Go to a state where they’ve legalized marijuana. You walk down the street, and that’s all you smell is marijuana. It’s not good for our quality of life. It’s not good for our children or their mental health.” Warmington then said Ayotte is “just making this up.” “We’re not talking about selling cannabis products in our state to children. We’re talking about about adult use, and adults in our state—in the Live Free Or Die State—have made this decision,” she said. “Even the last governor had to acknowledge that the people of New Hampshire have made this decision,” Warmington said, referring to former Gov. Chris Sununu (R) who after opposing marijuana legalization for years proposed legislation to replace prohibition with state-controlled dispensaries that did not ultimately pass. “They want this product. They’re traveling across state lines in order to access it. We should be offering this product in our state,” the Democratic gubernatorial candidate said. “It should be properly taxed and regulated. There’s also a safety issue with people buying a product on the street as well.” The governor chimed in again, saying that “when you legalize a product, you send a very, very different message to our young people—and that’s a huge problem if we want to impact mental health in this state, and we want to protect our quality of life.” New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley told Marijuana Moment after the debate that “while every other New England state has moved forward with marijuana legalization, Kelly Ayotte is still stuck giving Granite Staters a bizarre lecture about peer pressure.” The debate “made it clear that Ayotte would rather invent a boogeyman she calls ‘the BIG marijuana’ than explain why New Hampshire continues to leave millions in potential revenue on the table,” he said. Count how many times Kelly says "the" marijuana #NHPolitics pic.twitter.com/quIDWrzrFB — NH Democratic Party (@NHDems) October 30, 2026 Ayotte separately said at a recent forum that the issue of cannabis represents a “big difference'” between her and Warmington. “I don’t think that legalizing cannabis improves our quality of life,” she said. “I know often the argument is made, ‘well, there’s all of our neighbors are that way. Why shouldn’t we take this revenue?,'” she said. “I never say, ‘Oh, our neighbors are doing it, so we should do it.’ I think about my own children. I tell them, ‘Your friends are doing it, you’re doing it.'” “That’s not really a good standard,” Ayotte said. “We need to make sure we’re looking at our own quality of life and what is the right thing to do for New Hampshire. And when you legalize something, it does send a different message to our young people. So I worry about that and our quality of life. So this is just something we differ on, and I do not think that that revenue is one that comes without a deep cost for New Hampshire.” The governor also discussed her opposition to legalizing marijuana at an earlier debate with Warmington last month, arguing that cannabis revenue “comes at a huge cost.” “It comes at the cost of the mental health of our young people. It comes at the cost of our quality of life,” she said. “I don’t think following because our neighbors do something, we should do it. We have the same discussion with our kids, right? If if Johnny jumps off the bridge, are you going to jump off the bridge with it?” Warmington, on the other hand, said during the debate that “I support the the sale and legalization of cannabis as an additional revenue source in our state.” “I think it is really odd that we are sending our citizenry over state lines and paying millions and millions—tens of millions—of dollars to our neighboring state in taxes when that revenue should be here in our state,” she said. Warmington has previously discussed her support for legalizing marijuana, including at a town hall event last month when she said that “there is no reason why the citizens of New Hampshire should be driving across state borders to pay taxes to Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine to purchase a product that they obviously have stated that they want to have access to in our state.” Ayotte, for her part, recently vetoed legislation to allow businesses in the state’s existing medical cannabis program to cultivate in greenhouses. Her veto was overridden by lawmakers, however, and now the medical marijuana cultivation measure has become law despite her objections. In June, Warmington criticized Ayotte’s veto of the medical marijuana proposal. “Come on, Kelly. Shouldn’t we be trying to make health care more affordable for Granite Staters, not less?” said in a video posted to social media. “This bill would have made medical cannabis more affordable and more accessible to Granite Staters who really need it, and she vetoed it,” Warmington said. “But honestly, this is what we’ve come to expect from Kelly Ayotte. Look what she did to the Medicaid premiums. She increased them by up to $270 a month on the most vulnerable Granite Staters. She increased prescription co-pays when other costs are already going through the roof.” “New Hampshire deserves a governor who will fight to make sure we have lower health care costs and that health care is more accessible,” the Democratic candidate, who previously served as a member of the New Hampshire Executive Council, said. “That’s the bottom line.” In a veto statement on the medical marijuana greenhouse bill, the governor simply said, “I do not support expanding the cultivation of marijuana in our state.” — 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. — Ayotte has separately threatened to veto any marijuana legalization bill that reaches her desk. The governor said last year that her position on the reform would not change even as the federal government moved forward with rescheduling the plant. Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan. The post New Hampshire GOP Governor Bashes Democratic Challenger’s Marijuana Legalization Support, Calling Her An ‘Opioid Lobbyist’ appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is apparently so worried about a Democratic blue wave in this week’s midterm elections that he is suggesting tricking liberal voters into not showing up at the polls with a ruse about free marijuana brownies. While the GOP senator said Republicans should call their like-minded friends and relatives to encourage them to vote on Tuesday, they might want to take a different approach with certain liberal family members. “Your crazy Uncle Louis, who has a tattoo of Chairman Mao on his left buttocks, call him and say, ‘Louis, be sure to vote next Wednesday,” Cruz joked. “And all day Tuesday, they have free marijuana brownies at the YMCA.” Of course, Election Day is on Tuesday—so Cruz appears to be suggesting that Republican voters can trick their Democratic-leaning relatives into not voting by pretending they don’t need to show up to the polls until the next day and can instead indulge in free cannabis edibles on the day they in fact need to be casting their ballots. The comments, made on Friday at an event in support of Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), come as polling continues to show Democrats poised to retake a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and potentially the Senate as well. Cruz, for his part, has made a number of cannabis-related comments in the past. In a 2018 debate, he said that he thinks marijuana legalization “ought to be up to the states.” “I think Colorado can decide one way,” he said. “I think Texas can decide another.” In 2024, however, he suggested that the marijuana rescheduling proposal that was initiated by the then-Biden administration could lead to more people dying in car crashes from impaired driving. At the same time, Cruz has also been critical of recommended federal guidance on alcohol consumption. During an interview with Newsmax late last year, the senator drank a beer on camera and said federal health officials “can kiss my ass” if they decided to move forward with a plan to reduce the recommended maximum consumption of alcohol to two drinks per week. “What is it with liberals and wanting to control every damn aspect of your life?” said Cruz, who himself supports government bans on abortion and trans-affirming healthcare. “If they want us to drink two beers a week, frankly they can kiss my ass.” Cruz laid into a Biden judicial nominee during a 2022 Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, asserting that the judge had been a “partisan advocate for causes,” including “legalizing potent strains of marijuana.” Last year, Cruz was one of just two Republicans who joined about two dozen Democrats in a failed attempt to keep alive a spending bill amendment to prevent a ban on hemp products containing THC. “I have long believed that the regulation of hemp and marijuana products should rest with each individual state,” the senator said following the vote. “Reasonable minds can disagree, and a blanket federal prohibition disempowers the voters in each of the fifty States.” “A one-size-fits-all federal standard will undoubtedly create unintended consequences that harm consumers,” he said. “There is a vital need to protect children by, at a minimum, requiring that purchasers be 21 and prohibiting synthetics and dangerous foreign imports marketed to kids.” The post Ted Cruz Jokes About Tricking Democrats Into Not Voting By Offering Them Free Marijuana Brownies appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“For the first time, the federal government is recognizing and registering the medical cannabis dispensaries that patients fought to establish. This is a tremendous victory for patient access and an opportunity to build on 30 years of progress.” By Steph Sherer, Americans for Safe Access On Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is moving forward with federal registrations for more than 900 state-licensed medical cannabis dispensaries across seven states. This marks a major implementation milestone under the attorney general’s order establishing a federal regulatory pathway for qualifying state medical cannabis activities under Schedule III. For medical cannabis patients, this is a historic achievement as we approach the 30th anniversary of California’s Proposition 215, the nation’s first statewide medical cannabis law. The federal government is now formally recognizing and registering the dispensaries that patients fought to establish, bringing decades of patient advocacy and state medical cannabis programs into a new era of federal recognition. Here are 10 things patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, cannabis providers and policymakers should know about this announcement. 1. This Is A Historic Victory For Medical Cannabis Patients. For the first time, DEA is registering state-licensed medical cannabis dispensaries under a federal framework that recognizes qualifying medical cannabis activity. Thirty years ago, patients turned to state governments to establish access to cannabis medicines because federal policy would not recognize their medical use. Today, the federal government is beginning to regulate those same state-established access systems. This progress builds on decades of patient advocacy, state policy development and efforts to establish standards for safe medical cannabis access. 2. More Than 900 Dispensaries Are Included In The First Round Of Federal Registrations. The initial registrations cover dispensaries in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. The announcement’s scale is especially encouraging. Based on available state data, these seven states collectively have roughly 1,100 medical cannabis dispensing locations, although licensing structures and reporting methods differ. Florida alone has nearly 800 dispensing locations, and Mississippi has approximately 175 to 200 licensed or operating dispensaries. We do not yet know how many dispensaries applied, how many applications remain pending or how federal registrations correspond to individual state locations. Nevertheless, the announcement suggests substantial participation in the new federal framework. An important distinction is that six of the seven states have medical-only cannabis programs. Virginia permits adult-use possession but has not yet implemented adult-use retail sales. This means the initial registrations do not yet tell us how DEA will handle dispensaries in states with established dual medical and adult-use licensing systems. These registrations do not represent 900 newly opened dispensaries. They represent federal recognition of qualifying dispensaries operating under state medical cannabis systems. 3. Qualifying Medical Cannabis Is Now Being Regulated Under Schedule III. The attorney general’s order established Schedule III controls for certain qualifying medical cannabis products and activities, creating a federal pathway for state-licensed medical cannabis businesses to register with DEA. This represents a major change from the federal framework that historically treated state medical cannabis activity as Schedule I activity. However, the order does not move all cannabis into Schedule III. Cannabis activities outside its scope remain subject to Schedule I controls, and the broader federal rescheduling proceeding remains separate. Federal registration also does not authorize adult-use cannabis sales. 4. State Medical Cannabis Programs Are Becoming Part Of The Federal Regulatory System. One of the most significant aspects of this development is that federal regulators are building on existing state medical cannabis programs rather than requiring patients and states to abandon the systems they have established. Dispensaries must meet federal registration requirements in addition to applicable state requirements, including DEA’s pre-registration investigation and federal security, inventory and recordkeeping controls. Federal regulators are also reviewing applications from medical cannabis manufacturers and distributors, which are essential to maintaining the supply chains patients depend on. The continued recognition of state medical cannabis systems provides an opportunity to strengthen oversight while preserving established patient access. 5. Patients Should Maintain Their Medical Cannabis Documentation And Enrollment. The federal registration announcement does not eliminate state medical cannabis requirements or automatically enroll patients in a federal program. Patients should continue following the requirements of their state’s medical cannabis program, including maintaining applicable patient identification cards, healthcare provider certifications and other documentation. Patients who currently obtain their medicines through adult-use dispensaries should pay particular attention to whether their state offers a separate medical cannabis pathway. Maintaining medical documentation may become increasingly important as states distinguish federally qualifying medical cannabis activity from adult-use activity. 6. Federal Recognition Strengthens Opportunities To Advance Patients’ Rights. For decades, patients have faced discrimination involving employment, housing, healthcare and other essential services because they use cannabis medicines recommended by their healthcare providers. The new federal framework creates opportunities to challenge outdated policies and seek clarification of federal patient protections. However, federal registration does not automatically guarantee workplace accommodations, hospital access, housing protections or other rights. Americans for Safe Access has expanded its Patients’ Rights Campaign to the federal level to help patients understand changing laws, assert applicable protections, request individualized consideration, and document discrimination. 7. Important Barriers To Patient Access Remain. Federal dispensary registration is a significant achievement, but it does not automatically establish a nationwide medical cannabis program. Patients may still face different eligibility requirements, product availability, costs and legal protections depending on where they live. The announcement does not automatically authorize interstate transportation of cannabis, require insurance coverage or resolve restrictions affecting patients in federal housing, workplaces or healthcare facilities. These issues require additional federal guidance, state implementation, and, in some cases, congressional action. 8. The Next Challenge Is Implementing Federal Registration In States With Both Medical And Adult-Use Cannabis Programs. Six of the seven states included in the initial announcement have medical-only cannabis programs. Virginia has legalized adult-use possession, but retail sales have not yet begun. The next major test will be how federal registration works in states where medical and adult-use cannabis are regulated together or where patients rely on dispensaries holding both types of licenses. These states may need additional procedures to identify qualifying medical cannabis transactions, verify patient status and distinguish medical activity from adult-use activity. DOJ and DEA cannot directly change state licensing laws, but they can provide federal guidance and work with state regulators to identify compliant pathways for existing medical cannabis operators. States may also need to modify their licensing systems or regulations to accommodate federal requirements. ASA has already provided states with recommendations for preparing medical cannabis programs for federal regulation, preserving medical cannabis supply chains, supporting DEA registration and protecting patients during the transition. 9. Federal Registration Is Progress, But Congress Still Needs To Establish A National Medical Cannabis Program. DEA registration creates an important regulatory pathway, but it does not resolve every issue involved in integrating medical cannabis into the U.S. healthcare system. Americans for Safe Access has proposed the Medical Cannabis & Cannabinoid Act (MCCA) to build on this progress through a comprehensive national medical cannabis framework. The MCCA would establish a new Schedule VI for cannabis and cannabinoids and create an Office of Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoid Control within the Department of Health and Human Services. This framework would address patient access, product safety, research, healthcare integration, and patient protections, building on lessons learned from state medical cannabis programs. 10. The Next Congress Will Play A Critical Role In What Happens Next. With the midterm elections on Tuesday, DOJ’s announcement underscores the significance of federal medical cannabis policy for the next Congress. Federal agencies have begun implementing a new regulatory framework, but Congress will have opportunities to address outstanding questions involving patient protections, national access, healthcare integration and oversight of federal implementation. Through ASA’s Compassionate Candidate Campaign, candidates from every political party are invited to publicly commit to supporting comprehensive medical cannabis legislation and using congressional oversight to advance meaningful patient protections. The actions of the next Congress will determine how the progress achieved through rescheduling and registration translates into long-term healthcare policy. 30 Years Of Patient Progress And A New Era Of Federal Recognition For the first time, the federal government is recognizing and registering the medical cannabis dispensaries that patients fought to establish. This is a tremendous victory for patient access and an opportunity to build on 30 years of progress. Today’s announcement marks a historic achievement in the effort to bring medical cannabis into federal policy. It demonstrates that a federal regulatory framework can build on the program’s patients, healthcare professionals and states have spent decades creating. As we approach the 30th anniversary of California’s Proposition 215, there is reason for optimism about the future of medical cannabis in America. Federal recognition is advancing, new opportunities for patient protections are emerging and a foundation exists for building a comprehensive national medical cannabis program. The next phase is about building on this progress, protecting the access patients have established and making the benefits of federal recognition available to more patients across the country. Steph Sherer is the founder and executive director of Americans for Safe Access. The post What Does The Federal Government’s Registration Of 900+ Medical Cannabis Dispensaries Mean For Patients? (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

DEA rescheduling hearing brief; Hemp tariff bill in Congress; Alcohol lobbyists’ anti-hemp work; NH & KS candidates on marijuana 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 Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the Drug Enforcement Administration has granted federal registration and protections to more than 900 medical cannabis dispensaries across the U.S. in line with the Trump administration’s rescheduling move. The Drug Enforcement Administration said it cannot grant federal registration and protections to medical cannabis businesses in states with dual-use licenses that also allow recreational marijuana or in states that let patients access medical cannabis with self-certifications. The Drug Enforcement Administration issued guidance saying that medical marijuana businesses that want to receive federal registration and protections have until late November to begin sourcing cannabis only from and to other companies that have also been granted or applied for registration in a timely fashion. The Drug Enforcement Administration filed a brief arguing that the Trump administration’s proposal to reschedule marijuana is not undermined by a recently published federal watchdog agency report that found “gaps” in the government’s process for evaluating controlled substances. “The Government respectfully requests that the Court give the GAO Report no weight.” The Drug Enforcement Administration posted a list showing that nearly 7,000 medical cannabis businesses have applied for federal protections under the Trump administration’s marijuana rescheduling move. Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR) filed a new bill to impose a substantial tariff on hemp being imported into the U.S. from China while also adding new testing requirements for cannabinoid products that are coming into the country. Lobbyists for major alcohol companies encouraged attorneys general from states across the country to press Congress to keep the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products on track, according to a new report based on emails obtained via public records requests. New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) reiterated her opposition to marijuana legalization ahead of Election Day—saying that “I don’t think that legalizing cannabis improves our quality of life” and that the revenue it generates comes at a “deep cost.” Kansas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cindy Holscher said the Trump administration’s federal marijuana rescheduling move boosts efforts to legalize medical cannabis in the state. “I think there’s some things that look a little differently now with the federal-level rescheduling. That does create a little bit of a difference of attitude among some of my peers.” A Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation podcast highlighted marijuana businesses’ confusion about taking advantage of tax relief that comes with federal rescheduling while agencies still haven’t published guidance on the issue. Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission officials announced that two more medical marijuana dispensaries are set to open this week, and that regulators are stepping up efforts to educate doctors about the program. Former police officers Diane Goldstein and Karen Hawkes argue in a new op-ed that Massachusetts voters should reject a measure to roll back marijuana legalization on the November ballot. “Police already face considerable demands on their time and resources, and renewed cannabis enforcement would add to that burden.” / FEDERAL The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published a report on oral fluid drug testing program case studies. New Hampshire U.S. Senate candidates Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) and former Sen. John E. Sununu (R-NH) discussed their views on marijuana during a debate. / STATES Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) tweeted, “a Halloween safety reminder: Keep cannabis gummies and suckers far away from Halloween candy. Not every gummy is for goblins!” California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton appeared on a cannabis podcast. South Carolina Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jermaine Johnson discussed his support for legalizing medical cannabis. Texas Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Vikki Goodwin, currently a state representative, said Republicans’ moves to crack down on cannabis “didn’t seem like a very good political move when so many people are buying these products.” Pennsylvania’s attorney general touted enforcement actions against allegedly illegal sales of cannabis products at gas stations and convenience stores. A Virginia senator is asking the Committee on Privileges and Elections to investigate federal marijuana-related criminal allegations against the Senate president pro tempore. A Wisconsin senator authored an op-ed arguing that it’s time for the state to legalize marijuana. A former New Hampshire representative authored an op-ed criticizing Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cinde Warmington’s support for legalizing marijuana. A New York appeals court rejected a challenge to the state’s marijuana social equity business program. Several Oklahoma marijuana laws took effect, including measures classifying THC as a Schedule I substance, changing medical cannabis patient employment protections and enacting new labeling requirements. Tennessee regulators said an email appearing to announce that they lifted restrictions on hemp products was “fraudulent.” New Jersey regulators delayed an annual review of a cannabis social equity tax and took action on marijuana business issues. The North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis met. Georgia regulators will consider medical cannabis business licensing on Wednesday. — 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. — / LOCAL Portsmouth, Virginia’s police chief said he is the unnamed senior law enforcement official mentioned in a federal indictment of the state Senate president pro tempore who warned her to stop allegedly illegally selling marijuana. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study of rats found that “acute ingestion of CBD has prosexual effects, mainly manifested in sexual motivation, which were particularly evident in the sexually inhibited male rats.” A review concluded that “reductions in anhedonia…were consistently observed following psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy wherein two randomized clinical trials reported greater improvements in anhedonia relative to control or comparator groups.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The National Sheriffs Association, National Narcotics Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association and other groups sent a letter asking the Drug Enforcement Administration and Food and Drug Administration to permanently place the entire kratom plant and its preparations and analogues in Schedule I. / BUSINESS MariMed Inc. shareholders approved a proposed reverse stock split. Illinois retailers sold $118.6 million worth of legal recreational marijuana products in September. / CULTURE Bill Maher reacted to President Donald Trump calling him a “major pothead.” 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 Carlos Gracia. The post Feds grant protections to 900+ cannabis businesses—with major exceptions (Newsletter: November 2, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net