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The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to let military veterans receive recommendations for medical marijuana through their doctors at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—while also approving a separate amendment focused on the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. The cannabis proposal from Reps. Brian Mast (R-FL), Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Dina Titus (D-NV) passed by a voice vote on Thursday. If enacted into law, the amendment would prevent VA from enforcing a longstanding directive that has blocked its providers from assisting veterans with registering for state medical cannabis programs. Under current policy, VA doctors can discuss marijuana use with their patients, but they cannot fill out forms to help them actually get legal access to cannabis. As a result, veterans need to seek outside, often expensive, services from separate providers instead of being able to get assistance from their own doctors at VA. That would change under the new amendment from the co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, which is now attached to the Fiscal Year 2027 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Mast, himself a military veteran who lost two legs during combat in Afghanistan, said on the floor ahead of the vote that medical cannabis programs “exist in a lot of states.” “And if former members of the military have doctors that they are seeing inside of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and if there’s a treatment option that they want to be considered, they want to know if it’s right for them, if it’s not right for them, if it doesn’t fit in good with other prescriptions that they have, you name it,” he said. “If they want to discuss it, they have to be able to discuss it with their doctor. That is the most important person for them to discuss it with, is their doctor.” “Whether the doctor says, ‘hey, it’s good or bad,’ that’s that’s up to the doctor to decide, but they have to be able to have that conversation,” Mast said. “I tell people often, I was in Afghanistan, lost two legs and a finger there. When I woke up in the hospital, I woke up on antidepressants, anti inflammatories, heavy sleep sedatives, a host of narcotic pain killers…and I weaned myself off of those things very quickly. That is not the case for all of my brothers and sisters. A lot of these narcotics that people are on and get placed on, especially after injuries are serious and very difficult to get off of, and leave long term, long term, lasting effects on them. There’s got to be an ability, again, for people inside the system to have that conversation with their doctor about whether that’s right.” Titus said that “cannabis is proven to help with a wide variety of medical issues that veterans face, including pain management, PTSD and opioid addiction.” “Instead of self medicating and going outside the VA system, the veterans should be able to speak with a doctor honestly about what their options are,” she said. “Our veterans deserve the best health care they can get, and should not be left behind because the federal government lags behind the states. They need to hear their options and make their choices.” I am pleased to see that the House Rules Committee made my and @RepBrianMast's amendment to allow medical marijuana recommendations @DeptVetAffairs in order. I will continue fighting to get this provision over the finish line. Our veterans deserve the best health care that they… — Dina Titus (@repdinatitus) May 14, 2026 Joyce said the amendment “is about ensuring veterans are not denied access to treatment options that may improve their quality of life. ” “Do you want them getting advice from doctors or budtenders?” he asked. “Simple question.” “Many of our service members return home bearing invisible wounds that last long after the battlefield,” Joyce said. “Chronic pain, PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, depression and other service-connected conditions that ca, profoundly affect the quality of their lives. Some veterans’ traditional treatments have not worked. Others are searching for alternatives that may help manage pain, improve daily functioning or reduce reliance on highly addictive opioids.” The veterans medical marijuana amendment reads: “SEC. __. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Veterans Affairs in this Act may be used to enforce Veterans Health Directive 1315 as it relates to— (1) the policy stating that ‘VHA providers are prohibited from completing forms or registering Veterans for participation in a State-approved marijuana program’; (2) the directive for the ‘Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management’ to ensure that ‘medical facility Directors are aware that it is VHA policy for providers to assess Veteran use of marijuana but providers are prohibited from recommending, making referrals to or completing paperwork for Veteran participation in State marijuana programs’; and (3) the directive for the ‘VA Medical Facility Director’ to ensure that ‘VA facility staff are aware of the following’ ‘[t]he prohibition on recommending, making referrals to or completing forms and registering Veterans for participation in State-approved marijuana programs.'” While similar proposals on veterans’ medical marijuana access have been passed by both the House of Representatives and Senate in past years, they have never been enacted into law. Last year, when the House- and Senate-passed language was left out of the final bill sent to President Donald Trump, Mast told Marijuana Moment that the exclusion was “ridiculous.” “It was a great and easy opportunity to do so, and a sensical thing to move forward—and detrimental to veterans to not do so,” he said. — 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 current amendment comes just weeks after medical marijuana was rescheduled under federal law by the Trump administration, a major policy and political development that advocates hope could boost the chances of the veterans-focused reform being enacted this year. A separate amendment to the military and veterans spending bill that was also approved on the floor in a voice vote on Thursday seeks to raise awareness about the benefits of psychedelic and other therapies for military veterans. Sponsored by Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI), who co-chair the Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies Caucus, the amendment’s description says it “increases and decreases funding for the Medical and Prosthetic Research account at the Department of Veterans Affairs to emphasize the importance of the Department’s research on areas benefiting veterans such as oncology, traumatic brain injury care, psychedelic therapies, and assistive devices.” Correa noted ahead of the vote that President Donald Trump last month “signed an executive order to expedite psychedelic therapy research for depression and substance abuse disorder, specifically for veterans.” “This amendment is basically about taking care of those that have answered the call of duty to defend our country—those individuals have come back from combat with invisible wounds they still have not healed,” he said. “On a daily basis, 20 to 40 veterans take their lives commit suicide because of PTSD,” Correa said. “Many veterans have taken this treatment, and essentially been cured of PTSD… This is about treating our veterans’ invisible wounds.” Meanwhile in Congress, the House Appropriations Committee approved a bill this week containing provisions that would block Department of Justice officials from taking further steps to reschedule cannabis while continuing to protect state medical marijuana laws from federal interference. A report attached to that legislation also directs federal officials to take enforcement action against unregulated cannabinoid products that “threaten consumer safety.” Separately, that panel recently approved another spending bill and an attached report that expresses concerns about health risks from cannabis-derived products, while also encouraging research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. The full House also recently passed a Farm Bill with provisions aimed at aiding industrial hemp producers—but without any language to delay or alter the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that’s scheduled to take effect later this year. A new report from the Congressional Research Service details the scope and limitations of the federal marijuana rescheduling move. The post House Votes To Let Military Veterans Get Medical Marijuana Recommendations From VA Doctors appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A Louisiana House committee has advanced a Senate-passed bill to let patients with terminal and irreversible conditions use medical marijuana in hospitals. The House Health and Welfare Committee approved the legislation from Sen. Katrina Jackson-Andrews (D) in a unanimous 10-0 vote on Tuesday. Under the proposal, hospitals would have to create written guidelines allowing covered patients to consume medical cannabis on-site in forms other than smoking or vaping. Under an amendment adopted by a Senate committee last month, emergency or outpatient departments would be exempted from the policy. The revised legislation also clarifies that patients and primary caregivers are responsible for acquiring and administering medical marijuana, which must be “stored securely at all times in a locked container provided by the patient.” Health care professionals and staff would be prohibited from “administering, storing, retrieving, or assisting the patient with the medical marijuana,” the text says. The amendment, which the sponsor worked on with help from the Louisiana Hospital Association, also allows hospitals to opt out of the policy if federal officials take action against any healthcare facility in the state over medical cannabis use, rather than only allowing those that were specifically targeted to stop complying. “This bill was brought at the request of constituents who believe that therapeutic medical marijuana, which is already legal in this state, should be offered in hospitals when patients are terminally ill or otherwise in need the comfort of this medicine,” Jackson-Andrews told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee when the panel took up the legislation. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Meanwhile in Louisiana, another piece of drug policy legislation that has traction this session would create a psychedelic-assisted therapy pilot program, using opioid settlement dollars to fund clinical trials aimed at developing alternative treatments such as psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA. Separately, a lawmaker recently filed a proposal that would create a new state task force to “study and develop findings and recommendations regarding the potential legalization of recreational marijuana.” At the same time, however, advocates are alarmed that lawmakers are advancing legislation that threatens to send people to jail for up to one year if they smoke marijuana within 2,000 feet of a school property—including a college campus. Another Louisiana legislator, meanwhile, recently introduced a bill to create an adult-use marijuana legalization pilot program in the state to determine whether the reform should eventually be expanded and permanently codified. Rep. Candace Newell (D)—who has long championed legislation to end cannabis criminalization and filed a similar legal marijuana pilot program measure last session—is sponsoring what’s titled the “Adult-Use Cannabis Pilot Program Regulation and Enforcement Act.” Getting the bill across the finish line could prove complicated in the conservative legislature, however. Newell’s earlier version of the pilot program legislation didn’t advance to enactment last year, and lawmakers that session also rejected other marijuana reform proposals such as one that would have established a tax system to prepare the eventual legalization of adult-use cannabis. Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer. The post Louisiana Bill To Let Terminally Ill Patients Use Medical Marijuana In Hospitals Advances Toward Final Passage appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

There’s been a “striking increase” in support for legal and regulated therapeutic access to psychedelics as well as expanded research exploring their medical potential—with a new poll finding that voters have been “warming up” to the alternative treatment option over the last two years. As the state and federal reform movement has intensified, the University of California, Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics (BCSP) on Wednesday released its second national survey on how voters view the substances, as well as their opinions about differing psychedelics policy proposals. Overall, the results show that “regulated use with clear guardrails related to safety is gaining traction, while support for unregulated access is not,” the center’s memo on the poll says. That’s based on an analysis of the survey data from 2025, which revealed a “striking increase” in voter approval of “two different kinds of policy approaches” for psychedelics as compared to a prior survey done in 2023. Support for making psychedelics available as a prescription medicine increased 12 percentage points between 2023 and 2025—growing from 29 percent to 41 percent. Similarly, support for allowing the legal, therapeutic use of psychedelics grew 10 percentage points, from 36 percent to 46 percent in the span of two years. The other policy approach that gained traction over the last two years was making it easier for scientists to study psychedelics. In 2023, just under half (49 percent) of voters said they backed that proposal; by 2025, support leaped to 63 percent. “Voters appear to be warming up to psychedelics as medical treatments accessed within regulated medical and therapeutic frameworks,” the authors of the survey report said. They added, however, that there was a notable exception, with one policy concept that curiously saw a “nonsignificant” 1 percentage point decrease in support since 2023: Decriminalization. In the latest poll, only 28 percent of voters said they backed removing criminal penalties for the personal use and possession of psychedelics—a policy that has for years enjoyed majority, often bipartisan, support when applied to marijuana. “Despite an increase in local legislation that decriminalizes personal possession, we observed only tepid support from voters for this kind of policy,” the survey report said. “The wave of support for scientific research and for other highly regulated options might indicate that many voters are curious about psychedelic substances and their effects, but have concerns about their safety and efficacy.” “One interpretation is that people could be worried about the risks—or mindful of their current and historical legal parameters and stigma—resulting in them being more supportive of psychedelics in a controlled environment,” it said. How do U.S. voters feel about psychedelics? Our latest national survey reveals growing awareness of psychedelics and strong support for scientific research, alongside caution and safety concerns. Find out more on https://t.co/cOtjJlmBFQ pic.twitter.com/cEwJ9Y7TSW — UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics (@SciPsychedelics) May 13, 2026 Meanwhile, the researchers also found that policy views about the therapeutic use of psychedelics varied when responders were asked about their application in specific instances. For example, 48 percent said they favor regulated psychedelics access, and 38 percent said they favor removing criminal penalties for psychedelics, if the person using them is in end-of-life care. Majorities of voters also support regulated therapeutic access to psychedelics for military veterans (56 percent), people with depression (60 percent) and those experiencing addiction (54 percent). For decriminalization, support for the reform was highest for end-of-life care. Another 26 percent said they back the policy for anyone aged 21 and older, followed by veterans (22 percent), those with depression (17 percent) and people with addiction (12 percent). With respect to perceived safety of psychedelics, 37 percent of respondents said it’s either “pretty” or “extremely” safe to use the substances in a supervised setting, 20 percent said the same about the safety of psychedelics compared to tobacco and 18 percent expressed the same about its relatively safety compared to alcohol. “Our main areas of exploration—exposure to psychedelics, trust, policy changes, and stigmas and concerns—yielded findings that are relevant for the quickly evolving psychedelics policy landscape,” the report concluded. “Despite large increases in support for several policy ideas, only a single idea—making scientific research on psychedelics easier (63 percent)—had majority strong support, which we believe reflects the caution with which voters view psychedelics. We also identified some appetite for public high school education on the risks and benefits of psychedelics (35 percent ‘strong support’ and 30 percent ‘somewhat support’), further underscoring voters’ desire for information and its dissemination.” The data also reflected “widespread concern and stigma around psychedelics,” the authors wrote, noting the safety comparisons to tobacco and alcohol. Between 35 percent and 38 percent of voters also said psychedelics are “addictive” and “can cause new mental health challenges.” Additionally, while 48 percent of respondents described psychedelics users as “open-minded” and another 37 percent called them “creative,” about a quarter said people who take the plant-based medicines are “irresponsible” (24 percent) or “addicts” (24 percent). “The complex mix of perceptions and attitudes shown in these data, paired with systematic demographic variations, suggest that effective messaging strategies and public education will need to build trust with specific audiences and fill knowledge gaps,” the survey concluded. The BCSP survey involved interviews with 1,577 U.S. voters from April 16-28, 2025, with a +/-2.5 percentage point margin of error. A separate survey released by the RAND Corporation in February found that, while support for legalizing the use of psychedelics was relatively low, public opinion on the issue seemed be closely following in the footsteps of the marijuana reform movement before the first states started enacting cannabis legalization. RAND researchers also released data in January showing that nearly 10 million American adults microdosed psychedelic substances such as psilocybin, LSD or MDMA in 2025. Meanwhile, the latest survey data out of UC Berkeley is being released about a week after a bipartisan coalition of 32 members of Congress urged federal health officials to expedite ongoing reviews of psychedelic therapies. For their part, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last month announced steps that they say will help with “accelerating” therapeutic access to psychedelics for patients dealing with serious mental health conditions. That move followed a psychedelics executive order that President Donald Trump signed. — 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. — HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said recently that the Trump administration is “very anxious” to create a pathway for access to psychedelics therapy and that top officials across federal agencies want to “get it out to the public as quickly as possible.” In an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience in February, Kennedy said he’s confident “we’re going to get it done,” with plans to develop and finalize rules that would enable patients with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression to access psychedelic substances like psilocybin and MDMA in a “very controlled setting.” Last June, Kennedy said his agency is “absolutely committed” to expanding research on the benefits of psychedelic therapy and, alongside of the head of FDA, is aiming to provide legal access to such substances for military veterans “within 12 months.” Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins also disclosed in April that he had an “eye-opening” talk with Kennedy about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicine. And he said he’s open to the idea of having the government provide vouchers to cover the costs of psychedelic therapy for veterans who receive services outside of VA as Congress considers pathways for access. Bipartisan congressional lawmakers introduced legislation this session to provide $30 million in funding annually to establish psychedelic-focused “centers for excellence” at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, where veterans could receive novel treatment involving substances like psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine. A U.S. Senate committee held a hearing last month on a bipartisan bill to promote research into the therapeutic potential psychedelics by creating a new office at VA that would advance the development innovative treatments for serious mental health conditions and assist in reviewing the scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) has said ibogaine represents an “astonishing breakthrough” in the nation’s current “sick care system” that’s left people with serious mental health conditions without access to promising alternative treatment options. Image courtesy of CostaPPR. The post There’s Been A ‘Striking Increase’ In Support For Psychedelic Therapy And Research In The Last Two Years, Poll Shows appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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A key congressional committee has voted to block the federal rescheduling of marijuana—even after the Trump administration announced last month that it is moving ahead with enacting the reform. The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved a funding bill containing a provision that, if enacted, would prevent federal officials from taking further steps to carry out cannabis rescheduling. “SEC. 591. None of the funds appropriated under this Act or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to reschedule marijuana (as such term is defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)) or to remove marijuana from the schedules established under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812).” The panel has advanced similar language in the past years as the federal government has weighed marijuana rescheduling, but those provisions were never passed into law. The Department of Justice announced last month that marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license immediately moved to Schedule III, as did any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). An administrative hearing scheduled to begin next month will consider broader cannabis rescheduling. Because the rescheduling of medical cannabis under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s order took effect immediately, it’s not clear if or how the congressional rider would impact businesses and patients who are covered by that reform. If the language is passed by the full House and Senate and makes it into an appropriations package that President Donald Trump signs into law, however, it could prevent the hearing and related action on broader marijuana rescheduling from taking place. The committee approved the Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Bill containing the anti-rescheduling provision in a 32-28 vote. It will next head to the House Rules Committee, which will prepare the legislation for floor consideration. Meanwhile, the funding bill that is advancing also contains an updated version of a longstanding rider that since 2014 has protected state medical cannabis programs from federal interference. “SEC. 531. (a) None of the funds made available under this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to any of the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, or with respect to the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, or Puerto Rico, to prevent any of them from implementing their own laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana. (b) Funds made available under this Act to the Department of Justice may be used to enforce violations of 21 U.S.C. 860.” This year’s provision for the first time includes Nebraska, after advocates pointed out the state was omitted from previously enacted appropriations legislation even though voters there approved medical cannabis legalization in 2024. The latter subsection of the medical cannabis rider has never been enacted before, and it seeks to stipulate that the Justice Department can still enforce a section of U.S. code that calls for increased penalties for distributing cannabis within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, vocational school, college, playground or public housing unit. Separately, the bill also includes another longstanding rider that protects state hemp research programs from federal interference. “SEC. 530. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used in contravention of section 7606 (‘‘Legitimacy of Industrial Hemp Research’’) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–79) by the Department of Justice or the Drug Enforcement Administration.” Meanwhile, the committee report attached to the spending bill also contains a number of cannabis-related provisions. It calls on the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address the “proliferation of Federally unregulated ingestible, inhalable, and topical products that contain intoxicating cannabinoids” and that “threaten consumer safety.” “Intoxicating Cannabinoids.—The Committee is concerned by the proliferation of Federally unregulated ingestible, inhalable, and topical products that contain intoxicating cannabinoids. The Committee directs the DEA, in coordination with the FDA Office of Inspections and Investigations, to take appropriate enforcement actions against those whose products threaten consumer safety and fail to meet the statutory definition of section 10113 of Public Law 115–334 and section 781 of Public Law 119–37. The Committee further directs the DEA to report on these efforts and any resources necessary to enforce the controlled substance laws and regulations of the United States not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act.” While the provision doesn’t use the word “hemp,” it cites statutes covering the crop and appears responsive to widespread sales of products derived from it after they became legal under the 2018 Farm Bill. Congress has since passed, however, and President Donald Trump has signed, new legislation that will broadly recriminalize hemp THC products starting in November. The new appropriations report attached to the bill also calls on the Department of Justice to take action against “money laundering schemes” tied to Chinese-connected illegal marijuana grow operations within the U.S. “Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Money Laundering.—The Committee directs the Department to utilize funds directed to anti-money laundering programs to investigate potential money laundering schemes involving CCP-connected marijuana businesses and entities providing financial services to these businesses.” Finally, the report notes that funding is being set aside for the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to monitor wastewater to detect use of synthetic cannabinoids and other drugs by incarcerated people. “Wastewater Surveillance Pilot.—The Committee provides $8,500,000 to BOP to carry out a pilot program using a wastewater surveillance system to monitor the prevalence of infectious diseases—including Hepatitis C, HIV, tuberculosis, and respiratory pathogens—as well as the use of covered drugs, including fentanyl, nitazenes, and other synthetic opioids, methamphetamine, synthetic cannabinoids, and other controlled substances, among the incarcerated population at not fewer than six Federal correctional institutions. Sites will be selected to ensure representation across security classification levels, geographic regions of the United States, and institutional population sizes. Not later than 180 days after the completion of the pilot program, BOP shall submit a report detailing findings regarding the prevalence of infectious diseases and covered drug use at participating institutions, along with recommendations for legislative or administrative action.” — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Meanwhile in Congress, the House is expected to consider an amendment this week to let military veterans receive recommendations for medical marijuana through their doctors at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Separately, the House Appropriations Committee approved a spending bill and an attached report that expresses concerns about health risks from cannabis-derived products, while also encouraging research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. The full House also recently passed a Farm Bill with provisions aimed at aiding industrial hemp producers—but without any language to delay or alter the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that’s scheduled to take effect later this year. A new report from the Congressional Research Service details the scope and limitations of the federal marijuana rescheduling move. The post Congressional Committee Votes To Block Marijuana Rescheduling, Even As Trump Administration Moves Forward With The Reform appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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A lawmaker who helps to lead the Congressional Cannabis Caucus says there are “a lot” of fellow legislators on Capitol Hill who secretly smoke marijuana. “I think there are a lot of people who smoke cannabis in Congress,” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) said on Wednesday. She added, however, that legalization is an important policy issue that should appeal broadly beyond just those who consume marijuana. “Advocacy for legalizing doesn’t necessarily mean that you are a user,” the congresswoman told TMZ. “So everybody can be an advocate for legalizing it, because we understand that it is not okay for us to spend the billions of dollars we do now on incarcerating people for smoking a joint.” The TMZ reporter also asked Omar about the federal government’s recent move to reschedule marijuana, noting that she and President Donald Trump don’t often agree on policy issues. “I think any step forward is a good step, but we need to go farther than where we are at right now,” she said. “We’re excited that the fact that he is paying attention to this issue,” Omar said. “But it is time, like I said, for the federal government to fully legalize. We already have so many states that have already legalized, and I think it is just really important for the whole country to have cannabis be legal.” As to whether Trump will ultimately come around to back broader marijuana legalization, the congresswoman said, “I am true to the belief that cannabis should be legal. I don’t know if he’s there yet, but I love to get him there.” “We need to continue building the coalition. We need to continue to have people speak for the president. He has the power. Congress has the power, and it’s us to come together and get this done.” Omar made the comments in an interview after speaking at a press conference with marijuana legalization advocates and other lawmakers who support reform. At that event, the congresswoman said it’s “about damn time Congress caught up with where the American people are” on cannabis legalization. “Millions of people across this country agree that cannabis should be legal. People understand that the old approach has failed. They understand that adults should not carry criminal records for possessing cannabis,” she said. “They understand that we should be investing in education and economic opportunity, not mass incarceration.” But she also argued that “legalization alone is not enough.” “If we legalize cannabis and simply allow large corporations to make huge profits while the very communities destroyed by the War on Drugs are left behind, then we have failed. Cannabis reform must be about justice and repair,” Omar said. “That means expunging the records of people arrested for nonviolent cannabis offenses. It means reinvesting in communities that were targeted for decades by discriminatory policies, and it means ensuring working class people small businesses and entrepreneurs have a real opportunity in participating in this new economy.” Meanwhile in Congress, the House is expected to consider an amendment this week to let military veterans receive recommendations for medical marijuana through their doctors at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies approved a bill last month containing provisions that would block federal officials from taking further steps to reschedule cannabis. Separately, the House Appropriations Committee approved a spending bill and an attached report that expresses concerns about health risks from cannabis-derived products, while also encouraging research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. The full House also recently passed a Farm Bill with provisions aimed at aiding industrial hemp producers—but without any language to delay or alter the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that’s scheduled to take effect later this year. A new report from the Congressional Research Service details the scope and limitations of the federal marijuana rescheduling move. The post ‘There Are A Lot Of People Who Smoke Cannabis In Congress,’ Lawmaker Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Congressman: psychedelic “magic cure”; Colombia legalization; LA marijuana bill; NV casinos & cannabis report; Study: Marijuana as opioid alternative 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… *Rattling the tip jar* Got a few dollars you can spare to help Marijuana Moment pay our writers, keep our website running and grow into the kind of robust news organization the fast-paced world of drug policy deserves? Join us for $25/month and be a part of our work: https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Several lawmakers spoke at an event about the need for federal cannabis reform, with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) saying “it’s about damn time Congress caught up” with voters on the issue and Rep Steve Cohen (D-TN) calling Drug Enforcement Administration roadblocks “the Strait of Hormuz for marijuana legislation.” Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) said psychedelic therapies can be a “magic cure” for mental health conditions, and Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) said providing access for military veterans and others is “the right thing for Congress to do.” The Colombian House of Representatives First Committee approved a bill to legalize marijuana, with the sponsor saying it will “help homeless people, help farmers and indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities who have lived with this plant for many years.” A Louisiana representative filed legislation to create a new Recreational Cannabis Policy Task Force to study marijuana legalization and issue a report with recommendations on issues like taxation, licensing, health, criminal justice and equity. A new study found that Nevada is losing out on $80 million in annual marijuana tax revenue by imposing rules that have created strict barriers between the state’s cannabis and gaming industries. A new study found that “medical cannabis may be a useful adjunct therapy for reducing opioid use, relieving chronic pain, and improving health-related quality of life.” “Although cannabis has historically been characterized as a potential ‘gateway drug,’ it may also serve as a harm-reduction tool for some patients seeking to reduce reliance on higher-risk opioid medications… The findings of this study add to the growing body of literature supporting the safety profile and potential therapeutic role of cannabis.” National Cannabis Industry Association board member Jordan Isenstadt argues in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed that upcoming elections on the state and federal levels matter a lot more to the future of the sector than any piece of legislation filed in Congress. “The next phase of cannabis policy will not be decided by a single bill. It will be shaped by the political environment that determines whether any bill has a path.” / FEDERAL The Drug Enforcement Administration is promoting a prohibitionist group’s anti-marijuana information as part of National Prevention Week. The House bill to federally legalize marijuana got one new cosponsor for a total of 71. The House bill to delay the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products got one new cosponsor for a total of 33. The House bill to allow marijuana businesses to list on stock exchanges got one new cosponsor for a total of three. / STATES Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed a bill giving the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission new authority to crack down on unauthorized and unregulated kratom, tianeptine and phenibut products. The chair of the North Carolina Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee said there’s a chance lawmakers could address marijuana and hemp issues this session. Colorado regulators issued a health and safety advisory about marijuana products with yeast, mold and aspergillus above acceptable limits. New York’s acting top marijuana regulator spoke about the growth of the state’s legal industry. Maine regulators published an overview of cannabis-related legislation enacted this session. The Fond du Lac Band in Minnesota opened the first cannabis consumption lounge in the state. The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission will meet on Thursday. — 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. — / INTERNATIONAL Gunfire erupted in the Philippine Senate chamber as a senator sought to avoid arrest on an International Criminal Court warrant concerning his role in the nation’s bloody “war on drugs.” / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “adolescents perceived cannabis as less harmful than cigarettes, nicotine vapes, and alcohol” and that “as adolescents aged, they were less likely to perceive cannabis as harmful, unlike other substances.” A study found that “despite remaining illegal at the federal level, a considerable number of US adults reported microdosing cannabis, psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA in their lifetime.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The Boston Globe editorial board said there should be more coordinated standardization of marijuana rules between states with legalization. / BUSINESS Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of $116.9 million and a net loss of $29.5 million. iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. reported quarterly revenue of $33.5 million and a net loss of $14.3 million. Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc. reported quarterly revenue of $13.3 million and a net loss of $11.5 million. TerrAscend Corp. is facing unfair labor practice charges before the National Labor Relations Board. Michigan retailers sold $258.6 million worth of legal marijuana products in April. Make sure to subscribe to get Marijuana Moment’s daily dispatch in your inbox. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: The post Lawmakers push cannabis reform on Capitol Hill (Newsletter: May 14, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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As opioids continue to drive overdose deaths, a new study suggests that making medical cannabis available and affordable can help patients reduce their use of the prescription painkillers. “Although cannabis has historically been characterized as a potential ‘gateway drug,’ it may also serve as a harm-reduction tool for some patients seeking to reduce reliance on higher-risk opioid medications,” the researchers from University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine found. The study, a prospective observational trial conducted at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, followed 29 adults over five months. All had been living with chronic pain for years—a median of 11 years—and all were already taking opioid medications but had struggled to taper them despite other treatments. The investigation is unique for its focus on cost as a factor in medical marijuana access, with the researchers describing their work as “the first prospective observational study evaluating medical cannabis as an alternative to opioids in a setting where cost was removed as a major barrier.” Participants were recruited from a university-based outpatient chronic pain clinic and then underwent monthly pain assessments using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NRS). Researchers measured daily opioid use, measured in morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs). “Seven patients (24%) were able to completely discontinue opioid therapy by the end of the study, five of whom achieved this by the second month. Pain levels also decreased over time,” the authors wrote. Notably, there was “a statistically significant reduction in mean pain scores that was sustained over the five-month study period,” the paper, published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science, says. “There was also a reduction in mean opioid consumption of approximately 32 MMEs per day, which was similarly sustained throughout the follow-up. In addition, seven patients were able to discontinue opioid therapy completely during the study.” “Mean daily opioid consumption decreased from a baseline of 46.8 MMEs/day to 16.2 MMEs/day at one month and remained low throughout the five-month follow-up period,” the researchers observed. What sets the new study apart was not only the introduction of medical cannabis, but the deliberate removal of cost as an obstacle. Participants have “consistently identified cost as a major barrier to initiating medical cannabis” prior to enrollment in the study, the paper says. Highlighting the novelty of the study, they added their hypothesis that “improving access to medical cannabis will enable a subset of patients, particularly those for whom cost is a major barrier, to reduce or discontinue opioid use while maintaining adequate pain control.” “These results suggest that medical cannabis may be a useful adjunct therapy for reducing opioid use, relieving chronic pain, and improving health-related quality of life,” they concluded. “The findings of this study add to the growing body of literature supporting the safety profile and potential therapeutic role of cannabis.” The study’s authors are careful in their conclusions, warning of limitations and the need for further research. “The sample size was small and derived from a single clinical site, and there was no control group.” And because “patients self-titrated medical cannabis products, resulting in variability in dosing and frequency of use,” the findings are not standardized. But the authors concluded that “when used under appropriate medical supervision, medical cannabis may represent an effective adjunctive strategy for reducing opioid use among patients receiving long-term opioid therapy.” This research comes on the heels of a recent study showing that using medical marijuana appears to help people reduce the use of other medications, including opioids, sleeping aids and antidepressants. They also experience far fewer negative side effects after switching to cannabis from prescription drugs, the study involving more than 3,500 patients found. It also comes after President Donald Trump said marijuana can “make people feel much better” and serve as a “substitute for addictive and potentially lethal opioid painkillers.” Last month, the Trump administration announced it is moving ahead with the federal reclassification of marijuana by moving medical cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. The post Medical Marijuana Helps Pain Patients Reduce Use Of Opioids, New Study Shows appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A Louisiana lawmaker has filed legislation that would create a new state task force to “study and develop findings and recommendations regarding the potential legalization of recreational marijuana.” Under HCR111 from Rep. C. Denise Marcelle (D), the Louisiana Recreational Cannabis Policy Task Force would examine marijuana policy issues and submit a report with findings and recommendations to the legislature by February 1, 2027. The resolution notes that Louisiana currently allows medical cannabis while other states have gone further to legalize adult-use marijuana. “Multiple states have enacted laws permitting the sale of recreational marijuana and have generated data regarding economic impact, public health outcomes, criminal justice implications, and regulatory challenges,” it says. “Louisiana has the opportunity as a later-adopting state to evaluate existing regulatory models and avoid deficiencies observed in other jurisdictions, including market oversaturation, revenue instability, and inadequate community reinvestment.” The legislation further highlights “mechanisms to promote a stable and equitable cannabis market,” such as structured taxation models, population-based licensing, social equity participation and strict supply chain oversight. “The legislature recognizes the need to evaluate potential benefits including economic development, tax revenue generation, workforce opportunities, and funding for education and public safety, as well as risks related to public health, impaired driving, and law enforcement,” the measure says. “A comprehensive, data-driven study is necessary to inform legislative action and ensure that any future policy is tailored to the unique economic, geographic, and public safety needs of Louisiana.” If the proposal is enacted, the task force would be directed to specifically study several issues: Economic impacts including projected state and local tax revenues and industry development. Regulatory frameworks including taxation structures such as wholesale valuation models and point-of-sale taxes. Licensing structures including population-based caps and measures to prevent market monopolization. Public health considerations including youth access, product safety, and consumption limits. Criminal justice and law enforcement impacts. Social equity policies, including mechanisms to promote participation by disproportionately impacted communities. Impacts on the existing medical marijuana program. Supply chain regulation including testing, transportation, and seed-to-sale tracking systems. Under the the resolution as introduced, members of the panel would include representatives of the state Department of Health, law enforcement and the medical marijuana industry, as well as experts with experience in substance use policy and economic development or tax policy. — 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. — Another Louisiana lawmaker, meanwhile, recently introduced a bill to create an adult-use marijuana legalization pilot program in the state to determine whether the reform should eventually be expanded and permanently codified. Rep. Candace Newell (D)—who has long championed legislation to end cannabis criminalization and filed a similar legal marijuana pilot program measure last session—is sponsoring what’s titled the “Adult-Use Cannabis Pilot Program Regulation and Enforcement Act.” Getting the bill across the finish line could prove complicated in the conservative legislature, however. Newell’s earlier version of the pilot program legislation didn’t advance to enactment last year, and lawmakers that session also rejected other marijuana reform proposals such as one that would have established a tax system to prepare the eventual legalization of adult-use cannabis. Separately, lawmakers this session are advancing legislation to let patients with terminal and irreversible conditions use medical marijuana in hospitals. At the same time, however, advocates are alarmed that lawmakers are advancing a bill that threatens to send people to jail for up to one year if they smoke marijuana within 2,000 feet of a school property—including a college campus. Another piece of drug policy legislation that has traction this session would create a psychedelic-assisted therapy pilot program, using opioid settlement dollars to fund clinical trials aimed at developing alternative treatments such as psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA. The post Louisiana Government Task Force Would Study Marijuana Legalization Under Lawmaker’s New Proposal appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A bipartisan pair of members of Congress are continuing their push to expedite the availability of psychedelic therapies that they believe can aid military veterans and other people who are struggling with mental health conditions. Reps. Jack Bergman (R-MI) and Lou Correa (D-CA), co-chairs of the Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies Caucus, appeared together on CNN last week. Correa said therapy with substances like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA “works,” citing high suicide rates among veterans and arguing that psychedelics can be part of the solution. “You have people in my community that have actually been alcoholics [that] have been cured, drug addicts that have been cured, people with mental illnesses that are cured,” he said. “This promises to be that magic pill, that magic cure that we’ve been waiting for.” Bergman cited his own experience as a Vietnam combat veteran, saying he’s “seen so many of my brothers and sisters who came back in Vietnam who never assimilated back into society, a lot of times due to post-traumatic stress.” “We’ve been doing things the same way forever in mental health and expecting different results,” he said. “Now it’s the right thing for Congress to do, to get the money, direct the research—whether it’s the [Department of Veterans Affairs] or anybody else—to do the research and get these therapies on the ground and working for the veterans and others as well.” The GOP congressman said it’s important to not just free up legal access to psychedelic compounds themselves but also to provide resources for “the therapies that are going to be needed to work those veterans and everybody else through the process.” “So we not only need the medicine, we need the therapist trained and ready to go,” Bergman said. “So we have to move forward, and we will do it diligently and minimize, if not eliminate, the risk to anybody going through the therapy.” Correa, for his part, spoke about U.S. military veterans who are traveling outside the country to access psychedelic therapies. “You got a lot of veterans that are going to Tijuana, Mexico right now to get their therapy—two or three days in the ibogaine treatment center, where they go through a high where they essentially confront their fears that have led them to suicidal thoughts,” he said. “They come out on the other side essentially cured. This is not just hypothetical. These are truths evidenced by Navy veterans and other individuals that have essentially kicked the habit of doing drugs or alcohol. It does work.” “People in our districts in this country are doing psychedelics, so Congress needs to catch up, needs to get the research there,” Correa said. “We need to put those guardrails there to make sure people don’t get hurt. But people are desperate for a solution, and this one promises to be the solution.” The bipartisan PATH Caucus is focused on finding the safest and most effective ways to utilize psychedelics to help our veterans and anyone struggling with PTSD. pic.twitter.com/yTlx4OosXK — Rep. Lou Correa (@RepLouCorrea) May 9, 2026 The two lawmakers are sponsoring an amendment to a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) funding bill on the House floor this week that seeks to raise awareness about the benefits of psychedelic and other therapies for military veterans. Its description says it “increases and decreases funding for the Medical and Prosthetic Research account at the Department of Veterans Affairs to emphasize the importance of the Department’s research on areas benefiting veterans such as oncology, traumatic brain injury care, psychedelic therapies, and assistive devices.” Bergman and Correa also recently led a bipartisan coalition of 32 members of Congress in sending a letter urging federal health officials to expedite ongoing reviews of psychedelic therapies. FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last month announced steps that they say will help with “accelerating” therapeutic access to psychedelics for patients dealing with serious mental health conditions. That move followed a psychedelics executive order that President Donald Trump signed. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said recently that the Trump administration is “very anxious” to create a pathway for access to psychedelics therapy and that top officials across federal agencies want to “get it out to the public as quickly as possible.” In an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience in February, Kennedy said he’s confident “we’re going to get it done,” with plans to develop and finalize rules that would enable patients with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression to access psychedelic substances like psilocybin and MDMA in a “very controlled setting.” “Everybody in my agency…is very anxious to get a rule out there that will allow these kind of studies and will allow access under therapeutic settings, particularly [for] the military soldiers who have suffered these injuries to get access to these products,” the HHS secretary said. “We’re working through that process now. We’re all working on it and trying to make it happen.” “I think that we’re going to get it done,” he said. Last June, Kennedy said his agency is “absolutely committed” to expanding research on the benefits of psychedelic therapy and, alongside of the head of FDA, is aiming to provide legal access to such substances for military veterans “within 12 months.” Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins also disclosed in April that he had an “eye-opening” talk with Kennedy about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicine. And he said he’s open to the idea of having the government provide vouchers to cover the costs of psychedelic therapy for veterans who receive services outside of VA as Congress considers pathways for access. Bipartisan congressional lawmakers introduced legislation this session to provide $30 million in funding annually to establish psychedelic-focused “centers for excellence” at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, where veterans could receive novel treatment involving substances like psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine. A U.S. Senate committee held a hearing last month on a bipartisan bill to promote research into the therapeutic potential psychedelics by creating a new office at VA that would advance the development innovative treatments for serious mental health conditions and assist in reviewing the scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) has said ibogaine represents an “astonishing breakthrough” in the nation’s current “sick care system” that’s left people with serious mental health conditions without access to promising alternative treatment options. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Mushroom Observer. The post Psychedelics Are A ‘Magic Cure’ For Mental Health Conditions, Congressman Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Lawmakers in Colombia have advanced a bill to legalize marijuana through its first step in the legislative process. The First Committee of the House of Representatives approved the measure from Rep. Alejandro Ocampo on Tuesday, sending it to the full chamber for consideration. If approved there, the legislation would then go to the Senate for two additional votes. “We just approved the regulation of cannabis in the first debate. It’s time to regulate. We’re going to regulate everything from seed to finished product,” Ocampo said in a social media post. “We’re going to keep marijuana off the streets so that it can only be sold in places where you have to show your ID, have a permit, and have a license.” The bill will “help homeless people, help farmers and indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities who have lived with this plant for many years,” he said. ¡Lo logramos! Fue aprobado nuestro proyecto de ley de cannabis Seguimos avanzando hacia una política más justa y moderna para Colombia. pic.twitter.com/lUH2b2oS05 — Alejandro Ocampo (@alejoocampog) May 12, 2026 Colombian lawmakers have considered cannabis legalization legislation over multiple recent sessions, with one such proposal to insert the reform into the nation’s constitution falling short at the final stage of the process in 2023. A separate bill to legalize marijuana advanced through the first stage of the process last year, but then stalled. President Gustavo Petro, for his part, is supportive of legalizing cannabis—and he’s put pressure on legislators to advance the reform. He said in late 2023 that lawmakers who voted to shelve a legalization bill that year only helped to perpetuate illegal drug trafficking and the violence associated with the unregulated trade. Last year, Petro said U.S. President Donald Trump should replace the policy of marijuana prohibition with a regulatory framework allowing for adult use and international cannabis exports. Quiero agradecerle a la Comisión Primera por permitir que nuestro proyecto de ley sobre cannabis avance a segundo debate. Esto representa una oportunidad para seguir construyendo una política más responsable y enfocada en la protección de la juventud. pic.twitter.com/7gaTCNG0yC — Alejandro Ocampo (@alejoocampog) May 12, 2026 The new bill that advanced in committee this week, as first reported by Infobae, would allow adults over the age of 18 to purchase up to 20 grams of cannabis flower and 5 grams of concentrates per day. There would be a 20 percent tax on sales. Personal cultivation of up to 20 plants per person would be allowed, and people with past convictions could request expungement of their records and release from incarceration. Non-profit cannabis clubs would be able to grow up to 200 plants to supply to members. The legislation puts a significant focus on aiding vulnerable communities, with requirements that at least half of legally distributed cannabis come from crops grown by ethnic and peasant associations, and that 70 percent of cultivation licenses be reserved for them, according to Infobae. Cannabis advertising would be restricted to limit its reach to underage people, and the government would implement awareness campaigns about the potential harms of use. At a public hearing before a Senate panel in 2022, the country’s justice minister said Colombia has been the victim of “a failed war that was designed 50 years ago and, due to absurd prohibitionism, has brought us a lot of blood, armed conflict, mafias and crime.” Also, after a visit to the US in 2023, the Colombian president recalled smelling the odor of marijuana wafting through the streets of New York City, remarking on the “enormous hypocrisy” of legal cannabis sales now taking place in the nation that launched the global drug war decades ago. Petro also took a lead role at the Latin American and Caribbean Conference on Drugs in 2023, noting Colombia and Mexico “are the biggest victims of this policy,” likening the drug war to “a genocide.” In 2022, Petro delivered a speech at a meeting of the United Nations, urging member nations to fundamentally change their approaches to drug policy and disband with prohibition. He’s also talked about the prospects of legalizing marijuana in Colombia as one means of reducing the influence of the illicit market. And he has signaled that the policy change should be followed by releasing people who are currently in prison over cannabis. Image element courtesy of Bryan Pocius . The post Colombian Lawmakers Approve Bill To Legalize Marijuana appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Members of Congress joined activists at a press conference on Wednesday to highlight the need for further federal marijuana policy reform beyond the incremental cannabis rescheduling process that the Trump administration is undertaking. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), a co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, pointed strong public support for broader marijuana legalization. “Millions of people across this country agree that cannabis should be legal. People understand that the old approach has failed. They understand that adults should not carry criminal records for possessing cannabis,” she said. “They understand that we should be investing in education and economic opportunity, not mass incarceration.” “It is about damn time Congress caught up with where the American people are,” Omar said. But she also argued that “legalization alone is not enough.” “If we legalize cannabis and simply allow large corporations to make huge profits while the very communities destroyed by the War on Drugs are left behind, then we have failed. Cannabis reform must be about justice and repair. That means expunging the records of people arrested for nonviolent cannabis offenses. It means reinvesting in communities that were targeted for decades by discriminatory policies, and it means ensuring working class people small businesses and entrepreneurs have a real opportunity in participating in this new economy.” It's about damn time Congress legalizes marijuana. pic.twitter.com/lWBLBly28u — Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) May 13, 2026 Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), another Congressional Cannabis Caucus co-chair, also spoke at the press conference that is part what advocates are calling “Cannabis Week of Unity,” organized by a nationwide coalition that aims to push Congress toward comprehensive federal cannabis reform. “States have been way ahead of the federal government the whole time,” she said. “What we’re trying to do here now is bring the federal government up to the level of the states, because dragging behind is just not realistic and just doesn’t make any sense—morally, ethically, legally, health-wise, you name it.” “Look how many states allow the use of marijuana, whether it’s medically or recreationally. I mean, let’s catch up.” Titus discussed several pieces of cannabis reform legislation she is sponsoring, including one that would allow federal drug officials to more fairly consider the evidence about marijuana’s effects—including why it is “so much better than other things like maybe alcohol.” “So let’s do the research, get the facts that these folks need, so they can educate our members,” she said. “They can advocate for this, and we can puff puff, pass that bill.” Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) appeared at the event as well, saying “there’s never really been a logical path why marijuana is illegal, except for politics,” citing the Nixon administration’s use of cannabis criminalization as a way to oppress people of color, young people and the anti-war movement. “So a lot of people went to jail,” Cohen said. “A lot of people away from their families, lost SNAP payments and other housing opportunities because of marijuana convictions.” Omar, the Cannabis Caucus co-chair, said the U.S. is “long overdue for a rational, just and humane cannabis policy.” “For decades, we have spent billions of dollars enforcing a war on drugs that has failed and has devastated communities, ruined lives and disproportionately targeted Black, Brown and low-income Americans,” she said. “Right now, we have a completely unjust and ridiculous system in America, where most states have now legalized cannabis for medical and recreational use, but federal law has continued to lag behind.” “That contradiction makes no sense. It hurts consumers, it hurts workers, it hurts small businesses and it only creates more chaos and inequity across this country. So let me be clear about what cannabis reform needed. What cannabis reforms are needed immediately. We must fully deschedule cannabis now. We must stop the federal hemp ban. We must fix the outrageous barriers facing legal legal cannabis businesses that cannot access banking services, and we must ensure that the millions of Americans living in legal cannabis states—from our veterans who use medical marijuana to deal with pain and PTSD, to our public housing residents who are threatened with eviction for using legal product—can finally do that without fear of federal punishment or government overreach.” Cohen, for his part, said the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) resisted marijuana rescheduling during the Biden administration. “It’s hard to get the DEA to get something done. My history and experience has been that the DEA is the Strait of Hormuz for marijuana legislation,” he said, comparing the agency to the waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman through which much of the world’s oil trade passes but which has been blocked amid recent hostilities between Iran and the U.S. and Israel. “You have to go through it, but you can’t do it.” Under an order signed by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche last month, marijuana regulated by a state medical cannabis license immediately moved to Schedule III. Marijuana products such as those in state-legal recreational markets remain in Schedule I for now, however, subject to a hearing process this summer to consider broader rescheduling of cannabis. While rescheduling eases barriers to research and gives state-licensed businesses access to tax benefits, it does not broadly legalize marijuana. Representatives of several drug policy reform organizations also spoke at Wednesday’s event, including Students for Sensible Drug Policy, NORML, Marijuana Policy Project, Last Prisoner Project, Drug Policy Alliance, Latino Cannabis Alliance, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, Cannabis Regulators of Color Coalition and other groups. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Meanwhile in Congress, the House is expected to consider an amendment this week to let military veterans receive recommendations for medical marijuana through their doctors at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies approved a bill last month containing provisions that would block federal officials from taking further steps to reschedule cannabis. Separately, the House Appropriations Committee approved a spending bill and an attached report that expresses concerns about health risks from cannabis-derived products, while also encouraging research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. The full House also recently passed a Farm Bill with provisions aimed at aiding industrial hemp producers—but without any language to delay or alter the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that’s scheduled to take effect later this year. A new report from the Congressional Research Service details the scope and limitations of the federal marijuana rescheduling move. The post It’s ‘About Damn Time’ The Federal Government Catches Up To Voters On Marijuana Legalization, Congresswoman Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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Nevada is losing out on $80 million in annual marijuana tax revenue by imposing rules that have created strict barriers between the state’s cannabis and gaming industries, according to a new report. And that policy choice has also driven consumers to purchase “unlicensed, unsafe” products in the illicit market. At the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) Cannabis Policy Institute and International Gaming Institute’s 3rd Annual Gaming & Cannabis Policy Discussion late last month, lawmakers and officials discussed the impact of regulations that have kept the licensed marijuana industry from fully integrating with the state’s storied gaming sector. Specifically, they pointed to rules highlighted in the UNLV cannabis institute’s report that prevent marijuana deliveries to most hotels and gaming properties, ban retailers from operating within 1,500 feet of gaming establishments in major counties and broadly restrict gaming licensees from dually participating in or profiting from the licensed cannabis sector. “The separations act as severe constraints on capital mobility, tourism synergy, and public-revenue growth, without any corresponding economic, public health or safety, or risk benefits to market participants in either market,” the authors wrote. The report—titled “The 1,500 Foot Wall”—estimates that marijuana businesses are missing out on $750 million in revenue each year due to the onerous regulations. That includes lost revenue from retail sales ($540 million) and wholesale ($210 million). With respect to unrealized tax revenue from those missed sales opportunities, the forced separation amounts to approximately $80 million that Nevada could be adding to its coffers every year if the two industries were freed up to more closely integrate. Marijuana is legal in Nevada for adults, including tourists, 21 years or older. But because licensed cannabis businesses are effectively pushed outside of main commercial gaming hubs such as the Strip in Las Vegas, illicit businesses that aren’t playing by the rules in the first place are taking advantage of the state regulations, the report found. “The cannabis-gaming barriers are currently preventing millions of Nevada consumers from accessing legal cannabis,” it said. “All of the cannabis sold [in gaming areas such as the Strip] is unlicensed, unsafe cannabis from the illegal market.” “Another result of the barriers is that many of the state’s legal cannabis businesses are struggling to survive as a result of their severely limited access to tourists,” the authors said. “The original separation between cannabis and gaming was a rational precaution in 2014. A decade later, it is an economic and policy anachronism.” “Convergence is not deregulation—it is optimization.” At the policy discussion earlier this month, Nevada Sen. Rochelle Nguyen (D) echoed that point, stating that the “idea that we’ve limited one aspect of our tourism economy is ridiculous.” “To think the cannabis industry is outside of our other tourism industry is naive, inaccurate and not what’s happening out there in the tourism corridor,” she said, according to The Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We got this wrong in some areas. We had good intentions, but as we move forward, this industry is changing.” The report comes about a year after UNLV’s Cannabis Policy Institute released a poll finding that about seven in ten American adults say they’re in favor of having designated marijuana consumption areas at casinos and resorts—and two in five would be more inclined to visit casinos if cannabis use was allowed. — 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. — Nevada’s first legal marijuana consumption lounge officially opened it doors in February 2024, marking the culmination of years of rulemaking to allow the latest license type. Tyler Klimas, who served as executive director of the Nevada Cannabis Control Board (CCB) from 2020 to late 2023, said in a podcast that the cannabis consumption lounge development represents the “next frontier” for the industry. The law—which was enacted under legislation from Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D) and signed by then-Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) in 2021—also allows for businesses that couple cannabis with yoga, serve infused food, offer THC-aided massage therapy or incorporate marijuana in other ways. Sisolak touted Nevada’s lounge law in a 4/20 op-ed for Marijuana Moment in 2022, writing: “The idea isn’t new, but no one is doing it like we are in Nevada.” “While most of the consumption lounges in other states don’t offer food, beverages or other entertainment options,” he said, “Nevada’s lounges will be a one-stop entertainment shop to create jobs, grow the industry and boost our economy.” As consumption lounges started to open, the state’s marijuana laws also changed in another meaningful way at the beginning of 2024, with an updated policy put in place that more than doubled the amount of cannabis that a person can buy and possess to 2.5 ounces. The post Nevada Is Losing Out On $80 Million In Annual Revenue By Separating The Marijuana And Gaming Industries, Report Finds appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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