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The White House released a new National Drug Control Strategy on Monday that raises alarm about “high-potency” marijuana and expresses concerns that international cartels and crime groups “exploit” state cannabis legalization laws. It also discusses the forthcoming federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that is scheduled for later this year under a law signed by President Donald Trump. While the publication of the new 195-page document from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) comes just weeks after the Trump administration announced it is moving forward with a plan to reschedule marijuana under federal law, it makes no mention of that reform. Instead, its sections on cannabis focus largely on concerns about its health effects and marketing as more states enact legalization. “The commercial marketing of addictive substances poses a major threat to youth health. Legal does not mean safe, and industries selling nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, and psychedelics have adopted strategies similar to Big Tobacco’s historical targeting of young audiences,” the ONDCP strategy says. “The commercialization of marijuana plays a role in the normalization of use, increases access to it, and decreases perception of risk of harm among youth,” it says. “Marijuana products are today of unprecedented high potency, are often highly processed, aggressively advertised, and often packaged to appeal to minors.” The White House document also says that “convergent evidence from multiple sources suggests that cannabis exposure increases the risk of psychosis, and the prevention of marijuana use could serve to reduce the prevalence of psychosis, in addition to reducing cannabis use disorder and other consequences.” It additionally talks about “young adults, bright with potential, whose futures were stolen by drug-induced psychosis and suicide linked to high-potency marijuana.” “The varying legal status of marijuana across the United States notwithstanding, it remains a fact that there are Americans who are suffering from addiction and side effects of marijuana and its associated products such as psychoactive derivatives of hemp or other high-THC products, and they deserve help. People with marijuana addiction may not recognize that withdrawal may cause insomnia and anxiety, rather than the drug being an effective means to treat such symptoms. Cannabis-induced psychosis, if diagnosed and addressed early, may mitigate the potential impact on progression towards schizophrenia or other severe mental illness. Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, also known as scromiting, due to the associated screaming and vomiting, is a common condition association with long-term marijuana use and addiction and warrants an evidence-based approach. Much like stimulants and other drugs, there are currently no FDA-approved medications for marijuana addiction or withdrawal. However, help is available for those who want it, and treatment and cessation tools for marijuana addiction must be made more widely available.” “While all drugs carry some level of risk, marijuana has the highest conversion rate from psychosis to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder,” Trump’s ONDCP claims. “Drug use is also associated with suicide, and the number one drug found in toxicology reports of people who died from suicide under the age of 25 in Colorado and San Diego was marijuana, more than alcohol or any other drug.” “It is important to make consumers aware of the health risks associated with marijuana use, which include harms to heart health, cognition, and cancer. In one California study, from 2005 to 2019, cannabis-associated diagnosis in emergency department visits went up 1,800% for seniors over age 65. Marijuana use can be associated with exposure to heavy metals and pesticides that can accumulate in the plant through a process known as bioaccumulation. Further, research indicates that marijuana can contain fungal pathogens that cause serious and often fatal infections in persons with immunocompromising conditions, such as cancer, transplant, or infection with HIV.” The document notes that “the rate of marijuana smoking in the United States has surpassed tobacco use” and that “marijuana addiction, or cannabis use disorder, affected 20.6 million, or 7.1 percent, of Americans over the age of 12 in 2024, and is the number one stated reason for addiction treatment for those under the age of 20.” “According to the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), in 2024, for the first time ever, the number of Americans experiencing a drug use disorder surpassed the number experiencing an alcohol use disorder. This shift has been driven principally by increasing rates of marijuana use and addiction. We must ensure that we have the tools for Americans who want help with marijuana addiction and withdrawals.” Even though Trump endorsed a marijuana legalization initiative that appeared on Florida’s ballot in 2024, the administration document raises alarm about transnational criminal organizations and domestic gangs that “transport, store, and sell illicit drugs in American communities, including the interstate distribution of illicit marijuana from states with legal markets.” Of particular concern are Chinese-linked groups that “exploit state-level marijuana laws to establish large-scale illicit cultivation and interstate distribution networks,” ONDCP said. “The marijuana trade in the United States is no longer a scattered, low-level problem; it has been coopted and industrialized by sophisticated, transnational criminal organizations, particularly those with ties to China. These groups systematically exploit states where marijuana has been legalized under state law, leveraging these markets and lax regulations to establish massive, unlicensed cultivation operations. A stark illustration of this is Oklahoma, where law enforcement estimates that Chinese criminal groups run more than 80% of the state’s thousands of marijuana and hemp farms. The scale is staggering: in 2023, the state’s marijuana production exceeded its entire licensed medical demand by at least 32 times, with an estimated 85.5 million plants unaccounted for. This massive overproduction is not for local consumption; it is clear evidence of a coordinated criminal enterprise dedicated to trafficking marijuana across state lines to supply the nation’s black market. These operations are not just agricultural; they are hubs of poly-crime involving human trafficking of exploited laborers, sophisticated money laundering, and the use of dangerous, unregistered pesticides that threaten public health and the environment.” President Trump continues to DELIVER for the American people. @ONDCP and @DrugCzar47 just released the National Drug Control Strategy. This is not just a document, it follows through on the President’s promise to America. PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT by @POTUS.… — ONDCP (@ONDCP) May 4, 2026 The White House drug strategy also discusses hemp products at length. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, the president signed new legislation containing provisions that will redefine hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will remain legal after November 12. “The Administration has been granted new legal authority to address certain psychoactive hemp-derived cannabidiol substances thanks to the ‘hemp loophole closure’ passed as part of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Act funding bill for fiscal year (FY) 2026,” the ONDCP document says, “Shutting down these domestic sources of harmful substances is crucial to degrading the overall availability of illicit drugs within our communities.” “Psychoactive derivatives of hemp are a growing concern. Although the hemp plant naturally contains small amounts of cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC, THC-O-acetate, THCP, and other THC analogues, they are often produced in laboratories; and since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, products containing them have proliferated. Any final hemp-derived cannabinoid product containing these chemicals will be considered a Schedule I controlled substance under the Hemp Restriction regulations that are scheduled to take effect in November 2026. These products are often sold in smoke shops and gas stations, are not regulated, and can contain dangerous chemicals or psychoactive substances. When found in marketed products, these compounds are synthetic, not naturally occurring, have not been evaluated for safety in animals or humans, and have been linked to cases of psychosis and suicide attempts. In many cases, cannabinoids are considered to be Schedule I drugs under the international conventions, and some states have already banned these potentially dangerous products.” It says that law enforcement will “intensify efforts to prosecute the illicit production and distribution of dangerous substances originating within the United States”—including “targeting retail operations, such as vape and smoke shops, that unlawfully market harmful products, particularly to minors.” While Trump recently called on Congress to take action to alter the hemp cannabinoid ban language he signed into law in order to allow continued sales of full-spectrum CBD products, it’s not clear how far he wants to scale back the scope of the scheduled federal restrictions and what kinds of revised THC rules and limitations he would prefer to sign into law. Meanwhile, ONDCP says the administration will “work to improve drug testing in clinical settings,” noting that “currently utilized hospital tests do not detect nitazenes, psilocybin, or psychoactive hemp products such as delta-8 THC, and may not detect all fentanyl analogs.” ONDCP Director Sara Carter Bailey has previously voiced support for medical cannabis, while stating that she doesn’t have a “problem” with legalization, even if she might not personally agree with the policy. “I don’t have any problem if it’s legalized and it’s monitored,” she said in 2024. “I mean, I may have my own issues of how I feel about that, but I do believe that cannabis for medicinal purposes and medical reasons is a fantastic way of handling—especially for people with cancer and other illnesses, you know—of handling the illness and the side effects of the medication and those illnesses. So I’m not saying we’ve gotta make it illegal.” The post White House Raises Alarm About ‘High-Potency’ Marijuana And Its Marketing In New National Drug Strategy appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A major alcohol industry trade association says the U.S. House of Representatives’s passage last week of a Farm Bill without including provisions to call off the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products represents a “missed opportunity.” “A ban will not remove these products from the market—it will push consumers toward unregulated, online channels with no age verification, no product standards and no accountability,” Dawson Hobbs, executive vice president of government affairs for Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), said in a press release on Monday. The House last week voted 224-200 to pass the Farm Bill, formally known as H.R.7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. While the legislation does contain some provisions aimed at reducing regulatory burdens for producers of industrial hemp, it does not include any language to alter or delay the impending ban on hemp THC products. “WSWA has long believed that intoxicating beverages should be subject to baseline federal regulations that allow for additional state-specific regulatory solutions,” Hobbs said. “The alcohol industry has 90 years of experience proving that responsible regulation works.” Today, we released the following statement on the House passing its draft of the Farm Bill #FarmBill #Hemp #HempBevs #ThreeTierSystem #BeverageAlcohol pic.twitter.com/9jC7vmtp48 — WSWA (@WSWAMedia) May 4, 2026 “The 2026 Farm Bill’s failure to address the November ban on intoxicating hemp products is a missed opportunity,” he said. “We urge the Senate to act before November 2026 to replace this ban with a durable federal framework that actually protects consumers.” Bipartisan lawmakers had filed amendments to the bill to regulate hemp THC products and delay the ban, but the sponsors withdrew the proposals for unknown reasons. A separate amendment to speed up recriminalization of the products was also filed, but the House Rules Committee did not allow it to advance to floor consideration. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that President Donald Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, Trump signed new legislation containing provisions that will redefine hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will remain legal after November 12. While the hemp THC regulation and ban delay amendments didn’t make it into the current Farm Bill, it does include several sections that concern cannabis grown by farmers for industrial purposes such as fiber and grain. For example, the legislation would amend existing statute related to the development of industrial hemp production regulatory plans by states and tribes—including surrounding polices for testing, sampling, background checks and record-keeping. The Senate is expected to consider its own version of the Farm Bill in the coming weeks and months, and hemp industry advocates hope lawmakers in that chamber will take action to avert the scheduled ban on THC products. In March, WSWA launched a campaign pushing Congress to call off a scheduled ban on hemp THC beverages and instead regulate the products for consumer access. The efforts includes an educational microsite on the issue that offers resources on the issue and argues that “the same regulatory system that has worked for alcohol should be applied to intoxicating hemp products.” In particular, the group is supporting an approach for hemp drinks that would include federal licensure of suppliers and distributors, a federal tax, independent testing requirements and the regulation of trade practices such as a prohibition on slotting fees, while allowing states to regulate the products in their own markets. In an op-ed for Marijuana Moment last year, WSWA’s president and CEO argued that regulation of hemp products is superior to prohibition. A separate newly launched group, the Beverage Alcohol Merchants Coalition (BAMCO), is also pushing for a delay in the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products. Its founding members include Total Wine & More, BevMo! by Gopuff, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Spec’s Wine and Spirits & Finer Foods, as well as a group of hemp product wholesalers. Meanwhile, White House officials recently provided feedback on pending legislation to create a regulatory framework for hemp. Last month, Vince Haley, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and James Braid, assistant to the president for legislative affairs, sent hemp policy suggestions to Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), who has been helping to lead efforts to enact regulations for the plant as an alternative to prohibition. “We appreciate your work to advance the policy of” an executive order Trump signed in December that included provisions seeking to protect Americans’ access to CBD products, the staffers wrote in a letter to the congressman. “We are transmitting for your consideration draft legislative text and comments to address the statutory definition of final hemp-derived cannabinoid products in order to allow Americans to benefit from access to appropriate full-spectrum CBD products while preserving the Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose serious health risks,” the White House officials said, according to a social media post containing a screenshot of the letter. “We are available for discussion and further technical assistance.” The attachment with the administration’s proposed legislative text has not been publicly released, and the White House and Barr’s office did not respond to Marijuana Moment’s request for further details. It’s not clear from the letter’s text whether the White House was proactively sending legislative proposals to the lawmaker or if they were replying to something his office submitted—though two cannabis industry sources suggested to Marijuana Moment that Barr first sent language to the administration, which then provided technical feedback. Trump last month pushed congressional lawmakers to take action to amend the currently scheduled hemp ban, which he suggested threatens to federally recriminalize full-spectrum CBD products. “I am calling on Congress to update the Law to ensure that Americans can continue to access the full-spectrum CBD products they have come to rely on, and that help them, while preserving Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose Health risks,” the president said in a Truth Social post on Thursday, the same day his administration announced it is moving forward to reschedule marijuana. “We must get this done RIGHT and FAST, especially for those who saw that CBD helps them,” he said. “Plus, I am told it will also help our GREAT FARMERS, who we love, and will always be there for.” Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) had filed a hemp ban delay amendment before the House Agriculture Committee when it took up the Farm Bill in March, but that panel’s chairman determined that the proposal was not germane to the legislation. A number of other bipartisan hemp reform bills are pending in Congress. Last month, for example, Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) filed the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, which would effectively let states opt out of the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that is set to be enacted later this year. Ernst later withdrew her name as a cosponsor of the legislation, however. Her office did not reply to Marijuana Moment’s request for clarification on the move. — 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. — A U.S. Department of Agriculture report published last month shows that farmers in the U.S. grew three-quarters of a billion dollars worth of hemp crops in 2025—a 64 percent increase from the prior year. Meanwhile, the Trump administration last month launched a new initiative to cover up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products each year for eligible Medicare patients. The program being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) focuses largely on CBD but also allows a certain amount of THC in products. Anti-marijuana organizations filed a lawsuit suit against the Medicare hemp coverage policy, and lawyers for Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Director Mehmet Oz recently filed a brief asking that the case be dismissed. Meanwhile, the White House Office of Management and Budget has been holding a series of meetings about a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) CBD products enforcement policy. FDA also issued guidance making clear that it does not intend to interfere with implementation of the Medicare hemp-derived products coverage plan. CMS separately finalized a rule that will allow coverage of some hemp products as specialized, non-primarily health-related benefits through Medicare Advantage plans. As hemp products have become more popular with consumers, some large brands are attempting to get in on action. Major retailer Target, for example, is expanding its participation in the hemp-derived THC beverage market. Last year, the company began a pilot program involving sales of cannabis drinks at 10 select stores in Minnesota. That apparently went well, and now the company has obtained licenses from Minnesota regulators to sell lower-potency hemp edible products—including THC drinks—at all 72 of its stores in the state. The post Alcohol Industry Group Calls Out Congress For Failing To Address Hemp THC Product Ban In Farm Bill appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

New York marijuana officials have announced that they have begun accepting applications from licensed dispensaries that want to host temporary cannabis farmers’ markets and pop-up events. The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) on Monday launched the application process for what the state is calling “Cannabis Showcase Events.” “Cannabis Showcase Events expand opportunity within New York’s regulated market in a thoughtful and deliberate way while keeping the guardrails firmly in place,” John Kagia, OCM’s acting executive director, said in a press release. “These events allow licensed retailers, cultivators, and processors to meet consumers where they are, at community markets and pop-ups—while maintaining strict safety standards, age restrictions, and local oversight. This is about creating flexibility for businesses while preserving public health safeguards and local authority.” The launch follows the enactment of legislation signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) last year that built on an existing showcase program that was first created in 2023. The state Cannabis Control Board (CCB) adopted regulations for the events program that is now rolling out last May. “The Cannabis Control Board’s responsibility is to ensure that new business opportunities are implemented with clarity and consistency,” CCB Chairperson Jessica Garcia said. “Cannabis Showcase Events allow licensees to take advantage of the summer season while maintaining strong public health standards, and the Board is grateful for stakeholder input throughout the regulatory process.” Under state rules, cannabis events are limited to people over 21 years of age and need to have written approval from local officials; advanced application submission to OCM and compliance with distance requirements from schools, places of worship and designated public youth facilities. Organizers must also submit safety, security and incident reporting plans. On-site marijuana consumption is not allowed, nor are free samples or giveaways of cannabis products. Sales at events can only be conducted by the licensed retailer that holds the event permit, while cultivators and processors that participate can showcase products without selling anything directly to attendees or providing samples. Cannabis events can last for up to 14 consecutive days under the rules, with each venue limited to hosting events no more than 45 days during a calendar year. In March, the governor marked the five-year anniversary of adult-use marijuana legalization in New York, highlighting $3.3 billion in retail sales, the opening of more than 600 licensed cannabis shops and achievements in promoting social equity in the industry while taking steps to mitigate the illicit market. In January, meanwhile, New York officials released a set of reports providing a 2025 end-of-year status update on the evolution of the state’s medical and adult-use marijuana markets—touting record sales, revenue hauls for state coffers, licensing approvals, equity initiatives and more. The OCM annual report also notes that Hochul signed legislation into law that expands the state’s medical cannabis program by improving patient access and “updating the program framework to better meet patient needs statewide.” — 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, New York senators recently approved a bill related to reciprocity for out-of-state medical marijuana patients and the availability of pre-rolled joints in the medical cannabis market—even though the state has already enacted those reforms separately. In February, the sponsor of the bill separately introduced legislation that would allow New York liquor and wine stores to obtain a permit to sell low-dose cannabis-infused drinks at their businesses. Also, the governor recently signed legislation into law that revises zoning requirements for licensed marijuana businesses, granting more flexibility to retailers located within certain distances of schools and places of worship. The post New York Officials Are Now Accepting Applications For Marijuana Farmers’ Markets And Pop-Up Events appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Bipartisan U.S. senators are reacting to the Trump administration’s move to federally reschedule cannabis in new interviews with Marijuana Moment—with Democrats saying the reform doesn’t go far enough, some Republicans expressing concerns and one GOP lawmaker discussing how she’s finally opening up to cannabis after speaking to friends who use it for medical purposes. Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) told Marijuana Moment that he’s “no fan” of President Donald Trump’s cannabis rescheduling action, saying that “if you want to make it medical it needs to have standard research alongside of it, and it seems to have bypassed some of that.” The GOP senator did acknowledge that, “in their defense, I would say we are owning up to the fact that it is not the same as heroin and cocaine.” “Nonetheless, it has many, many problems and I want them to be fully researched,” Budd said. “I’ve just seen damage it’s done to people.” Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), in contrast, reacted to the Trump administration’s action to move marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to Schedule III by saying “I don’t think it goes far enough.” “I think we should be rescheduling and making it the equivalent of alcohol,” he told Marijuana Moment. “As is often the case when people are trying to please one constituency but don’t want to go too far and piss off a different constituency, they muddy the water. But we’ll figure it out.” The Department of Justice announced last week 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 for this summer will consider broader cannabis rescheduling, including of recreational products. The senator acknowledged that there are some negative consequences of cannabis use, such as “some addictions—not very many—but there are some addictions.” “It’s just like alcohol. It’s got benefits and downsides,” Hickenlooper said. “One thing that I think we are more confident of is it doesn’t imbue people, especially males, to violence. Females as well. One of the hidden benefits is it diminishes that kind of domestic violence.” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) questioned the practicality of the administration’s current bifurcated scheduling approach to cannabis. “You’re telling me that you’re going to have people really be honest as to whether or not this is recreational or medical?” she told Marijuana Moment. “How’s that working out?” Another GOP senator, Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) said that while marijuana reform is “not my cup of tea,” it’s “not something that I am gonna have a fit and fall in it over.” Lummis told Marijuana Moment that her position on cannabis is starting to shift after seeing how people she knows are using it therapeutically. “I have friends that have multiple sclerosis and they can get some relief from medical marijuana,” she said. “They’ve explained to me that it is—you go to a really credible medical marijuana-only facility where you can get very specialized advice and treatment that really provides them some relief. Because of that, my personal feelings about it have softened a little bit.” Lummis noted that her state of Wyoming allows neither medical nor recreational cannabis use and she said she hopes that doesn’t change, but she did acknowledge that the medical marijuana industry is becoming “more sophisticated.” “Our neighbor Colorado has experience with both and I’m told by people who access dispensaries that are specific to medical use of marijuana that they are able to both dose and utilize marijuana for even very specific diseases within medical use,” the senator said. “Over the years it sounds like the use of marijuana for medical purposes has become much more sophisticated, although I just prefer not to go there. I get it. I really do.” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), for his part, said politicians have long used cannabis “as a political football.” “The question is whether they’re going to come down in a way that’s really effective,” he told Marijuana Moment, adding that the selective approach that treats medical and recreational cannabis differently under current federal law is “bad for the country.” “What we want to do is ensure justice and fairness. In so many of these instances it’s like they just go by the wayside,” Wyden said Trump is definitely going to do it piecemeal.” Meanwhile, a House appropriations subcommittee last week voted to block federal officials from taking further steps to carry out cannabis rescheduling. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) told Marijuana Moment this week that she supports the Trump administration’s cannabis rescheduling move—even if it “doesn’t quite make all the wrongs right” by leaving behind people who “had their lives destroyed by the war on drugs.” The LCB contributed reporting from Washington, D.C. The post Bipartisan Senators React To Trump’s Marijuana Move, With A GOP Lawmaker Saying Her Friends Use It Medically appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“The ultimate goal of medicine isn’t just to add years to a person’s life, but to add quality and vitality to those final years. Medical cannabis can be a profoundly helpful tool in this journey.” By Peter Grinspoon, Harvard Medical School As a primary care physician, I see it every day in my clinic: seniors are increasingly turning to cannabis to find relief from the medical indignities of aging. Whether it’s the grinding discomfort of chronic pain, the “gray” fog of late-life anxiety or the persistent, soul-crushing frustration of insomnia, older adults are discovering that the cannabis plant can often do what many of our standard prescriptions cannot—provide genuine relief without a laundry list of debilitating side effects. Our elders are finding an exit ramp from the “polypharmacy” treadmill, seeking to decrease their reliance on traditional pharmaceuticals that can often come with more baggage than benefit. The demographic shift is nothing short of a sea change. Older patients are currently the fastest-growing group of cannabis users in the country. To put some hard data behind that: roughly 25.8 percent of medical cannabis patients are 65 or older, and a staggering 34.5 percent fall into the 50–65 range. This shift is occurring despite fifty years of misinformation and one-sided science, courtesy of our “War on Drugs,” that has needlessly stigmatized this plant-based medicine. We have left much of the medical establishment unequipped to educate patients about these treatments. Because of a persistent lack of practical, clinical knowledge, many physicians find themselves unable to answer basic questions, leaving patients to navigate these waters on their own. For lack of better options, patients seek medical advice from well-intentioned “bud-tenders” who have no medical training. A Legacy Of Healing For me, this isn’t just an academic or professional interest; it is woven into the fabric of my life. When I was just eight years old, my brother Danny passed away from childhood leukemia. I watched my parents, desperate to lessen his suffering, cross legal lines in the early 1970s, to procure medical cannabis for him. It was the only thing that could alleviate the brutal nausea, vomiting and wasting associated with his chemotherapy. It was extraordinarily effective; it gave Danny the ability to eat, to maintain his weight and, most importantly, to meaningfully participate in his life during his final year. Witnessing that transformation fixed in my mind a truth that no amount of prohibitionist or DARE-era rhetoric could erase: cannabis can be a powerful medicine. That journey came full circle with my father, Dr. Lester Grinspoon, who was a legendary cannabis expert and scholar at Harvard Medical School. He spent his career fighting to educate physicians and the public alike about the medicinal benefits of cannabis. When in his eighties and nineties, he used cannabis himself to manage chronic pain and cancer-related symptoms, maintaining a quality of life that would have been impossible otherwise. For the last 25 years, I have carried that mission forward in my own practice, helping thousands of patients integrate medical cannabis into their lives safely and effectively. Navigating Risk With Clinical Pragmatism It is important to be honest about the clinical nuances of treating people with medical cannabis. Cannabis is not a panacea, and it isn’t a “miracle cure” for every ailment. It certainly doesn’t work for everyone. Like any medication in my black bag, it has its legitimate indications and its potential harms. Like other medications, it can be use in a more or less safe manner. Some patients—particularly those who are “cannabis-naive”—simply cannot tolerate the impairment or “high” that comes with higher doses of THC. Like other medications used for pain and sleep, cannabis can cause dizziness, affect a patient’s balance, and can temporarily impact short-term memory. And we cannot ignore the fact that for a modest percentage of users, cannabis can be addictive. These challenges must be viewed in their proper context. When I look at the entirety of the available scientific literature and the thousands of patients I’ve treated over the last quarter-century, a clear picture emerges. When used with skill, caution and proper guidance, cannabis often presents fewer harms than the traditional pharmaceuticals we so readily prescribe to our seniors. Unlike many of those drugs, cannabis does not destroy the liver or kidneys, it doesn’t cause gastric ulcers or chronic constipation and it does not contribute to the development of dementia. If patients are followed by a cannabis-savvy clinician and are educated to “start low and go slow” when getting started, they tend to do extremely well. We owe it to our older patients to walk with them past the shadows of the last fifty years. Our job as care providers, including family members, is to meet patients where they are, armed with evidence and empathy. With proper education and guidance, we can help our seniors use medical cannabis to reclaim their quality of life. The ultimate goal of medicine isn’t just to add years to a person’s life, but to add quality and vitality to those final years. Medical cannabis can be a profoundly helpful tool in this journey. Dr. Peter Grinspoon is an addiction specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is the author of the book, “Aging Well with Cannabis: Feel Better, Live Better and Sleep Better with Marijuana and CBD.” The post Medical Marijuana Can Be A ‘Profoundly Helpful Tool’ For Seniors Dealing With Pain And Other Maladies (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

The Republican candidate running for Pennsylvania governor doesn’t think lawmakers will ever approve a bill to legalize marijuana in the state—but she says that if they did send her legislation to end cannabis prohibition, she would veto it. “I don’t support legalizing recreational marijuana,” Stacy Garrity, currently the state treasurer, said in an interview with NBC10 Philadelphia. “Recreational marijuana will not end up in the budget,” she said. “They’re never going to pass it…not as long as Senate Republicans are in control of the Senate.” When asked by the NBC10 reported if she would veto such a bill, Garrity said, “yes.” The Pennsylvania Democratic Party argued that Garrity’s cannabis comments provide another reason to defeat Republicans at the ballot box in November. “Stacy Garrity opposes legalizing recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania—and made it clear she’s counting on Republicans controlling Harrisburg to keep blocking it,” the party said in a social media post. “We need to beat her—and elect Democrats up and down the ballot to finally get this done.” Stacy Garrity opposes legalizing recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania — and made it clear she’s counting on Republicans controlling Harrisburg to keep blocking it. We need to beat her – and elect Democrats up and down the ballot to finally get this done. pic.twitter.com/YQHT7bI4sl — PA Democratic Party (@PADemParty) May 1, 2026 The GOP candidate’s opposition to legalizing cannabis is in stark contrast to the stance of incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), who has repeatedly called on lawmakers to send him a marijuana legalization bill and for the last several years has included the reform in his budget requests to the legislature. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill last year to end prohibition, but the Republican-controlled Senate has not followed suit. Garrity, who is the sole Republican candidate running to challenge Shapiro this November, has until now largely dodged questions about whether she supports legalizing cannabis—saying last year, for example that she has no “policy position” on the issue while arguing that the Shapiro’s proposal for reform “way, way overstated” potential revenue. But in 2020, when Garrity was running for treasurer, she filled out a Pennsylvania Family Council survey that asked about a number of policy positions, including cannabis legalization. “Should marijuana be legalized for recreational use?” it asked. According to an archived version of her responses, Garrity’s response to the cannabis question was “N.” Campaign staff for the Republican candidate did not respond to a request for comment from Marijuana Moment about whether the Trump administration’s move to federally reschedule the drug last month makes her more likely to back reform at the state level. Shapiro’s campaign, however, told Marijuana Moment that their candidate “has been clear that as nearly every one of our neighboring states has already legalized marijuana, we cannot afford to keep losing out on this revenue—and we need comprehensive cannabis reform to make Pennsylvania more competitive and more just.” “While Stacy Garrity wants Pennsylvania to continue to lose out on critical revenue that could be invested into our schools, public safety and small businesses, Governor Shapiro is continuing to fight to get this done,” Shapiro for Pennsylvania Spokesperson Sam Reposa said. A spokesperson in the governor’s office separately said last month that the Trump administration’s federal marijuana rescheduling move is an “important step” that “adds support” to his push to legalize cannabis in the state. The governor also used last month’s unofficial cannabis holiday 4/20 as an opportunity to press lawmakers once again to send him a bill to legalize marijuana. “Pennsylvanians who want to buy recreational marijuana are already driving across the border to one of our neighboring states who’ve legalized it,” Shapiro said in a social media post that day. “That’s hundreds of millions in revenue going out of state instead of being spent here in Pennsylvania.” Last month, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed budget legislation proposed by Shapiro that relies on revenue that would be generated from recreational marijuana sales, which has yet to be legalized in the state. The governor earlier this year, as he has in past years, included cannabis legalization and the resulting expected revenue in his budget request. The $53.2 billion budget legislation, which doesn’t itself include provisions to actually legalize marijuana even as it contemplates allocating money that would result from it, now heads to the Senate for consideration. The House of Representatives last year passed a bill to legalize marijuana and put sales in state-owned dispensaries, but the Republican Senate majority has criticized that plan while also not advancing a cannabis legalization model of its own. Separately last month, the House Health Committee approved a bill to allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis in hospitals and other healthcare facilities The legislative developments come as a recent poll shows that seven out of ten Pennsylvania likely voters support legalizing adult-use marijuana—including majority backing for the reform across party lines. When asked whether they “support or oppose the regulation and taxation of legal cannabis for use by adults 21 and older in Pennsylvania,” 69 percent of respondents said yes. Support was strongest from Democrats, at 72 percent, but also includes 67 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of independents. Meanwhile, Shapiro is continuing to pressure on lawmakers to send him a bill to legalize marijuana in the state, saying that doing so would generate new revenue that could be invested in key programs. “While some in Harrisburg claim we can’t afford to make bigger investments in our kids, public safety, and our economy, know this: If we legalized and regulated adult-use cannabis, we’d bring in $1.3 BILLION in revenue for our Commonwealth over the first five years,” the governor said in another recent social media post. “Those are dollars that can be invested back into our people and our communities,” he said. “Stop with the excuses. Let’s get this done.” The state’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) reported in February that legalizing cannabis in Pennsylvania would generate nearly half a billion dollars in annual revenue by 2028, an estimate that is a significantly larger cash windfall compared to projections from Shapiro’s own office. With a proposed 20 percent wholesale cannabis excise tax, 6 percent state sales tax for retail and licensing fees, IFO said the governor’s legalization plan would generate $140 million in tax revenue in the first year of implementation from 2027-2028 and increase to $432 million by 2030-2031. That’s a much higher revenue estimate than what the governor’s office put forward in the latest executive budget. According to his office’s analysis, legalization would generate about $36.9 million in tax dollars in its first year from a 20 percent wholesale tax on marijuana—rising gradually to $223.8 million by 2030-2031. In February, a coalition of drug policy and civil liberties organizations urged Shapiro to play a leadership role in convening legislative leaders to get the job done on cannabis legalization this session. In March, the Senate Law and Justice Committee amended and approved a bill to create a Cannabis Control Board (CCB) to oversee the state’s medical marijuana program and intoxicating hemp products and that could eventually regulate adult-use cannabis if it is legalized in the state. Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan. The post Pennsylvania GOP Governor Candidate Promises To Veto Marijuana Legalization If Lawmakers Passed It appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

PA gov slams opponent’s legalization opposition; MD gov signs psychedelics bill; TX hemp rulings; CA eases biz transition for rescheduling benefits 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 The Drug Enforcement Administration filed a Federal Register notice clarifying that it views the synthetic cannabinoid hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) as an illegal Schedule I substance—and not legal hemp—and is giving it a unique drug code for federal classification. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s (D) campaign is calling out Republican opponent Stacy Garrity, currently the state treasurer, for opposing cannabis legalization—telling Marijuana Moment that a little-noticed questionnaire she filled out on the issue shows she “wants Pennsylvania to continue to lose out on critical revenue that could be invested into our schools, public safety and small businesses.” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed a bill to extend the Task Force on Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances for a year and require a new report with recommendations to ensure “broad, equitable and affordable access to psychedelic substances.” A Texas judge issued a temporary injunction allowing sales of smokable hemp THCA flower and other products to continue through at least July 27—but the state Supreme Court separately upheld regulators’ ability to ban delta-8 THC. The California Department of Cannabis Control has “streamlined” the process of changing marijuana license designations from recreational to medical to make it easier for businesses to take advantage of legal benefits in line with the Trump administration’s federal rescheduling move. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals is considering a case on whether the smell of marijuana alone is enough for police to obtain a warrant to search a person’s home. Two Missouri marijuana businesses filed a class action lawsuit claiming that a network of companies formed a “cartel” that has “unlawfully seized control of the Missouri retail dispensary market” through “price-fixing, product- and supplier-allocation agreements, and coordinated exclusionary conduct.” / FEDERAL President Donald Trump issued a proclamation declaring April to be Second Chance Month, a move touted by his pardon czar. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy is reportedly planning to issue a new national drug control strategy this week. Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb authored an op-ed about President Donald Trump’s psychedelics executive order. The National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse will meet on Tuesday. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) discussed a forthcoming hemp regulation bill that he plans to file. / STATES Connecticut lawmakers are moving to keep current THC limits for marijuana products in place despite the advancement of legislation that would have eliminated or increased potency caps. Idaho county clerks have 60 calendar days to verify signatures on petitions for medical cannabis legalization and other ballot initiatives. A New Jersey court ruled that cities can’t fire police officers for off-duty marijuana use. A federal judge upheld Florida ballot initiative restrictions, rejecting a lawsuit from leaders of campaigns for marijuana legalization and Medicaid expansion. Missouri regulators announced a recall of marijuana products that did not pass testing for aspergillus. Maine regulators issued an advisory about marijuana products with unsafe levels of yeast and mold and unsafe levels of the pesticide piperonyl butoxide. Nevada regulators are expected to reschedule marijuana under state law following its federal reclassification. Massachusetts regulators published guidance about recently enacted changes to laws on marijuana business financial interest thresholds. The Texas Medical Board is proposing tighter regulations around ketamine, including stricter physician oversight and banning in-home use. Michigan regulators added new content to a marijuana policy video library. The New York Cannabis Control Board 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. — / LOCAL Minneapolis, Minnesota’s mayor vetoed legislation to decriminalize drug paraphernalia. / INTERNATIONAL Gabon’s Council of Ministers issued a draft decree declaring iboga and ibogaine to be part of the country’s national strategic heritage. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “CBD could be an effective natural bioactive compound for breast cancer treatment, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis.” A study’s results “highlight the relevance of phytocannabinoids as promising candidates for the development of non-opioid analgesics.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS An American Enterprise Institute senior fellow authored an op-ed arguing that states should require warning labels on marijuana products. / BUSINESS Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. completed the buyout of stake not previously owned in Four 20 Pharma GmbH. Verano Holdings Corp. authorized the repurchase of up to $20 million in shares. A National Labor Relations Board official revoked the Teamsters’s certification as the exclusive representative of Herbal Wellness Center employees in Athens, Ohio. 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 DEA clarifies synthetic cannabis component is illegal (Newsletter: May 4, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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“The GDF Cartel has—through a combination of price-fixing, product- and supplier-allocation agreements, and coordinated exclusionary conduct—unlawfully seized control of the Missouri retail dispensary market.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent When Missouri voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2022, the constitutional amendment they approved carried forward a limit meant to prevent any single company from controlling too much of the market. But one key phrase from the state’s medical marijuana law was gone. The constitution’s medical marijuana provision barred the state from issuing more than five dispensary licenses to any entity under “substantially common control, ownership, or management.” The recreational marijuana amendment instead says an entity may not own more than 10 percent of total dispensary licenses, dropping the language covering common control and management. That change received little public attention during the campaign. But records obtained by The Independent show it helped create an opening for Good Day Farm, the Little Rock-based marijuana company that was the leading donor to the legalization campaign, to build a much larger footprint in Missouri than the state’s license cap might appear to allow. Good Day Farm and affiliated entities are now tied through ownership records, management structures and acquisition agreements to more than 60 of Missouri’s 224 dispensary licenses—more than a quarter of the market. The next-largest marijuana operator in Missouri own 16 dispensaries, according to ownership records obtained through a public records request. A class-action lawsuit this week led by two Missouri marijuana manufacturing companies now alleges that Good Day Farm and its affiliates used that structure to form an “illegal cartel,” coordinating pricing, product supply and retail operations across dispensaries that do not all operate under the Good Day Farm name. The petition, filed by Local Cannabis and VIBE, names nearly 50 LLCs and a handful of individuals, alleging they violated the state constitution’s cap on the number of licenses one group can own or manage. It also argues Good Day Farm and its affiliates violated Missouri antitrust laws through price-fixing, supplier-allocation agreements and coordinated conduct meant to consolidate control of the state’s retail marijuana market. “Ultimately, the GDF Cartel has—through a combination of price-fixing, product- and supplier-allocation agreements, and coordinated exclusionary conduct—unlawfully seized control of the Missouri retail dispensary market that serves as the sole channel through which Plaintiffs can legally reach consumers,” states the lawsuit, which was filed in Jackson County Circuit Court. Good Day Farm did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent. The lawsuit marks a new phase in a debate that has followed Missouri’s marijuana industry since before voters approved recreational sales. Critics of the 2022 amendment warned during the campaign that the proposal could entrench existing marijuana operators and limit competition, while supporters argued it would safely legalize adult-use cannabis and expand access. Good Day Farm’s role in that campaign was significant. The company was the top donor to the successful 2022 legalization effort. Its attorneys also served on the advisory team that drafted the constitutional amendment. The resulting amendment did not include limits on “substantial common control” or “management.” Local Cannabis and VIBE argue in their lawsuit that the broader medical marijuana language still applies to recreational licenses and that Good Day Farm’s structure violates the constitutional cap. “The arrangements of the GDF Cartel providing for substantially common control, ownership, or management of licensed dispensaries in excess of the Ten-Percent Licensing Cap violate [the Missouri Constitution] and are unlawful, unenforceable, and void,” the lawsuit states. The two companies, represented by the law firms Feuerstein Kulick LLP and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, are seeking monetary damages and asking for a permanent injunction against the alleged arrangements. They also filed a motion for a preliminary injunction, seeking “urgent relief” from the fixed prices that “cause enormous and long-lasting harm to the public.” “Defendants, led by a group of Arkansas investors who otherwise have no connections to Missouri, are engaged in a widespread scheme to defraud Missouri consumers,” the motion states, “and use illegal means to drive independent operators owned and operated by Missourians out of business.” Good Day Farm first began operating in Missouri in 2020, according to its earliest LLC registration with the Secretary of State. After the 2022 constitutional amendment passed, company employees registered two additional LLCs—one in November 2022 and another in February 2024—that went on to acquire 20 dispensaries, two manufacturing facilities and two cultivation sites, according to state records. The lawsuit cites a 2025 letter to investors touting Good Day Farm’s “two vertical businesses”—Good Day Farm and Codes dispensaries—along with new acquisitions expected to boost profits. The letter suggests further consolidation “may lead other retailers in the state to consider selling as fear sets in with our soon-to-be even more dominant position.” According to the lawsuit, those acquisitions include licenses tied to Fresh Karma, 3Fifteen Primo and Greenlight. The lawsuit describes the alleged network as encompassing 21 Good Day Farm dispensaries, 20 Codes dispensaries, 10 Greenlight dispensaries, six Fresh Karma dispensaries and four 3Fifteen Primo dispensaries. The group had to acquire most of the licenses from existing facilities because the state has not issued any new comprehensive licenses since the medical marijuana program began, other than through settlements in license application disputes. The Independent contacted multiple Fresh Karma and 3Fifteen Primo locations, where employees said the stores are now owned by Good Day Farm. The lawsuit anticipates defendants will contend the operation is lawful, the verticals do not constitute “substantially common control, ownership or management” within the constitution and the coordinated wholesale procurement does not violate state antitrust laws. Local Cannabis and VIBE argue those defenses fail. The $150 million agreement A central piece of the Missouri lawsuit is a previously undisclosed $150 million acquisition offer involving Bon Vert Ventures LLC, described in the agreement as a “recently formed manager-managed Missouri limited liability company created primarily to pool investments.” The memorandum was a solicitation to potential investors to participate in the acquisition of 10 dispensary licenses: five owned by COMO Health LLC, the company behind 3Fifteen Primo, and five held by True Level Investments LLC, which operates several Fresh Karma locations. But the structure of the agreement, the lawsuit argues, raises deeper questions about who would actually control those licenses. While outside investors would formally own Bon Vert, the agreement grants sweeping authority to its manager, who would make “all decisions,” including pricing and product selection across the dispensaries. “The Manager and/or its affiliates also operate multiple other dispensaries, cultivation facilities and processing facilities in the Missouri marijuana industry,” the agreement states. The document further links Bon Vert’s management to Good Day Farm. William Mullen, general counsel for Good Day Farm, is identified as counsel for the manager, with the agreement listing his Good Day Farm email address and the company’s Arkansas mailing address. The arrangement also required Bon Vert’s dispensaries to enter into supply agreements with other entities in what the lawsuit describes as the “GDF Cartel”—and vice versa—effectively binding the acquired licenses into an existing network of coordinated operations. The lawsuit alleges the agreement shows Good Day Farm was aware the expansion could invite scrutiny under Missouri’s 10 percent dispensary license cap. One provision warns that the manager and its affiliates could face “additional scrutiny” because of the number of marijuana businesses under their control, noting such scrutiny could “create disruption to the business.” It goes further, acknowledging that “assurances cannot be made” that the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation would not challenge the concentration of licenses. Jason Corrado, an owner of COMO Health, said his group sold their five licenses to Bon Vert about a year ago. “I would love to comment,” he said, “but I don’t have anything substantive to add to the conversation at this time, due to pending litigation.” The Independent was not able to reach a representative for True Level or Bon Vert prior to publication. A spokesperson for the division declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing the ongoing litigation. Public records reviewed by The Independent raise additional questions. In response to a records request, the state said there are no ownership changes on file involving Good Day Farm or its affiliates for the licenses tied to COMO Health and True Level. But a separate review of property records tied to COMO Health dispensary locations shows ownership addresses and organizers connected to Good Day Farm, suggesting a more complex relationship than marijuana compliance filings alone reflect. “The GDF Cartel is suppressing competition in the wholesale cannabis market and enriching itself with illegal profits through an unconstitutional and clandestine business conspiracy,” said Bob Hoffman, the attorney leading the class-action case. “Missouri’s cultivators and manufacturers have been suffering under this scheme for too long.” Wholesale pressure The lawsuit also details how the group’s alleged market power reshaped wholesale pricing across Missouri. Before the expansion of affiliated entities like Codes, dispensaries typically purchased products from cultivators and manufacturers at about 50 percent of the suggested retail price, the petition states. That changed as Good Day Farm’s network grew, according to the lawsuit. The company began centralizing purchasing across both Good Day Farm and Codes dispensaries, allowing it to negotiate on behalf of dozens of storefronts simultaneously. With that leverage, the lawsuit alleges, Good Day Farm pushed suppliers—including Local Cannabis and VIBE—to accept deeper discounts. The goal, according to the lawsuit, was to drive procurement margins beyond 50 percent. By consolidating purchasing across 21 Good Day Farm locations and 20 Codes dispensaries, the petition argues, the group “illegally supercharged” its bargaining power far beyond what any single operator could achieve under state law. The lawsuit cites a May 8, 2024, email from Patrick Lee, then Good Day Farm’s director of procurement, as a turning point. “Mr. Lee’s email made clear that Good Day Farm and Codes sought to acquire Local Cannabis’ products at a 60 percent discount to their suggested retail prices,” the petition states. The order, it states, came with a strict condition: “FILL or KILL,” meaning suppliers had to accept the terms in full or lose the business entirely. Internal investor materials cited in the lawsuit suggest the strategy was working. In a first-quarter 2025 presentation, Good Day Farm told investors it was able to achieve a 60 percent procurement margin with “48 of 50” third-party vendors, attributing that leverage to “the size of our retail platform.” And the company signaled those margins could climb even higher. As it moved to incorporate additional dispensaries tied to Greenlight, 3Fifteen Primo and Fresh Karma, executives projected margins “upwards of 70 percent,” according to the presentation. The pressure appears to have continued throughout 2025. On March 10, Good Day Farm sent VIBE Cannabis an order form demanding a 65 percent discount on products, the lawsuit alleges. Local Cannabis and VIBE allege that Good Day Farm organizes coordinated quarterly “purchasing” meetings—referred to as “kiss the ring” meetings—where unaffiliated wholesalers can attempt to “sell” their products. Good Day Farm “uses these quarterly meetings to set the pricing and product selection” for all its affiliates. Because Missouri law requires cultivators and manufacturers to sell through licensed dispensaries, the petition argues, companies like Local Cannabis and VIBE have limited options. “Because the GDF Cartel controls a disproportionately large volume of retail sales across the state,” the lawsuit states, “plaintiffs and the class have little choice but to acquiesce…or be cut off from a significant portion of the key dispensary distribution channels.” Hoffman said many license holders know something is wrong but do not realize the scope of the alleged market manipulation. Ownership records The Independent requested documents related to ownership of 15 separate entities that have ownership connections to Good Day Farm. The documents support claims made within the lawsuit that numerous entities own the 41 Good Day Farm or Codes dispensary licenses, and the people managing communications with state regulators are often Good Day Farm employees. While a majority of the ownership documents The Independent requested were deemed “proprietary,” some files—including branding agreements, letters to the companies and “common control affidavits”—provided a closer look into how these entities operate in affiliation to Good Day Farm. They also show how the compliance process for alerting the Division of Cannabis Regulation about ownership changes may have shifted since the recreational marijuana amendment was passed. One 2022 document obtained by The Independent lists numerous owners, along with the subsidiaries of MO-MMD LLC, all with ties to Good Day Farm. Two of the three subsidiaries include the same Little Rock mailing address as Good Day Farm. The third includes Alex Gray—chief strategy officer and president of sales for Good Day Farm—as a manager on state business registration documents. Gray is named in the lawsuit and did not respond to The Independent’s request for comment by press time. The state of Missouri required MO-MMD LLC to submit a common control affidavit in 2022 related to medical regulations, attesting that members and owners don’t make policy or operating decisions for any other Missouri medical marijuana facility licensee than the ones named in the document. The only common control affidavits The Independent received were dated before the 2022 amendment went into effect. It’s unclear if the group, and licensees in general, are still required to submit additional documents like these under the recreational marijuana program, raising questions about transparency in ownership. Jim Smith—who was chief general legal counsel and director of mergers and acquisitions for Good Day Farm between 2020 and 2022—was affiliated with five separate dispensary licenses as an owner, principal officer and manager of these facilities, according to a personal disclosure form submitted to the state. Yet it details that Smith would not have any economic or voting interest in any of these facilities. Many of these documents list Ryan Herget—a co-founder of Good Day Farm—as a manager who does not receive compensation. Missouri Vertical Investments LLC registered with the secretary of state on November 10, 2022, two days after the election. It went on to acquired 17 licenses that became CODES dispensaries. Gray is listed as the manager in registration documents. In sometransfer application documents for Codes dispensaries, Gray and other investors and employees of Good Day Farm are listed as board members for Missouri Vertical. Former Missouri Supreme Court Judge Mike Wolff, who opposed the recreational cannabis amendment, wrote in a 2022 op-ed that the proposal risked creating an “insiders’ cartel” because the constitutional language was shaped by those who already held marijuana licenses. After reviewing the anti-trust lawsuit this week, Wolff said the allegations reflect the concerns he raised at the time. “This was from the very start an insider’s game,” Wolff said. “The insiders are the people who already had licenses. The insiders not only got the licenses, but now they’re trying to control the market in a way that keeps prices in place and drives out competition.” This story was first published by Missouri Independent. The post Missouri Lawsuit Targets ‘Cartel’ That’s Allegedly ‘Seized Control’ Of State’s Marijuana Market appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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“There’s no inherent logical connection or nexus between the smell of marijuana and unlawful activity anymore, and there’s a good reason for that.” By Lori Kersey, West Virginia Watch The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia is considering a case that questions whether the odor of marijuana alone is enough for law enforcement to obtain a warrant to search a person’s home. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on an appeal of Berkeley County Circuit Court’s decision to throw out evidence Martinsburg police officers found in a home after detecting the “strong odor” of the drug. Excluding the evidence effectively stopped the state from prosecuting a man on drug charges, an attorney told justices last week. Aaron Lewis was arrested in 2020 on three counts of drug possession with intent to deliver and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, according to reporting by the Herald-Mail. Court documents say Martinsburg police were answering another man’s call about a suicidal woman who had reportedly stabbed herself when they came across Lewis while searching the caller’s backyard. Officers were unable to locate the woman so they started going door-to-door looking for her. The officers went to Lewis’s home where his son, Aaron Lewis Jr. answered the door. The officers detected the “strong odor of marijuana,” according to court documents. The younger Lewis refused to give officers permission to search the home. Before they obtained a search warrant, they entered the home to conduct a “protective sweep,” during which they found a bundle of money and two clear bowls with a leafy substance on the kitchen stove, court documents say. Two officers then left to obtain the search warrant while other officers stayed on scene to secure the apartment. An officer cited the strong odor of marijuana and the observations during the sweep as the basis to believe a dangerous controlled substance was in the house. A magistrate OK’d the search warrant for Lewis’ home, including the seizure of “(a)ny and all controlled substances…including but not limited to heroin and methamphetamine,” as well as currency, firearms, ledgers, digital devices and drug paraphernalia, court documents say. During the search, officers seized bags and tubs of suspected marijuana, a bag of suspected heroin, a bag of crack cocaine, one gun and 11 rounds of ammunition and cash, according to court documents. An attorney for Lewis asked the judge in 2023 to suppress all evidence seized pursuant to the warrant, arguing that the initial warrantless sweep—the security sweep before the search—violated the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable search and seizures. Without the observations made during the sweep, only the smell of marijuana was left and that alone is insufficient for probable cause, the attorney argued. Berkeley Circuit Judge Debra McLaughlin granted Lewis’s motion to suppress the evidence, saying that more protection should be given to homes subject to searches than to cars. The judge ruled the odor of marijuana alone did not establish probable cause to believe the home contained “evidence of illegal drug trafficking and/or possession of heroin, methamphetamines, and/or other illegal drugs,” court documents say. The state of West Virginia is seeking a writ of prohibition in the case, a legal order that the circuit court stop proceedings beyond its jurisdiction. “This court’s precedent is clear,” Holly Mestemacher, an assistant attorney general for West Virginia, told justices. “The odor of marijuana provides probable cause for a search. The circuit court disregarded the law and rewrote it and suppressed the evidence seized pursuant to a search warrant.” She called the court’s decision to suppress the evidence a “clear and substantial legal error” that exceeds its authority. The court required “certainty, and a near impossible list of proof required before probable cause exists,” she argued. The ruling suppressed the evidence the state needed to proceed in the case, she said. “It’s effectively a death knell to our ability to prosecute, because the court elevated that standard required far more than has ever been required by law,” she said. Cameron LeFevre, an attorney representing Lewis, asked the Supreme Court to uphold the Circuit Court ruling by denying the state’s request for a writ of prohibition. He said the court doesn’t need to answer whether the smell of marijuana justified the search. There were “errors throughout” the case, he said, including an improper security sweep, unlawful home search and an affidavit that lacked important details. Federal courts have upheld that the odor of marijuana is evidence of criminal activity and justifies a search by law enforcement, but many state courts are reconsidering that based on changing legal status of the drug, according to the State Court Report, a project of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. The West Virginia Legislature legalized medical marijuana in 2017. All states surrounding West Virginia have either legalized medical or recreational marijuana. LeFevre argued that Lewis’ case is not the appropriate one for the Supreme Court to make case law about whether the smell of marijuana alone is enough for a legal search. “There’s an incomplete record. It’s a unique procedural posture. It’s on a writ of prohibition,” he said. “It would be much better for the court to fairly decide this…case on its final merits, after a trial, after an entire record has been made, and then there’s not a variety of other procedural and legal issues contained within the warrant application process and the search itself.” However, if the court should decide to take on the issue of the odor of marijuana, it should rule that the mere smell of marijuana is no longer sufficient for probable cause, he said. “There’s been a significant development in the law of the land regarding marijuana,” he said. “[Medical marijuana has] become legalized in West Virginia. It’s become partially legalized in other states surrounding West Virginia. There’s no inherent logical connection or nexus between the smell of marijuana and unlawful activity anymore, and there’s a good reason for that.” The court is expected to issue a ruling in the case before the current term of court ends on June 11. This story was first published by West Virginia Watch. The post West Virginia Supreme Court Considers Whether Smell Of Marijuana Can Be Basis For Police To Search Homes appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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A Texas judge has issued a temporary injunction that continues to prevent state officials from enforcing new rules restricting access to hemp-derived products such as smokable THCA flower. Meanwhile, the state Supreme Court in a separate case is allowing regulators to ban delta-8 THC. Judge Daniella DeSeta Lyttle’s ruling on Friday follows one from another judge last month who issued a temporary restraining order on the hemp product ban. Under the latest order, broad hemp product sales can continue until at least July 27. The decisions come amid a lawsuit brought by a coalition of hemp industry leaders and advocacy organizations that claim the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) illegally bypassed lawmakers to effectively ban the sale and manufacture of certain consumable hemp products. Under state law as approved by the legislature and governor in 2019, the suit says, cannabis products are legal if they contain a delta-9 THC concentration of not more than 0.3 percent. But regulators at DSHS and HHSC recently adopted a “total delta-9 THC” limit using a post-decarboxylation formula that includes tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) in the calculation. Texas lawmakers did pass legislation to severely restrict hemp products in the 2025 session, but it was vetoed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and not enacted into law. Lyttle said on Friday that the plaintiffs have established a “probable right to relief on the merits of their claims.” “Absent an injunction, Plaintiffs will suffer immediate and ongoing harm to their business operations, legal rights, and economic interests,” she wrote. “These harms include disruption of established supply chains, loss of market access, impairment of goodwill and customer relationships, and the risk of significant compliance costs and enforcement consequences under rules that Plaintiffs have shown are likely invalid.” Today, a Texas court granted a temporary injunction in the Texas Hemp Business Council (THBC) lawsuit against the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to all commercial members of the industry on all rules challenged. Injunction order —-> https://t.co/JX6Y6y5ezk — Texas Hemp Business Council (@TexasHempBiz) May 1, 2026 The hemp industry lawsuit, which also lists Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) as a defendant, additionally challenges large increases in business licensing fees that regulators adopted. Under the new rules, the cost for a manufacturer license increased from $250 to $10,000 per facility, while the fee for retailer registration jumped from $150 to $5,000 per location. While the judge who issued a temporary restraining order on the product restrictions last month did not grant a pause on the new fees, Lyttle did include them in the scope of her temporary injunction. “These measures do not implement the Legislature’s policy choices; they replace them,” the initial complaint, filed by plaintiffs including the Texas Hemp Business Council (THBC) and Hemp Industry & Farmers of America (HIFA), says. “And they do so against the backdrop of a constitutional lawmaking process that ran its full course—from legislative passage of Senate Bill 3 through gubernatorial veto, through two failed special sessions—and produced an unambiguous result: no new law. Texas law does not permit agencies to override that result through rulemaking.” “Texas has long promoted itself as a national leader in economic growth and regulatory stability. It is a state committed to fostering innovation, supporting lawful enterprise, and maintaining a predictable legal environment in which businesses can operate and invest,” it says. “Consistent with that approach, Texas has chosen to permit and regulate the manufacture, distribution, and sale of consumable hemp products (‘CHPs’) through a comprehensive statutory framework enacted by the Legislature in 2019.” “Plaintiffs support that framework and the State’s interest in ensuring that CHPs are produced and sold safely, responsibly, and in compliance with law,” the suit says. In the separate state Supreme Court ruling issued on Friday, justices overturned an injunction issued by a lower court that had prevented regulators from treating delta-8 THC as a controlled substance. “Businesses that have developed these products claim that the legislature opened the market for them in 2019,” court’s opinion says. “So when the commissioner attempted to clarify that, in fact, the legislature did not greenlight potent levels of manufactured delta-8 THC in consumable hemp products, a group of businesses and consumers asked a court to order her and the department to rewrite the schedules of controlled substances, primarily on the ground that the legislature legalized delta-8 THC in 2019, making the commissioner’s actions impermissible and ultra vires.” “The trial court granted this relief in the form of a temporary injunction, which the court of appeals affirmed. We now conclude that the lower courts exceeded their authority,” the justices found. “If the legislature desires to legalize powerful drugs, it has every tool it needs to do so—and to do so unmistakably, as we expect for such a major change to social policy. The role of the courts is merely to assess the state of the law as it is.” Separately, Texas officials recently conditionally approved more new medical marijuana business licenses as part of a law that’s being implemented to significantly expand the state’s cannabis program. A recent poll showed that Texas voters strongly support legalizing medical marijuana yet are largely unaware of the existing program. In March, Texas voters approved a marijuana legalization question that appeared on the state’s Democratic primary ballot. Another statewide poll released in February found that Texas voters don’t like how state leaders and lawmakers have handled marijuana and THC policy issues. In the survey, a plurality of voters (40 percent) said they disapprove of how their elected officials have approached the issue, according to the survey. Just 29 percent said they approve of how cannabis issues have been handled, while 31 percent said they didn’t have an opinion one way or another. A separate poll released last year found that a plurality of Texas voters want the state’s marijuana laws to be made “less strict.” And among the legislative items lawmakers considered during recent special sessions, voters say a proposal to address hemp regulations was among the least important. Meanwhile, the lieutenant governor and House speaker announced recently that the state will proceed with its own ibogaine research program after no drug companies submitted proposals meeting requirements and standards to receive state funds to begin clinical trials with the psychedelic under a recently enacted law. Image element courtesy of AnonMoos. The post Texas Judge Allows Smokable Hemp And Other Products To Be Sold, Blocking State Ban From Being Enforced appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Federal drug officials are clarifying that a cannabinoid produced synthetically from components of the cannabis plant is federally illegal. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said that while hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) has already been considered a Schedule I illegal substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the agency is now giving the compound its own unique drug code for classification. HHC can be found in trace amounts in cannabis plants but is also synthesized by hydrogenating cannabidiol (CBD). It’s sometimes sprayed on cannabis flowers that are low in delta-9 THC, the most well-known psychoactive component of marijuana, and its psychoactive effects are reportedly similar. While the 2018 Farm Bill federally legalized hemp and its derivatives with less than .3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis, DEA says that only applies to naturally occurring, and not synthetic, cannabinoids. As such, it is the agency’s position that HHC does not fall under the definition of legal hemp. “Only tetrahydrocannabinols in or derived from the cannabis plant—not synthetic tetrahydrocannabinols—are excluded from control as ‘tetrahydrocannabinols in hemp,'” the agency said in a notice set to be published in the Federal Register on Monday. “To clarify further, tetrahydrocannabinols produced through chemical conversion, even when hemp derived are considered synthetically produced for purposes of the CSA, do not qualify as ‘tetrahydrocannabinols in hemp’ under” the 2018 Farm Bill. This isn’t the first time that DEA is addressing the legal status of HHC. In a 2023 letter, Terrance Boos, chief of DEA’s Drug and Chemical Evaluation Section, wrote that HHC “does not occur naturally in the cannabis plant and can only be obtained synthetically, and therefore does not fall under the definition of hemp.” The new Federal Register filing signed by DEA Administrator Terrance Cole says that “this rule does not affect the continuing status of hexahydrocannabinol as a schedule I controlled substance in any way.” “This action, as an administrative matter, establishes a separate, specific listing for hexahydrocannabinol in schedule I of the CSA and assigns a DEA drug code for this substance,” it says. “This action will allow DEA to establish an aggregate production quota and grant individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to DEA-registered manufacturers of hexahydrocannabinol, who had previously been granted individual quotas for such purposes under the drug code for tetrahydrocannabinols.” The DEA notice cites a move last year by an international drug control body to add HHC to Schedule II of the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971—but the document doesn’t note that when the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) took the action, the U.S. was the only country to abstain from the vote. DEA said that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “concurs with the direct listing and drug code assignment of hexahydrocannabinol in the CSA.” Some federal appeals courts, however, have rejected DEA’s interpretation of what constitutes a legal cannabinoid under the Farm Bill. Meanwhile, under provisions of a large-scale spending bill signed by President Donald Trump late last year, the federal definition of legal hemp is set to change in November. Unless that language is altered or its effective date is delayed, as some lawmakers are pushing for, only hemp products with up to 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will remain legal after November 12. The Trump administration last week announced steps to more broadly reschedule marijuana under federal law. The post DEA Clarifies That The Synthetic Cannabis Compound HHC Is Federally Banned, And Doesn’t Count As Legal Hemp appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

California regulators are adopting changes to the state’s marijuana licensing process that are intended to make it easier for businesses to qualify for tax deductions and other benefits in line with the Trump administration’s recent move to federally reschedule medical cannabis. Under an action announced by the U.S. Department of Justice last week, marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license immediately moved from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to Schedule III, as did any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). An administrative hearing scheduled for this summer will consider broader cannabis rescheduling, including for recreational products. As such, Schedule III cannabis will no longer be subject to a federal tax rule known as 280E that prevents businesses from taking tax deductions that are available to other companies, while adult-use marijuana expenses are still not deductible for now. On Thursday, the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) announced that it has “streamlined the process for changing a license designation” from recreational to medical under state law. “Cultivation licensees no longer need to wait until renewal to request a change to their adult-use (A) or medicinal-use (M) designation,” the department said. Additionally, DCC no longer requires a new local authorization for requests that change a license to medical designation only or add a medical designation to an existing adult-use designation. “These changes are intended to simplify the request process and expedite the review process,” DCC said, noting that a change of license designation can be requested at any time by submitting a form. “Please remember, you must continue operating under your current license designation until the request has been approved by DCC.” Officials also clarified that the announcement “should not be considered advice regarding whether or how licensees should participate in the federal medicinal cannabis program.” “If guidance is required, licensees should consult with their legal counsel,” DCC said. The department also noted that it requested to meet with Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials who are working to implement federal cannabis rescheduling, but that the agency “has indicated it will share information publicly and all at once, rather than through state-specific briefings.” “DCC will continue to monitor federal updates as they are released, and we remain committed to supporting regulatory alignment and simplifying processes wherever possible,” the department said. In order to take advantage of tax deductions and other benefits in line with the move to Schedule III, state-licensed medical cannabis businesses must complete a form on DEA’s website that asks them to submit information about their operations. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said they plan to issue new tax guidance for the marijuana industry following the rescheduling announcement. The post California Officials Make It Easier For Marijuana Businesses To Access Federal Benefits Under Trump’s Rescheduling Move appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Maryland’s governor has signed legislation to extend a psychedelics task force through the end of 2027, charging it with developing updated recommendations on expanding therapeutic access to the novel substances and potentially creating a regulatory framework for broader legalization. Gov. Wes Moore (D) approved the proposal from Sen. Brian Feldman (D) and Del. Pam Guzzone (D) on Tuesday. The enacted bills are aimed at building upon an earlier law that created the Maryland Task Force on Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances. The psychedelics panel released an initial final report to state lawmakers last year, with recommendations for the phased implementation of a wide range of reforms to provide legal therapeutic access to substances such as psilocybin. Members of the task force have already advised that it was ultimately recommending a “multi-pathway framework for safe, broad, and equitable access to natural psychedelic substances, with an initial focus on psilocybin.” The psychedelics task force was formed following the governor’s signing of a pair of bills into law in 2024. The 17-person body, overseen by the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA), was charged with studying how to ensure “broad, equitable and affordable access to psychedelic substances” in the state. SB 336 and HB 427 will continue that work, maintaining the panel through December 31, 2027. In the interim, the task force will be required to submit an updated report to legislators with additional findings and recommendations by October 31 of this year. The newly approved legislation also adds a representative of a historically Black college or university to the panel. The multi-step regulatory framework that members recommended last year “involves phased implementation of complementary elements from medical/therapeutic use and supervised adult use, to deprioritization, and to commercial sales,” the earlier report said. “This model broadly and inclusively serves the needs of Maryland’s diverse population while enabling unified safety standards, accountability, and viable economic pathways for small businesses.” The first phase of the plan would be to create an advisory board to establish safety parameters, data monitoring, practice guidelines, licensing protections, public education campaigns, training for facilitators, law enforcement and testing facilities, as well as “immediate restorative justice measures,” the report states. Under phase two, the state would implement “deprioritization measures” to mitigate the harms of criminalization, provide for supervised medical and adult-use consumption facilities, allow personal cultivation for “permitted individuals” and promote research processes. Finally, phase three would be contingent on the “demonstrated safety outcomes and provider confidence” based on the prior steps. Should those factors be satisfied, the last phase would lead to a commercial sales program for adults “who maintain an active license to use natural psychedelic substances,” coupled with an evaluation of the state’s “readiness for expanding to additional natural psychedelic substances.” “Safety and oversight measures ensure responsible and gradual expansion of access while maintaining capacity to identify and respond to emerging issues swiftly,” the report said. “This approach plans for long-term learning and improvement: starting small, utilizing built-in evaluation and accountability mechanisms from the outset, gathering real-world data, and committing to an iterative approach to policymaking.” Notably, the task force said it did not support “delaying state action pending future federal [Food and Drug Administration] approval.” “The Task Force recognizes that implementing such a comprehensive framework requires careful sequencing and coordination, with particular attention to scope of practice issues that may significantly affect the viability and safety of different pathways. However, the order of implementation must carefully consider professional regulatory frameworks and safety concerns raised by medical organizations and health care providers. The Task Force’s recommendation for simultaneous implementation of multiple pathways does not mean that all components must activate on the exact same day, but rather that Maryland should avoid the sequential approach seen in other jurisdictions where implementing one pathway causes others to ‘languish,’and/or bolster black and gray markets.” Rather, the task force said, the multi-phase approach to psychedelics reform “establishes foundational systems that support all pathways equally, followed by a coordinated launch of medical, supervised adult use, and deprioritization pathways, with commercial sales following once product safety systems are operational.” Members also said that the model envisioned could be used by other states to develop their own laws that “adapt to their own circumstances and values.”At this point, the task force is only looking at psilocybin, mescaline and DMT. While the legislature empowered members to investigate potential regulations for other psychedelic substances, they decided to take a more conservative approach in their initial work. As originally introduced, the House version of the task force legislation contained more prescriptive requirements to explore and issue recommendations on aspects of psychedelics policy such as “systems to support statewide online sales of natural psychedelic substances with home delivery” and “testing and packaging requirements for products containing natural psychedelic substances with clear and accurate labeling of potency.” That language was ultimately removed, however. The task force legislation advanced about two years after a different law took effect creating a state fund to provide “cost-free” access to psychedelics like psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine for military veterans suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injury. — 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, the governor also signed a bill this week to protect firefighters and rescue workers from being penalized over their lawful use of medical marijuana off the job after hearing testimony on the unique need to give emergency service professionals the option to use cannabis as an alternative treatment for health conditions that commonly afflict the first responder community. He additionally signed legislation to provide legal protections for veterinarians who recommend medical cannabis for animals. Legislators also took up a bill this session to protect the gun rights of medical marijuana patients in the state, but it did not pass. Photo courtesy of Mark Groeneveld. The post Maryland Psychedelics Task Force Is Extended Through 2027 With Governor’s Signature appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Pennsylvania’s governor has repeatedly called on lawmakers to send him a marijuana legalization bill. And while his opponent in his reelection campaign this year—currently the state’s treasurer—has been vague in recent public comments about her stance on the issue, a little-noticed questionnaire she filled out shows her opposition to the reform. Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) for the last several years has included cannabis legalization in his budget requests to the legislature. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill last year to end prohibition, but the Republican-controlled Senate has not followed suit. State Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R), who is the sole Republican candidate running to challenge Shapiro this November, has dodged questions about whether she supports legalizing cannabis—saying last year, for example that she has no “policy position” on the issue while arguing that the incumbent governor’s proposal for reform “way, way overstated” potential revenue. But in 2020, when Garrity was running for treasurer, she filled out a Pennsylvania Family Council survey that asked about a number of policy positions, including cannabis legalization. “Should marijuana be legalized for recreational use?” it asked. According to an archived version of her responses, Garrity’s response to the cannabis question was “N.” Campaign staff for the Republican candidate did not respond to requests from Marijuana Moment to provide a more robust and up-to-date explanation of her position on cannabis, including whether the Trump administration’s move to federally reschedule the drug last week changes her view of the issue. Shapiro’s campaign, however, told Marijuana Moment that their candidate “has been clear that as nearly every one of our neighboring states has already legalized marijuana, we cannot afford to keep losing out on this revenue—and we need comprehensive cannabis reform to make Pennsylvania more competitive and more just.” “While Stacy Garrity wants Pennsylvania to continue to lose out on critical revenue that could be invested into our schools, public safety and small businesses, Governor Shapiro is continuing to fight to get this done,” Shapiro for Pennsylvania Spokesperson Sam Reposa said. A spokesperson in the governor’s office separately said last week that the Trump administration’s federal marijuana rescheduling move is an “important step” that “adds support” to his push to legalize cannabis in the state. The governor also used last month’s unofficial cannabis holiday 4/20 as an opportunity to press lawmakers once again to send him a bill to legalize marijuana. “Pennsylvanians who want to buy recreational marijuana are already driving across the border to one of our neighboring states who’ve legalized it,” Shapiro said in a social media post that day. “That’s hundreds of millions in revenue going out of state instead of being spent here in Pennsylvania.” Last month, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed budget legislation proposed by Shapiro that relies on revenue that would be generated from recreational marijuana sales, which has yet to be legalized in the state. The governor earlier this year, as he has in past years, included cannabis legalization and the resulting expected revenue in his budget request. The $53.2 billion budget legislation, which doesn’t itself include provisions to actually legalize marijuana even as it contemplates allocating money that would result from it, now heads to the Senate for consideration. The House of Representatives last year passed a bill to legalize marijuana and put sales in state-owned dispensaries, but the Republican Senate majority has criticized that plan while also not advancing a cannabis legalization model of its own. Separately last month, the House Health Committee approved a bill to allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis in hospitals and other healthcare facilities The legislative developments come as a recent poll shows that seven out of ten Pennsylvania likely voters support legalizing adult-use marijuana—including majority backing for the reform across party lines. When asked whether they “support or oppose the regulation and taxation of legal cannabis for use by adults 21 and older in Pennsylvania,” 69 percent of respondents said yes. Support was strongest from Democrats, at 72 percent, but also includes 67 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of independents. Meanwhile, Shapiro is continuing to pressure on lawmakers to send him a bill to legalize marijuana in the state, saying that doing so would generate new revenue that could be invested in key programs. “While some in Harrisburg claim we can’t afford to make bigger investments in our kids, public safety, and our economy, know this: If we legalized and regulated adult-use cannabis, we’d bring in $1.3 BILLION in revenue for our Commonwealth over the first five years,” the governor said in another recent social media post. “Those are dollars that can be invested back into our people and our communities,” he said. “Stop with the excuses. Let’s get this done.” The state’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) reported in February that legalizing cannabis in Pennsylvania would generate nearly half a billion dollars in annual revenue by 2028, an estimate that is a significantly larger cash windfall compared to projections from Shapiro’s own office. With a proposed 20 percent wholesale cannabis excise tax, 6 percent state sales tax for retail and licensing fees, IFO said the governor’s legalization plan would generate $140 million in tax revenue in the first year of implementation from 2027-2028 and increase to $432 million by 2030-2031. That’s a much higher revenue estimate than what the governor’s office put forward in the latest executive budget. According to his office’s analysis, legalization would generate about $36.9 million in tax dollars in its first year from a 20 percent wholesale tax on marijuana—rising gradually to $223.8 million by 2030-2031. In February, a coalition of drug policy and civil liberties organizations urged Shapiro to play a leadership role in convening legislative leaders to get the job done on cannabis legalization this session. In March, the Senate Law and Justice Committee amended and approved a bill to create a Cannabis Control Board (CCB) to oversee the state’s medical marijuana program and intoxicating hemp products and that could eventually regulate adult-use cannabis if it is legalized in the state. Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer. The post Pennsylvania Governor’s Campaign Calls Out Reelection Opponent For Opposing Marijuana Legalization appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Trump surgeon general pick on marijuana; Farm Bill passes with hemp provisions; Senate psychedelics hearing; Anti-rescheduling bill advances in Congress Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… Hold on, just one second before you read today’s news. Have you thought about giving some financial support to Marijuana Moment? If so, today would be a great day to contribute. We’re planning our reporting for the coming months and it would really help to know what kind of support we can count on. Check us out on Patreon and sign up to give $25/month today: https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said “of course” the Department of Justice is reconsidering whether to continue pursuing prosecutions of marijuana consumers for possessing guns as the Trump administration rolls out new rules to reduce burdens on firearms owners and businesses. President Donald Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, Nicole Saphier, has repeatedly expressed concerns about marijuana—saying at one point that its use is “directly linked” to developing “man boobs”—but has also acknowledged that medical cannabis does have “potential benefits.” “There’s a common misconception that marijuana is safer than alcohol and other drugs.” The House of Representatives passed a Farm Bill containing provisions aimed at reducing regulatory burdens for industrial hemp producers—but without any language to delay or revise the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products scheduled for later this year. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies approved a spending bill containing a rider to block marijuana rescheduling action by the Department of Justice—defying the Trump administration as it moves ahead with the reform. The House Appropriations Committee approved a spending bill and an attached report that expresses concerns about health risks from cannabis-derived products, while separately encouraging research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a hearing on a psychedelics research and access bill, with the Department of Veterans Affairs testifying that while it backs the “intent” of the legislation, it does not support its provisions. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) said that “this administration has actually been better about working with psychedelics and veterans than the last administration.” / FEDERAL National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow authored a blog post about the role of artificial intelligence in “addressing substance use and public health challenges.” Former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf authored an op-ed urging Congress not to reverse the scheduled recriminalization of hemp THC products that’s set to take effect in November. Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) published a blog post about marijuana rescheduling. The House bill to federally legalize marijuana got one new cosponsor for a total of 70. / STATES Oklahoma’s attorney general tweeted, “Proud to work with our federal partners to keep our communities safe and apprehend criminals seeking to sow lawlessness in Oklahoma neighborhoods. We will continue to hold these individuals accountable to the rule of law.” Hawaii’s top medical cannabis regulator said federal marijuana rescheduling will ease barriers to research. Minnesota regulators are accepting applications for cannabis farmer training and loan grant programs. The Alaska Marijuana Control Board Laboratory Testing Working Group will meet on Wednesday. The New Hampshire Therapeutic Cannabis Medical Oversight Board will hold a hearing on adding glaucoma and hepatitis C as qualifying conditions on May 20. — 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. — / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study concluded that “Cannabis sativa stems contains cannabinoids, and is a promising anti-cancer agent.” A study found that CBD “rescues age-associated cognitive decline in mouse model.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS A poll of Harris,Montgomery and Fort Bend County, Texas residents showed majority support for legalizing marijuana. / BUSINESS Vireo Growth Inc. is acquiring FLUENT Corp. Verano Holdings Corp. reported quarterly net revenue of $208.2 million and a net loss of $17.8 million. 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 DOJ rethinks cannabis & gun prosecutions (Newsletter: May 1, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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