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The governor of New York is celebrating the state’s crossing the $4 billion mark in legal marijuana sales since the launch of the regulated market. “When New York legalized adult-use cannabis, we made a promise to build an industry that is safe, fair and creates real opportunity for the communities hit hardest by decades of failed drug policies,” Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said in a press release on Tuesday. “Topping $4 billion in sales shows that promise is a reality.” “Hundreds of licensed dispensaries are now open across the state, most licenses have gone to equity entrepreneurs, and cannabis revenue is going back to communities that need it most,” the governor said. “We will keep shutting down illegal shops, stand up for small businesses that play by the rules and ensure this industry continues on a path of growth and equity.” Officials with the state’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) first announced that the state had reached the $4 billion milestone for legal marijuana sales earlier this month. The $4.1 billion worth of adult-use marijuana products since sales began in late 2022 includes almost $1.5 billion so far in 2026 alone. Third quarter sales reached $512.6 million, bringing the total for this year to date to $1.41 billion. “Reaching $4.1 billion in cannabis sales is an extraordinary milestone for New York, but the real story is the people and businesses behind that number,” John Kagia, executive director of OCM, said on Tuesday. “From the advocates and lawmakers who made this market possible, to the entrepreneurs who have built New York’s legal cannabis supply chain from the ground up, and the workers who show up every day to keep the industry’s engine running—this achievement belongs to them. “What we are seeing today is the result of their resilience, innovation and belief in what New York’s legal cannabis market could become,” he said. “Our responsibility now is to build on that momentum and help create the conditions for these businesses and this industry to thrive for years to come.” Cannabis Control Board (CCB) Chair Jessica Garcia added that “New York set out to build a cannabis market where opportunity is shared, equity is meaningful, and businesses have a real chance to succeed.” “Today, we are seeing that vision take shape across the state,” she said. “This milestone reflects tremendous progress, but it also raises the bar for what comes next. The measure of this market’s success will continue to be not only how much it grows, but whether that growth creates a lasting opportunity for the New Yorkers this market was designed to serve.” Separately, Hochul recently signed legislation clarifying that marijuana microbusinesses can fully participate in cannabis farmers’ markets and pop-up events. In May, OCM began accepting applications from licensed dispensaries that want to host temporary cannabis farmers’ markets and pop-up events. The launch of applications this year followed the enactment of earlier legislation signed by Hochul 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. In March, the governor marked the five-year anniversary of adult-use marijuana legalization in New York, highlighting $3.3 billion in retail sales at that point, 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, 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.” Meanwhile, a coalition of New York marijuana businesses are asking the governor to veto legislation that would create a new Cannabis Wage Board charged with recommending minimum hourly wages for industry workers. The proposal would “create significant uncertainty for operators at a time when many are finally beginning to find their footing after years of regulatory delays, capital constraints, and continued competition from the illicit market,” an action alert sent by the Cannabis Association of New York (CANY) said. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Separately, 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 Governor Celebrates $4 Billion In Legal Marijuana Sales Since Market’s Launch appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“We are getting rid of one big tax—a 15 percent excise tax on wholesale—and increasing retail tax anywhere from 2 to 5 percent.” By April Corbin Girnus, Nevada Current Nevada lawmakers are pondering whether the state’s “maturing” marijuana industry needs to update its tax structure. Revenue from the state’s cannabis excise tax, which flows into the State Education Fund, peaked in 2021 and declined 40 percent by 2025. The decline is “in part due to price compression attributed to a maturing market,” according to a new report by a committee tasked with reviewing potential tax changes. After an initial rush of a new market in 2017 when the state legalized cannabis, the industry has leveled off to more sustainable numbers. Customers and transactions have increased, and the price of cannabis has continued falling, signs the industry is maturing. For example, the retail price of flowers/buds in Nevada went from $9.02 per gram in 2019 to $4.46 in 2025, a 50 percent drop. Similarly, infused edibles went from $19.77 per item to $11.81 over that same time span, a 40 percent drop. “Overall the annual price trends indicate that Nevada’s cannabis market became less expensive for many of the product categories analyzed,” said Erica Scott, an economist in the Nevada Department of Taxation and chair of the subcommittee that put the report together. “This price compression could be reflective of a combination of factors, which could include market maturation, increased competition, production efficiencies, technological advancements or greater availability of lower priced products, which in this market would be illicit products and intoxicating hemp.” The State of Nevada since legalizing marijuana in 2017 has collected a 15 percent tax on the fair market value of wholesale cannabis and a 10 percent excise tax on the retail sale of recreational cannabis. Additionally, the retail sale is subject to standard state and local sales taxes, which vary from 6.85 percent to 8.375 percent. The formula the state uses to calculate “fair market value” has been the subject of consternation among cultivators, who have argued the metric has lagged as prices quickly fall, resulting in them being heavily overtaxed. One proposed solution, pitched most recently by Assemblywoman Danielle Gallant (R-Henderson) during the 2025 Legislative Session, was to eliminate the current wholesale tax and increase the retail excise tax to offset the lost revenue. Gallant’s bill never advanced out of committee but language to study such a proposal was amended into another cannabis bill. That bill created the subcommittee, which presented its final report to the Interim Legislative Committee on Revenue last week. The report, which emphasized that it was only studying impact and not recommending any specific changes, found the state would need to increase the retail tax to between 12 percent and 15 percent in order to offset the eliminated wholesale tax. Additionally, the state would need to address the impact on local governments, regulatory operations and the State Education Fund, which all currently receive distributions from the wholesale cannabis tax. So what could this mean for consumers? Recreational consumers are currently paying a combined retail tax rate around 18 percent. The tax paid by wholesalers is passed along to consumers as part of the retail price. Under the proposed restructuring, consumers would be paying a 23 percent combined retail sales tax rate in Clark County, the county with the highest local sales tax rate. In other counties, it’d be a little less. Medical card holders are exempt from the state retail excise tax, meaning their prices would likely not change in the short term. Scott explained that the “assumption is cultivators would not be dropping the price immediately and instead maintaining the previously paid 15 percent [wholesale] tax as profit.” But Scott and leaders from the state’s Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) added that industry representatives believe wholesale prices would drop in the long term. “We are getting rid of one big tax—a 15 percent excise tax on wholesale—and increasing retail tax anywhere from 2 to 5 percent,” said CCB Executive Director Michael Miles. It’s “not guaranteed it’s going to even out, but the idea is that it should even out.” Miles noted that Nevada is actually considered “average or below average” when it comes to its taxation rates of cannabis across the country. The revenue committee took no action on the study but may revisit the issue next year when it meets for the 2027 Legislative Session. Several lawmakers flagged additional data or information they wanted on consumer behavior or the impact other states have seen from raising the retail excise tax. One suggested the proposed changes would be more transparent to customers. The cannabis subcommittee also explored the emerging “intoxicating hemp” market, which popped up out of a loophole in the federal Farm Bill in 2018 that allowed for the sale of edibles and drinks containing THC. Such products can now be found in smoke shops and gas stations. The cannabis subcommittee estimated Nevada’s intoxicating hemp market to be about $45 million annually but emphasized that local and national data is scant. Clark County earlier this year attempted to crack down on unregulated, intoxicating hemp products. But it remains an ongoing issue, Miles acknowledged. The future of the industry is “rife with uncertainty.” But, assuming it sticks around, the state should aim for tax parity between intoxicating hemp products and cannabis products, the subcommittee recommended. This story was first published by Nevada Current. The post Nevada Lawmakers Consider Marijuana Tax Overhaul For ‘Maturing’ Market As Prices Fall appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A Republican congressman is raising the possibility that provisions to reverse the planned federal recriminalization of hemp THC products could be included in a broader budget reconciliation bill during the lame-duck session of Congress following next week’s midterm elections. “I think we need to get my THC regulatory bill passed, and if we could get that into a reconciliation bill before the 11th of December, that’d be fabulous,” Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) told Roll Call on Monday, referring to the current date by which hemp THC products are set to become federally illegal again. Earlier this year, Griffith and Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX) filed the Hemp Enforcement, Modernization, and Protection (HEMP) Act, which would keep hemp products legal and enact new regulations on the market. The GOP lawmaker also told Roll Call that he thought provisions of his legislation could be “combined with a measure related to taxes on hemp-derived products,” such as a beverage-focused bill from Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) that would keep hemp THC drinks legal while taxing and regulating them like alcohol. 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, the president signed new legislation containing provisions that redefined hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container would remain legal after November 12. Now, however, under provisions included in a funding bill Trump signed last month, the effective date of the ban for most products is being pushed back to December 11 to give lawmakers more time to craft regulations for hemp derivatives. There is a carve-out, however, to allow the recriminalization on November 12 of synthetic cannabinoids “that are not capable of being naturally produced by a Cannabis sativa L. plant.” Reconciliation legislation, meanwhile, is a technique that lawmakers use for expedited consideration and to get around the filibuster in the Senate since it only requires a simple majority of votes for passage and allows for limited debate. Provisions that do not directly affect budgetary issues like spending, revenue or the debt limit are subject to challenge and removal, however. Griffith acknowledged that certain other Republican lawmakers such as Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) and Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) “just want to stop” intoxicating hemp products, but he argued that “if we don’t do something before that December 11 deadline, that it’s going to create all kinds of issues.” “So, now the question becomes: Do you want to have good products that are third-party tested, that [have] a restriction on the age of purchase, that has all this other stuff? Some of the states are doing that,” he said. “But if you’re going to look at it from a federal level, I don’t think we can stop it.” Herb Light, a company that makes low-dose THC beverages, recently launched a promotion that lets customers who are purchasing a 12-pack of THC drinks add a six-pack for their congressional lawmakers. The company says it will handle delivery to lawmakers and will include a letter urging support for a pending bill in Congress to keep hemp THC drinks federally legal under a new system of regulations. Members of Congress are debating how and whether the crop’s derivatives should be regulated as an alternative to prohibition. Several Republican lawmakers recently spoke to Marijuana Moment about the kinds of rules they would like to see enacted to keep hemp THC products legal. A number of lawmakers from both chambers and both parties have filed or are circulating a growing number of bills to prevent the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC drinks and other products. Until now, none of those proposals have gained traction with congressional leaders. In addition to the bills from Griffith and Van Duyne, Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is circulating legislation that would delay a planned federal ban on hemp THC products and institute some regulations—including packaging requirements, testing rules and age limits. Separately, Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), filed a lengthier proposal to prevent the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products and put in place a number of regulations for manufacturing, labeling, sales and taxation of hemp-derived products, including an age limit of 21. Trump and White House officials repeatedly pressed Congress to delay, alter or reverse the ban in recent months. In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in June, for example, White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought said the Trump administration wants lawmakers to “ensure the fair treatment of hemp products”—specifically citing Barr’s earlier amendment to keep many hemp products legal while adding regulations and taxes. The administration “welcomes the opportunity to work with the Congress to, at a minimum, update the statutory definition of final hemp-derived cannabinoid products to allow Americans to benefit from access to appropriate full-spectrum CBD products,” OMB separately said in June, “while preserving the Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose serious health risks.” Also in April, the president himself urged congressional lawmakers to again redefine hemp to avoid recriminalization of 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,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “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.” Some members of the alcohol industry have also urged Congress to regulate, rather than ban, hemp products. The National Restaurant Association recently sent a letter urging congressional leaders to delay the federal recriminalization of hemp THC beverages and replace it with a regulatory framework that “ensures consumer safety while meeting growing market demand” for the products as an alternative to alcohol. Major retailer Target, meanwhile, recently moved to expand its sales of hemp THC drinks into more states. Meanwhile, the hemp product issue has proved controversial within the cannabis reform movement. The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) recently sent an action alert asking its supporters to pressure Congress to reverse the scheduled ban on hemp THC products and institute a system of regulations for all cannabinoids as an alternative to criminalization. A former MPP staffer who now works for the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH), pushed back in an op-ed for Marijuana Moment, however, arguing that “the charade of hemp intoxicants must end” and that “sneaking in the back door with synthetic drugs nobody asked for is not the path to legalization.” The post Congress Should Put Hemp THC Product Regulations Into Filibuster-Proof Reconciliation Bill After Elections, GOP Lawmaker Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

People who consume marijuana trust dispensary staff more than healthcare providers or government agencies as a source of information about cannabis, according to a new federally funded study. Researchers with the University of California, Johns Hopkins University and other institutions conducted an online survey of 1,023 U.S. residents over the age of 18 who used a THC-containing cannabis product in the past month, asking them to rate the level of trust they place in several sources of information about marijuana. “We found that dispensary staff were the most trusted, followed by friends and healthcare providers, while other sources were less trusted,” the paper, published in the journal Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, said. On a scale of 1-5, dispensary staff scored an average of 3.7, while friends got 3.5, healthcare providers got 3.4, state and federal government officials both got 2.9, social media posts scored 2.6 and other sellers of cannabis also got 2.6. “For many who use cannabis, dispensary staff are a more trusted source of information than healthcare providers.” On a deeper analysis, however, the study, which was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), found that “trust in cannabis information sources depends on motivation for use.” “When asked who they would trust the most for using cannabis medicinally, healthcare providers were selected most often (55%), followed by dispensary staff (20%), friends (8%), and people on social media (5%),” the paper said. “When asked who they trust the most for using cannabis for fun or relaxation, dispensary staff were selected most often (47%), followed by friends (37%), people on social media (7%), and healthcare providers (4%).” “People in state and federal government had lower average levels of trust.” The researchers wrote that the fact that marijuana industry workers are generally seen as more trustworthy than medical professionals indicates a “need for integration of cannabis core competencies and minimum knowledge standards into healthcare provider education.” “Scientific and medical information about cannabis lags behind emerging cannabis markets,” the study concluded. “As a result, many individuals who use cannabis turn to non-healthcare sources for trustworthy information about cannabis.” The post Marijuana Users Trust Dispensary Staff More Than Doctors Or The Government For Cannabis Info, Federally Funded Study Shows appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

There is strong support for legalizing marijuana for both recreational and medical uses in Kansas, including majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents, according to a new poll. The latest edition of the annual Kansas Speaks survey, conducted by Fort Hays State University’s Docking Institute of Public Affairs, shows that Kansans back legalization of recreational marijuana by a margin of 58 percent to 21 percent. That includes 63 percent of Democrats, 54 percent of Republicans and 60 percent of independents who favor the policy change. Support for legalizing medical cannabis is even stronger, at 65 percent to 15 percent—including 72 percent of Democrats, 59 percent of Republicans and 69 percent of independents on board with allowing patient access to marijuana. The poll, which was released on Monday, separately asked whether respondents support legalizing and taxing marijuana as a way to raise revenue for the state, with 61 percent in favor and 21 percent opposed. More people said they support legal cannabis as a revenue generator than back increasing taxes on tobacco or alcohol. The survey additionally found that 59 percent of Kansas adults say they are highly or somewhat likely to vote for political candidates who support legalizing medical cannabis, while 17 percent are unlikely to do so. The poll involved interviews with 603 Kansas adults over the age of 18 from September 23-October 16. The results come as Kansas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cindy Holscher is highlighting her support for legalizing marijuana and calling out her GOP opponent, Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson (R), for blocking medical cannabis legislation. “I believe close to 70 percent of the population is in favor of legalization, but you get a few people once in a while who will say, ‘Well, we don’t want to bring that here,'” Holscher, who currently serves as a state senator, recently said. “My response: It’s already here. If you drive along state line in Johnson County, you drive along the border on the southern edge to Oklahoma, and you see the dispensaries—there’s Kansas plates there,” she said. “So it’s already here.” “But what’s happening is we aren’t getting the revenue for it, and we aren’t getting our guardrails in place. We need to do that,” Holscher said. “The revenue that’s projected to come in could help us do things like better funding public education in terms of special ed, could help us in terms of free lunches for kids—making that part of the day. You know there are things that we could do with that money to help build up our critical infrastructure and be better focused on our people.” Asked how she would get cannabis reform through a Republican-controlled legislature, Holscher said she and allies succeeded in passing a medical cannabis bill through the state House of Representatives in 2021 that went on to die in the Senate—putting blame for the ultimate defeat on Masterson. “You know, I got it passed in the House a few years ago. Guess who stopped it in the Senate? Ty Masterson,” she said. “The things that people want, the things that people support, he has been stopping.” Masterson, for his part, said in 2023 that was open to a discussion about a limited medical marijuana program. But in 2024, he appeared less welcoming to the idea, calling medical cannabis legalization a “nonstarter,” suggesting the policy change would lead to a surge in “gang activity” and put kids at risk. Incumbent Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) said last year that it’s time for lawmakers in the state to finally legalize medical marijuana. After the House of Representatives passed a medical cannabis bill in 2021, it stalled out in the Senate. And while the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee held numerous hearings on the issue, it voted in 2024 to table a limited medical marijuana pilot program bill. A later effort to revive the medical cannabis bill on the Senate floor ultimately fell short. That measure was filed about a month after the House rejected a Democratic lawmaker’s amendment to a broader drug scheduling bill that would have removed marijuana entirely from the state’s controlled substances law, effectively legalizing it. In 2024, meanwhile, a state legislative panel voted against a proposed recommendation that lawmakers legalize medical cannabis in 2025. The legislature’s Special Committee on Medical Marijuana, charged with consideration of possible pathways for medical cannabis reform, said legalizing medical marijuana was premature and that lawmakers should first wait to see how federal rescheduling and other reform efforts unfold. Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post Kansans Support Legalizing Marijuana For Recreational And Medical Use, Poll Shows appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

The top Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives has stepped up efforts to raise money from cannabis industry executives in recent weeks, according to a review of federal campaign finance records and interviews conducted by Marijuana Moment. The marijuana-focused fundraising by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who stands to become the next speaker of the House if his party wins a majority in next week’s elections, involved a Capitol Hill event last month and a separate fundraiser in Ohio hosted by the CEO a cannabis company this month. The fundraiser in Washington, D.C. on September 2 involved a speech by Jeffries in which the minority leader indicated that federal marijuana decriminalization is an issue that is on his radar for the upcoming 120th Congress, according to a cannabis industry executive who attended. The top House Democrat also said there is an ongoing need to better foster social equity in the state-licensed cannabis business model by ensuring participation from communities harmed by past enforcement of prohibition, the source said. A separate cannabis industry source who did not attend the fundraiser but who was familiar with it told Marijuana Moment that they believe the event generated $100,000 in contributions for the minority leader’s joint fundraising committee, the Jeffries Majority Fund. A Marijuana Moment review of Federal Election Commission (FEC) records identified at least $71,500 worth of contributions from cannabis industry executives and consultants who have worked on the issue in the days before and after the fundraising event. Amount First Name Last Name Employer Date $3,500.00 Francis Perullo AWH 9/9/2026 $3,500.00 Andy Rayburn Buckeye Relief 8/28/2026 $3,500.00 Ankur Rungta C3 Industries Inc. 9/2/2026 $8,500.00 Anthony Georgiadis Green Thumb Industries 9/3/2026 $1,000.00 Suzan Nickelson Holistic Solutions LLC 9/1/2026 $5,000.00 Trent Woloveck Jushi 8/26/2026 $4,000.00 Aaron Markowitz Nabis 9/1/2026 $8,500.00 John Pennington Proper 9/2/2026 $1,000.00 Joshua Hanfling Sewald Hanfling 9/1/2026 $5,000.00 Jared Maloof Standard Wellness 8/27/2026 $8,500.00 Joseph Sai Story 9/1/2026 $5,000.00 Jake Van Wingerden SunMed Growers 9/1/2026 $5,000.00 Kim Rivers Trulieve 9/1/2026 $8,500.00 George Archos Verano 8/28/2026 $1,000.00 ICE MILLER PAC 9/3/2026 While Marijuana Moment was not able to confirm that all of the donations in question were specifically related to the cannabis-focused event, the contributions noted above came within a week of the fundraiser and all of the donors have ties to the marijuana industry, either as executives for cannabis companies or as lobbyists or consultants who have worked on the issue. Separately, Jeffries attended a fundraiser hosted by Klutch Cannabis CEO Adam Thomarios in Akron, Ohio for Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-OH) on October 18. “Events like this say a lot about where the industry is at, as well as where the cannabis movement is at more generally,” Thomarios told Marijuana Moment on Monday. “Even just several years ago, we saw cannabis advocacy and policy-making still primarily taking place at the state level. However, as the industry has matured, a lot of the overarching policy conversations have matured along with it and are now taking place before Congress.” “We see this trend continuing,” he said. “Like Klutch, the industry has continued to grow over this time and is now a major employer and revenue generator. It’s taken a lot of hard work and investment to get us to where we’re at, and for us to maintain the positive trajectory we’re on, it’s important for us to seek out partners in elected office who understand the unique issues facing the industry at this time.” “We’re extremely grateful that people like Congresswoman Sykes and Minority Leader Jeffries have been willing to have these conversations with us and are looking forward to continuing this work with them,” Thomarios said. While the latest FEC records do not yet show contributions made through the date of the Akron event on October 18, a handful of sizable cannabis industry donations to Sykes’s campaign were recorded in the days before the fundraiser. Amount First Name Last Name Employer Date $3,500.00 Jared Maloof Standard Wellness 10/14/2026 $3,500.00 Andrew Rayburn Buckeye Relief 10/14/2026 $2,500.00 Caveh Azadeh King City Gardens 10/14/2026 Representatives for Jeffries’s campaign and congressional office did not immediately respond to queries from Marijuana Moment. Jeffries said earlier this year that his party will “be in a position to do something about” marijuana laws “in the next Congress.” The only two times that Congress has considered marijuana legalization legislation on the floor was under Democratic control in 2020 and 2022, via bills that all but a handful of Republicans voted against. During his time in Congress and before that as a New York state legislator, Jeffries has sponsored numerous cannabis and drug policy reform proposals. For example, teamed up with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on a cannabis legalization bill called the Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act. He is also cosponsoring legislation with Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) that would lay the groundwork for federal marijuana legalization by creating a commission to study the issue and make recommendations on a regulatory system for cannabis that models what’s currently in place for alcohol. Meanwhile, as some cannabis industry executives are donating to Jeffries and other Democrats, a political action committee that shares the same treasurer as President Donald Trump’s own super PAC is using money raised from marijuana business donations to pay for independent expenditures in support of several vulnerable Republican members of Congress—including several who have voted against legislation to legalize cannabis. One recipient of the funds, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), said during a debate last month that the legalization of marijuana is “hurting” society. Photo element courtesy of Carlos Gracia. The post Top Congressional Democrat Raises Campaign Funds From Marijuana Industry Ahead Of Election Day appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Poll: Marijuana consumers & guns; Super Troopers guys slam MA anti-cannabis initiative; Rescheduling & equity op-ed; Psilocybin & Parkinson’s study 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 President Donald Trump claimed marijuana is “very bad” for Bill Maher’s health, saying in his longest-ever Truth Social post that the comedian is a “major POTHEAD” and “COMPLETE AND TOTAL LOSER” after the two had another dinner at the White House. “I wanted to tell Bill that he’s a major POTHEAD. He’s got to stop, it’s very bad for his health. He looked like hell this time.” A new poll shows that about one in four people who use marijuana say they are more likely to purchase a firearm following the Supreme Court’s ruling in a case on cannabis consumers’ gun rights. Broken Lizard, the comedy troupe behind the Super Troopers films, launched a video explaining the confusing anti-marijuana question on Massachusetts’s ballot and arguing that voters should reject it. Housing Works Cannabis Co’s Sasha Nutgent argues in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed that “if medical rescheduling improves the financial position of some operators while adult-use social equity businesses remain under pressure, the imbalance could compound an already uneven playing field.” “The industry that was supposed to correct the wrongs created by the War on Drugs may end up becoming just another sector of big pharma… The promise was never simply to legalize cannabis. It was to create a fairer industry in the process. Rescheduling should not become another step toward building a lucrative market that leaves that promise behind.” The Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission published guidance saying that hemp businesses can keep their THC products after new federal restrictions take effect—but they cannot sell them if Congress doesn’t reverse the ban. A new study published by the American Medical Association found that “markers of systemic inflammation and mitochondrial stress were reduced in people with [Parkinson’s disease]-associated mood dysfunction following psilocybin therapy.” / FEDERAL A Department of Veterans Affairs discussed the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for military veterans, saying that “our demand will exceed our ability to supply these therapies.” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) tweeted, “The benefits of letting states regulate hemp go beyond profitability for farmers and health benefits for consumers. They extend to the environment itself!” / STATES Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) tweeted, “We’re making meaningful progress expanding access to medical cannabis across the commonwealth to ensure more patients can access the care they need. 26 dispensaries now open across Kentucky All 11 regions served 29,108+ Kentuckians approved for medical cannabis cards: Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand tweeted, “Look – it isn’t my thing but Iowa is facing a budget crisis to the tune of $1.4 billion. A common-sense way to help address that would be to fully legalize adult-use cannabis in Iowa. And to solve the problems that come with it – we treat it like alcohol.” Texas Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Vikki Goodwin said the state “needs a sensible regulatory framework for THC, rather than outright prohibition.” A California appeals court ruled that certain felony marijuana cultivation convictions can be reduced to misdemeanors. Missouri regulators file changes to marijuana business rules. Illinois regulators published guidance about forthcoming changes to hemp product rules. The South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs is promoting a psychedelics event. Maryland regulators are conducting a survey of medical cannabis patients. The Guam Cannabis Control Board will meet on Wednesday. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — / INTERNATIONAL Israel’s commissioner for trade levies announced an investigation of four Canadian cannabis companies over accusations of product dumping. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “legalization has also reduced, although not eliminated, crime associated with illegal cannabis markets, suggesting that, on net, legalization produces reductions in crime.” A study found that Oregon’s psilocybin services program “appears clinically cautious, while facing high costs for clients, facilitators, and service centers that limit scalability.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The Maryland Association of Counties published an article about the use of cannabis revenue to fund community reinvestment and repair efforts. / BUSINESS SHF Holdings, Inc., d/b/a Safe Harbor signed a non-binding term sheet to combine with Opifex Media Inc. Curaleaf Holdings, Inc.’s application to halt Aurora Cannabis Inc.’s at-the-market program was dismissed by the Alberta, Canada Securities Commission. Canopy Growth Corporation shareholders approved a potential share consolidation and elected board of directors members. Canadian retailers sold C$520.4 million worth of legal cannabis products in August. / CULTURE Football player Anthony Richardson said he doesn’t regret being arrested for marijuana possession. Former basketball player Paul Pierce is being accused of hiding cannabis business income in a child support dispute. Make sure to subscribe to get Marijuana Moment’s daily dispatch in your inbox. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Photo courtesy of California State Fair. The post Trump says cannabis is bad for health—at least for Bill Maher (Newsletter: October 27, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“Any changes to federal law or guidance could affect the requirements applicable to these products.” By Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Current Rhode Island’s hemp businesses can keep all of their intoxicating products after a new federal THC potency limit takes effect in less than two months—they just can’t sell them if Congress doesn’t change course. An Octber 8 bulletin from the state’s Cannabis Control Commission gives hemp businesses the option to quarantine existing inventory containing more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container. These products are set to become illegal nationwide come December 11. The policy was included in an email the commission sent to all 201 of the state’s hemp licensees on October 9. “They are not permitted to be further processed, moved, distributed and/or be offered for sale unless explicitly authorized by the federal government and/or the Cannabis Control Commission,” the notice states. Hemp licensees will have to submit an inventory report to the commission by December 4, according to the bulletin. After December 11, hemp businesses cannot add or remove products from their quarantined inventory. They can request to destroy those products at any time, but the state’s Cannabis Office must supervise the destruction. Regulators may also conduct inspections and inventory audits. State regulators warned the hemp industry in a September 11 bulletin that products exceeding the new limit “must be removed” prior to the federal deadline or else they faced fines. The new federal potency limit was originally set to take effect November 12, but lawmakers delayed the effective date one month as part of a short-term government funding bill signed by President Donald Trump in September. Charon Rose, spokesperson for the Cannabis Control Commission, said state regulators updated the guidance to avoid forcing businesses to destroy inventory amid uncertainty over whether Congress might change course again before the deadline. “We just want to be mindful,” Rose said in an interview Wednesday. Some hemp growers and distributors objected to the commission’s September guidance, arguing the rules would force them to destroy products that complied with regulations adopted by the state in 2024. Workers from Lovewell Farms, the state’s only outdoor hemp farm, repeatedly raised concerns with regulators, including at a September 18 commission meeting where they suggested updating the state’s guidance. Mike Simpson, co-founder of Lovewell Farms, said the updated guidance, while helpful, ultimately does little to clarify what growers like him are supposed to do with their inventory. “Essentially they say we’re allowed to grow, and none of that is going to be affected…but then I can’t sell any of it,” he said in an interview. “It really makes no sense.” Craft Collective Homegrown, a Massachusetts-based beverage distributor and wholesaler, also challenged the September guidance in an October 7 letter to the commission, advocating for businesses to hold on to high potency THC products for up to six months, with the inventory tracked and inspected and no sales permitted. Adam Oliveri, CEO of Craft Collective Homegrown, called the commission’s latest guidance a “meaningful step forward” in preserving Rhode Island’s budding hemp industry, which generated $2.85 million in sales in 2025. Oliveri and Simpson still questioned whether hemp businesses would need separate approval from the commission to resume testing, processing and selling quarantined products if federal law changes after December 11. Simpson also wanted to know whether the commission must update its own hemp regulations to align with the new federal definition, which would require a public comment period. Rose said regulators are continuing to assess how evolving federal requirements could affect quarantined hemp products and the state’s existing regulations. “Any changes to federal law or guidance could affect the requirements applicable to these products and the steps necessary for licensees to resume activities that are currently restricted,” she wrote in an email. This story was first published by Rhode Island Current. The post Rhode Island Hemp Businesses Can Keep THC Products After Federal Ban Launches—But They Can’t Sell Them, Officials Say appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“That may apply not only to Parkinson’s, but also neuropsychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety.” By Noah Daly, Psychedelic State(s) of America For years, researchers have been exploring how psychedelics can address inflammation. When psychedelics enter the brain, they clump onto serotonin receptors. This has made them such interesting candidates for treating mental health conditions, but what about physical illnesses? Scientists have already been able to show that some psychedelics have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. An open-label study at Johns Hopkins published in February suggests that people living with post-treatment Lyme disease can find relief from symptoms related to inflammation. Early clinical studies on classic psychedelics—primarily psilocybin and LSD—suggest they can significantly reduce cluster headache attack frequency and break active cycles. Now, findings in a new paper from researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and Columbia University that was published by the American Medical Association (AMA) show that those qualities could translate to treating inflammation in humans. The purpose of their study, which was funded by Silo Pharma Inc. and an anonymous donor, was to show whether psilocybin could be a safe and effective therapeutic for people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease who also have depression. They also found some of the most consequential human data on how psychedelics impact inflammation yet collected, which they published in a new paper for the journal JAMA Psychiatry on Wednesday. “Markers of systemic inflammation and mitochondrial stress were reduced in people with [Parkinson’s disease]-associated mood dysfunction following psilocybin therapy.” Inflammation is the body’s response to physical damage, infections and foreign objects invading the body, among other things. It’s a cascade of processes designed to help the immune system handle the business of helping us feel better, but when there’s no business to handle, inflammation can be deadly. For example, a runaway immune response like sepsis can cause widespread inflammation and contribute to organ failure. Severe allergic reactions can also trigger life-threatening complications, like airway swelling and dangerous drops in blood pressure. Inflammation can be harmful even when a real threat remains, as in an excessive response to infection. It can also persist after the original trigger has gone. We’re still not sure what triggers Parkinson’s. It is a neurodegenerative disorder that attacks the nervous system. It’s characterized by the progressive loss of motor control and is commonly associated with mood disorders. Several types of inflammation in the brain and in the immune system contribute to the progression of Parkinson’s, and it’s believed the gradual decay of neurons producing dopamine also plays a key role in the disease, which affects roughly 10 million people worldwide according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Neurodegenerative disorders like this usually exclude someone from psychedelic therapy, but the original study gave researchers enough evidence that psilocybin is safe to use in Parkinson’s patients and might even help them feel better. In this new publication, the researchers turn to five signaling molecules associated with inflammation. Participants first received 10 milligrams and, approximately two weeks later, 25 milligrams. By analyzing blood samples from the participants, all of whom had both Parkinson disease and mood dysfunction, they were able to see how the levels of each of those five molecules changed before and after treatment. The scientists found that inflammation decreased significantly after the participants received the drug and remained lower a month after the final dose. While the researchers noted that the study’s small cohort of participants knew they were receiving psilocybin, and that there was no control group, they found an important proof-of-concept, according to D. Parker Kelley, a research scientist in the Mitochondrial PsychoBiology group at Columbia University who was a first author on the new paper. “It’s a potential jumping-off point for a lot more research in this area,” Kelley told NPR. “That may apply not only to Parkinson’s, but also neuropsychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety, and even cardio-metabolic and inflammatory disorders.” Future research will need to follow the thread that researchers like Charles Nichols, who’s been studying the anti-inflammatory effects of psychedelics at LSU for the past several decades. In 2008, Nichols and his colleagues found that several psychedelics reduced inflammation in lab-grown cells. Since then, they’ve studied the effects of psychedelics on arthritis and heart disease among others in animal models, but the new data from UCSF and Columbia brings much-needed evidence that this translates to treating inflammation in people, too. Before psilocybin can be considered an anti-inflammatory ready to use in humans, researchers still need to establish whether it directly reduces inflammatory markers, rather than changes in the things that move those markers like stress or other factors. Repeated blood samples would also help identify when changes begin and how long they last. This article was produced in partnership with Psychedelic State(s) of America—a nonprofit-sponsored news organization dedicated to rigorous independent psychedelic journalism. Subscribe to PSA online and Follow PSA on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter/X and Facebook. Learn more about PSA and donate to the PSA Media Fund here. Photo courtesy of Mark Groeneveld. The post Psilocybin Reduces Inflammation And Mitochondrial Stress Markers In People With Parkinson’s Disease, Study Shows appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Voters in Massachusetts could be forgiven for being confused about how to cast their November ballots on an initiative that proposes to roll back the state’s marijuana legalization law. A “yes” vote is really a “no” on continued legal adult-use cannabis sales, while a “no” vote is a “yes” on keeping the state’s recreational dispensary system in place. Huh? Thankfully, a group of comedians is here to break it down. Broken Lizard, the comedy troupe behind films such as Super Troopers and Beerfest, has launched a video that hilariously depicts the bewilderment that some Massachusetts voters may be feeling and then explains what the anti-cannabis ballot initiative would actually do. The two-minute spot, which was shared exclusively with Marijuana Moment ahead of its release, begins with Broken Lizard member Steve Lemme proudly strolling up to his colleagues wearing a “Yes On Question 8” shirt. But immediately, Jay Chandrasekhar asks, “Dude, what’s wrong with you? Why are you wearing that shirt?” Lemme replies that he is sporting the tee “because I am going to vote yes on Question 8 for a sensible marijuana policy in Massachusetts. What could be wrong with that?” Paul Soter then chimes in to explain that “‘Yes’ on Question 8 would end legal marijuana sales and bring back penalties for selling marijuana—destroying the regulated system that voters approved 10 years ago.” “Huh? That’s not sensible,” Lemme says. “It’s kind of sneaky. But the guy who had me sign the petition to put it on the ballot said he was from the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts. What kind of an asshole doesn’t want a healthier Massachusetts?” Soter notes that supporters of the anti-cannabis initiative have been accused of convincing people to sign petitions by telling them it is actually about other, unrelated issues. “Oh wait, wait!” Kevin Heffernan chimes in. “I signed that petition, but the guy told me it was to ban breastfeeding and bowling alleys.” As Marijuana Moment has previously reported, signature gatherers for the prohibitionist initiative were caught on tape using misleading tactics—seeming to argue that voters who support legal marijuana access should sign the petitions in order to somehow advance or protect reform. One was even fired following Marijuana Moment’s reporting. In the Broken Lizard video, Erik Stolhanske explains that the petition gathers worked for an out-of-state company, and the campaign’s funding also largely comes from outside of Massachusetts. “You guys got duped,” Chandrasekhar says. “This Yes on 8 measure has been both deliberately confusing and misleading.” Soter then reads a portion of the legalese of the initiative, saying it is “not a particularly transparent way to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to totally abolish recreational marijuana sales.'” ” I feel stoned just trying to make sense of it,” Lemme says. “If only there was like a simple catchphrase—like something already associated with drug use,” Soter says, thinking for a moment and then pulling a “No” sticker out of his pocket that he then affixes to Lemme’s “Yes On Question 8” shirt. “When it comes to Question 8 on Election Day, just say no,” Soter says. Soter separately told Marijuana Moment that Broken Lizard’s films such as the law enforcement comedy Super Troopers “resonate with two very different audiences: People who carry a badge and people who carry a bag…of weed.” “We used to assume that Venn diagram didn’t intersect at all. But it turns out it does,” he said. “After filming both Super Troopers 2 and 3 in Massachusetts and spending time with locals and law enforcement, we found a surprising amount of overlap. Not because cops are running around stoned to the gills, but because both groups care a lot about how cannabis policy is handled.” “Both groups want it to be safe and legal. And both groups see the benefits of a system that keeps cannabis taxed and regulated,” Soter said. “On this, both groups don’t just overlap, they’re amazingly unified. Stoners don’t want to go back to the way things were, and neither do many of the officers we spoke to.” “That’s why we jumped at the opportunity to help bring Massachusetts police and first responders into a candid conversation about sensible marijuana policy. Yes, it might at first seem weird for anyone to take policy advice from a bunch of dudes who became famous for chugging syrup and saying “meow.” But when plenty of actual cops agree with the guys who portray them on screen, maybe these dudes are worth listening to. So if you’re listening, please Vote No on Question 8.” The ad was paid for by the Committee for Responsible Cannabis Policy (CRCP), a recently formed Massachusetts ballot committee that opposes the prohibitionist initiative, which would repeal laws allowing the regulated commercial sales of recreational cannabis and home cultivation while maintaining legal possession and continuing the medical marijuana system. CRCP was formed by key members of the nonprofit organization Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), though it is a legally separate entity. (Marijuana Moment’s editor and publisher previously served as a staffer for LEAP under the organization’s former name, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.) Diane Goldstein, the executive director of LEAP and treasurer of CRCP, told Marijuana Moment that after her 21-year law enforcement career, she is “no stranger to the harms of prohibition or the questionable tactics that have been used to sell it to the public.” “Question 8 is titled ‘An Act to Restore Sensible Marijuana Policy,’ but a yes vote would end legal, regulated adult-use sales in Massachusetts and send the state back to where it was before 2016,” she said. “A no vote preserves the current system, which is delivering on its promise. Voters shouldn’t need a law degree, or a decoder ring, to figure that out.” “For decades, the war on drugs has relied on exaggeration, fear, and misleading claims to justify failed policies that ultimately do more harm than good,” Goldstein said. “Those of us in law enforcement have seen the results up close. The committee’s ad asks voters to read the question carefully and see it for what it is. Vote no on Question 8.” Meanwhile, a series of recent polls show that Massachusetts voters believe legalizing marijuana has been good for the state and that a strong majority plan to vote against Question 8. This month, more than 50 state lawmakers said they will be voting against the anti-marijuana ballot measure. That includes the House speaker and Senate president. U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ed Markey (D-MA) both recently told Marijuana Moment that they will be voting against the anti-cannabis measure. “We could make improvements in the operations but legalizing cannabis is better than continuing an unregulated, underground market,” Warren said. “So I’m opposed to the repeal. I’m voting no on the ballot to repeal.” Markey, for his part, said the state’s marijuana legalization law that voters approved in 2016 continues to enjoy “overwhelming support.” “We’ve had debate,” he said. “The voters are satisfied at this moment with the experience that the state has had with it… I support keeping it on the books and overwhelmingly so do the people of Massachusetts.” Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) also recently urged voters to reject the measure, saying that “keeping marijuana legal in Massachusetts is both economic justice and racial justice policy.” Gov. Maura Healey (D) similarly said recently that she opposes the anti-cannabis initiative, saying that “we’ve got to keep recreational marijuana here in Massachusetts.” “It’s an important industry, the cannabis industry,” the governor said. “And I hope the voters keep cannabis.” The post The Super Troopers Guys Help Explain The Confusing Anti-Marijuana Question On Massachusetts’s Ballot appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

One out of four people who consume marijuana say that are more likely to purchase a gun in light of a recent Supreme Court decision to uphold the Second Amendment rights of people who use cannabis, according to a new poll. The survey, conducted by the cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD, found that 26 percent of marijuana consumers said they are “more likely to purchase a firearm” in light of the justices’ ruling in the case. In June, the court unanimously ruled that the government’s efforts to criminalize possession of firearms for cannabis consumers through a statute known as 922(g)(3) is an unconstitutional violation of the Second Amendment. In the new poll, 74 percent of cannabis consumers said the ruling does not make them more likely to want to buy a gun. “One of the most common questions we receive from patients is whether getting a medical card will affect their right to own a firearm,” Tyler Elson, director of content at NuggMD, told Marijuana Moment. “Our latest poll found that 1 in 4 cannabis consumers say the Supreme Court’s ruling makes them more likely to purchase one, which suggests how many people the federal ban was holding back.” “Much of the celebration has focused on cannabis consumers being able to own firearms,” he said. “But the more exciting victory is that gun owners no longer have to choose between their Second Amendment rights and their healthcare needs.” The survey found that Republican cannabis consumers (41 percent) are significantly more likely than Democratic ones (26 percent) to say the supreme court’s ruling increases the chances they will buy a gun. The poll involved interviews with 654 cannabis consumers who live in state-legal markets between October 8-15 and has a margin of error of +/-3.83 percentage points. Another recent poll, meanwhile, found that most Americans support the Supreme Court’s decision on gun rights for cannabis consumers—including majorities across party lines. The Supreme Court, for its part, has already started applying its finding in the case to those involving other cannabis consumers who were prosecuted for possessing firearms. A federal agency that regulates guns says it is planning to provide guidance in the wake of the court ruling on the Second Amendment rights of people who use marijuana. In August, the Department of Justice unveiled a rule intended to help restore gun rights to people who have been barred from possessing firearms that contains provisions to block officials from denying applications over the use of marijuana or convictions for cannabis-related activity. The post One In Four Marijuana Consumers Are More Likely To Purchase A Gun Following Supreme Court’s Second Amendment Ruling appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“Rescheduling should not become another step toward building a lucrative market that leaves that promise behind.” By Sasha Nutgent, Housing Works Cannabis Co Federal cannabis policy is beginning to change, but the benefits are not reaching every cannabis operator equally. In April, the federal government moved qualifying state-licensed medical cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) Schedule III, while licensed adult-use operators are still waiting for comparable federal reform. That split could shape which businesses have the resources to compete as the industry evolves. For companies with qualifying medical cannabis operations, the change will provide meaningful tax relief, while independent adult-use operators and especially social equity license holders continue to navigate the challenging cannabis industry without relief. Social equity programs were created to help correct the harms of prohibition by giving people disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs a pathway into the legal market. In many states, they were the first license holders and worked tirelessly to define the market as we know it today. However, as cannabis moves closer to the pharmaceutical and mainstream business worlds, those operators are more vulnerable than ever and the original purpose of creating a regulated market deserves attention. As federal policy evolves, preserving the opportunity those programs promised requires more than awarding licenses, it really requires giving operators a realistic chance to keep their businesses and benefit from their success. A two-track transition The biggest piece of rescheduling is Section 280E of the federal tax code, which prevents businesses operating in Schedule I or II controlled substances from deducting ordinary business expenses. For cannabis businesses, this can mean paying taxes on income that does not reflect actual operating profits. The federal government’s April action moved qualifying state-licensed medical cannabis into Schedule III, allowing eligible businesses to escape Section 280E’s restrictions. Adult-use cannabis remains in a separate position while broader rescheduling is considered. If rescheduling doesn’t come to the adult-use market, this creates a two-track industry. Companies with qualifying medical operations may gain financial breathing room while adult-use businesses continue to face a tax burden that makes profitability difficult. Tax savings can support hiring, facilities, expansion and acquisitions. Smaller operators already struggling to cover rent, payroll and inventory have fewer options for weathering a downturn. The people legalization was meant to prioritize Social equity applicants were not simply another group competing for business licenses. They were prioritized because cannabis prohibition imposed disproportionate costs on them and their communities. In New York, the Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) program created a jumpstart for qualifying justice-involved individuals and other eligible applicants to enter the regulated adult-use market for the first four years. Receiving a license is only the first hurdle. Entrepreneurs must navigate permitting and compliance, secure a location, finance construction, hire staff and buy inventory. These costs can reach millions of dollars before a dispensary opens. Staying open brings another challenge: retailers compete in a crowded market where brand recognition, purchasing power and access to capital can determine who survives, while rent, payroll, inventory, taxes and debt continue to accumulate when revenue falls short. States can count licenses issued and stores opened without knowing whether entrepreneurs are building sustainable businesses, retaining control or accumulating wealth. Many were ill-equipped to run such complex enterprises, some closed their doors less than five years after starting while others took partnerships that did not serve their success. If social equity programs were meant to help correct the economic harms of prohibition, their success must be measured long after a license is awarded. When opportunity changes hands Partnerships with established companies can provide capital, real estate and operational expertise, but not every partnership delivers equal value. An entrepreneur may hold a social equity license while having limited control over decisions, shouldering significant financial obligations or receiving a small share of profits. Initial funding may help a dispensary open, but without ongoing support and a fair share of the upside, the owner may struggle to build lasting wealth. The risks intensify when a business struggles. An operator facing mounting debt or declining sales may need to sell a business, its assets or its interest in a licensed location. A better-capitalized buyer may acquire those assets for pennies on the dollar, while the original license holder has lost their life savings. Not every acquisition is predatory, and a sale can provide a necessary exit for an entrepreneur. The concern is what happens when financial pressure leaves an owner with few viable alternatives. The person prioritized to help correct the harms of prohibition may ultimately lose the business they worked to build, while a larger company gains a foothold in the market. If medical rescheduling improves the financial position of some operators while adult-use social equity businesses remain under pressure, the imbalance could compound an already uneven playing field. Make equity part of the policy Policymakers should evaluate rescheduling by who can access its benefits, alongside its effects on research, investment and corporate finances. Congress should address the continued application of Section 280E to state-licensed adult-use businesses, including the equity operators states explicitly sought to prioritize. States should measure long-term outcomes for social equity businesses, including survival rates, debt burdens, ownership changes and whether license holders retain meaningful control. Licensing programs should provide ongoing access to affordable financing, accounting, human resources, compliance guidance, marketing and operational expertise. Partnership agreements should clearly disclose fees, financial obligations, decision-making authority and profit distribution. If they don’t, then the industry that was supposed to correct the wrongs created by the War on Drugs may end up becoming just another sector of big pharma. Cannabis may be moving toward a more mainstream future, with greater investment, pharmaceutical research and consolidation. None of those developments has to come at the expense of social equity. If the people prioritized because of the War on Drugs cannot retain ownership, build wealth and benefit from the market they helped establish, we must be honest about what legalization has accomplished and what remains unfinished. The promise was never simply to legalize cannabis. It was to create a fairer industry in the process. Rescheduling should not become another step toward building a lucrative market that leaves that promise behind. Sasha Nutgent is the VP of Cannabis Retail for Housing Works Cannabis Co, the first licensed adult-use and only 100 percent charity dispensary in the state of New York. Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan. The post Cannabis Could End Up Looking Like Big Pharma If Federal Rescheduling Leaves Social Equity Operators Behind (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

President Donald Trump says marijuana is “very bad” for Bill Maher’s health, using his longest-ever post on Truth Social to call the comedian a “major POTHEAD” and “COMPLETE AND TOTAL LOSER.” The president and the HBO host have had a complicated relationship over the years, culminating in a second dinner at the White House this month at which Trump says Maher “looked like hell.” “Bill was drunk and had alcohol in his hand as he walked through the White House” with sports analyst Stephen A. Smith and musician Kid Rock, Trump said on Sunday. “Also, I wanted to tell Bill that he’s a major POTHEAD,” the president said of Maher. “He’s got to stop, it’s very bad for his health.” Trump, whose administration is taking steps to federally reschedule marijuana, has a long history of comments about cannabis and has mostly praised its medical potential while often expressing concerns about broader use. Earlier this month, he complained that cities run by Democrats smell like marijuana. “The sidewalks are disgusting. The streets are disgusting. They’re just in bad shape,” he said. “The doors going into stores are dirty. Everything’s dirty. It smells. It smells of marijuana and other things worse than marijuana.” In April, Trump said that marijuana is the “best of all the alternatives” for people suffering from certain medical conditions. The president said last year that marijuana can be a “substitute for addictive and potentially lethal opioid painkillers”—but he also said he personally is “not going to be taking it.” Last year, Trump said that he has “heard great things having to do with medical, and I’ve heard bad things having to do with just about everything else.” “Medical, for pain and various things, I’ve heard some pretty good things—but for other things, I’ve heard some pretty bad things,” he said. In 2023, Trump suggested there may be a link between the use of “genetically engineered” marijuana and mass shootings. Back in 2020 Trump claimed that marijuana “does cause an IQ problem” in people who use it. Along the lines of his recent comments about problems in Democrat-run cities and the smell of cannabis, the White House said last year that Washington, D.C.’s local “failed policies opened the door to disorder” specifically citing “marijuana decriminalization.” Maher, for his part, joked after his first dinner at the White House with Trump last year that he “wasn’t high,” for it, calling it a “missed opportunity.” Image element courtesy of Angela George. The post Trump Says Marijuana Is ‘Very Bad’ For Bill Maher’s Health, Criticizing Him For Being A ‘Major Pothead’ appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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Booker slams DEA medical marijuana biz registration policy; NH governor candidates debate cannabis; Study: Marijuana doesn’t cause violence Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… BREAKING: Journalism is often consumed for free, but costs money to produce! While this newsletter is proudly sent without cost to you, our ability to send it each day depends on the financial support of readers who can afford to give it. So if you’ve got a few dollars to spare each month and believe in the work we do, please consider joining us on Patreon today. Ryan Quinn, firefighter and paramedic: “I’ve followed Marijuana Moment’s reporting for quite some time, never imagining that one day I would become part of the very issues they cover. As a nearly 20-year firefighter and certified medical cannabis patient now fighting for my career, I’ve learned firsthand how important independent journalism is. I became a monthly supporter because accurate reporting, public awareness and accountability are essential to protecting the rights of people affected by these changing laws.” https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) told Marijuana Moment that it is “ridiculous” and “really problematic” that the Drug Enforcement Administration is pressuring medical cannabis dispensaries to fire employees with prior convictions in order to get federal rescheduling protections. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico said he wants to partner with President Donald Trump on legalizing marijuana if he wins next month’s election. “He’s for legalizing marijuana, and so am I. I hope we can do that together and expunge the records of people who have been locked up for a crime that doesn’t hurt anybody.” New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) reiterated her opposition to legalizing marijuana during a debate, while Democratic challenger Cinde Warmington said it’s time for the state to catch up to its neighbors by legalizing cannabis. The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation published a report it commissioned that found the state’s legal marijuana market is meeting consumer demand and doesn’t need any additional licensed businesses—but which left unanswered questions about whether ownership of current operations is too concentrated. Australian Catholic University’s Isabella Goodwin and King’s College London’s Amir Englund authored a new op-ed about their study showing that doubling THC content in marijuana “does not double the feeling of intoxication.” “The high rises quickly at low doses, but extra THC soon adds less and less, which backs the advice to start low and go slow.” Cardiff University’s Simon C Moore argues in a new op-ed that a recent study does not show that marijuana use causes people to become violent, despite alarmist media reports. “Ice cream sales rise and fall alongside drownings, yet nobody thinks ice cream causes drowning. Hot weather makes people eat more ice cream and swim more, linking the two. Cannabis and violence may be connected in a similarly roundabout way.” / FEDERAL Department of Health and Human Services Deputy General Counsel Matt Zorn discussed the Trump administration’s psychedelics reform efforts. The White House Office of Management and Budget concluded a review of changes to a U.S. Department of Agriculture hemp survey. / STATES The New Jersey Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committee approved legislation to slightly delay a ban on hemp THC products in line with federal law. Idaho lawmakers discussed their views on a proposed constitutional initiative on the November ballot to prevent voters from ever being able to legalize marijuana. Colorado regulators issued a health and safety bulletin about marijuana products found to have the presence of the solvent methyl ethyl ketone. Rhode Island regulators voted to expand marijuana delivery hours. Pennsylvania regulators published guidance about medical cannabis business security requirements. The Maryland Overdose Response Advisory Council’s Citizen Advisory Workgroup is recommending that lawmakers decriminalize drug paraphernalia. Illinois regulators are seeking proposals from contractors to develop a “public education campaign to empower consumers with information to help them understand the benefits of purchasing from the legal cannabis market and the risks of purchasing from the illegal market, including the dangers to public health and safety.” U.S. Virgin Islands regulators are considering potential restrictions on cannabis business ownership by elected officials. Minnesota regulators are accepting applications for a grants program aimed at restoring communities negatively impacted by cannabis prohibition. Oklahoma regulators are conducting a survey of medical cannabis dispensary employees. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — / INTERNATIONAL The United Nations special rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights is urging countries to enact “harm reduction strategies and legalisation of drugs to undercut criminal profits.” British Columbia, Canada’s Conservative Party said it will work with the cannabis and alcohol industries on “economic-development and job-creation strategies, while maintaining common-sense regulation and consumer safety, particularly for youth.” / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “CBD demonstrates promising interaction with bacterial proteins linked to resistance, suggesting it may serve as an effective therapeutic agent against multidrug-resistant bacteria.” A study found that “banning hemp-derived THC beverages is associated with a consumer welfare reduction of $3.32 per individual, per choice occasion,” and that “scaling this result nationally yields an annualized, scenario-based consumer welfare reduction ranging from $112 to $146 million.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The Boston Herald editorial board is urging Massachusetts voters to reject a ballot initiative to roll back the state’s marijuana legalization law. / BUSINESS UPS updated its hemp shipping policy to require additional documentation when new federal restrictions go into effect. Green Thumb Industries is being sued by a former employee who alleges she was improperly fired over a marijuana allergy. Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen is urging Massachusetts voters to reject an initiative on the November ballot to roll back the state’s marijuana legalization law. / CULTURE Football player Anthony Richardson Sr. was charged with marijuana possession. 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 Talarico wants to work with Trump on cannabis (Newsletter: October 26, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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