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A governor-appointed cannabis commission in North Carolina has issued an interim report after holding months of meetings focused on the issue. The group is recommending that the state move away from a criminalization-based approach to cannabis and toward a system of “robust” regulations that provide for adults’ legal access to THC products. The North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis, which Gov. Josh Stein (D) convened last year, says in the new document approved on Thursday that the current “absence of regulation for North Carolina’s intoxicating cannabis market raises numerous concerns,” noting that hemp products are readily available yet largely unregulated and that marijuana remains prohibited altogether in the state, even for medical use. “North Carolina’s intoxicating cannabis market currently exists in a dangerous policy gap that is neither true prohibition nor meaningful regulation.” “Compared to regulated marijuana frameworks in other states, this environment presents identifiable risks,” the report says. “While some operators voluntarily implement consumer protection protocols, these safeguards are not required under state law.” Stein, for his part, thanked the group for its “expertise, hard work, and thoughtful deliberation” in a press release and reiterated his support for legalizing marijuana. “Last year, I charged this group with developing a comprehensive solution to the unregulated sale of cannabis that is grounded in public health and public safety, with a special focus on keeping young people safe,” the governor said. “This report provides the General Assembly with guidance and makes clear that a well-regulated market, including both oversight and enforcement authority, is a safer market for our state.” “Our state’s unregulated cannabis market today is the Wild West and is crying for order,” he said. “Let’s get this right. Let’s protect our kids and create a safe, legal, and well-regulated market for adults.” The council’s report notes that North Carolina is “at a pivotal moment,” given that the state is one of only 10 that does not allow legal and regulated marijuana access for either recreational or medical use. “In the absence of a recognized, regulated marijuana market, North Carolina has one of the largest illicit marijuana markets in the United States, with an estimated $3 billion spent on illegal marijuana in 2022, ranking second in the nation. Additionally, North Carolina’s current market for intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid products is robust. These products have proliferated across the state through retail storefronts, vape shops, convenience stores, and online vendors. Intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid products, often marketed as legal alternatives to marijuana, are being sold in an environment without any uniform standards for manufacturing, testing, labeling, packaging, or age verification, and absent any enforcement or oversight authority.” Under the prohibition approach that the state currently has, the report notes that there is an absence of age restrictions, packaging rules, purchase limits, licensing requirements, zoning guidelines and supply chain oversight. There is also a lack of tax revenue that can be used to address any health and safety concerns associated with marijuana use and commerce. Looking ahead, the interim report recommends that rather than construct separate frameworks for hemp and marijuana, the state should enact molecule-based regulation focused on THC itself, saying that “the plant source is irrelevant and should not drive different treatment when the intoxicating compound is the same.” It also suggests that when choosing how to regulate THC and cannabis, North Carolina should enact “an adult access market with protections for medical consumers.” The panel, however, “does not view a medical-only program as an effective interim step or compromise solution,” and the state should proceed to adult-use access immediately while considering the “availability of medical-consumer protections” as “an important component of a broader regulatory structure.” “Under this framework, adults would be permitted to legally purchase, possess, and use cannabis through state-licensed retail outlets. An adult-use market provides the state with a full regulatory framework and the tools necessary to manage it responsibly. The recommended system also incorporates rigorous medical-grade safeguards, including low-THC product options, comprehensive testing standards, expanded product warnings, recall authority, and access to qualified medical consultation, among others. Importantly, this model would provide the most robust regulatory framework for the state, providing the oversight tools necessary to manage the industry responsibly while generating state revenue. It allows for structured licensing fees and tax revenue to support oversight, the development of clear and enforceable rules, sustained public health messaging grounded in prevention and education, and dedicated resources for compliance and enforcement. This recommendation provides a structure to reign in the rampant hemp market that exists today, while providing necessary guardrails for both public safety and public health.” “Of all possible regulation models, an adult access model would bring the most revenue to the state, which could support public health education campaigns and enforcement efforts,” the advisory council recommended. The report also noted problems that could be caused by the fact that the state is lagging behind its neighbors that are moving ahead with enacting marijuana policy reforms. “If surrounding states adopt regulated cannabis programs while North Carolina does not, the state could effectively become a prohibition jurisdiction situated among regulated markets, a dynamic that may complicate enforcement and influence the flow of products and consumers across state lines,” the report said. Because the council only has the ability to recommend policies and not to actually enact them, members put the onus on state lawmakers to do so. “Ultimately, the authority to bring order to the unregulated, unsafe cannabis market rests with the General Assembly,” the report notes. “The question before policymakers—and this Council—is not whether intoxicating cannabinoid products will exist in the marketplace in North Carolina. They already do. Rather, the question is whether the General Assembly will allow intoxicating products to continue to be sold without enforceable state standards, or whether it will establish a regulatory system designed to protect public health and public safety.” The advisory council was formed after Stein issued an executive order last year, and is comprised of legislators, law enforcement officials, agriculture industry stakeholders, health experts, tribal representatives, advocates and others charged with exploring possible regulatory models for adult-use marijuana and hemp. The governor’s order said there’s a need for reform because the “current lack of regulation, including age, potency, and purity limitations, poses a threat to all North Carolinians, particularly our youth.” And “rather than allowing this unsafe and unregulated market to continue, smart and balanced regulation presents an opportunity not only to protect the health and well-being of our people, but also to generate revenue that can benefit our state.” Members are tasked with developing and submitting initial recommendations on a “comprehensive cannabis policy, including any proposed legislation,” with a final report due by December 31 of this year. The interim report approved this week says that the final document “will incorporate continued stakeholder engagement, data analysis, and policy development and will present a research-based and data-driven comprehensive framework intended to bring structure, accountability, and public confidence to a future North Carolina cannabis marketplace.” In the meantime, the council is continuing its work with new subcommittees focused on regulatory structure, enforcement and criminal justice reform and revenue and federal compliance. During his time as the state’s attorney general, Stein led a separate task force under then-Gov. Roy Cooper (D) that examined racial injustice issues and ultimately recommended decriminalizing marijuana and studying broader legalization in response to racially disparate enforcement trends. In recent legislative sessions, multiple limited medical marijuana legalization bills advanced through the Senate, only to stall out in the House. Meanwhile, a tribe in North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, launched the state’s first marijuana dispensary in 2024—despite the protests of certain Republican congressional lawmakers. Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan. The post North Carolina Governor Steps Up Push For Marijuana Legalization As State Commission Issues New Report appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

FBI agents received specific guidance prohibiting them investing in marijuana companies—but not necessarily those that make hemp or CBD products—according to a 2022 memo that the agency released last week for reasons that are unclear. The allowance for hemp investments and work contains an exception blocking involvement with companies whose packaging “promotes marijuana”—including any depiction of a cannabis leaf, however. The now-unclassified policy directive also details restrictions for agents who work or volunteer outside their roles at FBI, stipulating that they could not take employment opportunities “with any company cultivating, processing, or distributing marijuana, regardless of the legal status of marijuana under local, state, tribal or foreign law.” For both the investment and employment guidance, there are carve-outs—with certain caveats—for products and businesses that deal with hemp or the non-intoxicating cannabinoid CBD, which were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill during President Donald Trump’s first term. The document states that FBI workers can “invest, without restriction, in companies that maintain a financial interest in the CBD industry” unless that interest involves CBD products containing more than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight, which is how federal law currently distinguishes between illegal marijuana and legal hemp. Agents also can’t invest in CBD businesses or products that promote marijuana for medical or recreational purposes. “The determination of whether or not a product promotes marijuana depends on various circumstances, but may be indicated by the product (or advertising for the product) displaying words, images, or associations with marijuana. For example, a product depicting a marijuana leaf on its label is considered promotion of marijuana, and would therefore be impermissible. Employees must consult their [chief division counsel] or the [Office of Integrity and Compliance] to determine whether the company is promoting marijuana.” Under the policy directive, FBI workers are also “prohibited from engaging in outside employment (or any other outside activity [such as volunteering]) with any company cultivating, processing, or distributing marijuana, regardless of the legal status of marijuana under local, state, tribal, or foreign law.” FBI treats marijuana differently from hemp-derived CBD given its legalization under federal law. Workers who make a request to work or volunteer at a business associated with the manufacturing or distribution of cannabidiol products would need to use a specific reporting tool to obtain approval. “Approving authorities must consider such requests on a case-by-case basis and must deny any request to engage in outside employment (or an outside activity) that could create an appearance of violating the law or violating ethical standards, or is otherwise incompatible with maintaining a security clearance. For example, an FBI employee’s request to work for or volunteer with a company producing a drink that contains 0.3 percent or less CBD, but depicts a marijuana leaf on the label, must be denied due to the appearance of promoting illegal drug use.” That component of the directive appears to include a key error by referencing drinks containing up to 0.3 percent of CBD. That trace percentage is typically associated with THC, not CBD, when talking about federal hemp and marijuana policy. Hemp drinks with more than 0.3 percent CBD would typically be considered federally legal, unless they also happened to contain more than 0.3 percent THC. Marijuana Moment reached out to FBI for comment, but a representative was not immediately available. FBI also said in the guidance that workers’ requests to “work at a grocery store that sells products containing CBD (amongst other unrelated products) may be approved if all other applicable criteria” are met. Workers who violate the policy “may be subject to disciplinary or administrative action, including suspension or revocation of security clearance,” the agency said. Again, it’s unclear why FBI declassified this guidance at this point in time, or whether it remains in effect as written. But it’s possible it may need to be revisited in the near future given that the federal definition of hemp and its derivatives are set to become significantly more restrictive, effectively banning all consumable cannabinoid products, under a law Trump signed last year that takes effect in November. Also in 2022, meanwhile, FBI announced that the recent use of marijuana—and even CBD—automatically disqualified people from working at the federal agency. People interested in joining FBI must have abstained from consuming cannabinoids, including the non-intoxicating kind, for at least a year before submitting an application. That guidance didn’t include mention of another marijuana employment rule that FBI previously instituted that rendered applicants ineligible for a job at the agency if they’ve used marijuana more than 24 times after turning 18. In general, FBI’s gradual loosening of its marijuana employment policies has been interpreted as a more practical decision, rather one that necessarily reflects shifting opinions on cannabis within the agency. Then-FBI Director James Comey suggested in 2014 that he wanted to loosen the agency’s employment policies as it concerns marijuana, as potential skilled workers were being passed over due to the requirement. The post FBI Says Agents Can Invest And Work In Hemp Companies But Not Marijuana Industry, Newly Declassified Memo Shows appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

FDA CBD memo; MA anti-marijuana initiative faces lawsuit; DC mayor’s cannabis drinks plan; TX medical marijuana licenses; VA prepares for legal sales 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… Free to read (but not free to produce)! We’re proud of our newsletter and the reporting we publish at Marijuana Moment, and we’re happy to provide it for free. But it takes a lot of work and resources to make this happen. If you value Marijuana Moment, invest in our success on Patreon so we can expand our coverage and more readers can benefit: https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary issued a guidance memo saying the agency “does not intend to enforce” certain federal laws against hemp-derived CBD products covered under a new Medicare initiative if they meet specific requirements. If President Donald Trump replaces outgoing Attorney General Pam Bondi with Lee Zeldin, as he is reportedly considering, it could impact the marijuana rescheduling process—as Zeldin has a mixed record on cannabis as a former lawmaker. A coalition of Massachusetts marijuana businesses filed a lawsuit to keep a measure to roll back recreational cannabis legalization off the November ballot, claiming it violates the state Constitution. Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) proposed new legislation to allow medical marijuana companies to partner with local breweries and distilleries to produce cannabis-infused drinks for sale in the nation’s capital. The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority opened applications for about a dozen new regulatory and compliance roles that will help oversee recreational marijuana sales under a legalization bill that Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) is set to act on this month. The Maryland House of Delegates passed a bill to let firefighters and rescue workers use medical cannabis off duty, with the sponsor saying first responders “should not be punished for seeking legal, medically prescribed relief.” The Texas Department of Public Safety conditionally approved three new medical cannabis business licenses as part of an expansion of patient access to marijuana under a new law passed by lawmakers and signed by the governor last year. / FEDERAL The Drug Enforcement Administration promoted a video about “using AI to combat the opioid crisis.” / STATES New York regulators approved changes to rules on cannabis showcase events as well as additional marijuana business licenses. Colorado regulators posted updated draft psychedelics rules. Pennsylvania regulators published a list of approved hemp compliance testing laboratories. The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission published a post touting the fifth anniversary of the agency. Minnesota regulators sent a newsletter with updates on various cannabis issues. Utah regulators sent an update on the medical cannabis program. The Massachusetts Cannabis Social Equity Advisory Board will meet on Friday. — 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 The Minneapolis, Minnesota City Council will consider a proposal to decriminalize possession of drug paraphernalia on Tuesday. / INTERNATIONAL Tasmania, Australia lawmakers launched a petition calling for a formal inquiry into the state’s cannabis laws. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study’s findings “support the use of oral full-spectrum Cannabis oil as a safe and effective complementary therapy for improving pain and quality of life in dogs with” chronic osteoarthritis. A study found that “administration of up to eight doses of psilocybin in a clinical research setting appears to be safe and potentially effective for patients with” obsessive-compulsive disorder. / BUSINESS Vireo Growth Inc. enacted a management services agreement with PharmaCann Inc. allowing it to manage certain Colorado assets through the closing of an acquisition. RYTHM, Inc. announced amendments to its existing trademark and recipe license agreements with a subsidiary of Green Thumb Industries Inc. 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 How could new attorney general impact cannabis rescheduling? (Newsletter: April 3, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

The mayor of Washington, D.C. is proposing to allow medical marijuana companies to partner with local breweries and distilleries to produce cannabis-infused, alcohol-free drinks for sale in the nation’s capital. Under the partnership contemplated by the Medical Cannabis Beverage Product Amendment Act of 2026 proposed by Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), alcohol companies could apply for a medical cannabis production endorsement at a cost of $500 a year to manufacture cannabis beverages, and medical marijuana companies could apply for a $1,000 annual endorsement to import cannabinoids for production. All beverages would have to be tested by a locally licensed laboratory, and there would be a six percent sales tax on the drinks. “This is an opportunity to support two local industries and to keep business in D.C.,” Bowser said in a press release. “We have fantastic local brewers and distillers in our city, we have a robust medical cannabis market, and this is a new opportunity for those two markets to collaborate and create a safe and smoke-free alternative for patients in D.C.” Breweries and distilleries would not be able to sell the cannabis beverages directly to consumers, and finished products would instead go to partnering medical marijuana manufacturers for testing and distribution. Sales would be limited to registered medical cannabis patients via dispensaries, and the drinks would not be available for purchase in bars, restaurants, liquor stores and grocery stores. “It makes sense to allow partnerships between the District’s medical cannabis and alcohol manufacturing industries to produce medical cannabis beverages,” Fred Moosally, Director of the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration, said. “Providing a legal pathway for our local breweries and distilleries to utilize their expertise in beverage production is the logical next step in maturing D.C.’s medical cannabis marketplace and supporting our local business ecosystem.” A press release from the mayor’s office said that the proposal “works to solve manufacturing challenges for the medical cannabis industry while providing an additional revenue stream for D.C.’s local craft beverage producers.” “By utilizing the existing local bottling infrastructure, D.C. will expand the available smoke-free therapeutic options for medical cannabis patients, provide an additional revenue stream for local industry, and continue growing the District’s economy,” it said. The legislation is now before the Council of the District of Columbia for consideration. While Congress has continually blocked D.C. from legalizing recreational marijuana sales with an annually approved rider, local officials have worked to expand access through the existing medical cannabis market by, for example, by allowing residents and even visiting tourists to self-certify without the need for doctors’ recommendations. The post DC Mayor Proposes To Let Medical Marijuana And Alcohol Companies Partner On THC Drinks appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Massachusetts marijuana businesses have filed a lawsuit aiming to block an initiative to roll back the state’s voter-approved legalization law from reaching the November ballot. The proposal to repeal laws allowing legal recreational cannabis sales violates the state Constitution by containing “impermissibly unrelated subjects,” and the state attorney general’s official summary is “misleading and deficient,” according to the complaint filed on Tuesday before the state’s Supreme Judicial Court. The measure also proposes “an unconstitutional regulatory taking” by “destroy[ing] the reasonable, investment-backed expectations of affected businesses and individuals and would eliminate the livelihoods of thousands of Massachusetts residents,” the suit, brought by participants in the state’s Cannabis Social Equity Program, says. The plaintiffs—Stem Haverhill owner Caroline Pineau, Treevit LLC CEO Gyasi Sellers and Paper 4 Crane Provisions majority owners Lisa Mauriello and Boey Bertold—want the court to declare the initiative invalid, hold that Attorney General Andrea Campbell (D) erred in her summary and certification of the measure and enjoin Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin (D) from putting it on the ballot. The initiative violates the law by combining “several unrelated and independent subjects, including criminal justice changes, elimination of the Social Equity Program, removal of local control over marijuana establishments by municipalities, elimination of professional discipline protections, elimination of public consumption and open container protections, and the dismantling of regulatory safeguards applicable to the medical marijuana industry,” the suit says. “Because of the multiple unrelated provisions contained in the Petition, Massachusetts voters will be placed in the untenable position of being unable to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on it as a unified statement of public policy. For example, a voter who wishes to repeal adult-use marijuana but retain the Social Equity Program or preserve access to legal services for the medical marijuana industry cannot reasonably cast a vote that reflects those preferences. Likewise, a voter who wishes to repeal adult-use marijuana but does not want to eliminate the statewide ban on public consumption of marijuana is forced to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the entire package.” “These scenarios, among others, would force voters to accept provisions they oppose in order to secure provisions they support,” the plaintiffs, who are represented by Vicente LLP, argue, calling the ballot measure “a classic example of logrolling.” While the proponents of the initiative titled it “An Act to Restore Sensible Marijuana Policy,” it amounts to “an incoherent combination of repeal of adult-use marijuana, elimination of protections for professionals, dismantling of social equity initiatives, elimination of public safety protections, and purported measures relating to youth, among other things,” the filing says. That claim is bolstered, the plaintiffs say, by numerous reports of voters who say they were misled by petitioners while being asked to sign ballot petitions. “The Petition at issue proposes a measure entitled ‘An Act to Restore a Sensible Marijuana Policy,’ which, if approved, would impose a hodgepodge of changes to Massachusetts law that are related to one another only by the proponents’ vague and highly subjective assertion that, together, they constitute a ‘sensible marijuana policy.'” The suit also argues that the attorney general’s summary of the measure “fails to inform” voters about the true impact of the initiative, rendering it “neither fair nor concise” in violation of the law. “Massachusetts voters have consistently driven the advancement of marijuana policy in the Commonwealth, often acting in the face of legislative inaction,” the filing says, noting the passage of ballot measures to decriminalize marijuana possession and to legalize medical and recreational cannabis. Wendy Wakeman, a spokesperson for the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts, which is behind the initiative, told The Boston Globe that she finds it “surprising that this group is so opposed to asking the voters what they think of legalized marijuana” by allowing the new measure to go to the ballot. If passed, the state wouldn’t revert back to blanket prohibition; rather, it would repeal the commercial recreational sales and personal home cultivation components of the law while still allowing adults 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of cannabis for personal use. Possession of more than one ounce but less than two ounces would be effectively decriminalized, with violators subject to a $100 fine. Adults could also continue to gift cannabis between each other without remuneration. Medical marijuana sales would remain legal. The measure is currently before the legislature after supporters turned in an initial batch of signatures last year, and lawmakers have until May 5 to act on the proposal. If they choose not to enact it legislatively, the campaign would need to go through another round of petitioning and get at least 12,429 certified signatures by July 1 to make the November ballot. Proponents faced skeptical questioning from lawmakers at a hearing of the Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions last month, with several raising concerns about the motivations behind the anti-marijuana measure and its implications for consumers and businesses. A recent Bay State Poll from the University of Hampshire’s States of Opinion Project found that a majority of Massachusetts adults oppose the marijuana sales and cultivation repeal initiative. The survey came months after cannabis activists filed a complaint with the State Ballot Law Commission, alleging that petitioners with the anti-cannabis campaign used misleading tactics to convince voters to support its ballot placement. The commission rejected the complaint in January, however, and said advocates who challenged the ballot measure raised “unsupported allegations” about the propriety of the signature gathering process that they said warranted official scrutiny. In any case, separate polling has found that nearly half of those who signed the marijuana sales repeal petition felt misled, with many claiming that the measure was pitched to them as a proposal to address unrelated issues such as public education and expanded housing. The anti-marijuana coalition has denied any wrongdoing in the signature collection process and waved off the survey results. An association of state marijuana businesses had separately urged voters to report to local officials if they observe any instances of “fraudulent message” or other deceitful petitioning tactics. Meanwhile, the head of Massachusetts’s marijuana regulatory agency recently suggested that the measure to effectively recriminalize recreational cannabis sales could imperil tax revenue that’s being used to support substance misuse treatment efforts and other public programs. To that point, Massachusetts recently reached another marijuana milestone, with officials announcing in February that the state has surpassed $9 billion in adult-use cannabis purchases since the market launched in 2018. A report from the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) found that legalization is achieving one of its primary goals: disrupting illicit cannabis sales as adults transition to the regulated market. It shows that among adults who reported past-year marijuana use, an overwhelming 84 percent said they obtained their cannabis from a licensed source. Massachusetts lawmakers also recently assembled a bicameral conference committee to reach a deal on a bill that would double the legal marijuana possession limit for adults and revise the regulatory framework for the state’s adult-use cannabis market. In December, state regulators also finalized rules for marijuana social consumption lounges. — 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. — CCC recently launched an online platform aimed at helping people find jobs, workplace training and networking opportunities in the state’s legal cannabis industry. Massachusetts lawmakers additionally approved legislation to establish pilot programs for the regulated therapeutic use of psychedelics. Read the marijuana legalization rollback initiative lawsuit below: The post Massachusetts Marijuana Businesses File Lawsuit To Keep Legalization Rollback Measure Off Ballot appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Maryland lawmakers have approved a bill to protect firefighters and rescue workers from being penalized over their lawful use of medical marijuana off the job. The House of Delegates passed the legislation, HB 797 from Del. Adrian Boafo (D), on third reading by a vote of 100-31 on Thursday, days after it advanced through the Economic Matters Committee. A Senate companion version of the cannabis measure sponsored by Sen. Carl Jackson (D) advanced through that chamber last month. This marks the latest in a series of attempts over recent sessions to enact the reform aimed at giving emergency service professionals the option to use cannabis as an alternative treatment for health conditions that commonly afflict the first responder community, Boafo said at a earlier committee hearing on the bill. Lawmakers are “bringing it back because it’s so critically important to our firefighters” and other rescue professionals who “work long shifts in tense emergencies and high-stress situations every day,” he said. “Many experience chronic pain, injuries and anxiety as a direct result of serving our communities,” the lawmaker said. “Medical cannabis, when prescribed and used off duty, can help manage those conditions. But under current policies, firefighters who use medically prescribed cannabis can face retaliation or discipline from their employers, even when they’re following the law.” “That leaves many of these public servants with a difficult choice: Either continue doing their jobs in pain, or turn to stronger prescription drug drugs, often opiates, just to get through the day,” Boafo said, while emphasizing that “nothing in this bill allows for impairment on the job” and that those who come to work impaired “will still face serious consequences and will be reported” to state emergency medical services regulators. “Public safety remains a top priority here in Maryland, but our state must modernize its laws to protect employees who use medically certified cannabis responsibly and outside of the workplace,” he said. “Our firefighters and rescue professionals dedicate their lives to protecting us. They should not be punished for seeking legal, medically prescribed relief for the physical toll of that work.” HB 797 would amend the state’s medical marijuana law by stipulating that firefighters, emergency medical technicians, cardiac rescue technicians and paramedics employed by the state or local governments could not face employment discrimination or retaliation for testing positive for cannabis metabolites if they’re a registered medical marijuana patient. Specifically, employers could not “discipline, discharge, or otherwise discriminate against the fire and rescue public safety employee with respect to the employee’s compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment” if they test positive while holding a medical cannabis registration. Further, employers could not “limit, segregate, or classify its employees in any way that would deprive or tend to deprive the fire and rescue public safety employee of employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect the fire and rescue public safety employee’s status as an employee.” Nothing in the legislation would prohibit employers from taking action against an employee for showing up to work while under the influence of cannabis, and any instances where a public safety worker is found to be impaired while on duty would be reported to the State Emergency Medical Services Board. The advancement of the House and Senate cannabis bills comes a year after officials in Maryland’s most populous county said they were moving to loosen marijuana policies for would-be police officers in an effort to boost recruitment amid a staffing shortage. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Meanwhile in Maryland, lawmakers are also advancing legislation to extend a psychedelics task force through the end of 2027 to develop updated recommendations on expanding therapeutic access to the novel drugs and potentially creating a regulatory framework for broader legalization. Legislators also took up a bill this session to protect the gun rights of medical marijuana patients in the state. Members of the House Judiciary Committee discussed the legislation from Del. Robin Grammer (R), who has sponsored multiple versions of the cannabis and gun rights measure over recent sessions, but they have not yet advanced to enactment. The post Maryland Lawmakers Pass Bill To Protect Firefighters And Rescue Workers Who Use Medical Marijuana Off Duty appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Virginia officials are ramping up hiring for a variety of cannabis regulatory roles as the state’s pro-legalization governor prepares to take action on a bill to allow recreational sales, in addition to several other reform proposals that lawmakers have sent to her desk. In one of the latest indicators that the commonwealth is positioned to enact a system of regulated marijuana sales, Virginia’s government jobs site was recently updated with a list featuring nearly a dozen openings for cannabis regulatory positions. That includes a cannabis licensing director who would play a central role in standing up adult-use businesses, a compliance and enforcement director to ensure any commercial market is adhering to the law and various ancillary roles to support those positions. The licensing director under the state’s existing Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) would be tasked with providing “strategic and operational leadership for all cannabis licensing functions” and ensuring that “licensing processes are fair, transparent, timely, and compliant with statutory and regulatory requirements,” a job description says. The director of compliance and enforcement, meanwhile, would be responsible for overseeing the “monitoring, inspections, investigations, and enforcement actions within the state’s cannabis regulatory agency.” And they would be expected to create a “fair, consistent, and transparent compliance framework that supports responsible industry growth while safeguarding the public.” Other newly open roles at CCA include a cannabis equity business loan administrator, compliance and enforcement manager, compliance and enforcement inspector, senior licensing associate, impact business support specialist, chief licensing and compliance officer, talent and acquisition specialist and impact business support team manager. The application period for most of the jobs is open until this Sunday, while others close on April 12. While the job listings signal that the state is taking steps to prepare for the market’s expansion into adult-use commercial sales, Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has not yet formally signed the legalization law into effect after a reform bill was delivered to her desk earlier this month. It’s also possible she could push for certain regulatory changes before approving the reform by sending amendments back to the legislature for lawmakers to consider later this month. The governor is also set to act on separate legislation that would provide resentencing relief for people with past convictions, protect the parental rights of consumers, allow patients to access medical marijuana in hospitals, change delivery and labeling rules and provide for enforcement against illegal sales of cannabis products. Spanberger has until April 13 to sign or veto each proposal, or return it to lawmakers with proposed amendments. She can also take no action and allow a bill to be enacted without her signature. During last year’s campaign for governor, Spanberger made clear that she supports legalizing adult-use marijuana sales, though it’s not clear if she will request any changes to the bill lawmakers passed on that topic, and she also not weighed in specifically on issues like cannabis consumers’ parental rights or patients’ medical access in hospitals. — 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. — Personal marijuana possession and home cultivation has been legal in Virginia since 2021, but former Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) twice vetoed bills to provide consumers with a way to legally purchase regulated adult-use cannabis. Under the marijuana sales bills set for Spanberger’s action, SB 542 from Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D) and HB 642 from Del. Paul Krizek (D), the recreational market could launch on January 1, 2027. The current possession limit for cannabis would also increase. Here are the other key details: Adults would be able to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana in a single transaction, or up to an equivalent amount of other cannabis products as determined by regulators. Legal sales could begin on January 1, 2027. There would be an excise tax of 6 percent on cannabis sales as well as a 5.3 percent retail sales and use tax, and municipalities could set an additional local tax of up to 3.5 percent. CCA would oversee licensing and regulation of the new industry, and would also take on oversight of hemp, which is currently under the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Revenue would be distributed to the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund (30 percent), early childhood education (40 percent), the Department of Behavioral & Developmental Health Services (25 percent) and public health initiatives (5 percent). Local governments could not opt out of allowing marijuana businesses to operate in their area. Delivery services would be allowed. Serving sizes would be capped at 10 milligrams THC, with no more than 100 mg THC per package. Existing medical cannabis operators could enter the adult-use market if they pay a licensing conversion fee that is set at $10 million. Cannabis businesses would have to establish labor peace agreements with workers. A legislative commission would be directed to study adding on-site consumption licenses and microbusiness cannabis event permits that would allow licensees to conduct sales at venues like farmers markets or pop-up locations. It would also investigate the possibility of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority becoming involved in marijuana regulations and enforcement. If Spanberger proposes any amendments to—or unexpectedly vetoes—any of the bills prior to her April 13 deadline, lawmakers will have the opportunity to address those actions when they reconvene on April 22. For now, however, advocates are celebrating the advancement of cannabis reform this year. The post Virginia Officials Post New Marijuana Regulatory And Compliance Job Openings As Governor Nears Deadline To Act On Adult-Use Sales Bill appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Attorney General Pam Bondi will be transitioning out of the role. He is reportedly considering replacing her with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin—a move that could have major implications for marijuana reform as a proposal to federally reschedule cannabis remains pending at the Department of Justice. “Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year,” the president said in a post on his Truth Social platform. “Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country, with Murders plummeting to their lowest level since 1900. We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future.” On Wednesday, The New York Times had reported that Trump has grown “frustrated” with Bondi’s leadership at DOJ, in particular her handling of the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. While the president told the paper in a statement that Bondi “is a wonderful person and she is doing a good job,” the report cited sources who said he has floated the idea of replacing her with Zeldin, who previously served in Congress and as a New York state senator and unsuccessfully ran for governor. While The Times did not mention marijuana as a reason for Trump’s reported dissatisfaction with Bondi, it has been more than three months since he issued an executive order directing her to complete the process of moving cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to Schedule III “in the most expeditious manner,” and that has not happened. If Bondi, who opposed cannabis reform in Florida as that state’s attorney general, is replaced by Zeldin, who has a mixed record on cannabis reform, it could impact whether and how soon the rescheduling process is completed. As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he voted against a bill to federally legalize and tax marijuana in 2020 and was absent for a vote on a version of the legislation in 2022. He voted in favor of 2015 amendments to protect state medical cannabis programs and CBD policies from federal interference but opposed amendments that year and in 2019 and 2020 to extend the protections to state recreational marijuana laws. In 2015 and 2016, Zeldin voted for amendments to allow Department of Veterans Affairs doctors to issue medical cannabis recommendations. In 2022, Zeldin voted against an amendment to require federal agencies to review security clearance denials going back to 1971 and retroactively make it so cannabis could not be used “as a reason to deny or rescind a security clearance.” In 2019, he voted in favor of a bill to increase marijuana businesses’ access to banking services but missed a vote on a later version of the legislation in 2021. In 2019 and 2021, Zeldin voted against amendments aimed at removing restrictions on psychedelics research. In 2021 he voted for an anti-reform amendment to remove protections for universities that study marijuana. As a state senator in New York, he voted against the bill that legalized medical cannabis in 2014. In a 2022 gubernatorial debate with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), Zeldin complained about smelling cannabis in public and said he is opposed to opening drug overdose prevention centers. Also that year, he criticized state regulators’ move to give priority access to marijuana dispensary licenses for people with prior convictions in an interview with Tucker Carlson in which he also questioned New York City’s move to allow safe consumption sites for illegal drugs to operate. In a now-deleted tweet, Zeldin said that “the Criminals for Kathy coalition is growing.” “Cannabis dispensary licenses are going to start getting distributed in NY, & the Hochul admin will be giving FIRST PRIORITY to people previously convicted for marijuana offenses,” he said. “Hochul’s criminal first agenda is so wrong for NY.” NORML gave Zeldin a C- grade in its “Smoke The Vote” guide. Zeldin does not appear to have publicly weighed in on the idea of rescheduling marijuana, and his mixed record on legislation related to medical cannabis, easing the process of research on controlled substances and broader marijuana reform raises questions about where he personally stands on the issue. In any case, the president has made clear that he wants cannabis to be moved to Schedule III, regardless of who is leading DOJ. It remains to be seen just how quickly that could happen under a new attorney general. Trump said on Thursday that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will serve as acting attorney general until Bondi’s replacement is confirmed for the position. During his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation process, Blanche said in response to a written question about marijuana rescheduling from Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) that he would “give the matter careful consideration after conferring with all relevant stakeholders, including [Drug Enforcement Administration personnel.” When asked about aligning federal and state marijuana laws, he said that “coordination between federal and state authorities is critically important” but that he had “not had the opportunity to study this particular issue.” “If confirmed, I will consult with the necessary stakeholders and give this matter careful consideration,” he said. Welch also asked about Obama-era enforcement guidance that directed prosecutors to generally not interfere with state cannabis laws, which was rescinded during the first Trump administration. “I have not had occasion to study this particular issue,” Blanche replied. “If confirmed…I think it is important to empower our U.S. Attorneys, who we trust to follow the law and to follow Department rules.” The post Marijuana Rescheduling Could Be Impacted If Trump Replaces Bondi As Attorney General With Zeldin appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Texas officials have 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. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced on Wednesday that it initiated a second phase of the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) expansion selection process by picking three new businesses that can move forward in the process. This comes months after the agency selected an initial wave of nine businesses to advance in Texas’s expanded medical cannabis licensing and approval process. The new businesses that got approval this week “will be conditionally awarded TCUP licenses, subject to additional due diligence, such as disciplinary actions, financial suitability, litigation history and any other information as required by the department,” the announcement says. Among the successful applicants are two affiliates of major multi-state marijuana businesses, GTI Texas, LLC dba RISE Dispensaries and Cresco Labs Texas, LLC. Texas Medica Collective, LLC was also selected. Officials said the conditional approvals “do not grant the applicant permission to cultivate, manufacture, distribute or sell cannabis products until final approval by the department.” “As a holder of a conditional license, the licensee is subject to the department’s ongoing due diligence evaluation,” DPS said. “Each conditional licensee is expected to fully comply with all statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to the medicinal license issued under TCUP.” UPDATE: The Texas Department of Public Safety has initiated Phase II of the Texas Compassionate Use Program expansion selection process. Three new businesses have been selected to move forward for further due diligence, adding to the nine announced in Phase I last year. 12 other… pic.twitter.com/zSUnkAkYJA — Texas DPS (@TxDPS) April 1, 2026 “DPS will request additional information from these businesses and will not invoice any dispensing organization license fees until the additional due diligence evaluations are completed and passed,” the department said. “The announcement of these three businesses today does not guarantee that these businesses will be issued final TCUP licenses to operate as dispensing organizations.” The law passed by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in June. DPS is required to issue a total of 12 new licenses under the legislation. In case any of the current selectees from the first and second phases fail to meet the requirement to become fully operational within 24 months of licensure, DPS on Wednesday also named 12 additional business “for possible future review.” They are: Sawtooth Texas LLC Bluebonnet Technologies, LLC Village Farms, LP Lone Star Life, LLC Texas Health Systems, Inc MSC Lone Star, LLC Bayou City Medical Dispensary Sua Vaping Inc dba Vape City Texas CMP, LLC dba Texas Apothecary JG Texas LLC dba Justice Cannabis Co Sage and Stone Holistics, LLC TheraTrue Virginia, LLC dba TheraTrue This represents a major expansion to the program, as there are currently only three medical cannabis dispensaries licensed to operate in Texas. In addition to increasing the number of dispensaries in the state, the law signed by the governor also expands the state’s list of medical marijuana qualifying conditions to include chronic pain, traumatic brain injury (TBI), Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases, while also allowing end-of-life patients in palliative or hospice care to use marijuana. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — The TCUP expansion comes as Texas officials are implementing new restrictions on hemp products, including a ban on THCA smokable hemp flowers that took effect this week. Last month, Texas voters approved a marijuana legalization question that appeared on the state’s Democratic primary ballot. A 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 this week 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 Officials Approve New Medical Marijuana Business Licenses Under Plan To Expand Patient Access appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued guidance making clear that it does not intend to interfere with implementation of a new Trump administration initiative to cover up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products each year for eligible Medicare patients. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary wrote in a two-page memo on Wednesday that the agency “does not intend to enforce” certain sections of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act “with respect to an orally administered, hemp-derived CBD product solely on the basis that it contains CBD,” provided that it meets certain requirements. In particular, in order to avoid enforcement of laws that deem a drug misbranded if its label lacks adequate directions for use and that require premarket approval for new drugs, CBD products under the new FDA guidance must meet the following conditions: be manufactured, marketed, and labeled in a manner that would be consistent with the dietary supplement framework, including bearing a supplement facts panel and structure/function claims, not be contaminated, not be packaged or labeled in a manner that would be attractive to or marketed for children, and be provided to a beneficiary through a program of medical items or services payable under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, under the direction of the patient’s treating physician, in a manner ancillary to the covered items or services furnished under such program. Makary’s memo, titled “Hemp-Derived Cannabidiol Products in Medical Research Models,” came on the same day the hemp product coverage program being administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched. That effort focuses largely on CBD but also allows a certain amount of THC in products. THC, however, was not mentioned in the new FDA guidance. More generally, Makary’s letter, which is addressed to FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods and the acting director of the agency’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, says that “FDA-regulated products containing cannabidiol (CBD) are subject to the same legal and regulatory requirements as other FDA-regulated products.” “The applicable regulatory framework, and the relevant legal requirements, that apply to a given FDA-regulated CBD product will depend on the type of product at issue,” the commissioner wrote. “FDA has jurisdiction over a variety of product types, and an FDA-regulated product that contains CBD is subject to the framework and requirements that apply to that product type (food, drug, cosmetic, etc.).” Hemp industry advocates cheered the guidance. “It’s very encouraging that the FDA appears to be allowing the Medicare pilot program to proceed. This is a sign that the executive branch is becoming comfortable with hemp-derived products,” Jim Higdon, co-founder and chief communications officer for Cornbread Hemp, which is participating in the CMS effort as a product supplier, told Marijuana Moment. “Now, we just need Congress to agree.” “The historic implications of this moment are difficult to overstate,” Higdon said. “We could be entering a new era of cannabis legalization that has opened the door to insurance coverage and access for all.” The CMS initiative comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December calling on the attorney general to finalize a rule federally rescheduling marijuana that also contained components to “improve access” to full-spectrum CBD products. Under the program, inhalable preparations are not allowed, and products can contain no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight and can have up to 3 milligrams of total THC per serving. The THC limit could potentially change if a law the president signed late last year takes effect as scheduled this November. That policy would strictly limit the types of cannabis products that are currently permitted under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed in his first term, expressly prohibiting hemp derivatives containing more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container. The Medicare cannabis product plan is being challenged in a lawsuit filed this week by a coalition of anti-marijuana organizations. A federal judge denied their motion for a temporary restraining order to halt it from launching, but scheduled a hearing for April 20 on their separate request for a preliminary injunction. Meanwhile, the White House Office of Management and Budget is holding a series of meetings this week and next week about an FDA CBD products enforcement policy. Makary, for his part, said in February that while the Trump administration is taking the potential harms of marijuana use among youth “very seriously,” it’s also important to preserve access to cannabis for medical purposes—and that’s part of the thinking behind the push to federally reschedule it. Last year, the FDA commissioner said exploring the therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as psilocybin and ibogaine is a “top priority” for the Trump administration, especially when it comes to helping military veterans grapple with trauma from being sent to fight “unnecessary wars.” Meanwhile, asked about the widespread availability of intoxicating cannabinoid products, such as delta-8 THC, Makary warned last year that the use of cannabinoids can lead to cardiac problems and psychosis. The post New FDA Enforcement Memo Clears Way For Hemp CBD Product Coverage Under New Medicare Plan appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

White House cannabis meeting; CO gov signs medical marijuana in hospitals bill; MD psychedelics vote; VA hemp products op-ed; TX ibogaine 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… Free to read (but not free to produce)! We’re proud of our newsletter and the reporting we publish at Marijuana Moment, and we’re happy to provide it for free. But it takes a lot of work and resources to make this happen. If you value Marijuana Moment, invest in our success on Patreon so we can expand our coverage and more readers can benefit: https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz announced the launch of a new Trump administration initiative to cover hemp CBD and THC products, revealing that five Accountable Care Organizations have already submitted implementation plans. A federal judge denied anti-marijuana groups’ request to block the hemp CBD and THC products coverage pilot program from taking effect—though their overall lawsuit is still under consideration, with a hearing on their motion for a preliminary injunction scheduled for 4/20. David Heldreth of Panacea Plant Sciences spoke to Marijuana Moment shortly after participating in the White House Office of Management and Budget’s first meeting about a new CBD products enforcement policy from the Food and Drug Administration. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a bill to allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis in healthcare facilities such as hospitals—but he criticized amendments that make participation by care centers optional rather than mandatory. The Maryland House of Delegates advanced a Senate-passed 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.” Ivory Ellis of 757 Smokes argues in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed that Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) should use her power to propose amendments to provisions in a cannabis sales legalization bill that threaten to “upend access to the popular hemp products.” Texas’s lieutenant governor and House speaker said 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 under a recently enacted law. The Missouri Senate approved a bill to ban intoxicating hemp products, protect marijuana consumers’ privacy and recognize cannabis industry workers’ right to unionize. The Nebraska legislature passed a medical cannabis regulation and funding bill that authorizes business application fees and requires license applicants to submit fingerprints for background checks. / FEDERAL Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) tweeted, “We were finally making real progress on marijuana reform — moving it out of Schedule I and opening the door to real research. But that progress has completely stalled under Trump. Deadlines missed, reforms delayed, and no answers given. That’s unacceptable. I’m demanding answers.” / STATES Colorado regulators issued a health and safety advisory about marijuana products with pesticides above acceptable limits. Florida regulators filed changes to rules on medical cannabis delivery devices, harvest failures and wholesale transfers. Massachusetts regulators adopted rules continuing to make marijuana delivery licenses exclusively available to equity program participants and improving the dispensary secret shopper program. New Jersey regulators approved additional marijuana business licenses and took disciplinary action for alleged violations. Minnesota regulators are now accepting applications for lower-potency hemp edible retailer, manufacturer and wholesaler business licenses. Montana regulators posted resources about what they are calling “4/20 Safety Awareness Month.” — 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 A Monroe County, Indiana prosecutor candidate pledged to refuse to pursue marijuana possession cases. / INTERNATIONAL Thailand’s public health minister discussed forthcoming stricter medical cannabis rules. Canadian officials sent a warning to travelers visiting the country for Easter to not bring cannabis in or leave with it. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “CBD demonstrates promising multi-target activity against critical signaling molecules in breast cancer and may serve as a safer, natural therapeutic candidate.” A study of men with prostate cancer found that “cannabinoid therapy, whether used independently or alongside chemotherapy, was associated with improved pain control and some indicators of tumour response, without evidence of harm.” / BUSINESS Vireo Growth Inc. closed its acquisition of Eaze Inc. Tilray Brands, Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of $206.7 million and a net loss of $25.2 million. Jushi Holdings Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of $68.3 million and a net loss of $15.6 million. Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc. announced an additional equity investment by a subsidiary of British American Tobacco plc. Village Farms International, Inc. favorably amended and extended a loan with a long-term lender. 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 Judge allows Medicare THC & CBD plan to launch amid lawsuit (Newsletter: April 2, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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The White House has held the first in a series of scheduled meetings with cannabis industry and research stakeholders to discuss a proposed new enforcement policy for CBD products. Representatives of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) under the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) spoke with David Heldreth, CEO of Panacea Plant Sciences, on Wednesday to gain insight on the pending Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approach for cannabidiol. Marijuana Moment caught up with Heldreth shortly after he finished attending the remote meeting, which is one of several discussions on the issue that OIRA scheduled after publishing a notice about its review of the FDA policy last month. “Members of FDA were present but did not identify themselves besides the host. They opened the meeting with statements that they cannot reveal anything about the policy or when it will come out and essentially won’t provide any details,” he said. “Then they opened the floor for me.” Heldreth said he raised questions about the legality of a new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) initiative to cover certain hemp-derived CBD and THC products that launched on Wednesday. “Current FDA policy is that CBD can’t be a [generally recognized as safe], food additive or supplement, and as such technically all CBD products are illegal outside vaping and smoking,” he said he told the federal officials. “I told them they put the cart before the horse. This current CBD policy needed to be updated before they could legally begin any legal reimbursement program for CBD.” “I then went on to discuss that if policy changes then it should be more than just CBD isolate,” Heldreth said. “Recent federal legislation set a THC limit at 0.4 mg per container/serving for cannabinoid extracts, but created industrial hemp carve out that stays at a 0.3 percent THC level rather than the 0.4 mg THC limit for for stalk, seed and hemp microgreen or leaves for oral consumption. As such hemp leaves below 0.3 percent THC are industrial hemp and also defined as for oral consumption by Congress. I believe the FDA policy for CBD should acknowledge that and include a policy allowing hemp leaves and microgreens to be defined as food, gras and allowed as food additives.” He said that as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, he hopes officials follow federal laws to hold specific tribal consultation about the issue. “I’m glad the White House held the meeting, but I believe this whole process won’t amount to much,” Heldreth said, noting that he participated in similar meetings about CBD policy with FDA officials in 2020 and “nothing changed” at the time. “The reality is without congressional action to address the drug preclusion law it’s difficult to get CBD allowed,” he said. “However, I believe items like hemp leaf will fall outside of that and provide options.” OIRA will also be meeting with Trent Woloveck of the multi-state cannabis operator Jushi Holdings on Wednesday, as well as Mackie Barch of Story Cannabis and Iowa hemp farmer Earl Ramey on Thursday, and Brett Goldman of OCan Group, LLC next week. All of this comes months before changes to federal hemp laws are set to significantly shake up the industry, with a ban on most consumable cannabinoid products containing THC taking effect in November. As part of the underlying law, FDA was tasked with publishing a list of known cannabinoids, but it missed a congressionally imposed deadline to fulfill that obligation and it’s unclear when that list will ultimately be furnished. Some have speculated that the enforcement policy guidance that OIRA is reviewing concerns the executive order President Donald Trump signed in December to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which also included provisions directing CMS to create a pathway for CBD health care coverage. The CBD-focused plan—which a coalition of anti-cannabis groups led by Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is now seeking to block in federal court—will also allow a certain amount of THC in products, but the agency said the planned rules are subject to change if federal hemp policy changes, as is currently expected under the law set to take effect in November. Participants would be required to ensure that CBD is sourced from “a legally compliant source and high-quality farm,” prepared as an oral solution and tested for cannabinoid content so that available products contain no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight and up to 3 milligrams of total THC per serving. CMS said that centers participating in one of three models that receive substance access Beneficiary Engagement Incentives (BEI) will be able to “consult with eligible beneficiaries about the possible use of eligible hemp products to improve symptom control.” The details about the rules for the CBD pilot program came weeks after a co-founder of the hemp company Charlotte’s Web, which has been collaborating with CMS, said the agency had already finalized its plans for federal health insurance coverage of cannabidiol. — 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. — While CMS implemented an earlier final rule last April specifically stipulating that marijuana, as well as CBD that can be derived from federally legal hemp, are ineligible for coverage under its Medicare Advantage program and other services, the agency is now revising that policy. CMS had already announced certain changes as part of a rulemaking process that was unveiled late last year, affecting “marketing and communications, drug coverage, enrollment processes, special needs plans, and other programmatic areas” for insurance programs it oversees. One of those changes dealt with cannabidiol coverage. Meanwhile, with respect to the marijuana components of Trump’s December executive order, Attorney General Pam Bondi was directed to expeditiously finalize the proposal to reschedule cannabis, which would not federally legalize it but would remove certain research barriers and let state-licensed marijuana businesses take federal tax deductions they’re currently barred from under an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E. That rescheduling proposal remains pending, however. The post A Look Inside The White House’s First Cannabis Products Enforcement Policy Meeting appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Federal health officials on Wednesday announced the launch of a new Trump administration initiative to cover up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products each year for eligible 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. “CMS is committed to innovation that meets patients where they are while maintaining strong safeguards and clinical oversight,” CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said in a press release. “Under the president’s leadership, we’re expanding the tools available to improve patients’ health while generating important insights into how providers can use these tools safely and effectively in real-world care settings.” President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December calling on the attorney general to finalize a rule federally rescheduling marijuana that also contained components to “improve access” to full-spectrum CBD products. To that end, the new CMS hemp initiative “reflects the Administration’s broader efforts to expand access to innovative, patient-centered care,” the agency said. “It marks a meaningful step as CMS begins testing how emerging care tools can be integrated into coordinated care to improve outcomes and quality of life.” CMS’s new Substance Access Beneficiary Engagement Incentive will expand the tools available to improve patients’ health, utilizing innovation while maintaining strong safeguards and clinical oversight. https://t.co/fpVtQQ0GVi — DrOzCMS (@DrOzCMS) April 1, 2026 The Substance Access Beneficiary Engagement Incentive (BEI) is available to participants in CMS’s ACO REACH Model and Enhancing Oncology Model as of Wednesday, and under the Long-term Enhance ACO Design (LEAD) Model starting on January 1, 2027. “This new CMS initiative gives providers in certain models another tool—with necessary safeguards—to support their patients’ needs through consultation about whether possible use of hemp products could help improve symptoms,” CMS Innovation Center Director Abe Sutton said. The agency announced that five Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in the ACO REACH Model have already submitted implementation plans that CMS will review, with more expected soon. “Products must comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws and meet quality and safety standards, including third-party testing for potency and contaminants,” the agency said. Inhalable preparations are not allowed, and products can contain no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight and can have up to 3 milligrams of total THC per serving. The THC limit could potentially change if a law the president signed late last year takes effect as scheduled this November. That policy would strictly limit the types of cannabis products that are currently permitted under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed in his first term, expressly prohibiting hemp derivatives containing more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container. “CMS will not pay for or reimburse providers for these products under the Substance Access BEI,” the agency said in Wednesday’s announcement. “The incentive includes strong safeguards to protect patients and ensure appropriate use, including physician oversight, strict product standards, and program integrity requirements.” The Medicare cannabis product plan is being challenged in a lawsuit filed this week by a coalition of anti-marijuana organizations. A federal judge denied their motion for a temporary restraining order to halt it from launching, but scheduled a hearing for April 20 on their separate request for a preliminary injunction. In the meantime, CMS said it “will monitor implementation and evaluate outcomes as part of its ongoing work to test new approaches to appropriate and cost-effective care delivery and payment.” “CMS does not make claims regarding the therapeutic value of these products,” the agency said. The post Dr. Oz Announces Launch Of Program Covering Hemp THC And CBD Products Through Medicare appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Maryland House lawmakers have approved a Senate-passed bill to extend a psychedelics task force through the end of 2027 to develop updated recommendations on expanding therapeutic access to the novel drugs and potentially creating a regulatory framework for broader legalization. About a month after unanimously advancing through the Senate, members of the House Health Committee on Tuesday approved the legislation from Sen. Brian Feldman (D) and the full House signed off on second reading on Wednesday, with third reading passage expected soon. The House of Delegates separately passed the chamber’s own version of the bill last month. Both chambers’ proposals are aimed at building upon a current law that created the Maryland Task Force on Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances. The Senate version of the bill was been amended in that chamber to add a representative of a historically black college or university (HBCU) to the task force. Del. Pam Guzzone (D) said on Tuesday that she wants senators to amend her bill, which is now in the other chamber, to also add the HBCU representative so that both versions will be identical. 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 Gov. Wes Moore’s (D) 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 would continue that work, maintaining the panel through December 31, 2027. In the interim, the task force would be required to submit an updated report to legislators with additional findings and recommendations by October 31 of this year. Beyond the extended timeline for the task force to study and develop the new report, the current law would not change under the legislation. 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, earlier this month, Maryland lawmakers took up a bill to protect firefighters and rescue workers from being penalized over their lawful use of medical marijuana off the job—taking 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. Legislators also considered a bill last month to protect the gun rights of medical marijuana patients in the state. Members of the House Judiciary Committee discussed the legislation from Del. Robin Grammer (R), who has sponsored multiple versions of the cannabis and gun rights measure over recent sessions, but they have not yet advanced to enactment. Separately, a Republican congressional lawmaker representing Maryland who has built a reputation as one of the staunchest opponents of marijuana reform on Capitol Hill—and whose record includes ensuring that Washington, D.C. officials are blocked from legalizing recreational cannabis sales—may be at risk of being unseated in November due to redistricting in his state. Photo elements courtesy of carlosemmaskype and Apollo. The post Maryland Lawmakers Advance Bill To Extend Psychedelics Task Force Through 2027 appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“Hemp farmers were there and were excluded from every negotiation over the very crops we grow. Let that sink in. The Constitution didn’t fail us… 25 senators did.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent After nine hours of debate over competing proposals to ban intoxicating hemp products, the Missouri Senate finally approved a House bill Tuesday night that would align state law with a federal ban set to take effect in November. It also includes provisions to protect marijuana consumer privacy and cannabis workers’ right to organize. It now heads back to the House, which can either ask for a conference to work out differences with the Senate or send it to the governor. The bill, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Dave Hinman of O’Fallon, would prohibit hemp products from containing more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container, which is among the limits included in a provision in the federal spending bill Congress approved last year. Even if Congress reverses course and decides to allow the sale of these products, Hinman’s bill would only permit them to be sold in Missouri’s licensed marijuana dispensaries. And if Congress chooses to delay the ban for a couple years, Missouri would still ban all products, except for intoxicating beverages. “I had just a good opportunity over in the Senate to work with several of the senators to get some of the things that they wanted to get on there that I think actually benefit the bill,” Hinman told The Independent Wednesday morning. “So I’m very happy with the things that were done last night and look forward to bringing that to the House tomorrow.” Resistance to the bill came from Republican senators who expressed concern that the hemp industry members weren’t included in the final negotiations that took place for more than 12 hours Tuesday. And Democratic state Sen. Karla May of St. Louis argued Missouri would be taking a more restrictive approach than the federal government because the proposals would deem the intoxicating hemp products as “marijuana.” “They claim they’re mirroring the federal regulation,” May said during the debate Tuesday. “There’s some things in there that’s going far beyond the federal regulation, such as…hemp-derived cannabinoids will be put under the marijuana umbrella and have to be sold in dispensaries.” May successfully led a nearly seven-hour filibuster on the first bill brought for discussion, sponsored by Republican state Sen. David Gregory, which would have made the ban effective as soon as the governor signed it. “We spent pretty much from 11 a.m. until really 9 p.m. trying to figure out where we wanted to go, trying different things,” Hinman said, regarding Gregory’s bill. “We couldn’t get everyone really to agree, and so the senator [Gregory] suggested, ‘Let’s just go back to Hinman’s bill and go with that.’” In an unusual move, the senators decided to reconvene the Senate Fiscal Oversight Committee at about 10 p.m. The same committee had decided not to vote on Hinman’s bill earlier that day, saying Hinman needed to reach a resolution with the hemp industry. There was no public notice of the fiscal oversight committee’s evening meeting, which ended when senators voted to move the bill forward and allowed the full Senate to take it up for debate. An amendment was approved to keep dispensaries from collecting marijuana consumers’ information unless they “opted in,” Hinman said, and another ensured all cannabis workers can unionize and shouldn’t be considered “agricultural workers” who aren’t protected under federal law. A group of workers in St. Louis have been battling this point since 2023. May also offered an amendment to clarify the effective date of the bill, setting it for November 12. With its approval, she agreed to end her filibuster and let Hinman’s bill come to a vote. Her amendment, Hinman said, was a needed “fix” to the bill. However, Republican state Sen. Mike Moon was not appeased, arguing that the Missouri Hemp Trade Association should have been at the negotiating table, though Gregory said he’d met with them before. “If I’ve made that policy decision, and that’s a sticking point for me, that I’m not going to entertain allowing marijuana to be called hemp and to be sold on every street corner,” Gregory said, “there’s no point in continuing to flirt with it when I know that I’m not going to support it.” Moon delayed a vote on the bill by reading “The Law” by Frédéric Bastiat for an hour. Hemp business owner John Grady was present for Tuesday’s debate and said numerous marijuana lobbyists “owned that hallway.” “Hemp farmers were there and were excluded from every negotiation over the very crops we grow,” Grady said. “Let that sink in. The Constitution didn’t fail us… 25 senators did.” Hinman said this is not the bill he originally proposed or wanted. His original bill stated Missouri would delay its ban if the federal government did, but he said that would unintentionally leave the products unregulated in the state indefinitely. If Congress decides to allow low-dose THC hemp products to be sold outside dispensaries, he said Missouri would have to come back and pass legislation allowing that. State officials estimated in 2024 that 40,000 food establishments and smoke shops and 1,800 food manufacturers were selling products that would be banned under the proposed federal regulations. Hinman’s legislation was one of the first bills to get House approval this year. He previously told The Independent the legislation was a priority for the state’s leadership, including the governor, attorney general and House speaker. Intoxicating hemp products with as much as 1,000 mg of THC are being sold in smoke shops—outside of Missouri’s licensed marijuana dispensaries—and they aren’t regulated by any government agency. Missouri lawmakers have failed to pass legislation regulating these products since 2023. Senators also added a provision that requires people to be 21 to purchase THC beverages. Hinman said there are other bills pending that include more detailed regulations regarding selling hemp-derived THC beverages, if the federal government ultimately allows it. “We had no regulatory framework in this bill,” he said. “We didn’t want to put a regulatory framework, but we thought that was an important one that everybody agreed needed to be in there.” This story was first published by Missouri Independent. The post Missouri Senate Passes Bill To Ban Intoxicating Hemp THC Products appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“Appears there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. Fingers crossed.” By Zach Wendling, Nebraska Examiner The Nebraska Legislature approved its first-ever bill related to a state medical cannabis program Wednesday, which regulators say is key to getting the medicine to Nebraskans. Lawmakers voted 46-2 to pass Legislative Bill 1235, led by the General Affairs Committee. The bill would give the voter-created regulatory commission the ability to set fees and raise revenue. With other funding in LB 1071’s state budget adjustments, approved 35-13 Wednesday as well, the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission could soon hire its first dedicated staff. The commission did not formally support or oppose LB 1235, but lawmakers made clear the measure was introduced on the commission’s behalf. The legislation would have initially expanded commission authority to regulate patients, caregivers and medical providers, authority not contemplated in the ballot measure creating the commission that 67 percent of voters passed in 2024. Those provisions were removed. In the same 2024 election, 71 percent of voters legalized possession of up to 5 ounces of medical cannabis for patients and their caregivers with a health care practitioner’s recommendation. Lawmakers have estimated getting medical cannabis to patients might still be at least a year out. When it does, the medicine would not be subject to sales taxes under current law. LB 1235 ultimately passed with four main components, as well as other provisions related to alcohol and liquor regulation: Paying medical cannabis commissioners a salary of $12,500 for their work. Creating a dedicated state cash fund to collect legislative funding, fees, gifts, grants and other monies collected by the commission, which can be used for medical cannabis regulation. Authorizing the commission to set application fees, such as for cultivators, manufacturers and dispensaries, of up to $50,000. Requiring applicants for registered medical cannabis establishment licenses to submit fingerprints for a background check, which the commission was already doing. The state budget changes, at the recommendation of Gov. Jim Pillen (R), would give the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, which houses the Medical Cannabis Commission, an additional $1.38 million this fiscal year ending June 30 and $1 million for the next fiscal year. Medical Cannabis Commissioner Lorelle Mueting of Gretna, interim commission chair, in mid-March described LB 1235 as a “first step.” Commissioner J. Michael Coffey of Omaha, a retired district judge, had said delays were not intentional but “more or less a practical hurdle we had to get over,” in part because of limitations on ballot measure campaigns. Authorizing spending, for instance, belongs to the Legislature. “Appears there may be a light at the end of the tunnel,” Coffey said in March. Added Mueting right after: “Fingers crossed.” This story was first published by Nebraska Examiner. Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen. The post Nebraska Legislature Passes Medical Marijuana Regulation And Funding Bill appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“As written, the law would render the overwhelming majority of products currently on shelves illegal as of July 1. That includes gummies, tinctures, vapes, pre-rolls, beverages and topicals.” By Ivory Ellis, 757 Smokes A bill now on Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger’s (D) desk threatens to upend access to the popular hemp products that thousands of Virginians rely on daily, unless the governor takes action before April 13. The legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis sales—SB 542/HB 642—also contains a provision inserted at the last minute to imposes a 2 milligram THC cap on hemp products. If enacted as written, it will eliminate the overwhelming majority of compliant inventory from retail shelves starting in July of this year. The legal replacement market for cannabis doesn’t open until January 2027—leaving consumers, veterans, seniors and small business owners in a six-month gap with nowhere legal to turn. My business, 757 Smokes, opened its doors in April 2021 with a clear purpose: providing Hampton Roads with a clean, reputable place to access quality hemp products alongside real education about what customers are actually buying. Since then, our locations in Portsmouth and Newport News have served a wide range of customers, including veterans, seniors, working professionals and wellness-focused consumers, many of whom have made hemp a consistent, reliable part of their daily health routines. Those routines are now at risk of disappearing overnight. While a 2 milligram limit may sound minor on paper, the real-world impact on existing hemp retail inventory is severe. As written, the law would render the overwhelming majority of products currently on shelves illegal as of July 1. That includes gummies, tinctures, vapes, pre-rolls, beverages and topicals that are fully compliant under existing regulations today. Retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers across Virginia would be left holding tens of thousands of dollars in unsellable inventory overnight. This is not a gradual transition. It is an immediate shutdown of a functioning, regulated marketplace. Compounding the uncertainty, new federal hemp provisions tied to a spending bill signed into law late last year are also looming. Those proposals could further restrict allowable THC levels nationwide, creating additional instability for businesses already trying to navigate Virginia’s changes. Instead of clarity, the industry is facing overlapping regulatory pressures at both the state and federal levels, which is precisely why Virginia should pause major hemp regulatory changes until there is clear, consistent federal guidance to build on. Beyond the business impact, the consumer consequences are even more concerning. For years, many customers have relied on higher-dose products, often totaling 500 milligrams of THC, as part of consistent wellness regimens for sleep, anxiety and chronic discomfort. These are not recreational users chasing a high. They are people who specifically chose legal, lab-tested hemp products over alcohol, illicit cannabis or prescription alternatives because those products worked for them at doses that actually matched their needs. With a 2 milligram hemp cap, those same consumers are now asking a simple question: how can a 500 milligram routine realistically be maintained under the new limits? Right now, there is no clear answer. And that absence of an answer has consequences. Customers are not asking for loopholes. They are asking for continuity. Removing access to effective dosages does not eliminate demand—it simply redirects it. When regulated products no longer meet consumer needs, the unregulated market steps in to fill the gap. Limiting legal products to ineffective doses while eliminating higher-dose options creates the exact conditions for black-market sales to surge, undermining both public safety and the law’s intent. At the same time, the timeline offers no relief. Virginia’s adult-use retail cannabis market is not expected to launch until 2027. That leaves a multi-year gap in which compliant businesses are forced to remove products, while consumers are left without legal alternatives that match what they have safely used for years. A more balanced approach is available. Raising the hemp cap to 5 milligrams per serving while maintaining a 500 milligram total THC cap would preserve access for existing consumers, protect compliant businesses and significantly reduce the likelihood of black market expansion, all while still providing reasonable guardrails for the new market. Without that adjustment, the result is clear: legal shelves go empty, businesses absorb significant losses and consumers are pushed outside the regulated system. Virginia has an opportunity to get this right, but the window is closing. Gov. Spanberger has until April 13 to use her amendatory authority to fix the hemp provisions in SB 542/HB 642 before signing. A targeted adjustment to the hemp cap would protect consumers, preserve small businesses and maintain the integrity of Virginia’s regulated market. For customers who rely on these products today, waiting until 2027 is not a realistic option. Ivory Ellis is the founder of 757 Smokes, with retail locations in Portsmouth and Newport News, Virginia, and a member of the Cannabis Small Business Association. The post Virginia’s Governor Has The Power To Save Consumers’ Access To Hemp Products (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Colorado’s governor has signed a bill that will let terminally ill patients to use medical marijuana in healthcare facilities such as hospitals —though he expressed concerns about an amendment that was made to the legislation that he said “differs from the original intent” of the proposal by making participation by care centers optional rather than mandatory. “Colorado has long been a national leader in recognizing the medical value of marijuana, and in respecting the dignity and autonomy of patients. Many terminally ill patients rely on medical marijuana to manage pain, nausea, anxiety, appetite loss and more,” Gov. Jared Polis (D) said when signing the bill on Monday. “For some families, it is the difference between a patient being alert and present with loved ones or heavily sedated during their final days.” But because of the amendments made to the legislation from Sen. Kyle Mullica (D) and Reps. Sheila Lieder (D) and Lisa Feret (D) before it reached his desk, the governor said he is “concerned that many hospitals may not utilize this option, but at least hospitals have a chance to demonstrate otherwise.” “Despite the changes, I am signing this bill today because even an incremental step can encourage health care facilities to develop policies that better respect patient choice,” he said. “However, I do want to be clear: more work does need to be done to deliver the protections that terminally ill Coloradans deserve.” Advocates have been critical about changes made throughout the legislative process, arguing, for example, that making it so hospitals would have the option—rather than a mandate—to allow medical cannabis use in their facilities fundamentally undermines the intent of the reform. Jim Bartell, the father of a young California patient who passed away and who inspired the policy that’s become known as Ryan’s Law in his home state and several others, urged members of a House committee to go back to original language of the bill and “use the original language of ‘shall’ and ‘must’” so that it doesn’t create a patchwork network of health facilities that permit or prohibit medical cannabis use. “For families like mine, this legislation is not theoretical,” he said. “It’s part of ethical and compassionate care.” The governor, for his part, said in a signing statement that he wants lawmakers to “continue working with patients, families, health care providers, and advocates to strengthen this policy in future sessions.” “Colorado should be leading the charge to ensure that no patient is forced to choose between receiving care in a health care facility and accessing the medicine that helps them live their final days with greater comfort and dignity,” Polis said. “Our state has always sought to lead with compassion, innovation, and respect for personal freedom. When it comes to end-of-life care, those values matter more than ever.” Under SB 26-007, health facilities would be permitted to develop guidelines for the use, storage and administration of medical marijuana. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) would be prohibited from requiring compliance with the policy as a condition of obtaining or renewing a license or certification under the bill. Health facilities would be allowed to suspend the policy change if they risked enforcement action by a federal agency. Other amendments adopted in the Senate add additional compliance language, clarify that health facilities wouldn’t be required to store or dispense medical cannabis and limit legal liability for health institutions that permit medical marijuana use. — 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. — Last month, a House committee rejected a separate bill that would put a measure on the state’s November ballot asking voters to increase marijuana and alcohol taxes to support mental health treatment. Meanwhile, Colorado saw over $1 billion in marijuana sales—a milestone the governor touted in December. Polis also said in February that his state should not have joined a lawsuit supporting the federal ban on gun ownership by people who use marijuana that recently went before the U.S. Supreme Court—and he personally opposes the state attorney general’s “legal position on this.” Colorado regulators recently touted another successful year of nearly perfect marijuana business compliance with state laws prohibiting the sale of cannabis to underage youth—with a report showing that 99 percent of retailers checking IDs to verify the age of covert investigators. The post Colorado Governor Signs Bill To Allow Medical Marijuana Use In Hospitals, But Criticizes Amendment Letting Facilities Opt Out appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“We intend to fully fund this program.” By Stephen Simpson, The Texas Tribune Texas is launching its own research program into a psychedelic called ibogaine after state officials couldn’t find a company to help develop it into a drug for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) and House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) announced on Tuesday that Texas will use $50 million the Legislature invested last year and partner with statewide medical researchers to proceed with its own ibogaine research program. The lawmakers said multiple proposals from drug companies failed to meet the standards for state funds. “We intend to fully fund this program,” the statement says. Katharine Neill Harris, a drug policy fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, said she isn’t surprised the state couldn’t woo any companies to join in on ibogaine research. Texas lawmakers set the bar too high that to even be eligible for the $50 million state investment, companies had to provide a plan to get FDA approval to develop ibogaine into a drug, create a corporate presence in Texas, match the $50 million and commit to Texas 20 percent of revenue from future sales of the drug after the FDA approves it, Harris said. Joint statement with Speaker @Burrows4TX on Ibogaine Program Progress.https://t.co/aA1MoJrASP#txlege pic.twitter.com/JhlaSFyLe6 — Office of the Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (@LtGovTX) March 31, 2026 “That may be seen as a demanding state of conditions in a research area that carries substantial risk, so it is believable that prospective applicants did not meet the requirements,” Harris said. For several years, people have silently traveled to clinics in Mexico to take ibogaine. The extract of an ancient African shrub, ibogaine has been used to alleviate addiction and brain trauma. Ibogaine is an illegal drug, but Republicans have championed it due to its positive impact on people suffering from PTSD. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed Senate Bill 2308 into law last year, creating a consortium of universities, hospitals, and drug developers to conduct clinical trials of an ibogaine drug and get it approved by the FDA for future sale. Lawmakers approved $50 million in taxpayer dollars to support this effort, making Texas a leader in psychedelic research investment. Getting drug companies on board was key to making this consortium work because they have the experience of developing a drug that gets FDA approval. The Texas Tribune asked Patrick, Burrows and the Texas Health and Human Services commission why companies didn’t qualify to partner with the state and what next steps will involve. They did not provide answers by the story’s deadline. Today, @LtGovTX Dan Patrick and I reaffirmed Texas’ commitment to advancing research into Ibogaine therapy. See our joint statement below. pic.twitter.com/mnbyLadiiq — Dustin Burrows (@Burrows4TX) March 31, 2026 Bryan Hubbard, chief executive officer of Americans for Ibogaine, said research institutions across the country are conducting hundreds of clinical trials everyday, but what sets Texas apart is its goal of developing ibogaine into an FDA-approved drug that can be sold. “As we speak we are seeing bills passed in Mississippi, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Missouri that would join these states together in researching ibogaine, something far more significant than one private developer,” he said. “Texas is what makes this joiner possible.” Under SB 2308, a public university will manage ibogaine clinical trials in partnership with a drug company and a hospital. Harris said if the state plans to move forward without a drug company, the state might need to make some legislative or legal fixes to meet the statutory requirements of SB 2308, especially since the bill involves state funding. “As SB 2308 is written, HHSC should not be able to release the $50 million in state funds to the consortium without the private match,” she said. Last year, Texas Health and Human Services selected UTHealth Houston, in collaboration with The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, to lead a statewide partnership with other universities to conduct a two-year research trial evaluating the effect of ibogaine on patients with addiction, traumatic brain injury, and other behavioral health conditions. “This landmark clinical trial reflects our unwavering commitment to advancing research that improves lives and delivers the highest standards of care,” said Melina Kibbe, MD, UTHealth Houston president, in a news release at the time. Harris said the state’s research institutions are capable of managing clinical trials. She said it’s less clear whether the state is willing and able to fully fund the path to FDA approval without private partners. “A drug development effort like this will likely require much more than $100 million overall, not just the initial $50 million in state funding,” she said. This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Scamperdale. The post Texas Will Launch Ibogaine Clinical Trials After Drug Companies Failed To Meet Requirements For Psychedelic Research Funds appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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A federal judge has denied a request from a coalition of anti-marijuana organizations that sought to immediately block the Trump administration’s initiative to cover hemp-derived CBD and THC products through Medicare from launching on Wednesday. The groups’ overall lawsuit challenging the policy is still under consideration, however, with a hearing on their separate motion for a preliminary injunction scheduled for April 20, which coincidentally is known as the unofficial cannabis cultural holiday 4/20. Judge Trevor N. McFadden on Tuesday rejected the request from Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and nine other drug prevention groups to issue a temporary restraining order to halt the federal cannabis initiative, which is being facilitated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), from taking effect. McFadden, in his one-page order, quoted case law holding that a temporary restraining order is an “extraordinary and drastic remedy” that can only be granted if a party makes a “clear showing that four factors, taken together, warrant relief: likely success on the merits, likely irreparable harm in the absence of preliminary relief, a balance of the equities in its favor, and accord with the public interest.” “Having considered the arguments in Plaintiffs’ motion and at a motions hearing, the Court finds that Plaintiffs have not met this high standard,” the judge wrote. “The motion for a temporary restraining order is thus denied. The Court will consider Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction and motion to stay upon the completion of briefing.” Defendants in the lawsuit—CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.—now have until April 9 to file briefs responding to the prohibitionist groups’ motion for a preliminary injunction. The plaintiffs then have a reply brief due on April 13, a week ahead of the 4/20 hearing on the matter. The lawsuit comes as CMS is set to start covering CBD and THC products under select federal health insurance programs as a Substance Access Beneficiary Engagement Incentive (BEI) beginning on Wednesday. Under the BEI, patients enrolled in specific federal health insurance programs could have up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products covered each year. The CBD-focused plan will also allow a certain amount of THC in products, but the agency said that the rules are subject to change if federal hemp policy changes, as is currently expected under a law set to take effect later this year. SAM and the other organizations—including the Cannabis Impact Prevention Coalition, Drug Free American Foundation and Save Our Society From Drugs—made several arguments in support of legal intervention to prevent the cannabidiol BEI from moving forward. Much of their complaint focused on alleged violations of administrative rules to provide the treatment, which they point out has not received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. CMS didn’t publish a notice of proposed rulemaking for the cannabis BEI that would have afforded the public with a comment period to weigh in, and the agency’s initiative runs counter to a separate final rule it issued last year that “declared cannabis products ineligible for supplemental Medicare coverage for chronically ill patients,” the prohibitionist plaintiffs said. Beyond those alleged violations of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the groups noted that CMS described a BEI for CBD containing a maximum THC concentration that exceeds what would constitute federally legal hemp under a policy that’s set to be implemented in November. The filing says the program would additionally violate the Social Security Act (SSA), which “does not allow CMS to sanction the possession and use of illegal and dangerous Schedule I substances by Medicare patients without clear congressional authorization.” “CMS’s action represents an unprecedented and unlawful assertion of binding decision-making authority that will profoundly affect the health of elderly Americans,” SAM and the other organizations said in their complaint. “CMS took this action without the guardrails imposed by the administrative process, without any reasoned explanation, in conflict with the agency’s own recent APA-compliant determination, and without statutory authority.” Therefore, the plaintiffs are asking the federal court to vacate the BEI, deem in unlawful and permanently enjoin the implementation of the policy. In the interim, they asked for a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction and stay of agency action amid the judicial review. As far as legal standing is concerned, SAM said the BEI “provides marijuana products via a medical source,” so its expenses related to efforts opposing a separate cannabis rescheduling process “has been rendered essentially moot.” “SAM’s injury is not abstract policy disagreement but concrete impairment of specific programmatic activities with a consequent drain on organizational resources,” it said. The filing adds that one of the plaintiffs in the case—SAM donor and consultant David Evans—would also be personally injured by the CMS policy action because he’s a Medicare recipient who was deprived of the ability to submit a public comment on the BEI and whose “healthcare relationship” with CMS is altered by the initiative. The prayer for relief section of the lawsuit requests that the court 1) declare that the BEI was adopted in violation of APA notice-and-comment requirements, 2) declare the BEI is “arbitrary, capricious, and abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with the law,” 3) declare the BEI exceeds CMS’s statutory authority, 4) vacate the BEI, 5) permanently enjoin the implementation or enforcement of the initiative and 6) award legal fees to the defendants. The CBD initiative is being implemented in response to a directive President Donald Trump signed in December that also called on the attorney general to expeditiously complete the process of moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). That wouldn’t federally legalize it, but it would remove certain research barriers associated with Schedule I drugs and also allow state-licensed marijuana businesses to take federal tax deductions. For its part, CMS posted an update last month detailing how certain of its “Innovation Center” models will facilitate the pilot program providing coverage to regulated, hemp-derived cannabidiol. Participants would be required to ensure that CBD is sourced from “a legally compliant source and high-quality farm,” prepared as an oral solution and tested for cannabinoid content so that available products contain no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight and up to 3 milligrams of total THC per serving. CMS said that centers participating in one of three models that receive substance access BEI will be able to “consult with eligible beneficiaries about the possible use of eligible hemp products to improve symptom control.” “Participants implementing this BEI may elect to furnish such hemp products up to $500 a year, per eligible beneficiary, subject to model requirements and safeguards,” it said, while emphasizing that Medicare “does not pay the participant for the products, and beneficiaries should not be asked to submit a Medicare claim for the product.” The three eligible innovation center models are CMS’s ACO REACH Model, Enhancing Oncology Model and Long-term Enhance ACO Design (LEAD) Model. For the first two, participants can elect to utilize the BEI for CBD coverage starting on April 1. For LEAD participants, the start date is January 1, 2027. Participating organizations under those models must first elect the substance access BEI and then produce a CMS implementation plan that describes “the specific eligible hemp product(s) and dosing information, the amount/frequency of distribution, beneficiary eligibility criteria, safeguards/oversight, and other requirements outlined in participation agreements.” Those plans would need to receive CMS approval before participants could offer cannabidiol coverage. After initial details about the initiative were revealed last month, CMS faced questions about the potential impact of a law set to take effect in November that would redefine hemp in a way that would strictly limit the types of cannabis products that are currently permitted under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed in his first term. That law expressly prohibits hemp derivatives containing more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container, which industry stakeholders say would effectively eradicate the consumable hemp market. Here’s how CMS is defining hemp products allowed through its substance access BEI: “Eligible hemp products are limited to federally legal hemp-derived products containing no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC and expressly excludes inhalable products, any products containing more than 3 mg per serving of tetrohydrocannabinols (such as delta-8-tetrahyrdocannabinol, delta-10-tetrahyrdocannabinol, and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) in an orally administered form, and any products containing cannabinoids not naturally produced or capable of being produced by or in the cannabis plant during its cultivation.” The agency acknowledged that its definition complies with the 2018 Farm Bill provisions and noted that its coverage plan “does not override the Controlled Substances Act or authorize Schedule I substances.” “To be eligible, hemp products must also comply with applicable state and local laws,” CMS said, raising additional questions about potential regulatory complications as multiple states have proactively moved to restrict hemp product availability in anticipation of the pending federal policy change. “If the legal limits on hemp-derived products changes…CMS will adjust its definition in accordance with the law.” CMS further explained that cannabinoid products “must be furnished and provided directly by a qualified physician affiliated with the participant organization, as specified by the model participation agreements,” and model participants “cannot instruct beneficiaries to purchase retail products and submit receipts for reimbursement under the BEI.” To be approved to provide CBD coverage, model participants must 1) meet federal, state and local “production, quality and safety laws and other mandated standards,” 2) be sourced from legally compliant farms “consistent with 2018 Farm Bill hemp requirements” and 3) be tested for cannabinoid content, as well as “contaminants and microbial hazards.” The details about the rules for the CBD pilot program came weeks after a co-founder of the hemp company Charolette’s Web, which has been collaborating with CMS, said the agency had already finalized its plans for federal health insurance coverage of cannabidiol. Bill Morachnick, CEO of Charlotte’s Web, said in a press release on Monday that they are “grateful for CMS’s thoughtful approach in expanding access and creating space for responsible, evidence‑based hemp wellness conversations in clinical settings.” “This program aligns with our mission to advance safe, high‑quality, science‑backed hemp options for consumers, and we remain committed to supporting sensible legislation that protects patients and strengthens the integrity of our industry,” he said. “The updated guidance from CMS represents an important step in strengthening how hemp-based options are considered within care settings,” Morachnick said in a separate statement. “By reinforcing a science-driven framework centered on safety, quality, and transparency, it creates a clearer path for responsible integration into patient care. We see this as meaningful progress toward expanding access to trusted, non-intoxicating hemp solutions in a way that aligns with both clinical standards and patient needs.” Oz, the CMS administrator, explained in December that the policy change will “allow millions of Americans on Medicare to become eligible to receive CBD as early as April of next year—and at no charge if their doctors recommend them.” He added that Medicare Advantage insurers CMS has contacted are “also agreeing to consider CBD to be used for the 34 million Americans that they cover.” As previously described by the administrator, the plan would involved those 65 and older who qualify for Medicare, but the specific qualifying conditions weren’t detailed. There were repeated mentions of chronic pain, specifically related to cancer, but it’s possible the CBD eligibility criteria includes additional conditions. In its latest update, CMS said patients with disqualifying conditions under the Innovation Center models, as well as those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, could not receive CBD. They must also be at least 18 years old to participate. At the signing ceremony for the marijuana and hemp executive order Trump signed in December, Oz also gave kudos to Howard Kessler, founder of The Commonwealth Project, which produced a video about the benefits of cannabidiol for seniors that the president shared on Truth Social last year and who apparently has pressed Trump to enact reform to expand cannabis access. CMS had already announced certain changes as part of a rulemaking process that was unveiled late last year, affecting “marketing and communications, drug coverage, enrollment processes, special needs plans, and other programmatic areas” for insurance programs it oversees. One of those changes dealt with cannabidiol coverage. The rule as proposed would amend regulations, which currently state that any “cannabis products” cannot be covered. The policy would prevent coverage for only “cannabis products that are illegal under applicable state or federal law, including the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.” Since hemp and its derivatives like CBD are federally legal, the change suggests patients in states where such products are legal could make valid insurance claims to pay for the alternative treatment option, as long as the product is also federally legal. Meanwhile, following the White House announcement in December, Oz spoke with NewsNation about the policy change, responding to a question about how the broader marijuana rescheduling decision squares with the Trump administration’s aggressive efforts to stymie the flow of other illicit drugs, particularly fentanyl. “We think they fit hand in hand,” he said. “This is really about researching—specifically CBD, which is hemp-derived endocannabinoids [sic]—are actually worthy of Americans using them,” he said. “It’s hard to do some of this work, especially with medical marijuana. And this is not about legalization of marijuana.” “There is no legalization language at all,” he added. “It’s about rescheduling this class of product so that it can be researched more readily.” The idea that marijuana has no medical value, as its currently defined as a Schedule I drug, is “just patently wrong for marijuana,” he said, noting that FDA has approved certain cannabis-based drugs for conditions such as epilepsy “that work quite nicely.” “That belief that it should be Schedule I is just an incorrect place to put it,” he said. “Schedule III seemed to make sense to the president. He argued that it allows us to do the research more readily.” “We’re finding a way to allow Medicare beneficiaries to get access to some of these products. And so, within Medicare, we have the ability, for the first time ever—and we delivered on this promise to the president today—to allow doctors to recommend hemp-derived CBD for patients who have cancer, for example, and have a lot of pain from that.” The administrator said surveys show a majority of seniors who take CBD for pain management find it beneficial, and the White House wants to “make it easier for patients to access this” and allow them to access the cannabinoid at “no charge” through the federal health insurance program. Oz took a different tone when he warned in February that “there are going to be consequences” as more Americans choose marijuana over alcohol—including problems caused by “high-dose hemp and CBD.” In the background, HHS and FDA recently submitted proposed regulations concerning CBD enforcement and compliance with the White House Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). Multiple cannabis industry stakeholders have been granted meetings with OIRA to discuss the proposal this week. Read the judges’s order denying the motion for a temporary restraining order on the federal cannabis initiative: Photo elements courtesy of rawpixel and Philip Steffan. The post Judge Rejects Anti-Marijuana Groups’ Motion To Block CBD And THC Medicare Coverage Plan, Setting Hearing For 4/20 appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net