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For the cannabis community, a Thanksgiving “cousin walk”—an annual outing where younger adults take a break and share a joint before the holiday feast—has been around for years. But if you get your news from some in the mainstream media, you might assume it’s a new trend. That the stoner tradition is finally reaching the pages of outlets like The Wall Street Journal this season is one of the latest examples of how marijuana culture is being normalized—albeit gradually in much of the mainstream press. Here’s a sampling of cannabis-related headlines from national outlets in the days leading up to Thursday’s holiday: The Wall Street Journal: “This Year’s Thanksgiving Surprise: Half of the Guests Are Stoned” Bloomberg: “Cannabis Is In, Booze Is Out at This Year’s Thanksgiving Table” The Independent: “What is a ‘cousin walk’—and are you hopping on this Thanksgiving tradition?” Morning Brew: Pre-Thanksgiving strolls are firing up weed sales “What started as a subversive activity among dedicated stoners has mushroomed into a full-blown tradition. Like every other holiday, it’s gone commercial,” the Journal reported. “With marijuana legal for medicinal use in 40 states and recreational use in more than half of those, the industry is seizing on the popularity of the pre-turkey toke to boost business.” “Hiding the activity from disapproving kin—as much as a person reeking of weed can—is part of the fun for participants,” it says. “It can be a two-way act: some of those familial squares know exactly what’s happening outside even if they act like they don’t.” The article also referenced Instagram posts from the New York-based cannabis dispensary Gotham that’s marketed a marijuana pre-roll pack called “Cousins Walk” ahead of Thanksgiving. The retailer described the cousin walk tradition as “a secret society that meets once a year.” While mainstream media sources might be on a steeper learning curve when it comes to covering cannabis, there is a through-line that touches on a more timely trend: Adults are increasingly choosing marijuana over alcohol. And on a holiday like Thanksgiving—where the appetite-enhancing qualities of cannabis become especially relevant—that trend is on full display. Recent polling shows that younger Americans are increasingly using cannabis-infused beverages as a substitute for alcohol—with one in three millennials and Gen Z workers choosing THC drinks over booze for after-work activities like happy hours. Another survey released last month found that a majority of Americans believe marijuana represents a “healthier option” than alcohol—and most also expect cannabis to be legal in all 50 states within the next five years. With Thanksgiving fast approaching amid these consumer trends, it appears likely that more cousins could be spotted briefly departing their hosts’ homes for the annual stoner sojourn. Last year, multiple states—as well as federal officials in the U.S. and Canada—issued reminders about their marijuana laws ahead of Thanksgiving, with some urging adults to consume responsibly if they plan to partake the holiday—and others warning people to avoid traveling across the border with cannabis. Photo courtesy of Martin Alonso. The post As More Americans Choose Marijuana Over Alcohol, Mainstream Media Notices The ‘Cousin Walk’ Thanksgiving Tradition appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A Florida campaign says it’s collected more than one million signatures to put a marijuana legalization initiative on the state’s 2026 ballot—and so it’s voluntarily declining to appeal a legal case in which a judge recently allowed state officials to invalidate about 200,000 petitions over a largely procedural issue. In a notice sent to Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit on Tuesday, Smart & Safe Florida advised that it would not be pursuing an appeal of the judgement, which held that formatting changes made to the cannabis petition rendered approximately 200,000 signatures illegitimate. While that decision means a significant chunk of the total signatures they’d amassed won’t count, the campaign said in a statement shared with Marijuana Moment on Tuesday that they still have plenty of buffer to qualify for ballot placement, so they won’t be challenging the court’s decision. “The Smart & Safe campaign will not appeal the recent court ruling to invalidate over 200,000 verified petitions as we are confident in the ability to submit enough petitions to make ballot position so long as the state does its job in good faith to process the submitted petitions and accurately report the verification totals,” it said. “To date, excluding the mail-in ballots, the campaign has submitted over 1,010,000 signed petitions.” “Given that the state has not updated its online reporting to reflect submitted petitions and due to the excessive backlog caused by the state’s three month freeze on petition verification, we urge the Secretary of State to timely process the petitions and update its reporting of the verified petitions as required by law,” the campaign said. “The public deserves to have their petitions counted.” Smart & Safe filed a separate lawsuit with the state Supreme Court over that issue last month, alleging that officials are violating election laws by stalling a required review process for the measure without justification. The state has since agreed to move forward with the processing. Meanwhile, the campaign is encouraging voters who signed the petition to contact their local election supervisors or the secretary of state’s office to determine whether their signatures were invalidated. This is Smart & Safe Florida’s second run at the ballot. They successfully secured ballot placement for a 2024 version of the initiative—and a majority did vote to pass it, but not enough to meet the state’s steep 60 percent threshold to approve a constitutional amendment. A federal judge in August separately delivered a win to Smart & Safe Florida—granting “complete relief” from provisions of a law the governor signed to impose other serious restrictions on signature gathering. While the law the governor signed in May wasn’t directly targeted at the cannabis initiative, there’s been concern among supporters that it could jeopardize an already complex and costly process to collect enough signatures to make the ballot. That’s because it would block non-residents and non-citizens from collecting signatures for ballot measures. In March, meanwhile, two Democratic members of Congress representing Florida asked the federal government to investigate what they described as “potentially unlawful diversion” of millions in state Medicaid funds via a group with ties to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). The money was used to fight against a citizen ballot initiative, vehemently opposed by the governor, that would have legalized marijuana for adults. The lawmakers’ letter followed allegations that a $10 million donation from a state legal settlement was improperly made to the Hope Florida Foundation, which later sent the money to two political nonprofits, which in turn sent $8.5 million to a campaign opposing Amendment 3. The governor said in February that the newest marijuana legalization measure is in “big time trouble” with the state Supreme Court, predicting it will be blocked from going before voters next year. “There’s a lot of different perspectives on on marijuana,” DeSantis said. “It should not be in our Constitution. If you feel strongly about it, you have elections for the legislature. Go back candidates that you believe will be able to deliver what your vision is on that.” “But when you put these things in the Constitution—and I think, I mean, the way they wrote, there’s all kinds of things going on in here. I think it’s going to have big time trouble getting through the Florida Supreme Court,” he said. The latest initiative was filed with the secretary of state’s office just months after the initial version failed during the November 2024 election—despite an endorsement from President Donald Trump. Smart & Safe Florida is hoping the revised version will succeed in 2026. The campaign—which in the last election cycle received tens of millions of dollars from cannabis industry stakeholders, principally the multi-state operator Trulieve—incorporated certain changes into the new version that seem responsive to criticism opponents raised during the 2024 push. For example, it now specifically states that the “smoking and vaping of marijuana in any public place is prohibited.”Another section asserts that the legislature would need to approve rules dealing with the “regulation of the time, place, and manner of the public consumption of marijuana.” Last year, the governor accurately predicted that the 2024 cannabis measure from the campaign would survive a legal challenge from the state attorney general. It’s not entirely clear why he feels this version would face a different outcome. While there’s uncertainty around how the state’s highest court will navigate the measure, a poll released in February showed overwhelming bipartisan voter support for the reform—with 67 percent of Florida voters backing legalization, including 82 percent of Democrats, 66 percent of independents and 55 percent of Republicans. — 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. — In the background, a recent poll from a Trump-affiliated research firm found that nearly 9 in 10 Florida voters say they should have the right to decide to legalize marijuana in the state. Meanwhile, a pro-legalization GOP state lawmaker recently filed a bill to amend state law to codify that the public use of marijuana is prohibited. Rep. Alex Andrade (R), the sponsor, said earlier this year that embracing cannabis reform is a way for the Republican party to secure more votes from young people. Separately, Florida medical marijuana officials are actively revoking the registrations of patients and caregivers with drug-related criminal records. The policy is part of broad budget legislation signed into law earlier this year by DeSantis. The provisions in question direct the state Department of Health (DOH) to cancel registrations of medical marijuana patients and caregivers if they’re convicted of—or plead guilty or no contest to—criminal drug charges. Read Smart & Safe Florida’s latest filing in the signature invalidation case below: Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post Florida Marijuana Campaign Is ‘Confident’ Legalization Measure Will Make Ballot, With 1 Million Signatures Despite State Roadblocks appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

The U.S. Supreme Court has scheduled a closed-door meeting to discuss a case challenging the constitutionality of federal marijuana prohibition. After receiving briefs in support of the lawsuit from Massachusetts-based cannabis businesses, justices set a date for a conference on December 12. During the meeting, members of the court will discuss whether to formally take up the case or not. The court is being asked to settle the question of whether imposing federal marijuana criminalization within states that have enacted their own legalization laws violates the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The powerhouse law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP last month submitted their petition for writ of certiorari from the court on behalf of their clients, and the Justice Department earlier this month declined the opportunity to file a brief for or against the case’s consideration by the justices. A lead attorney representing the petitioners recently told Marijuana Moment that he’s “hopeful”—albeit somewhat “nervous”—about the prospect of justices ultimately taking up the matter and deciding to address the key legal question about the constitutionality of federal cannabis prohibition. “Time is of the essence,” Josh Schiller said, noting the dramatic shift in public opinion and state laws governing cannabis. “We think that this is the right time for this case because of the need—the industry needs to get relief from federal oversight at the moment.” Before the conference was scheduled, the Koch-founded Americans for Prosperity Foundation submitted an amicus brief encouraging justices to take the case. On Monday, meanwhile, the firm representing the cannabis businesses said the Cato Institute and Pacific Legal Foundation”intend to file briefs amici curiae in support of the petition.” “Petitioners respectfully request that this letter be circulated with the petition for a writ of certiorari,” David Boies said in the notice to the court. A U.S. appeals court rejected the arguments of the state-legal cannabis companies the firm is representing in May. It was one the latest blows to the high-profile lawsuit following a lower court’s dismissal of the claims. But it’s widely understood that the plaintiffs’ legal team has long intended the matter to end up before the nine high court justices. Four justices must vote to accept the petition for cert in order for the court to take up the case. While it is not clear if SCOTUS will ultimately take the case, one sign that at least some on court might be interested in the appeal is a 2021 statement from Justice Clarence Thomas, issued as the court denied review of a separate dispute involving a Colorado medical marijuana dispensary. Thomas’s comments at the time seemed to suggest it’d be appropriate revisit the precedent-setting case, Gonzales v. Raich, where the Supreme Court narrowly determined that the federal government could enforce prohibition against cannabis cultivation that took place wholly within California based on Congress’s authority to regulate interstate commerce. The initial complaint in the current case now known as Canna Provisions v. Bondi, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, argued that government’s ongoing prohibition on marijuana under the CSA was unconstitutional because Congress in recent decades had “dropped any assumption that federal control of state-regulated marijuana is necessary.” — 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. — At oral arguments on appeal late last year, David Boies told judges that under the Constitution, Congress can only regulate commercial activity within a state—in this case, around marijuana—if the failure to regulate that in-state activity “would substantially interfere [with] or undermine legitimate congressional regulation of interstate commerce.” Boies, chairman of the firm, has a long list of prior clients that includes the Justice Department, former Vice President Al Gore and the plaintiffs in a case that led to the invalidation of California’s ban on same-sex marriage, among others. Judges, however, said they were “unpersuaded,” ruling in an opinion that “the CSA remains fully intact as to the regulation of the commercial activity involving marijuana for non-medical purposes, which is the activity in which the appellants, by their own account, are engaged.” The district court, meanwhile, said in the case that while there are “persuasive reasons for a reexamination” of the current scheduling of cannabis, its hands were effectively tied by past U.S. Supreme Court precedent in Raich. This comes in the background of a pending marijuana rescheduling decision from the Trump administration. President Donald Trump said in late August that he’d make a determination about moving cannabis to Schedule III of the CSA within weeks, but he’s yet to act. Meanwhile, last month the Supreme Court agreed to hear a separate case on the constitutionality of a federal law prohibiting people who use marijuana or other drugs from buying or possessing firearms. The Trump administration has argued that the policy “targets a category of persons who pose a clear danger of misusing firearm” and should be upheld. Photo elements courtesy of rawpixel and Philip Steffan. The post Supreme Court Schedules Closed-Door Meeting To Discuss Marijuana Companies’ Case Seeking To Overturn Federal Prohibition appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has signed a bill into law updating the state’s medical marijuana program, with revised rules that grant reciprocity to out-of-state residents, streamline the patient certification process, allow adults 18 and older to grow their own cannabis plants for therapeutic use and more. The legislation from Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes (D) and Sen. Jeremy Cooney (D), which advanced out of the legislature in June, was signed by the governor on Friday. Under the newly enacted law, patient certifications will also be valid for two years, rather than one. The reform also removes a requirement that health professionals issuing medical cannabis recommendations must first consult the state prescription monitoring program. “This legislation reflects New York’s ongoing commitment to compassion, science, access, and equity,” Felicia A.B. Reid, acting executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) said in a press release. The bill also gives patients more flexibility with respect to possession limits, clarifying that patients and caregivers can have whichever is a larger amount: the designated maximum under state statute or a 60-day supply. “Patients deserve a medical cannabis program that truly supports their care, and these updates move us closer to that goal,” June Chin, chief medical officer of OCM, said. “By expanding access and modernizing the system, we are ensuring that treatment decisions are guided by evidence, clinical expertise, and the lived experiences of the people we serve.” New York’s Medical Cannabis Program is entering a new era. Governor Kathy Hochul has signed Senate Bill S3294A, strengthening patient rights and expanding access across the state. In this video, Dr. Nakesha Abel breaks down the key updates included in the new law. pic.twitter.com/1kBXJIbQtK — NYS Office of Cannabis Management (@nys_cannabis) November 25, 2025 The main changes to the medical marijuana law take effect 90 days after enactment. A justification section of the measure says the “success of the medical cannabis program is critical for patients across New York, and it is appropriate again to update, modernize, and improve the program.” “The changes sought by this legislation are necessary for an efficient and modernized program that will greatly benefit patients across the state,” it says. Nakesha Abel, deputy director of scientific programs and research at OCM, said that the “goal of this legislation is to ensure that we were easing access barriers to medical cannabis across the state.” “By grounding policy in data and patient experience, we’ve built a stronger, more accessible program for all New Yorkers,” she said. Meanwhile, New York regulators recently celebrated the opening of the state’s 500th legal cannabis dispensary—touting the fact that there have been $2.3 billion in adult-use sales since the market launched, supporting an estimated 25,000 jobs across the industry. — 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, given confusion within the marketplace about timelines for provisional licenses, the state Cannabis Control Board (CCB) said it will be extending the renewal deadline for conditional adult-use until December 31, 2026. “This extension provides licensees additional time to secure viable locations and move toward full licensure,” OCM said. “It will also apply to any provisional licenses issued between September 9, 2025, and December 30, 2025, ensuring clarity and consistency for all provisional license holders.” Part of the uncertainty surrounding provisional licensees concerns a recently identified zoning issue impacting more than 100 cannabis businesses that are apparently located too close to public schools or places of worship than is allowed under current statute. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has said that she will be pushing the legislature to amend the state’s marijuana law to address the issue. Also, both chambers of the New York legislature earlier this year passed legislation that would extend the deadline for some marijuana businesses to file electronic tax returns, sending the proposal next to the governor’s desk. If signed into law, the measure would give cannabis manufacturers and distributors 30 extra days to submit their tax returns following the end of each quarterly tax period. Currently the companies have a 20-day window to file the documents, which the legislation would extended to 50 days. In July, meanwhile, New York officials announced the first round of grants under a $5 million program to help retail marijuana businesses owned by justice-involved people cover startup costs. Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan. The post New York Governor Signs Bill Expanding State Medical Marijuana Program—With New Rules On Home Grow, Possession Limits And More appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

As the year comes to a close, it seems there’s little talk within Congress about moving a cannabis industry banking access bill—with multiple key House and Senate lawmakers telling Marijuana Moment they haven’t heard anything about a plan to advance the modest reform anytime soon. Of course, after a historically long government shutdown and other competing priorities, it doesn’t come as a big surprise that legislators wouldn’t have the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act at the top of their lists. But even so, the apparent lack of any meaningful progression in conversations about the proposal among lawmakers who have historically led on cannabis reform issues is notable. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), who is expected the carry the marijuana banking measure in his chamber this Congress, previously said that he imagined the bill would come up over the fall. Those comments came before the shutdown, however, and the bill has not yet been filed in either chamber for the current session. Now, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), who has sponsored the legislation in prior sessions, tells Marijuana Moment that the issue is among those Congress that has put “on the back burner,” with Democrats focused on preserving health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. On the House side, Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) said “it feels like I’ve heard nothing” about the path forward for SAFE Banking, and he feels “by now we should’ve had some buzz on it.” Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV)—a co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus who recently pressed the Justice Department to account for a recently disclosed change to marijuana enforcement guidance for possession on federal lands—also told Marijuana Moment she has “not heard anything [about the bill] moving.” However, she said it’s always possible that the reform could be incorporated into another legislative vehicle, and that supporters will “just keep pushing.” Asked about the status of any recent talks around the banking issue, another Cannabis Caucus co-chair, Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), said he’s heard of “none,” but he expects it to be taken up yet again in the new year. The House has passed versions of the legislation seven times over recent sessions. It advanced out of committee in the Senate last Congress, but it was not taken up on the floor. One of the most proactive anti-cannabis lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), told Marijuana Moment that he’s not sure about the status of the banking bill but he remains of the mind that, “if it’s illegal at the federal level, it should be kept out of the banking system.” “But it’s the will of the chamber. My position hasn’t changed,” he said. “I don’t hear that [the bill is moving], but it’s been tried before. It may succeed this year. I don’t know.” The comments from the bipartisan and bicameral lawmakers come about a month after bipartisan senators said they remain eager to advance the marijuana banking measure—though there was disagreement about whether a possible decision from President Donald Trump to reschedule cannabis would open the door to passing additional reforms in Congress. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), who’s been the lead GOP sponsor of that banking measure in past sessions, said he’s “not sure absolutely” whether moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) would meaningfully affect how his colleagues approach the financial services legislation. He said “many senators hold strong opinions,” and “they keep those opinions separate from SAFE Banking.” Unlike Daines, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said rescheduling would send a “huge message” to his colleagues about the need to “finally come up with a modern approach” to marijuana laws. Moreno, for his part, said he did feel that Trump advancing rescheduling would be an “important domino” to advance the bipartisan cannabis banking legislation. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Meanwhile, during a House Appropriations Committee markup in September, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) criticized the exclusion of provisions to protect banks that work with state-licensed marijuana and hemp businesses from a key spending bill. Relatedly, a bipartisan coalition of 32 state and territory attorneys general from across the U.S. recently called on Congress to pass a marijuana banking bill to free up financial services access for licensed cannabis businesses. In January, the office of Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH), who is again leading the effort on the House, told Marijuana Moment that he would be filing the cannabis banking legislation this session but that its introduction was “not imminent” as some earlier reports had suggested. The LCB contributed reporting from Washington, D.C. The post Marijuana Banking Bill Is ‘On The Back Burner,’ As Congressional Lawmakers See No Indication It’ll Advance Soon appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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“The ‘Commission’ meetings are unlocking a united vision of an industry built on safety, fairness, accountability and consistency.” By Adam Rosenberg, National Cannabis Industry Association and Eric Berlin, Dentons The recent government funding deal, which narrowed the definition of hemp, sent shockwaves through parts of the hemp market and exposed how fragile the current patchwork of cannabis policy really is. As a result, industry leaders, analysts and advocates have called for unity between hemp and marijuana. An urgent message has been repeated that the industry needs to stop fighting itself, align on safety and science and present lawmakers with a cohesive strategy for responsible regulation. The good news is it is already happening, and it is working. Over the past several months, we have been bringing together leaders from a dozen of the most influential industry organizations representing both hemp and marijuana for a series of closed-door discussions, informally called the “Commission.” These private discussions are producing something many in the industry would not have expected a year ago: real, actionable agreement. Hemp and marijuana leaders who often find themselves on opposite sides of public debate are coming into the same room and aligning on the foundations of a modern legal marketplace. They are finding shared priorities around consumer safety, reliable access for medical patients, protecting minors from intoxicating products, regulating the plant and its components through appropriate channels and agencies, establishing consistent manufacturing and testing standards and recognizing the important role of state and local governments in shaping effective regulations. These points reflect genuine alignment from organizations that often compete fiercely in public and private arenas. The shift demonstrates that the leading voices increasingly understand hemp and marijuana are parts of one industry struggling under the same broken framework. The most important realization is that hemp and marijuana can be more effective at building legitimacy and making progress by working together. With hemp and marijuana facing the same federal dysfunction and uncertainty, the entire cannabis sector is positioned to align on a consolidated strategy to achieve the shared goal of a science-based framework that supports all legitimate businesses working with the same plant. The “Commission” meetings are unlocking a united vision of an industry built on safety, fairness, accountability and consistency. We are building toward a unified framework that preserves access for millions of medical patients, protects tens of millions of consumers, rewards compliant businesses and closes the gaps that allow bad actors to exploit confusion. While the details of these discussions remain confidential to ensure constructive dialogue among participants, the progress is real and will continue as these groups have committed to ongoing dialogue and collaboration toward meaningful federal progress. The industry does not need to start from scratch to build unity—because it has already begun, and it is gaining momentum. Through deepening collaboration, the next stage of cannabis policy will be shaped by a shared commitment to science, safety and fairness. For the first time in a long time, hemp and marijuana stakeholders are working together as the same movement. Adam Rosenberg is chairman of the board for the National Cannabis Industry Association. Eric Berlin is a partner and leader of U.S. and global cannabis teams at Dentons. The post Marijuana And Hemp Businesses Are Already Working Together, And It’s Going Better Than You Think (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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An association of Massachusetts marijuana businesses is urging voters to tell local officials about any cases of misleading signature gathering tactics and “fraudulent messaging” by a campaign seeking to put an initiative on the ballot next year that would roll back the state’s adult-use legalization law. The prohibitionist campaign, called the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts, said last week that it’s “confident” they turned in enough signatures to qualify for ballot placement. Supporters need 74,574 valid signatures to make the cut. But the signature gathering hasn’t been without controversy, as there have been allegations piling up that petitioners working on behalf of the campaign have shared misleading information about what the measure would accomplish—with claims that paid petitioners have used fake cover letters for other ballot measures on issues like affordable housing and same-day voter registration. The state attorney general’s office has confirmed it’s received complaints to that end. While signatures were submitted to local clerks by last week’s deadline, they must still be processed by those officials and then refiled with the state by December 3. And marijuana companies based in the state want voters who’ve experienced potential instances of misleading petitioning to alert their town clerks before the process is finalized and ask them not to certify their signatures. “Clerks do this every season, they know what to look for when it comes to questionable signatures,” David O’Brien, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), said in a press release on Monday. “If you’re a voter who signed this petition under the impression you were signing for something else, please do not hesitate to contact your local clerk and speak with them,” he said. Under proposed initiative, adults 21 and older could still possess up to an ounce of cannabis, only five grams of which could be a marijuana concentrate product. 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. But provisions in the state’s voter-approved marijuana law that allow for commercial cannabis retailers and access to regulated products by adults would be repealed under the proposal. Adults’ right to cultivate cannabis at home would also be repealed. The medical cannabis program would remain intact, however. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s (D) office—which cleared the campaign for signature gathering in September–has stressed to voters the importance of reading their summary, which is required to go at the top of the signature form, before signing any petitions. “The fact that the campaign refuses to disavow these actions shows that they know they do not have the support to move forward without lying to voters,” O’Brien said. “Clearly, they’re having trouble finding people who want to repeal our highly effective cannabis laws and kill our successful cannabis industry.” Wendy Wakeman, a spokesperson for Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts behind the “Act to Restore a Sensible Marijuana Policy” initiative, told Marijuana Moment on Monday that her group “was able to collect the signatures needed to qualify for the ballot thanks to the generous support of funders and honest messaging by professional signature gathers.” “Opponents tried to run a ‘do not sign’ campaign. They failed,” she said. “Now they are making false accusations in a desperate attempt to prevent the measure from being certified. We look forward to continue running a campaign based on facts that addresses the many concerns Massachusetts voters have on the harms that recreational marijuana stores have had on our communities.” Last week, Wakeman told The Boston Globe that the “committee 100 percent does not support folks misrepresenting or lying about the petition.” But she added that, “if this is happening,” then those who signed the petition based on misinformation without reading it only have themselves to blame. To that point, because misstating the content of a ballot measure is considered protected political speech, the attorney general’s office has taken the added step of putting out an advisory about the need to do independent research before voters attach their name to an initiative petition. The advisory didn’t specifically mention the cannabis proposal, however. 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. If enough of the initial signature submissions are validated, the proposal will then go before the legislature, with lawmakers having until May 6 to enact it into law or propose a substitute. If they do not, organizers will then need to collect 12,429 additional valid voter signatures to put the measure on the ballot. Whether the cannabis measures make the cut is yet to be seen. Voters approved legalization at the ballot in 2016, with sales launching two years later. And the past decade has seen the market evolve and expand. As of August, Massachusetts officials reported more than $8 billion in adult-use marijuana sales. Last week, the Massachusetts Senate approved 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. Similar legislation also advanced through the House earlier this year. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Separately, the state Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) recently launched an online platform aimed at helping people find jobs, workplace training and networking opportunities in the state’s legal cannabis industry. State lawmakers have also been considering setting tighter restrictions on intoxicating hemp-derived products and a plan to allow individual entities to control a larger number of cannabis establishments. Also in Massachusetts, legislators who were working on a state budget butted heads with CCC officials, who’ve said they can’t make critical technology improvements without more money from the legislature. Massachusetts lawmakers additionally approved a bill to establish a pilot program for the regulated therapeutic use of psychedelics. And two committees have separately held hearings to discuss additional psilocybin-related measures. Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post Massachusetts Marijuana Industry Rallies To Stop Signature Certification For Measure To Roll Back Legalization Amid ‘Fraudulent’ Petitioning Accusations appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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GOP lawmaker slams vets marijuana access defeat; Court: gun ban for cannabis users unconstitutional; NJ psilocybin vote; HI medical cannabis rules Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… Your good deed for the day: donate to an independent publisher like Marijuana Moment and ensure that as many voters as possible have access to the most in-depth cannabis reporting out there. Support our work at https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Congressional Cannabis Caucus Co-chair Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) told Marijuana Moment that Senate Republican leadership made a “detrimental” mistake by removing veterans’ medical cannabis provisions from a key spending bill. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit determined that the federal ban on gun rights for marijuana consumers is unconstitutional—dismissing a man’s conviction for unlawful possession of firearms. A Florida judge sided with Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) administration in allowing officials to throw out more than 200,000 petition signatures for a marijuana legalization initiative that an industry-funded campaign is seeking to put on the 2026 ballot. The New Jersey Assembly Health Committee approved a bill to legalize psilocybin therapy and create a regulated program for patient access to the psychedelic. The Hawaii Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation adopted new rules allowing dispensaries to sell dry herb vaporizers, rolling papers and grinders—while also revising state code to clarify that medical marijuana oils and concentrates can be marketed for inhalation. A Missouri jury approved a $3 million award to a consultant who sued a cannabis company over injuries sustained during a lab accident in which a vacuum blew fine marijuana dust particles into the air, leading to a severe asthma attack and heart attack. / FEDERAL Central Intelligence Agency lawyers reportedly pushed back against a Trump administration proposal to have the agency take the lead on attacking suspected drug boats, leaving it to the military to conduct the operations. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) cited the inclusion of a “hemp ban” as one reason he voted against recently enacted spending legislation. Former Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) authored an op-ed cheering Congress’ move to recriminalize hemp THC products. Nebraska independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn tweeted, “I am IN FAVOR of medical marijuana, but even if I wasn’t, 71% of Nebraska voters APPROVED it last year! My regressive opponent has ignored the will of the people and his [sic] used his money and power to stall it in our state. He is hurting patients and caregivers.” / STATES Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) tweeted, “It’s disappointing to see the federal government leading with fear rather than a vision for the future, and cutting off access to a variety of hemp-based products. Here in Colorado, we are proud of the community of farmers who were the first in the nation to begin growing hemp, and for their positive impact on our economy.” A Florida representative discussed her bill to decriminalize drug testing strips. New Oklahoma medical cannabis transportation rules took effect. Minnesota regulators published guidance on cannabis cultivation sourcing. The California state auditor published a report on a cannabis grants program for local jurisdictions. The chair of the New York Cannabis Advisory Board discussed the distribution of marijuana tax revenue to organizations serving communities impacted by the war on drugs. — 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 San Francisco, California officials published guidance about marijuana business insurance requirements. / INTERNATIONAL The German Bundesrat voted to endorse restrictions on medical cannabis prescriptions and access. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “low-dose THC-CBD potentially can be an effective and safe therapeutic option for [Alzheimer’s disease]-related dementia.” A study suggested that “patterns of cannabis use that include relatively higher doses of CBD taken enterally may improve the quality of life of cancer survivors who report anxiety and depression.” A review concluded that “evidence suggests that psilocybin transiently reduces obsessive—compulsive symptoms in clinical populations and produces lasting anti-compulsive effects in validated animal models.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS Former Democratic National Committee Acting Chair Donna Brazile joked about smoking marijuana with Killer Mike and Bill Maher. / BUSINESS Innovative Industrial Properties Inc. is facing a lawsuit accusing it of failing to inform shareholders about how poorly several of its largest tenants were doing. / CULTURE MMA fighter Conor McGregor spoke about his therapeutic use of ibogaine. 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 FL cannabis legalization signatures tossed (Newsletter: November 25, 2025) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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New Jersey lawmakers have advanced a bill to provide regulated therapeutic access to psilocybin for adults with qualifying health conditions, with plans to continue to work toward enactment in the 2026 legislative session. More than a year after the Assembly Health Committee first took up and amended the legislation—sponsored by Assemblymembers Herb Conaway (D), Clinton Calabrese (D) and Anthony Verrelli (D)—the panel reconvened on Monday, taking testimony and reporting it out favorably. “We’re all broken in one way, shape or form,” Verrelli (D), one of the bill sponsors, said at Monday’s hearing. “This bill gives another option for people to heal and get better. And by getting them better, it gives them the opportunity to make their communities, their families and life in general better—to break that cycle of trauma, however it looks.” The committee last year amended the legislation in a way that aligns in with a Senate version. To advocates’ disappointment, however, that meant removing provisions that would have more broadly legalized psilocybin for adult use. Initially, the legislation was introduced in identical form to what lawmakers proposed in the 2024 session—a plan that included personal legalization provisions, which the recent amended versions takes out. Those components would have made it legal for adults to “possess, store, use, ingest, inhale, process, transport, deliver without consideration, or distribute without consideration, four grams or less of psilocybin.” The amended measures would nevertheless significantly expand on legislation introduced in late 2020 to reduce penalties for possession of up to one ounce of psilocybin. That reform that was signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy (D) in 2021. Stacy Swanson, who testified on behalf of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), stressed at Monday’s hearing that the “invisible wounds of war do not just affect the veteran—they affect the entire family.” “This bill does not legalize recreational drugs,” she said. “It creates structured, clinically supervised access with required integration and follow-up.” In its amended version, the bill would charge the Department of Health (DOH) with licensing and regulating the manufacture, testing, transport, delivery, sale and purchase of psilocybin. There would be five license types: manufacturer, service center operator, testing laboratory, facilitator and psilocybin worker. A Psilocybin Advisory Board would establish qualifying medical conditions for use, propose guidelines for psilocybin services and dosage, craft safety screenings and informed consent practices and oversee facilitator education, training and conduct. Its stated goal would be to develop a long-term strategic plan for safe, accessible and affordable access to psilocybin for all people 21 and older. Toward that goal, a social equity program would be tasked with establishing financial assistance to help low-income people cover costs of psilocybin services. DOH would also be directed to establish programs for technical assistance, reduced fees and other support services. Jesse McLaughlin, director of state advocacy at Reason for Hope, said at Monday’s hearing that psychedelic medicine represents the “next great breakthrough in psychiatry, and we need to prepare our healthcare system for it.” “Psilocybin therapy is time-intensive, workforce-intensive and fundamentally different from how psychiatric care is delivered today,” he said. In order to access the psilocybin services under the bill, a patient with a qualifying condition would need to obtain a referral from a licensed health care professional. Services would also include mandatory preparation and integration sessions before and after the administration of psilocybin. The Assembly bill next heads to the Appropriations Committee. The Senate companion has already cleared two panels in that chamber—the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and the Budget and Appropriations Committee. A survey of New Jersey residents released last year indicates that a majority of state residents agree with making psilocybin available for therapeutic use, though they weren’t asked specifically about the specific legislation. The poll, from Stockton University’s William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy, found that 55 percent of respondents supported legalizing psilocybin for medical use under a doctor’s supervision. Just 20 percent of respondents were opposed, while 24 percent said they weren’t sure. One percent of respondents refused to answer the question. — 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. — In other New Jersey drug policy news, voters earlier this month elected U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) to serve as the state’s next governor, and there’s now a decidedly clearer path to advancing a marijuana reform long awaited by consumers and advocates in the Garden State: A home grow option. Meanwhile, as New Jersey’s first marijuana consumption lounges opened up over the summer, regulators shared information about where to find the sites and offering tips about how to responsibly use cannabis at the licensed businesses—including classic stoner cultural customs like “puff, puff, pass.” New Jersey officials have also completed the curriculum of a no-cost marijuana training academy that’s meant to support entrepreneurs interested in entering the cannabis industry. Separately, in May New Jersey Senate President Nick Scutari (D) filed a bill that would re-criminalize purchasing marijuana from unlicensed sources—one of the latest attempts to crack down on the illicit market and steer adults toward licensed retailers. In March, a former New Jersey Senate leader unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination this year said “it is time” to give medical marijuana patients an option to grow their own cannabis plants for personal use. He also pledged to expand clemency for people impacted by marijuana criminalization if elected, and he expressed support for the establishment of cannabis consumption lounges. The comments from Sweeney, who was the longest-serving Senate president in the state’s history, on home grow depart from what the current governor has said on multiple occasions, arguing that the state’s adult-use marijuana market needs to further mature before home grow is authorized. Seemingly contradicting that claim, dozens of New Jersey small marijuana businesses and advocacy groups recently called on the legislature to allow adults to cultivate their own cannabis. Image courtesy of CostaPPR. The post New Jersey Lawmakers Approve Bill To Legalize Psilocybin Therapy appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A federal court has tossed a firearms conviction against a man because it determined that the underlying alleged crime—possession of a gun while being a user of marijuana—is unconstitutional. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth District on Friday said the crux of the case is “whether the Second Amendment protects a habitual marijuana user from being permanently dispossessed of a firearm based on our Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.” The ruling comes as the U.S. Supreme Court weighs the constitutionality of the federal ban on gun ownership by people who use marijuana and other drugs. Numerous federal courts have issued rulings on the issue in recent years, but the legal challenge has yet to be settled. The case of Kevin LaMarcus Mitchell is somewhat unique, in that the appeals court made an assessment about the cannabis and firearms question in the context of a ruling to invalidate a conviction for general unlawful gun possession. What the court ultimately determined is that the federal statute § 922(g)(3) doesn’t meet the standards of Supreme Court precedent in the case New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, which held that gun laws restricting the Second Amendment must be set in a way that’s consistent with the country’s founding. The appeals court found that there was no “sufficient evidence of present intoxication” when Mitchell was prosecuted, and so “admission of being a habitual marijuana user is not enough to justify § 922(g)(1)’s permanent ban on his firearm possession.” “The implication of a ruling to the contrary would be that Michell was always intoxicated from age nineteen onward based on his admission, and our historical laws could be applied to him at any point during that period,” the majority ruling said. “Accordingly, we REVERSE the district court’s denial of Mitchell’s motion to dismiss and VACATE the judgment of conviction and sentence,” it said. “The government’s motion to supplement the record is DENIED as moot.” Meanwhile, the Supreme Court recently granted a request from the Trump administration to extend the deadline to submit briefs in a case concerning the constitutionality of the federal gun ban on gun ownership for cannabis users. After justices agreed to take the case, U.S. v. Hemani, last month, DOJ told the court there was mutual agreement between its attorneys and those representing the respondent in the case that the initial deadline for briefs and reply briefs should be revised because of the “press of other cases.” Relatedly, a coalition of gun rights organizations recently urged the Supreme Court to expand its examination of the constitutionality of the federal firearm ban for cannabis consumers—telling justices that a recent case on the issue it accepted would not properly settle the question of the current law’s constitutionality. With respect to Hemani, in a separate August filing for the case, the Justice Department also emphasized that “the question presented is the subject of a multi-sided and growing circuit conflict.” In seeking the court’s grant of cert, the solicitor general also noted that the defendant is a joint American and Pakistani citizen with alleged ties to Iranian entities hostile to the U.S., putting him the FBI’s radar. Now that the Supreme Court has agreed to take up Hemani, if justices declare 922(g)(3) constitutional, such a ruling could could mean government wins in the remaining cases. The high court last month denied a petition for cert in U.S. v. Cooper, while leaving pending decisions on U.S. v. Daniels and U.S. v. Sam. The court also recently denied a petition for cert in another gun and marijuana case, U.S. v. Baxter, but that wasn’t especially surprising as both DOJ and the defendants advised against further pursing the matter after a lower court reinstated his conviction for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. Meanwhile, in recent interviews with Marijuana Moment, several Republican senators shared their views on the federal ban on gun possession by people who use marijuana—with one saying that if alcohol drinkers can lawfully buy and use firearms, the same standard should apply to cannabis consumers. Separately, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit earlier this year sided with a federal district court that dismissed an indictment against Jared Michael Harrison, who was charged in Oklahoma in 2022 after police discovered cannabis and a handgun in his vehicle during a traffic stop. The case has now been remanded to that lower court, which determined that the current statute banning “unlawful” users of marijuana from possessing firearms violates the Second Amendment of the Constitution. The lower court largely based his initial decision on an interpretation of a Supreme Court ruling in which the justices generally created a higher standard for policies that seek to impose restrictions on gun rights. Additionally, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh District, judges recently ruled in favor of medical cannabis patients who want to exercise their Second Amendment rights to possess firearms. As a recent report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) explained the current legal landscape, a growing number of federal courts are now “finding constitutional problems in the application of at least some parts” of the firearms prohibition. In a recent ruling, a three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit vacated a defendant’s conviction and remanded the case back to a district court, noting that a retrial before a jury may be necessary to determine whether cannabis in fact caused the defendant to be dangerous or pose a credible threat to others. The Third Circuit separately said in a published opinion that district courts must make “individualized judgments” to determine whether 922(g)(3) is constitutional as applied to particular defendants. A federal court last month agreed to delay proceedings in a years-long Florida-based case challenging the constitutionality of the ban on gun ownership by people who use medical marijuana, with the Justice Department arguing that the Supreme Court’s recent decision to take up Hemani warrants a stay in the lower court. — 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. — Earlier this year, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled that the ban was unconstitutional as applied to two defendants, writing that the government failed to establish that the “sweeping” prohibition against gun ownership by marijuana users was grounded in historical precedent. A federal judge in El Paso separately ruled late last year that the government’s ongoing ban on gun ownership by habitual marijuana users is unconstitutional in the case of a defendant who earlier pleaded guilty to the criminal charge. The court allowed the man to withdraw the plea and ordered that the indictment against him be dismissed. DOJ has claimed in multiple federal cases over the past several years that the statute banning cannabis consumers from owning or possessing guns is constitutional because it’s consistent with the nation’s history of disarming “dangerous” individuals. In 2023, for example, the Justice Department told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit that historical precedent “comfortably” supports the restriction. Cannabis consumers with guns pose a unique danger to society, the Biden administration claimed, in part because they’re “unlikely” to store their weapon properly. Meanwhile, some states have passed their own laws either further restricting or attempting to preserve gun rights as they relate to marijuana. Recently a Pennsylvania lawmaker introduced a bill meant to remove state barriers to medical marijuana patients carrying firearms. Colorado activists also attempted to qualify an initiative for November’s ballot that would have protected the Second Amendment rights of marijuana consumers in that state, but the campaign’s signature-gathering drive ultimately fell short. As 2024 drew to a close, the ATF issued a warning to Kentucky residents that, if they choose to participate in the state’s medical marijuana program that’s set to launch imminently, they will be prohibited from buying or possessing firearms under federal law. The official said that while people who already own firearms aren’t “expected to” turn them over if they become state-legal cannabis patients, those who “wish to follow federal law and not be in violation of it” must “make the decision to divest themselves of those firearms.” Since then, bipartisan state lawmakers have introduced legislation that would urge Kentucky’s representatives in Congress to amend federal law to clarify that users of medical marijuana may legally possess firearms, though no action has since been taken on that bill. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said in January that he supported the legislature’s effort to urge the state’s congressional delegation to call for federal reforms to protect the Second Amendment rights of medical marijuana patients, but the governor added that he’d like to see even more sweeping change on the federal level. The post Federal Appeals Court Deems Gun Ban For Marijuana Consumers Unconstitutional, Dismissing Conviction appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A Florida judge has sided with Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) administration and upheld a move to invalidate about 200,000 signatures in support of a marijuana legalization initiative that an industry-funded campaign is seeking to place on the state’s 2026 ballot. Smart & Safe Florida filed the lawsuit against Secretary of State Cord Byrd and Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley in Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit last month, contesting the secretary’s claims that signature verification criteria render invalid any petitions that didn’t include the full text of the initiative. While the ruling from Circuit Court Judge John Cooper on Friday didn’t focus on that particular issue, it did agree with the state that a formatting revision to the campaign’s petition—putting a link to its site with the full text of the proposed initiative on the back of the form—was an unapproved change. The invalidation of about 200,000 petitions that were filled out on that revised form would cut nearly a third of signatures from the campaign’s current total. Smart & Safe Florida has already vowed to appeal the decision. “We fervently but respectfully disagree with this ruling and fully intend to appeal it as voters deserve and overwhelmingly want to have their voices heard on this important matter,” the campaign said in a statement to Marijuana Moment on Monday. The initially contested policy change on having the full text of an initiative included in the petition was “not contemplated by the statute” on ballot requirements, the campaign said in their original lawsuit. Despite that, however, the secretary last month “directed all County Supervisors of Elections to invalidate upwards of 200,000 of Plaintiff’s petitions that the Supervisors had previously verified pursuant to the express statutory criteria.” Ben Gibson, representing the secretary of state, said in a hearing on Friday that the policy change for petitions was “not something” he “came up with out of the whole cloth,” News Service of Florida reported. Statute stipulates that “signatures obtained on an unapproved form cannot be counted.” “That is not an interpretation,” he said. “That is the black letter law of the statute.” Cooper, the circuit court judge, said he “wavered back and forth” on the issue at hand, and he believed the state’s attorney “pointed out to my satisfaction the statutory provision that says if one is not using the forms prescribed by the secretary of state, then they are not valid.” The original lawsuit noted that the secretary’s decision to direct the invalidation of petitions came “less than four months before the February 1, 2026, deadline for ballot certification.” The secretary’s office initially sent a cease-and-desist letter to Smart & Safe Florida in March, advising the campaign about its interpretation of the rules around including the full text of the proposed initiative on its signature petitions, “without pointing to any statute, regulation, or order” to support its enforceability. “While the Secretary has the delegated authority to prescribe the style and requirements of a citizen initiative form, he has no authority to create and impose additional verification criteria not contemplated by the Legislature,” the suit says. “No Florida statute…expressly or impliedly requires that the Full Text Form be provided or displayed to a voter prior to signing a petition.” Regardless of legal questions surrounding the revised signature gathering criteria, the campaign did voluntarily comply with the secretary’s directive and began including the full text on petitions. But more than six months after the initial contact, Division of Elections Director Maria Matthews on October 3 emailed all of the state’s 63 county supervisors “directing them to invalidate any Smart & Safe petition” that voters signed before the full initiative text was added. “While the Secretary may wish that voters have the opportunity to read the Full Text Form before signing the petition, there is no statutory or regulatory requirement that a voter read the full text to have their petition verified and counted,” the lawsuit says. “The Secretary’s Directive is inaccurate, unlawful, ultra vires, and void.” Meanwhile last month, the campaign filed a separate lawsuit with the state Supreme Court, alleging that officials are violating election laws by stalling a required review process for the measure without justification. The state has since agreed to move forward with the processing. This is the campaign’s second run at the ballot. They successfully secured ballot placement for a 2024 version of the initiative—and a majority did vote to pass it, but not enough to meet the state’s steep 60 percent threshold to approve a constitutional amendment. A federal judge in August separately delivered a win to Smart & Safe Florida—granting “complete relief” from provisions of a law the governor signed to impose other serious restrictions on signature gathering. While the law the governor signed in May wasn’t directly targeted at the cannabis initiative, there’s been concern among supporters that it could jeopardize an already complex and costly process to collect enough signatures to make the ballot. That’s because it would block non-residents and non-citizens from collecting signatures for ballot measures. In March, meanwhile, two Democratic members of Congress representing Florida asked the federal government to investigate what they described as “potentially unlawful diversion” of millions in state Medicaid funds via a group with ties to DeSantis. The money was used to fight against a citizen ballot initiative, vehemently opposed by the governor, that would have legalized marijuana for adults. The lawmakers’ letter followed allegations that a $10 million donation from a state legal settlement was improperly made to the Hope Florida Foundation, which later sent the money to two political nonprofits, which in turn sent $8.5 million to a campaign opposing Amendment 3. The governor said in February that the newest marijuana legalization measure is in “big time trouble” with the state Supreme Court, predicting it will be blocked from going before voters next year. “There’s a lot of different perspectives on on marijuana,” DeSantis said. “It should not be in our Constitution. If you feel strongly about it, you have elections for the legislature. Go back candidates that you believe will be able to deliver what your vision is on that.” “But when you put these things in the Constitution—and I think, I mean, the way they wrote, there’s all kinds of things going on in here. I think it’s going to have big time trouble getting through the Florida Supreme Court,” he said. The latest initiative was filed with the secretary of state’s office just months after the initial version failed during the November 2024 election—despite an endorsement from President Donald Trump. Smart & Safe Florida is hoping the revised version will succeed in 2026. The campaign—which in the last election cycle received tens of millions of dollars from cannabis industry stakeholders, principally the multi-state operator Trulieve—incorporated certain changes into the new version that seem responsive to criticism opponents raised during the 2024 push. For example, it now specifically states that the “smoking and vaping of marijuana in any public place is prohibited.”Another section asserts that the legislature would need to approve rules dealing with the “regulation of the time, place, and manner of the public consumption of marijuana.” Last year, the governor accurately predicted that the 2024 cannabis measure from the campaign would survive a legal challenge from the state attorney general. It’s not entirely clear why he feels this version would face a different outcome. While there’s uncertainty around how the state’s highest court will navigate the measure, a poll released in February showed overwhelming bipartisan voter support for the reform—with 67 percent of Florida voters backing legalization, including 82 percent of Democrats, 66 percent of independents and 55 percent of Republicans. — 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. — In the background, a recent poll from a Trump-affiliated research firm found that nearly 9 in 10 Florida voters say they should have the right to decide to legalize marijuana in the state. Meanwhile, a pro-legalization GOP state lawmaker recently filed a bill to amend state law to codify that the public use of marijuana is prohibited. Rep. Alex Andrade (R), the sponsor, said earlier this year that embracing cannabis reform is a way for the Republican party to secure more votes from young people. Separately, Florida medical marijuana officials are actively revoking the registrations of patients and caregivers with drug-related criminal records. The policy is part of broad budget legislation signed into law earlier this year by DeSantis. The provisions in question direct the state Department of Health (DOH) to cancel registrations of medical marijuana patients and caregivers if they’re convicted of—or plead guilty or no contest to—criminal drug charges. Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen. The post Florida Judge Says Officials Can Toss 200,000 Marijuana Legalization Petitions, Putting 2026 Ballot Initiative At Risk appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A Republican congressman says his GOP colleagues in the Senate made a “detrimental” mistake by blocking language from a key spending bill that would have increased military veterans’ access to medical marijuana in legal states. Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) told Marijuana Moment last week that he felt it was “ridiculous” the Senate declined to include the medical cannabis provisions in the appropriations legislation President Donald Trump signed into law last week. The omission came despite the fact that similar language was already approved in different forms by both chambers earleir this year. “It was a great and easy opportunity to do so, and a sensical thing to move forward—and detrimental to veterans to not do so,” Mast, co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, said. The congressman, an Army veteran who lost both of his legs while serving as an explosive ordnance disposal technician in Afghanistan, also noted that it came as a surprise that the cannabis and veterans section was left out—as Senate leadership “didn’t reach over and announce” that they’d be doing so ahead of the final package being released and enacted into law within a span of days. On the Senate side, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) sponsored an amendment to the now-enacted spending bill to re-add the provision letting U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issue medical cannabis recommendations to their patients, but it was not allowed a to receive a vote on the floor. While disappointed that the reform did not make it into the legislation signed by President Donald Trump, Mast said the push for medical marijuana access for veterans will continue, though the issue will “undoubtedly” be put on hold until next year. When it does eventually come back up, he said supporters will have to consider whether they need to revise the language or “add something that somebody wants—some pet bullshit—in it, or whatever else it is” to bolster its chances of passage. After the bill text was released without the veterans and cannabis provisions, advocates took note that it came just days before Veterans Day. “The absence of this provision is incredibly disappointing, and makes no sense whatsoever,” Morgan Fox, political director of NORML, told Marijuana Moment at the time. “It is uncontroversial, revenue-neutral, previously approved by both chambers, and long overdue in order to help veterans find relief.” In past years, both the House and Senate had included provisions in their respective MilConVA measures that would permit VA doctors to make the medical cannabis recommendations, but they have never been enacted into law. — 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. — Mast in February filed the standalone Veterans Equal Access Act—marking one of the latest attempt to enact the measure that’s enjoyed bipartisan support over recent sessions. Meanwhile, the appropriations bill that Trump signed also contains controversial provisions that would re-criminalize hemp products with THC, which many stakeholders believe would effectively eliminate the market. The LCB contributed reporting from Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post Republican Senators Made ‘Detrimental’ Mistake By Blocking Veterans’ Medical Marijuana Access, GOP Congressman Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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