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White House officials are giving feedback on pending legislation to create a regulatory framework for hemp amid a swirl of proposals from lawmakers on the issue—including a new amendment that seeks to expedite enforcement of the pending recriminalization of hemp-derived THC products that is currently scheduled for November. On Tuesday, Vince Haley, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and James Braid, assistant to the president for legislative affairs, sent hemp policy suggestions to Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), who has been helping to lead efforts to enact regulations for the plant as an alternative to prohibition. “We appreciate your work to advance the policy of” an executive order President Donald Trump signed in December that included provisions seeking to protect Americans’ access to CBD products, the staffers wrote in a letter to the congressman. “We are transmitting for your consideration draft legislative text and comments to address the statutory definition of final hemp-derived cannabinoid products in order to allow Americans to benefit from access to appropriate full-spectrum CBD products while preserving the Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose serious health risks,” the White House officials said, according to a social media post containing a screenshot of the letter. “We are available for discussion and further technical assistance.” The attachment with the administration’s proposed legislative text was not included in the post, and the White House and Barr’s office did not immediately respond to Marijuana Moment’s request for further details. Barr filed a hemp amendment this week to the pending Farm Bill, but he later withdrew it for reasons that he did not announce. It’s not clear from the letter’s text whether the White House was proactively sending legislative proposals to the lawmaker or if they were replying to something his office submitted—though two cannabis industry sources suggested to Marijuana Moment that Barr first sent language to the administration, which then provided technical feedback. Barr’s now-withdrawn amendment, according to the sponsor’s summary, “amends the definition of ‘Hemp’ to preserve the lawful hemp market while creating a regulatory framework that protects children, bans synthetics, and ensures that any products on the market place are of American origin.” Ok guys, since you all want to Troll me and have been all day about The Barr Bill, here you Asshats go.. Its One Plant that should have one set of rules And it should all be Legal with proper age gating and restrictions.. pic.twitter.com/nTt8AJ5mvP — Marc Cohodes (@AlderLaneEggs) April 23, 2026 Meanwhile, Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) also filed a new Farm Bill amendment that she said “expedites enforcement of the hemp restriction provisions” that are now set to take effect on November 12. Instead, under her proposal, the ban would kick in on the date the new Farm Bill is enacted—though it’s not clear based on current progress in Congress when that will actually be, and the legislation could potentially not end up passing until after the current recriminalization date, making the amendment moot. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a drug-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, the president signed new legislation containing provisions that will redefine hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will remain legal after November 12. Trump this week pushed congressional lawmakers to take action to amend the currently scheduled hemp ban, which he suggested threatens to federally recriminalize full-spectrum CBD products. “I am calling on Congress to update the Law to ensure that Americans can continue to access the full-spectrum CBD products they have come to rely on, and that help them, while preserving Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose Health risks,” the president said in a Truth Social post on Thursday, the same day his administration announced it is moving forward to reschedule marijuana. “We must get this done RIGHT and FAST, especially for those who saw that CBD helps them,” he said. “Plus, I am told it will also help our GREAT FARMERS, who we love, and will always be there for.” Barr promoted the president’s comments, saying in his own post that he is “working in Congress to deliver these critical reforms so farmers have certainty and Americans can continue to access safe, reliable hemp-derived products.” Thank you, President Trump, for leading the charge to expand access to CBD products. I’m working in Congress to deliver these critical reforms so farmers have certainty and Americans can continue to access safe, reliable hemp-derived products. pic.twitter.com/hguGIgDCAW — Congressman Andy Barr (@RepAndyBarr) April 24, 2026 An additional pending Farm Bill amendment from Reps. James Comer (R-KY) and Kelly Morrison (D-MN) would push back the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC products for another year. Submitted amendments to the Farm Bill, formally known as the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, or H.R. 7567, are expected to be considered next week by the Rules Committee. That panel will decide whether the proposals can receive votes on the House floor. Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) had filed a hemp ban delay amendment before the House Agriculture Committee when it took up the Farm Bill last month, but that panel’s chairman determined that the proposal was not germane to the legislation. The Farm Bill as approved by the prior committee does contain some provisions aimed at aiding the hemp industry and farmers who grow cannabis for industrial purposes such as fiber and grain. For example, the legislation would amend existing statute related to the development of industrial hemp production regulatory plans by states and tribes—including surrounding polices for testing, sampling, background checks and record-keeping. A number of other bipartisan hemp reform bills are pending in Congress. Last week, for example, Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) filed the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, which would effectively let states opt out of the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that is set to be enacted later this year. Ernst on Wednesday, however, withdrew her name as a cosponsor of the legislation. Her office did not reply to Marijuana Moment’s request for clarification on the move. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — A U.S. Department of Agriculture report published this month shows that farmers in the U.S. grew three-quarters of a billion dollars worth of hemp crops in 2025—a 64 percent increase from the prior year. Meanwhile, the Trump administration this month launched a new initiative to cover up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products each year for eligible Medicare patients. The program being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) focuses largely on CBD but also allows a certain amount of THC in products. Anti-marijuana organizations filed a lawsuit suit against the Medicare hemp coverage policy, and lawyers for Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Director Mehmet Oz recently filed a brief asking that the case be dismissed. Meanwhile, the White House Office of Management and Budget has been holding a series of meetings about a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) CBD products enforcement policy. FDA also issued guidance making clear that it does not intend to interfere with implementation of the Medicare hemp-derived products coverage plan. CMS separately finalized a rule that will allow coverage of some hemp products as specialized, non-primarily health-related benefits through Medicare Advantage plans. As hemp products have become more popular with consumers, some large brands are attempting to get in on action. Major retailer Target, for example, is expanding its participation in the hemp-derived THC beverage market. Last year, the company began a pilot program involving sales of cannabis drinks at 10 select stores in Minnesota. That apparently went well, and now the company has obtained licenses from Minnesota regulators to sell lower-potency hemp edible products—including THC drinks—at all 72 of its stores in the state. The post White House Weighs In On Hemp Legislation As GOP Lawmaker Pushes Accelerated THC Product Ban appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Federal health officials are taking steps that they say will help with “accelerating” therapeutic access to psychedelics for patients dealing with serious mental health conditions. Following President Donald Trump’s signing an executive order aimed at expanding and expediting research on the medical benefits of psychedelics, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday announced a series of regulatory actions to support the development of psychedelics as approved medications. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are accelerating the research, approval, and responsible access to promising mental health treatments—including psychedelic therapies like ibogaine—to confront our nation’s mental health crisis head-on, especially for our veterans,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said. “The FDA will prioritize therapies with Breakthrough Therapy designation, where early evidence shows meaningful improvement over existing options for serious mental illness.” The new steps being announced on Friday include the issuance of national priority vouchers to three companies studying psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, as well as methylone (MDMC) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). FDA is also allowing an early phase clinical study of noribogaine hydrochloride to move forward following an Investigational New Drug (IND) submission, with sponsor company DemeRx NB exploring the substance as a potential treatment for alcohol use disorder. It marks the first time federal officials are allowing a clinical study in the U.S. of a derivative of ibogaine. “These medications have the potential to address the nation’s mental health crisis, including conditions like treatment-resistant depression, alcoholism and other serious mental health and substance abuse conditions,” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said. “As this field moves forward, it is critical that their development is grounded in sound science and rigorous clinical evidence. We owe it to our nation’s veterans and all Americans who are suffering from these conditions to evaluate these potential therapies with urgency.” Following President Trump’s directive to accelerate medical treatments for serious mental illnesses, FDA announced major steps to support the development of serotonin-2A agonists & related products—a class of medications historically referred to as "psychedelic" drugs. … pic.twitter.com/SGjCcQW17n — U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) April 24, 2026 The agency additionally says it will soon be releasing guidance providing recommendations to sponsors developing psychedelic medicines. The psychedelic research guidance will include recommendations on study design, data collection and generation, patient monitoring and conducting adequate and well-controlled clinical investigations. “There is a growing recognition of the potential of psychedelic medications to address multiple different psychiatric conditions that are notoriously difficult to treat,” Tracy Beth Hoeg, acting director FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said. “At the FDA we are showing our support of investigating the safety and efficacy of this class of drugs through today’s actions.” Trump said when he signed the executive order last weekend that it will “dramatically accelerate access to new medical research and treatments based on psychedelic drugs,” Trump said. “In many cases, these experimental treatments have shown life-changing potential for those suffering from severe mental illness and depression—including our cherished veterans.” Steps taken under the order will “clear away unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, improve data sharing among the FDA and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and facilitate fast rescheduling of any psychedelic drugs that become FDA approved,” the president said. Some psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA have been designated with “breakthrough therapy” status, meaning that preliminary clinical evidence shows they can provide substantial improvement over existing therapies. Trump said his order will “expedite” the further review of such substances. The president also announced that the federal government is making $50 million available to support state-level research on ibogaine and is “opening a pathway for the substance to be administered to desperately ill patients under the Right to Try law” that he signed during his first term in office. Under Trump’s order, health officials will coordinate with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Justice on rescheduling reviews for psychedelics that complete successful Phase 3 trials. A growing body of research and experience indicates that psychedelics can help people suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, drug addiction and other mental health disorders. Lawmakers in a number of states have passed legislation to support clinical trials with the aim of developing ibogaine into a legal medication with approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Texas officials, for example, recently announced that the state will move ahead with launching its own research program on the psychedelic after the they couldn’t find a company to lead a consortium on the issue under a bill enacted last year. Meanwhile, Kennedy said recently that the Trump administration is “very anxious” to create a pathway for access to psychedelics therapy and that top officials across federal agencies want to “get it out to the public as quickly as possible.” In an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience in February, Kennedy said he’s confident “we’re going to get it done,” with plans to develop and finalize rules that would enable patients with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression to access psychedelic substances like psilocybin and MDMA in a “very controlled setting.” “Everybody in my agency…is very anxious to get a rule out there that will allow these kind of studies and will allow access under therapeutic settings, particularly [for] the military soldiers who have suffered these injuries to get access to these products,” the HHS secretary said. “We’re working through that process now. We’re all working on it and trying to make it happen.” “I think that we’re going to get it done,” he said. Last June, Kennedy said his agency is “absolutely committed” to expanding research on the benefits of psychedelic therapy and, alongside of the head of FDA, is aiming to provide legal access to such substances for military veterans “within 12 months.” Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins also disclosed in April that he had an “eye-opening” talk with Kennedy about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicine. And he said he’s open to the idea of having the government provide vouchers to cover the costs of psychedelic therapy for veterans who receive services outside of VA as Congress considers pathways for access. Bipartisan congressional lawmakers introduced legislation this session to provide $30 million in funding annually to establish psychedelic-focused “centers for excellence” at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, where veterans could receive novel treatment involving substances like psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine. A U.S. Senate committee has scheduled a hearing for next week on a bipartisan bill to promote research into the therapeutic potential psychedelics by creating a new office at VA that would advance the development innovative treatments for serious mental health conditions and assist in reviewing the scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) has said ibogaine represents an “astonishing breakthrough” in the nation’s current “sick care system” that’s left people with serious mental health conditions without access to promising alternative treatment options. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Mushroom Observer. The post Federal Officials Announce Plan For ‘Accelerating’ Access To Psychedelics For Patients With Mental Health Conditions Following Trump’s Order appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A key congressional committee issued a directive this week for federal agencies to study the “adequacy” of state marijuana laws and to assess methods for “preventing diversion of state legal cannabis product into jurisdictions that do not permit the use of cannabis.” The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved spending legislation and related reports, one of which contains the marijuana provisions. The draft report attached to the Fiscal Year 2027 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) bill says the panel “recognizes that over 20 States and territories now permit the adult use cannabis, while over 35 States and territories permit the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.” It directs the Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to “coordinate an assessment of the adequacy of State marijuana regulatory frameworks, including commonalities and novel approaches to enforcement and oversight.” The committee has approved similar cannabis provisions in past years, but it’s not clear if TTB has ever filed a resulting marijuana policy report with lawmakers. Here’s the full language of the current directive approved by the committee this week: “Cannabis Regulatory Framework.—The Committee recognizes that over 20 States and territories now permit the adult use cannabis, while over 35 States and territories permit the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. The Committee directs TTB in coordination with the entire Department, and other agencies, which may have relevant regulatory expertise, to coordinate an assessment of the adequacy of State marijuana regulatory frameworks, including commonalities and novel approaches to enforcement and oversight. The assessment shall include recommendations to improve data sharing and coordination between State and Federal authorities. The Department is directed brief the Committee on the findings of the assessment within one year of enactment of this Act.” This year’s report also includes a new cannabis-related passage directing TTB and other agencies to assess ways to prevent diversion of marijuana from legal markets to states that maintain prohibition. It reads: “Diversion Prevention.—The Committee urges DOJ, in coordination with the broader Department, TTB, and other agencies that may have relevant regulatory expertise, to coordinate an assessment of the most effective methods of preventing diversion of state legal cannabis product into jurisdictions that do not permit the use of cannabis.” In an amendment adopted in a voice vote on Tuesday, the panel also added report language urging the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to ensure that High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas programs get enough resources to combat illicit cannabis growing and other priorities. It says: “Allocation of Resources.-The Committee encourages ONDCP to ensure appropriate resources are allocated to HIDTA regions combatting significant methamphetamine and weapons trafficking and illegal marijuana cultivation to promote funding parity for intelligence, training, and support programs.” The directive for federal agencies to study the adequacy of state cannabis laws mirrors what was included in reports attached to appropriations bills covering FSGG and Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) in several prior sessions. It is also similar in intent to a standalone bill from House FSGG Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Dave Joyce (R-OH), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. That legislation would lay the groundwork for federal marijuana legalization, directing the attorney general to create a commission charged with making recommendations on a regulatory system for cannabis. The underlying FSGG bill, meanwhile, includes a longstanding provision continuing to block Washington, D.C. from legalizing and regulating recreational marijuana sales. While local lawmakers have found ways to work around that policy to some extent by significantly expanding access to an existing medical marijuana program, advocates view the rider—championed by prohibitionist Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD)—as a troubling infringement on D.C.’s autonomy. “SEC. 809. (a) None of the Federal funds contained in this Act may be used to enact or carry out any law, rule, or regulation to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, use, or distribution of any Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.) or any tetrahydrocannabinols derivative. (b) No funds available for obligation or expenditure by the District of Columbia government under any authority may be used to enact any law, rule, or regulation to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, use, or distribution of any Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C 801 et seq.) or any tetrahydrocannabinols derivative for recreational purposes.” Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) decried the bill’s inclusion of the cannabis rider and other that seek to interfere with local policymaking. “Although I am unsurprised at the number and scope of anti-D.C. home rule riders in the D.C. appropriations bill as passed out of Committee, I continue to be outraged at the entitlement shown by members of Congress who represent far-away districts yet think it’s appropriate to impose their policy preferences on 700,000 D.C. residents,” she said in a press release. “By loading this legislation with anti-home-rule riders, from stripping away reproductive healthcare access to meddling in our local public safety and education laws, Republican members are dictating how D.C. residents live, spend their own local tax dollars, and govern themselves. “These members were not elected by D.C. residents, yet they continue to treat the District like their own playground to rule as they please,” she said. “This bill should serve as a stark reminder of why D.C. statehood is not just a political goal, but a moral imperative to end this ongoing cycle of paternalism and disenfranchisement.” The White House last year called the District’s move to enact local marijuana reform an example of a “failed” policy that “opened the door to disorder.” President Donald Trump’s budget request that he released earlier this month similarly proposed to continue the Harris rider preventing adult-use marijuana sales in D.C. — 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 on Capitol Hill, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said this week that there is enough support within Congress to pass comprehensive federal marijuana reform—if only Republican leaders would allow a vote. “I’m hopeful that we can find a legislative path forward,” Jeffries said. “This does seem to exist as a bipartisan issue, particularly amongst younger generations of Republicans and the entirety of the House Democratic Caucus, and we know that the votes do exist to act legislatively.” Separately, bipartisan lawmakers have also filed several pieces of legislation to delay or reverse the broad federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that is set to take effect in November. The Department of Justice on Thursday announced that it is moving forward with federal rescheduling of marijuana. The post Congressional Committee Directs Federal Agencies To Study State Marijuana Laws appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Marijuana gun rights case not impacted by rescheduling, DOJ says; Federal hemp amendments; Senate psychedelics hearing; TN medical cannabis push 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 Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the Trump administration is moving forward with the process of marijuana rescheduling, more than four months after the president issued an executive order telling the Department of Justice to get it done in “the most expeditious manner.” Marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license will immediately move to Schedule III, as will any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Then, beginning on June 29, there will be a new expedited administrative hearing process to consider the broader rescheduling of cannabis. President Donald Trump said medical cannabis is “the best of all the alternatives” for people with serious illnesses. “A lot of people are suffering from big problems, which this seems to be the best answer.” Trump administration solicitor general John D. Sauer told Supreme Court justices in a new filing that federal marijuana rescheduling should not change the impact of a case they are considering on cannabis consumers’ gun rights. Lawmakers, advocates and celebrities are weighing in on the Trump administration’s marijuana rescheduling move—with many saying it is long overdue, others arguing it doesn’t go far enough and some expressing concerns about what they fear will be negative consequences of the cannabis reform. Reps. James Comer (R-KY) and Andy Barr (R-KY) filed amendments to the Farm Bill that would delay the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC products for another year and create a framework for continued legal sales, with new restrictions and clarifications—though Barr withdrew his proposal after submitting it. The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee scheduled a hearing for next week on a bill to create a new Department of Veterans Affairs office that would promote research on psychedelics and assist in reviewing scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA. A Tennessee lawmaker is calling on Gov. Bill Lee (R) and legislative leaders to convene a special session focused on legalizing medical cannabis in the state as federal marijuana rescheduling advances. / FEDERAL The Drug Enforcement Administration promoted an anti-marijuana group’s “National Anti-420 Day” resources. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary spoke about the administration’s moves on psychedelics in a number of TV interviews. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) withdrew her name as a cosponsor of a bill to let states and Indian tribes opt out of the pending federal recriminalization of hemp THC products. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about steps to combat Chinese-linked illegal marijuana grow operations during a hearing. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (R-MN) tweeted, “I introduced the bipartisan Hemp Safety Enforcement Act with Sen. Rand Paul to protect Minnesota’s hemp industry. A one-size-fits-all federal ban would hurt farmers, brewers, and small businesses. Our bill lets states regulate safely while protecting consumers and jobs.” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) tweeted about meeting with members of the National Beer Wholesalers Association to discuss “reversing legislative setbacks on hemp that could affect production of hemp-derived beverages.” / STATES The Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee added provisions on keeping marijuana conviction records confidential to an omnibus crime bill. A Pennsylvania Republican senator said some of his colleagues in his party would rather vote to raise revenue by legalizing marijuana than with a tax increase. An Oklahoma representative praised President Donald Trump’s psychedelics executive order. The Michigan Supreme Court is ordering the Court of Appeals to reexamine the legality of the state’s new marijuana wholesale tax. Montana regulators filed proposed changes to marijuana tracking rules. Illinois regulators sent a reminder about marijuana business licensing and registration portal accounts. Colorado regulators will host a hemp symposium on Tuesday. — 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 approved a proposal to decriminalize drug paraphernalia. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “the biochemical diversity of Cannabis sativa cultivated in Ondo state, Nigeria and its potential as a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds, with high variability across different plant tissues” and that “its antioxidant richness, especially in the composite and stem, suggests potential applications in the nutraceutical, functional food, and pharmaceutical industries.” A study supports “integration of psychedelic-assisted methods with standard palliative care to enhance end-of-life care.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The chair of the Missouri Republican Party issued a statement supporting President Donald Trump’s psychedelics executive order. The National Cannabis Industry Association is hosting lobby days on Capitol Hill from May 12-14. / BUSINESS Green Thumb Industries Inc. is expanding its share repurchase program. High Tide Inc. announced steps to address what it called “potential manipulation of its common shares.” Make sure to subscribe to get Marijuana Moment’s daily dispatch in your inbox. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post Trump talks benefits of medical cannabis after rescheduling announcement (Newsletter: April 24, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

President Donald Trump is urging congressional lawmakers to take action to amend a law that threatens to federally recriminalize hemp-derived full-spectrum CBD products in November. “I am calling on Congress to update the Law to ensure that Americans can continue to access the full-spectrum CBD products they have come to rely on, and that help them, while preserving Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose Health risks,” the president said in a Truth Social post on Thursday, the same day his administration announced it is moving forward to reschedule marijuana. “We must get this done RIGHT and FAST, especially for those who saw that CBD helps them,” he said. “Plus, I am told it will also help our GREAT FARMERS, who we love, and will always be there for.” Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a drug-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, he signed new legislation containing provisions that will redefine hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will remain legal after November 12. Industry advocates say that the provisions as enacted threaten to prohibit intoxicating and synthetic cannabinoid products but also stand to remove popular full-spectrum CBD products that many Americans use therapeutically from the market. “ONE in FIVE adults used it in the past year, and many say it improved their chronic pain enormously,” the president said in his social media post, adding that hemp-derived CBD “has made a HUGE difference for so many people.” He also referenced a new initiative the administration launched this month to cover up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products each year for eligible Medicare patients. The program being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) focuses largely on CBD but also allows products to have up to 3 milligrams of total THC per serving. “In December, I signed a very important Executive Order calling for Research and Innovation for Hemp-derived CBD,” Trump said. “Our wonderful Dr. Mehmet Oz moved fast to follow the directive in the Executive Order, and launched a model for some Seniors earlier this month. But more must be done!” “Please get it done, and SOON,” the president said in reference to a congressional fix for the broad recriminalization set to take effect in November. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!” It’s not clear how far Trump wants to scale back the scope of the scheduled federal restrictions on hemp products and what kinds of revised THC rules and limitations he would prefer to sign into law. In separate remarks in the Oval Office on Thursday, the president highlighted the medical benefits of marijuana hours after DOJ issued a rule to federally reschedule cannabis. “A lot of people are suffering from big problems, which this seems to be the best answer,” the president said in the Oval Office. “They’re very happy about it.” “So hopefully you don’t need it,” he said. “But if you do need it, I hear it’s the best of all the alternatives.” Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers in Congress this week filed amendments aimed at delaying the hemp product ban for another year and creating a framework for continued legal sales, with new restrictions and clarifications. The House Rules Committee is expected to decide next week whether any such proposal to amend the pending Farm Bill can be considered for floor votes. A number of other bipartisan hemp reform bills are also pending in Congress. Last week, for example, Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) filed the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, which would effectively let states opt out of the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that is set to be enacted later this year. Ernst on Wednesday, however, withdrew her name as a cosponsor of the legislation. Separately, anti-marijuana organizations filed a lawsuit suit against the Medicare hemp CBD coverage policy, and lawyers for Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Director Mehmet Oz recently filed a brief asking that the case be dismissed. The White House Office of Management and Budget has also been holding a series of meetings about a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) CBD products enforcement policy. FDA issued guidance making clear that it does not intend to interfere with implementation of the Medicare hemp-derived products coverage plan. CMS separately finalized a rule that will allow coverage of some hemp products as specialized, non-primarily health-related benefits through Medicare Advantage plans. As hemp products have become more popular with consumers, some large brands are attempting to get in on action. Major retailer Target, for example, is expanding its participation in the hemp-derived THC beverage market. Last year, the company began a pilot program involving sales of cannabis drinks at 10 select stores in Minnesota. That apparently went well, and now the company has obtained licenses from Minnesota regulators to sell lower-potency hemp edible products—including THC drinks—at all 72 of its stores in the state. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report published this month shows that farmers in the U.S. grew three-quarters of a billion dollars worth of hemp crops in 2025—a 64 percent increase from the prior year. The post Trump Pushes Congress To Keep Full-Spectrum CBD Legal While Restricting Hemp Products That Pose ‘Health Risks’ appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Federal officials said they plan to issue new tax guidance for the marijuana industry following a move by the Trump administration to reclassify cannabis that was announced on Thursday. Under an order from Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, marijuana regulated by a state medical cannabis license will immediately move to Schedule III. Marijuana products such as those in state-legal recreational markets remain in Schedule I for now, however, subject to a hearing process this summer to consider broader rescheduling of cannabis. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said they “expect DOJ’s action to have significant positive tax consequences for businesses in the medical marijuana industry, and Treasury and the IRS plan to issue guidance to address the principal federal tax issues stemming from” the move. Rescheduling won’t federally legalize cannabis, but it will benefit state-licensed marijuana businesses by allowing them to take federal tax deductions they’re currently barred from under an IRS code known as 280E that doesn’t apply to Schedule III substances. “Accordingly, rescheduling generally removes section 280E as a bar to claiming deductions and credits for businesses that as a result of the Final Order no longer traffic in Schedule I or II controlled substances under the CSA,” the new Treasury and IRS announcement says. Because of the way the rescheduling action is being rolled out in phases, state-licensed marijuana companies that serve both the medical and recreational markets may only be able to immediately obtain tax relief for parts of their businesses. “Guidance is expected to clarify the ways in which, for businesses with multiple activities, section 280E applies only to those activities related to trafficking in Schedule I or II controlled substances (e.g., by apportioning expenses),” the tax agency and Treasury Department said. Blanche’s rescheduling order for DOJ said he “encourages” the treasury secretary “to consider providing retrospective relief from Section 280E liability for taxable years in which a state licensee operated under a state medical marijuana license.” But the new Treasury and IRS announcement says that, at least for an initial transition rule, “rescheduling generally will be considered to first apply for a business’s full taxable year that includes the effective date of the Final Order, for the business’s activities that do not involve Schedule I or II controlled substances as a result of the Final Order.” The agencies did not specify when they expect to issue the forthcoming guidance. Separately on Thursday, the Justice Department told the Supreme Court in a filing that federal rescheduling of marijuana doesn’t change how justice should decide a pending case on cannabis consumers’ gun rights. President Donald Trump also highlighted the medical benefits of marijuana hours after DOJ issued the cannabis rescheduling rule. “A lot of people are suffering from big problems, which this seems to be the best answer,” the president said in the Oval Office. “They’re very happy about it.” “So hopefully you don’t need it,” he said. “But if you do need it, I hear it’s the best of all the alternatives.” The post Feds Announce Marijuana Industry Tax Guidance Is Coming As Rescheduling Takes Effect appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

President Donald Trump highlighted the medical benefits of marijuana on Thursday, hours after the Department of Justice announced it is moving ahead with a cannabis rescheduling proposal. “A lot of people are suffering from big problems, which this seems to be the best answer,” the president said in the Oval Office. “They’re very happy about it. So the rescheduling is starting, and that’s a big thing, rescheduling. They kept saying, ‘what about the rescheduling.'” Trump noted that his administration’s actions on cannabis rescheduling came after his friend Howard Kessler told him about how he used medical marijuana. “He had some medical difficulties, and he came upon this by accident, in a way,” the president said. “He had to go through a lot of different medications, and he said this was the one that was much better than anything else. And so he experienced that. He didn’t benefit by it, other than from the standpoint that he lives a much better life now.” “So hopefully you don’t need it,” he said. “But if you do need it, I hear it’s the best of all the alternatives.” Heidi Overton, deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, also spoke at the event in the Oval Office on Thursday. “Today is another promise made, promise kept day,” she said. “This is a giant move forward to implement your promise. That’s actually a campaign promise that you made where you’re going to move into Schedule III to increase the research on these medical products, and I just wanted everyone to know that when you make promises, you keep them.” “We will begin implementation right away of this order. It does not legalize marijuana. It makes it it makes it easy for the researchers to actually study and understand medical marijuana, especially in populations that are using it,” she said. “We know that one in 10 seniors right now used medical marijuana in the past year, and they report that it really helps them, but we don’t have the science or the understanding to guide the patients and the doctors,” Overton said. “And so both patients and doctors are flying blind without knowing how they interact with other medications, because the research has been difficult to do.” “Your promise today says those state licensed medical marijuana products are now on schedule III, and we expect the research to significantly increase so that we can understand how to guide patients and doctors in this effort,” she said “And there will be additional actions that will come this summer to do an expedited hearing, for an administrative hearing, by the Department of Justice for all of marijuana to move into Schedule III.” Trump complained last weekend that federal officials were “slow-walking” following through on his cannabis order. “You’re going to get the rescheduling done, right, please? Will you get the rescheduling done, please?” Trump said during a signing ceremony for a separate order on psychedelics, seeming to speak to a Department of Justice or White House official during an event in the Oval Office on Saturday. “You know, they’re slow-walking me on rescheduling. You’re going to get it done, right?” Trump in December signed an executive order directing the Department of Justice to expeditiously finish the process of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Thursday announced that rescheduling is finally happening through a process that will happen in phases. Under an order signed by Blanche, marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license will immediately move to Schedule III, as will any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Then, beginning on June 29, there will be a new expedited administrative hearing process to consider the broader rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. The Federal Register filing on the hearing says it “will conclude not later than July 15.” DOJ is ending a prior administrative hearing process on the rescheduling proposal that stalled near the end of the Biden administration amid litigation from pro-reform parties that alleged improper agency communications and witness selection decisions. Rescheduling won’t federally legalize cannabis, but it will remove certain Schedule I research barriers, while benefitting state-licensed marijuana businesses by allowing them to take federal tax deductions they’re currently barred from under an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E. Meanwhile, “any form of marijuana other than in an FDA-approved drug product or marijuana subject to a state medical marijuana license remains a schedule I controlled substance, and those who handle such material remain subject to the regulatory controls, and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions, applicable to schedule I controlled substances set forth in the CSA and DEA regulations,” Blanche wrote. For now, DOJ is establishing “an expedited review process for entities holding state medical marijuana licenses who seek registration as a marijuana manufacturer, distributor, or dispenser” in order to become federally compliant under Schedule III. In order to align with an international drug control treaty “requirement that a government agency serve as the exclusive purchaser of cannabis production,” DOJ is rolling out a process by which the federal government will technically purchase marijuana from producers and then sell it back to them or related entities. “Registered manufacturers must store crops in a facility to which DEA maintains access until that transaction is complete, and each manufacturer registration must specify the areas in which cultivation is permitted,” Blanche’s filing says. The order also allows researchers to legally obtain marijuana products from state-licensed businesses to be used in studies, for the first time. There has been some uncertainty about how DOJ would navigate the issue. While the department faced a mandate from the president, top officials have been notably silent on the issue in the months since receiving that directive—even as the White House touted Trump’s order as an example of a policy achievement during the first year of his second term. When Trump issued the rescheduling order late last year, Pam Bondi was attorney general. She opposed cannabis reform as Florida’s attorney general and she didn’t attend the president’s signing ceremony for the rescheduling executive order. Now, the process is being overseen by Blanche, who said in response to a written question about marijuana rescheduling during his confirmation process to become deputy attorney general that he would “give the matter careful consideration after conferring with all relevant stakeholders, including DEA personnel.” The president’s rescheduling directive was overwhelmingly popular among cannabis consumers, according to a recent poll from the cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD. About 83 percent of respondents said they support the executive order, compared to 7 percent who expressed opposition and 10 percent who said they didn’t have an opinion about the proposed reform. The cannabis rescheduling process was initiated by then-President Joe Biden, under whom the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a 252-page report finding that marijuana does not meet the criteria to remain classified as a Schedule I drug. The Department of Justice later issued a proposed rule to move cannabis to Schedule III, which then led to a stalled administrative hearing process. A Democratic senator told Marijuana Moment in January that it’s “too early to tell” what the implications of Trump’s cannabis order would be—saying that while there are “things that look promising” about it, he is “very concerned about where the DOJ will land.” “The ability of the Trump administration to speak out of both sides of their mouth is staggering,” Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said. “So I’m just going to wait and see right now. Obviously, there’s things that look promising—to end generations of injustice. I really want to wait and see.” — 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. — Also in January, two GOP senators filed an amendment to block the Trump administration from rescheduling cannabis, but it was not considered on the floor. A recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report discussed how DOJ could, in theory, reject the president’s directive or delay the process by restarting the scientific review into marijuana. The Department of Justice separately missed a congressionally mandated deadline in January to issue guidelines for easing barriers to research on Schedule I substances such as marijuana and psychedelics. The post Trump Says Medical Marijuana Is ‘The Best Of All The Alternatives’ For People Suffering With Illnesses appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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The Trump administration’s announcement that it is moving ahead with the federal reclassification of marijuana on Thursday is generating headlines and drawing reactions from across the political spectrum. Lawmakers, advocacy groups and celebrities are weighing in—with many saying the move is long overdue, others arguing it doesn’t go far enough and some expressing concerns about what they fear will be negative consequences of the cannabis reform. Here’s what people are saying about federal marijuana rescheduling: Lawmakers And Elected Officials Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) Marijuana today is much more potent than just ten or twenty years ago, leading to increased psychosis, anti-social behavior, and fatal car crashes. Arkansans don’t want more dangerous drugs obtained more easily. A change to marijuana’s drug classification is a step in the wrong… — Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) April 23, 2026 Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) Should’ve announced it on 4/20 https://t.co/ZzmFJRl7PQ — Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) April 23, 2026 Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) The US Justice Department is expected to reclassify marijuana into a less restrictive federal category as soon as Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the matter. Sen. Roger Marshall tells @jmathieureports he'll be "disappointed" https://t.co/prTrGwzEks pic.twitter.com/17kHKUoc4l — Bloomberg TV (@BloombergTV) April 22, 2026 Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) This is a good first step, but Americans deserve MORE. My bill, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, would end the criminalization of cannabis and correct the injustices from failed drug policies that disproportionately hurt communities of color and… — Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) April 23, 2026 Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) Promises made, promises kept. Thank you, @POTUS, for reaffirming your commitment to expanding access to alternative healthcare options across the country. https://t.co/n3dEo4QTQz — Dave Joyce (@RepDaveJoyce) April 23, 2026 Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) The Administration’s decision is a positive step toward commonsense cannabis policy reform, but work remains. Although it eases restrictions on medical research and alleviates certain tax burdens on state-legal cannabis businesses, classifying marijuana as a Schedule III… https://t.co/X3LjYHmX2R — Dina Titus (@repdinatitus) April 23, 2026 Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) “Today’s DOJ decision is a small step in the right direction but is limited in its application since it doesn’t affect recreational marijuana possession under federal criminal law, nor remove the disproportionately harsh life-altering criminal penalties associated with it. Those include not qualifying for federal nutrition assistance and restrictions on federal housing. As a longtime advocate for removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, I will continue to work to get marijuana reclassified so that the lives upended by misguided federal prosecutions can be avoided.” Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) I’ve spoken to countless veterans in Orange County who use marijuana to relieve PTSD symptoms. With the Administration moving to reclassify cannabis as Schedule III, my colleagues should join me in considering smart, evidence-based policy that supports the well-being of those… — Rep. Lou Correa (@RepLouCorrea) April 23, 2026 Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) Let's be blunt: we need full legalization now! https://t.co/aUM0q4TMHm — Congressman Shri Thanedar (@RepShriThanedar) April 23, 2026 Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) Reclassifying Marijuana does NOTHING to lower the cost of health insurance premiums. UNAFFORDABLE health insurance is the major issue plaguing the majority of Americans. Trump’s answer give them marijuana. It’s honestly pitiful that the Republican Party flat out refuses to… — Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (@FmrRepMTG) April 23, 2026 Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) “It’s high-time the federal government is finally catching up to states like Colorado that have led on safe, regulated medical and adult-use cannabis. By expanding research opportunities and reducing unnecessary barriers for legitimate business, this change helps move policy in a more rational direction while improving public safety. There is still more work to be done to fully deschedule cannabis and end the disconnect between federal law and what’s working on the ground in a super-majority of states, but today’s decision is a step in the right direction.” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) “Florida has the medical that was passed by the voters… I mean, you see a lot of these stores around the state… I don’t necessarily think that’s a good thing, but it is what it is. And so that’s been something that’s been on the books in Florida, and that’s something that we’ve abided by for a number of years now.” See DeSantis’s comments, starting at 26:35 into the video below: Advocacy Groups Marijuana Policy Project “Rescheduling cannabis is a historic move towards sanity in cannabis policy. We hope that this will open the door to more medical research, inspires states to guarantee access to safe, regulated cannabinoids for patients who desperately need them, and that the regulated industry might finally be treated more fairly under the federal tax code,” Adam J. Smith, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, said. “But a move to Schedule III stops short of the systemic change we need. It does nothing to end hundreds of thousands of possession arrests each year, nor does it do anything to fix the untenable, ongoing disconnect between federal prohibition and the regulated state markets under which more than half of American adults live. While we welcome this important step, the federal government should treat cannabis the same way it treats alcohol, which means descheduling cannabis entirely.” NORML While today's order specifically addresses policy changes for state-licensed medical cannabis, it also states that "unlicensed bulk marijuana" remains classified as a Schedule I. Read more from @NORML: https://t.co/uPgD0lb2TL pic.twitter.com/UBe9qeFP77 — NORML (@NORML) April 23, 2026 Drug Policy Alliance “After years of delays and half-measures, Americans deserve marijuana reform that fully ends and addresses the harms of criminalization, which includes needless arrests, incarceration, and lasting barriers to jobs, housing, and employment. Partial rescheduling and a prolonged administrative process that may result in marijuana being moved to Schedule III means those harms remain in place,” said Cat Packer, director of drug markets and legal regulation at the Drug Policy Alliance. “We urge Congress to pass legislation that removes marijuana from the CSA entirely and regulates all cannabinoids–regardless of whether they are derived from marijuana or hemp. Comprehensive marijuana legalization must ensure public health protections, affordable access for patients, real opportunities for small businesses and workers, and reinvestment in communities. The American people have waited long enough and deserve more than a lengthy administrative process that will ultimately just arrive at Schedule III. Real marijuana reform must end federal criminalization once and for all and put everyday Americans first.” Last Prisoner Project “While President Trump’s decision to reschedule state legal cannabis is a historic step forward, it does nothing for the tens of thousands of Americans still locked behind bars for actions that are now legal in most of the country,” Jason Ortiz, director of strategic initiatives for Last Prisoner Project, said. “Thankfully, President Trump has demonstrated he is willing to act boldly to correct outdated policies. By pairing rescheduling with clemency for people incarcerated for cannabis, he can cement his legacy as the leader who has done more for cannabis justice than any other president in American history.” American Trade Association for Cannabis & Hemp “Today’s decision by the Trump administration to reclassify cannabis to Schedule III marks the most significant federal advancement in cannabis policy in over 50 years. This action recognizes what Americans have long known, cannabis is medicine. By opening the door to expanded research, rescheduling will shift our nation’s conversation around medical cannabis products and improve patient outcomes, ” Michael Bronstein, ATACH’s president, said. “For American businesses, this action brings long overdue equal tax treatment by lifting draconian tax penalties on state-legal businesses and allowing reinvestment in local jobs and communities.” Smart Approaches to Marijuana We are now confronted with the most pro-drug administration in our history… The Trump administration has just rescheduled marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, bypassing the DEA’s rulemaking process. Beyond being bad policy, the administration’s decision is illegal, and… pic.twitter.com/IafEJ2JyuJ — Kevin Sabet (@KevinSabet) April 23, 2026 National Action Network “Moving marijuana to Schedule III is not justice—it is a half measure,” said Rev. Al Sharpton, president of National Action Network. “The federal government has spent decades locking up Black and brown people for a substance it has now quietly decided is less dangerous than it claimed. But the people who paid the price for that lie are still paying it. Justice demands more than a change in classification. President Trump must issue full presidential pardons for every individual imprisoned on marijuana-related charges, and every single one of their records must be expunged. Not some. Not most. Every one. You do not get to spend decades destroying lives over a policy you are now walking back, and call it progress without making those people whole. That is not justice, that is a reclassification of injustice.” Second Amendment Foundation Both of these cases are about people being prohibited because of their use of marijuana (and in our case medical marijuana). The government in Hemani relied on marijuana’s classification at class 1 as an indication that the government believes its use is dangerous, and… — SAF (@2AFDN) April 23, 2026 Celebrities And Commentators Ricky Williams, former NFL player and co-founder of Project Champion “Today’s decision feels like a long-overdue first down in a game that’s been stuck at the line of scrimmage for decades. It’s not a touchdown, but it finally moves the chains in a meaningful way. For years, people have been using cannabis as part of their wellness; quietly, often without support from the medical system. Now we’re starting to see a shift where policy is catching up to lived experience. What excites me most is the potential for deeper understanding. When you open the door to research, education, and real dialogue between patients and doctors, you create space for healing that goes beyond stigma. This isn’t just about access; it’s about integration, about recognizing cannabis as one tool in a much broader approach to health and well-being.” Jim McMahon, former NFL player and co-founder of Project Champion “For a lot of us, this isn’t theoretical, it’s personal. We’ve lived with the pain, the injuries, and the long-term effects that come with playing this game. For years, the only options we were given were pharmaceuticals that often created as many problems as they solved. Rescheduling cannabis is a step in the right direction because it opens the door for real research and gives doctors better tools to understand what patients are actually experiencing. But let’s be clear—this is just a step. Guys across the country are still dealing with inconsistent access, and too many people are forced to navigate a system that doesn’t fully support their choices. We need to keep pushing until patient care, not outdated policy, is what drives the conversation.” Kyle Turley, former NFL player and co-founder of Project Champion “Calling this a win is premature. This is a correction. For decades, patients were told this plant had no medical value while they were using it to stay off opioids and manage real pain. That disconnect cost people careers, reputations, and in some cases, their lives. Rescheduling finally acknowledges what patients and veterans have been saying all along, but it doesn’t fix a system where access depends on your zip code and stigma still shapes policy. If this is the NFL, we’ve moved the chains, but the clock’s still running and patients are still waiting. It’s time to finish the drive.” Ann Coulter I wonder which of the idiot Trump sons had invested in this. pic.twitter.com/0aSNVDPNib — Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 23, 2026 The post Lawmakers And Advocates React To Marijuana Rescheduling Move By Trump Administration appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A Tennessee lawmaker is calling on the governor and legislative leaders to convene a special session focused on legalizing medical marijuana access for patients. “For years, Tennesseans have been told to wait,” Rep. Jason Powell (D) said in a press release. “We created a commission. We studied the issue. We have heard from patients, doctors and families across this state. At some point, we have to be willing to act.” The legislature is set to adjourn for the year this week, but Powell wants Gov. Bill Lee (R) to call lawmakers back to the Capitol to create a state medical cannabis framework as federal marijuana rescheduling moves ahead. “The suffering of Tennesseans who could benefit from medical cannabis is more than enough reason to bring lawmakers back to Nashville,” the lawmaker said. “If the governor chooses not to act, then members of the General Assembly should come together and call a special session ourselves. This issue deserves action this year.” Powell, who has previously sponsored legislation to place nonbinding question on the ballot ask voters to weigh on on cannabis reform, said “this is not about recreational use” and is instead “about compassionate care for veterans, cancer patients, and others who are suffering and who deserve access to a safe and regulated medical option.” “The question is simple,” he said. “If Tennessee has studied this issue and the medical case is clear, what are we waiting for?” The push for a special session comes after the legislature recently passed a bill to block an automatic review that could potentially legalize medical marijuana under state law following the federal rescheduling of the drug. Under current Tennessee law, federal reclassification of a substance triggers an automatic review by the state’s commissioner of health and commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services. But under HB1972 and its companion SB1603, which lawmakers voted to send the governor earlier this month, that would not be the case when it comes to cannabis. “If marijuana is rescheduled or deleted as a controlled substance under federal law, then the commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services shall not reschedule or delete marijuana under [state drug laws] unless the general assembly has established a regulatory framework for marijuana and authorized the commissioner to reschedule or delete marijuana as a controlled substance,” the bill says. Last month, however, House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R) said the push to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) could remove roadblocks at the state level. “My biggest objections are being resolved by the federal government right now in rescheduling cannabis and rescheduling specifically marijuana and allowing the doctors to take over and make a determination on how and if these substances could be helpful,” Lamberth said. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in Tennessee similarly discussed how the federal move to reclassify marijuana could open the door to medical marijuana reform after President Donald Trump issued an executive order in December directing officials to finalize the process. House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R) said at the time that rescheduling represents a “first step” to medical cannabis reform in Tennessee, though he noted there are still certain outstanding logistical questions to answer. “There will have to be conversations about who manufactures it, who tests it, who distributes, which medical illness could it be used for, does this require [federal Food and Drug Administration, or FDA] approval and a host of other questions,” Sexton said. Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan. The post Tennessee Lawmaker Calls For Special Session Focused On Medical Marijuana As It’s Federally Reclassified Under Trump appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

The federal rescheduling of marijuana announced by the Justice Department on Thursday doesn’t change how the Supreme Court should decide a pending case on cannabis consumers’ gun rights, the Trump administration said in a new filing. The court heard arguments last month in the case, U.S. vs. Hemani, that was brought by a man who is challenging his conviction for unlawful possession of a gun as a person who regularly used marijuana—with several justices appearing skeptical of the federal government’s legal defense of a law banning people who use illegal drugs from having firearms. In a letter to justices on Thursday, Trump administration Solicitor General D. John Sauer said that the new DOJ order transferring marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license, as well as any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, “does not affect the proper resolution of this case.” Ali Danial Hemani’s “criminal liability depends on the law that was in effect at the time of the offense rather than the law in effect now,” the solicitor general wrote. “At the time of respondent’s offense, marijuana was classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Even under the final order, moreover, respondent’s marijuana would remain a Schedule I controlled substance because it was neither incorporated into an FDA-approved drug product nor covered by a state medical marijuana license.” “To the extent the Court wishes to avoid deciding the constitutionality of 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(3) as applied to medical marijuana,” Sauer said, referring to the federal statute that bars people who use illegal drugs from purchasing or possessing guns, “it could limit its decision in this case to Schedule I marijuana and could leave for a future case the statute’s constitutionality as applied to Schedule III marijuana.” The federal government has consistently maintained its position that the law appropriately disarms marijuana users who, they claim, are uniquely dangerous. To meet a strict Supreme Court standard for firearm laws, DOJ has also drawn sometimes eyebrow-raising comparisons between cannabis consumers and the mentally ill and habitual drunkards to establish a historical analogue that aligns with the country’s founding era. On the other side of the debate, civil rights groups—including the ACLU, whose attorneys are among those representing Hemani—and gun organizations such as the National Rifle Association (NRA) have argued that the current policy represents a misguided categorical infringement of Second Amendment rights for a population that uses a substance that’s been legalized in a majority of states and is possibly going to be reclassified under federal law as well. It’s unclear when justices will issue their ruling in the case. The lines of questioning and commentary from justices during the oral arguments demonstrated a degree of skepticism regarding the government’s defense of current statute, and gun groups following the hearing seemed to generally interpret the case as moving in the respondent’s favor—thought it’s not clear how sweeping of a ruling the court will issue, if it does in fact rule for Hemani. It also remains to be seen how, if at all, the advancement of federal marijuana rescheduling affects the outcome. Numerous amici briefs were filed with the court ahead of the much-anticipated hearing, with several pointing out that the validity of the current federal policy is made all the more confounding by the then-pending rescheduling move that President Donald Trump in December directed DOJ to expeditiously finalize. In the background, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has moved to loosen rules that bar people who consume marijuana and other illegal drugs from being able to lawfully purchase and possess guns by making it so fewer people would be affected. The interim final rule from ATF seeks to update the definition of “unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance” under an existing policy that has been interpreted to deny Second Amendment rights to people who have used illegal substances a single time within the past year. Meanwhile, in December, attorneys general for 19 states and Washington, D.C. filed their own brief siding with the federal government in the Hemani case, insisting that justices should maintain the current § 922(g)(3) statute. The governor of Colorado, whose attorney general was among that group, subsequently said he didn’t think his state should have taken that position. Also in December, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and 21 other prohibitionist groups filed a brief urging justices to uphold the constitutionality of the federal gun ban for people who use cannabis—which they claim is associated with violence and psychosis. The solicitor general, for his part, told the Supreme Court that people who use illegal drugs “pose a greater danger” than those who drink alcohol. Meanwhile, the Biden administration was evidently concerned about potential legal liability in federal cases for people convicted of violating gun laws simply by being a cannabis consumer who possessed a firearm, documents recently obtained by Marijuana Moment show. The previously unpublished 2024 guidance from former President Joe Biden’s Justice Department generally cautioned U.S. attorneys to use discretion in prosecuting federal cannabis cases, particularly for offenses that qualified people for pardons during his term. But one section seems especially relevant as the Supreme Court takes on a case challenging the constitutionality of the current federal gun statute. 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. If justices declare 922(g)(3) constitutional, such a ruling could could mean government wins in the remaining cases. The high court recently denied a petition for cert in U.S. v. Cooper, while leaving pending decisions on U.S. v. Daniels and U.S. v. Sam. In 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. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — A recent report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) explained the current legal landscape, saying that a growing number of federal courts are now “finding constitutional problems in the application of at least some parts” of the firearms prohibition. 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. The post Federal Marijuana Rescheduling Shouldn’t Impact Case On Gun Rights For Users, Trump DOJ Says In Supreme Court Filing appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

The Trump administration is officially moving ahead with the federal reclassification of marijuana. More than four months after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Justice to expeditiously finish the process of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Thursday announced that rescheduling is finally happening. “The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options,” Blanche said. “This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.” The process will happen in phases, DOJ said. Under an order signed by Blanche, marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license will immediately move to Schedule III, as will any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Then, beginning on June 29, there will be a new expedited administrative hearing process to consider the broader rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. The Federal Register filing on the hearing says it “will conclude not later than July 15.” Terry Cole, administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), said that the agency is “expeditiously moving forward with the administrative hearing process—bringing consistency and oversight to an area that has lacked both.” DOJ is ending a prior administrative hearing process on the rescheduling proposal that stalled near the end of the Biden administration amid litigation from pro-reform parties that alleged improper agency communications and witness selection decisions. Rescheduling won’t federally legalize cannabis, but it would remove certain Schedule I research barriers, while benefitting state-licensed marijuana businesses by allowing them to take federal tax deductions they’re currently barred from under an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E. Because of the way the rescheduling action is being rolled out in phases, state-licensed marijuana companies that serve both the medical and recreational markets may only be able to immediately obtain tax relief for parts of their businesses—though DOJ says it wants that relief to apply retroactively for past tax years. “Holders of state medical marijuana licenses will no longer be subject to the deduction disallowance imposed” by 280E, Blanche’s order says, adding that it “encourages” the treasury secretary “to consider providing retrospective relief from Section 280E liability for taxable years in which a state licensee operated under a state medical marijuana license.” Meanwhile, “any form of marijuana other than in an FDA-approved drug product or marijuana subject to a state medical marijuana license remains a schedule I controlled substance, and those who handle such material remain subject to the regulatory controls, and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions, applicable to schedule I controlled substances set forth in the CSA and DEA regulations,” Blanche wrote. Under the decisive leadership of @POTUS, this Department of Justice is delivering on his promise to improve American healthcare. This includes: • Immediately rescheduling FDA-approved marijuana and state-licensed marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule IIl • Ordering a new,… pic.twitter.com/DUtqKQgavl — Acting AG Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) April 23, 2026 For now, DOJ is establishing “an expedited review process for entities holding state medical marijuana licenses who seek registration as a marijuana manufacturer, distributor, or dispenser” in order to become federally compliant under Schedule III. “The Attorney General has determined that incorporating state licensing systems into the federal registration framework represents the most effective and efficient means of achieving the CSA’s objectives with respect to medical marijuana while promoting the medical benefits of marijuana and causing the least disruption for patients and existing state systems. The rule accordingly leverages existing regulatory infrastructure while preserving the Administrator’s authority to deny or revoke registration where specific public-interest concerns arise and to ensure compliance with the Single Convention. This approach reflects the Attorney General’s considered judgment that cooperative federalism best serves the statutory purposes of the CSA in the context of a well-regulated medical marijuana market.” In order to align with an international drug control treaty “requirement that a government agency serve as the exclusive purchaser of cannabis production,” DOJ is rolling out a process by which the federal government will technically purchase marijuana from producers and then sell it back to them or related entities. “Registered manufacturers must store crops in a facility to which DEA maintains access until that transaction is complete, and each manufacturer registration must specify the areas in which cultivation is permitted,” Blanche’s filing says. “All manufacturers registered under this subsection shall establish a nominal price for the purchase of their marijuana crops. The Administration shall then purchase the entity’s crops at that price and sell the crops back to the entity, or a related or subsidiary entity, at the same price with the addition of the administrative fee as calculated under Part 1318.06(a).” The acting attorney general said state medical cannabis regulatory systems have “matured significantly since California first authorized medical use in 1996, and today the vast majority of States maintain comprehensive licensing frameworks governing cultivation, processing, distribution, and dispensing of marijuana for medical purposes.” “These state regimes have developed robust infrastructure for preventing diversion, ensuring product safety, maintaining records, and conducting facility inspections—functions that fulfill the objectives of federal registration and recordkeeping requirements, Blanche said in his order. “The Attorney General has reviewed the operation of these state systems and finds that, taken as a whole, they demonstrate a sustained capacity to achieve the public-interest objectives that underlie the CSA’s registration framework, including protecting public health and safety and preventing the diversion of controlled substances into illicit channels.” The order also allows researchers to legally obtain marijuana products from state-licensed businesses to be used in studies, for the first time. “Out of an abundance of caution, the Administrator clarifies that researchers who obtain marijuana or marijuana-derived products from a state licensee for use in scientific research shall incur no civil or criminal liability under the Controlled Substances Act solely by reason of having obtained such products from a state-licensed source rather than a separately DEA-registered bulk manufacturer, provided that the researcher is registered with the Administration to conduct research with marijuana under 21 C.F.R. § 1301.13 and the state licensee from whom the researcher obtained the marijuana held a valid federal registration at the time of the transfer. The Administrator shall not treat the use of state-licensed marijuana products in federally registered research as a basis for adverse action against a researcher’s registration.” On Wednesday, several news outlets reported that action on the cannabis rescheduling proposal was imminent. Justice Department Places FDA-Approved Marijuana Products and Products Containing Marijuana Subject to a Qualifying State-issued License in Schedule III, Strengthening Medical Research While Maintaining Strict Federal Controls “The Department of Justice is delivering on… pic.twitter.com/MkZbANoZ8l — U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) April 23, 2026 There has been some uncertainty about how DOJ would navigate the issue. While the department faced a mandate from the president, top officials have been notably silent on the issue in the months since receiving that directive—even as the White House touted Trump’s order as an example of a policy achievement during the first year of his second term. Trump himself complained last weekend that federal officials were “slow-walking” following through on his cannabis order. “You’re going to get the rescheduling done, right, please? Will you get the rescheduling done, please?” Trump said during a signing ceremony for a separate order on psychedelics, seeming to speak to a Department of Justice or White House official during an event in the Oval Office on Saturday. “You know, they’re slow-walking me on rescheduling. You’re going to get it done, right?” A Justice Department spokesperson told Marijuana Moment in January that they had no “comment or updates” to share on the topic. However, an agency official more recently said that DOJ was “working to identify the most expeditious means of executing the EO.” That phrasing was notable, signaling that the department was uncertain about the administrative pathway to finalize rescheduling. The hope among advocates and industry stakeholders was that the process would be more simple, with a final signature on the existing reform proposal that was released following a scientific review initiated under the prior Biden administration. When Trump issued the rescheduling order late last year, Pam Bondi was attorney general. She opposed cannabis reform as Florida’s attorney general and she didn’t attend the president’s signing ceremony for the rescheduling executive order. Now, the process is being overseen by Blanche, who said in response to a written question about marijuana rescheduling during his confirmation process to become deputy attorney general that he would “give the matter careful consideration after conferring with all relevant stakeholders, including DEA personnel.” DEA and reform proponents earlier this month submitted a joint status report on an interlocutory appeal that concerns allegations of agency bias and improper communications with anti-rescheduling parties during the review process on the proposal. “To date, Movants’ interlocutory appeal to the Administrator regarding their Motion to Reconsider remains pending with the Administrator,” the filing from attorneys representing DEA and cannabis reform proponents challenging the process says. “No briefing schedule has been set.” The president’s rescheduling directive was overwhelmingly popular among cannabis consumers, according to a recent poll from the cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD. About 83 percent of respondents said they support the executive order, compared to 7 percent who expressed opposition and 10 percent who said they didn’t have an opinion about the proposed reform. The cannabis rescheduling process was initiated by then-President Joe Biden, under whom the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a 252-page report finding that marijuana does not meet the criteria to remain classified as a Schedule I drug. The Department of Justice later issued a proposed rule to move cannabis to Schedule III, which then led to the stalled administrative hearing process. Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Trump’s first pick for attorney general this term who ultimately withdrew his nomination, recently raised eyebrows after posting on X that he’s been told that DEA is actively drafting a rescheduling rule and intended to issue it “ASAP.” There was some confusion around that point, however, as a rule was already pending before the Justice Department—and a new rule would have presumably been subject to additional administrative review and public comment. A Democratic senator told Marijuana Moment in January that it’s “too early to tell” what the implications of Trump’s cannabis order would be—saying that while there are “things that look promising” about it, he is “very concerned about where the DOJ will land.” “The ability of the Trump administration to speak out of both sides of their mouth is staggering,” Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said. “So I’m just going to wait and see right now. Obviously, there’s things that look promising—to end generations of injustice. I really want to wait and see.” — 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. — Also in January, two GOP senators filed an amendment to block the Trump administration from rescheduling cannabis, but it was not considered on the floor. A recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report discussed how DOJ could, in theory, reject the president’s directive or delay the process by restarting the scientific review into marijuana. The Department of Justice separately missed a congressionally mandated deadline in January to issue guidelines for easing barriers to research on Schedule I substances such as marijuana and psychedelics. The post Federal Marijuana Rescheduling Announced By Department Of Justice, Months After Trump Executive Order appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A U.S. Senate committee has scheduled a hearing for next week on a bipartisan bill to promote research into the therapeutic potential psychedelics by creating a new office in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that would advance the development innovative treatments for serious mental health conditions and assist in reviewing the scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA. The legislation—titled the Veterans Health Administration Novel Therapeutics Preparedness Act—is being led by Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and is cosponsored by Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and John Boozman (R-AR). The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee will take up the psychedelics bill, along with 24 other pieces of legislation, on Wednesday. Sheehy said when introducing the bill last month that it will “help the hardworking men and women at the VA fulfill” their “critical mission” of caring for veterans. The planned hearing on the measure was first reported ahead of its official announcement by journalist Jack Gorsline of Psychedelic State(s) of America. News: the first psychedelics-related congressional hearing this term has been scheduled. A hearing in front of the Senate Veteran Affairs Committee (SVAC) for the “Veterans Health Administration Novel Therapeutics Preparedness Act” has been penciled in for Wednesday, April 29th. — Jack Gorsline (@JackGorsline) April 5, 2026 The congressional action comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order focused on expanding and expediting research on the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, a move aimed at making substances such as psilocybin, ibogaine, LSD and MDMA more readily available to patients in clinical settings. If enacted, the Senate bill that’s up for a hearing next week would direct the VA to take steps to streamline studies into psychedelics and other emerging therapies This is one of the latest examples of congressional efforts to encourage scientific investigations into psychedelics, with a focus on military veterans with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic pain and more. The bill’s findings section says that “emerging therapeutic interventions, including certain psychedelic-assisted therapies under evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration as of the date of the enactment of this Act, may significantly alter the treatment landscape for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other mental health conditions affecting veterans.” “The administration of certain emerging therapies may require intensive clinical engagement, interdisciplinary teams, dedicated clinical space, structured preparation, and post-treatment integration that differ substantially from traditional outpatient mental health services,” it continues, adding that VA is “uniquely positioned to deliver integrated, veteran-centered care that combines medical, mental health, and peer support services within a single system of care.” That’s the only explicit mention of “psychedelics” in the legislation, and it doesn’t list specific psychedelic substances that would be prioritized for research, but that’s a common feature of recently filed bills touching on the issue, with various other examples using catchall terminology like innovative or novel treatments or therapies effectively serving as a stand-in for “psychedelics.” Under the measure, a new Office of Novel Therapeutics would be established under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to facilitate the research initiatives. Studies exploring the alternative treatments would focus on substances such as psychedelics that are under review for potential approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Absent centralized governance and implementation planning, the Department may face delays, safety risks, or inconsistent access following regulatory approval of such therapies,” the bill’s findings section says. “Establishing a dedicated Office of Novel Therapeutics will ensure that the Department is prepared to responsibly evaluate, research, and implement emerging treatment modalities consistent with patient safety and evidence-based practice.” There would be at least one “Center of Excellence” to facilitate the program in each VA regional district to help develop a national model for the initiative. A Veteran Advisory Committee would be established, comprised of veterans, experts and health professionals, to advise on matters such as access barriers and safety protocols. VA would also need to coordinate with other federal agencies—including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), FDA, Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS), the Department of Defense (DOD) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—to consider regulatory issues, possible rescheduling action for novel therapies and means of providing health care coverage for psychedelics access and treatment. VA would need to furnish annual reports to Congress updating lawmakers on its progress. Within 180 days of the bill’s enactment, the department would need to report on practical considerations such as staffing needs and regulatory barriers. The legislation is being supported by groups such as Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans and Psychedelic Medicine Coalition. The bill is somewhat similar in intent to another bipartisan measure filed last month, sponsored by Gallego and Sen. David McCormick (R-PA), that would provide $30 million in funding annually to establish psychedelic-focused “centers for excellence” at VA facilities, where veterans could receive novel treatment involving substances like psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine. A House companion version of the bill—sponsored by Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus co-chairs Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI)—was introduced last year, but it has not yet advanced in the chamber. The House and Senate measures are substantively identical, with minor formatting differences. Lawmakers and advocates supporting such reform bills notably have allies in top positions within the Trump administration, including VA Secretary Doug Collins and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. who both embraced psychedelic policy reform ahead of the president’s recent executive order. Kennedy recently told Joe Rogan on a podcast episode that the administration is “very anxious” to create a pathway for the novel therapies and that officials across federal agencies want to “get it out to the public as quickly as possible.” Collins also disclosed last year that he had an “eye-opening” talk with Kennedy about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicine. And he said he’s open to the idea of having the government provide vouchers to cover the costs of psychedelic therapy for veterans who receive services outside of VA as Congress considers pathways for access. Multiple veterans groups also recently advised congressional lawmakers about the need to continue exploring psychedelics and marijuana as alternative treatment options for the military veteran population at hearings on Capitol Hill. The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) specifically cited the Innovative Therapies Centers of Excellence Act as an example of a reform they’re backing. Correa and Bergman, the House sponsors of that legislation, separately filed a bill in January that would also promote research into the therapeutic potential of certain psychedelics in the treatment of serious mental health conditions experienced by veterans. The bipartisan duo in January also discussed the importance of strategically advancing psychedelics reform in a way that mitigates bureaucratic conflict and the influence of outside interests. Even just one misstep could threaten to upend the movement, they said. Last year, the VA secretary touted his role in promoting psychedelics access for veterans with serious mental health conditions, saying he “opened that door probably wider than most ever thought” was possible. The department in 2024 faced criticism after rejecting a grant application from an organization that helps connect veterans to programs abroad where they can receive psychedelic therapy to treat serious mental health conditions. In June, Kennedy said his agency is “absolutely committed” to expanding research on the benefits of psychedelic therapy and, alongside of the head of FDA, was aiming to provide legal access to such substances for military veterans “within 12 months.” The secretary also said last April that he had a “wonderful experience” with LSD at 15 years old, which he took because he thought he’d be able to see dinosaurs, as portrayed in a comic book he was a fan of. Photo courtesy of Mark Groeneveld. The post Senate Committee Schedules Hearing On Bill To Support Psychedelics Research And Treatment For Veterans appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Republican lawmakers have filed amendments to sweeping agriculture legislation that would push back the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC products for another year and create a framework for continued legal sales, with new restrictions and clarifications. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a drug-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that President Donald Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, Trump signed new legislation containing provisions that will redefine hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will remain legal after November 12. Now, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) is proposing to delay the ban until November 2027. A separate proposal from Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), according to the sponsor’s summary, “amends the definition of ‘Hemp’ to preserve the lawful hemp market while creating a regulatory framework that protects children, bans synthetics, and ensures that any products on the market place are of American origin.” The Barr amendment was withdrawn on Wednesday after being submitted, however, for reasons that are unknown, and it’s unclear if the congressman intends to file a revised version at some point. Submitted amendments to the Farm Bill, formally known as the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, or H.R. 7567, are expected to be considered next week by the Rules Committee. That panel will decide whether the proposals can receive votes on the House floor. Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) had filed a hemp ban delay amendment before the House Agriculture Committee when it took up the Farm Bill last month, but that panel’s chairman determined that the proposal was not germane to the legislation. The Farm Bill as approved by the prior committee does contain some provisions aimed at aiding the hemp industry and farmers who grow cannabis for industrial purposes such as fiber and grain. For example, the legislation would amend existing statute related to the development of industrial hemp production regulatory plans by states and tribes—including surrounding polices for testing, sampling, background checks and record-keeping. Here’s a summary of the hemp language in the 2026 Farm Bill from House Agriculture Committee staff: “Sec. 10005. Hemp production. Section 10006 amends subtitle G of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. Subsection (a) amends section 297B to require State and Tribal plans to include a procedure under which a hemp producer shall be required to designate the type of production of the hemp producer; allow State and Tribal plans to include a procedure for the use of visual inspections, performance-based sampling methodologies, certified seed, or a similar procedure when developing sampling plans for industrial hemp; allow State and Tribal plans to include a procedure for eliminating the 10-year period of ineligibility following the date of conviction for producers of industrial hemp with a felony related to a controlled substance; require documentation during inspections that demonstrates a clear intent to produce industrial hemp for producers under a State or Tribal plan that includes procedures for reducing or eliminating sampling or testing requirements for industrial hemp; allow testing if a producer of industrial hemp fails to provide required documentation; require the State or Tribe to report a producer of industrial to the Attorney General and applicable law enforcement officers if that producer violated the State or Tribal plan by producing a crop that is inconsistent with the designation of industrial hemp; and ban any person who knowingly produced a crop that is inconsistent with the designation of industrial hemp from obtaining a hemp license for 5 years. Subsection (b) amends section 297C to require a Department of Agriculture plan to include a procedure under which a hemp producer shall be required to designate the type of production of the hemp producer; allow a Department of Agriculture plan to include a procedure for the use of visual inspections, performance-based sampling methodologies, certified seed, or a similar procedure when developing sampling plans for industrial hemp; allow a Department of Agriculture plan to include a procedure for eliminating the 10-year period of ineligibility following the date of conviction for producers of industrial hemp with a felony related to a controlled substance; require documentation during inspections that demonstrates a clear intent to produce industrial hemp for producers under a Department of Agriculture plan that includes procedures for reducing or eliminating sampling or testing requirements for industrial hemp; allow testing if a producer of industrial hemp fails to provide required documentation; and requires the Secretary to collect information related to the designation of the type of production of hemp producers and the laboratory certificate of analysis for hemp disposed of. Subsection (c) amends section 297D to require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a process by which the Department of Agriculture can issue certificates of accreditation to laboratories for the purposes of testing hemp.” A committee report says the bill “recognizes the continued Congressional support for the industrial hemp industry, and maintains the bifurcation of industrial hemp from hemp-derived cannabinoid final form products that was put into statute through the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026.” “It is the intention of the Committee that the Department work with States and Tribes to implement language included in this bill in such a way that allows States to best support those producers of industrial hemp products while maintaining State authority in making regulatory decisions that best reflect the needs of their constituents. Additionally, the Committee believes that the Department should prioritize their work in coordinating with the DEA to reduce the bottlenecks that occur due to a lack of appropriately accredited labs, as this issue has been an ongoing challenge for the producers of hemp that could impact the sector moving forward if not addressed. The statutory framework for hemp laid out in this bill recognizes multiple primary agricultural outputs of the hemp plant, including fiber and grain, each of which involves the on-farm separation of the primary product from the cannabinoid- containing floral material of the plant. Terpenes follow this same production model. Terpenes are non-intoxicating aromatic compounds that originate in the flowering tops of the plant and are separated from cannabinoid-containing vegetative material during primary agricultural processing, in the same manner as grain is separated through threshing and fiber is separated through cutting and retting. Therefore, the Committee recognizes the production of the whole plant, or any lawful part thereof, for the extraction, production, or manufacture of any non-cannabinoid essential oil, aromatic compound, terpene, or other non-cannabinoid volatile organic compound derived from such plant as the production of industrial hemp, such that any cannabinoid components of such plant satisfactorily meet all other components of the definition of “hemp” as defined by Pub. L. 119-37.” Comer and Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell sent a letter to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in February imploring him to use his influence to avert the recriminalization, at least on a temporary basis, by supporting the proposed implementation delay. While McConnell championed hemp legalization under the 2018 Farm Bill, however, the former Senate majority leader has supported unraveling the hemp THC market that he’s described as an unintended consequences of the broader agriculture legislation. Meanwhile, a number of other bipartisan hemp reform bills are pending in Congress. Last week, for example, Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) filed the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, which would effectively let states opt out of the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that is set to be enacted later this year. Ernst on Wednesday, however, withdrew her name as a cosponsor of the legislation. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Since 2018, cannabis products have been considered legal hemp if they contain less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. The provisions set to take effect later this year specify that the weight will apply to total THC—including delta-8 and other isomers. It will also include “any other cannabinoids that have similar effects (or are marketed to have similar effects) on humans or animals as a tetrahydrocannabinol (as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services).” The new definition of legal hemp will additionally ban “any intermediate hemp-derived cannabinoid products which are marketed or sold as a final product or directly to an end consumer for personal or household use” as well as products containing cannabinoids that are synthesized or manufactured outside of the cannabis plant or not capable of being naturally produced by it. Legal hemp products will be limited to a total of 0.4 milligrams per container of total THC or any other cannabinoids with similar effects. Within 90 days of the bill’s enactment, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies were supposed to publish list of “all cannabinoids known to FDA to be capable of being naturally produced by a Cannabis sativa L. plant, as reflected in peer reviewed literature,” “all tetrahydrocannabinol class cannabinoids known to the agency to be naturally occurring in the plant” and “all other known cannabinoids with similar effects to, or marketed to have similar effects to, tetrahyrocannabinol class cannabinoids.” However, FDA appears to have missed that deadline. A spokesperson told Marijuana Moment in February that the lists would be posted in the Federal Register when they’re available, but that hasn’t yet happened. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report published this month shows that farmers in the U.S. grew three-quarters of a billion dollars worth of hemp crops in 2025—a 64 percent increase from the prior year. Meanwhile, the Trump administration this month launched a new initiative to cover up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products each year for eligible Medicare patients. The program being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) focuses largely on CBD but also allows a certain amount of THC in products. Anti-marijuana organizations filed a lawsuit suit against the Medicare hemp coverage policy, and lawyers for Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Director Mehmet Oz recently filed a brief asking that the case be dismissed. Meanwhile, the White House Office of Management and Budget has been holding a series of meetings about a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) CBD products enforcement policy. FDA also issued guidance making clear that it does not intend to interfere with implementation of the Medicare hemp-derived products coverage plan. CMS separately finalized a rule that will allow coverage of some hemp products as specialized, non-primarily health-related benefits through Medicare Advantage plans. As hemp products have become more popular with consumers, some large brands are attempting to get in on action. Major retailer Target, for example, is expanding its participation in the hemp-derived THC beverage market. Last year, the company began a pilot program involving sales of cannabis drinks at 10 select stores in Minnesota. That apparently went well, and now the company has obtained licenses from Minnesota regulators to sell lower-potency hemp edible products—including THC drinks—at all 72 of its stores in the state. Photo courtesy of Brendan Cleak. The post GOP Lawmakers’ Hemp Amendments To The Farm Bill Would Allow Continued Legal Sales Of THC Products Under Federal Law appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

VA lawmakers reject gov’s marijuana amendments; CA dispensary drive-thrus; Federal cannabis research bill; Legalization poll 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 The Trump administration is reportedly finally ready to move forward with the process of marijuana rescheduling, more than four months after the president issued an executive order telling the Department of Justice to get it done in “the most expeditious manner.” Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) filed a bill to authorize $150 million to support marijuana research, while also allowing state regulatory agencies to provide cannabis to be used in studies. Virginia lawmakers rejected Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s (D) proposed amendments to recreational marijuana sales legalization legislation, sending their originally passed bills back to her to either sign, veto or allow to become law without her signature. The California Assembly Business and Professions Committee advanced a bill to allow marijuana dispensaries to offer drive-thru windows to serve customers, subject to local approval. A new poll shows that nearly six out of ten Americans favor legalizing marijuana, with majority support across party lines—and that 84 percent want to legalize medical cannabis access for patients. Kemmi Sadler of Law Enforcement Action Partnership authored a new Marijuana Moment op-ed about how using the psychedelic ayahuasca helped her manage grief with a “fundamentally different process than the one I had relied on throughout my career—not control or suppression, but forgiveness, surrender and understanding.” The Connecticut House of Representatives passed a bill to eliminate THC caps on marijuana flower and concentrates while increasing potency limits for cannabis-infused drinks. Alabama medical cannabis sales are expected to finally begin next month—nearly five years after lawmakers passed legislation to legalize patient access to marijuana. / FEDERAL The Drug Enforcement Administration is promoting a video about a McGruff the Crime Dog “campaign to take a bite out of counterfeit pills.” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) tweeted, “Washington is intent on an industry-ending ban on hemp with just the stroke of a pen. I just introduced a bill that pushes back, empowering the states, and protecting the hemp industry.” Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about potential improprieties in the process for approving psychedelics. Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA) responded to a question about whether she was aware of any other members of Congress celebrating 4/20 by consuming cannabis. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) spoke about the need for federal marijuana reform. / STATES Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) tweeted, “We cut the ribbon on three new medical cannabis facilities this week, including Slaughter Branch in Webster County. Medical cannabis is a safe option for Kentuckians suffering from PTSD, cancer, multiple sclerosis and more, and I am proud that we’ve been able to step up and help.” Virginia’s lieutenant governor spoke about the passage of legislation to reschedule psilocybin under state law following federal approval. A Maryland senator discussed his bill to protect firefighters and first responders from being punished for off-duty medical cannabis use. Illinois regulators published guidance on cannabis tax rate changes. A former notary for a Nebraska medical cannabis campaign was fined nearly $4,000 after being convicted on official misconduct charges. California regulators sent updates on various cannabis issues. Texas regulators will hold a hearing on proposed rules to bar businesses from allowing people to consume hemp products on premises where consumption of alcoholic beverages is generally prohibited on Thursday. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — / LOCAL Birmingham, Alabama’s mayor discussed his support for marijuana reform. / INTERNATIONAL The International Criminal Court’s appeals chamber denied an appeal from former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who challenged its jurisdiction to prosecute him over killings in the nation’s bloody “war on drugs.” / SCIENCE & HEALTH A case study “supports the potential role of combined THC-rich and CBD-rich cannabis oils as a safe and effective adjunct in multimodal palliative care for horses with chronic, refractory conditions.” A review concluded that “while MDMA has traditionally been associated mainly with recreational use and addiction, research suggests it has the potential to become a valuable therapeutic adjunct in treating such psychiatric conditions as PTSD, alcohol dependence, depression and anxiety.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS A poll of Britons found that they support legalizing marijuana, 47 percent to 43 percent. The Washington Post editorial board said President Donald Trump’s psychedelics executive order is “a welcome gesture to support serious research.” / BUSINESS 5WPR published a report on what it calls the cannabis industry’s “communications gap.” / CULTURE Jon Stewart praised President Donald Trump’s psychedelics executive order. 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 Trump ready to move on cannabis rescheduling (Newsletter: April 23, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

She'll sit on your face without hesitation, trusting you completely, and that trust—that vulnerability—is what makes our Escorts in New Friends Colony different; they're not just performers, they're willing participants who genuinely enjoy giving and receiving.

“What I experienced with ayahuasca was not an escape from grief, but a direct engagement with it… It was a fundamentally different process than the one I had relied on throughout my career—not control or suppression, but forgiveness, surrender and understanding.” By: Kemmi Sadler, Law Enforcement Action Partnership Life has an interesting way of opening your eyes—and your mind. Over the course of my law enforcement career, I built my identity around evidence, discipline and control. And to my surprise, it was that mindset that ultimately led me to reconsider everything I thought I knew about psychedelics. My story begins with Amel. She was in her sixties and working for the U.S. Embassy in Iraq on her second career when I arrived in 2006 as a bright-eyed young agent with the Diplomatic Security Service. In early 2007, her husband was kidnapped. Determined to save him, she went to deliver the ransom, and was taken herself. Neither of them survived. For the next 18 years, I lived with the belief that I should have been able to protect her—or at least stop her from going. That guilt had a way of surfacing at unexpected moments. I could feel how deeply grief had shaped me, even as I kept it buried. But in a profession built around helping others, it’s hard to admit when you need help yourself. So, I went back to work. My career spanned investigations into fraud and human trafficking, followed by two years in internal affairs handling sexual assault and crimes against children. I took pride in approaching each case without bias, following the evidence, testing assumptions and letting the facts lead. That commitment to evidence had taken root early, leading me to question some basic assumptions about law enforcement work. As a young police officer with the St. Augustine Police Department in Florida, I began to notice gaps between what the system was supposed to do and what it actually did. Not everyone feared arrest the way I had expected. Drug users, dealers, sex workers—they often treated it as part of the equation. I got caught this time. Next time, I’ll be more careful. Those early experiences unearthed a question I couldn’t shake: if consequences were supposed to change behavior, why didn’t they? I saw the same people cycle through the system again and again. One man, well known to our department, would get drunk, call 911 from a payphone and shout “CHICKEN GEORGE COMING AT YA!” until officers arrived. Looking back, I’ve wondered whether the arrest itself offered something he wasn’t getting elsewhere—human interaction, or simply a night off the street. The same instinct that drove me to reconsider aspects of my work also shaped how I began to confront my own unresolved grief. For years, I had relied on the same framework to get by—control, compartmentalization, pushing forward. But eventually, I began to wonder whether the assumptions I carried about trauma, like the ones I had questioned on the job, were incomplete. About two years before I retired, I heard about ayahuasca on a podcast. It is a psychedelic brew made from an Amazonian vine and companion plant, used in ceremonial traditions for generations. What struck me was not just what it was, but how it was being discussed: with respect, even reverence. That challenged a core principle of my law enforcement programming. As a product of the War on Drugs, I believed all illegal drugs were dangerous and destructive. But after decades of watching cycles of addiction repeat, and after losing my younger brother to heroin, I was forced to ask whether that understanding was too simple. So I did what I had been trained to do. I investigated. For more than a year, I immersed myself in research on trauma and psychedelic therapy. I read clinical studies and listened to veterans and others describe profound, and often lasting, healing and relief. At first, I was driven by intellectual curiosity and a commitment to following the evidence, even if the conclusion directly conflicted with what I had been taught. But underneath that curiosity was something more personal: a growing recognition that the tools I had relied on to manage my grief for decades were no longer working for me. For years, I had treated grief like so many in our field do—mainly by repressing it and soldiering on. Those skills were enough to keep me afloat on the job. But in retirement, they left me stuck, circling the same unresolved loss without a way through. After careful consideration, I chose to attend an ayahuasca ceremony. At the time, I had never used illicit drugs. My substances were restricted to alcohol and tobacco—both legal, socially acceptable and, in my case, convenient ways to avoid confronting the grief that bubbled below the surface. What I experienced with ayahuasca was not an escape from grief, but a direct engagement with it. Progress was not immediate, but with intentional work and preparation, I was finally able to sit with the loss of Amel, and with the deaths of my father and brother, without turning away. It was a fundamentally different process than the one I had relied on throughout my career—not control or suppression, but forgiveness, surrender and understanding. This experience ultimately led me to write From the Badge to the Vine, a memoir about what it took to confront the trauma I had carried for years, and the limits of the tools I once relied on to manage it. After a career spent investigating other people’s problems, I came to see how rarely first responders are equipped, or willing, to examine their own wounds. The skills that define the profession—control, composure, endurance—can also make it harder to recognize when something deeper needs attention. Trauma does not disappear simply because it is repressed or managed. For some of us, this reality may not come into focus until after the job ends and the radio goes quiet. For others, the impact shows up much sooner, in strained relationships, harmful behavior or a growing sense that something isn’t right but can’t be easily named. What I learned through this process is that ignoring these signals comes at a cost. So does assuming that the tools we were given early in our careers are the only ones available to us. My hope is that others in this profession will give themselves permission to turn their investigative eye inward in an effort to serve themselves. Ask hard questions. Do the research. Follow the evidence wherever it leads. Not all things we were taught to fear are the same—and not all wounds are visible. Supervisory Special Agent Kemmi Sadler (Ret.) is the founder of Legalize the Divine, which advocates for safe, legal access to ancient traditions of healing. A former St.Augustine, Florida Police Department officer, she is also a speaker for the Law Enforcement Action Partnership, and the author of From the Badge to the Vine: A Federal Agent’s Awakening Through Ayahuasca. The post How Psychedelics Helped Me Manage Grief From A Career In Law Enforcement (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A bill that would allow California marijuana stores to offer drive-thru windows to serve customers is advancing in the state legislature. The measure, which cleared the Assembly Business and Professions Committee in a 17-2 vote on Tuesday, says that licensed cannabis retailers and microbusinesses with storefronts can sell marijuana products “to a customer in a motor vehicle in a drive-through located on the premises.” Under AB 2697 from Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D), cannabis businesses would need approval from the local jurisdictions in which they operate in order to add the drive-thru option. “Under current regulations, licensed cannabis retailers can offer curbside pickup as a remnant of the COVID pandemic adaptations. Despite this, licensed retailers generally cannot fulfill orders for customers sitting in their car in a drive through,” Pellerin told colleagues ahead of the committee vote. “AB 2697 seeks to address this regulatory inconsistency by allowing drive through cannabis sales subject to the local jurisdictions’ approval.” “Restrictions of the bill provide that these sales be done through a fixed pane, security window and security drawer and available for walk-in storefronts only,” she said. “Along with addressing regulatory inconsistency, this bill will make legal cannabis more accessible and helps the legal market compete with the illicit market.” Annie Aubrey of Chuck’s Wellness Center, a retailer in Placerville, told lawmakers that “at its core, this bill is about improving access.” “A significant portion of our customers rely on cannabis as medicine, including seniors, veterans and individuals living with chronic conditions that affect mobility—exactly the population this regulated system is meant to serve,” she said. “For many, even simple tasks like exiting a vehicle and navigating a retail space can be physically difficult or prohibitive.” “A drive-thru option removes that barrier allowing patients and consumers to access what they need in a way that is dignified and consistent with their health needs,” she said. Amy O’Gorman Jenkins of the California Cannabis Operators Association said that the panel should reject concerns that allowing drive-thru windows will somehow lead to impaired driving issues. “Every cannabis transaction already begins and ends with a person arriving and departing, mostly in a vehicle,” she said. “There is no data indicating that the manner of purchase, whether inside, curbside or drive through changes consumer behavior behind the wheel.” The bill is now before the Assembly Appropriations Committee for consideration before potentially heading to a floor vote. — 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. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), meanwhile, recently took credit for helping to lead the push for the state to legalize marijuana and discussed his own limited experience with using cannabis. In October, however, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed certain marijuana microbusinesses to ship medical cannabis products directly to patients via common carriers like FedEx and UPS, stating that the proposal “would be burdensome and overly complex to administer.” Newsom did sign a bill earlier that month aimed at streamlining research on marijuana and psychedelics. In September, the governor also signed a measure into law to put a pause on a recently enacted tax hike on marijuana products. California officials recently awarded nearly $30 million in grants for marijuana-focused academic research projects. The post California Lawmakers Vote To Allow Drive-Thrus At Marijuana Dispensaries appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net