All Activity

The percentage of U.S. high school students who use marijuana is now at an all-time low—even as more states continue to legalize cannabis for adults—according to the latest results of a biennial survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The new federal data, released on Monday, shows that 12.9 percent of high school students currently consume cannabis, which is defined as having used it at least once in the past 30 days. That’s down from 23.1 percent in 2011—the year before the first U.S. states approved recreational marijuana legalization laws. In other words, the number of high school students who use marijuana has decreased by almost half—44 percent—since states started enacting adult-use legalization. The latest numbers also show a continued decrease from the prior version of the CDC marijuana use data in 2023, when 17 percent of high school students reported currently consuming cannabis. The ongoing decline contradicts claims from opponents of legalizing cannabis who have often argued that the policy change would lead to skyrocketing youth use rates. In fact, the opposite has occurred, according to the new federal report. “Sensational claims that adult-use legalization laws are linked with greater marijuana use by teens are simply not backed by reliable data,” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “These government findings ought to reassure lawmakers that cannabis access can be legally regulated in a manner that is safe, effective and that does not inadvertently impact young people’s habits.” Aside from the past-month measure, CDC’s 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey also shows that the number of high school students who have ever consumed cannabis has fallen from 39.9 percent in 2011 to just 25.5 percent last year. The results are consistent with those from another federal study, the 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), which was released in July. It showed that 8.7 percent of people between the ages of 12 and 17 used marijuana within the past year—down from 14.2 percent in 2011. Prior research also suggests that marijuana use by young people has generally fallen in states that legalize it for adults. A report from the advocacy group Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), for example, found that youth marijuana use declined in 19 out of 21 states that legalized adult-use marijuana—with teen cannabis consumption down an average of 35 percent in the earliest states to legalize. The report cited data from a series of national and state-level youth surveys, including the annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) Survey, which is supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The latest version of MTF, released late last year, found that cannabis use among eighth, 10th and 12 graders “remained stable” even as mort states enacted legalization. A separate federally funded study out of Canada found that that youth marijuana use rates declined after the country legalized cannabis. A Canadian government report similarly found that daily or near-daily use rates by both adults and youth have held steady over the last six years after the country enacted legalization. Another U.S. study reported a “significant decrease” in youth marijuana use from 2011 to 2021—a period in which more than a dozen states legalized marijuana for adults—detailing lower rates of both lifetime and past-month use by high-school students nationwide. Separately, a research letter published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2024 said there’s no evidence that states’ adoption of laws to legalize and regulate marijuana for adults have led to an increase in youth use of cannabis. Another JAMA-published study similarly found that neither legalization nor the opening of retail stores led to increases in youth cannabis use. In 2023, meanwhile, a U.S. health official said that teen marijuana use has not increased “even as state legalization has proliferated across the country.” The post Teen Marijuana Use Hits All-Time Low As More States Legalize It For Adults, Federal Data Shows appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“OHA dropping this rulemaking is a win, but it does not mean we’ve won.” By Jack Gorsline, Psychedelic State(s) of America Following significant industry pushback, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced on Tuesday that the agency has officially dropped its efforts to double licensing fees for the state’s psilocybin services program. In an email to industry stakeholders, the agency wrote that, “based on feedback OHA has received through the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board (OPAB), rule advisory committees (RACs) and rulemaking public comment period, the agency will not adopt final rules as a result of this rulemaking process.” The initially proposed changes came amidst a multi-billion dollar statewide budgetary shortfall in Oregon, and per OHA’s own language included in the now-dropped rule change acknowledged that if implemented, the fee hikes “may reduce the overall number of licensees and create a more significant program budget shortfall.” In the wake of the initial proposal, industry stakeholders across the Beaver State spoke out in force, arguing that such a substantial fee hike could potentially cripple the first legal, state regulated psychedelic access program in the United States. In response to news that the OHA was dropping the rule change altogether, Center for Psychedelic Policy Founder Sam Chapman noted that while psilocybin services are yielding positive results with few adverse effects, the work to refine the system’s financial structure will continue. “We asked Governor [Tina] Kotek to give the legislature time to get this right, and now they have it,” said Chapman in a statement provided to Psychedelic State(s) of America. State-licensed psilocybin facilitator, Rulemaking Advisory Committee member and military veteran Amy Charlesworth echoed Chapman’s sentiments, while highlighting future concerns over freedom of speech based on other rule changes previously proposed by OHA. “OHA dropping this rulemaking is a win, but it does not mean we’ve won,” Charlesworth said in a statement to Psychedelic State(s) of America. “Proposed OAR [regulations] would have restricted licensees from ‘promoting’ or ‘encouraging’ unlawful or unregulated activity,” Charlesworth noted, “including by ‘providing information or instruction related to home cultivation.’ “That is not regulation of what happens inside a licensed service center.” Charlesworth added, “It reaches what we write, teach, publish, and say in public.” “Under that language,” she expounded, “a facilitator could reasonably fear losing their license over a book, a class, a podcast, a harm-reduction conversation, or a social media post.” “If OHA brings these provisions back,” Charlesworth vowed, “we will be ready to challenge them.” As for the long game, Chapman noted in a press release that while “the program is working. The fee structure isn’t.” “Between now and the 2027 session,” Chapman added, “the Center for Psychedelic Policy is conducting an independent economic analysis to answer a simple question: can psilocybin therapy be just as effective as the treatments Oregon already pays for, if not more so, at a fraction of the cost?” “If the answer is yes,” Chapman concluded, “the question stops being how Oregon pays for this program and starts being why we aren’t investing more in it.” “Better outcomes for less, and real access for Oregonians who are struggling,” he said. “Now we have the time to prove it.” This article was produced in partnership with Psychedelic State(s) of America—a nonprofit-sponsored news organization dedicated to rigorous independent psychedelic journalism. Subscribe to PSA online and Follow PSA on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter/X and Facebook. Learn more about PSA and donate to the PSA Media Fund here. The post Oregon Officials Drop Effort To Hike Psilocybin Business Licensing Fees appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A group representing Michigan marijuana businesses is endorsing the Republican candidate for governor due to his pledge to cut taxes on the industry, but a Democratic senator says the GOP politician can’t be trusted to follow through in light of his track record of opposing cannabis reform. Last week, the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association (MiCIA) said it supports John James as the state’s next governor, citing his promise to repeal or significantly roll back a new 24 percent wholesale cannabis tax that was enacted by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and the Democratic-controlled legislature to raise funds for road and bridge repairs. Sen. Jeff Irwin (D), however, told Marijuana Moment that James “has not been a friend to legalization”—citing comments from 2018 when he said he would “personally be voting no” on the ballot initiative that ultimately legalized recreational cannabis in the state that year. While James also said at the time that “should it pass, I will respect the will of the voters,” Irwin argued that “actions speak louder than words, so I don’t believe these thin campaign promises.” James “has not supported our efforts in Congress and is in lock step with law enforcement lobby groups that oppose legalization and access,” Irwin told Marijuana Moment. No major cannabis-related votes have taken place under the U.S. House’s Republican majority during James’s times serving in the chamber since 2023. He hasn’t sponsored or cosponsored any bills to legalize marijuana under federal law or respect state laws on the issue, but he did sign on as a supporter of the Hemp Enforcement, Modernization, and Protection Act, which would federally regulate hemp-derived cannabinoid products. “That is his record of action,” Irwin said. “No assistance for the cause” of broader marijuana reform. “If he is making promises to regarding the 24 percent wholesale tax, but is also making promises to road builders, local governments and police groups, which promises do you think he will keep?” the Democratic senator said. “Ask him if he plans to cut road funds or how else will he replace these funds. I suspect he is counting on nothing passing; and, if it looks like it might, he could always kill the bill behind the scenes.” Irwin argued that while James has “not been an advocate in Congress,” his running mate for lieutenant governor, state Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R) “has been even worse on cannabis issues.” DeBoyer filed legislation this session to cut the number of Michigan medical cannabis caregivers can grow for patients in half, from 12 to six, while limiting the numbers of caregiver registrations per physical address to just one. Irwin acknowledged to Marijuana Moment that he is “mad at Governor Whitmer for signing this new tax.” James’s Democratic opponent for governor, Jocelyn Benson, meanwhile, has not taken a clear stance on the cannabis tax. It’s a “new and emerging issue,” she said this month. “There’s a lot of data yet to be determined on that particular tax… We need to know where the money is going and also the impact that it’s had on the industry,” she said. “At the same time, I want to make sure that any changes we are making to our tax code do not come at the expense of driving up costs for Michiganders.” James, for his part, said in a plank of his “Freedom Agenda” unveiled last month that the cannabis tax “drives up prices, gives illegal operators a competitive edge, and has already fallen far short of revenue projections.” “As Governor, I will work to repeal or sharply reduce it,” he said. A Republican state representative recently filed legislation that would reverse the cannabis wholesale tax. The tax was projected by state officials to raise $420 million, with the revenue aimed at funding road repairs and construction, though Rep. James DeSana (R), the sponsor of the repeal bill, says it is generating in less than half of what its supporters anticipated. The levy has been challenged in court through lawsuits filed by the cannabis industry. Meanwhile, earlier this year, the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency announced it is distributing nearly $100 million in marijuana tax revenue to over 300 local governments and tribes across the state. The money is intended to support various local infrastructure, education and other programs and services in 313 municipalities, counties and tribal areas. Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer. The post Michigan Marijuana Industry Shouldn’t Trust GOP Governor Candidate’s Pledge To Cut Taxes, Democratic Senator Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

More than a tenth of senior citizens used marijuana within the past day, according to the results of a new federally funded study. The research also shows that among those who do consume cannabis, many use it to simply get high—but that medical reasons are also common. Researchers with the University of California San Diego and New York University conducted survey interviews with 315 adults over the age of 65, primarily in public parks or outside of older adults centers in New York City. Over half of respondents (56 percent) said they have consumed cannabis at least once in their lifetime, 22 percent used it within the past year, 16 percent reported past-month use and 11 percent said they consumed it within the past 24 hours. The most commonly reported reason for using marijuana was to get high (60 percent), though 56 percent said they consume cannabis to relieve tension, 53 percent use it as a sleep aid, 30 percent utilize it treat chronic pain and 29 percent use marijuana for another medical reason—”reflecting prior evidence that older adults commonly use cannabis to manage these symptoms or medical reasons and suggesting potential unmet clinical needs that physicians should be aware of,” the researchers wrote. “Cannabis was most often used to get high (60.0%), relieve tension (55.7%), sleep (52.9%), or relieve chronic pain (30.0%).” The relatively high usage rates in the survey “suggest that cannabis use among older adults may be more common and clinically significant than suggested by prior evidence,” the researchers wrote in the paper, which was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. They said, however, that the results may be skewed due to New York City’s urban setting and the relatively diverse participant demographic, or because of “possible reduced selection bias due to in-person, community-based recruitment and brief survey administration that improved completion rates.” Among those who do use marijuana recreationally within the past year, smoking was by far the most common delivery method, at 74 percent. Thirty-six percent consumed cannabis edibles and 16 percent vaped it. Older people and women were less likely to use marijuana than younger senior citizens and men, respectively, the study concluded. Another recent study found that medical marijuana helps 91 percent of older adults improve their pain, insomnia and mood or behavioral symptoms, a new study has found. A separate recent federally funded study published by the American Medical Association (AMA) found that “older adults are increasingly turning to cannabis for symptom management”—with many motivated to try marijuana “as an alternative to traditional pharmaceuticals due to concerns about adverse effects.” “As cannabis legalization becomes more widespread, older adults are increasingly turning to it not just for recreational use, but to manage symptoms associated with aging, including pain, sleep disturbances, and mental health concerns,” that research found. AMA separately adopted a resolution this year that recognizes both the risks and potential therapeutic benefits of marijuana use among older adults. Photo courtesy of Max Pixel. The post One Out Of Ten Senior Citizens Used Marijuana Within The Past 24 Hours, Federally Funded Study Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A coalition of trade associations that represent the insurance industry is backing recently filed congressional legislation that would provide a protect companies that provide coverage for state-legal marijuana businesses from federal punishment. “The insurance industry is potentially exposed to liability arising from the differences of the legal treatment of cannabis and cannabis products under federal and state law,” the groups wrote in a letter to the bipartisan House and Senate sponsors of the Clarifying Law Around Insurance of Marijuana (CLAIM) Act, which would provide a safe harbor for insurers, brokers and agents from being penalized by federal regulators for providing insurance services to state-licensed marijuana companies. “By resolving the legal uncertainty presented by the dueling state and federal treatment of marijuana, the insurance industry can serve both cannabis-related legitimate businesses (CRLBs) and other commercial lines consumers, as well as personal lines consumers who may have a direct or indirect relationship to state-legalized cannabis, and still be in compliance with the law,” the letter to the House and Senate sponsors of the legislation says. It was signed by the American Land Title Association, American Council of Life Insurers, American Property Casualty Insurance Association, Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, National Association of Professional Insurance Agents, Reinsurance Association of America and Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association—which said that they “represent a majority of the companies, agents, and brokers offering property-casualty, life, title, and reinsurance in the U.S.” “Further, the CLAIM Act will enable those engaged in the business of insurance to be able to comply with a variety of state statutory and regulatory requirements,” the letter says. “Importantly, this legislation would help consumers, with direct or indirect contact with state-legalized cannabis, access insurance products and services and the protections they provide.” The House version of the bill was introduced last week, while a Senate companion was filed earlier this year. “The CLAIM Act is a comprehensive solution to provide legal certainty for our market while also preserving the states’ traditional role in regulating the business of insurance,” the letter to Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Reps. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) and Warren Davidson (R-OH), who are the leading sponsors of the legislation, says. “Under the bill, insurers must still satisfy all applicable state statutory or regulatory requirements, such as those pertaining to consumer protections and claims payments.” “We appreciate your interest and effort to ensure our industry is not caught between conflicting obligations under federal and state law when serving our customers,” it concludes. This is the fourth Congress in a row that the cannabis business insurance measure has been introduced, and the text of the current bill, H.R.10471, remains largely the same as prior versions. Earlier this year, bipartisan House and Senate lawmakers filed related legislation to provide safeguards for banks that work with the cannabis industry. As it stands, cannabis firms are limited in their ability to gain property, casualty and title insurance coverage. The CLAIM Act would prohibit federal agencies from penalizing insurance providers for simply covering those businesses, and it would bar insurers from terminating or limiting policies for marijuana companies or ancillary businesses due to the nature of their enterprise. The legislation also includes a requirement that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) study and issue a report on “barriers to marketplace entry, including in the licensing process, and the access to financial services for potential and existing minority-owned and women-owned cannabis-related legitimate businesses.” It additionally provides protections for employees of insurers, affirming that they could not be held liable just because they work with a cannabis company. Supporters of the legislation have argued that providing insurance access to these businesses would mitigate safety risks and prevent the companies from being denied bank financing, which can occur when the businesses lack insurance coverage. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Meanwhile, the Trump administration is moving forward with the process of rescheduling marijuana under federal law. Attorney General Todd Blanche in April issued an order that immediately reclassified state-licensed medical cannabis, as well as marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to Schedule III. Under a separate order the attorney general signed, a hearing is considering more comprehensively moving marijuana to Schedule III. The post Insurance Industry Groups Endorse Bill To Ease Coverage For Marijuana Businesses appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

NC state-run marijuana store proposal; IL bill on cash payments to cannabis prohibition victims; PA legalization hearing 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 California Department of Cannabis Control Director Clint Kellum said the Drug Enforcement Administration hasn’t shown “any sort of interest” in providing guidance to states about the Trump administration’s marijuana rescheduling move—while simultaneously requesting more information about California’s medical cannabis program. The North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis’s Market and Regulatory Subcommittee is considering recommending that lawmakers legalize marijuana sales through a system of government-controlled stores that could be supplied by a “central cannabis warehouse”—while leaving cultivation and manufacturing to private businesses. An Illinois representative filed a bill to issue “direct cash payments” to people “who have been disproportionately impacted by historical cannabis enforcement” under a new Illinois Freedom Program. The Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee will hold a hearing on marijuana legalization on Friday—with a focus on “enforcement and safety needs, social and economic considerations, as well as how to ensure that meaningful criminal justice reform updates are included.” The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation announced a recall of pre-rolled marijuana joints after the products failed testing for aspergillus. / FEDERAL The Food and Drug Administration intends to award a sole-source contract involving cannabis public health message testing. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit heard oral arguments in a lawsuit challenging the Drug Enforcement Administration’s determination that HHC is a Schedule I drug and not a legal hemp derivative. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) posted photos of herself touring a hemp business. Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE) detailed his opposition to federal marijuana rescheduling, while Democratic challenger Chris Backemeyer outlined his support for the reform. / STATES Oregon’s attorney general met with law enforcement officials about efforts to combat illegal marijuana operations. California regulators announced a recall of marijuana products due to the presence of aspergillosis. Maine regulators issued an advisory about medical cannabis products with unsafe levels of butane. Michigan officials issued a public health bulletin about recreational nitrous oxide use. Colorado regulators published average market rates for retail marijuana. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — / LOCAL The Los Angeles County, California Regional Planning Commission will hold a hearing about cannabis business zoning issues on October 21. / INTERNATIONAL The United Nations special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism said the Trump administration’s military strikes against suspected drug boats “plausibly constitute crimes against humanity.” / SCIENCE & HEALTH A review concluded that “phytocannabinoids may improve bone health.” A study found that “medical cannabis availability reduced past-month self-reported poor mental health days by nearly 15 %—3.77 percentage points—among adults 65 and above.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The Worcester, Massachusetts Regional Chamber of Commerce is opposing an initiative on the state’s November ballot to roll back marijuana legalization. Safe Affordable Cannabis for New York released a survey on marijuana industry employee pay as part of an effort to convince Gov, Kathy Hochul (D) not to sign legislation to create a Cannabis Wage Board. / BUSINESS Several psychedelic drug companies are sponsoring next week’s Make America Healthy Again Summit. Green Thumb Industries Inc.’s board of directors authorized the continuation of a share repurchase program for an additional 12 months, with up to $50 million available for share repurchases. LEEF Brands Inc. has a new board of directors member. 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 DEA keeps states in the dark about cannabis rescheduling, CA official says (Newsletter: September 22, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

133. What If Nothing Happened During Your Trip? Someone in the room had done everything right. Careful preparation, a trained guide, two booster doses of psilocybin. Nothing happened. No altered state. In this episode, learn what that means and what to do next.This is the audience Q&A from the Psychedelics and Seniors Salon at Town Hall Seattle, the companion to episode 129, with Abbie Rosner, Scott Paul Wright, and Dr. Emily Whinkin.What you'll learn- What a session that produces no visible shift does and does not tell you- Why expectation is treated as a clinical variable in psychedelic medicine, not a soft one- Why microdosing protocols build in days off, and what those days are for- How much psilocybin content varies between mushroom varieties and within a single grow- What a legal psilocybin session in Oregon costs and what the price actually covers- What Seattle's 2021 psilocybin resolution protects, and what it does notAbout the guests Abbie Rosner is the author of Psychedelics and the Counterculture of Aging, based on interviews with 36 older adults, and writes ELDEREVOLUTION on Substack. Scott Paul Wright is a filmmaker and screenwriter and the director of the documentary The Next Chapter, who took his first psychedelic journey at 68. Dr. Emily Whinkin is a naturopathic physician and integrative mental health specialist licensed in Oregon and Washington, and a board-certified Fellow of the Psychiatric Association of Naturopathic Physicians, who runs a monthly virtual integration circle for older adults.0:00 Introduction 1:30 Should family members journey together 2:20 Medical disqualifiers and cardiovascular risk 3:30 Intergenerational trauma and encounters with ancestors 5:30 Grief that does not resolve in one session 8:00 What microdosing does, and how many Americans are doing it 9:40 Microdosing for creativity, and the pause 10:40 Psilocybin research for Alzheimer's and dementia 11:40 Microdosing, decision making, and why protocols include days off 13:40 Adjusting a microdose for mushroom potency 14:50 Cardiac conditions, atrial fibrillation, and valve issues 17:50 When a journey feels unimpactful, even with booster doses 19:00 Expectations as a clinical variable 20:00 What a legal psilocybin session costs and what it covers 23:00 Seattle, cultivation, and what decriminalization means 24:00 Integration circles and the isolation data 25:20 LSD compared with psilocybin, and the MM-120 anxiety trial 27:00 Mental health contraindications 28:20 SSRIs, SNRIs, and psilocybin 30:00 Ketamine compared with psilocybin 31:00 Cognitive benefits, neuroinflammation, and telomeresFollow April Pride for trusted information on psychedelics for women Substack Instagram YouTube Psychedelic SalonLearn more about April's services, events, and more at aprilpride.com Catch the full episode here

I think this is an informative post and it is very useful and knowledgeable. therefore, I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. jokispin login

This sounds absolutely fascinating! I love that Sway Blunts is breaking stigmas while offering such a high-quality product. The commitment to organic ingredients and supporting BIPOC/women-owned businesses really shines through. It reminds me how even in complex industries, simplicity and quality are key, kind of like how a game such as geometry dash lite can be so engaging despite its straightforward premise. Can't wait to check them out!

This piece beautifully highlights the importance of recognizing incremental progress. It's inspiring to see how cannabis entrepreneurs, like Lisa Snyder, are building momentum through these smaller victories, even launching international chapters. Celebrating these achievements, much like mastering each level in a Slope Game, propels them towards greater success. It's a powerful message for any industry.

Great article! It’s full of meaningful information and clearly well-researched. I found it very helpful and informative. call girl in Gurgaon

California’s top marijuana regulator says the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) hasn’t been cooperative in answering questions about the implications of the Trump administration’s rescheduling move—while the federal agency is simultaneously asking the state itself to share more information about its medical cannabis program. “We have received no formal updates from DEA headquarters on implementation guidance of the order,” California Department of Cannabis Control Director Clint Kellum said at a meeting of the Cannabis Advisory Committee on Tuesday. “We have been trying to communicate with DEA headquarters to get a better understanding of what their expectations rule set will be for operators under the guidance,” he said. “Unfortunately, to date, we have not been offered any information on that front.” Kellum said that there have been “national-level efforts” to contact DEA in conjunction with cannabis regulators from other states, but they “just really haven’t seen any sort of interest on that front, unfortunately.” The California official said that regulators are waiting for further guidance from the feds before they make further changes to state rules related to marijuana’s evolving federal legal status. “The last thing what we want to do is try to be guessing what they’re going to be doing, and then trying to make changes that have widespread effects across our market, and then ultimately to find out that there’s some sort of different path or vision,” he said. “I know that’s probably not sufficiently satisfying, but I think we want to sort of be methodical in our approach and make sure that we have the correct underpinning of information before we make wholesale significant changes.” In May, DCC adopted initial emergency rules changes for the state’s marijuana licensing process that are intended to make it easier for businesses to qualify for benefits in line with the Trump administration’s recent decision to move ahead with federally rescheduling medical cannabis. In April, Attorney General Todd Blanche issued an order immediately moving marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to Schedule III, along with marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A DEA hearing that recently concluded testimony is considering broader marijuana rescheduling. Meanwhile, DEA launched a form for cannabis businesses to register for federal protections in line with rescheduling. Kellum, of DCC, said that “other states are starting to see DEA inspections” of marijuana businesses that registered, but that the agency has been “focused more in areas with clear state medical cannabis programs than mixed states like ourselves.” “There appears to be some regional variation in the approach to those inspections and some of their questions,” he said, in line with reporting from Marijuana Moment showing that DEA officials are posing differing sets of follow-up questions to cannabis business from state to state. California has “received data requests from the DEA in relation to medicinal production and dispensing figures in the state,” Kellum said. “We have asked questions in relation to what the data will be used for, and would like to spend some time with them, helping them understand California’s market and sort of the different incentive models and structuring,” he said. “In our market, someone identifying their medical use is is not really incentivized, and so not knowing how they would use that data, we kind of haven’t been able to sort of share information the way we would hope.” Kellum also noted that federal rescheduling could have implications for international and interstate cannabis commerce, saying that officials would be “spending some time this fall thinking about” the issue. Ultimately, the top California cannabis official said that there are four major things the state is tracking for “material changes.” Those are actual DEA guidance, the result of the agency’s broader rescheduling hearing, guidance from the Internal Revenue Service on cannabis business tax issues and litigation that has been filed to challenge the reform. In the meantime, Kellum’s comments about DEA’s lack of communication isn’t the first time that top state cannabis officials have complained about a lack of guidance from the Trump administration about the rescheduling process. “None of us really can effectively advise our licensees, which is just incredibly frustrating, especially with a ticking clock,” James Pepper, chair of the Vermont Cannabis Control Board, said earlier this year. Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer. The post DEA Hasn’t Shown ‘Any Sort Of Interest’ In Helping States Prepare For Marijuana Rescheduling, Top California Official Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A North Carolina government commission that was appointed by the governor is considering recommending lawmakers legalize marijuana sales through a system of state-run stores that could be supplied by a “central cannabis warehouse”—while leaving cultivation and manufacturing to private businesses. The North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis, which Gov. Josh Stein (D) convened last year, has been holding an ongoing series of meetings, including via subcommittees focused on specific aspects of marijuana reform. The body’s Market and Regulatory Subcommittee convened on Friday to discuss options for how to structure a legal marijuana industry, including its production, distribution and retail tiers. While the panel has not yet made a formal recommendation to the legislature, a document accompanying the subcommittee meeting agenda shows that it is weighing a model where the “state exclusively controls the retail channel while private businesses remain responsible for cultivation, manufacturing/processing, and wholesale distribution.” The approach, it says, is a hybrid that combines North Carolina’s current “regulatory architecture and experience with state-controlled liquor retail” and Quebec, Canada’s “exclusive cannabis retail channel” and “explicit objective of moving consumers into the regulated market.” For cultivation and manufacturing, there would be multiple license types, including one for small-scale craft farms, as well as a standard licensed for larger commercial operations. Another license would cover manufacturers and processors who purchase cannabis from cultivators. At the wholesale tier the panel is weighing several options. One would involve licensing private entities that compete for businesses from producers for the right to supply a state retail system. Another contemplates the state itself operating a “central cannabis warehouse” that would be analogous to one currently run by the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (NC ABC). A third hybrid option would involve regulated private wholesale, an option state central warehouse and state-controlled retail. When it comes to retail, the panel is considering recommending that the state create a new North Carolina Cannabis Control Commission or assign retail control functions to an existing state entity with a separate state cannabis retail corporation/system, according to the document. The objective is “bringing consumers into and keeping them in the legal market without encouraging cannabis consumption,” it says. The document lists two options for how the state-controlled stores could work. The first involves centralized state retail with a state-run corporation and stores, and the other contemplates decentralized control, similar to how the state handles alcohol, with a state commission, local boards and stores. The document for the meeting, which involved a presentation from NC ABC’s Renee Metz, also lists several “important elements” for consideration. Those include protecting the three-tier system from vertical integration, requiring state product approval, craft farms, control of the retail footprint, a role for local governments and a closed-loop financial model. It also specifies that “state-controlled does not have to mean state-set pricing.” The document additionally lists a number of questions for discussion, including: 1. Should NC’s cannabis system use a three-tier structure modeled on the state’s alcohol system? 2. Should cultivation/manufacturing, wholesale distribution and retail ownership be separated? 3. Should retail cannabis be sold exclusively through state-controlled stores? 4. Should NC use a centralized state warehouse, private licensed wholesalers, or a hybrid? 5. How should the Craft Farm License be structured so small farmers can participate without creating regulatory loopholes? 6. What forms of vertical integration and common ownership should be prohibited? 7. How should the state determine retail prices and adjust them in response to the illicit market? 8. What role should local governments have in determining where state cannabis stores operate? The panel’s consideration of state-run cannabis stores comes as a new poll shows that North Carolinians strongly support legalizing medical marijuana, and that a majority wants to go even further by legalizing cannabis for recreational use. Meanwhile, the governor is continuing to pressure the GOP-controlled legislature for marijuana reform. Last month, the governor called on lawmakers to legalize and regulate cannabis in a way that “protects kids” while lawmakers this week are considering a bill to restrict hemp THC products. In a social media post he noted that lawmakers are considering legislation that “aims to eliminate the Wild West that is North Carolina’s THC market.” The governor has repeatedly called on lawmakers to broadly legalize and regulate cannabis, though GOP legislative leaders have been more interested in focusing on the narrower hemp issue. A bill to restrict hemp and kratom products that was recently approved by the Senate now awaits potential action in the House. Meanwhile, lawmakers in North Carolina have been considering legislation to legalize medical cannabis for the last several sessions—with the Senate approving several proposals and the House refusing to follow suit. North Carolina’s Senate president pro tempore recently said that lawmakers will take a more serious look at legalizing medical marijuana following the Trump administration’s move to reschedule cannabis at the federal level. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — The governor-appointed cannabis commission in North Carolina issued a report in April initially recommending that the state move away from a criminalization-based approach to the plant and toward a system of “robust” regulations that provide for adults’ legal access to THC products. The North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis, which Stein convened last year, said that the current “absence of regulation for North Carolina’s intoxicating cannabis market raises numerous concerns,” noting that hemp products are readily available yet largely unregulated and that marijuana remains prohibited altogether in the state, even for medical use. “Compared to regulated marijuana frameworks in other states, this environment presents identifiable risks,” the interim report says. “While some operators voluntarily implement consumer protection protocols, these safeguards are not required under state law.” Stein, for his part, thanked the group for its “expertise, hard work, and thoughtful deliberation” in a press release and reiterated his support for legalizing marijuana. Members are tasked with developing and submitting initial recommendations on a “comprehensive cannabis policy, including any proposed legislation,” with a final report due by December 31 of this year. During his time as the state’s attorney general, Stein led a separate task force under then-Gov. Roy Cooper (D) that examined racial injustice issues and ultimately recommended decriminalizing marijuana and studying broader legalization in response to racially disparate enforcement trends. A tribe in North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, launched the state’s first marijuana dispensary in 2024—despite the protests of certain Republican congressional lawmakers. Democratic lawmakers recently filed legislation to allow voters to decide whether to legalize marijuana for personal or medical use at the ballot box this November—though Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R) said the bill is unlikely to advance. Meanwhile, bipartisan North Carolina lawmakers have been stepping up the push for psychedelics reform legislation. Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer. The post North Carolina State Panel Considers Government-Run Marijuana Dispensaries And Centralized Warehouse appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“Everybody’s being held to the same standards as far as testing is concerned.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent State cannabis regulators issued a recall Wednesday after random testing found mold in pre-rolled joints sold in the state. The product, Juicy J’s cherry limeade infused pre-rolls, failed testing for aspergillus, “a common mold that can be tolerated in small amounts by healthy individuals but may cause adverse health effects in high amounts or in individuals with compromised immune systems,” the recall notice states. No adverse reactions have been reported, according to the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation. The division said it is working with the Ellisville-based manufacturing facility to address the problem. The Independent did not immediately receive a response from the company. Last year, regulators began double checking the work of licensed testing labs to catch potential problems with mold, pesticides and other contaminants. Mold, in particular, has been a concern raised by cannabis testing experts. During an MJ Unpacked cannabis conference panel in 2024, testing experts discussed information obtained through the Missouri Sunshine Law that showed 82 percent of Missouri’s cannabis testing is conducted at one licensed lab, Greenway Magazine reported. The data showed the laboratory detected mold problems far less frequently than other Missouri labs and laboratories nationwide. The lab, identified in the data as “Lab D,” reported an aspergillus failure rate of just under 0.5 percent—roughly one-eighth the national average. The state’s other labs had a failure rate of 3.3 percent, compared with the national average of 3.8 percent. The disparity raised questions about whether cannabis products were being adequately screened for mold. However, Ryan Bernard, the division’s testing and research unit manager, told The Independent last year that those results didn’t raise any alarm for him. “Everybody’s being held to the same standards as far as testing is concerned,” Bernard said. The manufacturer of the recalled Juicy J’s products is owned by CCMRB Processing LLC, whose owners also lead Michigan-based cannabis company Common Citizen. The group also owns a Fresh Karma dispensary through CCMRB Retail LLC, which was named in a lawsuit against Good Day Farm filed in May. Wednesday’s action is the second cannabis product recall Missouri regulators have issued this month. The division also issued a recall earlier this month for several products made at a manufacturing facility in Cuba whose parent company is GF Extraction Lab LLC. The ownership group also owns five Root 66 Dispensary locations. According to that recall notice, “The recalled products contain cannabinoids produced through chemical modification, conversion, or synthetic derivation of cannabinoids.” In previous recalls in which regulators cited the same issue, the products involved hemp or cannabinoids that did not originate in Missouri. Asked whether the recalled products were properly entered into Metrc, Missouri’s statewide marijuana tracking system, the division’s spokeswoman Lisa Cox said, “We cannot comment at this time due to it being an ongoing investigation.” The Independent repeatedly sought comment from the owners of GF Extraction Lab but did not receive a response. This story was updated to correct the location of the CCMRB Processing LLC manufacturing facility. This story was first published by Missouri Independent. The post Missouri Marijuana Officials Announce Recall Of Pre-Rolled Joints Following Mold Testing Results appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Democratic lawmakers in Pennsylvania’s Senate are stepping up the push to legalize marijuana in the state by scheduling a hearing focused on the issue for this week. The Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee will host the meeting on Friday to “examine modernizing the commonwealth’s adult use cannabis laws,” according to an announcement. The committee’s chair, Sen. Nick Miller (D) will lead the hearing, alongside Sen. Sharif Street (D), who has long championed marijuana reform and has sponsored several bills to enact legalization. “The focus will include enforcement and safety needs, social and economic considerations, as well as how to ensure that meaningful criminal justice reform updates are included,” the committee’s announcement said. The hearing, titled “Adult-Use Cannabis: Criminal Justice, Safety & Economic Impacts,” will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Philadelphia and is set to follow a separate summit event that is part of the 9th annual Cannabis Opportunities Conference that’s also being held at the hotel. The event comes as Democratic lawmakers in Pennsylvania continue to push for marijuana legalization, including with a discharge resolution that Street filed seeking to bring a bipartisan cannabis legalization bill out of committee. The measure, which was signed by every Democratic senator, aims to increase pressure on the chamber’s Republican majority to allow a vote on legalizing cannabis. The bill in question is sponsored by Street along with Sen. Dan Laughlin (R), who chairs the Senate Law & Justice Committee but hasn’t called the legislation up for consideration in the panel. The GOP chairman has instead focused on moving a separate bill to create a new Cannabis Control Board to regulate medical marijuana and hemp. That measure failed on the Senate floor in June amid partisan fighting about the best way forward for cannabis in the state. The marijuana legalization bill that Street wants to advance, SB 120, would allow adults aged 21 and older to possess up to 30 grams of cannabis flower, 1,000 milligrams of THC in edible products and 5 grams of concentrate. It would also create a process to expunge prior marijuana-related criminal records. If enacted, there would be an 8 percent excise tax on cannabis sales, alongside the state’s regular sales tax of 6 percent. The legislative maneuvering around the bill comes as a recent poll shows that Pennsylvania voters overwhelmingly support marijuana legalization—and that the largest share put the blame on Republican lawmakers for the fact that the state has not yet enacted the reform. Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) has repeatedly called on lawmakers to send him a marijuana legalization bill and for the last several years has included the reform in his budget requests to the legislature. Republican gubernatorial nominee Stacy Garrity, who is running against Shapiro, recently pledged to veto a marijuana legalization bill if lawmakers ever sent one to her desk—though she added that she doesn’t think the reform stands a chance of making it that far in the state. Her running mate for lieutenant governor, Jason Richey, claimed that legalizing marijuana would be “catastrophic” for the state, arguing it would increase the size of the illegal market, undermine job creation and harm public health. The governor earlier this year, as he has in past years, included cannabis legalization and the resulting expected revenue in his budget request. The House last year passed a bill to legalize marijuana and put sales in state-owned dispensaries, but the Republican Senate majority has criticized that plan while also not advancing a cannabis legalization model of its own. The state’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) reported in February that legalizing cannabis in Pennsylvania would generate nearly half a billion dollars in annual revenue by 2028, an estimate that is a significantly larger cash windfall compared to projections from Shapiro’s own office. A spokesperson in the governor’s office said the Trump administration’s federal marijuana rescheduling move is an “important step” that “adds support” to his push to legalize cannabis. A GOP senator also said that federal reform will make it easier to legalize marijuana in the state. — 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, Laughlin is blaming the governor for the defeat of his bill to create a new Cannabis Control Board (CCB) to oversee the state’s medical marijuana program and intoxicating hemp products and that could also one day oversee recreational cannabis if it is legalized. Most GOP senators in the Republican-controlled chamber voted for the legislation from Laughlin, and all but two Democrats opposed it—with even some lawmakers who signed onto the measure as cosponsors ultimately voting against it. The measure would transfer regulatory authority for the state’s existing medical cannabis program from the Department of Health to a new seven-member CCB. The body would oversee cannabis permits, enforcement, seed-to-sale tracking, advertising, labeling, testing and other aspects of the legal industry. Moments after the bill’s defeat on the Senate floor, the chamber adopted a motion to reconsider—but it’s not yet clear when or if the legislation will get another vote. Laughlin’s legislation would also significantly restrict most hemp THC products, aligning the state with a new federal policy that is set to take effect later this year recriminalizing preparations with total THC content of more than 0.3 percent on a dry-weight basis or more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container. The action on the cannabis regulatory bill, SB 49, came shortly after the House of Representatives passed a bill to allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. The post Pennsylvania Senate Democrats Highlight Need To Legalize Marijuana With New Hearing appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Illinois would substantially expand its efforts to repair the harms of marijuana criminalization enforcement under a new bill that seeks to give cash payments directly to people impacted by prohibition laws. The legislation, filed on Thursday by Rep. La Shawn K. Ford (D), would create a new Illinois Freedom Program “for the purpose of issuing direct cash payments to eligible individuals who have been disproportionately impacted by historical cannabis enforcement.” The effort would supplement the state’s existing Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) program, which uses marijuana tax revenue to support community reinvestment in areas harmed by the war on drugs. The cash payments would be administered through a new Illinois Freedom Fund, which the bill says would “consist of the incremental growth in cannabis tax revenue.” The legislation specifies that the existence of the cash payments program “shall not reduce, reallocate, or otherwise diminish” the amount of cannabis revenue distributed to grantees under the existing R3 program. “The Restore, Reinvest, and Renew Program Board shall ensure that the distribution of funds to R3 Area grantees is neither reduced below base year levels nor delayed as a result of the Illinois Freedom Program,” it says. That board, in cooperation with the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, would be authorized to adopt rules to implement and administer the new cash payments program under the bill. If HB 5815 is enacted into law, the program would take effect on July 1, 2027. Ford, the legislation’s sponsor, is running for a seat in Congress in the November elections to replace the retiring Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL). Meanwhile in Illinois, lawmakers and Gov. JB Pritzker (D) this year enacted omnibus cannabis reform legislation that doubles the amount of marijuana that adults can legally possess, allows drive-thrus and curbside pickups at dispensaries and lets them stay open for longer hours of operation, among other changes. The new law also allows existing recreational marijuana dispensaries to get permission to begin selling medical cannabis, which is taxed at a much lower rate than adult-use products. Regulators granted 37 such new medical marijuana approvals this month. Last month, Illinois officials separately added sickle cell disease and polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) with chronic pain as new medical cannabis qualifying conditions. The governor held a signing ceremony for the cannabis expansion legislation at a marijuana dispensary, saying he is “proud that Illinois continues to lead the nation in showing what thoughtful, balanced cannabis policy can achieve.” In 2019, Pritzker signed the state’s initial marijuana legalization policy into law. The post People Harmed By Marijuana Criminalization Would Receive Direct Cash Payments From The Government Under New Illinois Bill appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

IA Democratic governor candidate: Legalize marijuana; Study: medical cannabis for lower back pain; AL withdraws objection to rescheduling 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 Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Zachary Nunn (R-IA) filed a bill to make it so past marijuana use could not be used to deny federal employment or security clearances. Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand said legalizing marijuana is a “no-brainer” move to raise revenue and help ward off a “fiscal time bomb” that could lead to cuts in funding for education and public safety. A new study that followed patients with chronic lower back pain for a period of 10 years found that “medical cannabis therapy was associated with reductions in opioid use (−89.8%), pain intensity (−84.2%), and functional disability (−30.4%).” “Substantial polypharmacy reductions and acceptable tolerability were observed.” The Alabama State Committee of Public Health unanimously voted to withdraw a previous objection to rescheduling marijuana under state law in line with the Trump administration’s federal move. The University of Maine’s Karyn Sporer and Robert Glover argue in a new op-ed that 25 years of data on Portugal’s successful drug decriminalization law shows that “reducing the harms of drug use requires painstakingly building and sustaining a system that connects people with treatment, healthcare and social support without making abstinence a precondition for receiving help.” “Although the Portuguese still hold negative views of substance use, problematic use increasingly came to be understood as a health and social problem rather than a moral failing warranting punishment.” / FEDERAL U.S. Tax Court is considering petitions from a cannabis business that is challenging taxes and penalties, arguing that its products aren’t controlled substances because of their low THC content. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is proposing to revise some National Survey on Drug Use and Health questions to ask about “using” marijuana rather than “smoking” it in order to to “measure other ways of using marijuana that are common with youth, such as vaping or edibles.” The Drug Enforcement Administration is hosting a New England summit on Monday. Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) expressed concerns about federal marijuana rescheduling, while independent challenger Dan Osborn discussed his support for the reform. / STATES An Idaho representative discussed his support for a proposed constitutional initiative to block voters from legalizing marijuana or other drugs through ballot initiatives. Texas state Senate candidates detailed their views on hemp THC product policy. Michigan regulators announced a recall of marijuana products after testing indicated they contain a banned chemical. New Mexico regulators granted the state’s first medical psilocybin producer permit. California regulators are proposing changes to rules on group tagging of cannabis plants. New Jersey regulators published guidance about marijuana business violation penalties. Kentucky regulators posted guidance for advanced practice registered nurses to renew their ability to recommend medical cannabis. Minnesota regulators sent a newsletter with various cannabis updates. The North Carolina North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis’s Market and Regulatory Subcommittee met. Colorado regulators will hold a hearing on proposed changes to marijuana tax rules on October 15. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — / INTERNATIONAL New South Wales, Australia lawmakers approved legislation to protect medical cannabis patients from DUI charges. Canadian regulators published updated guidance on analytics methods in cannabis testing. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found “no statistically significant impact of cannabis legalization on fatal THC-positive crashes or all crashes” in Canada. The findings of a study of dogs “support the potential of cannabinoids as safe adjuvants in multimodal anesthesia in veterinary medicine.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS Pacific Legal Foundation officials authored an op-ed arguing that a scheduled federal ban on hemp THC products will undermine the Trump administration’s plan to cover CBD through Medicare. / BUSINESS Smiling Bud workers in Ridgefield, New Jersey voted to unionize with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 360. Vireo Growth Inc. issued shares to Altmore and Altmore Debt I, LP in connection with a confidential settlement agreement with SHWZ Altmore, LLC. 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 Cannabis & federal employment bill in Congress (Newsletter: September 21, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“Reducing the harms of drug use requires painstakingly building and sustaining a system that connects people with treatment, healthcare and social support.” By Karyn Sporer and Robert Glover, University of Maine via The Conversation Nearly 70,000 Americans died of a drug overdose in 2025. While that is a decline from the nearly 108,000 deaths recorded in 2022, these grim figures distinguish the U.S. from other high-income countries. At the peak of the opioid crisis, the U.S. overdose death rate was 68 percent higher than Canada’s and nearly five times that of Australia. And death is only the starkest indicator: Substance use disorder imposes hundreds of billions of dollars in healthcare, criminal justice and lost productivity costs each year—to say nothing of the incalculable disruption to families and communities. For decades, U.S. drug policy has aimed to reduce drug use by disrupting supply, punishing possession and use and promoting abstinence. But this isn’t the only approach to addressing drug use. 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of Portugal’s landmark decision to decriminalize the possession of all drugs for personal use. This is one of the world’s longest-running efforts to center public health and harm reduction in national drug policy. As a criminologist and a political scientist, we have spent the past three years teaching a course on drug policy and harm reduction in Portugal, bringing dozens of students to the country to study its approach firsthand. That experience has given us a close look at both the promise and the limitations of the Portuguese model. Surprising assumptions While in Portugal, our students meet with policymakers, health and law enforcement officials, treatment providers and practitioners. These experiences complement our research on how policies once considered unthinkable can gain acceptance among the public and policymakers. We also examine nonpunitive approaches to problematic drug use—that is, recurrent drug use that significantly interferes with a person’s health or quality of life. What always strikes us in our work here are the pragmatic and, compared with the U.S., surprisingly apolitical assumptions that underlie Portugal’s approach: People will use drugs, and public policy can reduce the harms associated with that use even when it cannot entirely prevent it. In practice, this means measures such as providing sterile equipment to consume drugs, expanding harm-reduction services that can help people better understand the substances they are using and operating overdose prevention sites where substances can be used under medical supervision. These measures do not treat drug use as harmless, nor do they abandon recovery as a goal. Instead, they recognize that reducing harm has value in itself, and that keeping people alive and healthy can be the first step on a path away from disordered use. A devastating problem Portugal embraced this approach during a devastating heroin crisis in the late 1990s. Injection drug use was fueling one of Europe’s worst HIV epidemics, while problematic drug use was felt in Portuguese communities across social and economic lines. At that time, an estimated 1 percent of the population was addicted to heroin, with overdose deaths rising sharply. By the turn of the century, Portugal had the highest HIV incidence in the European Union among people who injected drugs. Even before formal decriminalization, police, healthcare professionals and other workers who came into contact with people using drugs had already begun directing them away from punishment and toward care. These emerging practices soon became the basis for a broader national response. In 1998, the Portuguese government appointed a multidisciplinary commission of experts, including physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, legal experts and researchers, to rethink the country’s drug policy. Its recommendations became the basis for a national strategy integrating prevention, treatment, harm reduction and social reintegration that was adopted in 1999, followed by decriminalization in 2001. Decriminalization does not mean that possession simply goes unaddressed: People found to have small amounts of substances for personal use can be referred to multidisciplinary dissuasion commissions, which can connect them with services or impose minor administrative sanctions. But they cannot be criminally charged or incarcerated for possession. Drug manufacturing and trafficking, meanwhile, remain criminal offenses. Portugal’s financial investment in this strategy has remained in place despite financial crises and budget cuts. The country continues to provide multiple ways for people who use substances to access healthcare and treatment, while also addressing problems such as housing and unemployment that can make sustained recovery difficult. Dramatic results The results have been striking. Drug-related deaths fell sharply as Portugal adopted its new approach, and they remain low by European standards. In 2023, Portugal recorded 105 fatal drug overdoses, up slightly from 96 the previous year and 81 in 2021, but still far below the levels seen at the height of the country’s drug crisis. New HIV diagnoses associated with injection drug use, which still numbered in the hundreds annually in the mid-2000s, fell from 583 in 2005 to just 19 in 2024, a decline of roughly 97 percent. Treatment also remains central to the Portuguese model: In 2023, more than 24,000 people received care through the country’s specialized public outpatient system. This system consists of a nationwide network of multidisciplinary treatment teams providing medical care and connections to other health and social services. The use of cannabis—which, like all drugs in Portugal, is illegal though not a criminal offense—is now one of the leading reasons people enter this system. Portugal also experienced a broader shift in how problematic drug use was publicly understood. Although the Portuguese still hold negative views of substance use, problematic use increasingly came to be understood as a health and social problem rather than a moral failing warranting punishment. An international model—or one of a kind? These outcomes helped turn Portugal into an international model for drug policy reform. But its experience has proven easier to admire than to replicate. More recent experiments underscore a less celebrated lesson from Portugal: These policies depend on an integrated system of health and social services, sustained political support and buy-in from the institutions, including law enforcement, charged with making them work. British Columbia’s 2023 decriminalization pilot offers a more complicated example and an important contrast with Portugal. Despite Canada’s universal healthcare system and an established harm-reduction infrastructure, the province did not replicate Portugal’s integrated model. Police were not required to refer people to services, treatment providers received no additional funding and waitlists persisted. The three-year pilot sharply reduced possession offenses and police drug seizures, but there was little evidence of broader health benefits. Amid growing concerns about public drug use, the province allowed the experiment to expire in January 2026. If British Columbia illustrates the limits of reform even with a comparatively robust public health system, Oregon’s experience illustrates the risks of pursuing such a strategy without one. In Oregon, voters approved Measure 110 in 2020, decriminalizing drug possession while directing cannabis tax revenue toward expanded treatment and recovery services. But a December 2025 state audit concluded that implementation was plagued by unstable leadership, delayed services and poor coordination. Unlike Portugal, and to a lesser extent British Columbia, Oregon also failed to secure buy-in from law enforcement, leaving many officers opposed to the policy and skeptical of their role in implementing it. Rather than creating an integrated system of care, new services often operated alongside the state’s already fragmented behavioral health system. Meanwhile, highly visible drug use, rising fentanyl deaths and a citation system that rarely connected people to treatment fueled public frustration and political pressure to reverse the course. Oregon lawmakers recriminalized possession in 2024, before the state had even developed reliable data to assess whether the experiment had improved access to care or reduced drug-related harms. Building a sustainable policy Twenty-five years on, Portugal’s most important lesson may not be about decriminalization itself. Rather, its experience shows that reducing the harms of drug use requires painstakingly building and sustaining a system that connects people with treatment, healthcare and social support without making abstinence a precondition for receiving help. Changing drug laws can be part of that project. The harder work is building and sustaining the institutions that make a public health approach possible. Karyn Sporer is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Maine, where Robert Glover is an associate professor of political science and honors. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The post 25 Years Of Drug Decriminalization In Portugal Shows Importance Of Investing In Public Health Approach (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“The program’s already live, even though it’s still Schedule I in Alabama.” By Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector Alabama’s public health officials on Thursday withdrew their objection to the federal rescheduling of marijuana, a move officials characterized as procedural, following a July public hearing. The governing body of the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) in May voted to delay the rescheduling so that officials could have more time to determine how to implement it, but noted that they “fully intended” to reschedule the drug. State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said Thursday morning that he did not see any issues with the change, and the public comments did not reflect the impact of rescheduling but rather marijuana itself. “I would say there are a lot of really passionate people that had a lot of really strong feelings about it, and I don’t want to minimize that or oversimplify that,” Harris said. “The comments were people who really support medical marijuana or who really don’t support medical marijuana. The comments weren’t really about what we were trying to get at, which [was] ‘what are the consequences of rescheduling.’” Conservative activists at the public hearing said the rescheduling would “harm children” and “worsen Alabama’s mental health crisis.” The only proponent of rescheduling at the public hearing said not doing so would instill distrust between patients and doctors. Harris said ADPH’s legal team resolved all of the department’s concerns, like the impact to pharmacies and those seeking the medication. In April, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) moved marijuana from Schedule I—the Drug Enforcement Administration’s list of drugs with the greatest potential for abuse and least legitimate use—to Schedule III, with drugs considered to have a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The order followed an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in December instructing the DOJ to move towards rescheduling. Former President Joe Biden instructed DOJ to reschedule the drug in 2024, but hearings on the move were canceled in early 2025. The federal order applies to state-licensed medical marijuana products in the states that allow medicinal use of the drug. The move means those businesses can deduct business expenses from their federal taxes and researchers have access to state-legal products. As a Schedule I drug, only cannabis grown in a federally approved facility could be studied, severely limiting the supply available to researchers. Alabama’s medical cannabis program was created by the Legislature in 2021. Three dispensaries are open in the state, with seven more to open within the next few months. At the program’s full capacity, there will be nearly 40 dispensaries. Harris said the rescheduling would not impact the state’s medical cannabis program. “The program’s already live, even though it’s still Schedule I in Alabama. The reason is, the statute was written essentially to decriminalize it for people who are authorized to have it,” he said. The committee unanimously withdrew its objection. This story was first published by Alabama Reflector. The post Alabama Officials Withdraw Objection To Rescheduling Marijuana Under State Law In Line With Trump’s Federal Move appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Positive site, where did u come up with the information on this posting? I'm pleased I discovered it though, ill be checking back soon to find out what additional posts you include. paris88

You make so many great points here that I read your article a couple of times. Your views are in accordance with my own for the most part. This is great content for your readers. bandar toto

Here, your bad past disappointments with fake agencies are over The real Escort Price In Aerocity keeps you fully safe. We do not ask for any upfront bank transfers at any time. You pay the lady cash directly after meeting. Our health-verified friends will always provide discreet hotel visits. Call now in Aerocity to hire a seductive Russian model.

Really useful information shared in this article. I like how the topic has been covered from different aspects instead of focusing on just one point. The content is easy to read and understand, and the practical information makes it more valuable. Thanks for sharing this helpful resource with readers. Regards, Atdoorstep Pest Control

Legalizing marijuana is a “no-brainer” move to help ward off a “fiscal time bomb” in Iowa that could otherwise lead to cuts in funding for education and public safety in the state, the Democratic candidate for governor says. “I think we should treat it the way we treat alcohol. That seems like a no-brainer to me, right?” Rob Sand, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, said at a town hall event in Dallas County on Wednesday in response to a question from a voter who said Iowa is “losing money” to other states that have legalized cannabis. “Alcohol is a dangerous drug. You shouldn’t abuse it. Also, we’re not going to throw you in prison for having a beer,” Sand said. “Why is it any different for marijuana? It is a dangerous drug. You shouldn’t abuse it. We shouldn’t be throwing people in prison just for using it.” The Democratic candidate said that “when I say treat it like alcohol, I literally mean treat it like alcohol.” He then went through a list of common objections to cannabis legalization and explained how he would respond to them. “So when I hear people say, ‘Well, I don’t want to smell it.’ Same. You shouldn’t be allowed to smoke it in public. Simple rule: you can’t drink alcohol in public, right? People say, ‘Well, I’m worried about kids. I’ve heard cases in Colorado where they got colorful gummies, and the kids find them, and then the kids get sick.’ I agree. You shouldn’t be able to market it to children. You shouldn’t be able to use colorful designs on your packages. And if you’re doing gummies, they can look like an eraser, right? They don’t need to be red and blue and green and look like gummy bears. People say, ‘Well, I don’t know, Rob. It’s a lot stronger than the stuff that I was smoking in the 70s.’ To which I say, ‘I wasn’t there. Whatever you say, I believe you.’ I don’t have a basis for comparison then or now. I actually haven’t used it. But how do we handle that with alcohol? When you buy a beer, you can see what the alcohol content is on the beer, right? We treat hard liquor differently, but you can see when you buy hard liquor what the content is on that, and that way you know what you’re getting into. We can do that with marijuana as well.” Sand, who is currently Iowa’s state auditor, said the state currently has a budget surplus, but that annual spending is overtaking revenue. “I call this a fiscal time bomb. Our budget is nine and a half billion,” he said. “Imagine the cuts to public education and to public safety if we don’t take action to fix this.” “So we need to do something now,” he said, arguing that legalizing marijuana is “one of the things that we should do.” “We would have hundreds of millions of dollars every single year if we just treat marijuana the way we treat alcohol,” Sand said, adding that the thinks the state should also put an income limit on school vouchers and make data centers pay fair taxes. “All three of those would save us hundreds of millions of dollars a year alone,” he said. “So if we do all three of them, we do them right away, all of a sudden, our time horizon on how long that surplus is going to last gets a lot longer, and we can think about other ways to help address that and get back to having a balanced budget.” Sand also spoke about his support for legalizing marijuana at an earlier event last month, saying that he thinks cannabis should be legalized and treated like alcohol, even if he thinks it’s “dangerous.” “Marijuana is a dangerous drug,” he said at the time. “You shouldn’t abuse it, but we also shouldn’t throw people in prison just for using it. We should treat it the way we treat alcohol. Alcohol is a dangerous drug. You shouldn’t abuse it, but we don’t throw you in prison just for having a beer when you get home.” The Democratic gubernatorial candidate said that Iowa is “spending perfectly good tax dollars to lock people up” for marijuana while people who want to use it are driving across the border to purchase it in other states. “They’re spending their money in Illinois, or they’re spending it in Missouri. And then they’re driving back without their money,” Sand said. “The money stays there, and the tax dollars stay there.” Republican gubernatorial nominee Zach Lahn reportedly opposes legalizing cannabis but doesn’t appear to have spoken extensively about the issue. Josh Turek, the Democratic nominee in a U.S. Senate race, said this month that cannabis’s longtime restrictive Schedule I status is “ridiculous.” Marijuana “should be legalized and regulated, and let’s tax it,” he said. Meanwhile, Iowa regulators are circulating proposed rules changes to remove the residency requirement for patients in the state’s medical cannabis program while also ensuring that military veterans qualify for reduced registration fees. The residency-focused part of the regulatory change from the state Department of Health and Human Services is meant to comply with provisions of a bill that Reynolds signed into law in June. In addition to allowing out-of-state residents to register in the medical cannabis program if they have a certification from an Iowa healthcare provider legislation, that legislation also doubles the number of medical cannabis dispensaries that are allowed to operate in the state. Regulators said in the new rule filing that removing the residency requirement is expected to “primarily impact qualified Nebraska residents since Nebraska is the only bordering state that does not currently have an operational medical or adult-use cannabis program.” “Although Nebraska has taken steps to establish a medical cannabidiol program, implementation has experienced significant delays and setbacks,” the regulatory explanation says. Beyond the residency change that is part of the bill the governor signed this year, the new rule change also restores regulatory language that was “inadvertently removed during the 2023 Red Tape Review process” that allowed proof of military veteran status to be used to qualify for a reduced patient application fee of $25 instead of the standard $100. Under prior law, Iowa’s limited medical marijuana program allowed only five dispensaries. That has doubled to 10 under HF 990, which the governor signed. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — The Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Board, which oversees the state’s medical marijuana program, recommended in a 2023 report that the state allow more licenses “in an effort to provide Iowans with greater geographical access to medical cannabis products.” Under the program, patients with certain conditions can obtain cannabis products containing no more than at 4.5 grams of THC every 90 days. Flower and smoking are not allowed. Healthcare practitioners can allow greater amounts of THC for patients who are terminally ill or who have experience with the program and for whom the provider believes 4.5 grams is not enough. Separately this session, Iowa lawmakers considered a bill to create a state-regulated therapeutic psilocybin program for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Last year, the governor vetoed earlier legislation that would have allowed doctors in the state to immediately prescribe a synthetic form of psilocybin in the event of federal approval of the psychedelic substance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), arguing that it “surrenders state authority to make an informed determination about classification to federal officials.” The post Legalizing Marijuana In Iowa Is A ‘No-Brainer’ Move To Help Raise Revenue, Democratic Candidate For Governor Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Bipartisan congressional lawmakers have introduced a bill to protect people from being denied federal employment or security clearances due to past marijuana use—and to provide relief for people who have already lost opportunities due to cannabis. Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Zachary Nunn (R-IA) introduced the legislation—titled the “Cannabis Users’ Restoration of Eligibility (CURE) Act”—on Thursday. The bill says that “past use of marihuana by a covered person may not be used in any determination with respect to whether such person” is eligible for a security clearance or otherwise suitable for federal employment under existing code. Within one year of enactment, all federal agencies would be required to create a process to review each past decision to deny security clearances or job opportunities over cannabis use going back to January 1, 2008, the bill says. They would need to maintain a website that details the process of reviewing such prior marijuana penalties. “Upon receiving a request from any individual who was so denied a security clearance or employment (as the case may be), not later than 90 days after the date such request is so received, the Federal agency that denied such clearance or employment shall review the decision and determine if such decision was based solely on past marihuana use,” the legislation says. The text of the newly introduced bill, which has not yet been posted on Congress’s website but which was obtained by Marijuana Moment, is nearly identical to a version of the CURE Act was approved by the House Oversight and Accountability Committee Committee in 2023. The previously introduced version of the legislation was scaled back by that panel from its original broader scope, which would have also protected federal workers from being punished for current marijuana use, and not just that which occurred in the past. An amendment from Chairman James Comer (R-KY), however, limited the protections to prior marijuana use alone, so federal workers and holders of security clearances would continue to be penalized for active consumption. The amendment additionally removed additional language related to agencies’ responsibility to review whether past security clearance or employment denials were based on marijuana use alone. The CURE Act represents an expansion of an amendment that Raskin filed as part of a House-passed cannabis legalization bill in 2022. That measure would have only covered security clearances instead of also including overall employment decisions as is the case under the new legislation. However, the retroactivity would have required a review of denials going back further, to 1971. The amendment was narrowly defeated on the House floor. — Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,000 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — In the Senate, a similar bill, the Dismantling Outdated Obstacles and Barriers to Individual Employment, or DOOBIE, Act, from Sen. Gary Peter (D-MI), was approved by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in 2024. That bill stated that covered agencies “may not base a suitability determination with respect to an individual solely on the past use of marijuana by the individual.” The White House Office of Personnel Management (OPM) would also need to adopt that policy. The bill further said that “the head of a Federal agency may not base a determination that a covered person is ineligible for a security clearance solely on the past use of marijuana by the covered person.” They additionally could not use prior cannabis use to deny a personal identity verification credential, which enables federal workers to access various facilities and information. Also under the proposal, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) would be required to enact regulations that update its own cannabis policies and assist other federal agencies in implementing the employment and security clearance changes. Read the full text of the new bill on marijuana and security clearances and federal employment below: The post People Couldn’t Be Denied Federal Jobs Or Security Clearances Due To Past Marijuana Use Under New Bipartisan Bill In Congress appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net