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A Delaware House committee has unanimously approved a Senate-passed bill that would allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis in hospitals. About two weeks after the legislation from Sen. Marie Pinkney (D) advanced through the Senate, members of the House Health & Human Development Committee cleared it in a 9-0 vote on Wednesday. There was limited public testimony on the measure, which is being carried in the House by Rep. Kamela Smith (D). A representative of the Delaware Healthcare Association spoke in favor of the bill’s intent, while specifically applauding revisions made in the Senate to address “operational and compliance challenges” its members had raised. Smith said in her opening remarks that the measure “balances patient rights and clinical judgment by allowing physicians to make case-by-case decisions—and patients and facilities that comply with the legislation are protected from civil from criminal and from professional liability.” She also shared a personal story that’s informed her advocacy for the reform, describing how her father experienced “constant pain from from having cancer, and the only thing that bought him relief was cannabis.” “The physicians, acknowledging that he did have pain, and giving him space to relieve himself of that pain” is part of why she’s sponsoring the legislation, the lawmaker said. Under SB 226, patients and their caregivers would be responsible for acquiring and administering medical marijuana, and it would need to be stored securely at all times in a locked container. Smoking or vaping of medical cannabis would be prohibited, so patients would need to consume it via other methods. Healthcare facility officials would need to see a copy of patients’ state medical marijuana registry ID cards, and they would be required to note their use of the drug in medical records. They would also need to “develop and disseminate written policies and procedures for the use of medical marijuana within the health care facility.” Facilities would be able to prohibit medical marijuana use if they determine that such use would have an “adverse impact on the medical care and treatment of the patient or is otherwise contraindicated.” They would also be able to suspend permission to use cannabis if a federal agency such as the U.S. Department of Justice or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services takes an enforcement action against such use or “issues a rule, guidance, or otherwise provides notification to health care facilities that expressly prohibits the use of medical marijuana in health care facilities.” The right to use medical cannabis under the bill, SB 226, would not apply to patients who are in the emergency department. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Meanwhile in Delaware, the Senate in January voted to override the governor’s veto of a bill that would prevent local governments from imposing onerous zoning restrictions that make it more challenging for marijuana businesses to operate in their jurisdictions. Delaware’s adult-use cannabis market launched last August, with the governor touting the state’s first “successful” weekend of adult-use cannabis sales, with total purchases for medical and recreational marijuana totaling nearly $1 million—and compliance checks demonstrating that the regulated market is operating as intended under the law. The launch of Delaware’s legal market came about two years after marijuana legalization was enacted into law under former Gov. John Carney (D). Ahead of the sales roll-out, the governor last July toured one of the state’s cannabis cultivation facilities, praising the quality of marijuana that’s being produced, which he said will be the “French wine of weed.” The launch of the legal market came with some controversy, however, with critics alleging that allowing medical operators to start adult-use sales ahead of other license applicants is unfair. Dozens of other would-be retailers that have either already received licenses or are still awaiting issuance will need to wait for further regulatory approvals until they can open their doors—a situation that’s frustrated some advocates. Two lawmakers who led the push to legalize marijuana sought input from consumers and businesses about the market launch. Sen. Trey Paradee (D), the sponsor of SB 75, and House Majority Whip Rep. Ed Osienski (D)—the primary sponsor of the state’s 2023 legalization bills—put out an online form last year for residents to share thoughts and feedback about the cannabis program anonymously. Separately, a Delaware House committee in January approved a bill to decriminalize public consumption of marijuana. While certain legal marijuana states like Colorado and Ohio still impose criminal penalties for public cannabis use, Delaware stands out as especially punitive, with a maximum penalty that carries the risk of jail time in addition to a fine. Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen. The post Delaware House Committee Approves Bill To Allow Medical Marijuana Use In Hospitals For Terminally Ill Patients appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Arizona House lawmakers have approved a Senate-passed bill to penalize people who create “excessive” amounts of marijuana smoke or odor—a policy that’s faced criticism from advocates who say the proposal amounts to overreach that undermines the legalization law voters enacted. The legislation from Sen. J.D. Mesnard (R), which cleared the Senate earlier this month after being significantly amended, advanced through the House Judiciary Committee in a 8-1 vote on Wednesday. Members took public testimony on the proposal, with advocates representing organizations such as Arizona NORML and the ACLU of Arizona arguing against the legislation. Julie Gunnigle, an attorney and state director of Arizona NORML speaking on her own behalf, said the legislation “effectively disenfranchises all of our patients who need to consume but can’t consume inside their own homes because they rent.” Gunnigle said she might have previously been “sympathetic” to arguments that patients could choose a different method of consumption that didn’t involve smoking to avoid the issue, but she’s come to understand that there’s science behind the individualized efficacy of different types of products and “someone’s ability to smoke and consume is a decision that’s made in consultation, typically with doctors, pursuant to a whole range of different ailments.” Allison Stein, a board member of the state NORML chapter and medical cannabis patient herself, told the committee that the bill “clearly bypasses my rights that the voters voted on” when they opted to legalize adult-use cannabis at the ballot in 2020. Mesnard, the bill sponsor, responded to criticism of the proposal, including the possibility that the policy could be subject to litigation if its ultimately enacted into law. “I don’t think we should feel paralyzed as policymakers to advance the right policy that’s protecting somebody’s private property rights,” he said. “Someone can litigate anything we do down here, and it is often used as a way to try to paralyze us from decision making. I don’t think it should be in this case.” He also explained to a member of the House panel that the bill would not force local governments to adopt their own rules or take enforcement action. “Some some cities or towns may pursue something, some won’t. This is the backup if they don’t have something,” the senator said. “It’s obviously something that it’s easier to pursue at the local level—and, typically, nuisances are pursued at the local level—so it’s not trying to interfere with what is the most common approach.” A separate companion resolution to put the issue before voters to decide failed in the Senate this month, but Mesnard later made a successful motion to reconsider that defeat, so the measure could end up advancing upon a revote. As introduced, both measures would have added broad criminalization provisions back into the state’s cannabis use laws. But most of that punitive language was revised by the Senate Committee of the Whole. For example, it was changed to provide a clearer definition of “excessive” smoke and remove a reference to making the offense a “crime.” The bill as passed by the Senate and the House committee, however, would make it a public nuisance punishable by up to four months in jail and a $750 fine to create “excessive marijuana smoke or odor…if the person’s conduct is intentional or the person knowingly and substantially interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property.” The latest revised definition of excessive cannabis smoke or odor describes it as “airborne emissions resulting from the burning, heating or vaporizing of marijuana or marijuana products,” according to a summary of the adopted amendment. Such emissions must also be “detectable by a reasonable person of ordinary sensibilities on other private property” and “occur for more than 30 consecutive minutes on a single occasion or on three or more separate days within a 30-day period.” The bill (SB 1725) that advanced and resolution (SCR 1048) that failed also now specify that “lawful possession or use of marijuana does not preclude a finding of nuisance, except that a court may consider possession of a valid registry identification card as a mitigating factor,” and they provide that “a person is not liable for committing a private nuisance unless the person has received notice of the interference and fails to abate it within five days.” Under the revised legislation, the affected party would first have to file a compliant with local officials before they pursue action with the state, but only if the municipality has already adopted an ordinance regulating excessive cannabis smoke or odor. A person would be deemed in violation of the law if a local court has issued a written order directing them to “abate excessive marijuana smoke or odor that constitutes a nuance” and that person “knowingly violates or refuses to comply with the order.” Each day of non-compliance after failing to adhere to the order would be consider a separate offense, and failure to comply would be a petty offense. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — In the background of this legislation, anti-cannabis activists are working to put an initiative on the state’s November ballot that would significantly roll back its voter-approved marijuana legalization law. A GOP congressional lawmaker said recently he’d like to see his state take that action—but he also acknowledged that President Donald Trump’s recent federal rescheduling order could complicate that prohibitionist push. Under the proposal, possession would remain lawful if voters chose to enact the initiative—and Arizona’s medical marijuana program would remain intact—but the commercial market for recreational cannabis that’s evolved since voters approved an adult-use legalization measure in 2020 would be quashed. A findings section on the latest initiative states that “the proliferation of marijuana establishments and recreational marijuana sales in this state have produced unintended consequences and negative effects relating to the public health, safety, and welfare of Arizonans, including increased marijuana use among children, environmental concerns, increased demands for water resources, public nuisances, market instability, and illicit market activities.” “Arizona’s legal marijuana sales have declined for two consecutive years, resulting in less tax revenue for this state, while some patients have relied on recreational use of marijuana instead of utilizing the benefits of this state’s medical marijuana program,” it says. The initiative would also instruct the legislature to make conforming changes by amending existing statute as it relates to the commercial industry, including tax and advertising rules. In order to make the ballot, the campaign will need to collect 255,949 valid signatures by July 2. If the proposal goes to voters and is approved, it would take effect in January 2028. It remains to be seen if there will be an appetite for repeal among voters, as 60 percent of the electorate approved legalization at the ballot in 2020. What’s more a poll from last year found majority support for medical cannabis legalization (86 percent), adult-use legalization (69 percent) and banking reform (78 percent). Meanwhile, senior residents in Arizona independent living communities could soon see a different kind of care service available in their neighborhoods: Kiosks allowing them to view and buy marijuana products from licensed dispensaries. The retailer Life Is Chill and cannabis technology company LoveBud announced recently that they were partnering for the launch of the novel initiative, which will involve deploying the kiosks in participating senior living communities that residents can use to learn about and order marijuana products for delivery. The post Arizona Lawmakers Advance Bill To Punish People Over ‘Excessive’ Marijuana Odor Or Smoke appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) might have helped lead the push to legalize marijuana in the state—but that advocacy didn’t exactly come from a place of extensive personal experience. In fact, beside a “complicated” trip to the Grand Canyon involving cannabis, Newsom’s THC teetotaling was so “rigid” in his youth that even his father poked fun at him. During an interview with Politico, and in a recent memoir he’s been promoting, the governor recognized that he became a somewhat unlikely champion of marijuana reform given his nearly lifelong abstinence. But when he considered the harms and waste of the drug war, he decided to make it part of his political legacy to advance the issue, in part by backing California’s Proposition 64 in 2016 to enact adult-use legalization. “During my last term as lieutenant governor, it occurred to me that if I wanted to shape matters beyond the reach of my office, I needed only to grab the levers of California’s initiative process,” he wrote in his new book, Young Man In A Hurry. That included supporting Proposition 63 to place restrictions on large-capacity gun magazine clips and require background checks to buy ammunition, as well as Proposition 64 to end marijuana prohibition. “Californians who had no idea what I did for a living were now referring to me as the ‘guns and weed dude,'” Newsom, who was one of the first high-profile politicians to endorse legalization even years before voters chose to enact the reform, wrote. With an expansive email list that became “one of the largest political databases in the country,” the then-lieutenant governor recruited experts to help draft a white paper “making the case for legalizing cannabis” and then convened a blue-ribbon committee “to help raise funds and gather signatures.” “Our messaging for both propositions appealed to common sense,” he said. “California already had been the first state to legalize the medicinal use of cannabis two decades earlier. Why not take it one step further?” “Tens of thousands of Californians, the great majority Black and brown, were arrested each year for nonviolent marijuana felonies,” he said. “We were wasting the resources of cops and judges and taking up space in jails and prisons for cannabis, not to mention pulling families apart and worsening racial inequality.” But as far as his own personal experience with marijuana is concerned, Newsom told Politico that the only time he partook in cannabis was a “complicated story” that occurred during a visit to the Grand Canyon. He was vague on the specifics of the expedition, then pivoted to his role in advancing Proposition 64. “By the way, I legalized it in California. That was my initiative,” he said.”It was the great irony. I was the worst spokesperson. I remember—I’m sort of smiling now reflecting on that.” Except that one toke down at the grand canyon…. https://t.co/6KkXSfcAJZ — Jonathan Martin (@jmart) March 25, 2026 The governor also wrote in his book about another marijuana-adjacent story that happened when he was in Madrid at 19 years old. A straight-edge Newsom said he was watching Pink Floyd’s The Wall in a private movie room one night when “someone next to me rolled half a dozen joints and generously passed them around.” “I had gotten through my first nineteen years without ingesting a mind-altering drug—so rigid that even my father poked fun at me—and I wasn’t going to start then,” he said. “I used the excuse of not caring much for the movie to head back to my room at the Ritz Hotel. This was our Madrid trip in a nutshell.” Newsom’s father was evidently a bit more open to experimenting with drugs, at least in a clinical setting. The book describes how, in the late 1950s, the late William Newsom was financially struggling and took advantage of an opportunity to Palo Alto Mental Health Facility where they were paying $200 per day “for any brave soul willing to submit to experiments that Dr. Russel Lee was conducting with the drug LSD, which was barely known and still quite legal.” “My father accepted the offer to spend two days under the influence of the psychedelic, during which time he was prompted by the doctors to recite the poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins and other ‘tactile’ verse and to document any relevant insights from the drug on a tape recorder,” Newsom wrote. “It was not long thereafter that my father divined a fork in the road: a career teaching literature to college students or a career practicing the law. Out of no special ardor, he picked the latter.” In his book and in the Politico interview the governor also discussed an incident in which he came home to discover his foster brother and some friends smoking cannabis out of a pipe from an indigenous tribe that his uncle gave to him as a gift. “This was the nearest thing I had to a sacred possession. It was hand carved out of fine wood, inlaid with granite, and decorated with eagle feathers, beads, and bear fur,” he wrote. “Suli had grabbed it off the fireplace mantle, where I had it on display.” “What the hell are you doing?” Newsom asked his foster brother, who responded, “We’re smoking dope, man. Getting high.” “I snatched the pipe out of his hands and ran into the bathroom,” the governor wrote. “I tried cleaning the resin from the bowl, but the stain already had become part of the wood. I must have washed and scrubbed the pipe twenty times before I judged it clean enough to return to the mantle.” Newsom, the term-limited governor who is widely believed to be planning a run as a 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, has continued to defend the state’s marijuana law—and he recently leaned into the issue after President Donald Trump mistakenly called him “president of the United States” during Oval Office remarks in which the incumbent otherwise disparaged the Democrat. Playing into the gaffe, Newsom said legalizing marijuana was among the “many big announcements” his White House was making. The governor similarly called for legalization in a separate post mocking Trump during a federal government shutdown last year, pledging to enact the reform as “leader of the free world.” — 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. — Over his tenure as governor, Newsom has been somewhat selective about the types of drug policy reform bills he’s been willing to sign into law. For example, in October, 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. Meanwhile, California officials recently awarded nearly $30 million in grants for marijuana-focused academic research projects. Image element courtesy of Gage Skidmore. The post Newsom Takes Credit For Legalizing Marijuana In California And Discusses ‘Complicated’ Experience Smoking It At The Grand Canyon appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Local officials in King County, Washington have approved a resolution calling on police to make enforcement of laws against possession and personal cultivation of psychedelics among the “lowest” priorities and requesting that they not use funds to arrest or prosecute people for using substances such as psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, mescaline and ibogaine. The Metropolitan King County Council on Tuesday voted 6-2 to pass the legislation requesting that “investigation, arrest, and prosecution of any persons twenty-one years old or older engaging in the limited, noncommercial cultivation and possession of naturally occurring entheogens for religious, spiritual or individual personal use be designated as among King County’s lowest criminal enforcement priorities.” The measure, sponsored by Councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda and Rod Dembowski, says it “further requests that county funds or resources not be used for investigation, prosecution, or arrest of persons twenty-one years old or older possessing or using entheogenic plants or fungi for religious, spiritual, healing, or personal use practices.” It additionally notes that the council supports “full decriminalization of the limited, personal, noncommercial use and possession of naturally occurring entheogens by persons twenty-one years old or older in nonpublic places at the state and federal level” and that members back “continued research for entheogen-related alternative treatment modalities and structured medical models.” While noting that psychedelics such as psilocybin can benefit people with serious mental health conditions and have been designated as “breakthrough therapies” by the federal Food and Drug Administration, the resolution also makes clear that the council does not encourage driving under the influence of psychedelics, using them in public places, distributing the substances to people under the age of 21 or commercially manufacturing them. “We just want to reaffirm our county’s commitment to helping invest in the health and well-being of all residents,” Mosqueda said ahead of the vote. “Anyone who needs additional medical treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, for anxiety, for addiction issues that they may be facing, for traumatic brain injury, we don’t want to have any additional barriers with potentially seeking medical treatment that could help them,” she said. “We’ve seen a number of studies affirm that depression, anxiety, PTSD, even substance use disorders, have a higher rate of success with the use of entheogens.” The King County council is not the first legislative body in Washington State to have adopted a measure in support of psychedelics reform. Officials in Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, Port Townsend and Jefferson County have also voted to deprioritize enforcement of criminal laws against entheogens. Tatiana Luz of the Psychedelic Medicine Alliance Washington (PMAW) celebrated the measure’s passage but noted in a social media post that the King County and Seattle policies “DO NOT cover the gray areas of people looking to sell psychedelics for any reason.” “That is a separate issue that will need to be handled thoughtfully at the state level – but our scope is for protecting personal use: ie the right for adults to gift, gather and grow responsibly,” she said. “I hope the legislature moves toward supporting this at a community level by reclassifying psychedelic medicines so they can be used responsibly for personal, therapeutic, and medical purposes.” State lawmakers in Washington have filed a number of proposals to allow psilocybin therapy in recent sessions, including this year, but only a limited measure to study the issue with a pilot program has been enacted. Image courtesy of CostaPPR. The post Local Officials In Washington Approve Measure To Deprioritize Psychedelics Enforcement appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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A top congressional Democrat is warning that a committee-passed bill meant to expedite the deportation of immigrants who’ve committed certain crimes is so broad that even “high school students who regularly gather to smoke marijuana” could be defined as a “criminal gang” under its provisions. About four months after the House Judiciary Committee passed the “Expedited Removal of Criminal Aliens Act,” the panel released its report that lays out the majority and minority opinions about the legislation that’s now up for floor action. Rep. Jaime Raskin (D-MD), ranking member of the committee, authored the “dissenting views” section of the report, sounding the alarm about potential enforcement overreach. “This Administration has demonstrated it cannot be trusted to identify gang members and terrorists. But this bill would give them even more power to do that and strip people of their due process rights,” he said. “And unfortunately, the few guardrails this bill tries to insert are woefully inadequate. The definition of a ‘criminal gang’ in this bill is extremely broad and allows the Administration to label all sorts of people as gang members without requiring much, or even any, evidence at all.” “For example, the bill states a criminal gang is an ongoing group, club, organization, or association of five or more persons that has as one of its primary purposes the commission of: a felony drug offense, including felony simple possession of marijuana,” Raskin said. “This could mean a group high school kids who regularly gather to smoke marijuana, even in a state where it is lawful, could be deemed a ‘criminal gang’ under this bill.” Of course, while young people routinely engaging in smoke sessions aren’t treated like criminal gangs in states that have enacted legalization, adult-use marijuana laws that have been enacted at the state level still prohibit the sale, possession and use of cannabis for those under 21. In any case, the congressman said H.R. 5713, the immigration enforcement proposal that’s before the House, “is a dangerous bill that has the potential to act as a blunt instrument to conduct mass deportations and strip individuals of their rights to due process under the Constitution and even this Supreme Court’s most recent rulings.” A noncitizen would be subject to expedited removal proceedings under the legislation if they are convicted of certain violent or sexual crimes or if the homeland security secretary designates them as terrorists or gang members. Raskin previously pressed the former head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during Trump’s first term over criteria used to separate immigrants from their children, pressing the then-secretary in 2019 on whether a prior arrest over simple possession of marijuana could be used to justify the parent’s removal. In 2022 under the Biden administration, a House spending bill for DHS included a section that would have prevented the agency from using any federal funding to deny admission to, or deport, immigrants who’ve used or possessed marijuana. Similar language also advanced through the appropriations process in 2021, but it was not included in the final package following bicameral negotiations. Nor was the 2022 version. Meanwhile, a study published in 2024 found that states that legalize marijuana see a “moderate relative decrease” in immigrant deportation rates compared to states where the drug remains illegal, as well as a slight decrease in overall cannabis-related arrests. The post People Who ‘Regularly Gather To Smoke Marijuana’ Could Be Deemed A ‘Criminal Gang’ And Deported Under House Bill, Congressman Warns appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

this is such an exciting development for the cannabis and travel industries! i've been following the growth of cannabis tourism for a while now, and it's amazing to see organizations like ctai creating dedicated events to bring together professionals from both sectors. a virtual format makes perfect sense for reaching a global audience, especially with the current state of international travel. i'm particularly interested in seeing what trends emerge from this fair - cbd wellness retreats, cannabis-friendly accommodations, and the legal landscape across different destinations are all topics i hope get covered. looking forward tovirtually attending and learning more about where this niche travel sector is headed! also, if anyone needs a fun break between sessions, check out cookie clicker 2 for some lighthearted entertainment during the event breaks. thanks for sharing this update, lisa!

wow, what an awesome concept! i love how utokia farms has managed to blend the gaming world with craft cannabis cultivation. as someone who's both into quality cannabis and gaming, this really resonates with me. the woman-owned aspect makes it even better - we need more representation in this industry! the adventure quest idea is genius marketing. it turns what could be a simple purchase into an experience, which is exactly what the cannabis community is looking for these days. i appreciate that they're keeping it family-oriented too - the 2nd generation family farm aspect shows real dedication and roots in the community. i recently discovered some scritchy scratchy accessories that actually pair really nicely with my cannabis sessions, so i'm all about these creative partnerships between cannabis and other lifestyle brands. it really elevates the whole experience! thanks for spotlighting these innovative growers. can't wait to see what the next quest brings!

U.S. Army recruits will no longer need to obtain a waiver to enlist if they have a single conviction for possessing marijuana or drug paraphernalia on their records, according to newly released guidelines that go into effect on April 20 (or 4/20, as it’s fondly known among cannabis enthusiasts). The updated regulations, which will also raise the maximum age for recruits from 35 to 42, are generally meant to expand eligibility opportunities for service in the military. And removing the marijuana waiver requirement for single possession offenses could significantly widen the candidate pool as laws around cannabis continue to evolve at the state and federal level. “As the states continue to legalize marijuana versus those that don’t, and the federal government not yet legalizing—at what point are we hindering ourselves by holding people to this type of conviction that in some states is okay and some states isn’t?” Col. Angela Chipman, who serves as chief of the Army’s military personnel accessions and retention division, told Task & Purpose. Under current Army policy, a would-be recruit with a simple cannabis possession conviction must apply for a waiver to clear them for service. For a waiver to be granted, they’d need to wait at least two years after applying and then pass a drug test at a Military Entrance Processing Stations facility. The marijuana policy change eliminating the waiver requirement is one of multiple updates in a broader package of regulations. None of the other changes are directly tied to cannabis, so it’s likely a coincidence that the effective date of April 20 happens to be a day celebrated in marijuana culture. “Eliminates requirement of a waiver for a single conviction of possession of marijuana or a single conviction of possession of drug paraphernalia,” a summary of the change says. The full document also notes, however, that “the Army does not tolerate the use of marijuana or harmful or habit-forming chemicals or drugs” and that “in-service use may be punished under the” Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Army enlistees who test positive for marijuana during their physical examinations would still need to wait 90 days before they can be retested and cleared with a negative test result. Failure to pass the second test would also still permanently disqualify them from enlisting in the future. In 2024, meanwhile, Army separately updated its drug policy to clarify that soldiers are prohibited from using intoxicating hemp cannabinoid products like delta-8 THC. It is further cautioned servicemembers against eating foods containing poppyseeds, which can produce false positives when testing for opioids. The military branch’s prior policy enacted in 2020 made clear that the “use of products made or derived from hemp,” even if it’s legal for civilians, is prohibited for soldiers. But that guidance came before delta-8 and other intoxicating cannabinoids became a mainstream feature of the largely unregulated cannabis market. Instead, the Army at the time focused on non-intoxicating CBD, which servicemembers are also barred from using. It remains the rule that prohibited cannabis products include those that are “injected, inhaled, or otherwise introduced into the human body; food products; transdermal patches, topical lotions and oils; soaps and shampoos; and other cosmetic products that are applied directly to the skin.” “This provision is punitive, and violations may be subject to punishment,” it says. The language of the earlier Army guidance seemed to apply to delta-8, even if it wasn’t explicitly mentioned, but the branch has since put the policy more clearly into writing. Meanwhile, in a notice distributed in 2024, the Army reminded military members that President Joe Biden’s pardons for federal marijuana possession offenses don’t apply to violations of military drug policies. — 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. — Ever-shifting marijuana policies have prompted multiple military branches to clarify or adjust their own drug policies. For example, amid the military’s ongoing recruiting crisis, the Navy in 2024 announced that it was expanding authority to grant waivers to recruits who arrive at boot camp and initially test positive for marijuana, instead of simply sending them home. The change came shortly after a similar one was enacted at the Air Force, which reported in 2023 that it granted more than three times as many enlistment waivers to recruits who tested positive for THC as officials anticipated when they first expanded the waiver program in 2022. For the Air Force in particular, this waiver program represented a notable development, as the branch instituted a policy in 2019 barring service members from using even non-intoxicating CBD, even if its derived from hemp and is therefore federally legal under the 2018 farm bill. The Navy issued an initial notice in 2018 informing ranks that they’re barred from using CBD and hemp products no matter their legality. Then in 2020 it released an update explaining why it enacted the rule change. In 2022, the Naval War College warned sailors and marines about new hemp products on the market, issuing a notice that said members may test positive for marijuana if they drank a Rockstar energy drink that contained hemp seed oil. A Massachusetts base of the Air Force, meanwhile, released a notice in 2021 stating that service members can’t even bring hemp-infused products like shampoos, lotions and lip balms to the base. “Even if it’s for your pet, it’s still illegal,” the notice said. Officials with the division also said in 2018 that it wants its members to be extra careful around “grandma’s miracle sticky buns” that might contain marijuana. The Coast Guard has said sailors can’t use marijuana or visit state-legal dispensaries. In 2023, the Department of Defense (DOD) said that marijuana’s active ingredient delta-9 THC is the most common substance that appears on positive drug tests for active duty military service members. The second most common is delta-8 THC, which is found in a growing number of hemp-derived products that are being made available, including in states where marijuana itself remains illegal. One of the first attempts by the U.S. military to communicate its cannabis ban came in the form of a fake press conference in 2019, where officials took scripted questions that touched on hypotheticals like the eating cannabis-infused burritos and washing cats with CBD shampoos. That was staged around the time that DOD codified its rules around the non-intoxicating cannabinoid. In 2024, a study found that 6 in 10 military veterans support marijuana legalization generally, while an earlier survey found more than 72 percent support among veterans for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors being able to legally recommend marijuana. The post New Army Rule Allows Recruits With A Marijuana Conviction To Enlist Without Needing A Waiver, Starting On 4/20 appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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Senate veterans psychedelics bill; MS medical marijuana bills to gov; Alcohol group push hemp ban delay; PA legalization dispute; TX THCA restrictions Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… BREAKING: Journalism is often consumed for free, but costs money to produce! While this newsletter is proudly sent without cost to you, our ability to send it each day depends on the financial support of readers who can afford to give it. So if you’ve got a few dollars to spare each month and believe in the work we do, please consider joining us on Patreon today. https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) is planning to file a bill to create a new Office of Novel Therapeutics in the Department of Veterans Affairs that would promote research on the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and assist in reviewing the scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA, according to legislative text obtained by Marijuana Moment. Mississippi lawmakers sent Gov. Tate Reeves (R) bills to expand medical cannabis access by creating a pathway for patients who don’t have one of the state’s specific delineated qualifying conditions and by removing THC potency limits for marijuana concentrates. The Massachusetts legislature’s Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a hearing on a ballot measure to roll back the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law, with the campaign facing skeptical questions from lawmakers about its funding and signature drive and on the impact of eliminating the regulated cannabis market. The Hawaii House Health Committee approved a Senate-passed bill to create a psychedelics task force responsible for studying and making policy recommendations on providing access to breakthrough therapies such as psilocybin and MDMA, with new amendments. Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America launched a new campaign pushing Congress to call off a scheduled ban on hemp THC beverages and instead regulate the products for consumer access with a framework that prioritizes “a safe and reliable marketplace.” Pennsylvania lawmakers who support legalizing marijuana disagree on the best way to regulate it and which agency should be in charge of the legal cannabis market—while others argue the reform would cause more harm than benefits and shouldn’t be enacted. New Texas Department of State Health Services rules restricting hemp products and banning sales of smokable THCA flower take effect next week—but because possession won’t be criminalized, advocates are urging consumers to stock up by taking advantage of sales in the coming days. / FEDERAL The Drug Enforcement Administration promoted an article about a study finding that illicit drug use is tied to increased risk of stroke. The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee will hold a hearing on several anti-drug bills on Thursday. Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) sent a press release about a new bill he is cosponsoring to allow marijuana businesses to list on U.S. stock exchanges. / STATES Illinois’s treasurer posted information about cannabis banking issues. Oklahoma regulators announced a recall of medical cannabis products with pesticide content above allowable thresholds. Colorado regulators sent a notification about marijuana products that contain lower THC levels than what the label displayed. Ohio regulators sent guidance about recently enacted hemp product restrictions. Oregon officials reported that marijuana tax revenues decreased year over year. Vermont regulators published a brochure about the medical cannabis program. California regulators sent updates on various cannabis issues. — 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. — / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “the presence of recreational dispensaries is associated with a decrease in illicit market prices.” A study found that “whole plant CBD suppositories may offer a safe, effective alternative to managing menstrual pain and associated symptoms.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The Boston Globe editorial board is urging marijuana consumers to make more “responsible choices.” / BUSINESS The Cannabist Company Holdings Inc. entered into definitive agreements to sell its Delaware and Ohio assets, entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding to sell most remaining assets and announced its intent to initiate bankruptcy proceedings. Vireo Growth Inc. closed its acquisition of Schwazze assets. Rubicon Organics Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of C$16.5 million. Illinois retailers sold $104.8 million worth of legal recreational marijuana products in February. 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 Mass. anti-cannabis campaign faces skeptical lawmakers (Newsletter: March 25, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

It's inspiring to see individuals like Chiara advocating for reform in evolving legal landscapes. My own journey navigating the complexities of cannabis regulations, albeit on a much smaller scale, has been eye-opening. Sometimes, when I need a mental break from dense legal jargon, I find myself exploring creative outlets; recently, I've been enjoying some digital sandbox games like Infinite Craft, which offers a surprising amount of strategic thinking in a lighthearted way. It's vital to have people championing justice and education within these spaces, especially as societal perspectives continue to shift. Chiara's dedication is truly commendable and sets a great example.

123. Microdosing for Midlife: Emotional Resilience(Week 6) Week 6 explores extinction learning, emotional resilience, and how microdosing may support gradual rewiring of fear-based patterns in midlife. Episode Summary This episode is part Week 6 of Microdosing for Midlife—a 12-part audio companion to the original Substack series. In this conversation, April explores emotional resilience not as toughness or avoidance, but as the ability to update old responses in real time. Using entrepreneurship as metaphor, she reflects on how repeated attempts, setbacks, and recalibration build resilience—and how microdosing psilocybin intersects with that process. The episode introduces the neuroscience concept of extinction learning—the brain’s ability to replace outdated fear responses with more informed ones. Rather than positioning microdosing as a cure or shortcut, April frames it as a catalyst for noticing habitual reactions, pausing before reenactment, and building new neural pathways through integration. If the written post focused on the science and story, this episode explores how resilience is practiced—not performed—especially in midlife when old coping strategies no longer serve. Key Takeaways What extinction learning means in practical terms How emotional resilience differs from emotional suppression Why microdosing is described as a catalyst—not a quick fix The role of integration in reinforcing new neural pathways How midlife transitions resurface habitual responses Why subtle shifts often matter more than dramatic breakthroughs One reflection to carry into the week ahead Timestamps [00:00] Episode opening[02:00] Entrepreneurship and resilience as metaphor[04:30] Extinction learning explained[07:00] Personal example of breaking habitual responses[10:00] Integration and grounding practices[13:00] Midlife transitions and emotional awareness[16:00] What to carry forward Resources Micro-Psyched 12-Week Microdosing Program Women in the Wild gatherings - Reserve your spot in Seattle Upcoming Psychedelic Salon tickets Follow April on Substack Original Microdosing for Midlife Substack post: https://aprilpride.substack.com/p/microdosing-psilocybin-for-emotional-resilience Hosted by April Pride @aprilpride_ Follow on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@getsetset⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@getsetset⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@getsetset Get full access to SetSet with April Pride at aprilpride.substack.com/subscribeCatch the full episode here

A new Senate bill is being filed that would promote research into the therapeutic potential psychedelics, aiming to create 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 sponsored by Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT). It would direct the VA to take steps to streamline studies into psychedelics and other emerging therapies, according to bill text obtained by Marijuana Moment. 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 is expected to be formally filed on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the planning. Marijuana Moment reached out to Sheehy’s office for comment, but a representative was not immediately available. “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,” a findings section of the bill says. “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 bill is somewhat similar in intent to another bipartisan measure filed earlier this month, sponsored by Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and 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 have both embraced psychedelic policy reform. 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.” 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. Meanwhile, in November, Kennedy, Vice President JD Vance, the FDA commissioner and other Trump administration officials attended a “Make America Healthy Again” summit that featured a session dedicated to exploring psychedelic medicine. 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, is aiming to provide legal access to such substances for military veterans “within 12 months.” The secretary also said in 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. Last October, Kennedy specifically criticized FDA under the prior administration over the agency’s “suppression of psychedelics” and a laundry list of other issues that he said amounted to a “war on public health” that would end under the Trump administration. Read the text of the Veterans Health Administration Novel Therapeutics Preparedness Act below: The post GOP Senator To File Bill Promoting Psychedelics Research And Treatment For Veterans appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“There is no risk to consumers who possess or consume hemp in any form.” By Stephen Simpson, The Texas Tribune New state rules that eliminate natural smokable hemp products and increase licensing fees will go into effect at the end of the month. Hemp industry leaders say these new regulations will eliminate a majority of their inventory and force those who don’t have extra income to meet these new fees to close stores. Earlier this month, the Texas Department of State Health Services released regulations on consumable hemp-derived THC products that will go into effect on March 31. These new regulations include child-resistant packaging, a significant increase in licensing fees and new labeling, testing and bookkeeping requirements. The rules also codify the legal purchasing age to 21, which went into effect last year as an emergency directive. However, hemp retailers say the regulation that decreases the amount of total THC in products they sell to 0.3 percent will eliminate popular smokable hemp products, such as rolled joints and smokable flower buds, which make up more than 50 percent of some stores’ inventories. The Texas Legislature voted to ban the products out of fear that these intoxicating products were consistently getting into the hands of children. But, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) vetoed the decision last summer, before asking the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and DSHS to increase regulations on the industry instead. The rules also increase licensing fees for manufacturers of hemp-derived THC from $258 to $10,000 per facility and retail registrations from $155 to $5,000, which industry leaders say will fulfill the ban by forcing businesses to close. “They did a ban with their own regulatory scheme,” Lukas Gilkey, chief executive of Hometown Hero, a manufacturer of hemp-derived products, said. “The way they wrote the rules, it’s going to eliminate a lot of products that are fully legal and fully fine and not harmed anyone.” What will Texans no longer be able to buy? Under the new rules and regulations, Texans will no longer be able to purchase intoxicating smokable hemp products, including hemp flower or pre-rolled joints. Consumers can still purchase edibles and beverages because they have lower THC concentrations or because they are under the purview of the TABC, which has not banned these beverages. “We estimate this will hand 50 percent of the legal market to illicit operators, making our state less safe,” Heather Fazio, director of Texas Cannabis Policy Center, said. Even though Texas law bans marijuana, lawmakers legalized hemp in 2019. State law defines hemp as containing less than 0.3 percent levels of intoxicating Delta-9 THC. To get around the law’s Delta-9 THC restrictions, manufacturers started cultivating hemp plants with another type of THC, called THCA, that, when ignited in a joint or smokable product, can produce a high. Many lawmakers have said this legal loophole has allowed a recreational THC market to appear overnight without direct approval from the state. Under the new rules, laboratories tests will now measure the total amount of any THC in a product. If the THC levels exceed the 0.3 percent threshold even if it’s only activated upon being smoked, the product will be noncompliant under state regulations. As a result, some of the most popular hemp products, like THCA flower and pre-rolled joints, will be banned. Hemp businesses caught selling noncompliant products will face a range of penalties and fines, including license revocation and up to $10,000 in violation fees for each day these products were sold in stores. “Many hemp businesses that have operated legitimately for years will have to make a hard decision about whether or not they can keep their doors open,” said Fazio. What happens if Texans are caught in possession of smokable THC products? People in Texas will not be committing a crime if they are in possession of smokable THC products after March 31. Fazio encourages Texans to take advantage of the sales on smokable hemp products over the next couple of days, as hemp retailers are scrambling to clear these items from shelves. “There is no risk to consumers who possess or consume hemp in any form,” she said. Andrea Steel, a Houston attorney for several THC businesses, said in theory customers shouldn’t get in trouble, but expects law enforcement agencies will incorrectly arrest people caught smoking hemp products because they might assume smokable hemp is banned, just like marijuana. “Just a twist of the consequences of what happens when an agency goes too far,” she said. Hemp retailers cannot sell to out-of-state customers, said Fazio, meaning store owners will be stuck with any non-compliant products that they can’t sell before the end of the month. “They can keep it for themselves, but they cannot sell it,” she said. Why are hemp industry leaders opposed to these changes? Fazio said many hemp industry leaders are grateful to see tighter restrictions from DSHS, including requiring stores to verify customers’ ages and ensure products have warning labels and child-proof packaging, because many businesses have operated with very little accountability. “Good actors welcome increased regulatory enforcement, while bad actors should be concerned about this new level of accountability that will protect consumers,” she said. “However, two major changes greatly concern us: licensing fees and regulatory product restrictions.” Restricting levels of any THC in hemp will wipe out stores’ most popular products, smokables. Raising licensing fees for hemp manufacturers from $250 to $10,000 and retailer fees from $150 to $5,000 will close businesses, industry members say. Under the new rules, hemp retailers and manufacturers will also need to keep detailed records for each product type to ensure THC levels are consistent, records for every production run, documentation of raw materials and ingredients, and formal procedures for documenting and investigating complaints, among other requirements. While larger hemp manufacturers can handle this new demand, some of the smaller THC retailers, usually located in rural areas of Texas, will close because they lack resources, staff, or time to implement those changes. These extra requirements for retailers could inadvertently cut off access to recreational THC in those regions. “This death by a thousand paper cuts,” Gilkey said. “The problem is that the desire for these products is not going to go away; they will just order them online, where it’s still legal, or off the street, where we have no testing and no guidance.” Why do state leaders want these types of restrictions? Supporters of the licensing fee increase say the new regulations are a necessary step to protect children and consumers from hemp products that have dangerously high amounts of THC in them. “Cannabis advocates say this is a billion-dollar industry. It’s fair and appropriate for the people who profit from selling a billion dollars in intoxicating products to create fees that help cover the cost associated with the regulation and societal burden of the product,” Betsy Jones, director of policy and strategy at Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth, told the state health agency earlier this year. Data provided from the Texas Poison Center Network confirms a sharp increase in cannabis-related poisoning calls starting in 2019, a year after hemp-derived THC was legalized by the federal government, from 923 to a 10-year high of 2,592 in 2024. However, those calls dropped to 1,485 last year. The majority of these calls involve suspected poisoning of children under the age of five and teenagers. Drug policy experts said these numbers seem alarming, but it is natural for poisoning calls to increase when a drug has become legalized, and the data needs additional context before making conclusions from it. Concerns about the safety of these high-THC products among youth led lawmakers to attempt to ban hemp-derived THC products outright last year. While the overall ban didn’t succeed, lawmakers did successfully ban vape pens containing THC and other hemp-derived intoxicating chemicals. Lawmakers banned it for everyone because they were concerned cannabis vape pens were so popular among teenagers because they can use them discreetly. Also, hemp supporters have accused law enforcement agencies of attempting to rein in the industry by unlawfully raiding stores. Law enforcement agencies accused these hemp shops of selling dangerous products, especially to children, and engaging in other unscrupulous activities such as money laundering. Many of those retailers have not yet been found guilty of any crime, according to their attorneys. What does the future hold? Multiple hemp industry leaders and advocates say a conglomerate of hemp businesses plan to sue the state to block these new regulations from taking effect. Gilkey said the hemp industry’s battle to stay alive in Texas started back in 2021 when the state health agency classified any amount of a natural intoxicating hemp compound called Delta-8 THC as illegal, leading to a lawsuit that the Texas Supreme Court is expected to consider this year. “It has been a long, hard battle,” Gilkey said. Steel predicts Texans will find workarounds to the new regulations, including smoking “semi-synthetic” or “converted” cannabis products, which are items sprayed with various chemicals to mimic marijuana’s high. “You’ll see edibles and beverages trying to take that gap, but people want to smoke, and so they’re going to fill that gap with something that complies with the law, or at least on its face appears to comply with the law,” she said. This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune. The post With Texas Smokable THCA Hemp Sales Ban Taking Effect Next Week, Consumers Stock Up appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A Hawaii House committee has approved a Senate-passed bill that would create a psychedelics task force responsible for studying and making policy recommendations on providing access to breakthrough therapies such as psilocybin and MDMA. The House Health Committee advanced the legislation from Sen. Chris Lee (D), with new amendments, in a 9-0 vote on Friday. The measure, which had cleared the Senate in a unanimous vote of 24-0 earlier this month, next heads to the House Finance Committee before potentially going to the floor. The bill would create a Mental Health Emerging Therapies Task Force that would be tasked with spending two years reviewing the current scientific literature, supporting additional clinical research and “developing policy recommendations for safe, ethical, and culturally-informed implementation” of a psychedelics therapy program. “The legislature finds that addressing the mental health crisis affecting the residents of the State, particularly among veterans, first responders, and trauma survivors, is urgent,” the bill, SB 3199, states. “Suicide continues to be a leading cause of preventable death, and the State must explore all safe and effective treatment options supported by scientific evidence.” Noting that the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already designated psilocybin and MDMA as breakthrough therapies in the treatment of serious mental health conditions, which could lend to future rescheduling under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the Hawaii legislation says the state “must proactively prepare public health, clinical, and research systems for safe and equitable implementation.” The state Department of Health said in testimony to the House committee that it supports the bill, noting that in light of FDA’s action on psychedelics, “it is prudent for Hawaii to evaluate research readiness, regulatory implications, workforce development, and culturally informed implementation pathways” in advance of any federal rescheduling of the substances. The governor’s Office of Wellness and Resilience said the bill “resents an important opportunity to begin to prepare a planful pathway for individuals in need of access to potentially life-saving treatments for trauma and other longstanding mental health challenges.” “A growing body of research demonstrates that breakthrough therapies (such as MDMA and psilocybin-assisted therapies) show significant efficacy and positive clinical outcomes in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, end-of-life anxiety in terminally ill patients, eating disorders, treatment-resistant depression, and additional conditions,” it said. Members of the task force would have to include representatives of the state Department of Health (DOH), the attorney general’s office, the Office of Wellness and Resilience (OWR), the University of Hawaii’s medical school and more. As drafted, DOH would have overseen the task force, but the latest committee amendment makes the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) at the University of Hawaii the responsible entity, and designates JABSOM’s appointee as chair of the panel. The House committee additionally adopted amendments suggested by Department of Law Enforcement, to state that its Narcotics Enforcement Division—and not the Board of Pharmacy—would be responsible for changing state scheduling of psychedelics following any federal reclassification, and changing deadline for such action from 90 days to 30 days. Members also moved to note in the bill report that the State Health Planning & Development Agency has expressed concerns that psychedelics are illegal under federal law and that task force should proceed cautiously. Finally, the panel made technical amendments for clarity, consistency and style. If enacted, it appears the bill would build upon prior work conducted by a separate psychedelics task force that convened for the first time in 2023, with a similar goal of exploring pathways for therapeutic access into FDA-approved breakthrough drugs like psilocybin. — 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, although Hawaii senators recently approved a bill to legalize low-dose and low-potency marijuana, the legislation didn’t advance through required steps before a key deadline, and so is dead for the year. A separate marijuana legalization bill that contained provisions making the reform contingent on changes to federal law or the state Constitution, SB 2421, was deferred for action. Both Senate and House panels additionally deferred action on a measure to allow for the sale of certain hemp-derived cannabinoid products. Those actions comes after key House lawmakers signaled that cannabis legalization proposals would not be advancing in the 2026 session, citing a lack of sufficient support in their chamber. Earlier this month, a Hawaii Senate committee separately passed legislation to allow patients to immediately access medical cannabis once their registrations are submitted, instead of having to wait until their cards are delivered as is the case under current law. Image courtesy of CostaPPR. The post Hawaii House Panel Advances Bill To Create Psychedelics Task Force That Has Already Passed Senate appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Mississippi lawmakers have sent a pair of bills to expand medical marijuana access to the governor’s desk. One of the proposals, known as the “Right to Try Medical Cannabis Act,” would create a pathway for patients who don’t have one of the state’s specific delineated qualifying conditions to become eligible for legal marijuana access. Under HB 1152, from Rep. Lee Yancey (R), doctors could submit petitions to the state Department of Health on behalf of their patients who have chronic, progressive, severely disabling or terminal illnesses. The state health officer would then be able to approve or deny those requests. Gov. Tate Reeves (R) now has until Thursday to act on the bill, as well as separate legislation to expand the kinds of products that are legally available and to ease some rules for patients and caregivers. That measure, HB 895, also sponsored by Yancey, would remove a restriction under current law that limits medical cannabis tinctures, oils and concentrates to a potency of 60 percent THC. The bill would also remove a mandate that patients have six-month follow-up visit with their recommending physicians and would additionally extend medical cannabis caregiver registrations to two years from the current one year. Both medical cannabis bills first passed the House of Representatives last month and then were amended in the Senate, with the originating chamber then agreeing to those changes last week. HB 895 as originally introduced would have also extended medical cannabis patient card validity from one year to two years, but the Senate removed that provision. Reeves can sign the bills into law, veto them or allow them to take effect without his signature. — 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 House also passed separate legislation this session to allow terminally ill patients to access medical marijuana in hospitals, nursing facilities and hospice centers, but it stalled in the Senate. Lawmakers this session sent Reeves a bill to support research in hopes of gaining federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the psychedelic ibogaine as a novel treatment option. The post Mississippi Bills To Expand Medical Marijuana Access Head To Governor’s Desk appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“I never say never. I would certainly be open to discussion.” By Ford Turner, The Center Square If Pennsylvania decides to legalize recreational marijuana, which government agency should run the show? Gov. Josh Shapiro’s (D) proposed budget for 2026-27 anticipates lawmakers will legalize it and $729 million in new revenue will be generated next fiscal year. But his last budget contained a similar proposal that failed to get through the Legislature. A key disagreement was which part of government should oversee things. Now, as lawmakers start to consider Shapiro’s latest budget pitch, it appears that still no resolution has been reached in the divided Legislature. A new “Cannabis Control Board” would be formed under a bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Dan Laughlin of Erie County, who chairs a Senate committee that is key to the process. The bill does not carry out legalization—that would be done separately—but Laughlin believes the new board is needed to oversee the state’s already-existing medical marijuana program. Recreational marijuana could be added to its duties later, he said. Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Dan Frankel of Pittsburgh, who heads an important committee in the House, believes the state Liquor Control Board (LCB) is a good choice. Public hearings on potential legalization indicated youth access and public health issues were primary concerns, and Frankel said “the LCB does a very good job” on those when it comes to alcohol. Last year, the Frankel-led House Health Committee passed a legalization bill that put recreational marijuana under the LCB. When the bill reached the Senate, it was rejected by the Laughlin-led Law and Justice Committee. Laughlin said the Cannabis Control Board bill must pass for there to be any hope of legalization this year. Frankel said he is at least willing to take a look at the bill. “I never say never,” Frankel said. “I would certainly be open to discussion.” Legalization is one of several steps proposed by Shapiro to help close a roughly $5 billion gap between what Pennsylvania spends and what it brings in. But still another faction of lawmakers thinks legalization is simply a bad choice. One of them, Republican Rep. Kathy Rapp of Warren County, said a price would be paid for human services, rehabilitation and law enforcement that would outstrip any new revenue. Rapp said she is especially concerned about youth addiction, harmful effects on mental health, impaired driving and people being high at work. She pointed out that page 34 of the Pennsylvania Driver’s Manual issued by PennDOT contains the red-letter statement: “Drugs affect your brain function and can seriously impair your ability to drive safely. For example, marijuana can slow reaction time, impair judgment of time and distance and decrease coordination.” A recent study published in JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association, said many individuals can use marijuana without major problems but 10 percent to 30 percent develop “cannabis use disorder” that can include low moods, anxiety, apathy and impaired learning and memory. The Shapiro administration, Rapp said, has significantly overestimated the financial benefits. “It doesn’t really matter to me what part of the administration they put it under,” Rapp said. “It is the product itself, and what it does to our population, that I am concerned about.” The pressure on lawmakers to approve recreational use in Pennsylvania is only increased by the fact that most bordering states have already approved a program. Frankel said legalization makes sense as a source of new revenue “that is sitting right in front of us.” Besides bringing a wealth of knowledge on marketing and regulating an intoxicating substance, Frankel said, the track record of the LCB demonstrates it would be friendly to small business – something he said is largely missing from the state’s medical marijuana dynamic. There also was an argument, he said, for “not creating an entire new bureaucracy.” A motivating factor for Laughlin is the belief that the Cannabis Control Board is needed, whether or not there is a vote on legalization. The existing medical marijuana program, which was approved by lawmakers in 2016, is regulated by the state Department of Health. There have been issues that weren’t “handled as well as they could have been,” Laughlin said, without being specific. The net effect, he said, is that half or more of the people who get doctor-approved medical marijuana cards are doing it for recreational purposes. That, he said, is an argument to move the program under a standalone entity like the Cannabis Control Board. This story was first published by The Center Square. The post Pennsylvania Lawmakers Disagree On Best Way To Regulate Marijuana If It’s Legalized appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A major alcohol industry trade association is launching a new campaign pushing Congress to call off a scheduled ban on hemp THC beverages and instead regulate the products for consumer access. Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) on Tuesday announced it has created an educational microsite on the issue that offers resources on the issue and argues that “the same regulatory system that has worked for alcohol should be applied to intoxicating hemp products.” In particular, the group is supporting an approach for hemp drinks that would include federal licensure of suppliers and distributors, a federal tax, independent testing requirements and the regulation of trade practices such as a prohibition on slotting fees, while allowing states to regulate the products in their own markets. “This framework should prioritize a safe and reliable marketplace by supporting public safeguards and consumer choice,” the WSWA microsite says. “Alcohol regulation has been an unparalleled success and can serve as a model for the regulation of intoxicating hemp products, including beverages.” At the state level, the alcohol lobby group is calling on states to create their own licensing structures and regulatory systems with components such as an age limit of 21, excise taxes, bans on synthetic cannabinoids, testing requirements, marketing restrictions and product tracking. In the meantime, WSWA wants lawmakers to pass pending legislation to delay the scheduled ban on hemp THC products for two years, which it says will provide enough time for a regulatory approach to be crafted. As it stands now under legislation signed by President Donald Trump late last year, hemp THC products are set to be federally recriminalized on November 12. They initially became legal under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed during his first term. The wine and spirits group’s microsite also provides facts and figures about the intoxicating hemp market, saying it supports 320,000 jobs, has $28.4 billion in potential market activity and $1.5 billion in potential state tax revenue. It also has a countdown timer showing how long lawmakers have to act until the ban goes into effect. “If Congress fails to act, these products face a real risk of being removed from the shelves of licensed, responsible retail stores in November, but would still be available to consumers through multiple other unregulated channels” WSWA President and CEO Francis Creighton said in a press release. “Intoxicating products, including hemp beverages, need a clear, workable framework that protects public health and public safety while allowing responsible businesses to operate. This resource is designed to inform that conversation with facts, not confusion.” Earlier this month, the House Agriculture Committee advanced a Farm Bill that hemp industry stakeholders hoped could be used to delay the pending federal ban on cannabinoid products containing THC. But while the legislation does contain certain hemp provisions aimed at assisting farmers, it did not include any reforms to the impending recriminalization. WSWA recently hosted a conference at which industry stakeholders and a former congressman who owns an alcohol retail chain discussed hemp product issues. The group has been closely monitoring federal hemp policy developments, and the association was among the first in the sector to call on Congress to dial back language in the now-enacted law set to ban most consumable hemp products, while proposing to maintain the legalization of naturally derived cannabinoids from the crop and only prohibit synthetic items. Other major alcohol retailers came together in January to encourage Congress to delay the enactment of the law Trump signed that will federally recriminalize hemp-derived THC beverages and other products. Members of WSWA also met with lawmakers and staffers last year to advocate for three key policy priorities that the group says is based on “sound principles of alcohol distribution.” They include banning synthetic THC, setting up a federal system for testing and labeling products and establishing state-level power to regulate retail sales. In an op-ed for Marijuana Moment last year, WSWA’s Creighton echoed that point, reiterating the organization’s position that regulation is superior to prohibition. A separate newly launched group, the Beverage Alcohol Merchants Coalition (BAMCO), is also pushing for a delay in the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products. Its founding members include Total Wine & More, BevMo! by Gopuff, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Spec’s Wine and Spirits & Finer Foods, as well as a group of hemp product wholesalers. A 2024 report from Bloomberg Intelligence (BI) called cannabis a “significant threat” to the alcohol industry, citing survey data that suggests more people are using cannabis as a substitute for alcoholic beverages such a beer and wine. Also that year a beer industry trade group put out a statement of guiding principles to address what it called “the proliferation of largely unregulated intoxicating hemp and cannabis products,” warning of risks to consumers and communities resulting from THC consumption. A recent government-funded study concluded that alcohol and tobacco cause far more harms to people who consume them, and to society overall, than marijuana does. The post Alcohol Industry Group Launches Push To Regulate Hemp THC Drinks Instead Of Banning Them appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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Massachusetts lawmakers weighing a ballot proposal to roll back the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law had some pointed questions for a spokesperson representing the anti-cannabis campaign, with several signaling skepticism about the motivations behind the repeal measure and its implications for consumers and businesses. At a hearing before the Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions on Monday, members took testimony from both sides of the issue as they fulfill state election law that requires the legislature to review proposed ballot initiatives for potential action. If they decline to act on the initiative, the campaign will need to collected a final batch of signatures to secure placement on the November ballot. Wendy Wakeman, a spokesperson for the ballot referendum committee sponsoring “An Act to Restore A Sensible Marijuana Policy,” gave opening remarks defending the measure, arguing that the marijuana law approved by voters in 2016 has had a “negative effect on public health, public safety and public comfort and convenience.” “The upshot is that legalization of marijuana has not been a net positive for the citizens of our state,” she said, arguing that increases in THC potency over the years poses a public health risk, that marijuana use has been inadequately studied and that “the costs [of legalization] outweigh the benefits.” The initiative under review wouldn’t revert the state back to blanket prohibition; rather, it would repeal the commercial sales components of the market while still allowing adults 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of cannabis for personal use. Possession of more than one ounce but less than two ounces would be effectively decriminalized, with violators subject to a $100 fine. Adults could also continue to gift cannabis between each other without remuneration. Sen. Barry Finegold (D) was among the committee members who indicated they aren’t on board with the measure, asking Wakeman how she squares the proposal with the fact that legalization soundly passed under a ballot process that allows “the will of the people” to directly influence public policy—a guiding principle he said “we forget so much about.” The senator also asked what Wakeman would tell “all the people that invested all this capital into these businesses and what happens to them.” The campaign spokesperson replied they were “very tough, very good questions.” With respect to the first query, she said the measure represents another opportunity for voters to reassess the merits of the law and whether “this was a good idea.” “I’m not asking your chamber to decide, so we’re going back to the voters again,” she said. “The second question is very difficult. I know many people have invested a lot of money in building the marijuana business, and I have a lot of respect for anybody who’s building a business in this climate. I just believe that the costs outweigh the benefits.” Sen. Cindy Friedman (D) pressed Wakeman on data she presented that was framed as evidence that public support for legalization is declining “as we live with pot shops and open pot smoking in the state.” The senator noted that the datapoint didn’t appear to be Massachusetts-specific, which Wakeman acknowledged, adding that she “went through the data quickly, because data is a funny thing in this debate” given what she described as broadly inconsistent data about cannabis issues. “Why doesn’t the [ballot] question then become ‘the state will investigate and do research and look into this,’ which the state has not been able to do much of,” Friedman said. “Why isn’t that your ballot question?” Wakeman said “you’re certainly welcome to do that as a state senator,” but she wasn’t involved with the referendum committee from the beginning and couldn’t “speak directly” to the reason the initiative didn’t seek to further study the issue rather than move straight to repealing a core component of the existing law. “I can tell you that this is the question. There are more than 100,000 people in Massachusetts who believe we should roll back the recreational availability of marijuana,” she said, referring to the number of people who signed ballot petitions for the measure. Another member of the joint committee posed a different question to the spokesperson: If possessing and gifting marijuana between adults would still be legal under the measure—without a regulated sales component—wouldn’t that reinstitute a policy gap that’d benefit the illicit market by driving demand for unregulated products? “I don’t know the gift thing, but it doesn’t change the criminalization,” Wakeman said, adding that the potential impact of repealing commercial sales on the illicit market is a “great question” that she declined to answer. She was also unable to directly address questions about the sources of funding behind the anti-cannabis measure and similar proposals that have been pursued in other states such as Maine and Arizona this election cycle that are tangentially affiliated with the national prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and its 501(c)(4) arm SAM Action. She said in a response to another senator that she does believe “the vast majority of people who use cannabis can do so safely,” but that “doesn’t mean that we should ignore the fact that a very large portion of the population is affected in a way that’s so negative that it outweighs the benefit of having it freely accessible.” “So, in your opinion, the majority of people can use it safely without issue—but you’re saying the ills of a very small minority of people is what outweighs legal use by adults?” the senator asked. Wakeman said that, upon reflection, “I’ve become more uncomfortable with that statement” on the relative rates of safe versus unsafe cannabis use. “I just don’t think we know. The research on cannabis use is scant. We can all agree on that,” she said. “My friends here will agree, and I will agree. I believe it. We haven’t lived in a culture that allowed the drug and its use to be studied, and that is a problem that makes everything we do surrounding marijuana really flawed.” Not everyone agrees with that point, the senator pointed out, saying he feels marijuana use “has been well-studied,” and the research was part of what “was contemplated when [legalization] originally passed.” Asked whether there could be remedies to certain of the issues Wakeman raised around grow operator regulations and THC potency, the spokesperson said she’s “not an expert on that.” As far as the illicit market is concerned, she said it’s “obviously not” going to make it safer to buy unrelated products versus those tested for retail sale in the regulated space, but she contended that legalization is associated with its own set of issues such as “extended usage” that’s “skyrocketed” under the state-level reform. Opponents of the initiative who testified at the hearing, meanwhile, defended voters’ decision to replace prohibition with regulations, accusing the repeal campaign of pursuing an anti-cannabis agenda despite polls showing continued public support and the commercial market effectively transitioning consumers away from illicit economy. To that point, a Bay State Poll from the University of Hampshire’s States of Opinion Project that was released earlier this month found that a majority of Massachusetts adults oppose the marijuana sales and cultivation repeal initiative. The survey came months after cannabis activists filed a complaint with the State Ballot Law Commission under the Secretary of State’s office, alleging that petitioners with the anti-cannabis campaign used misleading tactics to convince voters to support its ballot placement. The commission rejected the complaint in January, however, and said advocates who challenged the ballot measure raised “unsupported allegations” about the propriety of the signature gathering process that they said warranted official scrutiny. In any case, separate polling has found that nearly half of those who signed the marijuana sales repeal petition felt misled, with many claiming that the measure was pitched to them as a proposal to address unrelated issues such as public education and expanded housing. The anti-marijuana coalition has denied any wrongdoing in the signature collection process and waved off the survey results. An association of state marijuana businesses had separately urged voters to report to local officials if they observe any instances of “fraudulent message” or other deceitful petitioning tactics. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s (D) office—which cleared the campaign for signature gathering in September—has stressed to voters the importance of reading the summary, which is required to go at the top of the signature form, before signing any petitions. The Massachusetts legislature received the initiative for consideration earlier this month when the 2026 session kicked off. Now that the state election commission has issued its ruling on the complaint, lawmakers have until May 5 to act on the proposal. If they choose not to enact it legislatively, the campaign would need to go through another round of petitioning and get at least 12,429 certified signatures by July 1 to make the November ballot. Meanwhile, the head of Massachusetts’s marijuana regulatory agency recently suggested that the measure to effectively recriminalize recreational cannabis sales could imperil tax revenue that’s being used to support substance misuse treatment efforts and other public programs. To that point, Massachusetts recently reached another marijuana milestone, with officials announcing last month that the state has surpassed $9 billion in adult-use cannabis purchases since the market launched in 2018. Massachusetts lawmakers also recently assembled a bicameral conference committee to reach a deal on a bill that would double the legal marijuana possession limit for adults and revise the regulatory framework for the state’s adult-use cannabis market. In December, state regulators also finalized rules for marijuana social consumption loungues. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — CCC recently launched an online platform aimed at helping people find jobs, workplace training and networking opportunities in the state’s legal cannabis industry. State lawmakers have also been considering setting tighter restrictions on intoxicating hemp-derived products and a plan to allow individual entities to control a larger number of cannabis establishments. Also in Massachusetts, legislators who were working on a state budget butted heads with CCC officials, who’ve said they can’t make critical technology improvements without more money from the legislature. Massachusetts lawmakers additionally approved a bill to establish a pilot program for the regulated therapeutic use of psychedelics. And two committees have separately held hearings to discuss additional psilocybin-related measures. Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post Massachusetts Lawmakers Grill Anti-Marijuana Campaign Spokesperson About Ballot Measure To Roll Back Legalization appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

UT gov signs psychedelics bill; Canadian Conservative leader’s marijuana stance; CO cannabis biz compliance checks; GA medical marijuana expansion 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 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the first official details about a pilot program to provide insurance coverage for hemp-derived CBD products starting on April 1—confirming that up to 3 milligrams of THC will be allowed but noting that could change if a law recently signed by President Donald Trump to recriminalize hemp THC products takes effect without delay. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed a bill to support clinical trials into the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapy for military veterans with serious mental health conditions. Canadian Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre said using marijuana is a “personal choice” when discussing the country’s legalization law with Joe Rogan—even though he actually voted against the policy change that was led by the Liberal Party. A new report from the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division shows that cannabis businesses had a 99 percent success rate in underage sales compliance checks. Georgia lawmakers passed a bill to expand medical cannabis access by allowing vaping, adding new qualifying conditions and increasing THC potency limits, sending it to the desk of Gov. Brian Kemp (R). A New Mexico representative celebrated newly approved funding to provide psilocybin therapy access for low-income patients, saying she’s considering further legislation to make adjustments to or address any gaps in the program next year. About $95 million in Missouri marijuana revenue that is supposed to be allocated to funding veterans services, public defenders and drug treatment programs remains unspent. / FEDERAL The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the federal government must cover legal fees for an ayahuasca church following a settlement. U.S. Southern Command’s Gen. Francis L. Donovan said at a Senate hearing that U.S. military strikes on suspected drug boats “aren’t the answer” to the country’s drug problems. The Drug Enforcement Administration touted a “surge enforcing a ban on selling THC vape products to youth.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) reportedly spent nearly $19,000 in campaign cash last year on a psychiatrist who specializes in ketamine therapy, though it’s not clear what the sessions consisted of or who participated. / STATES Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) appointed a new acting director for the Cannabis Compliance Board. The New Jersey Senate passed a bill to change deadlines for a phased-on ban on intoxicating hemp products. The Delaware House of Representatives passed a bill to clarify that rules on distance between cannabis businesses only apply to dispensaries and not production or wholesale facilities. Colorado lawmakers are planning to file legislation to loosen restrictions on hemp THC beverages. California’s new top marijuana regulator discussed his plans for overseeing the legal market. The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority Board of Directors will meet on April 8. — 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 Boston, Massachusetts Cannabis Board will meet on Wednesday. / INTERNATIONAL Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare listed cannabinol as a “designated drug,” meaning that its manufacture, import, sale and use will be banned as of June 1. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “CBD-rich cannabis oil may reduce ADHD symptoms in children with” autism spectrum disorder. A review concluded that “CBD demonstrated strong positive effects in terms of reducing symptoms associated with anxiety across various disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder).” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS March For Our Lives sent a fundraising email stating its support for the federal law banning gun possession by consumers of marijuana and other illegal drugs that is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court.. / BUSINESS PharmaCann Inc. is closing a Denver, Colorado cultivation facility and laying off 132 workers. Canadian retailers sold C$466.1 million worth of legal marijuana products in January. 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 Feds announce hemp CBD and THC Medicare coverage details (Newsletter: March 24, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net