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It's great to see Erica recognized! Her dedication to fostering a supportive environment, whether it's through online communities like Omegle back in the day or more structured groups now, really shines through. Her passion for connecting people always makes a positive impact.

“Every month that passes without certified oral fluid testing is another month when federal workers with paruresis face anxiety, discrimination, and career barriers.” By Kastalia Medrano, Filter The Department of Transportation will require “directly observed” urine drug testing in federal workplace situations where saliva testing has been called for, but is not possible. The clarification to DOT drug and alcohol testing procedures is the latest development in the trucking industry’s years-long push for oral fluid testing as an alternative to urine testing. The new rule was published in the Federal Register on May 11, and will take effect June 10. Truck drivers, who are subject to an inordinate number of federal regulations, don’t choose their method of drug-testing—their DOT-regulated employers do. The campaign for implementation of oral fluid testing has been led by the American Trucking Association (ATA), which argues that it’s necessary to “keep impaired drivers off the road and uphold the trucking industry’s commitment to safety.” The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) approved lab-based oral fluid testing in 2019, and DOT finalized its own regulations authorizing employers to choose this as an alternative to urine testing in 2023. But actual implementation requires at least two laboratories that are Food and Drug Administration-approved to process the tests—one for the initial analysis and another to confirm the results. Currently there are zero. Oral fluid testing appeals to many employers for a few reasons, one being the efficacy in detecting recent drug use—within the past couple of hours—compared to urine drug testing. Though the trucking industry has become the public face of the campaign, the regulations also affect federal workers in the commercial aviation, rail, public transit and pipeline sectors. One of the primary concerns expressed by the trucking industry has been that urine drug screens are not witnessed, and therefore easier to circumvent oral fluid testing. Another concern revolves around paruresis, more commonly known as “shy bladder” syndrome—if a driver is unable to produce urine when required to, they’re held for a three-hour waiting period, which obviously impacts their arrival time at their destination. And if they still can’t produce urine during that period, it’s considered a refusal to take the test and they’re removed from their duties. To return, they must “pass” a urine test that is witnessed by a same-gender observer. The new DOT rule also updates its prevailing terminology by replacing the word “gender” with the word “sex” in accordance with President Donald Trump’s January 2025 executive order, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” “Every month that passes without certified oral fluid testing is another month when federal workers with paruresis face anxiety, discrimination, and career barriers,” Dr. Steven Soifer, co-founder of the International Paruresis Association, stated in March. “We’ve been working on this issue since our founding [30 years ago]. Our members ask the same question every day: When will the federal government complete the work it already approved?” In April, at the request of the ATA, six members of Congress wrote to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. citing FDA regulatory barriers as the reason no United States labs are certified to process oral fluid tests. They cited an analysis by Quest Diagnostics that showed “substituted” urine specimens increased 370 percent from 2022 to 2023. Quest has a proprietary lab-based oral fluid collection method, Quantisal™, and as such has been an avid supporter of the campaign. On May 1, the FDA published a notice of its intent to consider revising the requirements that pertain to toxicology testing. That same day SAMHSA published a list of currently certified labs, which presumably will be updated in the future but for the moment simply confirms that there aren’t any. However HHS ultimately handles oral fluid testing will set the stage for what happens with hair follicle testing. The department was directed to create guidelines for hair testing in 2015, but has not yet done so. This article was originally published by Filter, an online magazine covering drug use, drug policy and human rights through a harm reduction lens. Follow Filter on Bluesky, X or Facebook, and sign up for its newsletter. The post Federal Drug Testing Rule Will Require ‘Directly Observed’ Urine Collection From Truck Drivers appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Interesting discussion about cannabis culture, community, and women-led initiatives in the industry. Podcasts like this open up important conversations and diverse perspectives. Thanks for sharing! Follow Kora Live for more trending stories and podcast highlights.

“I know these products are safe. I know they are tested, because if they weren’t, I wouldn’t carry them in my stores.” By Brianna Hill, Spotlight Delaware With just over a month left in Delaware’s legislative session, lawmakers are pushing competing legislation to regulate the hemp-derived THC products that have become widely available outside of the state’s licensed marijuana market. The intoxicating products, including gummies, vapes and infused beverages, are part of a fast-growing industry that smoke shop owners and licensed marijuana retailers want to be able to sell. Now, four bills before lawmakers offer different paths to regulate them. One would fold many intoxicating hemp products into the state’s regulated marijuana industry, meaning they could only be sold at licensed marijuana stores. Another would create a separate regulatory structure for hemp retailers. And a third would support the second bill by clarifying that certain THC products should not be treated as marijuana. The fourth would regulate THC-infused beverages through a framework that would allow them to be sold at liquor stores or recreational marijuana retailers. THC-infused products have become increasingly popular since the passage of the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill, which created a loophole allowing for the legal commercial and retail sale of hemp-derived substances. Hemp is a non-intoxicating cannabis plant that contains 0.3 percent or less THC by dry weight. But entrepreneurial hemp farmers have figured out a way to chemically convert the non-intoxicating compound cannabidiol (CBD) from hemp into intoxicating substances like delta-9 and delta-8 THC. It’s technically legal as long as the hemp at time of harvest stays below legal thresholds. Since then, hemp-derived THC products have become widely available at retailers, such as smoke shops, gas stations and bodegas, even as marijuana has been strictly regulated. Critics have called that the hemp loophole. Those hemp retailers say some of the newly proposed restrictions could push them out of business. But licensed marijuana operators and state regulators argue that those businesses are selling similar intoxicating products without the same rules for testing, labeling, taxation, age restrictions, and in-state cultivation. ‘It’s THC, it’s not hemp. It’s marijuana.’ In late April, Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha (D-Wilmington) introduced House Bill 395, which would move hemp products into Delaware’s licensed marijuana system. The bill would also expand the definition of THC to include other variations of the compound and set a stricter 0.4 milligram total THC limit for finished products. That threshold mirrors federal language Congress passed last fall to close the hemp loophole, though the federal changes are not set to take effect until November. Chukwuocha said his goal is to align Delaware with the federal standard while protecting consumers and limiting access to minors. “At its core, this bill is about public safety,” he said during a House Health & Human Development Committee meeting last week. To date, the Delaware Division of Tobacco and Alcohol Enforcement has sent 70 cease-and-desist letters to over 60 businesses selling THC products, according to DATE spokesman Lt. Michael Loiseau. The figure does not include letters that have been sent out by municipalities to different businesses. Under Chukwuocha’s bill, businesses outside Delaware’s marijuana industry could still sell non-intoxicating hemp products, such as CBD products, which are commonly marketed for relaxation, inflammation, and other wellness uses. But violations involving intoxicating products would generally be treated as a Class A misdemeanor and could rise to a Class G felony in certain cases, including if the business is near a school, daycare, or public park. Delaware Marijuana Commissioner Joshua Sanderlin spoke in support of the bill during a committee meeting last week, arguing that intoxicating hemp products should be regulated like marijuana because they come from the same plant and can have the same psychoactive effect. “It’s THC, it’s not hemp. It’s marijuana,” Sanderlin said. He also argued that unlicensed hemp retailers are undercutting Delaware’s regulated marijuana industry by selling intoxicating products without following the same rules. “What we’re trying to do in the state is stand up our legitimate program to ensure that these businesses who are investing time and money…are actually able to open,” Sanderlin said. Sanderlin said Delaware has issued 90 of the 125 marijuana licenses allowed under the state’s recreational rollout. He said he plans to reopen the licensing process once those existing licensees are established, but noted that many current hemp retailers would likely be out of compliance with marijuana industry rules because they sit too closely to schools and other hemp stores. Chukwuocha’s bill received pushback from some legislators during its committee hearing about its impacts on the small businesses that have already been operating as hemp retailers. Also during the meeting, marijuana retailers spoke in favor of the bill, while hemp retailers and smoke shop owners pushed back. “I know these products are safe. I know they are tested, because if they weren’t, I wouldn’t carry them in my stores,” said Joseph Daniels, owner of Hidden Stash, a smoke shop in Laurel. Lawmakers ultimately advanced it out of committee to the House floor. Competing bill creates path for hemp retailers Unlike Chukwuocha’s bill, a competing bill from Rep. Sean Lynn (D-Dover) and State Sen. Kyra Hoffner (D-Smyrna) would create a separate licensing system for hemp-derived THC products—excluding drinks. HB 401 would allow existing hemp retailers to apply for licenses through the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner. They would only be able to sell items that contained no more than 10 milligrams of THC to adults 21 years old and older. Gas stations, grocery stores and convenience stores would not be eligible for the licenses. In an interview with Spotlight Delaware, Lynn called hemp store owners “the pioneers for what became the marijuana market.” “So do we reward them for their advocacy and being kind of the first to explore this area by shutting down their businesses? I mean, it just doesn’t seem right,” he said. Lynn noted that his bill would also allow existing marijuana retailers to also sell hemp products, and asserted that there isn’t “necessarily an inherent competition there.” His measure would also require lab testing for potency and contaminants, warning labels and packaging rules meant to keep products from appealing to children. The bill would also add a 6 percent state excise tax on retail hemp sales—less than the 15 percent tax imposed on marijuana sales. During a House committee hearing Tuesday, lawmakers cited concerns about a provision in the bill that would restrict counties and municipalities from adopting strict rules about how far apart hemp stores could exist from each other. Some also noted that the measure would mean that the state would impose higher licensing costs and more onerous rules on retailers of marijuana than those selling hemp. Many marijuana business licensees voiced their opposition to Lynn’s bill during the meeting. They asserted that hemp retailers would face an easy, low-cost path to gaining a license, while they faced stricter zoning, security, testing, tracking, and sourcing rules. “The reward for breaking state law is a ‘sell anything you want’ license’,” said James Brobyn, director of Delaware Cannabis Industry Association and owner of Field Supply dispensary. State alcohol and tobacco regulators also opposed the bill, warning lawmakers that the bill does not clearly authorize the agency to inspect businesses, seize products, or enforce violations. They also said the bill focuses too narrowly on delta-9 THC, leaving loopholes for other intoxicating compounds that can be derived from hemp, such as delta-8 THC. Lynn’s bill ultimately did not collect enough signatures to pass through committee on Wednesday, according to the General Assembly’s website. But he said the bill is still collecting signatures. “My understanding is it’s getting out” of committee, Lynn said. Supporting Lynn’s bill is a separate piece of legislation sponsored by Sen. Hoffner, which would clarify when hemp-derived products should be treated as legal hemp rather than marijuana under Delaware law. The bill also sets standards for testing, and would prevent police from using the existence of hemp products as the sole basis for an arrest, search, seizure or criminal prosecution. To be considered, Hoffner’s bill would first be discussed by the Senate Executive Committee. It is not immediately clear when, or if, it will receive a hearing in the committee. Asked over text message about hemp legislation, Hoffner told Spotlight on Thursday that “new developments” came up the night before and that she had to speak with leadership to see what actions need to be taken. When pressed for details about the new developments, Hoffner said, it was “more about the person that was arrested in October.” It is not immediately clear who she was referencing, nor why it is relevant, as she did not respond to follow-up questions sent by text message. This story was first published by Spotlight Delaware. The post Delaware Lawmakers Juggle Competing Bills To Regulate Hemp THC Products appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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“We’re not saying Alabama’s not going to do this. We certainly are going to do this, but if you receive it without objection, it’s scheduled immediately.” By Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector The governing body of the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Thursday voted to object to a federal rescheduling of marijuana after state health officials said they needed more time to determine how to implement it. Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama’s top health official, told members of the State Committee of Public Health that the state “fully intends” to implement the change. “We’re not saying Alabama’s not going to do this,” Harris told the committee. “We certainly are going to do this, but if you receive it without objection, it’s scheduled immediately. If you do nothing, it’s scheduled within 30 days. I’m going to ask you to take the third option, which is to object. Then we just have a little bit of time to figure this out with all of our other stakeholders.” The committee vote was unanimous. Brian Hale, ADPH’s chief legal officer, said during the meeting the objection would trigger a public comment period. That period would last 30 to 60 days. “The objection is simply to allow more time for input into the implications of this rescheduling,” Hale said. ‘There’ll be a public hearing scheduled, we’ll see comments that way, and then we’ll talk to other stakeholders, licensing boards and others that may be affected to see what their input may be.” In April, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) moved marijuana from Schedule I—the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) list of drugs with the greatest potential for abuse and least legitimate use—to Schedule III, with drugs considered to have a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence, according to DEA. The order followed an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in December instructing the DOJ to move towards rescheduling. Former President Joe Biden instructed the DOJ to reschedule the drug in 2024, but hearings on the move were canceled in early 2025. The federal order applies to state-licensed medical marijuana products in the states that allow medicinal use of the drug. The move means those businesses can deduct business expenses from their federal taxes and researchers have access to state-legal products. As a Schedule I drug, only cannabis grown in a federal facility could be studied, severely limiting the supply available to researchers. Alabama has a medical cannabis program passed by the Legislature in 2021. A Montgomery dispensary said last week that it expects to make medical marijuana available to patients soon. A message seeking comment from Vince Schilleci, the owner of the dispensary, was left Thursday afternoon. Harris said that rescheduling would not be in violation of state law, but after talking with the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC), he was unsure how the rescheduling would impact the program. “We have been working really hard to try to figure out what the implications of this are. There are a number of things that don’t exactly conflict with state law or other rules, but they require some thinking to figure out how to implement,” Harris said. Justin Aday, general counsel for the AMCC, said in a phone interview that the commission does not foresee any immediate impact of the federal rescheduling or the delay of rescheduling at the state level. “We certainly understand the committee and their desire to collect additional information about exactly what the implication is of the federal rescheduling and what the implication would be, depending on where medical cannabis is scheduled at the state level,” Aday said. “We will certainly participate in that process as needed, and provide whatever information we can.” This story was first published by Alabama Reflector. The post Alabama Officials Move To Delay Automatic Rescheduling Of Marijuana Under State Law Following Trump’s Federal Move appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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“For many retailers, intoxicating hemp beverages have become an important emerging product category that helps drive consumer traffic and offset declining sales in traditional alcohol products.” By Sophie Nieto-Muñoz, New Jersey Monitor A state Senate committee advanced legislation Thursday aimed at loosening restrictions on the sale of intoxicating hemp beverages, including by allowing liquor stores to sell wine bottle-sized containers of THC drinks, until new federal limits take effect in November. The measure, sponsored by Senate President Nick Scutari (D-Union), would allow those bottles to contain up to 200 milligrams of total THC, the chemical compound in marijuana and hemp that can make people feel high. That’s 40 times higher than current limits placed on THC drinks sold in cannabis dispensaries, one critic noted. “The provision that allows 200 milligrams of THC in a 750-milliliter bottle is irresponsible from a public health and youth access standpoint,” said Susanna Puntel of the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp. She added, “It’s exponentially higher than any state allows. And it will actually reduce tax revenue.” THC limits on beverages sold in cannabis dispensaries are now 5 milligrams per container. The Legislature has repeatedly revisited New Jersey’s intoxicating hemp beverage rules, all through bills sponsored by Scutari. In January, then-Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed a sweeping bill aimed at banning intoxicating hemp products in places like gas stations and bodegas over concerns that kids were buying them. That law also restricted hemp sales to licensed liquor stores and cannabis dispensaries while capping THC content at a maximum of 10 milligrams per container. The compliance deadline was set for April 13. In March, Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) signed another bill pushing the compliance deadline to May 31, requiring resealable packaging for hemp beverages in containers exceeding 10 milligrams, and removing a requirement that stores must keep hemp-derived beverages in places only accessed by employees. States across the country have struggled to regulate the hemp market in light of federal laws that, in 2018, inadvertently legalized intoxicating hemp products like THCA and delta-8, and then, in 2025, closed that loophole by amending the definition of hemp to limit it to a total THC concentration of 0.3 percent. That definition goes into effect November 12. After that, New Jersey’s cannabis regulators will treat intoxicating hemp products similar to traditional marijuana products and restrict sales to licensed retailers. The latest bill proposes more changes, like a 10 percent margin of error in THC concentration that would allow big bottles to contain up to 220 milligrams. The bill would also allow certain bars to sell hemp beverages for off-premises consumption if they’re in their original containers. Supporters of the legislation argued that the new measure would give licensed liquor store retailers a workable path until the November deadline. Mahi Patel of the Garden State Liquor Retailers Association said hemp beverages have become an important revenue stream for small, family-owned stores struggling amid shifting alcohol consumption trends and high inflation. She said the legislation “strikes the appropriate balance between responsible regulation and operational flexibility for licensed retailers.” “For many retailers, intoxicating hemp beverages have become an important emerging product category that helps drive consumer traffic and offset declining sales in traditional alcohol products,” she said. But Andrew Caggiano, chief of police in Montville and the president of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, called the bill “deeply flawed and operationally irresponsible.” He said New Jersey still lacks reliable roadside THC testing technology and drug recognition experts, and he’s worried that the high dosage level can lead to accidental overconsumption and more impaired driving. “We are urging you not to pass this bill,” Caggiano said. “Public safety should not be secondary to rapid commercialization.” Another section of the bill seeks to streamline licensing for medical cannabis dispensaries seeking to add adult-use retail licenses, potentially allowing them to begin those operations without additional municipal review. For years, business owners have lamented that the slow permitting processing, including permission from municipalities, has made it harder to open dispensaries. The bill passed Thursday 8-1, with Sen. Kristin Corrado (R-Passaic) voting no and Sen. Mike Testa (R-Cumberland) abstaining. The measure also advanced out of the Assembly this week by a 47-20 vote, with Republicans largely voting no. This story was first published by New Jersey Monitor. The post New Jersey Lawmakers Approve Bill To Allow Large-Size Hemp THC Drinks To Be Sold In Liquor Stores appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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A federal judge has granted the government’s motion to dismiss marijuana legalization opponents’ lawsuit challenging a new Trump administration initiative to cover up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products each year for eligible Medicare patients. The program being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) focuses largely on CBD but also allows a certain amount of THC in products. Judge Trevor N. McFadden ruled on Friday that prohibitionist groups and activists, led by Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), as well as a cannabis-focused biopharmaceutical corporation MMJ International Holdings and its subsidiaries, “have not established standing to bring this case.” “Each claims an injury too abstract or too remote to open the courtroom doors,” he said. “At the outset, the Court notes that it need not tackle the bulk of questions that Plaintiffs raise in their motions,” McFadden wrote. “That is because Plaintiffs’ case suffers from a fatal flaw: the failure to establish Article III standing to bring their claims. The Court addresses only this jurisdictional hole and will dismiss the entire suit and deny Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction as moot.” In April, lawyers for Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Director Mehmet Oz filed a brief saying that the anti-cannabis organizations that filed the suit against the Medicare hemp coverage policy do not have standing to bring the case. The judge has now agreed. “No organizational Plaintiff shows enough for an injury-in-fact,” McFadden said. “All claim that they diverted resources in response to the BEI’s implementation, but none established that such resource diversion ‘interfered’ with its core activities or prevented it from ‘pursuing its true purpose.'” When it comes to the company MMJ and its subsidiaries, the judge said it is “not a direct and current competitor with anyone selling hemp to Medicare beneficiaries.” “In short, MMJ has no product on the Medicare-beneficiary market and no sense of when it may,” he said. Beyond the advocacy organizations, the case involves individual plaintiffs, including anti-marijuana lawyer David Evans, who claims he had standing to challenge the new Substance Access Beneficiary Engagement Incentive (BEI) as a Medicare recipient—but the federal agencies reject that argument. “If Evans’s worst-case-scenario—his doctor recommends hemp to him—came true, Evans would lack a concrete harm,” McFadden wrote. “In sum, no matter the theory, Plaintiffs have failed to establish an Article III injury from the BEI’s implementation,” the judge said. “The use and regulation of hemp are important matters, and Plaintiffs understandably have strong views on these topics. But while they may not like the BEI, they have not been injured by it. The case will thus be dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.” SAM, for its part, is pushing back on the dismissal and says it might appeal. “We fundamentally disagree with the court’s decision today. All parties demonstrated substantial injury that exceeds the threshold required by Article III,” SAM President and CEO Kevin Sabet said. “We are currently reviewing all our options, including an appeal. We will not rest until we ensure America’s seniors are safe from these false medical claims and the harms of dangerous marijuana products.” Smart Approaches to Marijuana's statement concerning the court's ruling on the challenge to the CMS BEI program. pic.twitter.com/AXpl50bLku — Smart Approaches to Marijuana (@learnaboutsam) May 22, 2026 Previously, McFadden had rejected the plaintiffs’ request for a temporary restraining order to halt the program from launching on April 1. Notably, the government’s motion to dismiss the case says it was prepared in part by Matthew Zorn, a lawyer for HHS who before taking on the federal job led numerous cases suing government agencies on behalf of plaintiffs seeking marijuana and drug policy reform. The CMS initiative comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December calling on the attorney general to finalize a rule federally rescheduling marijuana, which is now underway, that also contained components to “improve access” to full-spectrum CBD products. Under the program, inhalable preparations are not allowed, and products can contain no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight and can have up to 3 milligrams of total THC per serving. The THC limit could potentially change if a law the president signed late last year takes effect as scheduled this November. That policy would strictly limit the types of cannabis products that are currently permitted under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed in his first term, expressly prohibiting hemp derivatives containing more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container. The federal agencies noted in a brief in the lawsuit that “CMS does not pay for hemp products under the BEI.” “The participating provider furnishes eligible products at its own cost, subject to the $500 annual cap per beneficiary. The BEI operates within the shared-savings framework that defines the underlying models. If a provider’s investment in beneficiary engagement reduces the beneficiary’s total cost of care, the provider and CMS share in the resulting savings. If it does not, the provider absorbs the loss. No new federal appropriation is involved. No new entitlement is created. The BEI is, at its core, a decision by willing providers that a particular intervention can reduce downstream claims.” Meanwhile, the White House Office of Management and Budget recently held a series of meetings about a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) CBD products enforcement policy. FDA also issued guidance making clear that it does not intend to interfere with implementation of the Medicare hemp-derived products coverage plan. CMS separately finalized a rule that will allow coverage of some hemp products as specialized, non-primarily health-related benefits through Medicare Advantage plans. Read the judge’s order dismissing the lawsuit challenging the Medicare hemp program below: Photo courtesy of Kimzy Nanney. The post Federal Judge Dismisses Anti-Marijuana Groups’ Lawsuit Challenging Medicare Hemp Coverage Program appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Alaska lawmakers this week passed legislation that will shield people’s marijuana conviction records from being publicly released in certain circumstances. The cannabis provisions are included in a large package of criminal justice legislation that cleared the Senate in a 20-0 vote on Tuesday and was approved by the House of Representatives 39-1 on Wednesday. HB 239 now heads to the desk of Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R). If enacted into law, the bill will make it so people who were convicted of possessing less than an ounce of marijuana while over 21 years of age at the time of the offense can request that their records not be released. The protections only apply to people who were not convicted of any other criminal charges in the relevant case. The requirement for someone to proactively request that their records not be released in order for them to remain sealed will be sunsetted on January 1, 2028. The cannabis reform that is now part of the omnibus criminal justice legislation heading to the governor was originally introduced as a standalone bill, HB 81 from Rep. David Nelson (R). “In 2014, the state of Alaska voted to legalize the cultivation, sale, and recreational use of marijuana for adults. Despite this change in state law, some Alaskans remain blocked from employment, housing, volunteering, licensing, and other opportunities,” Nelson said in a sponsor statement about the bill. “Hardworking Alaskans could automatically be denied a chance because of previous low level marijuana convictions and employers are potentially deprived of skilled labor in an increasingly dwindling labor market.” “The State cannot afford to pass on skilled labor simply because low level misdemeanors are hindering some Alaskans from pursuing those positions or from finding housing closer to better opportunities,” he said. “This bill will help individuals keep portions of their record confidential while still allowing government agencies access for background and statistical information. Hardworking Alaskans must be given a chance to find redemption for small mistakes and be given the opportunity to make an economic impact like any other citizen.” Karen O’Keefe, state policies director for the Marijuana Policy Project, told Marijuana Moment that “for too many Alaskans, past convictions for conduct that is now legal continue to close the door on opportunities, making it harder to secure housing, an education, jobs, and professional licensing.” “We’re pleased that Alaska legislators have recognized that it’s wrong to impose an economic life sentence for outdated low-level possession convictions,” she said. Separately in Alaska, a government task force recommended earlier this year that the state move forward with plans to provide regulated access to psychedelics if the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorizes the medical use of substances like psilocybin and MDMA. An activist campaign, meanwhile, announced in December that it failed to collect enough signatures to put an initiative to legalize certain psychedelics such as psilocybin and DMT on the state’s 2026 ballot—but activists emphasized that the “work is far from over” as they shift focus to placing the reform measure before voters in 2028. The post Alaska Bill To Let People Seal Their Marijuana Convictions Heads To Governor appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A coalition of Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are pushing President Donald Trump to commute the sentences of people who are still serving time in federal prison for marijuana. The move, they say, is a logical next step now that his administration is moving to reschedule cannabis. “The inclusion of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act has resulted in tens of millions of people being sent to county, state, and federal prisons over the last several decades,” the letter sent on Friday says, noting that polling shows strong support for cannabis reform among voters. Trump has already “recognized this disconnect between the science and policy” by issuing an executive order directing federal officials to move marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to Schedule III, the letter, led by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV), says. “However, rescheduling marijuana does not provide relief for anyone currently in federal prison from a marijuana conviction,” they and 26 other House and Senate colleagues wrote. “As president, you have a unique opportunity to use your constitutional authority and issue a categorical commutation to address this continuing injustice.” The letter to Trump and his pardon czar, Alice Marie Johnson, says that people convicted for cannabis “face disproportionately long sentences,” noting that U.S. Sentencing Commission data indicates about 3,000 people are “still federally incarcerated for marijuana trafficking offenses, with hundreds, perhaps thousands serving harsh mandatory minimum sentences of 5 years or longer.” “Too many people are serving way too long for marijuana-associated offenses,” the lawmakers wrote, adding that cannabis laws have been enforced in a racially disparate manner. “This means precious time away from loved ones and families separated for years, and in some cases even decades, due to our country’s antiquated laws around marijuana. However, thousands of people continue to be federally incarcerated for marijuana-related offenses, an activity that most states, in some form, have legalized. The letter argues that releasing marijuana prisoners can help the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) deal with capacity issues stemming from overcrowding and understaffing. “While it won’t solve the structural issues that have led us here, we believe that commuting the sentences of people with marijuana offenses would both address the overly harsh sentences while simultaneously allowing BOP to focus resources where they are needed most,” says the letter, which was also signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ed Markey (D-MA), along with Reps. Troy Carter (D-LA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Alexandria Ocassio-Cortez (D-NY), Dina Titus (D-NV), Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), among others. The lawmakers also asked the president to ensure that people who are serving “unjust marijuana sentences” be provided with “support services to ensure they have a successful reentry after years of incarceration.” Meanwhile in Congress, a pair of Republican lawmakers teamed up with anti-marijuana groups this week to push for a “carve-out” to ensure that safety-sensitive workers continue to be tested and punished for cannabis use. Last week, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan amendment to allow military veterans receive medical cannabis recommendations from their Department of Veterans Affairs doctors. Separately, he House Appropriations Committee approved a bill last week containing provisions that would block Department of Justice officials from taking further steps to reschedule cannabis while continuing to protect state medical marijuana laws from federal interference. A report attached to that legislation also directs federal officials to take enforcement action against unregulated cannabinoid products that “threaten consumer safety.” That panel also recently approved another spending bill and an attached report that expresses concerns about health risks from cannabis-derived products, while also encouraging research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. The full House also recently passed a Farm Bill with provisions aimed at aiding industrial hemp producers—but without any language to delay or alter the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that’s scheduled to take effect later this year. A new report from the Congressional Research Service details the scope and limitations of the federal marijuana rescheduling move. The post Democratic Lawmakers Push Trump To Release Federal Marijuana Prisoners As A Follow-Up To Rescheduling appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Two GOP congressional lawmakers are joining prohibitionist organizations in their call for a “carve-out” to the Trump administration’s medical marijuana rescheduling action by affirming that safety-sensitive transportation workers could still be penalized for testing positive for THC. At a press conference outside the Capitol on Thursday, anti-cannabis Reps. Andy Harris (R-MD) and Pete Sessions (R-TX)—along with representatives of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association (NDASA)—criticized the move to reclassify medical cannabis dispensed to patients under state laws as a Schedule III drug. The congressmen and prohibitionist activists argued that the policy change means a 1986 executive order on the federal workforce that President Ronald Reagan signed defining illegal drugs as Schedule I and II drugs under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) would be effectively nullified when it comes to marijuana use by truck drivers, airline pilots and other workers regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). To that end, the lawmakers said they intend to introduce a bill to codify a “carve-out” to the rescheduling rule to ensure that DOT-certified drivers continue to be tested for cannabis. That’s despite the fact that DOT itself recently clarified that its drug testing policies are not affected by the Schedule III reclassification. “Look, we understand there are a lot of Americans who feel that it’s perfectly all right to have medical marijuana—recreational marijuana—without realizing what the implications of that are,” Harris said on Thursday. Rescheduling “will have to have some kind of testing guidelines to make certain that those people who function within the economy in safety-related professions” can be tested, he said. “The American public should be certain that that person is not under the influence of marijuana, because it slipped through a regulatory crack.” “That’s in fact what we need to deal with,” he said. “Congress needs to make certain that, if and when marijuana is rescheduled, that we make certain we can test—and, again, this is to provide certainty to the American public that someone who is using marijuana is not operating something that makes the public unsafe. it’s just that simple.” The congressman’s “if and when” aside alluded to the fact that rescheduling of marijuana beyond state-sanctioned medical cannabis will be evaluated under an expedited administrative hearing process beginning next month. “I think the American public will agree that that’s a clear red line that needs to be drawn,” Harris said, thanking NDASA “for bringing this to the attention of the American people, because it is a critically important issue, and, again, I believe when the American public understands it, they will firmly stand with us to say, ‘No, this testing has to occur.'” We are grateful to stand beside Reps. @PeteSessions, @RepAndyHarrisMD, and NDASA as we advocate for the marijuana safety carve out on Capitol Hill. Without Congressional action, truckers and pilots won’t be tested for THC under Schedule III. We need change NOW! pic.twitter.com/Z4QDea971A — Smart Approaches to Marijuana (@learnaboutsam) May 21, 2026 Prior to the administrative rescheduling action, Harris argued in December that the president didn’t have the authority to unilaterally reschedule marijuana via executive order. But while lawmakers could overrule any move to enact the reform, he still acknowledged that it would be a “heavy lift” in the Republican-controlled Congress. Sessions, for his part, echoed his colleague’s points, asserting that the situation they’re raising “is more than just a red alert on behalf of public safety—it is a re-enunciation that marijuana is an addictive, dangerous product that impacts not only children but anyone who uses it.” “The marijuana issue is not going to go away, because safety—safety for children, safety for women and safety for those who operate in public transportation area—are affected by this,” he said. “Andy Harris and I have for many years spoken about not just the psychosis and the dangers to mental health, but we have spoken about the dangers of people who use it in their everyday lives,” Sessions said. “Today is more than a chance for us to say we need to make sure public safety is okay. We need to make sure that we impact federal law.” “Too many states have moved forward on this issue and have thousands of people who are residents of their states who use marijuana on a regular basis, who interact with the public and who do so in a public way of public transportation—school busses, public busses that take place, and also trains and airplanes,” he said. “I disagree with the reclassification. As Elton John said, our fascination in America with marijuana is one of the most disappointing things that he has ever seen America do. This fascination with marijuana, I think, is done to help support drug cartels and people who want to addict this country—not only our children, but the future of this country. It impacts employment, impacts workers and impacts our ability to think straight. So I’m pleased to be with you today and join in to make sure that the American people understand that Congress must act, must make sure that those people who are involved in public transportation…are included in the testing process.” Again, while the congressmen and their allies remarked on the situation as if the rescheduling action is automatically upending DOT safety and drug testing guidelines, the department itself has affirmed that’s not the case. “Marijuana use is not compatible with safety-sensitive functions,” the agency said in a notice this month. “Currently, there is no instance when [medical review officers] could verify a laboratory-confirmed marijuana positive drug test result as ‘negative’ when an employee claims the positive was caused by a State licensed marijuana product.” Regardless, DOT’s former director of the Office of Drug & Alcohol Policy & Compliance, Patrice Kelly, also participated in the press conference to promote the call for a codified “safety carve-out,” arguing that the department’s “regulated testing for marijuana is about to end” with congressional intervention. “The safety carve-out would also continue marijuana testing and deterrence for federal employees, such as air traffic controllers, such as those who carry guns and those who are entrusted with our national secrets through their security clearances,” Kelly said. If the administration moves to fully reschedule marijuana, she said, “there is a solution for those of us who recognize what is happening—and for those of us who are not yet aware.” “The solution is an immediate and clear safety carve-out that preserves the status quo by granting [the Department of Health and Human Services] authority to continue to test for and certify laboratories to test for marijuana,” Kelly said. “The safety carve-out also must preserve marijuana testing and, thereby, deterrence for federal employees—especially air traffic controllers and all commercial transportation safety-sensitive employees currently under the drug testing regulations of the U.S. DOT and the Coast Guard.” “Transportation safety is a fundamental right of every person in this nation. Transportation safety impacts our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Transportation safety is a non-partisan issue. It is a necessity in urban, suburban and rural areas. Think of school busses, airline flights, ferry boats, liquid natural gas operators [and] tractor trailers on the roadway next to your car next time you drive on the highway… Please ask your congressional members and U.S. senators to support the safety carve-out now.” While a bill has not been formally introduced, a NDASA representative speaking at Thursday’s event suggested a draft version is currently being circulated among lawmakers. Meanwhile, although it is widely accepted that safety-sensitive transportation workers should not perform their jobs under the influence of marijuana or other substances, legalization supporters point out that cannabis metabolites can stay in a person’s system for weeks after use and still be detected on drug tests even when there is no impairment. SAM and NDASA’s partnership in the call-to-action isn’t especially surprising. The two leading anti-marijuana organizations separately joined together for a lawsuit challenging the federal cannabis rescheduling action announced by the Department of Justice last month—using a law firm at which a former Trump administration attorney general is a partner. DOT, for its part, has stood out among federal agencies for its stance that rescheduling marijuana doesn’t change much for its policies. In December, when President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the Department of Justice to complete the process of rescheduling cannabis “in the most expeditious manner,” the transportation agency posted an advisory saying that all safety-sensitive workers must still comply with federal drug testing requirements. At the time, DOT didn’t quite specify what would change if marijuana was ultimately rescheduled, but the department’s latest notice makes clear its view that state-legal medical cannabis under Schedule III is still no excuse for a positive drug test despite the Trump administration’s federal change. Last October, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy suggested Trump was “getting pressure” to reschedule cannabis—arguing that marijuana is “really addictive” and saying that policy reform around the issue sends a “dangerous” message. “At a time when culture is pushing and celebrating the use of marijuana, we’re not talking about the risk,” Duffy said. Then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieig said in 2024 that placing cannabis in Schedule III wouldn’t affect drug testing policies for commercial truckers, noting that the department specifically lists marijuana as substance to screen. “Our understanding of the rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to schedule III is that it would not alter DOT’s marijuana testing requirements with respect to the regulated community,” the Biden administration official said. “For private individuals who are performing safety-sensitive functions subject to drug testing, marijuana is identified by name, not by reference to one of those classes. So even if it moves in its classification, we do not believe that that would have a direct impact on that authority.” The post GOP Lawmakers And Anti-Marijuana Groups Want Rescheduling ‘Carve-Out’ To Codify THC Testing Rules For Safety-Sensitive Workers appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net