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Democrats won big in Tuesday’s midterm elections, retaking majorities in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives—a development that advocates say stands to boost efforts to reform federal marijuana laws. The House under Democratic control has previously passed bills to federally legalize marijuana on two occasions, most recently in 2022. Advancing cannabis reform in the Senate has been a taller task, however, even under Democratic control—given the chamber’s rules that give the minority party the power to filibuster bills that doesn’t have support from 60 members. That has been true even for incremental reforms that enjoy broad bipartisan support such as legislation to ease cannabis businesses’ access to banking services. Marijuana reform has evolved significantly as an issue since the last time Democrats controlled Congress, however, with more state laws coming on board and President Donald Trump’s administration taking steps to advance the rescheduling of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Given that context, advocates see opportunity for expected incoming House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to grasp onto the issue of broader federal marijuana legalization as an alternative to Trump’s incremental steps. Jeffries and Schumer have both sponsored legislation to federally legalize cannabis by removing it from the CSA—including a bill that they partnered in 2019 on called the Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act. Schumer later joined with other Democratic senators on a more comprehensive legalization and regulation bill called the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, while Jeffries teamed up with a Republican lawmaker on a proposal lay the groundwork for federal marijuana legalization by creating a commission to study the issue and make recommendations on a regulatory system for cannabis that models what’s currently in place for alcohol. As of Wednesday morning, Democrats appeared poised to have won a sizable majority in the House and a Senate majority of somewhere between 54 and 56 seats, with two races yet to be called. If Democrats decide to prioritize the popular issue of marijuana reform in the 120th Congress that begins in January, they would likely need support from a handful of pro-reform Republican senators to advance any proposal to Trump’s desk. The president, for his part, endorsed a state-level marijuana legalization initiative that appeared on Florida’s ballot in 2024, While the measure fell short of the 60 percent threshold needed to enact a constitutional amendment in the state, it did get majority support. Meanwhile, though his administration isn’t pushing broad federal marijuana legalization at this point, it is taking steps on the more modest reform of rescheduling cannabis to acknowledge its medical uses. “Some two thirds of Americans support ending marijuana prohibition, and policies that punish responsible consumers and patients are increasingly out of step with voters across the political spectrum,” Morgan Fox, political director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), told Marijuana Moment. “Unfortunately, Republican leadership chose to ignore public sentiment and let popular cannabis policy legislation languish this session. Hopefully Democrats will not make the same mistake, and will provide the necessary leadership and bipartisanship to pass substantive, sensible reforms in the 120th Congress.” — 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. — While state-licensed medical cannabis has already been moved from Schedule I to Schedule III under an order issued by Attorney General Todd Blanche earlier this year, broader rescheduling of adult-use marijuana is “still uncertain” amid an ongoing Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) hearing, Fox said. As such, and because Schedule III’s practical effects for consumers are “relatively limited,” he said, “it is vital that federal lawmakers take on the issue.” “The fate of federal marijuana policy should not be left in the hands of bureaucrats and judges. It is Congress who initially prohibited cannabis and it is Congress who ultimately needs to abolish this failed federal policy, specifically by descheduling cannabis and passing other reforms that provide real-world relief for millions of responsible consumers. Lawmakers should begin preparing now to prioritize this issue as early as possible in the next session. NORML looks forward to working with members of both parties to make meaningful legislative progress in the 120th Congress. The American people deserve federal cannabis policies grounded in science, public health, personal freedom, and justice.” The latest edition of an ongoing quarterly tracking poll from Marijuana Moment and NuggMD released ahead of the election showed that marijuana consumers’ support for the Trump administration’s actions on cannabis have significantly declined as completion of a federal rescheduling proposal remains stalled amid procedural delays in an ongoing hearing on the reform. Cat Packer, director of drug markets and legal regulation for the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), told Marijuana Moment that Tuesday’s election results signal “a broader desire among American voters for change, greater accountability, and an end to abuses of government power.” “Federal marijuana prohibition is one such abuse that has persisted for far too long,” she said, adding that merely rescheduling marijuana “is not enough.” “The Trump Administration’s limited and exclusionary approach to rescheduling, which has created significant uncertainty while leaving federal criminalization intact, only underscores the urgent need for Congress to enact meaningful reform,” Packer said. “Rather than continuing to advance incremental reforms that primarily benefit large, politically connected cannabis corporations, this new Congress has an opportunity to address the ongoing harms of marijuana criminalization, which continues to disrupt families, undermine economic opportunities and burden communities even as most states have moved away from prohibition,” she said. “That means ending federal criminalization of personal marijuana activity and protecting public health by establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for both marijuana and hemp that puts people and communities first.” Adam Rosenberg, board chair for the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), said in a statement on Wednesday that “with Democrats taking control of both chambers of Congress, there is a new opportunity to advance comprehensive federal cannabis reform.” “America’s legal cannabis industry generates more than $29 billion in annual sales and supports more than 400,000 jobs, yet federal policy continues to impose unnecessary barriers on businesses operating in state-regulated markets,” he said. “The new congressional leadership has an opportunity to build bipartisan support for legislation that improves access to banking and capital, resolves unfair federal tax treatment and establishes a durable regulatory framework that respects state markets.” Republican leaders in the House and Senate have strongly opposed marijuana law reform, even as Trump’s administration has advanced rescheduling. As Marijuana Moment reported last month, executives of major cannabis companies donated to Jeffries’s joint fundraising committee, the Jeffries Majority Fund, and the likely incoming House speaker attended a fundraiser host by a marijuana dispensary CEO. Meanwhile, as some cannabis industry executives donated to Jeffries and other Democrats, a political action committee that shares the same treasurer as President Donald Trump’s own super PAC used money raised from marijuana business donations to pay for independent expenditures in support of several vulnerable Republican members of Congress—including several who have voted against legislation to legalize cannabis. The post Could Democrats Federally Legalize Marijuana With Their New Senate And House Majorities? appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Wisconsin does not currently allow marijuana for either medical or recreational use, but that could soon change after voters in Tuesday’s elections gave control of the state legislature to Democrats while also installing a new pro-legalization governor from the party. Gov.-elect David Crowley (D) said at a debate last month that “we have to go towards full legalization because this is opportunity that we’re missing out on as a state,” cautioning that he also wants to “make sure that we have guardrails in place” to protect children and ensure accurate labeling on cannabis products. Meanwhile, outgoing incumbent Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) and Democrats in the state legislature have consistently pushed to legalize marijuana for medical and adult use, but have been blocked by Republican Assembly and Senate leaders. Both chambers flipped to Democratic control in Tuesday’s elections, however, teeing up the possibility of marijuana legalization finally advancing in the state. NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano told Marijuana Moment that “Wisconsin is among the nation’s leaders in marijuana possession arrests and it is remains one of the few states lacking significant medical cannabis access or legal protections.” “It’s time for the Badger State to shed these dubious distinctions. Nearly seven in ten registered voters want cannabis legalized for adults and an even greater percentage support medical access,” he said. “It is high time for Wisconsin lawmakers to enact cannabis policies grounded in health, safety and compassion, and that align with voters’ sentiments. Patients and those who consume cannabis responsibly have waited long enough.” Crowley, the newly elected incoming Democratic governor said at last month’s debate that governor of neighboring Illinois “literally thanks Wisconsin residents because they have made $30 million in in sales tax collection just from Wisconsin residents.” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) quipped during his 2020 State of the State address that the state’s legal cannabis program would attract buyers from nearby states. The following year, Evers, Wisconsin’s current governor, said he is getting “tired” of hearing about Illinois’s cannabis sales figures, joking that Pritzker always “thanks me for having Wisconsinites cross the border to buy marijuana.” Crowley, who currently serves as the Milwaukee County executive, said during the recent debate that “if we were to go to full legalization, we could bring in anywhere between $80-170 million, helping to invest in healthcare all across the state of Wisconsin without allowing our money—nor these opportunities—to go to Illinois, Minnesota or Michigan.” He separately said earlier last month that Wisconsin should legalize marijuana to raise revenue that can be used to fund free pre-kindergarten education and an expansion of healthcare access. Crowley’s Republican opponent in the gubernatorial election, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI), had said he supported legalizing medical cannabis but wanted to be more cautious about recreational marijuana. A Democratic congressman who represents Wisconsin recently told Marijuana Moment that he thinks the state is poised to legalize cannabis as soon as next year—especially if his party gained control of the legislature, but perhaps even if Republicans had maintained a majority under new leadership for the 2027 session. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) said there’s a “really good chance” of legalizing cannabis in Wisconsin in the short term if Democrats can “flip the legislature,” where marijuana reform proposals have stalled under Republican control in recent sessions. Evers and Democratic lawmakers have pushed to legalize marijuana for recreational and medical purposes for years, but those proposals have been blocked by the legislature’s Republican majority. A limited medical cannabis bill did clear one committee this session, but did not advance further. Crowley said at a forum hosted by a cannabis reform group earlier this year reform supporters “cannot wait until after the governor’s election” to push the issue, arguing that they need to “organize in making this one of the top priorities in this upcoming election.” “If you can’t change minds, you have to change faces,” he said. “I want you all to know that we’re going to work directly with you and make sure that you have a seat at the table, because if you don’t have a seat at the table, that means you’re on it.” Evers, for his part, recently sent a letter calling on the state’s congressional delegation to “prevent mass disruption of the hemp industry” by stopping the planned federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that’s set to take effect later this year. The governor has repeatedly pushed for broader reform—including marijuana legalization in multiple budget requests, for example—but efforts to enact it have consistently stalled out in the Republican-controlled Assembly and Senate even as adult-use markets have come online in neighboring states such as Illinois and Michigan. Evers said last year that if his party can take control of the legislature, the state can “finally” legalize marijuana so that residents don’t have to go to neighboring Illinois to visit its adult-use market. — 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. — Democratic lawmakers filed legislation in the 2026 session to broadly legalize and regulate marijuana, and bipartisan legislation to simply decriminalize cannabis possession was also filed—but neither proposal advanced. A poll released last year by Marquette Law School found that two in three Wisconsin voters support legalizing marijuana. A legislative analysis requested by lawmakers estimated that Wisconsin residents spent more than $121 million on cannabis in Illinois alone in 2022, contributing $36 million in tax revenue to the neighboring state. Meanwhile, the state Department of Revenue released a fiscal estimate of the economic impact of a legalization bill in 2023, projecting that the reform would generate nearly $170 million annually in tax revenue. The post Wisconsin Could Legalize Marijuana Under New Democratic Control Of The State Legislature appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Iowa’s incoming Democratic governor has a plan to legalize marijuana and use the resulting tax revenue to help shore up the state’s budget deficit. Rob Sand, who won the gubernatorial election on Tuesday over Republican Zach Lahn, has consistently discussed his support for legalizing cannabis on the campaign trail. “If we tax cannabis the way we tax alcohol and treat it the way we treat alcohol, that would be a positive move for the state’s budget,” Sand said during during a debate last month. “I also think it would be a positive move for law enforcement—taking some of the burden off of their backs. Every time I talk to police officers, they’d rather deal with someone who was using cannabis than someone who was drunk.” “And look, these are both dangerous drugs,” he said. “The bottom line is, we don’t want to be throwing people in prison just for using them.” Later in the debate, Sand was asked how he would pay for a proposed 5 percent increase in supplemental state aid to schools in his first year in office. He replied that part of the solution is to legalize marijuana. “If we legalize cannabis and treated like alcohol, the first year we’re probably seeing $50 million. But in years after that it will be over $100 million.” The cannabis plan on Sand’s campaign website says legalization will also create jobs and support farmers. It additionally pledges to reverse restrictions on “hemp and THC beverage products while ensuring oversight and regulation over those products by hemp producers selling their products through cannabis retailers.” Look – it isn't my thing but Iowa is facing a budget crisis to the tune of $1.4 billion. A common-sense way to help address that would be to fully legalize adult-use cannabis in Iowa. And to solve the problems that come with it – we treat it like alcohol. Read my full plan… pic.twitter.com/kOCsxTOxEL — Rob Sand (@RobSandIA) October 25, 2026 Lahn, for his part, had said he is “not in favor of full legalization” but does support increased medical cannabis access as he has family members and friends who benefit from it. Sand, meanwhile, said in September that legalizing marijuana is a “no-brainer” move to help forestall a “fiscal time bomb” in Iowa that could otherwise lead to cuts in funding for education and public safety in the state. “I think we should treat it the way we treat alcohol. That seems like a no-brainer to me, right?” the Democrat, who is currently the state auditor, said at a town hall event. “Alcohol is a dangerous drug. You shouldn’t abuse it. Also, we’re not going to throw you in prison for having a beer,” Sand said. “Why is it any different for marijuana? It is a dangerous drug. You shouldn’t abuse it. We shouldn’t be throwing people in prison just for using it.” Sand also spoke about his support for legalizing marijuana at an earlier event in August, saying that he thinks cannabis should be legalized and treated like alcohol, even if he thinks it’s “dangerous.” “Marijuana is a dangerous drug,” he said at the time. “You shouldn’t abuse it, but we also shouldn’t throw people in prison just for using it. We should treat it the way we treat alcohol. Alcohol is a dangerous drug. You shouldn’t abuse it, but we don’t throw you in prison just for having a beer when you get home.” The then-candidate said that Iowa is “spending perfectly good tax dollars to lock people up” for marijuana while people who want to use it are driving across the border to purchase it in other states. “They’re spending their money in Illinois, or they’re spending it in Missouri. And then they’re driving back without their money,” Sand said. “The money stays there, and the tax dollars stay there.” Sand also recently praised President Donald Trump’s administration for taking steps to federally reschedule cannabis. “I’m someone who has always been willing to call the good ‘good,'” he said. “I was really glad to see the Trump administration move towards making marijuana more accessible for medical purposes. I’m a believer that it should be treated the way we treat alcohol. And so when they did it, I said, ‘Good for them.'” Josh Turek, the Democratic candidate who won a U.S. Senate race in Iowa on Tuesday, said in September that cannabis’s longtime restrictive Schedule I status is “ridiculous.” Marijuana “should be legalized and regulated, and let’s tax it,” he said. Meanwhile, Iowa regulators are circulating proposed rules changes to remove the residency requirement for patients in the state’s medical cannabis program while also ensuring that military veterans qualify for reduced registration fees. The residency-focused part of the regulatory change from the state Department of Health and Human Services is meant to comply with provisions of a bill that outgoing Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed into law in June. In addition to allowing out-of-state residents to register in the medical cannabis program if they have a certification from an Iowa healthcare provider legislation, that legislation also doubles the number of medical cannabis dispensaries that are allowed to operate in the state. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — The Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Board, which oversees the state’s medical marijuana program, recommended in a 2023 report that the state allow more licenses “in an effort to provide Iowans with greater geographical access to medical cannabis products.” Under the program, patients with certain conditions can obtain cannabis products containing no more than at 4.5 grams of THC every 90 days. Flower and smoking are not allowed. Healthcare practitioners can allow greater amounts of THC for patients who are terminally ill or who have experience with the program and for whom the provider believes 4.5 grams is not enough. Separately this session, Iowa lawmakers considered a bill to create a state-regulated therapeutic psilocybin program for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Last year, the governor vetoed earlier legislation that would have allowed doctors in the state to immediately prescribe a synthetic form of psilocybin in the event of federal approval of the psychedelic substance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), arguing that it “surrenders state authority to make an informed determination about classification to federal officials.” The post Incoming Iowa Governor Wants To Legalize Marijuana To Help Fix State’s Budget Issues appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Pennsylvania could become the next state to legalize marijuana now that Democrats appear to have taken control of the state Senate in Tuesday’s elections while maintaining their existing majority in the House of Representatives. Although votes are still being counted in some races, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and other Democratic leaders said they are confident their party will end up winning enough seats to secure a trifecta in state government. “Pennsylvanians just came together to flip the State Senate for the first time in over THREE DECADES—delivering a Democratic trifecta that’s ready to raise the minimum wage, codify reproductive freedom, invest in mass transit, and so much more,” the governor, who also won reelection on Tuesday, said in a social media post. “Now, the real work begins—and we’re ready to get shit done.” While Shapiro did not mention cannabis in his statement, he has long supported legalization and has regularly included the reform in his budget proposals to the legislature. TRIFECTA DELIVERED. Pennsylvanians just came together to flip the State Senate for the first time in over THREE DECADES — delivering a Democratic trifecta that’s ready to raise the minimum wage, codify reproductive freedom, invest in mass transit, and so much more. I’m so proud… — Josh Shapiro (@JoshShapiroPA) November 4, 2026 Michael Bronstein, the Pennsylvania-based president of the American Trade Association for Cannabis & Hemp, told Marijuana Moment that “with Democrats poised to take control of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the first time in three decades, legalization has never been closer in Pennsylvania.” Monica McCafferty, a spokesperson for the cannabis reform group ResponsiblePA, said that “with the new Democratic majority in the Senate, voters just handed Harrisburg permission to legalize.” “There’s no excuse left,” she said. “2027 is the year Pennsylvania gets this done.” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano told Marijuana Moment that “for far too long, Pennsylvania has existed as an island of cannabis prohibition.” “Yet, this policy is highly unpopular with Pennsylvania’s voters—nearly 70 percent of whom want to see the adult-use cannabis market regulated and legalized—and it is highly destructive to the more than 10,000 Pennsylvanians who continue to be arrested annually for minor marijuana possession offenses,” he said. “Lawmakers and regulators have already established that they can safely and effectively regulate the medical cannabis market. It is now time for them to advance legislation to similarly regulate the adult-use market and put an end to the failed policy of marijuana prohibition in the Keystone state.” In September, House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D) said at a cannabis event that Pennsylvania would be poised to legalize marijuana if Democrats gained Senate control, arguing that the state still has “a ways to go” to catch up with its neighbors that have already “moved in the right direction” by enacting legalization. While McClinton’s chamber passed a bill to legalize cannabis last year, it has stalled in the Senate, where Republican have had a narrow majority. House Appropriations Committee Chair Jordan Harris (D) also spoke alongside McClinton on the Black Cannabis Week panel, noting that “attitudes are changing in Pennsylvania with regards to cannabis” but that “one of the reasons why we don’t have full adult use legalized here is because of the attitudes of a handful of members of the Pennsylvania State Senate.” “If we had those attitudes changed and/or the attitudes of their constituency, we would pass a bill out of the House, we would send it to the Senate and they would be able to run it,” he said. Harris, who oversees fiscal issues in his committee leadership capacity, said “it is the finances that’s going to finally drive the conversation, regardless of how we personally feel.” “At the end of the day, it’s going to be about the money, and I think that money is going to drive us to actually legalizing adult use very soon in the commonwealth,” he said. “Our friends in the bordering states are benefiting from us not legalizing cannabis,” Harris said, noting that Pennsylvania residents are crossing the border to buy marijuana. “We are missing out on that tax revenue here, and so for me, it would be a real boom to our economy here in Pennsylvania for us to legalize it.” Sen. Sharif Street (D), who has sponsored legislation to legalize marijuana for several sessions, said that if Democrats take a majority in the Senate, “we may be helping to move this process forward and having a different kind of say” as compared to his ability to advance legislation in the minority caucus. The Black Cannabis Week panel came ahead of a hearing on marijuana legalization that the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee held later in the day where lawmakers highlighted the need for reform. Democratic lawmakers in Pennsylvania have continually pushed for marijuana legalization, including with a discharge resolution that Street filed seeking to bring a bipartisan cannabis bill out of committee. The measure, which was signed by every Democratic senator, aimed to increase pressure on the chamber’s Republican majority to allow a vote on legalizing cannabis. The bill in question is sponsored by Street along with Sen. Dan Laughlin (R), who chairs the Senate Law & Justice Committee but hasn’t called the legislation up for consideration in the panel. The GOP chairman has instead focused on moving a separate bill to create a new Cannabis Control Board to regulate medical marijuana and hemp. That measure failed on the Senate floor in June amid partisan fighting about the best way forward for cannabis in the state. The marijuana legalization bill that Street wants to advance, SB 120, would allow adults aged 21 and older to possess up to 30 grams of cannabis flower, 1,000 milligrams of THC in edible products and 5 grams of concentrate. It would also create a process to expunge prior marijuana-related criminal records. If enacted, there would be an 8 percent excise tax on cannabis sales, alongside the state’s regular sales tax of 6 percent. The legislative maneuvering around the bill came as a recent poll showed that Pennsylvania voters overwhelmingly support marijuana legalization—and that the largest share put the blame on Republican lawmakers for the fact that the state has not yet enacted the reform. Republican gubernatorial nominee Stacy Garrity, who lost to Shapiro in Tuesday’s election, had pledged to veto a marijuana legalization bill if lawmakers ever sent one to her desk—though she added that she doesn’t think the reform stands a chance of making it that far in the state. Her running mate for lieutenant governor, Jason Richey, claimed that legalizing marijuana would be “catastrophic” for the state, arguing it would increase the size of the illegal market, undermine job creation and harm public health. Current Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R) said he doesn’t think the state will legalize marijuana this year—and he believes that it should not move ahead at all without further changes at the federal level. The governor earlier this year, as he has in past years, included cannabis legalization and the resulting expected revenue in his budget request. The House last year passed a bill to legalize marijuana and put sales in state-owned dispensaries, but the Republican Senate majority has criticized that plan while also not advancing a cannabis legalization model of its own. The state’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) reported in February that legalizing cannabis in Pennsylvania would generate nearly half a billion dollars in annual revenue by 2028, an estimate that is a significantly larger cash windfall compared to projections from Shapiro’s own office. A spokesperson in the governor’s office said the Trump administration’s federal marijuana rescheduling move is an “important step” that “adds support” to his push to legalize cannabis. A GOP senator also said that federal reform will make it easier to legalize marijuana in the state. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Meanwhile, Laughlin is blaming the governor for the defeat of his bill to create a new Cannabis Control Board (CCB) to oversee the state’s medical marijuana program and intoxicating hemp products and that could also one day oversee recreational cannabis if it is legalized. Most GOP senators in the Republican-controlled chamber voted for the legislation from Laughlin, and all but two Democrats opposed it—with even some lawmakers who signed onto the measure as cosponsors ultimately voting against it. The measure would transfer regulatory authority for the state’s existing medical cannabis program from the Department of Health to a new seven-member CCB. The body would oversee cannabis permits, enforcement, seed-to-sale tracking, advertising, labeling, testing and other aspects of the legal industry. Moments after the bill’s defeat on the Senate floor, the chamber adopted a motion to reconsider—but it’s not yet clear when or if the legislation will get another vote. Laughlin’s legislation would also significantly restrict most hemp THC products, aligning the state with a new federal policy that is set to take effect later this year recriminalizing preparations with total THC content of more than 0.3 percent on a dry-weight basis or more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container. The action on the cannabis regulatory bill, SB 49, came shortly after the House of Representatives passed a bill to allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. A companion bill on medical marijuana access in healthcare facilities is also advancing in the Senate. Meanwhile, a Republican senator recently announced plans to file legislation to keep hemp THC products legally available while enacting new regulations. The post Pennsylvania Is Teed Up To Finally Legalize Marijuana As Democrats Claim Majority In State Senate appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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After becoming the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Texas in decades, James Talarico plans to work with President Donald Trump on federally legalizing marijuana—saying that cannabis use is “a crime that doesn’t hurt anybody.” “I agree with the president on the need to legalize marijuana and reform this broken criminal justice system,” he said in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, also listing immigration and housing as issues he would like to partner with Trump on. "I look forward to working with him for all 31 million Texans." Texas Senator-elect James Talarico says he's ready to work with President Trump, pointing to several issues where the Democrat believes they can find common ground. Talarico gives Trump credit for doing a better… pic.twitter.com/IoDaMghrHW — Fox News (@FoxNews) November 4, 2026 In an earlier interview last month, Talarico was asked what he could realistically accomplish as a senator while a Republican is president, Talarico acknowledged that “with Donald Trump in the Oval Office, we’re going to have to find areas where we can work together.” After discussing housing issues, the then-candidate zeroed in on criminal justice reform, saying he was “a fan of” Trump’s work on the issue during his first term in office when he enacted legislation to aid reentry into society for incarcerated people. “He’s for legalizing marijuana, and so am I,” Talarico said of the president. “I hope we can do that together and expunge the records of people who have been locked up for a crime that doesn’t hurt anybody.” “Those are some areas I think we could work together with the president,” he said. While Trump’s administration isn’t pushing broad federal marijuana legalization at this point, it is taking steps on the more modest reform of rescheduling cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act to acknowledge its medical uses. Trump himself did endorse a state-level marijuana legalization initiative that appeared on Florida’s ballot in 2024, While the measure fell short of the 60 percent threshold needed to enact a constitutional amendment in the state, it did get majority support. Earlier last month, Talarico said he would work to federally legalize marijuana if he wins the Senate race. “Like prohibition, bans don’t work,” Talarico, who currently serves as a state representative, said. “Texans aren’t going to stop smoking weed because politicians in Austin or D.C. told them not to. People will still use THC, but instead of getting it safely from regulated, local small businesses, they’ll get it from the black market, from the drug cartels. “In the Senate, I’ll support legalizing marijuana for adults—regulating and imposing taxes on its sales to support public safety and health programs,” he said. Talarico’s now-defeated Republican opponent for the Senate seat, Ken Paxton, meanwhile, has filed lawsuits to block several Texas cities from implementing local voter-approved laws to decriminalize marijuana in his capacity as state attorney general. His office has also defended state hemp THC product restrictions from litigation. In an interview with The Breakfast Club in August, Talarico candidate said that keeping marijuana illegal while also moving to restrict hemp THC products is an “insane” form of “corruption.” “Think about what industries are most worried about THC products being readily available: Big Beer, Big Tobacco, right? And so they were the ones pushing this THC ban because it hurts their bottom line,” he said. “And a lot of research shows that THC—cannabis—these products are safer and less addictive than than beer or tobacco.” “And so to me, this is a prime example of what corruption looks like when you’ve got big industries buying politicians and pushing bills that harm people, but benefit them financially,” Talarico said. He has also suggested that Paxton supports banning cannabis in order to aid his political donors in the alcohol and tobacco industries. “People are outraged across the state, and it’s not any one political party,” Talarico said of recently enacted state restrictions on hemp products in an interview with KTSM-TV. “It’s people across the spectrum.” “It doesn’t make any sense until you follow the money and realize that it is big beer and big tobacco that are funding the politicians, like Ken Paxton, who turned around and banned these safe THC products in order to enrich the big beer and a big tobacco lobby,” Talarico said. While Talarico’s suggestion that Paxton’s actions were undertaken to support any specific business can’t be verified, campaign finance records reviewed by Marijuana Moment show that Paxton has accepted more than $500,000 in political donations from the alcohol industry while using the power of his office to crack down on cannabis. Meanwhile, voters in Houston on Tuesday approved an initiative to make misdemeanor marijuana possession the “lowest possible enforcement priority” for local police on the November ballot. Image element courtesy of Antonioaesparza. The post Newly Elected To Senate, Talarico Plans To Work With Trump On Federally Legalizing Marijuana appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Houston deprioritizes marijuana arrests; ID anti-cannabis amendment fails; Poll: 280E tax savings should lower prices; Cannabis medicine op-ed 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… By starting a $10 per month pledge on Patreon—or about 45 cents per issue of this newsletter—you can help us rely less on ads to cover our expenses, hire more journalists and bring you even more marijuana news. https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Massachusetts voters rejected a ballot initiative to roll back the state’s marijuana legalization law—opting to keep recreational cannabis sales legal. Idaho voters defeated a proposed constitutional amendment that would have prevented them from ever being able to legalize marijuana or other drugs for medical or recreational purposes in future elections. Voters in Houston, Texas approved a ballot measure to make misdemeanor marijuana possession the “lowest possible enforcement priority” for local police while also banning no-knock warrants. The Massachusetts Senate Ways and Means Committee approved a House-passed bill to let military veterans get medical cannabis recommendations without doctors’ recommendations—and to add PTSD, opioid use disorder and chronic pain as qualifying conditions. A new poll shows that three out of four marijuana consumers expect cannabis businesses to lower product prices as they get tax relief from the federal 280E penalty under the Trump administration’s rescheduling move. Matthew Myro Rothman of EM2P2 and CannaLnx argues in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed that the growing legitimacy of cannabis as a medicine raises questions about “who gets to decide what cannabinoid healthcare looks like from here.” “Cannabis could finally achieve the legitimacy the industry spent decades pursuing while much of the knowledge that built medical cannabis remains fragmented, underdocumented or pushed aside… Becoming a credible healthcare category does not require whole-plant cannabinoid medicine to become indistinguishable from conventional pharmaceuticals.” / FEDERAL The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration tweeted, “Secondhand marijuana smoke can affect people nearby. Understanding the risks can help you make informed decisions and protect those around you.” / STATES Vermont regulators approved changes to various cannabis rules. Illinois officials included cannabis-related offenses as disqualifications in healthcare worker background check rules. Georgia regulators are increasing the cost of medical cannabis patient and caregiver cards. California officials touted enforcement actions against illicit cannabis and tobacco operations. Michigan regulators published a monthly report on disciplinary actions against marijuana businesses. Washington, D.C. officials touted enforcement action against a business accused of illegal cannabis and psilocybin sales. Montana regulators sent a newsletter with various cannabis updates. — 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 “there were significant associated decreases in total Part 1 crime and total property crime in dispensary census tracts relative to control tracts, after dispensaries were allowed to sell recreational marijuana.” A review concluded that “psilocybin administered with structured psychological support shows short-term antidepressant activity in carefully selected adults with” treatment-resistant depression. / BUSINESS Organigram Global Inc. is acquiring Aurora Cannabis Inc. Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of $352.7 million and a net loss of $32.7 million. Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. reported quarterly revenue of $64.9 million. Tilray Brands, Inc. is moving to consolidate its Canadian cannabis operations. 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 Massachusetts voters reject cannabis legalization rollback measure (Newsletter: November 4, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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Idaho voters have rejected a ballot measure that would have restricted their own ability to legalize marijuana in the future. The proposed constitutional amendment was trailing by a 69-31 margin on Tuesday night, with an estimated 32 percent of ballots counted, according to The Associated Press. If approved, the measure would have made it so that “only the legislature of the state of Idaho shall have power and authority to legalize the growing, producing, manufacturing, transporting, selling, delivering, dispensing, administering, prescribing, distributing, possessing, or using of marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances.” That would have meant that voters could never collect signatures to place an initiative on the ballot to legalize marijuana or other drugs for medical or recreational purposes. Adam J. Smith, executive director for the Marijuana Policy Project, said that “Idaho voters have scored a major victory for citizen-led advocacy and common sense by soundly rejecting HJR 4.” “Idaho’s cannabis laws are among the most draconian in the nation, and Idahoans suffer one of the highest cannabis arrest rates in the U.S.,” he said. “Simple possession in the state can be punished by up to a year in jail, while a second offense can be elevated to a felony. Medical cannabis is overwhelmingly supported by Idaho voters, and this year, advocates made a nearly successful run at putting the medical issue onto the ballot.” “HJR 4 was the legislature’s effort to silence their constituents on this or any other common-sense drug policy reform once and for all. We applaud Idaho’s voters for sending this powerful message to their elected representatives, and we hope this leads to an even stronger effort in the coming cycle to allow voters to override their legislature’s obstinacy.” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said the proposal, HJR 4, “wasn’t anti-marijuana; it was anti-democracy.” “In a healthy democracy, those with competing visions on public policy vie for voters’ support,” he said. “But Idaho lawmakers know that they can no longer make a rational case for the state’s prohibitive and punitive marijuana policies—policies that are out of step not only with most other states, but also with most Idahoans.” “Rather than evolve their views to align with those of their constituents, Idaho lawmakers cynically asked Idahoans to relinquish one of the most fundamental powers they have in a free society: their power to vote,” Armentano said. “Fortunately, voters rejected this authoritarian proposal.” Sen. C. Scott Grow (R), who led the effort in the legislature to put the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot, said the measure was a way to push back against the marijuana industry, which he claimed is trying to make money off of addiction. “The reason that people push this—the marijuana lobby, whomever—is because there’s money to be made, particularly when people become addicted,” the lawmaker said. “They can make it look chic, make it look wonderful, say it solves all ills. But the end game is money to be made by people that are purveyors of drugs, including marijuana.” Activists in Idaho tried to place a separate initiative on the ballot this year to legalize medical cannabis, but they failed to submit enough valid signatures to qualify the measure. The Natural Medical Alliance of Idaho (NMAI), the campaign behind that unsuccessful effort, has pushed back against the secretary of state’s determination about its signature submissions—including his decision to refer allegations of possible illegal petitioning conduct to law enforcement. Aside from the proposed constitutional amendment to restrict future voter initiatives on marijuana and other drugs, Idaho lawmakers have also pushed back against reform in other ways. Both the Senate and House of Representatives passed a resolution this session urging voters to “reject” the medical marijuana petition. The measure, sponsored by the Senate State Affairs Committee, claimed that cannabis legalization in other states has led to a host of harms, including “increased cartel activity, development of black market marijuana production, human trafficking, and increased crime rates” as well as “increased rates of serious health issues,” environmental harms and “safety concerns on job sites.” It argued that the marijuana initiative would not only increase costs to the state but that its list of approved medical conditions is “so broad that almost anyone could qualify.” “The Idaho Medical Cannabis Act lacks safeguards to such an extent that it would effectively legalize widespread recreational use of marijuana,” the resolution claimed. “The legalization of marijuana would have devastating impacts on Idaho children and their families… The Legislature urges the citizens of Idaho to reject any effort to bring the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act to the ballot.” A statement of purpose filed with the legislation said it “addresses the devastating impact that legalizing marijuana has had on other states” and “identifies the significant problems” with the ballot initiative. Contrary to the claims made about marijuana reform in the legislative resolution, advocates often point to data showing that legalizing and regulating cannabis diminishes the size of the illegal market and has not led to increases in youth use. Meanwhile, NMAI released an analysis showing that Idaho could see more than $100 million worth of medical marijuana sold on an annual basis and up to $28 million in new yearly revenue for state coffers if voters approved the legalization initiative. The campaign in February also released the results of a statewide poll showing that 83 percent of likely voters back medical cannabis legalization, including 74 percent of Republicans, 95 percent of Democrats and 92 percent of independents. Asked how they would vote if the current medical cannabis legalization does appear on the November ballot, 76 percent of respondents said “yes.” Of that cohort, 50 percent said they would “definitively” vote yes, and just 21 percent said they’d vote “no.” After the medical cannabis initiative was unveiled last year, a separate campaign that launched in 2024, Kind Idaho, told supporters that it would be suspending its own signature gathering for a ballot initiative to legalize the personal possession and cultivation of marijuana by adults. Kind Idaho previously introduced medical marijuana ballot measures intended to go before voters in both the 2022 and 2024 elections, but the efforts proved unsuccessful. — 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. — Legislators separately held a hearing last year to discuss a bill to enact medical cannabis legalization legislatively, but there hasn’t been meaningful action on the issue in the months since. Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) last year signed legislation setting a $300 mandatory minimum fine for marijuana possession. A prior version of the proposal, which did not pass, would have set a $420 mandatory minimum fine for possessing cannabis. The post Idaho Voters Reject Ballot Measure That Would Have Restricted Their Own Ability To Legalize Marijuana appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Voters in Massachusetts have rejected a ballot initiative that would have rolled back the state’s marijuana legalization law. Question 8 was trailing by a significant margin of 76 percent to 24 percent on Tuesday night, with an estimated 48 percent of ballots counted, according to The Associated Press. If approved, the measure would have repealed laws allowing the regulated commercial sales of recreational cannabis and home cultivation while maintaining legal possession and continuing the medical marijuana system. “There’s no ‘buyer’s remorse’ among voters when it comes to legalizing and regulating marijuana,” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “In fact, more Massachusetts voters support legalization today than did a decade ago, and these election results prove it.” “Proponents of this failed effort spent millions of dollars to, in their own words, reset the conversation around cannabis policy,” he said. “They found out the hard way that the public hasn’t changed their minds. Americans favor legalization and regulation over the failed policy of marijuana prohibition.” “This campaign was never about promoting the health and safety of Massachusetts residents. It was a trial balloon by prohibitionist groups intent upon rolling back legal cannabis markets nationwide. This decisive election day defeat will likely cause these groups, and those who fund them, to reconsider those plans.” Adam J. Smith, executive director for the Marijuana Policy Project, said that “despite a well-funded scare campaign, Massachusetts voters have chosen common sense by defeating the ballot initiative to end the state’s legal adult-use cannabis market.” “This outcome shows that Massachusetts voters recognize the true value of regulated cannabis markets: reducing youth access, which means significantly fewer kids using cannabis; safer access for adults to rigorously tested and properly labeled products; plummeting arrest rates, which means fewer lives needlessly disrupted and fewer tax dollars wasted; tens of thousands of new jobs, and hundreds of millions in new revenues; and a recognition of personal liberty and freedom of consciousness,” he said. Polls leading up to Election Day consistently found that a strong majority of Massachusetts voters opposed the anti-cannabis proposal, and one survey showed that most believe legal marijuana has been good for the state’s economy, tax revenue, criminal justice system and local communities. A host of major politicians had publicly said they planned to vote against making marijuana sales illegal again. That includes Gov. Maura Healey (D), who said “the cannabis industry is important” and her Republican challenger for reelection, Mike Minogue, who despite having opposed legalization initially said he is “not in favor of repealing it.” U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ed Markey (D-MA) both recently told Marijuana Moment that they would be voting against the anti-cannabis measure. “We could make improvements in the operations but legalizing cannabis is better than continuing an unregulated, underground market,” Warren said. “So I’m opposed to the repeal. I’m voting no on the ballot to repeal.” Markey, for his part, said the state’s marijuana legalization law that voters approved in 2016 continues to enjoy “overwhelming support.” “We’ve had debate,” he said. “The voters are satisfied at this moment with the experience that the state has had with it… I support keeping it on the books and overwhelmingly so do the people of Massachusetts.” Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) also urged voters to reject the measure, saying that “keeping marijuana legal in Massachusetts is both economic justice and racial justice policy.” More than 50 state lawmakers said they would be voting against the anti-marijuana ballot measure—including the House speaker and Senate president. Boston’s mayor also said she opposed the initiative to roll back marijuana legalization. The City Council in Worcester—the state’s second-most populous municipality—passed a resolution urging voters to reject the anti-cannabis initiative. Competing campaigns working to pass and defeat the legalization rollback launched a series of ads trying to convince voters of their respective positions. The prohibitionist campaign’s ads focused on the dangers of marijuana-impaired driving, while the campaign seeking to keep cannabis sales legal highlighted the public health and safety harms of sending consumers back to the unregulated market. The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), which regulates the legal industry, announced in September that the state has surpassed $10 billion in adult-use cannabis purchases since the market launched in 2018. CCC Chair Chris Harding told Marijuana Moment that he couldn’t comment directly on the initiative and that the commission does not take positions on pending ballot questions or legislation, but he said that, in general, “repeal of the adult-use industry could eliminate thousands of jobs, hundreds of businesses and billions in tax revenue.” Meanwhile, a top labor union—the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Massachusetts State Council— urged voters to reject the cannabis legalization rollback initiative. The National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NABLEO) also announced its endorsement for the No On 8 campaign, and a group of more than 50 current and former law enforcement officials separately signed an open letter opposing the anti-cannabis initiative. Leading up to the election, the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) issued a warning that passage of the legalization rollback measure would have had “disastrous political and economic consequences for legal cannabis markets everywhere.” “Even a too-close victory would spook markets and incentivize a rash of similar initiatives in states around the country, each costing millions to try and defeat,” the group said. After the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office determined that organizers for the anti-cannabis proposal had turned in enough valid signatures to put the measure before voters, a marijuana reform advocate filed an objection with the State Ballot Law Commission claiming that various signatures were not genuine, obtained through fraudulent means or were not “signed substantially as registered.” The body rejected the challenge to the legal marijuana rollback measure, however, clearing it to go before voters to decide. In June, the campaign behind the anti-legalization ballot measure fired a signature gatherer it says was shown appearing to engage in “wholly unacceptable” conduct in a recent video. As Marijuana Moment reported, a man petitioning for the Massachusetts initiative as well as a similar anti-cannabis proposal in Maine was depicted in recent social media posts seeming to argue that voters who support legal marijuana access should sign the petitions in order to advance or protect reform. The campaign later said it has “zero tolerance for any circulation tactics that would mislead petition signers.” “The identified canvasser was immediately terminated, in coordination with our vendor, upon being made aware of the alleged conduct,” the group said. “The conduct apparent in the video would be wholly unacceptable and does not reflect how this campaign operates. We demand honesty, transparency and professionalism from everyone associated with our effort.” A video posted to Reddit of the signature gatherer shows the man collecting signatures outside a retail store in Massachusetts next to a sign that says “keep cannabis legal.” When confronted by a marijuana reform supporter who recorded the petitioner’s interactions with voters, he appeared to be trying to convince them that it is important to qualify the anti-cannabis measure for the ballot in order to then defeat it. “This is what we’re fighting against right here. That’s why we vote no,” he said. “If we can get this to the ballot right here, we vote no.” The person who captured the video pointed out that Massachusetts voters already approved marijuana legalization years ago, and that the only way it could be imminently repealed is if the new ballot measure qualified for the November election. If the initiative did not get enough signatures to go before voters, the state’s laws would remain the same. The same man also appeared to also be gathering signatures for a separate measure in Maine that would similarly repeal laws allowing regulated adult-use marijuana sales and home cultivation rights for adults while keeping possession legal and adding new testing requirements for medical cannabis. A staffer for the prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), whose affiliated group SAM Action is largely funding the anti-cannabis ballot campaigns in both states, declined to comment about the petitioner’s conduct when reached by Marijuana Moment. The campaigns have previously been accused of misleading petitioning tactics. In Massachusetts, some voters reported that the campaign used fake cover letters for other ballot measures on unrelated issues like affordable housing and same-day voter registration during the first round of petitioning. Legal cannabis supporters filed an earlier formal complaint about the prohibitionist effort’s tactics, but the State Ballot Law Commission rejected the challenge. The measure also faced a legal challenge from cannabis industry operatives who argued it contains “impermissibly unrelated subjects,” and that the state attorney general’s official summary is “misleading and deficient.” The state Supreme Judicial Court heard oral arguments on the litigation challenging the anti-marijuana initiative but it ultimately ruled against the lawsuit. Broken Lizard, the comedy troupe behind films such as Super Troopers and Beerfest, recently launched a video ad that explains how Massachusetts residents who want to keep cannabis sales legal should vote on the measure given its confusing wording and path to the ballot. The Massachusetts House of Representatives recently passed a bill to increase military veterans’ access to medical marijuana by allowing them to receive patient cards without having to get a doctor’s recommendation and adding additional qualifying conditions. The post Massachusetts Voters Decide To Keep Marijuana Sales Legal, Rejecting Ballot Measure Bring Back Criminalization appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Voters in Houston, Texas have approved a ballot measure to make misdemeanor marijuana possession the “lowest possible enforcement priority” for local police. The initiative was leading by a strong margin of 72 percent to 28 percent on Tuesday evening. The measure was placed on the ballot by the City Council after activists with Ground Game Texas submitted nearly 40,000 signatures in support of the Houston Freedom Act, which will also ban no-knock warrants in the city. “The Houston Freedom Act is proof that when working-class Texans have the opportunity to shape the policies that govern their lives, they can change what’s possible,” Catina Voellinger, executive director of Ground Game Texas, told Marijuana Moment. “As election results come in across Texas tonight, we’re seeing a powerful reminder that the political future of our state is not set in stone.” “Texans are showing up, making their voices heard and demanding something different,” she said. “This is what democracy looks like when it’s built by us, for us. Tonight, the will of Houstonians prevailed.” The cannabis initiative says that its purpose is to “carefully allocating scarce city resources, reducing the risk of discriminatory enforcement practices, and focusing city resources on the highest priority public safety concerns.” “The City shall update its annual budget, police department manual, and relevant policies and procedures to ensure that public safety resources are not wasted on misdemeanor marijuana enforcement, and are instead targeted at other programs that best promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the people of Houston,” it says. The measure says the city should support diversion options such as referrals to treatment or participation in community service programs as an alternative to arrest for people accused of Class A or Class B misdemeanor marijuana possession. Officers will still be allowed to seize any substance that they have probable cause to believe is marijuana, however. — 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. — Now that the measure has passed, the city manager will need to ensure that budgets and reporting account for “total funds and staff time” spent on THC testing of cannabis-related substances. There will also need to be a one-time audit of all misdemeanor marijuana enforcement conducted by city police within the past five years, including a breakdown of arrests made and citations issued, with demographic breakdowns for age, gender, race and ethnicity. “To the best of their ability, the City shall determine: (a) the average total staff hours required per misdemeanor marijuana charge, including officer time, transit time, and any staff processing time; (b) the average total cost to the City per misdemeanor marijuana charge; (c ) the estimated total spent by the City on THC testing for each year under review; and (d) the estimated total spent by the City on misdemeanor marijuana enforcement, including staff and testing costs, for each year under review.” Going forward, local officials will additionally need to issue annual reports on implementation of the lowest-enforcement priority policy for cannabis possession arrests. Ground Game has previously organized efforts to put more far-reaching measures to decriminalize marijuana under local law on the ballot in several cities across Texas, with some passing and some failing. In general, the measures that have been approved in Austin, Denton, Elgin, Harker Heights, Killeen and San Marcos were aimed at preventing police from making arrests or issuing citations for Class A or B misdemeanor cannabis possession offenses, unless it’s part of a high priority felony investigation for narcotics or violent crime. State Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), however, has sued to block enactment of those local cannabis decriminalization laws—saying that “we don’t allow cities the ability to create anarchy by picking and choosing the laws they enforce.” The Texas Supreme Court sided with the attorney general in his quest to overturn the local voter-approved cannabis laws. Paxton ran for U.S. Senate this November. His Democratic opponent James Talarico supports cannabis reform and has said he would like to partner with President Donald Trump on federal marijuana legalization. Meanwhile in Texas, regulators have moved to ban certain hemp-derived THC cannabis products, including those containing delta-8 and delta-10 THC. Now classified as Schedule I drugs, possession is treated as a felony, carrying a punishment of 180 days to two years in prison and fines of up to $10,000. The restrictions are being challenged through litigation filed by hemp companies. Image element courtesy of AnonMoos. The post Houston Voters Approve Measure To Reduce Marijuana Arrests, Making Them The ‘Lowest Possible Enforcement Priority’ appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Most marijuana consumers believe that cannabis businesses that are no longer subject to a longstanding tax penalty due to the Trump administration’s federal rescheduling move should pass along the savings in the form of lower product prices, a new poll shows. Under an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E, sellers of Schedule I and II substances are not eligible to take tax deductions and credits that are otherwise available to most businesses. As a result, operators in the cannabis industry often have extremely high effective tax rates. But under the Trump administration’s move to transfer marijuana to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), compliant cannabis operators will no longer be subject to 280E and will be able to finally deduct business expenses from their taxes. In a new poll, the cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD asked consumers, “If cannabis companies get tax relief that comes with federal rescheduling, do you expect them to pass along the savings to you via lower prices?” Seventy-four percent said yes, they do expect marijuana businesses to lower their product prices in line with their new reduced operating expenses—compared to just 26 percent who expect the companies themselves to keep all the savings while maintaining current price levels. “Rising prices, high interest rates and a despondent job market are all squeezing consumers. They’re looking for relief wherever they can find it,” Tyler Elson, director of content at NuggMD, told Marijuana Moment. “And because cannabis banking and 280E have been such hot topics, many are aware of just how much cannabis companies stand to save if federal rescheduling brings tax relief.” The survey was based on interviews with 654 cannabis consumers who live in state-legal markets from October 8-15 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.83 percentage points. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and IRS said in April that they plan to soon issue guidance on tax issues for marijuana businesses stemming from rescheduling, but that hasn’t yet happened. In their announcement about forthcoming guidance, IRS and Treasury said they “expect DOJ’s action to have significant positive tax consequences for businesses in the medical marijuana industry.” “Accordingly, rescheduling generally removes section 280E as a bar to claiming deductions and credits for businesses that as a result of the Final Order no longer traffic in Schedule I or II controlled substances under the CSA,” they said. The agencies did not specify when they expect to issue the forthcoming guidance. In May, a group of congressional Democrats sent a latter asking Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano to issue “prompt guidance” on tax issues for marijuana businesses in light of the Trump administration’s move to federally reschedule cannabis. On the other side of the debate, a pair of Republican lawmakers in June sent a letter to the treasury secretary saying they are “concerned” and “troubled” that marijuana businesses will be eligible for tax relief now that cannabis is being partially rescheduled under federal law. Earlier this year, the Congressional Research Service published a report on the 280E tax penalty’s application to the marijuana industry. The post Three Out Of Four Consumers Expect Marijuana Businesses To Lower Prices As Federal Rescheduling Provides Tax Relief, Poll Shows appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“Becoming a credible healthcare category does not require whole-plant cannabinoid medicine to become indistinguishable from conventional pharmaceuticals.” By Matthew Myro Rothman, EM2P2 and CannaLnx For decades, the medical cannabis movement fought for something that should have been relatively simple: recognition that cannabis can be medicine. Patients fought for access. Physicians put their reputations on the line. Advocates changed state laws. Cultivators, breeders and dispensary operators built an industry while federal policy largely refused to acknowledge what millions of patients already knew. That fight is finally producing something closer to medical legitimacy: In April, the federal government moved qualifying state-regulated medical cannabis products from Schedule I to Schedule III. It’s an extraordinary acknowledgment from Washington that cannabis has accepted medical use. At the same time, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched a separate hearing process over the broader rescheduling of marijuana, proceedings with enormous implications for how federal law will ultimately treat cannabis beyond state medical programs, including the future of state-regulated adult-use markets. But legitimacy creates a new question for our industry, and we should be paying much more attention to it: Who gets to decide what cannabinoid healthcare looks like from here? The next cannabis fight will be less about legalization than about institutional power: who writes the rules, controls the data and builds the systems through which cannabinoid medicine enters American healthcare. Healthcare is made up of far more than medicines and doctors. It runs on standards, reimbursement systems, provider networks, clinical data, documentation, patient records, research protocols and trusted methods for exchanging information. Those systems determine which therapies are recognized, which providers participate, how patients access care and what information is considered credible. As cannabinoid medicine becomes more closely integrated with mainstream healthcare, those systems will have to exist here, too. The question is whether the cannabis industry helps build them—or eventually inherits systems designed by somebody else. Cannabis already has a body of medical knowledge This matters because medical cannabis is not arriving at healthcare’s doorstep empty-handed. Decades of state-regulated programs have produced an enormous body of practical knowledge about cannabinoid medicine. Patients have learned which formulations work for them. Clinicians have accumulated observations about dosing and outcomes. Breeders and cultivators have developed sophisticated knowledge of genetics and chemotypes. Dispensary professionals have spent years helping patients navigate products, delivery methods and cannabinoid ratios. All of this despite the federal government’s archaic rules restricting cannabis research for nearly a century. Much of that knowledge developed outside traditional clinical infrastructure because cannabis had no other choice. The challenge now is organizing and documenting it in ways that insurers, researchers, regulators and healthcare institutions can reliably use. If we fail to do that, a strange thing could happen: Cannabis could finally achieve the legitimacy the industry spent decades pursuing while much of the knowledge that built medical cannabis remains fragmented, underdocumented or pushed aside. That would be a tremendous loss. Healthcare integration should not require pharmaceutical assimilation Medical cannabis should meet healthcare expectations for safety, evidence, accountability and data integrity. Those expectations are appropriate. But becoming a credible healthcare category does not require whole-plant cannabinoid medicine to become indistinguishable from conventional pharmaceuticals. There is room for a parallel model: one that preserves state-regulated medical cannabis, patient choice and the expertise already developed within this industry while allowing secure interoperability with insurers, providers and the wider healthcare system. The goal should be for cannabinoid medicine to become a peer healthcare community: credible enough to stand alongside established medical institutions, capable of producing evidence those institutions can trust and equipped to participate in reimbursement and coordinated care. That requires infrastructure. Infrastructure determines who has a voice This is why the next phase of medical cannabis will be shaped by decisions that may initially sound boring: Who establishes standards? Who structures the data? How are outcomes documented? How are purchases validated for reimbursement? How do physicians, dispensaries, insurers and patients securely interact? Those decisions eventually become the architecture of an industry. In my work with the American Council of Cannabis Medicine (ACCM) and EM2P2 to develop the Next Frontier Pipeline, I have seen how much coordination this transition requires. Connecting cannabinoid medicine with healthcare means solving difficult questions around data standards, patient privacy, reimbursement, clinical evidence and interoperability. No single company or institution should answer those questions alone. The infrastructure connects patients, physicians, dispensaries, laboratories, insurers, employers, health networks and other stakeholders while supporting functions including reimbursement validation, standardized data exchange, real-world evidence and interoperability. I am obviously close to that work. But the larger point extends well beyond our platform. Cannabis needs infrastructure built with the participation of cannabis. The industry has an opportunity to organize its knowledge, establish credible standards and demonstrate that it can interact responsibly with mainstream healthcare without surrendering everything that made medical cannabis a distinct therapeutic community in the first place. Federal legitimacy was never supposed to be the finish line. It’s an invitation—and a warning—to build the systems that will determine how cannabinoid medicine functions for decades to come. The people who carried medical cannabis through prohibition should not be consulted after those systems are built. They should help design them now. The next victory will not simply be recognition that cannabis can be medicine. It will be a healthcare system capable of learning from what patients and practitioners already know—and putting that knowledge to work without erasing where it came from. Matthew Myro Rothman is the chief science officer at EM2P2 and CannaLnx, an intelligent health platform that connects patients, doctors, dispensaries and insurers to make medical cannabis care safe, data-driven, and reimbursable. The post Who Gets To Define the Future Of Cannabis Medicine? (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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A Massachusetts bill containing provisions aimed at increasing military veterans’ access to medical marijuana and adding new qualifying conditions to the state’s medical cannabis program is advancing in the legislature. The Senate Ways and Means Committee approved the House-passed measure last week, setting it up for expected floor consideration on Thursday. The large-scale supplemental budget bill that touches on a number of issues, including one section that would potentially allow veterans to receive a state medical cannabis card without having to get a recommendation from a doctor. The initial version of the legislation was filed by Gov. Maura Healey (D), though some provisions of her initial proposal were amended or removed by the House of Representatives last month. If the measure passes the Senate this week, and the House signs off on recent changes, it would then go to the governor to be signed into law. Because the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continues to prohibit its providers from filling out medical marijuana recommendation forms, many of their veteran patients are forced to either seek outside, often expensive physician consultations or go without legal access to medical cannabis. But under the legislation that is now advancing, veterans in Massachusetts would be able to become registered medical marijuana patients by providing state officials with “official documentation” from the federal Veterans Administration “indicating a diagnosis of a debilitating medical condition; provided, that the [Cannabis Control Commission (CCC)] shall not require a written or electronic certification from a healthcare professional.” In other words, VA doctors wouldn’t have to specifically recommend medical cannabis in order to help their patients get legal access and could instead just diagnose them with a qualifying condition under the state’s law. That latter clause of the provision in its current form is a change from Healey’s initial proposal, which had more simply read that veterans under statute could use VA diagnosis documentation to get medical marijuana “without the need for a written or electronic certification from a healthcare professional”—without any reference to CCC. The bill as approved by the House and the Senate committee also adds post-traumatic stress disorder, opioid use disorder and “a medical condition that produces chronic pain” to the definition of a “debilitating medical condition” that could qualify patents for medical cannabis. The version that was filed by the governor did not include opioid use disorder. While veterans and other adults over the age of 21 are already able to buy recreational marijuana in Massachusetts, medical cannabis purchases are exempt from sales, excise and municipal taxes that apply in the adult-use market. Medical patients also have higher purchase limits than adult-use consumers, and have access to higher potency products than are allowed in the recreational market. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — The governor’s measure, if enacted into law, will also help to ensure veterans’ continued access to cannabis if voters approve an initiative on Tuesday’s ballot to roll back recreational marijuana legalization. The measure would repeal laws allowing the regulated commercial sales of recreational cannabis and home cultivation while maintaining legal possession and continuing the medical marijuana system. Despite the anti-marijuana measure qualifying for the ballot, recent polls show that a majority of Massachusetts voters oppose Question 8. In April, Healey signed legislation to double the legal marijuana possession limit for adults and revise the regulatory framework for the state’s adult-use cannabis market. In 2024, the governor approved a military veterans-focused bill that includes provisions to create a psychedelics working group to study and make recommendations about the potential therapeutic benefits of substances like psilocybin and MDMA. The post Massachusetts Lawmakers Advance Bill To Let Military Veterans Get Medical Marijuana Without A Doctor’s Recommendation appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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Ted Cruz’s marijuana & voting joke; NH gov & challenger debate cannabis; Police groups oppose MA legalization rollback; Federal registration op-ed Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… Your good deed for the day: donate to an independent publisher like Marijuana Moment and ensure that as many voters as possible have access to the most in-depth cannabis reporting out there. Support our work at https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) joked that Republicans can stave off a Democratic blue wave in this week’s midterm elections by tricking liberal voters with an offer of free marijuana edibles on Tuesday and pretending they don’t need to head to the polls until Wednesday. “All day Tuesday, they have free marijuana brownies at the YMCA.” New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) and Democratic opponent Cinde Warmington clashed on cannabis legalization at a debate, with the prohibitionist governor saying she is “not surprised that an opioid lobbyist would want to legalize recreation marijuana in this state, but I care deeply about our children.” The American Medical Association sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration raising concerns about scientific standards in the development of marijuana, kratom and other botanical drugs—while also supporting creation of a new “special schedule” to advance research on cannabis’s “potential medical utility.” The National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers is urging Massachusetts voters to reject a ballot initiative to roll back the state’s marijuana legalization law—and a group of more than 50 current and former law enforcement officials also signed a letter opposing the anti-cannabis measure. Americans for Safe Access’s Steph Sherer explains in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed what the federal government’s registration of more than 900 medical cannabis dispensaries means for patients, states and businesses. “For the first time, the federal government is recognizing and registering the medical cannabis dispensaries that patients fought to establish. This is a tremendous victory for patient access and an opportunity to build on 30 years of progress.” / FEDERAL The U.S. Sentencing Commission published an updated sentencing guidelines manual. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration tweeted, “Marijuana use while breastfeeding may expose babies to THC and other chemicals through breast milk. These substances may increase the risk of problems with brain development.” / STATES Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) touted his mass cannabis pardon. Kansas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cindy Holscher, currently a state senator, discussed her support for legalizing marijuana. The Pennsylvania Senate Democratic caucus tweeted, “Senate Republicans have blocked our efforts to address issues that will help Pennsylvanians. Including:… Adult-use cannabis.” A Nebraska judge upheld official misconduct convictions against a notary who worked on medical cannabis legalization initiative ballot petitions. California regulators are moving to adopt changes to rules on marijuana business license modifications. Illinois regulators published guidance on cannabis bundles and variety packs. Oklahoma’s departing top medical cannabis regulator discussed her thoughts on the state’s program after overseeing it for the past five years. Michigan regulators are accepting applications for a cannabis social equity grant program. Washington State regulators will consider changes to cannabis business rules on Wednesday. Colorado regulators will hold a hearing on proposed changes to psychedelics rules on Wednesday. — 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 Voters in several Oregon cities will decide on local ballot measures to tax or ban the sale of marijuana or psilocybin. / INTERNATIONAL Nepal’s Supreme Court ordered the government to establish a regulatory framework for cultivation and production of cannabis for medicinal, scientific, agricultural, horticultural and industrial purposes within three months. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “cannabis use among cancer patients is common” and that “most patients believe cannabis improves cancer-related symptoms, yet many do not discuss its use with healthcare providers.” A review concluded that “psilocybin has relatively low acute physiological toxicity and potential therapeutic value when administered in controlled settings with psychological support, and professional training and clear clinical governance is required.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The Houston Chronicle editorial board is urging Texas voters to support candidates who back marijuana legalization. / BUSINESS Cresco Labs Inc. shareholders approved creation of a new parent company and elected board of directors members. Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. acquired an equity stake and certain operating rights in Boone Town Provisions. 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 AMA voices cannabis concerns to federal officials (Newsletter: November 3, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A psychotherapist and his wife discuss 25 years of using MDMA together, testing it safely in today's drug supply, and what it taught them about grief. Episode Summary Is MDMA safe after 70? Charley and Shelley Wininger have used it together more than a hundred times over twenty-five years, and they joined me to make the case that it belongs to midlife and beyond at least as much as it belongs to a festival crowd in their twenties. Charley is a licensed psychoanalyst and mental health counselor in Brooklyn, practicing since 1989, and the author of "Listening to Ecstasy: The Transformative Power of MDMA." Shelley is a retired critical care nurse. Neither of them treats this casually. We get into how they source and test MDMA, including a newer complication in drug checking that most listeners haven't heard of yet, and why the medications most people over sixty five are already taking change the entire experience and need a doctor in the conversation. We also talk about what it's actually done for their marriage, a chapter Charley reads aloud from his book about mortality, and what happened when Shelley used MDMA with a group of forty people in a park nine days after her son died. We are living through what public health researchers call an epidemic of isolation, and the Winingers' argument is a simple one: the antidote they found was not a program. It was each other, said plainly, a few times a year, for twenty five years. Key Takeaways Testing isn't one step anymore; it's two, maybe three. A reagent kit confirms MDMA is present. A fentanyl test strip checks separately for fentanyl. A newer class of synthetic opioid, chemically different from fentanyl and in some cases far more potent, won't show up on a fentanyl strip at all.Roughly one in five women in their forties and fifties are on an antidepressant, and that share keeps climbing after sixty (CDC/NCHS, 2015–2018). These medications don't clear quickly, and timing MDMA around them is a conversation for a prescriber, not a solo decision.A serotonin-recovery practice some people use after MDMA carries a real risk of serotonin syndrome if timed too close to the dose itself; harm reduction guidance calls for a minimum 24- to 48-hour wait.Grief, not a diagnosis, is often what actually brings people to this medicine. Shelley's story is offered as one data point on that, not a treatment claim.A twenty-five-year, 200-person community built on sober potluck dinners is the throughline of the Winingers' argument that MDMA's real value for this age group is connection, not escape. Timestamps 0:00 Welcome and tonight's topic: MDMA after 70 0:00 Charley and Shelley's origin story, and the "useless medicine" years 2:00 The isolation epidemic and sourcing MDMA through community 3:00 Testing MDMA safely: what's changed in the drug supply 4:00 Why Shelley tried MDMA, and what it gave her that nothing else had 5:00 Charley reads "Senior High" from his book, and the mortality conversation 7:30 Medications, contraindications, and talking to your doctor first 14:00 Community, chosen family, and 25 years of potlucks 15:30 Shelley's story: a grief circle in the park, nine days after loss 19:00 The closing question every couple should bring into the room Guest Charley Wininger is a licensed psychoanalyst and mental health counselor based in Brooklyn, in practice since 1989, and the author of "Listening to Ecstasy: The Transformative Power of MDMA" (Park Street Press). Shelley Wininger is a retired critical care nurse. Together they've used MDMA more than a hundred times over twenty-five years. Follow Charley on Substack. Psychedelic Salon at Town Hall Seattle: 2026-27 Schedule Follow April on Substack Visit aprilpride.com Original Substack post Hosted by April Pride IG: @aprilpridecreates - https://instagram.com/aprilpridecreates YouTube: https://youtube.com/@aprilpridecreates Catch the full episode here

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