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“The GDF Cartel has—through a combination of price-fixing, product- and supplier-allocation agreements, and coordinated exclusionary conduct—unlawfully seized control of the Missouri retail dispensary market.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent When Missouri voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2022, the constitutional amendment they approved carried forward a limit meant to prevent any single company from controlling too much of the market. But one key phrase from the state’s medical marijuana law was gone. The constitution’s medical marijuana provision barred the state from issuing more than five dispensary licenses to any entity under “substantially common control, ownership, or management.” The recreational marijuana amendment instead says an entity may not own more than 10 percent of total dispensary licenses, dropping the language covering common control and management. That change received little public attention during the campaign. But records obtained by The Independent show it helped create an opening for Good Day Farm, the Little Rock-based marijuana company that was the leading donor to the legalization campaign, to build a much larger footprint in Missouri than the state’s license cap might appear to allow. Good Day Farm and affiliated entities are now tied through ownership records, management structures and acquisition agreements to more than 60 of Missouri’s 224 dispensary licenses—more than a quarter of the market. The next-largest marijuana operator in Missouri own 16 dispensaries, according to ownership records obtained through a public records request. A class-action lawsuit this week led by two Missouri marijuana manufacturing companies now alleges that Good Day Farm and its affiliates used that structure to form an “illegal cartel,” coordinating pricing, product supply and retail operations across dispensaries that do not all operate under the Good Day Farm name. The petition, filed by Local Cannabis and VIBE, names nearly 50 LLCs and a handful of individuals, alleging they violated the state constitution’s cap on the number of licenses one group can own or manage. It also argues Good Day Farm and its affiliates violated Missouri antitrust laws through price-fixing, supplier-allocation agreements and coordinated conduct meant to consolidate control of the state’s retail marijuana market. “Ultimately, the GDF Cartel has—through a combination of price-fixing, product- and supplier-allocation agreements, and coordinated exclusionary conduct—unlawfully seized control of the Missouri retail dispensary market that serves as the sole channel through which Plaintiffs can legally reach consumers,” states the lawsuit, which was filed in Jackson County Circuit Court. Good Day Farm did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent. The lawsuit marks a new phase in a debate that has followed Missouri’s marijuana industry since before voters approved recreational sales. Critics of the 2022 amendment warned during the campaign that the proposal could entrench existing marijuana operators and limit competition, while supporters argued it would safely legalize adult-use cannabis and expand access. Good Day Farm’s role in that campaign was significant. The company was the top donor to the successful 2022 legalization effort. Its attorneys also served on the advisory team that drafted the constitutional amendment. The resulting amendment did not include limits on “substantial common control” or “management.” Local Cannabis and VIBE argue in their lawsuit that the broader medical marijuana language still applies to recreational licenses and that Good Day Farm’s structure violates the constitutional cap. “The arrangements of the GDF Cartel providing for substantially common control, ownership, or management of licensed dispensaries in excess of the Ten-Percent Licensing Cap violate [the Missouri Constitution] and are unlawful, unenforceable, and void,” the lawsuit states. The two companies, represented by the law firms Feuerstein Kulick LLP and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, are seeking monetary damages and asking for a permanent injunction against the alleged arrangements. They also filed a motion for a preliminary injunction, seeking “urgent relief” from the fixed prices that “cause enormous and long-lasting harm to the public.” “Defendants, led by a group of Arkansas investors who otherwise have no connections to Missouri, are engaged in a widespread scheme to defraud Missouri consumers,” the motion states, “and use illegal means to drive independent operators owned and operated by Missourians out of business.” Good Day Farm first began operating in Missouri in 2020, according to its earliest LLC registration with the Secretary of State. After the 2022 constitutional amendment passed, company employees registered two additional LLCs—one in November 2022 and another in February 2024—that went on to acquire 20 dispensaries, two manufacturing facilities and two cultivation sites, according to state records. The lawsuit cites a 2025 letter to investors touting Good Day Farm’s “two vertical businesses”—Good Day Farm and Codes dispensaries—along with new acquisitions expected to boost profits. The letter suggests further consolidation “may lead other retailers in the state to consider selling as fear sets in with our soon-to-be even more dominant position.” According to the lawsuit, those acquisitions include licenses tied to Fresh Karma, 3Fifteen Primo and Greenlight. The lawsuit describes the alleged network as encompassing 21 Good Day Farm dispensaries, 20 Codes dispensaries, 10 Greenlight dispensaries, six Fresh Karma dispensaries and four 3Fifteen Primo dispensaries. The group had to acquire most of the licenses from existing facilities because the state has not issued any new comprehensive licenses since the medical marijuana program began, other than through settlements in license application disputes. The Independent contacted multiple Fresh Karma and 3Fifteen Primo locations, where employees said the stores are now owned by Good Day Farm. The lawsuit anticipates defendants will contend the operation is lawful, the verticals do not constitute “substantially common control, ownership or management” within the constitution and the coordinated wholesale procurement does not violate state antitrust laws. Local Cannabis and VIBE argue those defenses fail. The $150 million agreement A central piece of the Missouri lawsuit is a previously undisclosed $150 million acquisition offer involving Bon Vert Ventures LLC, described in the agreement as a “recently formed manager-managed Missouri limited liability company created primarily to pool investments.” The memorandum was a solicitation to potential investors to participate in the acquisition of 10 dispensary licenses: five owned by COMO Health LLC, the company behind 3Fifteen Primo, and five held by True Level Investments LLC, which operates several Fresh Karma locations. But the structure of the agreement, the lawsuit argues, raises deeper questions about who would actually control those licenses. While outside investors would formally own Bon Vert, the agreement grants sweeping authority to its manager, who would make “all decisions,” including pricing and product selection across the dispensaries. “The Manager and/or its affiliates also operate multiple other dispensaries, cultivation facilities and processing facilities in the Missouri marijuana industry,” the agreement states. The document further links Bon Vert’s management to Good Day Farm. William Mullen, general counsel for Good Day Farm, is identified as counsel for the manager, with the agreement listing his Good Day Farm email address and the company’s Arkansas mailing address. The arrangement also required Bon Vert’s dispensaries to enter into supply agreements with other entities in what the lawsuit describes as the “GDF Cartel”—and vice versa—effectively binding the acquired licenses into an existing network of coordinated operations. The lawsuit alleges the agreement shows Good Day Farm was aware the expansion could invite scrutiny under Missouri’s 10 percent dispensary license cap. One provision warns that the manager and its affiliates could face “additional scrutiny” because of the number of marijuana businesses under their control, noting such scrutiny could “create disruption to the business.” It goes further, acknowledging that “assurances cannot be made” that the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation would not challenge the concentration of licenses. Jason Corrado, an owner of COMO Health, said his group sold their five licenses to Bon Vert about a year ago. “I would love to comment,” he said, “but I don’t have anything substantive to add to the conversation at this time, due to pending litigation.” The Independent was not able to reach a representative for True Level or Bon Vert prior to publication. A spokesperson for the division declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing the ongoing litigation. Public records reviewed by The Independent raise additional questions. In response to a records request, the state said there are no ownership changes on file involving Good Day Farm or its affiliates for the licenses tied to COMO Health and True Level. But a separate review of property records tied to COMO Health dispensary locations shows ownership addresses and organizers connected to Good Day Farm, suggesting a more complex relationship than marijuana compliance filings alone reflect. “The GDF Cartel is suppressing competition in the wholesale cannabis market and enriching itself with illegal profits through an unconstitutional and clandestine business conspiracy,” said Bob Hoffman, the attorney leading the class-action case. “Missouri’s cultivators and manufacturers have been suffering under this scheme for too long.” Wholesale pressure The lawsuit also details how the group’s alleged market power reshaped wholesale pricing across Missouri. Before the expansion of affiliated entities like Codes, dispensaries typically purchased products from cultivators and manufacturers at about 50 percent of the suggested retail price, the petition states. That changed as Good Day Farm’s network grew, according to the lawsuit. The company began centralizing purchasing across both Good Day Farm and Codes dispensaries, allowing it to negotiate on behalf of dozens of storefronts simultaneously. With that leverage, the lawsuit alleges, Good Day Farm pushed suppliers—including Local Cannabis and VIBE—to accept deeper discounts. The goal, according to the lawsuit, was to drive procurement margins beyond 50 percent. By consolidating purchasing across 21 Good Day Farm locations and 20 Codes dispensaries, the petition argues, the group “illegally supercharged” its bargaining power far beyond what any single operator could achieve under state law. The lawsuit cites a May 8, 2024, email from Patrick Lee, then Good Day Farm’s director of procurement, as a turning point. “Mr. Lee’s email made clear that Good Day Farm and Codes sought to acquire Local Cannabis’ products at a 60 percent discount to their suggested retail prices,” the petition states. The order, it states, came with a strict condition: “FILL or KILL,” meaning suppliers had to accept the terms in full or lose the business entirely. Internal investor materials cited in the lawsuit suggest the strategy was working. In a first-quarter 2025 presentation, Good Day Farm told investors it was able to achieve a 60 percent procurement margin with “48 of 50” third-party vendors, attributing that leverage to “the size of our retail platform.” And the company signaled those margins could climb even higher. As it moved to incorporate additional dispensaries tied to Greenlight, 3Fifteen Primo and Fresh Karma, executives projected margins “upwards of 70 percent,” according to the presentation. The pressure appears to have continued throughout 2025. On March 10, Good Day Farm sent VIBE Cannabis an order form demanding a 65 percent discount on products, the lawsuit alleges. Local Cannabis and VIBE allege that Good Day Farm organizes coordinated quarterly “purchasing” meetings—referred to as “kiss the ring” meetings—where unaffiliated wholesalers can attempt to “sell” their products. Good Day Farm “uses these quarterly meetings to set the pricing and product selection” for all its affiliates. Because Missouri law requires cultivators and manufacturers to sell through licensed dispensaries, the petition argues, companies like Local Cannabis and VIBE have limited options. “Because the GDF Cartel controls a disproportionately large volume of retail sales across the state,” the lawsuit states, “plaintiffs and the class have little choice but to acquiesce…or be cut off from a significant portion of the key dispensary distribution channels.” Hoffman said many license holders know something is wrong but do not realize the scope of the alleged market manipulation. Ownership records The Independent requested documents related to ownership of 15 separate entities that have ownership connections to Good Day Farm. The documents support claims made within the lawsuit that numerous entities own the 41 Good Day Farm or Codes dispensary licenses, and the people managing communications with state regulators are often Good Day Farm employees. While a majority of the ownership documents The Independent requested were deemed “proprietary,” some files—including branding agreements, letters to the companies and “common control affidavits”—provided a closer look into how these entities operate in affiliation to Good Day Farm. They also show how the compliance process for alerting the Division of Cannabis Regulation about ownership changes may have shifted since the recreational marijuana amendment was passed. One 2022 document obtained by The Independent lists numerous owners, along with the subsidiaries of MO-MMD LLC, all with ties to Good Day Farm. Two of the three subsidiaries include the same Little Rock mailing address as Good Day Farm. The third includes Alex Gray—chief strategy officer and president of sales for Good Day Farm—as a manager on state business registration documents. Gray is named in the lawsuit and did not respond to The Independent’s request for comment by press time. The state of Missouri required MO-MMD LLC to submit a common control affidavit in 2022 related to medical regulations, attesting that members and owners don’t make policy or operating decisions for any other Missouri medical marijuana facility licensee than the ones named in the document. The only common control affidavits The Independent received were dated before the 2022 amendment went into effect. It’s unclear if the group, and licensees in general, are still required to submit additional documents like these under the recreational marijuana program, raising questions about transparency in ownership. Jim Smith—who was chief general legal counsel and director of mergers and acquisitions for Good Day Farm between 2020 and 2022—was affiliated with five separate dispensary licenses as an owner, principal officer and manager of these facilities, according to a personal disclosure form submitted to the state. Yet it details that Smith would not have any economic or voting interest in any of these facilities. Many of these documents list Ryan Herget—a co-founder of Good Day Farm—as a manager who does not receive compensation. Missouri Vertical Investments LLC registered with the secretary of state on November 10, 2022, two days after the election. It went on to acquired 17 licenses that became CODES dispensaries. Gray is listed as the manager in registration documents. In sometransfer application documents for Codes dispensaries, Gray and other investors and employees of Good Day Farm are listed as board members for Missouri Vertical. Former Missouri Supreme Court Judge Mike Wolff, who opposed the recreational cannabis amendment, wrote in a 2022 op-ed that the proposal risked creating an “insiders’ cartel” because the constitutional language was shaped by those who already held marijuana licenses. After reviewing the anti-trust lawsuit this week, Wolff said the allegations reflect the concerns he raised at the time. “This was from the very start an insider’s game,” Wolff said. “The insiders are the people who already had licenses. The insiders not only got the licenses, but now they’re trying to control the market in a way that keeps prices in place and drives out competition.” This story was first published by Missouri Independent. The post Missouri Lawsuit Targets ‘Cartel’ That’s Allegedly ‘Seized Control’ Of State’s Marijuana Market appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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“There’s no inherent logical connection or nexus between the smell of marijuana and unlawful activity anymore, and there’s a good reason for that.” By Lori Kersey, West Virginia Watch The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia is considering a case that questions whether the odor of marijuana alone is enough for law enforcement to obtain a warrant to search a person’s home. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on an appeal of Berkeley County Circuit Court’s decision to throw out evidence Martinsburg police officers found in a home after detecting the “strong odor” of the drug. Excluding the evidence effectively stopped the state from prosecuting a man on drug charges, an attorney told justices last week. Aaron Lewis was arrested in 2020 on three counts of drug possession with intent to deliver and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, according to reporting by the Herald-Mail. Court documents say Martinsburg police were answering another man’s call about a suicidal woman who had reportedly stabbed herself when they came across Lewis while searching the caller’s backyard. Officers were unable to locate the woman so they started going door-to-door looking for her. The officers went to Lewis’s home where his son, Aaron Lewis Jr. answered the door. The officers detected the “strong odor of marijuana,” according to court documents. The younger Lewis refused to give officers permission to search the home. Before they obtained a search warrant, they entered the home to conduct a “protective sweep,” during which they found a bundle of money and two clear bowls with a leafy substance on the kitchen stove, court documents say. Two officers then left to obtain the search warrant while other officers stayed on scene to secure the apartment. An officer cited the strong odor of marijuana and the observations during the sweep as the basis to believe a dangerous controlled substance was in the house. A magistrate OK’d the search warrant for Lewis’ home, including the seizure of “(a)ny and all controlled substances…including but not limited to heroin and methamphetamine,” as well as currency, firearms, ledgers, digital devices and drug paraphernalia, court documents say. During the search, officers seized bags and tubs of suspected marijuana, a bag of suspected heroin, a bag of crack cocaine, one gun and 11 rounds of ammunition and cash, according to court documents. An attorney for Lewis asked the judge in 2023 to suppress all evidence seized pursuant to the warrant, arguing that the initial warrantless sweep—the security sweep before the search—violated the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable search and seizures. Without the observations made during the sweep, only the smell of marijuana was left and that alone is insufficient for probable cause, the attorney argued. Berkeley Circuit Judge Debra McLaughlin granted Lewis’s motion to suppress the evidence, saying that more protection should be given to homes subject to searches than to cars. The judge ruled the odor of marijuana alone did not establish probable cause to believe the home contained “evidence of illegal drug trafficking and/or possession of heroin, methamphetamines, and/or other illegal drugs,” court documents say. The state of West Virginia is seeking a writ of prohibition in the case, a legal order that the circuit court stop proceedings beyond its jurisdiction. “This court’s precedent is clear,” Holly Mestemacher, an assistant attorney general for West Virginia, told justices. “The odor of marijuana provides probable cause for a search. The circuit court disregarded the law and rewrote it and suppressed the evidence seized pursuant to a search warrant.” She called the court’s decision to suppress the evidence a “clear and substantial legal error” that exceeds its authority. The court required “certainty, and a near impossible list of proof required before probable cause exists,” she argued. The ruling suppressed the evidence the state needed to proceed in the case, she said. “It’s effectively a death knell to our ability to prosecute, because the court elevated that standard required far more than has ever been required by law,” she said. Cameron LeFevre, an attorney representing Lewis, asked the Supreme Court to uphold the Circuit Court ruling by denying the state’s request for a writ of prohibition. He said the court doesn’t need to answer whether the smell of marijuana justified the search. There were “errors throughout” the case, he said, including an improper security sweep, unlawful home search and an affidavit that lacked important details. Federal courts have upheld that the odor of marijuana is evidence of criminal activity and justifies a search by law enforcement, but many state courts are reconsidering that based on changing legal status of the drug, according to the State Court Report, a project of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. The West Virginia Legislature legalized medical marijuana in 2017. All states surrounding West Virginia have either legalized medical or recreational marijuana. LeFevre argued that Lewis’ case is not the appropriate one for the Supreme Court to make case law about whether the smell of marijuana alone is enough for a legal search. “There’s an incomplete record. It’s a unique procedural posture. It’s on a writ of prohibition,” he said. “It would be much better for the court to fairly decide this…case on its final merits, after a trial, after an entire record has been made, and then there’s not a variety of other procedural and legal issues contained within the warrant application process and the search itself.” However, if the court should decide to take on the issue of the odor of marijuana, it should rule that the mere smell of marijuana is no longer sufficient for probable cause, he said. “There’s been a significant development in the law of the land regarding marijuana,” he said. “[Medical marijuana has] become legalized in West Virginia. It’s become partially legalized in other states surrounding West Virginia. There’s no inherent logical connection or nexus between the smell of marijuana and unlawful activity anymore, and there’s a good reason for that.” The court is expected to issue a ruling in the case before the current term of court ends on June 11. This story was first published by West Virginia Watch. The post West Virginia Supreme Court Considers Whether Smell Of Marijuana Can Be Basis For Police To Search Homes appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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A Texas judge has issued a temporary injunction that continues to prevent state officials from enforcing new rules restricting access to hemp-derived products such as smokable THCA flower. Meanwhile, the state Supreme Court in a separate case is allowing regulators to ban delta-8 THC. Judge Daniella DeSeta Lyttle’s ruling on Friday follows one from another judge last month who issued a temporary restraining order on the hemp product ban. Under the latest order, broad hemp product sales can continue until at least July 27. The decisions come amid a lawsuit brought by a coalition of hemp industry leaders and advocacy organizations that claim the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) illegally bypassed lawmakers to effectively ban the sale and manufacture of certain consumable hemp products. Under state law as approved by the legislature and governor in 2019, the suit says, cannabis products are legal if they contain a delta-9 THC concentration of not more than 0.3 percent. But regulators at DSHS and HHSC recently adopted a “total delta-9 THC” limit using a post-decarboxylation formula that includes tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) in the calculation. Texas lawmakers did pass legislation to severely restrict hemp products in the 2025 session, but it was vetoed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and not enacted into law. Lyttle said on Friday that the plaintiffs have established a “probable right to relief on the merits of their claims.” “Absent an injunction, Plaintiffs will suffer immediate and ongoing harm to their business operations, legal rights, and economic interests,” she wrote. “These harms include disruption of established supply chains, loss of market access, impairment of goodwill and customer relationships, and the risk of significant compliance costs and enforcement consequences under rules that Plaintiffs have shown are likely invalid.” Today, a Texas court granted a temporary injunction in the Texas Hemp Business Council (THBC) lawsuit against the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to all commercial members of the industry on all rules challenged. Injunction order —-> https://t.co/JX6Y6y5ezk — Texas Hemp Business Council (@TexasHempBiz) May 1, 2026 The hemp industry lawsuit, which also lists Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) as a defendant, additionally challenges large increases in business licensing fees that regulators adopted. Under the new rules, the cost for a manufacturer license increased from $250 to $10,000 per facility, while the fee for retailer registration jumped from $150 to $5,000 per location. While the judge who issued a temporary restraining order on the product restrictions last month did not grant a pause on the new fees, Lyttle did include them in the scope of her temporary injunction. “These measures do not implement the Legislature’s policy choices; they replace them,” the initial complaint, filed by plaintiffs including the Texas Hemp Business Council (THBC) and Hemp Industry & Farmers of America (HIFA), says. “And they do so against the backdrop of a constitutional lawmaking process that ran its full course—from legislative passage of Senate Bill 3 through gubernatorial veto, through two failed special sessions—and produced an unambiguous result: no new law. Texas law does not permit agencies to override that result through rulemaking.” “Texas has long promoted itself as a national leader in economic growth and regulatory stability. It is a state committed to fostering innovation, supporting lawful enterprise, and maintaining a predictable legal environment in which businesses can operate and invest,” it says. “Consistent with that approach, Texas has chosen to permit and regulate the manufacture, distribution, and sale of consumable hemp products (‘CHPs’) through a comprehensive statutory framework enacted by the Legislature in 2019.” “Plaintiffs support that framework and the State’s interest in ensuring that CHPs are produced and sold safely, responsibly, and in compliance with law,” the suit says. In the separate state Supreme Court ruling issued on Friday, justices overturned an injunction issued by a lower court that had prevented regulators from treating delta-8 THC as a controlled substance. “Businesses that have developed these products claim that the legislature opened the market for them in 2019,” court’s opinion says. “So when the commissioner attempted to clarify that, in fact, the legislature did not greenlight potent levels of manufactured delta-8 THC in consumable hemp products, a group of businesses and consumers asked a court to order her and the department to rewrite the schedules of controlled substances, primarily on the ground that the legislature legalized delta-8 THC in 2019, making the commissioner’s actions impermissible and ultra vires.” “The trial court granted this relief in the form of a temporary injunction, which the court of appeals affirmed. We now conclude that the lower courts exceeded their authority,” the justices found. “If the legislature desires to legalize powerful drugs, it has every tool it needs to do so—and to do so unmistakably, as we expect for such a major change to social policy. The role of the courts is merely to assess the state of the law as it is.” Separately, Texas officials recently conditionally approved more new medical marijuana business licenses as part of a law that’s being implemented to significantly expand the state’s cannabis program. A recent poll showed that Texas voters strongly support legalizing medical marijuana yet are largely unaware of the existing program. In March, Texas voters approved a marijuana legalization question that appeared on the state’s Democratic primary ballot. Another statewide poll released in February found that Texas voters don’t like how state leaders and lawmakers have handled marijuana and THC policy issues. In the survey, a plurality of voters (40 percent) said they disapprove of how their elected officials have approached the issue, according to the survey. Just 29 percent said they approve of how cannabis issues have been handled, while 31 percent said they didn’t have an opinion one way or another. A separate poll released last year found that a plurality of Texas voters want the state’s marijuana laws to be made “less strict.” And among the legislative items lawmakers considered during recent special sessions, voters say a proposal to address hemp regulations was among the least important. Meanwhile, the lieutenant governor and House speaker announced recently that the state will proceed with its own ibogaine research program after no drug companies submitted proposals meeting requirements and standards to receive state funds to begin clinical trials with the psychedelic under a recently enacted law. Image element courtesy of AnonMoos. The post Texas Judge Allows Smokable Hemp And Other Products To Be Sold, Blocking State Ban From Being Enforced appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Federal drug officials are clarifying that a cannabinoid produced synthetically from components of the cannabis plant is federally illegal. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said that while hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) has already been considered a Schedule I illegal substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the agency is now giving the compound its own unique drug code for classification. HHC can be found in trace amounts in cannabis plants but is also synthesized by hydrogenating cannabidiol (CBD). It’s sometimes sprayed on cannabis flowers that are low in delta-9 THC, the most well-known psychoactive component of marijuana, and its psychoactive effects are reportedly similar. While the 2018 Farm Bill federally legalized hemp and its derivatives with less than .3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis, DEA says that only applies to naturally occurring, and not synthetic, cannabinoids. As such, it is the agency’s position that HHC does not fall under the definition of legal hemp. “Only tetrahydrocannabinols in or derived from the cannabis plant—not synthetic tetrahydrocannabinols—are excluded from control as ‘tetrahydrocannabinols in hemp,'” the agency said in a notice set to be published in the Federal Register on Monday. “To clarify further, tetrahydrocannabinols produced through chemical conversion, even when hemp derived are considered synthetically produced for purposes of the CSA, do not qualify as ‘tetrahydrocannabinols in hemp’ under” the 2018 Farm Bill. This isn’t the first time that DEA is addressing the legal status of HHC. In a 2023 letter, Terrance Boos, chief of DEA’s Drug and Chemical Evaluation Section, wrote that HHC “does not occur naturally in the cannabis plant and can only be obtained synthetically, and therefore does not fall under the definition of hemp.” The new Federal Register filing signed by DEA Administrator Terrance Cole says that “this rule does not affect the continuing status of hexahydrocannabinol as a schedule I controlled substance in any way.” “This action, as an administrative matter, establishes a separate, specific listing for hexahydrocannabinol in schedule I of the CSA and assigns a DEA drug code for this substance,” it says. “This action will allow DEA to establish an aggregate production quota and grant individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to DEA-registered manufacturers of hexahydrocannabinol, who had previously been granted individual quotas for such purposes under the drug code for tetrahydrocannabinols.” The DEA notice cites a move last year by an international drug control body to add HHC to Schedule II of the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971—but the document doesn’t note that when the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) took the action, the U.S. was the only country to abstain from the vote. DEA said that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “concurs with the direct listing and drug code assignment of hexahydrocannabinol in the CSA.” Some federal appeals courts, however, have rejected DEA’s interpretation of what constitutes a legal cannabinoid under the Farm Bill. Meanwhile, under provisions of a large-scale spending bill signed by President Donald Trump late last year, the federal definition of legal hemp is set to change in November. Unless that language is altered or its effective date is delayed, as some lawmakers are pushing for, only hemp products with up to 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will remain legal after November 12. The Trump administration last week announced steps to more broadly reschedule marijuana under federal law. The post DEA Clarifies That The Synthetic Cannabis Compound HHC Is Federally Banned, And Doesn’t Count As Legal Hemp appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

California regulators are adopting changes to the state’s marijuana licensing process that are intended to make it easier for businesses to qualify for tax deductions and other benefits in line with the Trump administration’s recent move to federally reschedule medical cannabis. Under an action announced by the U.S. Department of Justice last week, marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license immediately moved from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to Schedule III, as did any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). An administrative hearing scheduled for this summer will consider broader cannabis rescheduling, including for recreational products. As such, Schedule III cannabis will no longer be subject to a federal tax rule known as 280E that prevents businesses from taking tax deductions that are available to other companies, while adult-use marijuana expenses are still not deductible for now. On Thursday, the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) announced that it has “streamlined the process for changing a license designation” from recreational to medical under state law. “Cultivation licensees no longer need to wait until renewal to request a change to their adult-use (A) or medicinal-use (M) designation,” the department said. Additionally, DCC no longer requires a new local authorization for requests that change a license to medical designation only or add a medical designation to an existing adult-use designation. “These changes are intended to simplify the request process and expedite the review process,” DCC said, noting that a change of license designation can be requested at any time by submitting a form. “Please remember, you must continue operating under your current license designation until the request has been approved by DCC.” Officials also clarified that the announcement “should not be considered advice regarding whether or how licensees should participate in the federal medicinal cannabis program.” “If guidance is required, licensees should consult with their legal counsel,” DCC said. The department also noted that it requested to meet with Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials who are working to implement federal cannabis rescheduling, but that the agency “has indicated it will share information publicly and all at once, rather than through state-specific briefings.” “DCC will continue to monitor federal updates as they are released, and we remain committed to supporting regulatory alignment and simplifying processes wherever possible,” the department said. In order to take advantage of tax deductions and other benefits in line with the move to Schedule III, state-licensed medical cannabis businesses must complete a form on DEA’s website that asks them to submit information about their operations. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said they plan to issue new tax guidance for the marijuana industry following the rescheduling announcement. The post California Officials Make It Easier For Marijuana Businesses To Access Federal Benefits Under Trump’s Rescheduling Move appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Maryland’s governor has signed legislation to extend a psychedelics task force through the end of 2027, charging it with developing updated recommendations on expanding therapeutic access to the novel substances and potentially creating a regulatory framework for broader legalization. Gov. Wes Moore (D) approved the proposal from Sen. Brian Feldman (D) and Del. Pam Guzzone (D) on Tuesday. The enacted bills are aimed at building upon an earlier law that created the Maryland Task Force on Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances. The psychedelics panel released an initial final report to state lawmakers last year, with recommendations for the phased implementation of a wide range of reforms to provide legal therapeutic access to substances such as psilocybin. Members of the task force have already advised that it was ultimately recommending a “multi-pathway framework for safe, broad, and equitable access to natural psychedelic substances, with an initial focus on psilocybin.” The psychedelics task force was formed following the governor’s signing of a pair of bills into law in 2024. The 17-person body, overseen by the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA), was charged with studying how to ensure “broad, equitable and affordable access to psychedelic substances” in the state. SB 336 and HB 427 will continue that work, maintaining the panel through December 31, 2027. In the interim, the task force will be required to submit an updated report to legislators with additional findings and recommendations by October 31 of this year. The newly approved legislation also adds a representative of a historically Black college or university to the panel. The multi-step regulatory framework that members recommended last year “involves phased implementation of complementary elements from medical/therapeutic use and supervised adult use, to deprioritization, and to commercial sales,” the earlier report said. “This model broadly and inclusively serves the needs of Maryland’s diverse population while enabling unified safety standards, accountability, and viable economic pathways for small businesses.” The first phase of the plan would be to create an advisory board to establish safety parameters, data monitoring, practice guidelines, licensing protections, public education campaigns, training for facilitators, law enforcement and testing facilities, as well as “immediate restorative justice measures,” the report states. Under phase two, the state would implement “deprioritization measures” to mitigate the harms of criminalization, provide for supervised medical and adult-use consumption facilities, allow personal cultivation for “permitted individuals” and promote research processes. Finally, phase three would be contingent on the “demonstrated safety outcomes and provider confidence” based on the prior steps. Should those factors be satisfied, the last phase would lead to a commercial sales program for adults “who maintain an active license to use natural psychedelic substances,” coupled with an evaluation of the state’s “readiness for expanding to additional natural psychedelic substances.” “Safety and oversight measures ensure responsible and gradual expansion of access while maintaining capacity to identify and respond to emerging issues swiftly,” the report said. “This approach plans for long-term learning and improvement: starting small, utilizing built-in evaluation and accountability mechanisms from the outset, gathering real-world data, and committing to an iterative approach to policymaking.” Notably, the task force said it did not support “delaying state action pending future federal [Food and Drug Administration] approval.” “The Task Force recognizes that implementing such a comprehensive framework requires careful sequencing and coordination, with particular attention to scope of practice issues that may significantly affect the viability and safety of different pathways. However, the order of implementation must carefully consider professional regulatory frameworks and safety concerns raised by medical organizations and health care providers. The Task Force’s recommendation for simultaneous implementation of multiple pathways does not mean that all components must activate on the exact same day, but rather that Maryland should avoid the sequential approach seen in other jurisdictions where implementing one pathway causes others to ‘languish,’and/or bolster black and gray markets.” Rather, the task force said, the multi-phase approach to psychedelics reform “establishes foundational systems that support all pathways equally, followed by a coordinated launch of medical, supervised adult use, and deprioritization pathways, with commercial sales following once product safety systems are operational.” Members also said that the model envisioned could be used by other states to develop their own laws that “adapt to their own circumstances and values.”At this point, the task force is only looking at psilocybin, mescaline and DMT. While the legislature empowered members to investigate potential regulations for other psychedelic substances, they decided to take a more conservative approach in their initial work. As originally introduced, the House version of the task force legislation contained more prescriptive requirements to explore and issue recommendations on aspects of psychedelics policy such as “systems to support statewide online sales of natural psychedelic substances with home delivery” and “testing and packaging requirements for products containing natural psychedelic substances with clear and accurate labeling of potency.” That language was ultimately removed, however. The task force legislation advanced about two years after a different law took effect creating a state fund to provide “cost-free” access to psychedelics like psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine for military veterans suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injury. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Meanwhile, the governor also signed a bill this week to protect firefighters and rescue workers from being penalized over their lawful use of medical marijuana off the job after hearing testimony on the unique need to give emergency service professionals the option to use cannabis as an alternative treatment for health conditions that commonly afflict the first responder community. He additionally signed legislation to provide legal protections for veterinarians who recommend medical cannabis for animals. Legislators also took up a bill this session to protect the gun rights of medical marijuana patients in the state, but it did not pass. Photo courtesy of Mark Groeneveld. The post Maryland Psychedelics Task Force Is Extended Through 2027 With Governor’s Signature appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Pennsylvania’s governor has repeatedly called on lawmakers to send him a marijuana legalization bill. And while his opponent in his reelection campaign this year—currently the state’s treasurer—has been vague in recent public comments about her stance on the issue, a little-noticed questionnaire she filled out shows her opposition to the reform. Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) for the last several years has included cannabis legalization in his budget requests to the legislature. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill last year to end prohibition, but the Republican-controlled Senate has not followed suit. State Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R), who is the sole Republican candidate running to challenge Shapiro this November, has dodged questions about whether she supports legalizing cannabis—saying last year, for example that she has no “policy position” on the issue while arguing that the incumbent governor’s proposal for reform “way, way overstated” potential revenue. But in 2020, when Garrity was running for treasurer, she filled out a Pennsylvania Family Council survey that asked about a number of policy positions, including cannabis legalization. “Should marijuana be legalized for recreational use?” it asked. According to an archived version of her responses, Garrity’s response to the cannabis question was “N.” Campaign staff for the Republican candidate did not respond to requests from Marijuana Moment to provide a more robust and up-to-date explanation of her position on cannabis, including whether the Trump administration’s move to federally reschedule the drug last week changes her view of the issue. Shapiro’s campaign, however, told Marijuana Moment that their candidate “has been clear that as nearly every one of our neighboring states has already legalized marijuana, we cannot afford to keep losing out on this revenue—and we need comprehensive cannabis reform to make Pennsylvania more competitive and more just.” “While Stacy Garrity wants Pennsylvania to continue to lose out on critical revenue that could be invested into our schools, public safety and small businesses, Governor Shapiro is continuing to fight to get this done,” Shapiro for Pennsylvania Spokesperson Sam Reposa said. A spokesperson in the governor’s office separately said last week that the Trump administration’s federal marijuana rescheduling move is an “important step” that “adds support” to his push to legalize cannabis in the state. The governor also used last month’s unofficial cannabis holiday 4/20 as an opportunity to press lawmakers once again to send him a bill to legalize marijuana. “Pennsylvanians who want to buy recreational marijuana are already driving across the border to one of our neighboring states who’ve legalized it,” Shapiro said in a social media post that day. “That’s hundreds of millions in revenue going out of state instead of being spent here in Pennsylvania.” Last month, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed budget legislation proposed by Shapiro that relies on revenue that would be generated from recreational marijuana sales, which has yet to be legalized in the state. The governor earlier this year, as he has in past years, included cannabis legalization and the resulting expected revenue in his budget request. The $53.2 billion budget legislation, which doesn’t itself include provisions to actually legalize marijuana even as it contemplates allocating money that would result from it, now heads to the Senate for consideration. The House of Representatives 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. Separately last month, the House Health Committee approved a bill to allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis in hospitals and other healthcare facilities The legislative developments come as a recent poll shows that seven out of ten Pennsylvania likely voters support legalizing adult-use marijuana—including majority backing for the reform across party lines. When asked whether they “support or oppose the regulation and taxation of legal cannabis for use by adults 21 and older in Pennsylvania,” 69 percent of respondents said yes. Support was strongest from Democrats, at 72 percent, but also includes 67 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of independents. Meanwhile, Shapiro is continuing to pressure on lawmakers to send him a bill to legalize marijuana in the state, saying that doing so would generate new revenue that could be invested in key programs. “While some in Harrisburg claim we can’t afford to make bigger investments in our kids, public safety, and our economy, know this: If we legalized and regulated adult-use cannabis, we’d bring in $1.3 BILLION in revenue for our Commonwealth over the first five years,” the governor said in another recent social media post. “Those are dollars that can be invested back into our people and our communities,” he said. “Stop with the excuses. Let’s get this done.” 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. With a proposed 20 percent wholesale cannabis excise tax, 6 percent state sales tax for retail and licensing fees, IFO said the governor’s legalization plan would generate $140 million in tax revenue in the first year of implementation from 2027-2028 and increase to $432 million by 2030-2031. That’s a much higher revenue estimate than what the governor’s office put forward in the latest executive budget. According to his office’s analysis, legalization would generate about $36.9 million in tax dollars in its first year from a 20 percent wholesale tax on marijuana—rising gradually to $223.8 million by 2030-2031. In February, a coalition of drug policy and civil liberties organizations urged Shapiro to play a leadership role in convening legislative leaders to get the job done on cannabis legalization this session. In March, the Senate Law and Justice Committee amended and approved a bill to create a Cannabis Control Board (CCB) to oversee the state’s medical marijuana program and intoxicating hemp products and that could eventually regulate adult-use cannabis if it is legalized in the state. Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer. The post Pennsylvania Governor’s Campaign Calls Out Reelection Opponent For Opposing Marijuana Legalization appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Trump surgeon general pick on marijuana; Farm Bill passes with hemp provisions; Senate psychedelics hearing; Anti-rescheduling bill advances in Congress 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… Hold on, just one second before you read today’s news. Have you thought about giving some financial support to Marijuana Moment? If so, today would be a great day to contribute. We’re planning our reporting for the coming months and it would really help to know what kind of support we can count on. Check us out on Patreon and sign up to give $25/month today: https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said “of course” the Department of Justice is reconsidering whether to continue pursuing prosecutions of marijuana consumers for possessing guns as the Trump administration rolls out new rules to reduce burdens on firearms owners and businesses. President Donald Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, Nicole Saphier, has repeatedly expressed concerns about marijuana—saying at one point that its use is “directly linked” to developing “man boobs”—but has also acknowledged that medical cannabis does have “potential benefits.” “There’s a common misconception that marijuana is safer than alcohol and other drugs.” The House of Representatives passed a Farm Bill containing provisions aimed at reducing regulatory burdens for industrial hemp producers—but without any language to delay or revise the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products scheduled for later this year. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies approved a spending bill containing a rider to block marijuana rescheduling action by the Department of Justice—defying the Trump administration as it moves ahead with the reform. The House Appropriations Committee approved a spending bill and an attached report that expresses concerns about health risks from cannabis-derived products, while separately encouraging research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a hearing on a psychedelics research and access bill, with the Department of Veterans Affairs testifying that while it backs the “intent” of the legislation, it does not support its provisions. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) said that “this administration has actually been better about working with psychedelics and veterans than the last administration.” / FEDERAL National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow authored a blog post about the role of artificial intelligence in “addressing substance use and public health challenges.” Former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf authored an op-ed urging Congress not to reverse the scheduled recriminalization of hemp THC products that’s set to take effect in November. Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) published a blog post about marijuana rescheduling. The House bill to federally legalize marijuana got one new cosponsor for a total of 70. / STATES Oklahoma’s attorney general tweeted, “Proud to work with our federal partners to keep our communities safe and apprehend criminals seeking to sow lawlessness in Oklahoma neighborhoods. We will continue to hold these individuals accountable to the rule of law.” Hawaii’s top medical cannabis regulator said federal marijuana rescheduling will ease barriers to research. Minnesota regulators are accepting applications for cannabis farmer training and loan grant programs. The Alaska Marijuana Control Board Laboratory Testing Working Group will meet on Wednesday. The New Hampshire Therapeutic Cannabis Medical Oversight Board will hold a hearing on adding glaucoma and hepatitis C as qualifying conditions on May 20. — 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 concluded that “Cannabis sativa stems contains cannabinoids, and is a promising anti-cancer agent.” A study found that CBD “rescues age-associated cognitive decline in mouse model.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS A poll of Harris,Montgomery and Fort Bend County, Texas residents showed majority support for legalizing marijuana. / BUSINESS Vireo Growth Inc. is acquiring FLUENT Corp. Verano Holdings Corp. reported quarterly net revenue of $208.2 million and a net loss of $17.8 million. 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 DOJ rethinks cannabis & gun prosecutions (Newsletter: May 1, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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President Donald Trump’s new nominee for surgeon general has expressed concerns about marijuana, saying at one point that using it is linked to the development of enlarged breasts in men, or “man boobs.” She has also, however, acknowledged that medical cannabis does have “potential benefits.” Trump announced on Thursday that he would tap Nicole Saphier, who currently serves as director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering, to serve as surgeon general of the United States. Saphier has repeatedly discussed what she sees as the dangers of marijuana use, while appearing more open to the potential benefits of its nonintoxicating component CBD. “There’s a common misconception that marijuana is safer than alcohol and other drugs,” she wrote in an op-ed for Fox News in 2019. “As a medical doctor I know that marijuana is far from harmless and can have serious damaging effects on the health of users.” “And as a mother of three sons (one in college), I worry that legalizing the drug for adults sends a clear message to children that they can get high on pot with no negative impact on their health,” she said. Saphier went on in the piece to criticize 2020 Democratic presidential candidates who supported marijuana reform, which she said is a “politically popular cause, particularly among young voters.” “These candidates appear more interested in how their endorsement of legalized pot will affect their election hopes than in how legalization will affect public health,” she wrote. Among the health concerns she raised is that cannabis consumption is “directly linked” to “man boobs.” “Physically, we know that marijuana is directly linked to breathing problems (if smoked), cardiovascular disease and gynecomastia (“man boobs”). As a breast radiologist, the first question I ask men when they come in because of enlarging breasts is whether they currently smoke marijuana or have smoked it in the past. Many times, the answer is ‘yes.'” Trump’s nomination of Saphier comes as his administration is moving forward with the federal rescheduling of marijuana. While the surgeon general has no formal involvement in drug scheduling, which is handled by the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services, the position is widely seen as “America’s doctor” and does play a role in explaining health issues on behalf of the government. In a podcast earlier this year, Saphier acknowledged that there are “potential benefits” of medical cannabis. “Sure, there’s evidence supporting cannabinoids for chemotherapy induced nausea, certain seizure disorders, chronic pain syndromes, multiple sclerosis,” she said. “But that’s very different than just, you know, blanket normalization of recreational high-potency daily use cannabis, especially in those who brains are still developing, which doesn’t happen until about 25.” In the same podcast she also said she personally doesn’t “like” and has “never tried” cannabis. “I think CBD products are probably significantly less harmful if they don’t contain THC. I am not a fan of THC,” Saphier said. “I think if people are trying to get away from alcohol and they want to take low doses of CBD, not inhaling it, not smoking anything, I’m sure it’s probably less risky than some of the other things out there.” “Let’s be honest, today’s cannabis, it’s not your parents’ marijuana. THC potency has increased dramatically over the past two decades. High concentrate products, vapes, dabs, edibles, whatever the kids are doing these days, I don’t even know.” In another interview focused on concerns about cannabis consumption by pregnant women, Saphier said that “as we continue to legalize marijuana, people are equating that to, ‘well it must be safe.'” She suggested in a separate interview that cannabis legalization is driving increased use by young people, which she said leads to addiction and increased rates of psychosis. “One on six kids who try it, they become addicted. Cannabis use in kids, four time the risk of psychoses,” she said. “What have we done? Legalized it. Normalized it.” Trump’s prior, now-withdrawn nominee Casey Means had previously discussed her own “meaningful experiences” with psychedelics while saying that marijuana can “vastly diminish your ability to make Good Energy.” Means said at a confirmation hearing in February that she wouldn’t recommend that Americans experiment with psychedelics like she has, but noted there’s “exciting” research indicating that substances such as psilocybin can effectively treat serious mental health conditions. The post Trump’s New Surgeon General Pick Said Using Marijuana Can Give You ‘Man Boobs’ appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed large-scale agriculture legislation that contains provisions aimed at reducing regulatory burdens for producers of industrial hemp. The bill does not, however, include any language to delay or alter the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that’s scheduled to take effect later this year. The House voted 224-200 to pass the Farm Bill, formally known as H.R.7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, on Tuesday. Bipartisan lawmakers had filed amendments to the bill to regulate hemp THC products and delay the ban, but the sponsors withdrew the proposals for unknown reasons. A separate amendment to speed up recriminalization of the products was also filed, but the House Rules Committee did not allow it to advance to floor consideration. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that President Donald Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, Trump signed new legislation containing provisions that will redefine hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will remain legal after November 12. While the hemp THC regulation and ban delay amendments didn’t make it into the current Farm Bill, it does include several sections that concern cannabis grown by farmers for industrial purposes such as fiber and grain. For example, the legislation would amend existing statute related to the development of industrial hemp production regulatory plans by states and tribes—including surrounding polices for testing, sampling, background checks and record-keeping. Here’s a summary of the hemp language in the 2026 Farm Bill from House Agriculture Committee staff: “Sec. 10005. Hemp production. Section 10005 amends subtitle G of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. Subsection (a) amends section 297B to require State and Tribal plans to include a procedure under which a hemp producer shall be required to designate the type of production of the hemp producer; allow State and Tribal plans to include a procedure for the use of visual inspections, performance-based sampling methodologies, certified seed, or a similar procedure when developing sampling plans for industrial hemp; allow State and Tribal plans to include a procedure for eliminating the 10-year period of ineligibility following the date of conviction for producers of industrial hemp with a felony related to a controlled substance; require documentation during inspections that demonstrates a clear intent to produce industrial hemp for producers under a State or Tribal plan that includes procedures for reducing or eliminating sampling or testing requirements for industrial hemp; allow testing if a producer of industrial hemp fails to provide required documentation; require the State or Tribe to report a producer of industrial to the Attorney General and applicable law enforcement officers if that producer violated the State or Tribal plan by producing a crop that is inconsistent with the designation of industrial hemp; and ban any person who knowingly produced a crop that is inconsistent with the designation of industrial hemp from obtaining a hemp license for 5 years. Subsection (b) amends section 297C to require a Department of Agriculture plan to include a procedure under which a hemp producer shall be required to designate the type of production of the hemp producer; allow a Department of Agriculture plan to include a procedure for the use of visual inspections, performance-based sampling methodologies, certified seed, or a similar procedure when developing sampling plans for industrial hemp; allow a Department of Agriculture plan to include a procedure for eliminating the 10-year period of ineligibility following the date of conviction for producers of industrial hemp with a felony related to a controlled substance; require documentation during inspections that demonstrates a clear intent to produce industrial hemp for producers under a Department of Agriculture plan that includes procedures for reducing or eliminating sampling or testing requirements for industrial hemp; allow testing if a producer of industrial hemp fails to provide required documentation; and requires the Secretary to collect information related to the designation of the type of production of hemp producers and the laboratory certificate of analysis for hemp disposed of. Subsection (c) amends section 297D to require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a process by which the Department of Agriculture can issue certificates of accreditation to laboratories for the purposes of testing hemp.” A committee report says the bill “recognizes the continued Congressional support for the industrial hemp industry, and maintains the bifurcation of industrial hemp from hemp-derived cannabinoid final form products that was put into statute through the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026.” “It is the intention of the Committee that the Department work with States and Tribes to implement language included in this bill in such a way that allows States to best support those producers of industrial hemp products while maintaining State authority in making regulatory decisions that best reflect the needs of their constituents. Additionally, the Committee believes that the Department should prioritize their work in coordinating with the DEA to reduce the bottlenecks that occur due to a lack of appropriately accredited labs, as this issue has been an ongoing challenge for the producers of hemp that could impact the sector moving forward if not addressed. The statutory framework for hemp laid out in this bill recognizes multiple primary agricultural outputs of the hemp plant, including fiber and grain, each of which involves the on-farm separation of the primary product from the cannabinoid- containing floral material of the plant. Terpenes follow this same production model. Terpenes are non-intoxicating aromatic compounds that originate in the flowering tops of the plant and are separated from cannabinoid-containing vegetative material during primary agricultural processing, in the same manner as grain is separated through threshing and fiber is separated through cutting and retting. Therefore, the Committee recognizes the production of the whole plant, or any lawful part thereof, for the extraction, production, or manufacture of any non-cannabinoid essential oil, aromatic compound, terpene, or other non-cannabinoid volatile organic compound derived from such plant as the production of industrial hemp, such that any cannabinoid components of such plant satisfactorily meet all other components of the definition of ‘hemp’ as defined by Pub. L. 119-37.” The Senate is expected to consider its own version of the Farm Bill in the coming weeks and months, and hemp industry advocates hope lawmakers in that chamber will take action to avert the scheduled ban on THC products. Meanwhile, White House officials recently provided feedback on pending legislation to create a regulatory framework for hemp. Last week, Vince Haley, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and James Braid, assistant to the president for legislative affairs, sent hemp policy suggestions to Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), who has been helping to lead efforts to enact regulations for the plant as an alternative to prohibition. “We appreciate your work to advance the policy of” an executive order Trump signed in December that included provisions seeking to protect Americans’ access to CBD products, the staffers wrote in a letter to the congressman. “We are transmitting for your consideration draft legislative text and comments to address the statutory definition of final hemp-derived cannabinoid products in order to allow Americans to benefit from access to appropriate full-spectrum CBD products while preserving the Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose serious health risks,” the White House officials said, according to a social media post containing a screenshot of the letter. “We are available for discussion and further technical assistance.” The attachment with the administration’s proposed legislative text has not been publicly released, and the White House and Barr’s office did not respond to Marijuana Moment’s request for further details. It’s not clear from the letter’s text whether the White House was proactively sending legislative proposals to the lawmaker or if they were replying to something his office submitted—though two cannabis industry sources suggested to Marijuana Moment that Barr first sent language to the administration, which then provided technical feedback. Trump last week pushed congressional lawmakers to take action to amend the currently scheduled hemp ban, which he suggested threatens to federally recriminalize full-spectrum CBD products. “I am calling on Congress to update the Law to ensure that Americans can continue to access the full-spectrum CBD products they have come to rely on, and that help them, while preserving Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose Health risks,” the president said in a Truth Social post on Thursday, the same day his administration announced it is moving forward to reschedule marijuana. “We must get this done RIGHT and FAST, especially for those who saw that CBD helps them,” he said. “Plus, I am told it will also help our GREAT FARMERS, who we love, and will always be there for.” Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) had filed a hemp ban delay amendment before the House Agriculture Committee when it took up the Farm Bill last month, but that panel’s chairman determined that the proposal was not germane to the legislation. A number of other bipartisan hemp reform bills are pending in Congress. This month, for example, Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) filed the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, which would effectively let states opt out of the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that is set to be enacted later this year. Ernst later withdrew her name as a cosponsor of the legislation, however. Her office did not reply to Marijuana Moment’s request for clarification on the move. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — A U.S. Department of Agriculture report published this month shows that farmers in the U.S. grew three-quarters of a billion dollars worth of hemp crops in 2025—a 64 percent increase from the prior year. Meanwhile, the Trump administration this month launched a new initiative to cover up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products each year for eligible Medicare patients. The program being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) focuses largely on CBD but also allows a certain amount of THC in products. Anti-marijuana organizations filed a lawsuit suit against the Medicare hemp coverage policy, and lawyers for Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Director Mehmet Oz recently filed a brief asking that the case be dismissed. Meanwhile, the White House Office of Management and Budget has been holding a series of meetings about a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) CBD products enforcement policy. FDA also issued guidance making clear that it does not intend to interfere with implementation of the Medicare hemp-derived products coverage plan. CMS separately finalized a rule that will allow coverage of some hemp products as specialized, non-primarily health-related benefits through Medicare Advantage plans. As hemp products have become more popular with consumers, some large brands are attempting to get in on action. Major retailer Target, for example, is expanding its participation in the hemp-derived THC beverage market. Last year, the company began a pilot program involving sales of cannabis drinks at 10 select stores in Minnesota. That apparently went well, and now the company has obtained licenses from Minnesota regulators to sell lower-potency hemp edible products—including THC drinks—at all 72 of its stores in the state. The post House Passes Farm Bill Including Hemp Provisions, But Without Delaying THC Product Ban Scheduled For This Year appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A key congressional panel has voted to block the federal rescheduling of marijuana—even though the Trump administration announced last week that it is moving ahead with enacting the reform. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies on Thursday approved a funding bill containing a provision that, if enacted, would prevent federal officials from taking further steps to carry out cannabis rescheduling. “SEC. 591. None of the funds appropriated under this Act or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to reschedule marijuana (as such term is defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)) or to remove marijuana from the schedules established under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812).” The committee has advanced similar language in the past years as the federal government has weighed marijuana rescheduling, but those provisions were never passed into law. The Department of Justice announced last week that marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license immediately moved to Schedule III, as did any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). An administrative hearing scheduled for this summer will consider broader cannabis rescheduling. Because the rescheduling of medical cannabis under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s order took effect immediately, it’s not clear if or how the congressional rider would impact businesses and patients who are covered by that reform. If the language is passed by the full House and Senate and makes it into an appropriations package that President Donald Trump signs into law, however, it could prevent the hearing and related action on broader marijuana rescheduling from taking place. The panel approved the Fiscal Year 2027 sending legislation containing the anti-rescheduling provision in a party-line vote of 8-6, sending it to the full Appropriations Committee, where it is scheduled to be taken up on May 13. Meanwhile, the funding bill that is advancing also contains an updated version of a longstanding rider that since 2014 has protected state medical cannabis programs from federal interference. “SEC. 531. (a) None of the funds made available under this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to any of the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, or with respect to the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, or Puerto Rico, to prevent any of them from implementing their own laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana. (b) Funds made available under this Act to the Department of Justice may be used to enforce violations of 21 U.S.C. 860.” This year’s provision for the first time includes Nebraska, after advocates pointed out the state was omitted from previously enacted appropriations legislation even though voters there approved medical cannabis legalization in 2024. The latter subsection of the medical cannabis rider has never been enacted before, and it seeks to stipulate that the Justice Department can still enforce a section of U.S. code that calls for increased penalties for distributing cannabis within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, vocational school, college, playground or public housing unit. Separately, the bill also includes another longstanding rider that protects state hemp research programs from federal interference. “SEC. 530. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used in contravention of section 7606 (‘‘Legitimacy of Industrial Hemp Research’’) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–79) by the Department of Justice or the Drug Enforcement Administration.” Meanwhile, the full House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved a separate 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 cannabis and drug policy developments in spending legislation comes amid several pending efforts on Capitol Hill to delay or alter the implementation of a law that stands to federally recriminalize hemp THC products later this year. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) told Marijuana Moment this week that she supports the Trump administration’s cannabis rescheduling move—even if it “doesn’t quite make all the wrongs right” by leaving behind people who “had their lives destroyed by the war on drugs.” Photo courtesy of Max Pixel. The post GOP-Led Congressional Committee Votes To Block Marijuana Rescheduling, Defying Trump appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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The Trump administration, like the Biden administration before it, has been aggressively defending the federal law that criminalizes gun possession by people who consume marijuana—but it may soon reverse course, the top Justice Department official says. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Director Robert Cekada on Wednesday announced a series of administrative steps to reduce burdens on firearms owners and businesses. While those steps don’t directly alter 922(g)(3), the federal law barring people who use cannabis and other illegal drugs from owning or purchasing guns, a reporter asked Blanche at a briefing whether DOJ is “reconsidering” its stance of defending laws disarming marijuana consumers or those who have other nonviolent convictions from legal challenges under the Second Amendment. “Yes, of course we are,” he said. “Every case is different. The facts leading up to where we are in a litigation is different, whether we’re at the district court level, whether we’re at the court of appeals.” “It’s not rational, or it’s not possible for us to just unwind on a given Monday. We just recently got out of a case two weeks ago that had been pending for a long time,” Blanche said. “We’ve recently argued some cases in front of the Supreme Court. We’ve had some cases in the court of appeals, and this is something that we’re looking carefully at case by case to make sure that we are doing the right thing—consistent with the Constitution, consistent with the Second Amendment, consistent with this administration’s priorities.” “And so yes, it’s not as smooth as a single day, but it’s also not as clunky as taking forever,” the attorney general said. Last month, however, the Trump administration argued before the U.S. Supreme Court that the federal law barring cannabis consumers from owning guns is constitutional under the Second Amendment. And last week, Solicitor General D. John Sauer sent the justices a letter saying that the Trump administration’s move to federally reschedule marijuana should not impact their decision in that case. DOJ and ATF have not yet released the full text of the 34 new notices of final and proposed rulemaking they are issuing on gun policies, but one of them could potentially impact how the existing ban on gun purchases by people who consume marijuana is carried out, based on a brief description the agencies posted. It says that “ATF is proposing comprehensive updates to ATF Form 4473 (the Firearms Transaction Record required for all commercial firearms transfers) and its implementing regulations.” That form must be filled out by anyone purchasing a gun from a federally licensed firearms dealer and currently contains a question that asks, “Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?” The form further warns that “he use or possession of marijuana remains unlawful under Federal law regardless of whether it has been legalized or decriminalized for medicinal or recreational purposes in the state where you reside.” “Shall not be infringed” means exactly that and under the bold leadership of @POTUS, this Department of Justice is taking unprecedented action to defend the Second Amendment rights of Americans. Today, we are announcing regulatory reforms to @ATFHQ gun rules, which protect public… pic.twitter.com/cevtr3dqQs — Acting AG Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) April 29, 2026 ATF said on Wednesday that the forthcoming rule change will “incorporate ATF rulings and other guidance to align regulations with their authorizing statutory text as well as make minor technical revisions.” “These updates reflect modern business practices and are intended to reduce administrative burden on law-abiding citizens and businesses, while maintaining robust safeguards against unlawful transfers,” the agency said. The Second Amendment Foundation, a gun rights advocacy group, said in a social media post that “of particular interest to us will be the wording of the cannabis-related question” under the revised form, especially once the Supreme Court decides the case it is considering on marijuana consumers’ gun rights, U.S. vs. Hemani. This is one where the devil will be in the details, but we’re all for simplifying forms. We look forward to reviewing the new proposed form. Of particular interest to us will be the wording of the cannabis-related question, especially once Hemani is out (assuming it goes our… pic.twitter.com/GycDPA96Qq — SAF (@2AFDN) April 29, 2026 Separately, ATF moved earlier this year to loosen rules that bar people who consume marijuana and other illegal drugs from being able to lawfully purchase and possess guns by making it so fewer people would be affected. The interim final rule from ATF, which is currently open for public comment through June 30, seeks to update the definition of “unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance” under an existing policy that has been interpreted to deny Second Amendment rights to people who have used illegal substances a single time within the past year. “ATF’s mission is to protect public safety and enforce the law—and these reforms reflect our commitment to doing that through regulations that are clear, legally sound, and narrowly tailored to that purpose,” Cekada said on Wednesday. “Our enforcement focus from here on out is on willful violators and criminal actors, not inadvertent compliance issues by responsible owners and licensees.” The post Trump Administration May Stop Pursuing Prosecutions Of Marijuana Users For Possessing Guns, Attorney General Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A U.S. Senate committee is taking up a bipartisan bill to promote research into the therapeutic potential psychedelics by creating a new office focused on the issue in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—hearing testimony from federal officials and veterans groups about the measure. Representatives from VA testified that despite aligning with the “intent” of the bill, the department does not support the legislation itself and “does not believe a new office is needed to carry out the duties and requirements.” Meanwhile, a Democratic senator said the Trump administration has been “better” on psychedelics reform than the Biden administration was. The legislation—titled the Veterans Health Administration Novel Therapeutics Preparedness Act—is being led by Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and is cosponsored by Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and John Boozman (R-AR). The new VA Office of Novel Therapeutics contemplated by S. 4220 would help to advance the development innovative treatments for serious mental health conditions and assist in reviewing the scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA. The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee discussed the psychedelics bill, along with 24 other pieces of legislation, at a hearing on Wednesday. Gallego, one of the bill cosponsors, said that “emerging therapies like psychedelic assisted therapies offer real hope for veterans with PTSD when nothing else has,” arguing that the government has “a responsibility to deliver the best possible care to our veterans.” “We certainly want to make sure veterans have safe access to all therapies,” he said. “This is why I’m very anxious to get this going, because a lot of veterans are now going to Mexico and other parts of the world and getting unregulated therapies, which can be hit or miss—can be dangerous—and obviously we want to give every opportunity to our veterans to have a chance at dealing with their PTSD.” Margarita Devlin, principal deputy under secretary for benefits at the VA’s Veterans Benefits Administration, told lawmakers in testimony for the hearing that the department has already established an Integrated Project Team (IPT) for psychedelics, “which has been proactively addressing the majority of the functions that would be assigned to the proposed office” under the bill. “The IPT was established to inform [Veterans Health Administration] senior leaders on key issues associated with psychedelic treatments for mental health conditions, develop guidance for research and clinical implementation of psychedelic treatments at VHA, develop a program evaluation infrastructure to ensure VA has information to make data-driven decisions about psychedelic treatments, develop guidance describing resource requirements to support implementation, develop resources to support psychedelic treatment through community care, and develop communications for VHA to support the dissemination of accurate information on the use of psychedelics for mental health treatment to Veterans, clinicians, and other key stakeholders. As such, the bill’s requirements would largely duplicate the efforts of the existing IPT.” She added that officials also have a number of technical concerns with the legislation as drafted, including their view that it would “result in duplication of functions or tasks that are currently performed by other VA offices” and would “require significant staffing focused on novel therapeutics rather than current areas of responsibility” without providing additional funding or hiring authority. Gallego said during the hearing that he wants to make sure to codify into law a mandate that VA focus on psychedelics. “Should there be a change in administration, everything could just kind of go away,” he said. “This administration has actually been better about working with psychedelics and veterans than the last administration.” “I can’t predict what the next administration is going to be like, but what I can predict is that I know a lot of veterans are going to always be seeking this type of treatment,” Gallego said. “I would rather it be housed, treated, tested and deployed under the guidance of the VA, versus them going to parts of the world that we rather them not go to and potentially put their lives in danger.” Mark A. Koeniger, acting assistant under secretary for health for patient care services at VA’s Veterans Health Administration, told Gallego during the hearing that “we understand that these novel therapeutics have a potential benefit.” “What we want to do is to make sure that those are rolled out in a very objective and scientific way,” he said. “The VA is actually anticipating that some of this will be approved by the FDA, particularly in terms of research, and so we’re setting ourselves up to be able to do that rapidly.” Echoing Devlin’s testimony, however, he said officials “want to avoid is that is a duplication of activities which would potentially make us less efficient.” “We would be happy to work with you and the committee to find out where the gaps are, in terms of what you’re recommending and what the VA is already doing, so that we can go ahead and close those gaps,” Koeniger told Gallego. Non-governmental witnesses who appeared at the hearing also offered their perspectives on the psychedelics bill. Brian Dempsey, government affairs director for the Wounded Warrior Project, citied “unacceptably high” suicide rates for veterans, which he said “underscores that traditional mental health treatments have not produced durable improvements for all veterans.” Innovative therapies like psychedelics “may offer new options for a subset of veterans who have exhausted existing treatments.” “These interventions require a fundamentally different model of care, one that depends on specialized infrastructure, interdisciplinary teams, and rigorous safety oversight beyond what VA’s traditional mental health delivery system has historically supported,” Dempsey said. Joe Chenelly, national executive director of AMVETS, said his group “supports the goal of improving readiness and establishing a more structured approach to evaluating and implementing novel therapies, including the emphasis on interdisciplinary care, patient safety, and post-treatment integration.” “These elements reflect the evolving understanding that effective treatment for many veterans requires more comprehensive and supportive care models than traditional approaches alone,” he said. “At the same time, AMVETS encourages careful attention to how these efforts are implemented to ensure they remain evidence-driven, scalable, and accessible across the VA system. In particular, coordination with community-based providers, incorporation of peer support, and alignment with existing mental health and suicide prevention programs will be critical to longterm success.” Sheehy, the bill’s sponsor, said when introducing the legislation last month that it will “help the hardworking men and women at the VA fulfill” their “critical mission” of caring for veterans. The congressional action comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order focused on expanding and expediting research on the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, a move aimed at making substances such as psilocybin, ibogaine, LSD and MDMA more readily available to patients in clinical settings. In line with the president’s order, federal health officials announced last week that they are taking steps they say will help with “accelerating” therapeutic access to psychedelics for patients dealing with serious mental health conditions. If enacted, the Senate bill taken up at the hearing would direct the VA to take steps to streamline studies into psychedelics and other emerging therapies This is one of the latest examples of congressional efforts to encourage scientific investigations into psychedelics, with a focus on military veterans with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic pain and more. The bill’s findings section says that “emerging therapeutic interventions, including certain psychedelic-assisted therapies under evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration as of the date of the enactment of this Act, may significantly alter the treatment landscape for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other mental health conditions affecting veterans.” “The administration of certain emerging therapies may require intensive clinical engagement, interdisciplinary teams, dedicated clinical space, structured preparation, and post-treatment integration that differ substantially from traditional outpatient mental health services,” it continues, adding that VA is “uniquely positioned to deliver integrated, veteran-centered care that combines medical, mental health, and peer support services within a single system of care.” That’s the only explicit mention of “psychedelics” in the legislation, and it doesn’t list specific psychedelic substances that would be prioritized for research, but that’s a common feature of recently filed bills touching on the issue, with various other examples using catchall terminology like innovative or novel treatments or therapies effectively serving as a stand-in for “psychedelics.” Under the measure, a new Office of Novel Therapeutics would be established under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to facilitate the research initiatives. Studies exploring the alternative treatments would focus on substances such as psychedelics that are under review for potential approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Absent centralized governance and implementation planning, the Department may face delays, safety risks, or inconsistent access following regulatory approval of such therapies,” the bill’s findings section says. “Establishing a dedicated Office of Novel Therapeutics will ensure that the Department is prepared to responsibly evaluate, research, and implement emerging treatment modalities consistent with patient safety and evidence-based practice.” There would be at least one “Center of Excellence” to facilitate the program in each VA regional district to help develop a national model for the initiative. A Veteran Advisory Committee would be established, comprised of veterans, experts and health professionals, to advise on matters such as access barriers and safety protocols. VA would also need to coordinate with other federal agencies—including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), FDA, Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS), the Department of Defense (DOD) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—to consider regulatory issues, possible rescheduling action for novel therapies and means of providing health care coverage for psychedelics access and treatment. VA would need to furnish annual reports to Congress updating lawmakers on its progress. Within 180 days of the bill’s enactment, the department would need to report on practical considerations such as staffing needs and regulatory barriers. The legislation is being supported by groups such as Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans and Psychedelic Medicine Coalition. The bill is somewhat similar in intent to another bipartisan measure filed last month, sponsored by Gallego and Sen. David McCormick (R-PA), that would provide $30 million in funding annually to establish psychedelic-focused “centers for excellence” at VA facilities, where veterans could receive novel treatment involving substances like psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine. A House companion version of the bill—sponsored by Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus co-chairs Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI)—was introduced last year, but it has not yet advanced in the chamber. The House and Senate measures are substantively identical, with minor formatting differences. Lawmakers and advocates supporting such reform bills notably have allies in top positions within the Trump administration, including VA Secretary Doug Collins and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. who both embraced psychedelic policy reform ahead of the president’s recent executive order. Kennedy recently told Joe Rogan on a podcast episode that the administration is “very anxious” to create a pathway for the novel therapies and that officials across federal agencies want to “get it out to the public as quickly as possible.” Collins also disclosed last year that he had an “eye-opening” talk with Kennedy about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicine. And he said he’s open to the idea of having the government provide vouchers to cover the costs of psychedelic therapy for veterans who receive services outside of VA as Congress considers pathways for access. Multiple veterans groups also recently advised congressional lawmakers about the need to continue exploring psychedelics and marijuana as alternative treatment options for the military veteran population at hearings on Capitol Hill. The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) specifically cited the Innovative Therapies Centers of Excellence Act as an example of a reform they’re backing. Correa and Bergman, the House sponsors of that legislation, separately filed a bill in January that would also promote research into the therapeutic potential of certain psychedelics in the treatment of serious mental health conditions experienced by veterans. The bipartisan duo in January also discussed the importance of strategically advancing psychedelics reform in a way that mitigates bureaucratic conflict and the influence of outside interests. Even just one misstep could threaten to upend the movement, they said. Last year, the VA secretary touted his role in promoting psychedelics access for veterans with serious mental health conditions, saying he “opened that door probably wider than most ever thought” was possible. The department in 2024 faced criticism after rejecting a grant application from an organization that helps connect veterans to programs abroad where they can receive psychedelic therapy to treat serious mental health conditions. In June, Kennedy said his agency is “absolutely committed” to expanding research on the benefits of psychedelic therapy and, alongside of the head of FDA, was aiming to provide legal access to such substances for military veterans “within 12 months.” The secretary also said last April that he had a “wonderful experience” with LSD at 15 years old, which he took because he thought he’d be able to see dinosaurs, as portrayed in a comic book he was a fan of. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Workman. The post Senate Committee Takes Up Veterans-Focused Psychedelics Bill, With VA Officials Expressing Concerns appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A powerful congressional committee has approved a spending bill and an attached report that expresses concerns about health risks from cannabis-derived products, while separately encouraging research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. The report advanced by the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday says there has been a “proliferation” of cannabis products that “pose potential health and safety risks to consumers through misleading, unsubstantiated, and false claims” that they can treat serious illnesses. “Such products may also be contaminated with harmful substances,” the report, which is attached to the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, says. Citing the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), it calls on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to “take enforcement action against the manufacturers of any cannabis products marketed with unlawful therapeutic claims to preserve the integrity of the drug development and approval processes.” “Cannabidiol Oil Enforcement.—The Committee is concerned about the proliferation of products marketed in violation of the FFDCA, including products containing derivatives of the cannabis plant. The Committee is aware that non-FFDCA-compliant products pose potential health and safety risks to consumers through misleading, unsubstantiated, and false claims that cannabis and cannabis derivatives can treat serious and life-threatening diseases and conditions, including COVID–19 and cancer. Such products may also be contaminated with harmful substances. The Committee recognizes FDA’s use of existing authorities to undertake cannabis-related efforts, including research, requests for data, consumer education, issuance of guidance and policy around cannabis-based drug product development, and enforcement against wrongdoers. The Committee expects FDA to continue and increase these efforts given the proliferation of non-FFDCA-compliant cannabis-containing products and the risks they pose to public health. The Committee also expects FDA to take enforcement action against the manufacturers of any cannabis products marketed with unlawful therapeutic claims to preserve the integrity of the drug development and approval processes, which ensures that products, including cannabis-containing products, marketed as drugs have undergone a rigorous scientific evaluation to ensure that they are safe, pure, potent, and effective for the diseases and conditions they claim to treat. It is also imperative that FDA continue to exercise its existing authorities to preserve incentives to invest in robust clinical study of cannabis so its therapeutic value can be better understood.” A separate section of the report says the committee is “concerned by the growth of food products that contain plant or otherwise derived cannabinoids as no cannabinoid is approved for any use in food as a food additive.” “Food Additives.—The Committee supports FDA’s effort to develop clear, science-based guidance to ensure product safety, consumer confidence, and regulatory clarity for plant or otherwise derived cannabinoids. However, the Committee remains concerned by the growth of food products that contain plant or otherwise derived cannabinoids as no cannabinoid is approved for any use in food as a food additive. In some of the over 110 warning letters issued to firms marketing plant or otherwise derived cannabinoid products since 2018, FDA notes that the available data for some cannabinoids raises serious concerns about potential harm and there is little or no available information concerning the safety of their use in food. The Committee encourages FDA, in collaboration with other relevant Federal agencies and State partners, to develop a plan to coordinate appropriate enforcement actions.” Another passage calls on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to take steps to “elucidate the genetic control of key production and product quality traits in hemp.” “Hemp Cultivar Development.—The Committee encourages ARS to conduct biotechnology and genomics research in collaboration with capable institutions to elucidate the genetic control of key production and product quality traits in hemp to facilitate cultivar development.” An additional report section urges USDA to identify programs that can aid production and processing of hemp and other crops for fiber. “U.S. Fiber Processing.—The Committee encourages USDA to identify programs, such as Value-Added Producer Grants and the Business and Industry Loan Program, that can support the production and processing of plant-based fiber crops, such as cotton, hemp, and flax, and animal-based fibers such as wool, alpaca, and leather. The Committee requests a briefing within 180 days of enactment of this Act on agency efforts to bolster support for plant and animal-based fiber production and processing in the U.S.” The bill itself contains a longstanding provision that protects state hemp programs from federal interference. “SEC. 737. None of the funds made available by this Act or any other Act may be used— (1) in contravention of section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 5940), subtitle G of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, or section 10114 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018; or (2) to prohibit the transportation, processing, sale, or use of hemp, or seeds of such plant, that is grown or cultivated in accordance with section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 or subtitle G of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, within or outside the State in which the hemp is grown or cultivated.” On another topic, the report urges FDA and the Department of Defense to support research to “improve our understanding of psychedelics” and “work together in developing and supporting public-private collaborations to advance psychedelic research for therapeutic purposes.” “Breakthrough Therapies.—The Committee recognizes the increased interest and need to study psychedelics and qualified plant-based alternative therapies and their potential therapeutic effects. The Committee encourages FDA to work with the DoD on leveraging clinical trials, as authorized by title 10 United States Code, chapter 55, to improve our understanding of psychedelics. The Committee also encourages FDA and DoD to work together in developing and supporting public-private collaborations to advance psychedelic research for therapeutic purposes.” The report also says the committee is “encouraged” by a study that found “no serious adverse effects” from the use of kratom, a plant native to Southeast Asia that’s used for pain relief, managing the symptoms of opioid withdrawal and other purposes. As such, the panel wants FDA to reconsider alerts it has issued about kratom. “Kratom Safety.—The Committee is encouraged by the results of the Single Ascending Dose (SAD) safety study on kratom that found no serious adverse effects among participants. The Committee urges FDA to reconsider its import alerts concerning kratom products based on the findings of the SAD study. Furthermore, the Committee urges FDA to enforce current quality and wholesomeness standards for imported kratom raw materials based on presence of contaminants that pose a specific threat to public safety and to impose these enforcement standards on vendors importing violative raw materials until they demonstrate they can comply with those standards.” Members of the committee on Wednesday adopted an amendment adding an additional section to the report expressing concerns about the impact of imported poppy seeds on positive drug tests and health consequences such as addiction and overdose. “Poppy Seeds.-The Committee is concerned with reports of positive drug tests, addiction, overdose, and death related to contaminated imported poppy seeds. The Committee is encouraged by the agency’s work to monitor levels of opiate alkaloids, research, and collaborate with other agencies and stakeholders and by the agency’s plans to move forward with setting action levels for opiate alkaloids in poppy seeds. Aligning with the agency’s ongoing efforts, the Committee directs the agency to establish an action level for opiate alkaloids on poppy seeds and carry out appropriate regulatory or enforcement measures to ensure the safety of poppy seeds.” The legislative action comes days after the Trump administration announced it is moving forward with the federal rescheduling of marijuana. An appropriations subcommittee, meanwhile, is considering a separate funding bill this week that contains provisions to block cannabis rescheduling. President Donald Trump this month also signed an executive order aimed at expanding and expediting research on the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. Meanwhile, there are several pending efforts on Capitol Hill to delay or alter the implementation of a law that stands to federally recriminalize hemp THC products later this year. The post Congressional Committee Wants Feds To Go After Cannabis Product Manufacturers Making Unlawful Health Claims appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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