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“This gives the majority of patients a form of the product that provides the quickest relief possible.” By Mark Niesse, Capitol Beat New Service In the 11 years since Georgia’s medical marijuana program started, it has slowly stumbled forward, with patients restricted to low-potency oils. The Georgia General Assembly gave final approval to a bill Monday that would change that. The House voted 144-21 to lift Georgia’s limit on THC content in medical marijuana, and to allow registered patients to vape the drug to receive faster relief. Senate Bill 220 now advances to Gov. Brian Kemp (R). “These are badly needed improvements,” said Shannon Cloud, whose 20-year-old daughter suffers from seizures and is a registered Georgia medical marijuana patient. “It allows more flexibility for patients and doctors to access what’s really going to work for them, taking away the really tight restrictions.” Of the dozens of states with medical marijuana programs, Georgia’s has the lowest adoption rates, said Gary Long, CEO of Botanical Sciences, which owns five dispensaries across the state. There are about 34,500 registered patients and 2,200 registered caregivers in Georgia, according to the state Department of Health. Patients will get quicker relief from vaping rather than ingesting oil tinctures, Long said. “If you’re a patient who has chronic, intractable pain, you don’t want to wait 45 minutes for those other forms to take effect,” Long said. “This is a medicinal product. This is not a recreational product. This gives the majority of patients a form of the product that provides the quickest relief possible.” Currently, Georgia’s medical marijuana law allows patients to buy and consume products with up to 5 percent THC, the compound that gives marijuana users a high. Recreational marijuana, which is illegal in Georgia, can have THC content of 20 percent or more. Under SB 220, there would be no THC percentage cap. The name of Georgia’s medical product would be changed from “Low THC Oil” to “medical cannabis.” Sen. Ed Setzler, R-Acworth, said he has “grave concerns” about raising the THC limit and allowing people to get high. “This is not Low THC Oil to solve the problems of little girls that have serious medical conditions that modern medical science cannot otherwise solve. This is something different,” Setzler said before the 38-14 Senate vote to pass the bill last week. “It’s about getting people high on THC with concentrated THC into their lungs. That’s a very different proposition.” Sen. Matt Brass, R-Newnan, said the bill will support legitimate patients and prevent a slide toward recreational marijuana legalization that occurred in other states. “This state does it different. We have put it in medical hands,” Brass said. “We have a tight lock around those qualifying conditions, and we are taking advice from medical experts.” To qualify for medical cannabis, Georgia patients need approval from a physician to treat conditions including seizure disorders, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, and intractable pain. SB 220 would add lupus to the list and limit treating physicians to those whose principal practice of medicine is located in Georgia. Georgians for Responsible Marijuana Policy, a group that warns against the risks of marijuana expansion, said increased availability and potency of THC can lead to addiction, impair youth brain development and driving skills, and undermine worker productivity. “When cannabis use disorder takes root, it does not create freedom—it takes away the ability to choose,” wrote the group’s executive director, Michael Mumper, in a statement at the beginning of this year’s legislative session. Kemp could sign the bill, allow it to become law without his signature or veto it. This story was first published by Capitol Beat. The post Georgia Lawmakers Pass Bill To Expand Medical Marijuana Access, Sending It To Governor’s Desk appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“It doesn’t seem fair that you can only get treatment if you can afford it… It’s urgent that all New Mexicans have a chance to use this as opposed to those who can afford it.” By Leah Romero, Source NM New Mexico is setting up the statewide medical psilocybin program to be more accessible to patients later this year with the creation of a treatment equity fund, which was signed into law last week. Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain mushrooms. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed the state’s annual budget, House Bill 2, on March 10. The bill includes $630,000 to create the Medical Psilocybin Treatment Equity Fund to make treatment more accessible for low-income and rural residents. “This marks the beginning of a bold new chapter in state-led health innovation,” Healing Advocacy Fund’s New Mexico Director of Strategic Support Denali Wilson said in a statement. “New Mexico is creating the nation’s first medically integrated psilocybin program because state leaders recognize the potential of this therapy to improve mental health outcomes and reduce future public health costs. With the investment in this fund, our state leadership is sending a clear message: access to treatment in New Mexico will not be based on ability to pay.” New Mexico’s medical psilocybin program was created last year through the passage of Senate Bill 219, the Medical Psilocybin Act, to offer qualifying patients another option for treating conditions such as major treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress, substance abuse disorders and end-of-life care, as well as any further conditions approved of by the Department of Health. The law gives the state until December 31, 2027, to implement the program, but health officials announced in December 2025 that they are aiming to open the program by the end of 2026. “This investment reflects the belief that improving access to effective treatments can generate enormous public health returns, helping people recover while reducing the long-term costs of untreated mental health conditions,” Healing Advocacy Fund Executive Director Taylor West said in a statement. The Psilocybin Advisory Board is working through the rulemaking process for the state-regulated program, considering various aspects like propagation, dosage and administration, research and training. New Mexico Rep. Elizabeth Thomson (D-Albuquerque), one of the House sponsors of the Medical Psilocybin Act last year, told Source New Mexico that the creation of the treatment equity fund is a “great step forward.” “It doesn’t seem fair that you can only get treatment if you can afford it. I mean, that doesn’t make sense,” Thomson said. “Is [medical psilocybin] going to be the be all, end all? No, but it’s going to be a good tool in our toolbox and I think it’s urgent that all New Mexicans have a chance to use this as opposed to those who can afford it.” Thomson added that she isn’t ruling out introducing further legislation next year to make adjustments or address any gaps in the program, but it may take some time once it launches to determine what the needs are. HB2 also appropriated state funds for the University of New Mexico to carry out research on psilocybin regarding treatment for palliative and end-of-life care. This story was first published by Source NM. The post New Mexico Lawmaker Celebrates New Funding To Provide Psilocybin Therapy Access For Low-Income Patients appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“The Missouri Constitution contains clear language for how these funds are to be distributed.” By Rebecca Rivas and Rudi Keller, Missouri Independent About $95 million in Missouri marijuana-tax revenue that voters set aside for veterans services, public defenders and drug-addiction treatment programs sat unspent at the end of the last fiscal year. And budget projections show that unused pile of cash would still be more than $60 million over the next two years unless lawmakers authorize the intended beneficiaries to use it. The unspent money was a key criticism of a report issued last month by State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick, who hammered state lawmakers and the governor for allowing the funds from sales tax on marijuana to stagnate. Under the Missouri Constitution, the money can’t be spent on anything other than those three areas. “Missouri voters passed both medical and adult-use marijuana programs with the requirement that the proceeds of these programs would provide needed resources for veterans, the public defender system and addiction programs,” Fitzpatrick’s audit says. “In addition, the Missouri Constitution contains clear language for how these funds are to be distributed. Ensuring these programs have timely access to the funding legally dedicated to them is necessary.” Gov. Mike Kehoe’s (R) budget proposes transferring $131.7 million of recreational marijuana money into the three beneficiaries’ funds. That’s $40 million each for veterans and addiction treatment programs. The public defender system would receive $51.7 million, to make up for funds that lawmakers withheld last year. But moving the money won’t address the problem if lawmakers don’t authorize the three groups to spend it. This will be the second year the public defenders system has struggled to get lawmakers to approve what the office contends is much-needed pay raises and social workers. The state agencies overseeing veterans and drug-addiction treatment programs are having more success getting their requests green lit this year. Even if lawmakers and the governor approve the budget as it’s currently proposed, there could be a combined $61.5 million sitting in those three funds that beneficiaries still can’t touch. Long-awaited pay raises Last year, the public defender’s office wanted to use some of the cannabis money to increase their attorneys’ starting pay from $65,000 per year to $70,000. That would align the salary with the attorney general’s office entry-level pay. But the House shot it down. Matthew Crowell, director of the Office of the State Public Defender, again asked for raises for all employees during a budget hearing last month. “Currently, we are dealing with about a 23 percent turnover rate, which has significant impacts on our clients that we represent, the length of the cases,” he told House Budget Committee members. “So we’re hoping that this will help that problem. The No. 1 cited reason when our attorneys leave is pay.” For several years, the system suffered from long waiting lists, which spurred a successful lawsuit that put pressure on the legislators to fund more public defender positions in 2021. Kehoe recommended $7.3 million for the pay raises, but Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton cut that amount in half in his recommendation for the marijuana money. Crowell also asked to put a mitigation specialist, or a social worker that connects clients with resources, in each district office, which would mean 35 new positions. He told House members that it’s “the greatest thing that we’ve done as public defenders,” in his 18 years as a public defender. Mitigation specialists help connect their clients with basic needs, he said, so they don’t violate probation and go back to jail. “We didn’t have that resource until now,” he said. “It’s made a world of difference.” However, the governor and Deaton have already recommended cutting that request down to 20 new positions—a nearly $800,000 budget decrease. Aside from helping clients, Crowell said these positions are much easier to fill than new attorney openings established as part of the lawsuit, which the office has never been able to fill. Overall, his office is asking to use $25.6 million of the cannabis funds to increase pay, add social work positions and improve technology. Even if Crowell got everything his office asked for, there would still be more than $33 million sitting in the state treasury fund that his office can’t touch despite the fact that the money can’t be spent on anything else. While Deaton cut the governor’s recommended funding for public defenders, he went the opposite direction for drug-addiction treatment and education programs. Deaton has recommended spending $38.5 million on these programs, with $28.2 million going to the Missouri Department of Mental Health, $1.8 million for corrections, $4.7 million for the Department of Social Services and $3.8 million to the health department. However, Kehoe has recommended $5.5 million less than Deaton—yet both would eliminate programs established in public schools and the state court system. Several House members expressed concern about the move during a committee hearing last month. Republican state Rep. John Black of Marshfield said prevention and treatment for people with substance use disorders saves the state money. “One estimate is that $1 spent on these programs ultimately saves the state $7 in terms of restoring people to productive society and preventing the disaster that a [substance use disorder] is,” Black said during the hearing. The proposals from the governor and House budget committee cut a $500,000 grant for drug and DWI courts to support programs focused on medication-assisted treatment related to alcohol and opioid addiction. It also eliminates $300,000 for drug abuse resistance education in schools. If the governor recommendations are approved, $27.6 million of cannabis funds available for these programs would be unspent. The budget legislation would give the Missouri Veterans Commission the green light to spend the entire $40 million on continued support of the Veterans Homes Program, according to a commission spokeswoman. That leaves no surplus in the veterans fund. ‘Need for additional resources’ When Missouri voters legalized adult-use marijuana in 2022, they approved using revenue from sales tax and fees—after operating expenses—to be divided evenly between three funds: for the state public defenders office, the Missouri Veterans Commission and the drug treatment programs through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Budget officials estimate revenues will be $88.8 million in the upcoming fiscal year from July 1 to June 30, 2027. According to the audit released last month, staff in Fitzpatrick’s office found the agencies “have communicated the need for additional resources, but the full amount of the funds available have not been appropriated in the approved budgets.” Crowell said Deaton’s proposed 50 percent reduction in pay raises “will severely limit our ability” to compete with other state agencies that pay their attorneys more. “Just for reference, the House just hired a new lawyer for around $74,000, and the Senate hired a new lawyer for $80,000,” Crowell said, and both of them were previously public defenders. “We cannot compete when these same attorneys make only $62,000 at MSPD. Our proposal and the governor’s recommendation would have allowed us to boost our starting pay to $75,000.” A separate and ongoing concern, he said, is Deaton’s push to use the marijuana money to reduce the public defender’s core budget, and this year it’s by about $8 million. Crowell believes voters didn’t intend for lawmakers to take away money meant for the public defenders’ operations now that they have marijuana revenue—pointing to the line in the constitution amendment that states all revenue from the taxes and fees of recreational marijuana sales, “shall provide new and additional funding…and shall not replace existing funding.” Deaton’s argument is that the constitution refers to the public defender’s budget at the time the amendment was passed in 2022, not the current amount. “Obviously, we do not agree with this interpretation,” Crowell said. “If tax revenue decreases, shifts or the constitution of Missouri is amended to remove these provisions, [the Missouri State Public Defender System] will be in a world of hurt.” This story was first published by Missouri Independent. The post Almost $100 Million In Missouri Marijuana Revenue Earmarked For Veterans And Other Programs Remains Unspent appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Patients enrolled in select federal health insurance programs could have up to $500 of hemp-derived products covered each year beginning as early as April 1, according to new details about the cannabis initiative that’s being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The CBD-focused plan will also allow a certain amount of THC in products, but the agency said the planned rules are subject to change if federal hemp policy changes, as is currently expected under a law set to take effect later this year. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December that calls on the attorney general to finalize a rule federally rescheduling marijuana that also contained components to “improve access” to full-spectrum CBD products. To that end, the CMS update posted on Friday details how certain of its “Innovation Center” models will facilitate a pilot program providing coverage to regulated, hemp-derived cannabidiol. Participants would be required to ensure that CBD is sourced from “a legally compliant source and high-quality farm,” prepared as an oral solution and tested for cannabinoid content so that available products contain no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight and up to 3 milligrams of total THC per serving. CMS said that centers participating in one of three models that receive substance access Beneficiary Engagement Incentives (BEI) will be able to “consult with eligible beneficiaries about the possible use of eligible hemp products to improve symptom control.” “Participants implementing this BEI may elect to furnish such hemp products up to $500 a year, per eligible beneficiary, subject to model requirements and safeguards,” it said, while emphasizing that Medicare “does not pay the participant for the products, and beneficiaries should not be asked to submit a Medicare claim for the product.” The three eligible innovation center models are CMS’s ACO REACH Model, Enhancing Oncology Model and Long-term Enhance ACO Design (LEAD) Model. For the first two, participants can elect to utilize the BEI for CBD coverage starting on April 1. For LEAD participants, the start date is January 1, 2027. Participating organizations under those models must first elect the substance access BEI and then produce a CMS implementation plan that describes “the specific eligible hemp product(s) and dosing information, the amount/frequency of distribution, beneficiary eligibility criteria, safeguards/oversight, and other requirements outlined in participation agreements.” Those plans would need to receive CMS approval before participants could offer cannabidiol coverage. After initial details about the initiative were revealed last week, CMS faced questions about the potential impact of a law set to take effect in November that would redefine hemp in a way that would strictly limit the types of cannabis products that are currently permitted under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed in his first term. That law expressly prohibits hemp derivatives containing more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container, which industry stakeholders say would effectively eradicate the consumable hemp market. Here’s how CMS is defining hemp products allowed through its substance access BEI: “Eligible hemp products are limited to federally legal hemp-derived products containing no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC and expressly excludes inhalable products, any products containing more than 3 mg per serving of tetrohydrocannabinols (such as delta-8-tetrahyrdocannabinol, delta-10-tetrahyrdocannabinol, and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) in an orally administered form, and any products containing cannabinoids not naturally produced or capable of being produced by or in the cannabis plant during its cultivation.” The agency acknowledged that its definition complies with the 2018 Farm Bill provisions and noted that its coverage plan “does not override the Controlled Substances Act or authorize Schedule I substances.” “To be eligible, hemp products must also comply with applicable state and local laws,” CMS said, raising additional questions about potential regulatory complications as multiple states have proactively moved to restrict hemp product availability in anticipation of the pending federal policy change. “If the legal limits on hemp-derived products changes…CMS will adjust its definition in accordance with the law.” CMS further explained that cannabinoid products “must be furnished and provided directly by a qualified physician affiliated with the participant organization, as specified by the model participation agreements,” and model participants “cannot instruct beneficiaries to purchase retail products and submit receipts for reimbursement under the BEI.” To be approved to provide CBD coverage, model participants must 1) meet federal, state and local “production, quality and safety laws and other mandated standards,” 2) be sourced from legally compliant farms “consistent with 2018 Farm Bill hemp requirements” and 3) be tested for cannabinoid content, as well as “contaminants and microbial hazards.” The new details about the rules for the CBD pilot program come weeks after a co-founder of the hemp company Charolette’s Web, which has been collaborating with CMS, said the agency had already finalized its plans for federal health insurance coverage of cannabidiol. Bill Morachnick, CEO of Charlotte’s Web, said in a press release on Monday that they are “grateful for CMS’s thoughtful approach in expanding access and creating space for responsible, evidence‑based hemp wellness conversations in clinical settings.” “This program aligns with our mission to advance safe, high‑quality, science‑backed hemp options for consumers, and we remain committed to supporting sensible legislation that protects patients and strengthens the integrity of our industry,” he said. “The updated guidance from CMS represents an important step in strengthening how hemp-based options are considered within care settings,” Morachnick said in a separate statement. “By reinforcing a science-driven framework centered on safety, quality, and transparency, it creates a clearer path for responsible integration into patient care. We see this as meaningful progress toward expanding access to trusted, non-intoxicating hemp solutions in a way that aligns with both clinical standards and patient needs.” CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz explained in December that the policy change will “allow millions of Americans on Medicare to become eligible to receive CBD as early as April of next year—and at no charge if their doctors recommend them.” He added that Medicare Advantage insurers CMS has contacted are “also agreeing to consider CBD to be used for the 34 million Americans that they cover.” As previously described by the administrator, the plan would involved those 65 and older who qualify for Medicare, but the specific qualifying conditions weren’t detailed. There were repeated mentions of chronic pain, specifically related to cancer, but it’s possible the CBD eligibility criteria includes additional conditions. In its latest update, CMS said patients with disqualifying conditions under the Innovation Center models, as well as those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, could not receive CBD. They must also be at least 18 years old to participate. At the signing ceremony for the marijuana and hemp executive order Trump signed in December, Oz also gave kudos to Howard Kessler, founder of The Commonwealth Project, which produced a video about the benefits of cannabidiol for seniors that the president shared on Truth Social last year and who apparently has pressed Trump to enact reform to expand cannabis access. While CMS implemented an earlier final rule last April specifically stipulating that marijuana, as well as CBD that can be derived from federally legal hemp, are ineligible for coverage under its Medicare Advantage program and other services, the agency is now revising that policy. CMS had already announced certain changes as part of a rulemaking process that was unveiled late last year, affecting “marketing and communications, drug coverage, enrollment processes, special needs plans, and other programmatic areas” for insurance programs it oversees. One of those changes dealt with cannabidiol coverage. The rule as proposed would amend regulations, which currently state that any “cannabis products” cannot be covered. The policy would prevent coverage for only “cannabis products that are illegal under applicable state or federal law, including the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.” Since hemp and its derivatives like CBD are federally legal, the change suggests patients in states where such products are legal could make valid insurance claims to pay for the alternative treatment option, as long as the product is also federally legal. Meanwhile, following the White House announcement in December, Oz spoke with NewsNation about the policy change, responding to a question about how the broader marijuana rescheduling decision squares with the Trump administration’s aggressive efforts to stymie the flow of other illicit drugs, particularly fentanyl. “We think they fit hand in hand,” he said. “This is really about researching—specifically CBD, which is hemp-derived endocannabinoids [sic]—are actually worthy of Americans using them,” he said. “It’s hard to do some of this work, especially with medical marijuana. And this is not about legalization of marijuana.” “There is no legalization language at all,” he added. “It’s about rescheduling this class of product so that it can be researched more readily.” The idea that marijuana has no medical value, as its currently defined as a Schedule I drug, is “just patently wrong for marijuana,” he said, noting that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved certain cannabis-based drugs for conditions such as epilepsy “that work quite nicely.” “That belief that it should be Schedule I is just an incorrect place to put it,” he said. “Schedule III seemed to make sense to the president. He argued that it allows us to do the research more readily.” “We’re finding a way to allow Medicare beneficiaries to get access to some of these products. And so, within Medicare, we have the ability, for the first time ever—and we delivered on this promise to the president today—to allow doctors to recommend hemp-derived CBD for patients who have cancer, for example, and have a lot of pain from that.” The administrator said surveys show a majority of seniors who take CBD for pain management find it beneficial, and the White House wants to “make it easier for patients to access this” and allow them to access the cannabinoid at “no charge” through the federal health insurance program. Meanwhile, Oz took a different tone last month when he warned that “there are going to be consequences” as more Americans choose marijuana over alcohol—including problems caused by “high-dose hemp and CBD.” In the background, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and FDA recently submitted proposed regulations concerning CBD enforcement and compliance with the White House Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). There’s been speculation that the rule could be related to the CMS pilot program, but that hasn’t been confirmed. And it’s also possible the proposal is linked to an unrelated FDA mandate from Congress to produce a list of known cannabinoids ahead of the federal hemp redefinition. With respect to the marijuana components of Trump’s executive order, Attorney General Pam Bondi was directed to expeditiously finalize a proposal to move cannabis from Schedule to Schedule III of the CSA, which would not federally legalize it but would remove certain research barriers and let state-licensed marijuana businesses take federal tax deductions they’re currently barred from under an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E. That rescheduling proposal remains pending, however. The post Feds Detail Plan To Cover Up To $500 In Hemp CBD And THC Products For Medicare Patients Under Program Launching Next Week appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Utah’s governor has signed a bill to promote clinical trials into the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapy for military veterans with serious mental health conditions. Lawmakers passed the the legislation from Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost (D) and Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore earlier this month, sending it to Gov. Spencer Cox (R), who signed it into law without comment on Thursday. The measure authorizes the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah to conduct a clinical trial investigating the “safety and feasibility” of psychedelics—including psilocybin, MDMA and DMT—among veterans with treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The trial will be able to go forward if Huntsman receives funding through legislative appropriations and donations that match or exceed the amount required for the study. Results from the trail will need to be reported to the legislature’s Health and Human Services Interim Committee. Participants in the study will need to receive the psychedelic treatment in a controlled clinical setting with a qualified therapist who can deliver “trauma-informed preparatory and integrative psychotherapy to the individual before and after administration of the psychedelic drug,” the text of the bill, HB 390, says. Under the new law signed by the governor, the study is expected to begin by January 1, 2027. However, the Huntsman Institute can continue to accept donations after that point if they are unable to reach the funding goal in time. Researchers will have to ensure compliance with both state and federal law, including conducting the trial under a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigational new drug application and maintaining Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) authorization to study Schedule I drugs under federal law. The new reform comes about two years after the governor allowed a bill to become law without his signature that authorizes a pilot program for hospitals to administer psilocybin and MDMA as an alternative treatment option. — 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, last year, a federal judge ruled against Utah state and county officials in a lawsuit challenging their prosecution of a Provo City-based religious group that uses the psychedelic fungi as sacrament. That came after U.S. District Judge Jill N. Parrish granted Singularism’s motion for a temporary injunction and ordered police to return psilocybin that was seized last year as part of a raid at its spiritual center. Separately, a Utah lawmaker in January filed a bill for the 2026 session that would decriminalize marijuana and make it so that people caught possessing small amounts of cannabis would not face the threat of jail time for first-time offenses. Utah does have legal medical cannabis under a law the legislature passed in 2018. And that program has significantly grown in the years since, with the state confirming last year that more than 100,000 patients were registered to participate. The post Utah Governor Signs Bill To Support Clinical Trials On Psychedelics For Veterans’ Mental Health appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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Colorado regulators are touting another successful year of nearly perfect marijuana business compliance with state laws prohibiting the sale of cannabis to underage youth—with 99 percent of retailers checking IDs to verify the age of covert investigators. The state’s Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) said in a newsletter sent on Thursday that investigators conducted 469 underage compliance checks in 2025 “as part of its focus on preventing youth access to marijuana.” “The compliance rate on those checks was 99 percent,” it said. “The MED also conducted investigations into an additional 309 licenses last year related to preventing youth access.” A recent report on regulatory and enforcement activity from MED detailed the division’s broader investigatory efforts last year, including inspections of more than 2,800 cannabis business licenses (about 235 per month). Of those licensee checks, 846 resulted in administrative action by the state’s licensing authority and about $1.1 million in fine assessments. “The MED also continued to refine processes to address product and consumer safety concerns, issuing 17 Health & Safety Advisories in 2025 that alerted consumers to potential contamination risks in regulated marijuana products,” it added. “Health & Safety Advisories are issued for regulated marijuana that was sold to the public and subsequently found to have contaminants that exceeded acceptable limits established in Colorado law. Those contaminants included mold, aspergillus, pesticides, and elemental impurities such as arsenic.” With respect to the underage compliance checks, Colorado businesses have consistently proven to take the law seriously by requiring ID verification before a person can enter the store to view and purchase marijuana products, while turning away those with invalid documentation or whose IDs show they’re under 21. Colorado isn’t necessarily unique in its high scores for compliance, as other reports and studies on legal jurisdictions such as New York City have similarly found that the vast majority of retailers are doing their part by refusing service to underage youth. The statistics reinforce what advocates have long argued: Regulations are more effective than blanket prohibition in promoting public health and safety, including preventing youth access. And when adults are able to transit to licensed retailers to buy cannabis, that can undermine the illicit market where IDs aren’t being rigorously inspected for age verification purposes. That retail-level compliance is just one factor advocates and experts attribute to the fact that data shows youth cannabis use has either declined or remained stable in states that have enacted legalization. For example, last December, the nationally representative Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey—which is supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)—found that teen marijuana use “remained stable” this year even as more states have enacted legalization. A separate federally funded study out of Canada that was released last November found that that youth marijuana use rates actually declined after the country legalized cannabis. The study was released about three months after German officials released a separate report on their country’s experience with legalizing marijuana nationwide. Last July, federal health data also indicated that while past-year marijuana use in the U.S. overall has climbed in recent years, the rise has been “driven by increases…among adults 26 years or older.” As for younger Americans, rates of both past-year use and cannabis use disorder, by contrast, “remained stable among adolescents and young adults between 2021 and 2024.” A report from the advocacy group Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), for example, found that youth marijuana use declined in 19 out of 21 states that legalized adult-use marijuana—with teen cannabis consumption down an average of 35 percent in the earliest states to legalize. The report cited data from a series of national and state-level youth surveys, including the annual MTF survey. Another survey from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2024 also showed a decline in the proportion of high-school students reporting past-month marijuana use over the past decade, as dozens of states moved to legalize cannabis. At the state level, MPP’s assessment looked at research such as the Washington State Healthy Youth Survey that was released in April 2024. That survey showed declines in both lifetime and past-30-day marijuana use in recent years, with striking drops that held steady through 2023. The results also indicated that perceived ease of access to cannabis among underage students has generally fallen since the state enacted legalization for adults in 2012—contrary to fears repeatedly expressed by opponents of the policy change. In 2024, meanwhile, the biannual Healthy Kids Colorado Survey found that rates of youth marijuana use in the state declined slightly in 2023—remaining significantly lower than before the state became one of the first in the U.S. to legalize cannabis for adults in 2012. Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer. The post 99% Of Colorado Marijuana Retailers Properly Checked IDs To Prevent Youth Access, State Report Shows appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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The head of the Conservative Party of Canada says using marijuana should be a “personal choice”—even though he voted against the bill that legalized cannabis nationwide in his country that entitled adults to freedom from the threat of criminalization for consuming it. In an interview on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast that was released on Thursday, Canadian Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre presented a philosophical idea about cannabis policy that the host said he appreciated as the two discussed their neighboring nations’ conflicting marijuana laws. Rogan lamented the fact that while rules are being finalized to reschedule cannabis under U.S. law—with the backing of President Donald Trump—the reform wouldn’t federally legalize the plant as the Canadian government achieved under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of the Liberal Party in 2018. “If alcohol is legal, marijuana is far safer—it should be legal. It’s ridiculous,” Rogan said. “It’s also a personal freedom thing. Leave people alone. No one’s robbing banks smoking weed and killing their neighbors. It’s crazy.” Poilievre interjected that it’s “a personal choice thing.” When it comes to cannabis, the role of government should be essentially the same as alcohol, Rogan said. That is, “Leave them alone.” And the Canadian conservative leader agreed, saying “that’s my philosophy.” “The bottom line is, if you cannot trust a man to govern himself, how can you trust him to govern for others?” Poilievre said. “If you think that human nature is so flawed that people cannot make decisions for themselves, then how could you possibly trust human nature to make decisions for other people—to impose decisions on their lives? And who watches the watchmen?” “We’re constantly told we need to be kind of guided by these people from ivory towers. But who are these angels anyway? They’re just human beings like everyone else,” he said. “So when you give them more power, you give them the power to impose their will on people, then that ultimately gets abused.” The two were aligning on a basic libertarian principle that treats government power with skepticism and scrutiny, while upholding individual liberty as an ideal that should not be infringed. “So even you’re right—even when somebody is doing something that I don’t agree with, and I would think it would be better for all of us if they didn’t do it—the mal that is done by giving me the power to impose my decision-making on them is worse than the benefit of trying to direct them towards a better decision,” Poilievre said. “That’s my philosophy. It’s pretty simple. I think all the best things in life are simple.” “You know, we overcomplicate things. Government is way too complicated. You know, I think we need to get back to the simplicity,” he continued. “The greatest speech in the English language was Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address—271 words. Einstein compressed mass and energy into a five-character equation. Bruce Lee was an advocate of simplicity.” “Simplicity is is a virtue, and I think we have to get back to simplicity, especially in government,” Poilievre said. “Simpler, clearer, easier to manage.” Rogan, evidently enamored with the lawmaker’s stated philosophy, said, “I think your message resonates with me,” and if he was Canadian, he’d “vote for you 100 percent.” But philosophy aside, if Rogan had voted for Poilievre ahead of the Parliament’s vote to legalize marijuana, he would’ve cast his ballot for someone whose stated belief in personal freedom to use cannabis didn’t translate into support for the kind of reform that’s actually given Canadians that choice. Poilievre voted against the legislation, as StratCann noted after the interview with Rogan aired. And while he’s said that a Conservative Party in control of the Canadian government wouldn’t move to reverse legalization under his leadership, he also sharply criticized a local pilot program in British Columbia to decriminalize possession of all currently illicit drugs, saying in 2023 that the policy change made the city of Vancouver a “hell on earth.” Meanwhile, eight years after Canada enacted marijuana legalization, a nationally representative survey found that support for the reform is increasing over time. Relatively few Canadians want to legalize other drugs, however. Roughly two-thirds of Canadian adults (65 percent) now say they agree with cannabis being legal, according to the survey from Research Co. That’s up three percentage points since the firm last polled on the topic in 2024. A survey released last year also showed that a majority of Canadians feel the marijuana sector that’s emerged since cannabis was legalized nationwide is an “important contributor” to the country’s economy. Canadians seem to recognize the value of the cannabis industry to the country’s overall financial health, with 59 percent describing the sector as a valuable component of the economy in the poll conducted by Abacus Data and commissioned by the cannabis company Organigram Global. That includes 69 percent of recent Liberal voters and 58 percent of recent Conservative voters. When the research firm previously asked Canadians that question last April, 57 percent agreed about the importance of the marijuana market relative to the national economy, so this represents a slight increase. Observers have also been watching how broader adult-use legalization impacts medical marijuana in Canada, noting, for example, patient enrollment rates declining after legalization was enacted but before retailers opened for business. A study released in 2024, meanwhile, found similar marijuana use rates and support for legalization in both the U.S. and Canada despite the countries’ different national approaches to regulating the drug. Another report found that marijuana legalization was “associated with a decline in beer sales,” suggesting a substitution effect where consumers shift from one product to the other. Meanwhile, a separate survey out of Canada that was financially supported by the government recently found that youth marijuana use rates have declined after the country legalized cannabis—contradicting concerns voiced by prohibitionists. A separate Canadian government report found that daily or near-daily use rates by both adults and youth have held steady over the last six years after the country enacted legalization. The post Canadian Conservative Leader Tells Joe Rogan Marijuana Should Be A ‘Personal Choice,’ Despite Voting Against Legalization appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

IN gov on marijuana; MA psychedelics votes; NY medical cannabis bill; WNBA offers to end marijuana testing; OH hemp restrictions Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… Free to read (but not free to produce)! We’re proud of our newsletter and the reporting we publish at Marijuana Moment, and we’re happy to provide it for free. But it takes a lot of work and resources to make this happen. If you value Marijuana Moment, invest in our success on Patreon so we can expand our coverage and more readers can benefit: https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) said the state is “probably going to have to address” marijuana legalization to “make sure that we’re not the state that’s lagging most” as its neighbors enact cannabis reform. Idaho activists have collected enough signatures for a medical cannabis legalization initiative to exceed the statewide threshold for ballot qualification—though it’s unclear how many are valid and if they’re met a separate requirement for regional distribution of petitions. The Massachusetts legislature’s Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery approved legislation to create pilot programs allowing eligible patients to access psilocybin and other psychedelics. The New York Senate Health Committee approved a bill on reciprocity for out-of-state medical cannabis patients and pre-rolled joints in the medical marijuana program—even though both are already allowed under state law. The Women’s National Basketball Association reportedly offered to end marijuana testing as part of a collective bargaining agreement with the WNBA Players Association that has now been agreed to by league and union representatives, though the full text of the deal has not yet been released or ratified. An Ohio law adding restrictions on hemp THC products and rolling back consumers’ rights under the voter-approved marijuana legalization law took effect after a referendum effort to block the changes failed. The South Carolina Senate voted to approve a bill to keep hemp THC beverages and gummies legal, with some restrictions on where they can be sold in certain forms. The Nebraska legislature approved a bill to protect doctors who recommend medical cannabis from civil, criminal or disciplinary action—though another vote is still required for final passage. The Missouri Court of Appeals Southern District ordered regulators to award marijuana business license applications to a company—finding that scoring on its applications was inconsistent and, in one case, performed by a grader whose qualifications were never established. / FEDERAL The Department of Defense is asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit from a former contractor who claims he improperly lost his job after refusing to answer questions about past marijuana use. The Drug Enforcement Administration published a list of exempt chemical preparations under the Controlled Substances Act. Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) and former Rep. Mimi Walters (R-CA) are facing complaints alleging improper lobbying and information dissemination, respectively, related to psychedelics reform advocacy. / STATES Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) signed a bill allowing police to administer roadside saliva drug tests during impaired driving traffic stops. California regulators announced a recall of marijuana products due to the distillate being from an unknown and unidentifiable source. Separately, regulators will host a cannabis listening session on Monday. Minnesota regulators announced a recall of marijuana products that do not meet THC content or labeling requirements. Colorado regulators issued a health and safety advisory about marijuana products that exceed regulatory limits for the pesticide chlorfenapyr. Montana regulators adopted rules on marijuana testing quality assurance protocols and synthetic cannabinoids. An audit by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts found five instances in which medical cannabis regulators did not follow state laws or regulations, including an overpayment of $200,000 for a legal contract. Michigan regulators filed a complaint against a marijuana business over alleged violations. Virginia regulators published an overview of cannabis-related legislation approved by lawmakers this session. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — / LOCAL The Clark County, Nevada Commission approved a hemp product regulation measure. / INTERNATIONAL Colombian President Gustavo Petro is reportedly under investigation by U.S. authorities over potential ties to drug traffickers. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “medical cannabis can enhance pain management, sleep quality, and physical function while dramatically lowering the use of opioids.” A study’s results “support a mechanistic rationale for the enhanced efficacy of whole mushroom extracts over isolated psilocybin and underscore the therapeutic potential of other constituent compounds.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS Amnesty International Canada is criticizing the Ontario, Canada government’s plan to defund safe consumption sites for illegal drugs. / BUSINESS Colorado retailers sold $108.8 million worth of legal marijuana products in December. / CULTURE Jimmy Kimmel joked that Transportation Security Administration agents are going to have to start selling the marijuana they confiscate due to lapsed funding for their agency. 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 Idaho medical cannabis measure nears ballot qualification (Newsletter: March 23, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“The department’s scoring criteria and the scorers’ determinations were based on the subjective valuations of the scorers. This fundamental flaw infected the entire scoring process.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent A Missouri appeals court has delivered a sweeping rebuke of the state’s marijuana licensing process, ordering regulators to award Hippos LLC 13 facility licenses after finding the 2019 scoring was inconsistent and, in one case, performed by a grader whose qualifications were never established. The unanimous ruling lands just weeks after a scathing state audit found the same flaws—erratic scoring, poor documentation and a process so opaque it cast doubt on the integrity of the results. The decision, issued last week by the Missouri Court of Appeals Southern District, does more than revive Hippos’s long-running challenge over denied cultivation, manufacturing and dispensary licenses. It also undercuts the methodology the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission has used to resolve cannabis licensing disputes and raises new questions about potentially hundreds of rulings issued in the nearly 850 appeals filed by unsuccessful applicants. Lisa Cox, spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, which oversees the cannabis program, told The Independent the agency is “evaluating all options,” in terms of appealing the decision. Hippos officials could not be reached for comment. When the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was working in 2019 to build the framework of the state’s now multi-billion dollar industry, it hired Nevada-based company Wise Health Solutions to score the nearly 2,000 applications. “In each of Hippos’s applications, there were many instances in which identical answers to the same question received inconsistent scores,” wrote Judge Jeffrey Bates in the ruling. “That should never have occurred if Wise’s scorers had followed the instructions that they were given. Neither the department nor Wise did anything to correct this situation.” Hippos’s lawsuit challenged the department’s denial applications for two cultivation, six manufacturing and five dispensary licenses. Their first stop for appealing the denied applications was with the Administrative Hearing Commission, which attempted to rescore Hippos’ applications by picking the most common score for the questions the company was challenging. The three appellate judges felt the commission’s approach to rescoring “completely flawed.” “The raw scores provide no evidence of the scorers’ intent because there are no notes explaining why the scores were given,” the ruling states. “The conflict in these unexplained scores cannot be reconciled by simply assuming the more common score for a particular answer is the correct one.” The judges agreed with Hippos that the commission’s decisions affirming the state’s denial of the company’s applications were “arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable, and these decisions were not supported by competent and substantial evidence on the whole record.” They remanded the case back to the circuit court with directions that the lower court order the department “to grant Hippos the cultivation, manufacturing and dispensary facility licenses for which it applied.” No rebuttal A major blow in the state’s defense, the judges ruled, was that Hippos provided two credible witnesses who testified the applications should have received higher scores—and the judges felt the state didn’t fight back. The experts were cannabis consultants who had collectively prepared 83 applications in Missouri, the ruling stated, and more than half of their clients’ applications successfully received licenses. “The department offered no rebuttal to Hippos’s expert testimony and presented no other testimony showing why Hippos should not be given the higher scores about which those experts testified,” the ruling states. In the department’s response to State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick’s report released last month, it argued the commission did a “thorough review” of the scoring evidence and heard from many experts during hundreds of appeals. Cox said the Hippos case was among the first that the commission heard in the process of reviewing the department’s licensing decisions. “The information the Southern District is seeking—expert testimony supporting the department’s position—has been provided in all subsequent cases and supports the Administrative Hearing Commission’s determination in the Hippos case,” she said in an email to The Independent. The department’s audit response listed several cases where the commission ruled in the department’s favor, and in at least one of the other cases, the commission used the same methodology that the appeals court last week deemed “flawed.” No notes, no evidence Hippos challenged the scores given on several questions in the application. The court found it difficult to justify the scores without seeing any notes on why the grader made them. “After the commission concluded that it was required to re-score Hippos’s applications due to the noted inconsistencies, the commission stated that it was searching for any ‘evidence’ reflecting the scorers’ subjective evaluation,” the ruling stated. “Obviously, any notes from a scorer about his or her reasons for giving a particular score would have been helpful to show consistency.” Without any notes, the commission’s decision to use the old scores was “guesswork,” the ruling states. The lack of notes stems from an instruction in Wise’s training manual, the ruling stated, pointing to the lines: “Don’t write anything that you don’t want everybody to read. Past versions [something deleted] will be discoverable[.] Adhere to this axiom: Say it and forget it; write it and regret it.” The manual reminded scorers that any emails, notes or other written materials would be discoverable if any scores were challenged in court, the ruling stated. In the audit, Fitzpatrick also said these phrases and the lack of note-taking were problematic. In response to the audit, the department said that reading the sentences on their own “fails to consider this language in the context of the rest of the training manual,” and the scorers were encouraged to take notes. In the lawsuit, Hippos also successfully challenged the credentials of the scorer, which other cases have attempted to do before the commission and failed. The ruling stated that Wise was required to make sure each scorer had the requisite experience and background to perform their assigned task. In the case of the woman who scored the grades Hippos was challenging, “there is nothing in the record to show that this requirement was met.” The woman didn’t list or describe any experience or background in the cannabis industry or in business evaluation or analysis, the ruling stated. However, the department has argued that she’s a college professor with good research skills throughout the case. In a 2024 brief, the department pointed out that she also graded three other questions on Hippos applications. “Yet, Hippos does not criticize her scoring of those questions,” the brief states. “That is because she awarded scores of 10 for each of them.” The appeals court was unpersuaded. The unanimous court ruling, taken together with Fitzpatrick’s audit, amount to a devastating assessment on how Missouri awarded licenses that launched its legal marijuana market. It also raises broader questions about other cases in which the Administrative Hearing Commission relied on similar methods to review disputed application scores. “The commission correctly concluded that the department’s scoring criteria and the scorers’ determinations were based on the subjective valuations of the scorers,” the ruling states. “This fundamental flaw infected the entire scoring process.” This story was first published by Missouri Independent. Photo elements courtesy of rawpixel and Philip Steffan. The post Missouri Court Orders Officials To Award Marijuana Business Licenses Amid Application Scoring Flaws appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Compromise was needed “to make sure that we had the votes to keep this out of the hands of children… That’s the number one thing.” By Adrian Ashford, South Carolina Daily Gazette Legislation limiting South Carolina sales of intoxicating hemp products to adults over 21 passed the Senate on Thursday in a compromise that took two weeks and a do-over vote to revive the bill following a past-midnight rejection. Beyond limiting most sales to liquor stores, the amended bill restricts what’s legal to beverages and gummies with no more than 10 milligrams of THC per serving. The 35-4 vote on Thursday came almost 17 hours after the effort seemed to blow up completely. Proposals on how to rein in sales of drinks and edibles infused with hemp-derived THC—effectively legalized by the 2018 federal Farm Bill—have divided the GOP in both chambers over the past two legislative sessions. In a state where marijuana remains illegal, legislators have generally agreed they want to keep the products that provide an alternative high out of children’s hands. But they’ve been at odds over what should be legal for adults to buy. Earlier this year, a chaotic divide among Republicans on the House floor resulted in a different bill banning most hemp products getting sent back to the committee that advanced it. That bill has yet to resurface. Senators thought they’d found a compromise Wednesday, their fifth day of floor debate, with amendments that make it illegal to drive after consuming THC and allow sales of one type of edible to adults—what the bill calls a “hemp gelatin chewable.” But a 10-hour debate ended after midnight with a 15-25 “no” vote on the bill, as Republicans who wanted a complete ban on all THC products joined with Democrats, and a few Republicans, who advocated for regulations that clarified rules without threatening a growing industry. Afterward, Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey (R) told reporters he expected votes to flip the next day. And they did. Senators realized killing the bill meant a wide array of THC-infused products stayed on shelves available for people of all ages to buy. “There are a lot of people who voted ‘no,’ who do not like the effect of voting ‘no,’” Massey said. Senators spent most of Thursday in huddles before agreeing to undo that “no” vote and adopting an amendment that allowed some sales outside a liquor store. The change allows 12-ounce beverages with up to 5 milligrams of THC to be sold in retail stores, whether gas stations, grocery stores or vape shops. However, the cans or bottles must remain behind the counter. They can’t be displayed anywhere else in the store. A bipartisan effort to additionally allow restaurants to keep the beverages on the menu, selling them as they do alcohol, failed. In the end, the opposition was evenly divided, with two Republicans and two Democrats voting against the bill. Many Republicans who wanted an all-out ban said they begrudgingly accepted the final compromise. Sen. Michael Johnson (R), who shepherded the process, said he’s satisfied with the outcome, even while recognizing that most senators weren’t completely happy with it. Compromise was needed “to make sure that we had the votes to keep this out of the hands of children. I mean, that’s the number one thing,” said the Tega Cay Republican. The GOP-supermajority chamber ultimately bucked the state Republican Party, which sent a flurry of emails in the last week bashing the proposal as legalizing marijuana. Last Saturday, the party’s state executive committee passed a resolution calling for a statewide ban on all “hemp-derived THC products.” “We’ve had an entire class of drugs come into our state via a legal loophole,” state GOP Chairman Drew McKissick said in a release. The committee “calls on our Republican members of the legislature to close that loophole.” The other side includes small business owners, who have been pleading with legislators to protect their livelihood and customers by regulating, not banning, sales. Another vote in the Senate next week will return the amended bill to the House. As it passed that chamber nearly unanimously last year, the legislation more simply banned sales of hemp-derived THC products to anyone under 21. If the House agrees with the Senate’s changes, the bill will head to the governor’s desk. What’s in the bill As amended, the bill says only liquor stores can sell hemp beverages and gummies containing up to 10 milligrams of THC per serving. That’s defined as 10 milligrams per 12-ounce can or glass bottle, or up to 170 milligrams in a 750-milliliter container (the size of a regular wine bottle). For a hemp “chewable,” a serving is a single gummy. Other stores, including the vape shops and CBD stores that have sprung up statewide since 2018, could sell only 12-ounce THC beverages capped at 5 milligrams, which must stay behind the counter. Selling to anyone under 21 would be punishable by up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine on first offense. Repeated violations could result in up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, and loss of all operating licenses. On the other side of the sale, anyone under 21 who possesses, buys or attempts to buy the products would face a penalty of up to 30 days in jail and a $200 fine. The bill doesn’t regulate or criminalize products with only cannabidiol, or CBD, that aren’t psychoactive. Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t impair a user, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is often used in oils or lotions for pain relief. Total ban fails Senators who remained a steadfast “no” included Republican Billy Garrett of Greenwood. His push for a complete ban came from personal tragedy, he told senators. Garrett shared that his son became addicted to marijuana then, after a skiing accident, began using harder drugs, including opioids. He died of a drug overdose. “Had he not started marijuana, I’m convinced he would be with me today,” Garrett told his colleagues. He highlighted that the South Carolina Federation of Republican Women also advocated for a complete ban instead of regulation. Ultimately, the attempt at a complete ban failed 18-22 last week. The 18 senators who voted for a full ban last week included Massey, who told reporters he was worried about the products impairing drivers. Under his amendment, which passed Wednesday, drivers can be arrested for having 5 or more nanograms per milliliter in their blood. Drivers pulled over by law enforcement on suspicion of impaired driving could be asked for a blood sample. Refusal could result in a suspended license. If a blood test finds an illegal amount of THC, the penalty for a first offense is up to 30 days in jail and a $400 fine. The federal backdrop The Senate’s decision comes as the federal government is set to close the loophole that federally legalized intoxicating hemp. The 2018 bill passed by Congress that unintentionally created an industry around hemp-derived THC was intended to give farmers the chance to grow hemp for things like rope or clothing. It specified that legal hemp products could contain a concentration of no more than 0.3 percent of delta-9 THC “on a dry weight basis.” But vendors found ways to stay under that weight ratio and still include dosages of THC potent enough to get someone high. A last-minute addition to the stopgap spending law that ended the federal government shutdown last November is set to change that. If it goes into effect as planned this November, legal hemp-derived products could contain no more that 0.4 milligrams of THC per container. If those limitations take effect, they would be even stricter than what’s allowed in the Senate bill. But a provision in that bill says the state would adopt those federal standards. However, Johnson said he doesn’t expect the government to actually allow the rules that essentially wipe out the industry to go through. Unlike South Carolina legislators, he said, he expects the federal governor to continue to “kick this can down the road.” This story was first published by South Carolina Daily Gazette. The post South Carolina Senate Approves Bill To Keep Hemp THC Drinks And Gummies Legal, With Some Restrictions appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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“Today marks a small step forward, but we are up against incredible odds.” By Zach Wendling, Nebraska Examiner Health care practitioners who want to recommend medical cannabis to Nebraska patients are one step closer to having legal protections for writing the recommendation in the face of some state leaders’ opposition. The Legislature voted 30-7 on Friday to advance Legislative Bill 933, from State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha. It would protect medical providers from criminal, civil or disciplinary penalties “solely” for issuing a written recommendation or stating that in their professional judgment, the potential benefits of cannabis outweigh potential harms. “It would create a step forward and hope and an opportunity for these families who have worked so hard, who have waited so long and would like to be able to have that conversation with their doctors and then potentially get some relief,” Cavanaugh said during debate. Lawmakers clarified that the practitioner wouldn’t be protected from malpractice or professional negligence claims, such as for not evaluating a patient or following the appropriate standard of care. An amendment to that end from Cavanaugh passed 35-4, as did a similar amendment from the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, in a separate 38-4 vote. State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering, HHS Committee chair, opposed LB 933 in committee but said the added language was an “important clarification.” “Practitioners are protected for the recommendation itself but remain fully responsible for conducting a thorough and appropriate patient evaluation before making it,” Hardin said. “Malpractice or professional negligence” is defined in law as failure to use “ordinary and reasonable care, skill and knowledge ordinarily possessed and used under like circumstances by members of his profession engaged in a similar practice in his or in similar localities.” In the 2024 general election, 71 percent of voters legalized possession of up to 5 ounces of medical cannabis with a recommendation, and 67 percent of voters created the regulatory Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission. Getting to 33 votes Similar provider protections were included in a bill offering a larger regulatory framework proposed in 2025, LB 677 from State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair. The bill failed 23-22, short of 33 necessary votes to overcome a filibuster. Cavanaugh’s LB 933 also would need 33 votes to change laws passed by voters, as required under the Nebraska Constitution. There remains a path to get there, with 12 senators either absent from or sitting out Friday’s vote. One of them, State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, who was “present, not voting,” supported LB 677 10 months ago but did not vote to advance LB 933. He’s the lone LB 677 supporter in that boat. Holdcroft helped get LB 677 out of the General Affairs Committee as committee chair. He said his biggest concern last year was funding for the commission, which is being remedied this year through state budget adjustments in LB 1071 and a separate General Affairs bill, LB 1235. Holdcroft noted the Medical Cannabis Commission has just finished licensing four cultivators, who have indicated it might be eight months to a year before there is enough crop for manufacturing and later distribution. “To start giving immunity to doctors who are going to make recommendations for a product that we’re not even going to have for a year is, I think, a little bit premature,” Holdcroft said. Cavanaugh, Hansen and other advocates argue the protections are needed so an eventual state program can exist. To date, they say no in-state physician has issued a recommendation, in part over fear of retribution, such as from law enforcement. And without protections, supporters worry there will be no patients able to access commission-licensed facilities. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers (R) rallied law enforcement against Hansen’s LB 677 in 2025 and spoke against the health care practitioner language. His office did not formally oppose LB 933, nor did the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. ‘Preponderance of scientific evidence’ State Sen. Jared Storm of David City, who led opposition to LB 677 last year, introduced an amendment to Cavanaugh’s bill to require that the health care practitioner’s recommendation be “based upon a preponderance of the current scientific evidence.” Storm argued the “simple and straightforward addition” was rooted in the Hippocratic Oath to “do no harm.” “If you’re against this amendment, you’re for recreational marijuana,” Storm said. “If you are for my amendment, you’re looking at this as medicine.” Cavanaugh argued the opposite, that LB 933 would support advocates and not push them to instead rally for recreational marijuana due to delays of accessing medical marijuana. Hansen made a similar plea last year. “If you do not want a recreational program, we must make our medical program functional,” Cavanaugh said. Storm, Hansen and Cavanaugh alike said they aren’t aware of any doctors who have been sued for malpractice or negligence for recommending medical cannabis nationwide. ‘Moral hazard’ or ‘dangerous road’? State Sens. Tanya Storer of Whitman and Bob Andersen of Sarpy County argued as Storm did that the debate was around public safety rather than medical cannabis. Said Storer: “Immunity creates a moral hazard. When there are no consequences, there is less incentive to exercise caution.” Cavanaugh and Hansen worried about the long-term implications of Storm’s proposal, arguing that it “muddies the water.” Hansen said it “could come back and bite us in the butt” around certain medications, such as Ivermectin used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cavanaugh said he had talked with the Nebraska Medical Association and the malpractice provider for the association, who Cavanaugh said told him that Storm’s amendment would “create more uncertainty.” Hansen, a former HHS Committee chair, said he did understand where Storm was coming from and knows Storm’s opinion around medical cannabis. Hansen said using a “preponderance of scientific evidence” would exclude upward of 38 percent of medications issued off-label. “I think we’re gonna go down a very dangerous road in the future about micromanaging how a medical professional can prescribe medication for the future,” Hansen said. ‘Bit of a fixer-upper’ State Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln, a former prosecutor, clarified with Cavanaugh that nothing in LB 933 would protect a professional’s license if they went against their professional judgment. She said the legal standard is based on someone’s education, training and experience. She supported the protections. Storm said one issue was the difference between a “recommendation” for medical cannabis cannabis and a “prescription.” He noted opioids, for instance, are tracked under the state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. Hansen proposed using that system in LB 677. Hardin, who ultimately did not vote on the advancement of LB 933, said he supported Storm’s amendment. He said marijuana had been studied “since wagons were crossing within a mile of my house on the Oregon Trail,” and that with dozens of states legalizing marijuana, the question is how to do that in the “safest possible way.” “I think it’s a little bit of a fixer-upper, and I think we’re getting there,” Hardin said. Storm’s amendment failed 22-19. It’s possible he may try again in future debate, as five senators were not at the State Capitol on Friday, including Storer. ‘Small step forward’ Crista Eggers of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said she was encouraged by the advancement of LB 933 but that some of the debate, particularly around Storm’s amendment, shows continued opposition to a functioning state program. “Today marks a small step forward, but we are up against incredible odds as this bill looks to move on to select file and final reading,” Eggers said after the vote. “Nebraskans have had few wins in this over-decade-long fight,” she continued. “Today is one of them.” LB 933 faces up to two more rounds of debate before, with 33 votes, it could be sent to Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen for his signature. Vote to advance Legislative Bill 933 related to medical cannabis Aye (30): John Arch, Carolyn Bosn, Eliot Bostar*, Tom Brandt*, John Cavanaugh*, Machaela Cavanaugh*, Stan Clouse*, Danielle Conrad*, Wendy DeBoer*, Barry DeKay, Myron Dorn*, George Dungan*, John Fredrickson*, Dunixi Guereca*, Ben Hansen*, Jana Hughes*, Megan Hunt*, Margo Juarez*, Terrell McKinney*, Fred Meyer, Glen Meyer*, Jason Prokop*, Dan Quick*, Jane Raybould*, Merv Riepe, Victor Rountree*, Rita Sanders, Ashlei Spivey, Brad von Gillern and Dave Wordekemper*. Nay (7): Bob Andersen, Rob Clements, Mike Jacobson, Kathleen Kauth, Loren Lippincott, Dave Murman and Jared Storm. Present, not voting (7): Christy Armendariz, Beau Ballard, Brian Hardin, Rick Holdcroft*, Teresa Ibach, Mike Moser and Tony Sorrentino. Excused, not voting (5): Rob Dover, Bob Hallstrom, Dan Lonowski, Tanya Storer and Paul Strommen. *Voted for a broader medical cannabis framework proposed in 2025 (Legislative Bill 677). This story was first published by Nebraska Examiner. The post Nebraska Legislature Approves Bill To Protect Doctors Who Recommend Medical Marijuana appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“The bottom line is that this is only going to benefit the unregulated market…and unfortunately, that’s going to result in a lot of unnecessary arrests for voter approved behavior.” By Megan Henry, Ohio Capital Journal The changes made by Republican state lawmakers to Ohio’s voter-passed weed law have now taken effect, including new criminal charges, along with the state’s new intoxicating hemp ban—which includes THC and CBD beverages. Ohio Senate Bill 56 became law Friday after Ohioans for Cannabis Choice failed to get enough signatures to get a referendum on the November ballot for voters to block the law. “Customers that seek our products out are often those very same customers that deal with stress, sleep, pain and anxiety, and they’re not trying to get high,” said Joey Ellwood, a hemp farmer in Tuscarawas County. “They might have to turn to pharmaceuticals. They might have to drive across state lines. It’s really a big question mark. They might be forced into undue burden with the pain, stress, sleep, and anxiety.” He said 6,000 Ohio businesses will be affected by the new law. “That’s a lot of jobs,” Ellwood said. Mark Fashian was the president of hemp product wholesaler Midwest Analytical Solutions in Delaware, Ohio, but he is heading out of state. “I know I can’t sell it in Ohio anymore,” he said. “[Friday] morning, I’d be considered a felon. It’s just unheard of. I can’t believe our politicians actually thought this was a good idea.” He worked with more than 500 stores around Ohio that sell intoxicating hemp products. “All of them are calling me in a panic, and I’m telling them the same thing—If I were you, I would get every product off the shelf and out of the store,” Fashian said. A lawsuit was filed this week in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas to block the law from taking effect. Cleveland-based Saucy Seltzer, California cannabis drink maker Uncle Arnie’s, Illinois hemp manufacturer Organic Pharma Techs, and federal hemp license holder Amy Ellwood filed the lawsuit against the state. The plaintiffs are asking for a temporary restraining order to pause the law from taking effect. “Without immediate relief, plaintiffs will go out of business in Ohio on March 19, 2026 and thus suffer irreparable harm,” according to the lawsuit. “If they don’t go out of business, they risk facing, at minimum, felony marijuana possession and trafficking prosecutions,” it says. On the federal level, Congress voted in November to ban products that contain 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container when they voted to reopen the government. Previously, the 2018 Farm Bill said hemp can be grown legally if it contains less than 0.3 percent THC. There is a one-year implementation delay for the federal hemp ban, but states can create their own regulatory framework before then. The Ohio Cannabis Coalition is glad the new law is taking effect. “S.B. 56 gives law enforcement clear authority to ensure that intoxicating THC products are no longer freely sold to children through thousands of locations in Ohio,” OHCANN Executive Director David Bowling said in a statement. “This law will prevent unregulated products from reaching children and strengthen public safety across Ohio.” THC beverages Ohio lawmakers had a THC-infused beverage provision in the bill that would have allowed five milligram THC beverages until the end of December, but Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) line-item vetoed that provision when he signed the bill into law in December. “We don’t believe that the governor had the right to line-item veto, essentially, he fundamentally changed the bill outside of things that had to do with appropriations,” said Bobby Slattery, founder of Fifty West Brewing Company in Cincinnati. Fifty West Brewing Company, Urban Artifact, Washington-based Cycling Frog, and Sarene Craft Beer Distributors filed a lawsuit earlier this month in the Ohio Supreme Court challenging DeWine’s line-item veto of the THC beverage provisions. “This is not the end [of THC beverages in Ohio],” Slattery. “I think that for the people of Ohio, this product is a needed product.” Fifty West Brewing produces Sunflower THC Seltzer and customers have been purchasing mass quantities of it this week before the ban, Slattery said. “There’s a lot of people in a panic right now,” he said. “They’re confused as to where they’re supposed to go if the beverages are taken away.” Fifty West Brewing made about $1.5 million in sales of Sunflower THC last year and was on pace to make about $3 million in sales from it this year, Slattery said. “This year we were at a point where we thought that we might be producing more THC beverage than we do beer,” he said. Slattery said some of his customers might opt for a THC beverage if they are trying to cut back on alcohol. “What we saw with Sunflower was it was this space in between a non-alcoholic beverage and an alcoholic beverage, sort of like a middle ground,” Slattery said. Marijuana law Ohio’s new law will change Ohio’s marijuana law, through which Ohioans voted to legalize marijuana in 2023. Recreational sales started in August 2024, and sales totaled more than $836 million in 2025. THC levels in adult-use marijuana extracts will be reduced from a maximum of 90 percent down to a maximum of 70 percent, cap THC levels in adult-use flower to 35 percent, and prohibit smoking in most public places. It will prohibit possessing marijuana in anything outside of its original packaging and criminalizes bringing legal marijuana from another state back to Ohio. The legislation also requires drivers to store marijuana in the trunk of their car while driving. “The bottom line is that this is only going to benefit the unregulated market,” said Morgan Fox, political director at the advocacy group National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML. “As people are being pushed into the unregulated market that is just adding insult to injury to them because they have less access to lab tested and quality controlled products, and whether because of financial reasons or because of simple lack of access that’s going to potentially put consumers in danger,” he said. The law will re-criminalize marijuana, he said. “I think that most people will not be aware of it, and unfortunately, that’s going to result in a lot of unnecessary arrests for voter approved behavior,” Fox said. This story was first published by Ohio Capital Journal. The post New Ohio Restrictions On Marijuana And Hemp THC Products Take Effect After Referendum Push Fails appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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An Idaho campaign says it’s collected enough signatures for a medical cannabis legalization initiative to exceed the statewide threshold for ballot qualification. But because it’s unclear how many are valid and whether activists have met a separate requirement for regional distribution of petitions, the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho (NMAI) is continuing to hold signature gathering events across the state to widen their coalition of supporters in the run-up to the May 1 submission deadline. As of Friday, NMAI has collected more than 73,000 signatures total—exceeding the 70,725 statewide requirement for valid petitions—according to the campaign’s website. To be certified for the ballot, the team also needs to submit signatures from 6 percent of registered voters from at least 18 of the state’s 35 legislative districts. Marijuana Moment reached out to NMAI for a status update about their progress to that end, but a representative was not immediately available. Meanwhile, teams of paid and volunteer petitioners are being deployed throughout the state to target high-traffic areas to gather signatures, and NMAI’s website features a map showing where registered voters can go to sign. The Idaho Medical Cannabis Act, which NMAI unveiled last October, would provide patients with qualifying conditions access to marijuana from a limited number of dispensaries and provide a regulatory framework for the market. Here are the main provisions of the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act: Health practitioners would be able to recommend medical cannabis to patients with conditions that include, but are not limited to, cancer, anxiety and acute pain. Medical marijuana patients or their designated caregiver could purchase up to 113 grams of smokeable cannabis, or 20 grams of THC extract for vaping, per month. The state would be start by issuing three vertically integrated cannabis business licenses, after which point it could license up to six total. Marijuana would be reclassified under state law as a Schedule II, rather than Schedule I, controlled substance. State and local law enforcement would be barred from assisting in federal drug enforcement activities related to the state-legal cannabis program. There would be anti-discrimination protections for those who use or sell marijuana in compliance from state law, preventing adverse actions by employers, landlords and educational institutions. It does not appear that there would be any equity-centered reforms, nor would the initiative provide for a home grow option. “We believe Idahoans deserve access to legal, compassionate, natural care right here at home,” NMAI’s website says. “Our mission is to give patients a legal pathway to natural medicine that can ease suffering and restore dignity without the fear of addiction.” “The Idaho Medical Cannabis Act is our first step forward. It creates a safe, tightly regulated medical program that allows qualified Idahoans to seek medical cannabis treatment with a valid diagnosis from a healthcare provider,” it says. “It supports Idaho agriculture, generates tax revenue to reinvest locally, and ensures that patients can find natural relief.” The campaign last month also released the results of a statewide poll showing that 83 percent of likely voters back medical cannabis legalization, including 74 percent of Republicans, 95 percent of Democrats and 92 percent of independents. Asked how they would vote if the current medical cannabis legalization does appear on the November ballot, 76 percent of respondents said “yes.” Of that cohort, 50 percent said they would “definitively” vote yes, and just 21 percent said they’d vote “no.” After the medical cannabis initiative was unveiled last year, a separate campaign that launched in 2024, Kind Idaho, told supporters that it would be suspending its own signature gathering for a ballot initiative to legalize the personal possession and cultivation of marijuana by adults. Kind Idaho previously introduced medical marijuana ballot measures intended to go before voters in both the 2022 and 2024 elections, but the efforts proved unsuccessful. Meanwhile, voters this year will see a different kind of proposal on the ballot: A constitutional amendment that the legislature approved to make it so only lawmakers could legalize marijuana or other controlled substances. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Legislators separately held a hearing last March to discuss a bill to enact medical cannabis legalization legislatively, but there hasn’t been meaningful action on the issue in the months since. Separately, a bill from Rep. Bruce Skaug (R) last year would have set a $420 mandatory minimum fine for cannabis possession, removing judges’ discretion to apply lower penalties. Skaug said the bill, which ultimately stalled in committee, would send the message that Idaho is tough on marijuana. House lawmakers also passed a bill to ban marijuana advertisements, though the Senate later defeated the measure. The post Idaho Medical Marijuana Initiative Exceeds Statewide Signature Count To Make November Ballot, Campaign Reports appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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The WNBA seems positioned to join the ranks of sports leagues that have revised their marijuana policies, with details about negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement (CBA)—which has now reportedly been agreed to in principle—indicating that the women’s basketball league is moving to eliminate cannabis testing for players. As part of the negotiations between the Women’s National Basketball Players’ Association and WNBA, the league has reportedly put forward a number of potential policy changes, with proposals that touch on everything from salary caps to revenue sharing to travel expenses to drug testing rules. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne posted screenshots of slides which were reportedly presented to players during a meeting with league representatives last month. In one slide titled “WNBA CBA Proposal: Summary of CBA Improvements,” a list of 37 potential compromises includes an item that says simply, “Elimination of Marijuana Testing.” Current WNBA policy treats cannabis significantly more restrictively compared to the NBA—and multiple other professional sports leagues beyond basketball that have also adopted reforms amid the state legalization movement. Marijuana remains listed as a “prohibited substance” for WNBA players, who are still tested for THC metabolites. First-time offenses generally result in treatment referrals, but repeated violations can lead to fines and suspensions. After last month’s WNBA CBA presentation, the players association came back with a counterproposal that included certain concessions around issues such as revenue sharing and housing, ESPN reported, but the latest version of the deal that was agreed to in principle this week hasn’t yet been released so it’s unclear what it specifically proposes as far as marijuana testing rules are concerned. Adding to @alexaphilippou recap from yesterday, ESPN has obtained some of the information that was was presented to players at yesterday’s meeting—summarizing the WNBA’s current positions https://t.co/imM5elSO6H pic.twitter.com/T9p2XRP42n — Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 3, 2026 The league did give some indication about its willingness to accept the changing tides around cannabis in 2024, when the WNBA team New York Liberty entered into a partnership with a CBD beverage company. But CBD, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid, is federally legal—and the sponsorship arrangement didn’t change the fact that players would still be tested and potentially penalized for testing positive for THC. Meanwhile, Brittney Griner—a WNBA player who was previously incarcerated in Russia over possession of marijuana—pulled out of an appearance at a cannabis event last year after discovering what she felt was a threatening message in her hotel room. Conference attendees had hoped to hear from Griner about the nature of her incarceration in Russia, which helped fuel international debate about cannabis prohibition laws domestically and abroad. How other sports leagues have navigated marijuana policy for players amid the reform movement. NBA, for its part, removed marijuana from the banned substances list for players in 2023, and it also freed them up to invest in and promote cannabis companies. The NFL, meanwhile, reached an agreement with its players union in 2024 to further reform its marijuana policies, significantly reducing fines for positive tests while increasing the allowable THC threshold for players. About four years after NFL ended the practice of suspending players over cannabis or other drugs as part of a collective bargaining agreement, the league again revised its Substances of Abuse Policy and Performance Enhancing Substances Policy. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 2024 voted to remove marijuana from its banned substances list for Division I players. The reform builds on a 2022 change that increased the allowable THC threshold for college athletes, aligning NCAA’s rules with those of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). In October, Nevada regulators officially adopted a rule change that will protect athletes from being penalized for using or possessing marijuana in compliance with state law. The head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) blasted the “unfair” ban on marijuana for athletes competing in international sport events, including the Olympics that were underway in Paris at the time of the comments. USADA CEO Travis Tygart said it was “disappointing” that WADA has maintained the cannabis prohibition based on what he considers a misguided justification. WADA did carry out a review into its marijuana policy at the request of USADA and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) following the controversial suspension of U.S. runner Sha’Carri Richardson, who was barred from participating in the Olympics in 2021 after she tested positive for THC. Richardson said she used cannabis to cope with the recent passing of her mother. While UFC announced in late 2023 that it was formally removing marijuana from its modified banned substances list for athletes, the league notified participants that the reform didn’t apply under California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) rules. UFC advised fighters that they could be subject to a $100 fine by CSAS if they tested over 150 nanograms of THC per milliliter ahead of the UFC 298 event that took place in February. The New York-based clubs are partnering with Mynd Drinks, a hemp-based CBD sparkling beverage company that also made history in 2024 when it became an official partner of the Major League Baseball (MLB) team the Chicago Cubs. That year, NFL announced it was partnering with Canadian researchers on a clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of CBD for pain management and neuroprotection from concussions—key issues for many football players who experience injuries as part of the game. Separately, NFL and the Denver Broncos in 2024 asked a federal court to reject a player’s lawsuit alleging discrimination over penalties he incurred due to positive THC tests from his prescribed use of a synthetic cannabinoid. In a joint motion to dismiss filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, the league and team defended their marijuana policy for players, affirming it’s their view that use of cannabis can lead to on-field injuries, poor job performance and “alienation of the fans.” Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post WNBA Offers To End Marijuana Testing For Women’s Basketball Players As Part Of Reported Deal With Union appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

The Republican governor of Indiana says the fact that four neighboring states have moved to legalize marijuana in some form means Hoosiers are “probably going to have to address” the issue, while also likening cannabis reform to sports betting. Lawmakers in the state have already signaled that marijuana legalization isn’t in the cards in the 2026 session, meaning another year where Indiana will be an outlier as one of the few remaining states without effective medical or adult-use cannabis laws. But Gov. Mike Braun (R) said regional policy developments can’t be ignored. “I’m kind of agnostic on that issue,” he said on Thursday during a fireside chat focused on broadband access, “but when you’ve got four states surrounding you, you’re probably going to have to address it.” Braun was referring to the fact that three of Indiana’s bordering states—Illinois, Michigan and Ohio—have moved to legalize adult-use marijuana, while the fourth, Kentucky, has been implementing a medical cannabis program. “I think that kind of analog to all the different ways you can sports bet or bet in general, which has got a direct connection to high-speed internet—I’m going to be there listening and probably trying to measure out the pros and cons and make sure that we’re not the state that’s lagging most,” the governor said at a Fiber Broadband Association event in Indianapolis,, as State Affairs reported. To be sure, there have been some examples of lawmakers linking marijuana and sports betting, especially in the context of generating revenue by regulating and taxing the two markets. The tie-in to high-speed internet access, however, appeared to be an attempt to circle the conversation back to the main subject matter of the fireside chat. The governor said in January that he’s “amenable” to the idea of legalizing medical cannabis in the state, but GOP leadership in the legislature has balked at the prospect. Instead, Indiana legislators this session have been focused on efforts to ban hemp THC products—though it seems that fight is over for 2026 after a last-minute push failed late last month. Braun has also said that a move by President Donald Trump to federally reschedule marijuana could add “a little bit of fire” to the local push for cannabis legalization in his state. Months later, Trump did sign an executive order directing the attorney general to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), but that hasn’t materialized yet. Among Indiana residents, however, a survey released in January found that nearly three in five back legalizing cannabis for medical and recreational use. Specifically, the annual Hoosier Survey from the Bowen Center at Ball State University (BSU) found that 59 percent of residents are in favor of legalizing cannabis for both medical and recreational purposes. An additional 25 percent back only allowing patients to access medical marijuana, raising the total support for that reform to 84 percent. — 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. — Braun, for his part, previously said that “it’s probably time” to allow access to therapeutic cannabis among patients in the state. Those comments came alongside a separate poll indicating that nearly 9 in 10 Indiana adults (87 percent) support marijuana legalization. Top Republicans in the legislature, however, have openly opposed marijuana reform. “It’s no secret that I am not for this,” Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R) said in late 2024. “I don’t have people coming to me with really compelling medical cases as to why it’s so beneficial. And any state that I’ve seen pass medical marijuana is essentially passing recreational marijuana.” House Speaker Todd Huston (R) doubted any medical benefits associated with marijuana, calling the substance “a deterrent to mental health.” He and others suggested that lawmakers supportive of the reform merely want to boost state revenue. A number of marijuana reform bills were introduced for the Indiana legislature’s 2025 session, including one—from Reps. Jim Lucas (R) and Shane Lindauer (R)—that would have legalized medical marijuana for people with “serious medical conditions as determined by their physician.” Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen. The post Indiana Will ‘Have To Address’ Marijuana Legalization Because It’s ‘Lagging’ Behind Neighboring States, Governor Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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Massachusetts lawmakers have approved a pair of psychedelics bills that would create pilot programs allowing eligible patients to access novel treatments such as psilocybin, with the intent to gather information to inform best clinical practices and prepare for potential broader, regulated availability. Members of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery passed the legislation—H.2203 and H.4200 from Reps. Marjorie Decker (D) and James O’Day (D), respectively—on Wednesday. Both measures advanced in 9-3 votes. Decker’s bill focuses on psilocybin therapy, requiring the Department of Public Health (DPH) to establish a pilot program where patients 21 and older with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and end-of-life anxiety could receive the psychedelic in a clinical setting at authorized mental health, hospice, veterans administration and other community services facilities. University researchers would also be involved, tasked with supervising and analyzing the results of the innovative treatment initiative that would follow regulatory pathways approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Only psilocybin could be administered under the program—unlike the separate bill from O’Day that would broadly permit treatment with “psychedelic materials” defined by DPH—but its scale and intent are more expansive in other ways. Specifically, DHS would be required to “establish professional standards for regulated psychedelic use and criteria for participation in the pilot, including the number of universities that may participate in the pilot,” and “preference shall be given to universities within the Commonwealth’s public university system.” “The department shall develop local training and certification frameworks for psilocybin facilitators to sustain capacity beyond the pilot’s conclusion,” the bill text says, adding that local pilots “shall collect and provide data relevant to potential coverage for the cost of psilocybin-assisted therapy, as determined by the department.” Within one year of the effective date of the law, which requires the pilot program to operate for at least two years, DHS would need to submit a a peer-reviewed report to the legislature that includes “a study of the statewide efficacy of the pilot, including local community impacts and the feasibility of coverage for psilocybin-assisted therapy under MassHealth, consistent with any applicable federal guidelines.” The bill from O’Day, meanwhile, would also create a psychedelics pilot program in the Commonwealth—but it would be designed to prioritize data collection on best practices in the clinical administration of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Under the legislation, only three clinics could receive permits from DPH to administer “psychedelic materials,” as defined by the department, to patients with depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use disorder (SUD) and other “clinically appropriate” conditions. A multi-disciplinary team, overseen by a licensed physician, would be involved in the psychedelic pilot at each of the clinics, which would need DPS approval to operate “for the purposes of collecting patient outcomes data regarding the benefits of psychedelic pharmacotherapy.” “Eligible pilot program organizations must exclusively focus operations and treatment on mental health,” the bill says. And it notably contains provisions stipulating that the pilots “cannot be subsidiaries, affiliates or members of cannabis industry organizations, psychedelic molecule development companies or pharmaceutical companies.” “All pilot program participant organizations must track patient care outcomes data related to the identification, diagnosis and psychedelic treatment of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder. These data sets must be shared with the department to assist in the refinement of best clinical protocols and final regulatory frameworks for the safe use of psychedelic material in Massachusetts.” O’Day said ahead of the joint committee vote that, “as someone in long-term recovery, it’s my opinion that any move towards the use of psychedelics in Massachusetts should focus exclusively on mental health and SUD treatment.” He also stressed that “it’s important the regulation should be free from the influence of the cannabis and pharmaceutical industries.” Mass Healing, a non-profit focused on psychedelic policy and education that’s backing both reform measures, celebrated their committee passage on Thursday. The organization helped coordinated with impacted individuals—including an Army veteran and Harvard University researcher, Rita Graham—to testify in support of the proposals in committee. “I sit before you as a veteran and one of the first women to serve in combat arms positions. I’m also a former social worker and now a policy advocate working at the intersection of trauma and healing,” Graham said. “I’ve spent years as a researcher and a survivor of sexual violence, which is one of the most pervasive, yet ignored wounds of military service.” “Healing veterans heals communities, and Massachusetts has the opportunity to lead that change,” she said. Wednesday’s votes come months after members of the state legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Health approved separate psychedelics reform measures, including one to create a regulatory framework for psilocybin and another that would legalize the use of the psychedelic by veterans, law enforcement and first responders. A Senate bill to create a psilocybin therapy pilot program, sponsored by Sen. Cindy Friedman (D), also advanced through the committee process last year. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — While multiple cities across Massachusetts have enacted local psychedelics decriminalization initiatives, voters rejected a statewide ballot measure last year that would have legalized substances such as psilocybin, ibogaine and DMT for adults. Ahead of that vote, the governor signed a military veterans-focused bill that includes provisions to create a psychedelics working group to study and make recommendations about the potential therapeutic benefits of substances like psilocybin and MDMA. Meanwhile, the legislature’s Joint Committee on the Judiciary last July held a hearing on four of 12 psychedelics-related bills that were filed for in the 2025 session, with the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society (MPS) endorsing one that would decriminalize certain entheogenic substances. Photo courtesy of Dick Culbert. The post Massachusetts Lawmakers Approve Bills To Create Psychedelic Therapy Pilot Programs appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net