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“These products are now federally recognized as legitimate medicine… Patients and their caregivers are no longer considered criminals under federal law. They have federal rights.” By Steph Sherer, Americans for Safe Access The Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration’s rescheduling of cannabis is more than just validation for the millions of Americans who rely on cannabis medicines. It is a legal platform for the restoration of their federal rights and privileges. In light of the changes announced last week, federal policies limiting access to medical cannabis and federal services are not just discriminatory; many are now in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA). Medical cannabis advocates are elated to see federal recognition of their medicine, protected patient access and movement toward healthcare integration—concepts that we have fought for decades to realize. The DOJ order moves the country closer to those goals by recognizing “marijuana products regulated by qualifying state medical cannabis licenses” as falling within Schedule III, rather than Schedule I. These products are now federally recognized as legitimate medicine. For years, courts and federal agencies have upheld discrimination against medical cannabis patients by pointing to the Schedule I status of cannabis and specifically the federal government’s claim that cannabis has “no currently accepted medical use.” That premise is no longer true for qualifying medical cannabis products and state-regulated medical cannabis systems recognized under the order. Federal agencies, businesses, landlords and federally funded programs can no longer rely on outdated interpretations of 42 U.S.C. § 12210 of the ADA or the FHA, 42 U.S.C. §§ 13661-63, to categorically deny services, housing or accommodations, or protections to medical cannabis patients solely because their medicine is cannabis. Over the coming weeks and months, there will be a great deal to unpack. Federal agencies will need to implement licensing procedures, tax rules, reporting pathways and regulatory controls. During this time, protecting patients from discrimination must be treated with the same urgency as figuring out registration and tax schemes for cannabis businesses. The Treasury Department has already recognized the need for implementation guidance for cannabis businesses, announcing forthcoming guidance on the federal tax consequences of DOJ’s final order, including Section 280E. Patients deserve the same expedience in restoring their federal rights and protections. Stigma and discrimination have remained prevalent for patients even in states that have passed medical cannabis laws. Patients have lost housing, jobs, healthcare access and child custody at great cost to their health and dignity. The culprits have long relied on the federal scheduling of cannabis to justify their actions. As of last week, that is no longer legally permissible; it’s discrimination. The Trump administration can lead by example by directing federal agencies to immediately review and update policies that are now inconsistent with ADA and FHA, and by avoiding putting patients in a familiar and expensive position of having to ask the courts to vindicate their rights. When it comes to the Department of Justice, the federal recognition of medical cannabis requires agencies to stop treating the patients as if they were criminals, void of federal rights. That includes patients in hospitals, hospices, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, veterans’ healthcare, public housing, federal workplaces and military systems. As the agency responsible for enforcing ADA and FHA, DOJ should issue nationwide directives, putting federal agencies and the private sector on notice that denying accommodations, services, housing and participation to medical cannabis patients is now a federal crime. Here are some examples of discriminatory federal polices: The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) maintains policies, such as the Quality Housing and Work and Responsibility Act of 1998, that prohibit tenants of federally subsidized housing from possessing or using cannabis, even if they comply with state and local laws. The 2014 HUD memo “Use of Marijuana in Multifamily Assisted Properties” gave landlords “the discretion to evict or not evict current tenants for their use of marijuana.” When it comes to medical cannabis, that “discretion” is now legally prohibited discrimination. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) continues to enforce Executive Order 12564, “Drug-Free Federal Workplace,” a 1986 policy requiring federal employees to refrain from illegal drug use on or off duty. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SMHSA) federal workplace drug-testing framework still includes cannabis in federal employee testing panels without exceptions for patients who are complying with state medical cannabis laws and are not impaired at work. Denying medical cannabis patients’ employment is now illegal. The Department of Defense maintains Article 112a of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. § 912a, a policy that prohibits active-duty service members from using or possessing cannabis and cannabis-derived products, including CBD. Branch-specific rules, including Army Regulation 600-85, Air Force Manual 44-197, Navy and Marine Corps ALNAV 057/19, and Coast Guard ALCOAST 308/20, reinforce that prohibition even when products are lawful for civilians or recommended under state medical cannabis laws. When it comes to medical cannabis, a zero-exception policy that treats therapeutic use as misconduct is now discrimination. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Directive 1315, “Access to VHA Clinical Programs for Veterans Participating in State-Approved Marijuana Programs,” prohibits VA healthcare providers from recommending medical cannabis, completing state medical cannabis forms, making referrals, or helping veterans register for state medical cannabis programs. For many veterans, the burden of paying out-of-pocket costs to see a non-VA clinician under this policy is a de facto ban on cannabis medicines. Additionally, while VA clinicians are permitted to discuss medical cannabis use with their patients, VA’s electronic medical records system only allows VA clinicians to document their patients’ medical cannabis use as abuse. This impacts a veteran’s access to other healthcare options in the VA system. These policy and system deficiencies can now be classified as healthcare discrimination. The Department of Health and Human Services’s (HHS) policies require compliance with federal laws as a condition of funding and licensing for hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other healthcare providers. Many facilities cite this as the reason for refusing access to cannabis medicines, declining to complete state paperwork or forcing patients to stop using their medicine when entering care. Refusing to provide patient care will now be considered discrimination. The recognition of cannabis as a legitimate medicine means that patients and their caregivers are no longer considered criminals under federal law. They have federal rights. Those rights now protect patients in housing, employment, healthcare and in their military careers. But like all rights, these protections mean little unless people exercise them. We should also expect that the protections and privileges tied to these rights will not be enforced equally or automatically. Continued patient engagement and advocacy will remain essential until these rights are expressly restored and every patient, regardless of ZIP code or income, has safe and legal access to cannabis medicines Patients, caregivers, healthcare providers and advocates must stay engaged and be ready to mobilize! A New Era In Advocacy DOJ’s order is a historic victory for medical cannabis patients that should be celebrated. This is a major turning point in federal policy, but it is certainly not the end of the fight. Over the coming days and months, we can expect congressional and legal challenges, as well as a series of regulatory interpretations at the state and federal levels. The medical cannabis movement’s first act was the fight for recognition, making the federal government admit that cannabis has medical value. The second act must ensure that recognition serves patients by securing access, rights, protections and integration of cannabis medicines into U.S. healthcare systems. Patient advocates must be ready to help the administration and Congress do that work. We know where federal policies break down, and we know what happens when agencies write rules without the people most affected. The federal government acknowledging cannabis is medicine is a call to action to medical cannabis stakeholders and allies. We need Congress, the administration and policymakers across the U.S. to understand that patients need more than recognition. From May 13-14, 2026, Americans for Safe Access, Veterans Initiative-22, Unite for National Medical Cannabis and the Pain Foundation will be in Washington, D.C., to bring this message to policymakers on Capitol Hill. Join us in demanding that rescheduling cannabis creates the rights, protections, and access needed to improve health outcomes for all Americans. Steph Sherer is the founder and executive director of Americans for Safe Access. The post Federal Marijuana Rescheduling Will End Discrimination In Housing, Healthcare And Employment For Medical Cannabis Patients (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

The Trump administration is moving to federally reschedule marijuana because cannabis reform is “overwhelmingly popular” with voters and because doing so will help people who need access to the drug for medical purposes, the White House press secretary says. “The president hears from a number of people, both inside and outside the administration, and frankly, the American people,” Karoline Leavitt, President Donald Trump’s press secretary said on Friday. “If you do look at the public polling on this issue, it is overwhelmingly popular with the vast majority of Americans.” She added in response to a question about the issue from a Real America’s Voice reporter that “rescheduling will lead to more research into cannabis as a drug, especially for those who need it for medical treatment.” “And so the president was willing to take this step to do that at the behest of the American public, who largely support it, and many of his health advisors on his team who he spoke with about it,” Leavitt said, referencing comments that Trump made a day earlier after the Department of Justice announced that cannabis rescheduling was happening. TRUMP BACKS CANNABIS RECLASSIFICATION FOR MEDICAL & RESEARCH@PressSec @karolineleavitt: "The President was willing to take this step, to do that at the behest of the American public, who largely support it, and many of his health advisors on his team.” RAV’s @BeniRaeHarmony… pic.twitter.com/8Su3Nej7By — Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) April 24, 2026 During a press event in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump spoke about the medical benefits of marijuana. “A lot of people are suffering from big problems, which this seems to be the best answer,” he said. “They’re very happy about it. So the rescheduling is starting, and that’s a big thing, rescheduling.” The president noted that his administration’s actions on cannabis rescheduling came after his friend Howard Kessler told him about how he used medical marijuana. “He had some medical difficulties, and he came upon this by accident, in a way,” he said. “He had to go through a lot of different medications, and he said this was the one that was much better than anything else. And so he experienced that. He didn’t benefit by it, other than from the standpoint that he lives a much better life now.” “So hopefully you don’t need it,” Trump said. “But if you do need it, I hear it’s the best of all the alternatives.” Separately on Thursday, the president called on Congress to take action to amend a law that threatens to federally recriminalize hemp-derived full-spectrum CBD products later this year. “We must get this done RIGHT and FAST, especially for those who saw that CBD helps them,” he said in a social media post. “Plus, I am told it will also help our GREAT FARMERS, who we love, and will always be there for.” Days earlier, Trump had complained that federal officials were “slow-walking” following through on his cannabis order. “You’re going to get the rescheduling done, right, please? Will you get the rescheduling done, please?” Trump said during a signing ceremony for a separate order on psychedelics, seeming to speak to a Department of Justice or White House official during an event in the Oval Office. “You know, they’re slow-walking me on rescheduling. You’re going to get it done, right?” Trump in December signed an executive order directing the Department of Justice to expeditiously finish the process of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Thursday announced that rescheduling is finally happening through a process that will happen in phases. Under an order signed by Blanche, marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license will immediately move to Schedule III, as will any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Then, beginning on June 29, there will be a new expedited administrative hearing process to consider the broader rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. The Federal Register filing on the hearing says it “will conclude not later than July 15.” DOJ is ending a prior administrative hearing process on the rescheduling proposal that stalled near the end of the Biden administration amid litigation from pro-reform parties that alleged improper agency communications and witness selection decisions. Rescheduling won’t federally legalize cannabis, but it will remove certain Schedule I research barriers, while benefitting state-licensed marijuana businesses by allowing them to take federal tax deductions they’re currently barred from under an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E. To that end, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said they plan to issue new tax guidance for the marijuana industry following the rescheduling announcement. Meanwhile, “any form of marijuana other than in an FDA-approved drug product or marijuana subject to a state medical marijuana license remains a schedule I controlled substance, and those who handle such material remain subject to the regulatory controls, and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions, applicable to schedule I controlled substances set forth in the CSA and DEA regulations,” Blanche wrote. For now, DOJ is establishing “an expedited review process for entities holding state medical marijuana licenses who seek registration as a marijuana manufacturer, distributor, or dispenser” in order to become federally compliant under Schedule III. In order to align with an international drug control treaty “requirement that a government agency serve as the exclusive purchaser of cannabis production,” DOJ is rolling out a process by which the federal government will technically purchase marijuana from producers and then sell it back to them or related entities. “Registered manufacturers must store crops in a facility to which DEA maintains access until that transaction is complete, and each manufacturer registration must specify the areas in which cultivation is permitted,” Blanche’s filing says. The order also allows researchers to legally obtain marijuana products from state-licensed businesses to be used in studies, for the first time. There has been some uncertainty about how DOJ would navigate the issue. While the department faced a mandate from the president, top officials have been notably silent on the issue in the months since receiving that directive—even as the White House touted Trump’s order as an example of a policy achievement during the first year of his second term. When Trump issued the rescheduling order late last year, Pam Bondi was attorney general. She opposed cannabis reform as Florida’s attorney general and she didn’t attend the president’s signing ceremony for the rescheduling executive order. Now, the process is being overseen by Blanche, who said in response to a written question about marijuana rescheduling during his confirmation process to become deputy attorney general that he would “give the matter careful consideration after conferring with all relevant stakeholders, including DEA personnel.” The president’s rescheduling directive was overwhelmingly popular among cannabis consumers, according to a recent poll from the cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD. About 83 percent of respondents said they support the executive order, compared to 7 percent who expressed opposition and 10 percent who said they didn’t have an opinion about the proposed reform. The cannabis rescheduling process was initiated by then-President Joe Biden, under whom the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a 252-page report finding that marijuana does not meet the criteria to remain classified as a Schedule I drug. The Department of Justice later issued a proposed rule to move cannabis to Schedule III, which then led to a stalled administrative hearing process. A Democratic senator told Marijuana Moment in January that it’s “too early to tell” what the implications of Trump’s cannabis order would be—saying that while there are “things that look promising” about it, he is “very concerned about where the DOJ will land.” “The ability of the Trump administration to speak out of both sides of their mouth is staggering,” Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said. “So I’m just going to wait and see right now. Obviously, there’s things that look promising—to end generations of injustice. I really want to wait and see.” — 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. — Also in January, two GOP senators filed an amendment to block the Trump administration from rescheduling cannabis, but it was not considered on the floor. A recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report discussed how DOJ could, in theory, reject the president’s directive or delay the process by restarting the scientific review into marijuana. The Department of Justice separately missed a congressionally mandated deadline in January to issue guidelines for easing barriers to research on Schedule I substances such as marijuana and psychedelics. The post Trump’s Marijuana Move Is ‘Overwhelmingly Popular’ With Voters And Helps Patients, White House Press Secretary Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Federal marijuana industry tax guidance; White House weighs in on hemp legislation; FDA psychedelics moves; Congress wants state cannabis law study Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… BREAKING: Journalism is often consumed for free, but costs money to produce! While this newsletter is proudly sent without cost to you, our ability to send it each day depends on the financial support of readers who can afford to give it. So if you’ve got a few dollars to spare each month and believe in the work we do, please consider joining us on Patreon today. https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW President Donald Trump is calling on Congress to amend a law that threatens to federally recriminalize hemp-derived full-spectrum CBD products this year while also continuing to restrict “sale of products that pose Health risks.” “We must get this done RIGHT and FAST, especially for those who saw that CBD helps them,” he said. “Plus, I am told it will also help our GREAT FARMERS, who we love, and will always be there for.” The White House sent feedback about pending hemp legislation to Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), and Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) filed a new amendment to accelerate enforcement of the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that’s currently set to take effect in November. The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service said they expect cannabis rescheduling “to have significant positive tax consequences for businesses in the medical marijuana industry” and will soon issue guidance on how 280E relief applies. “Guidance is also expected to include a transition rule providing that, for purposes of section 280E, rescheduling generally will be considered to first apply for a business’s full taxable year that includes the effective date of the Final Order, for the business’s activities that do not involve Schedule I or II controlled substances as a result of the Final Order.” The Food and Drug Administration announced a series of new steps for “accelerating” access to psychedelics for people with mental health conditions following a recent executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The House Appropriations Committee approved a spending bill report calling on federal agencies to study the “adequacy” of state marijuana laws and assess ways for “preventing diversion of state legal cannabis product into jurisdictions that do not permit the use of cannabis.” Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) signed a bill to ban intoxicating hemp THC products in the state, even if planned federal restrictions are delayed or reversed—along with provisions protecting marijuana consumers’ privacy and recognizing cannabis industry workers’ right to unionize. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s (D) office said the Trump administration’s federal marijuana rescheduling move is an “important step” that “adds support” to his push to legalize cannabis in the state. Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidates are campaigning on their support for legalizing marijuana. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin (R) certified a law updating a ban on intoxicating hemp-derived products following the conclusion of litigation challenging an earlier policy. / FEDERAL The Drug Enforcement Administration is promoting a post claiming that marijuana has become “four times more dangerous in three decades.” Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary discussed his agency’s psychedelics reform actions. A federal judge nominee who currently serves as director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation cited his overseeing raids against businesses that were allegedly illegally selling cannabis products as an “act of courage” during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) tweeted, “I just introduced bipartisan legislation to regulate hemp products and protect consumers. Washington has let this industry operate in a gray zone for too long. Americans deserve clarity about what they’re buying. This is commonsense policy that crosses party lines.” Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-KY) tweeted, “Thank you @POTUS for your leadership on promoting access to Hemp-derived CBD. I agree Congress must deliver on important reforms, and after years of working on this issue, my HEMP Act is one potential solution to address this important policy.” Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) tweeted, “Psychedelic treatments changed my life. Thankful to have a president who gets it.” The House bill to federally legalize marijuana got three new cosponsors for a total of 64. / STATES California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) suggested that President Donald Trump should use psychedelica to treat mental illness. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) tweeted, “Three ribbon cuttings in one week as we continue to open more medical cannabis facilities for Kentuckians in need. Just a year in, we’re delivering results that help our people and boost our economy. It’s a win-win.” New Hampshire lawmakers said they don’t expect federal marijuana rescheduling to change Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s (R) opposition to cannabis legalization. The Idaho secretary of state’s office is reviewing contribution records for a campaign seeking to place a medical cannabis legalization initiative on the November ballot. The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission elected a new chair and vice chair, and took disciplinary action against marijuana businesses over alleged violations. Oklahoma’s top medical cannabis regulator said there are “still unanswered questions about how the federal reclassification will directly affect Oklahoma’s medical marijuana industry and patients.” Maryland’s top cannabis regulator said the full implications of federal marijuana rescheduling for the state are not yet clear. Minnesota’s top cannabis regulator expressed support for federal legislation to let states opt out of a scheduled ban on hemp THC products. Michigan regulators launched a new webpage promoting cannabis curriculum offered by colleges and universities in the state. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — / LOCAL A Wake County, North Carolina candidate pledged to deemphasize marijuana prosecutions if elected. / INTERNATIONAL Singaporean officials executed a man for importing cannabis. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “public sentiment on Regulations.gov supports the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s proposal for cannabis rescheduling, though the majority views the proposed Schedule III classification as inadequate and supports further rescheduling or complete de-scheduling of cannabis.” A study of mice suggested that “CBD has a beneficial effect on the inflamed urinary bladder and could potentially serve as an adjunct treatment for patients with [interstitial cystitis] in the future.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS A poll of Utah voters found that they support legalizing marijuana, 52 percent to 43 percent. The Family Research Council said President Donald Trump’s psychedelics executive order “poses grave dangers to the public’s mental and spiritual health.” / BUSINESS Jushi Holdings Inc. is seeking shareholder approval for continuance of the company out from British Columbia, Canada and its concurrent domestication in Nevada. 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 Trump pushes Congress for hemp & CBD reforms (Newsletter: April 27, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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“These drugs honestly have been always illegal, but we brought clarity to the law and we brought reinforcement to the law.” By Antoinette Grajeda, Arkansas Advocate Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin (R) on Wednesday formally cleared the way for the state to enforce a law regulating hemp-derived products following the conclusion of litigation challenging an earlier state measure banning the sale of these products. Act 934 of 2025 updated a 2023 law that prohibited the sale and distribution of certain hemp-derived products, such as Delta-8 and THC-O, according to a press release from Griffin’s office. The 2023 law was challenged and blocked by a federal judge who said it likely was preempted by the 2018 Farm Bill, which prohibits laws that interfere with the right to transport hemp in interstate commerce. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the injunction last summer, allowing Arkansas to implement its ban on these products. Within three months, the state’s Department of Finance and Administration seized more than 6,000 products, according to the release. The 2025 law was to take effect once Griffin certified that a final judgment had been issued in the litigation. The Republican attorney general signed that certification Wednesday at a news conference in his office. “It has been a long road to get to this point, but I am proud of my team for successfully defending the 2023 law, and I am happy to finally certify this Act,” Griffin said in a statement. The hemp-derived products were often packaged as gummies and drinks that were marketed to children and sold online and in convenience stores without an age requirement to purchase, Griffin said. Sen. Tyler Dees, a Siloam Springs Republican who sponsored both laws, said Wednesday that this issue is important to him as a father of three young children. Dees said he heard from lobbyists and concerned parents when the legislation was debated, and sided with “protection of children over the profit of peddlers of these illegal drugs.” “These drugs honestly have been always illegal, but we brought clarity to the law and we brought reinforcement to the law,” he said. “And that’s why I’m so excited today that Arkansas is now safer for all of our communities because of the action we’ve been able to take.” Arkansas is among a number of states trying to regulate hemp products, including Alabama, Indiana and Missouri. Arkansas voters legalized medical marijuana in 2016, and a ballot measure that would have also allowed recreational marijuana was rejected in 2022. This story was first published by Arkansas Advocate. The post Arkansas Attorney General Certifies Law Restricting Hemp-Derived THC Products appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“Wisconsin is falling behind. Legalizing marijuana is about fairness, growth, and common sense.” By Benjamin Yount, The Center Square There was lots of pot talk on social media in Wisconsin on Monday. A number of Democrats, including two of the leading candidates for governor, took to X to push for legal marijuana on 4/20. “It’s about time Wisconsin legalizes marijuana. Illinois got $36 million dollars in tax revenue from Wisconsinites in one year – we are giving our neighbors millions every year by not legalizing,” former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said in a post. “Happy 4/20, please enjoy responsibly!” It’s about time Wisconsin legalizes marijuana. Illinois got $36 million dollars in tax revenue from Wisconsinites in one year – we are giving our neighbors millions every year by not legalizing. Happy 4/20, please enjoy responsibly! — Mandela Barnes (@TheOtherMandela) April 20, 2026 4/20, celebrated on April 20th, is the unofficial holiday for marijuana. Barnes was not the only one who took to X to push for full legalization in Wisconsin. “Wisconsin is one of the last states without a real cannabis program, and we’re handing our neighbors millions every year because of it,” Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, said in a post. “My Weed for Speed policy sets us up for smart legalization and puts the revenue into rural broadband. We’ll build it right and repair the damage from decades of criminalization.” My Weed for Speed policy sets us up for smart legalization and puts the revenue into rural broadband. We'll build it right and repair the damage from decades of criminalization. Send us $4.20 if you think this is a good idea https://t.co/1HJezADAkA — Francesca Hong For Governor (@FrancescaHongWI) April 20, 2026 Hong and Barnes are the frontrunners in Wisconsin’s Democratic race for governor. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who is also running for governor, also took to X to show his support for legal marijuana. “Wisconsin is falling behind. Legalizing marijuana is about fairness, growth, and common sense. Outdated laws hurt communities and waste resources,” Crowley said. “As governor, I will legalize it and invest the revenue in schools, infrastructure, and small businesses.” WI is falling behind. Legalizing marijuana is about fairness, growth, and common sense. Outdated laws hurt communities and waste resources. As governor, I will legalize it and invest the revenue in schools, infrastructure, and small businesses. — David Crowley (@DavidCCrowley) April 20, 2026 Almost every Republican in Wisconsin was silent about Monday’s push for legalized pot, but Republicans at the Capitol have fought full legalization for years. The only Republican who spoke up on X on Monday was the head of the St. Croix Valley Young Republicans, who pushed back on the statement from Madison’s Democratic Socialist candidate for the Assembly who said Wisconsin needs to join most of its neighbors and legalize marijuana. “”No, Wisconsinites shouldn’t have to drive to Illinois or Michigan to buy weed,” DSA candidate Juliana Bennet said on X. “Actually, they should,” said Brady Penfield. Actually they should. — Brady Penfield (@brady_penfield) April 20, 2026 This story was first published by The Center Square. Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post Wisconsin Democratic Candidates For Governor Call For Marijuana Legalization appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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“Practically every one of our neighbors has legalized marijuana and is benefiting from hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and revenue.” By John Cole, The Center Square Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) thinks the Trump administration took an “important step” on Thursday after it redefined how the federal government classifies medical marijuana. Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche issued an order immediately placing both FDA-approved marijuana products and marijuana regulated by state medical licenses in Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. “Governor Shapiro has made clear that we need to catch up—practically every one of our neighbors has legalized marijuana and is benefiting from hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and revenue—and this important step by the federal government only adds support to the Governor’s proposal,” Shapiro spokesperson Rosie Lapowsky told The Center Square. “The Shapiro Administration stands ready to work with the General Assembly to take advantage of this opportunity to legalize marijuana and make our Commonwealth more competitive and more just.” Since 1970, marijuana, alongside heroin, LSD and ecstasy, has been classified as a Schedule I drug. That designation defined those as drugs with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule III drugs are defined as having moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence. Some examples of Schedule III drugs are products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit (Tylenol with codeine), ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone. The decision by the Trump administration on Thursday moves medical marijuana from one of the most restricted drug classifications to a less regulated category and delivers a tax break to cannabis businesses. However, it stops short of federal legalization. In April 2016, then-Gov. Tom Wolf (D) signed legislation making Pennsylvania the 24th state to create a medical marijuana program. Shapiro announced his support for the legalization of recreational marijuana in 2019, while he was serving his first term as the state’s attorney general. Since being elected governor in 2022, he’s called on lawmakers to approve an adult-use program—even including the purported tax revenues in all of his budget plans. If enacted July 1, the administration believes legalization would rake in $729 million. U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa. has been a vocal advocate of marijuana legalization and celebrated the decision made by the Trump administration. “John has been for legal weed forever,” a Fetterman spokesperson told The Center Square. “This is a good step forward and he supports it.” NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, has given Shapiro and Fetterman “A+” grades for their stated support of marijuana legalization. However, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., has seen things differently in the past. In December, he signed a joint letter with 21 of his Republican Senate colleagues to the Trump administration opposing reclassifying the drug. “Rescheduling marijuana to a Schedule III drug will undermine your strong efforts to Make America Great Again and to usher in America’s next economic Golden Age,” the senators write in the letter to the Trump administration. “The only winners from rescheduling will be bad actors such as Communist China, while Americans will be left paying the bill.” During a telephone town hall that same month, McCormick referred to himself as a “big advocate of the use of medical marijuana” but said at that time he was “opposed to rescheduling Marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.” However, McCormick did not respond to a request for comment from The Center Square on Thursday regarding his thoughts on the latest move by the Trump administration. Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor, also did not respond to a request for comment from The Center Square. FOX43 reported in August 2025 that Garrity said she did not have a firm policy position on the issue, but cautioned lawmakers who touted its financial benefits. “The money that they had in the budget, I would say that it’s way, way overstated,” Garrity said, according to FOX43. “I don’t have a policy position on it, but I will tell you that if they pass the legislation, I’ll make sure that it’s banked appropriately.” Outside organizations in Pennsylvania and beyond have also weighed in on the latest move from the Trump administration. “Today’s order marks a historical reversal in federal cannabis policy,” said NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano. “It validates the experiences of tens of millions of Americans, as well as those of tens of thousands of physicians, who have long recognized that cannabis possesses legitimate medical utility, as well as the legitimacy of the longstanding medical cannabis access programs available in the majority of US states.” “It wasn’t long ago that federal officials were denying that cannabis possessed any legitimate medical utility, threatening to seize doctors’ medical licenses for discussing medical cannabis with their patients, and shutting down state-licensed marijuana dispensaries,” he added. “Now the government is seeking to integrate these programs into the existing federal and international framework for regulating substances with accepted medical value.” The PA Family Institute sees the matter differently. They said they were disappointed with the Trump administration’s decision. “PA Family Institute is disappointed in the Trump Administration’s decision to give the marijuana industry significant tax breaks and prop up this addiction-for-profit industry,” said Dan Bartkowiak, Chief Strategy Officer at the Pennsylvania Family Institute. “Big Marijuana should not be allowed to more easily target new consumers with harmful marijuana products.” “In Pennsylvania, the recreational use of marijuana remains illegal, a policy maintained thus far by sensible leaders in the PA Senate. Maintaining that people-first policy helps to avoid many public health and safety challenges seen in other states,” he added. “Evidence continues to link marijuana use, especially among young people, to increased emergency room visits, mental health concerns, and negative impacts on families and communities.” A majority of Pennsylvanians believe that the government should go further, according to at least one survey. A recent poll conducted by Susquehanna Polling and Research showed that 72 percent of Democrats, 67 percent of Republicans, and 64 percent of independents support the legalization of recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania. However, because of the latest decision by the Trump administration, any marijuana not sold through a state medical program or approved by the FDA remains Schedule I. Forty states have adopted medical marijuana programs, while 24 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized adult recreational use. This story was first published by The Center Square. The post Pennsylvania Governor Says Trump’s Marijuana Rescheduling Move Is An ‘Important Step’ That Helps The Push To Legalize In The State appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

“Missouri needs to be a place where it’s safe to be able to have your children get access to a product that doesn’t include harmful intoxicants.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) signed a bill Thursday that will take all intoxicating hemp products off the shelves starting November 12—including THC seltzers currently sold in bars and grocery stores. The legislation largely aligns state law with the upcoming federal ban that Congress approved in November. “If you take the House and Senate vote together, it was 151 aye and 28 nay, so you could tell it was a bipartisan vote,” Kehoe said before signing the bill. “Both chambers really worked hard to put something that eliminated the access for our children to these drugs, off of the shelves.” Under the bill, if Congress reverses course and decides to allow the sale of these products, Missouri would only permit them in licensed marijuana dispensaries. And if Congress delays the ban for a couple years, Missouri law would still ban all products, except for intoxicating beverages. The bill also includes provisions to protect marijuana consumer privacy and cannabis workers’ right to organize, provisions added in the state Senate. Similar bills have been debated since 2023, but failed to pass. Without regulations, intoxicating hemp products with as much as 1,000 mg of THC are sold in smoke shops—outside of Missouri’s licensed marijuana dispensaries. Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway (R) has been cracking down on intoxicating hemp retailers since coming into office in September, using state consumer-protection laws. “This important piece of legislation builds upon our enforcement efforts already underway,” Hanaway said in a statement Thursday. “A storefront and a sales counter do not make an illegal drug operation into a legitimate business. We will do everything in our power to protect Missouri neighborhoods.” https://t.co/R8dnzjlnEw — Governor Mike Kehoe (@GovMikeKehoe) April 23, 2026 The Missouri Hemp Trade Association said the bill “effectively dismantles an industry built by real Missourians who have operated in good faith under existing federal and state law,” in a statement. Kehoe’s office received 10,000 handwritten letters last week asking him to veto the bill. The association gathered them in just 10 days from small-business owners, farmers and customers across the state. “At the federal level, Congress is actively working on lawful framework for hemp and we believe actions like this conflict with that intent,” the association’s statement said. The hemp association is also “actively preparing to challenge [the bill] through legal action.” At the bill signing, Republican State Sen. David Gregory, who sponsored a similar version of the bill, held up a package that mimicked Oreo cookies. “See right here, it looks like an Oreo package,” Gregory said, “but it actually has THC in it—marijuana and they’re labeling it as hemp.” After holding up a THC Doritos look-alike bag, he said, “These are the kinds of things we’re putting an end to.” Sarah Willson, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said her team has seen the harmful consequences of unregulated cannabis products after Missourians have unknowingly consumed the products, as there’s no label requirements regarding THC content. “Even more alarming, children in Missouri and across the country have been hospitalized due to accidental ingestion,” Willson in a statement to The Independent. “This situation is unacceptable and deeply concerning, and we are thankful to see this piece of legislation come to fruition.” The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Dave Hinman, a Republican from O’Fallon, said the legislation gives state law enforcement and prosecutors the authority to enforce the federal hemp ban. He said the bill “brings order to an unregulated marketplace by directly mirroring federal standards.” The bill signing came the same day Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order immediately placing both FDA-approved products containing marijuana and marijuana products regulated by a state medical marijuana license in Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. The move gives marijuana companies some tax relief and long-awaited recognition for the medicinal benefits their products can offer, but medical marijuana is still federally illegal. Blanche’s order expedited the administrative hearing process to consider the broader rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, with a hearing beginning June 29. Blanche was acting on President Donald Trump’s December executive order that also directed his administration to work with Congress to develop a framework that permits full-spectrum CBD products, which have a trace amount of THC. Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rolled out an initiative that could cover $500 per year worth of hemp-derived THC of 3mg per serving and CBD products for eligible users. Those products would be illegal in Missouri under the bill Kehoe signed. The hemp association said its members “appreciate the supportive stance” the president has taken toward hemp and full-spectrum CBD products. “We encourage continued leadership at the federal level to ensure that federally lawful industries are not dismantled at the state level,” it states, “due to outside pressure and corrupt political interests.” Kehoe said the bill signing was significant because Missouri lawmakers have talked about the issue for several years. “It’s been an issue that, unfortunately, has been around our children for a long time,” he said. “Missouri needs to be a place where it’s safe to be able to have your children get access to a product that doesn’t include harmful intoxicants.” This story was first published by Missouri Independent. The post Missouri Governor Signs Bill To Ban Hemp THC Products In Line With Scheduled Federal Recriminalization appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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White House officials are giving feedback on pending legislation to create a regulatory framework for hemp amid a swirl of proposals from lawmakers on the issue—including a new amendment that seeks to expedite enforcement of the pending recriminalization of hemp-derived THC products that is currently scheduled for November. On Tuesday, Vince Haley, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and James Braid, assistant to the president for legislative affairs, sent hemp policy suggestions to Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), who has been helping to lead efforts to enact regulations for the plant as an alternative to prohibition. “We appreciate your work to advance the policy of” an executive order President Donald Trump signed in December that included provisions seeking to protect Americans’ access to CBD products, the staffers wrote in a letter to the congressman. “We are transmitting for your consideration draft legislative text and comments to address the statutory definition of final hemp-derived cannabinoid products in order to allow Americans to benefit from access to appropriate full-spectrum CBD products while preserving the Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose serious health risks,” the White House officials said, according to a social media post containing a screenshot of the letter. “We are available for discussion and further technical assistance.” The attachment with the administration’s proposed legislative text was not included in the post, and the White House and Barr’s office did not immediately respond to Marijuana Moment’s request for further details. Barr filed a hemp amendment this week to the pending Farm Bill, but he later withdrew it for reasons that he did not announce. It’s not clear from the letter’s text whether the White House was proactively sending legislative proposals to the lawmaker or if they were replying to something his office submitted—though two cannabis industry sources suggested to Marijuana Moment that Barr first sent language to the administration, which then provided technical feedback. Barr’s now-withdrawn amendment, according to the sponsor’s summary, “amends the definition of ‘Hemp’ to preserve the lawful hemp market while creating a regulatory framework that protects children, bans synthetics, and ensures that any products on the market place are of American origin.” Ok guys, since you all want to Troll me and have been all day about The Barr Bill, here you Asshats go.. Its One Plant that should have one set of rules And it should all be Legal with proper age gating and restrictions.. pic.twitter.com/nTt8AJ5mvP — Marc Cohodes (@AlderLaneEggs) April 23, 2026 Meanwhile, Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) also filed a new Farm Bill amendment that she said “expedites enforcement of the hemp restriction provisions” that are now set to take effect on November 12. Instead, under her proposal, the ban would kick in on the date the new Farm Bill is enacted—though it’s not clear based on current progress in Congress when that will actually be, and the legislation could potentially not end up passing until after the current recriminalization date, making the amendment moot. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a drug-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, the president signed new legislation containing provisions that will redefine hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will remain legal after November 12. Trump this week pushed congressional lawmakers to take action to amend the currently scheduled hemp ban, which he suggested threatens to federally recriminalize full-spectrum CBD products. “I am calling on Congress to update the Law to ensure that Americans can continue to access the full-spectrum CBD products they have come to rely on, and that help them, while preserving Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose Health risks,” the president said in a Truth Social post on Thursday, the same day his administration announced it is moving forward to reschedule marijuana. “We must get this done RIGHT and FAST, especially for those who saw that CBD helps them,” he said. “Plus, I am told it will also help our GREAT FARMERS, who we love, and will always be there for.” Barr promoted the president’s comments, saying in his own post that he is “working in Congress to deliver these critical reforms so farmers have certainty and Americans can continue to access safe, reliable hemp-derived products.” Thank you, President Trump, for leading the charge to expand access to CBD products. I’m working in Congress to deliver these critical reforms so farmers have certainty and Americans can continue to access safe, reliable hemp-derived products. pic.twitter.com/hguGIgDCAW — Congressman Andy Barr (@RepAndyBarr) April 24, 2026 An additional pending Farm Bill amendment from Reps. James Comer (R-KY) and Kelly Morrison (D-MN) would push back the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC products for another year. Submitted amendments to the Farm Bill, formally known as the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, or H.R. 7567, are expected to be considered next week by the Rules Committee. That panel will decide whether the proposals can receive votes on the House floor. Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) had filed a hemp ban delay amendment before the House Agriculture Committee when it took up the Farm Bill last month, but that panel’s chairman determined that the proposal was not germane to the legislation. The Farm Bill as approved by the prior committee does contain some provisions aimed at aiding the hemp industry and farmers who grow cannabis for industrial purposes such as fiber and grain. For example, the legislation would amend existing statute related to the development of industrial hemp production regulatory plans by states and tribes—including surrounding polices for testing, sampling, background checks and record-keeping. A number of other bipartisan hemp reform bills are pending in Congress. Last week, for example, Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) filed the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, which would effectively let states opt out of the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that is set to be enacted later this year. Ernst on Wednesday, however, withdrew her name as a cosponsor of the legislation. Her office did not reply to Marijuana Moment’s request for clarification on the move. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — A U.S. Department of Agriculture report published this month shows that farmers in the U.S. grew three-quarters of a billion dollars worth of hemp crops in 2025—a 64 percent increase from the prior year. Meanwhile, the Trump administration this month launched a new initiative to cover up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products each year for eligible Medicare patients. The program being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) focuses largely on CBD but also allows a certain amount of THC in products. Anti-marijuana organizations filed a lawsuit suit against the Medicare hemp coverage policy, and lawyers for Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Director Mehmet Oz recently filed a brief asking that the case be dismissed. Meanwhile, the White House Office of Management and Budget has been holding a series of meetings about a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) CBD products enforcement policy. FDA also issued guidance making clear that it does not intend to interfere with implementation of the Medicare hemp-derived products coverage plan. CMS separately finalized a rule that will allow coverage of some hemp products as specialized, non-primarily health-related benefits through Medicare Advantage plans. As hemp products have become more popular with consumers, some large brands are attempting to get in on action. Major retailer Target, for example, is expanding its participation in the hemp-derived THC beverage market. Last year, the company began a pilot program involving sales of cannabis drinks at 10 select stores in Minnesota. That apparently went well, and now the company has obtained licenses from Minnesota regulators to sell lower-potency hemp edible products—including THC drinks—at all 72 of its stores in the state. The post White House Weighs In On Hemp Legislation As GOP Lawmaker Pushes Accelerated THC Product Ban appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Federal health officials are taking steps that they say will help with “accelerating” therapeutic access to psychedelics for patients dealing with serious mental health conditions. Following President Donald Trump’s signing an executive order aimed at expanding and expediting research on the medical benefits of psychedelics, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday announced a series of regulatory actions to support the development of psychedelics as approved medications. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are accelerating the research, approval, and responsible access to promising mental health treatments—including psychedelic therapies like ibogaine—to confront our nation’s mental health crisis head-on, especially for our veterans,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said. “The FDA will prioritize therapies with Breakthrough Therapy designation, where early evidence shows meaningful improvement over existing options for serious mental illness.” The new steps being announced on Friday include the issuance of national priority vouchers to three companies studying psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, as well as methylone (MDMC) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). FDA is also allowing an early phase clinical study of noribogaine hydrochloride to move forward following an Investigational New Drug (IND) submission, with sponsor company DemeRx NB exploring the substance as a potential treatment for alcohol use disorder. It marks the first time federal officials are allowing a clinical study in the U.S. of a derivative of ibogaine. “These medications have the potential to address the nation’s mental health crisis, including conditions like treatment-resistant depression, alcoholism and other serious mental health and substance abuse conditions,” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said. “As this field moves forward, it is critical that their development is grounded in sound science and rigorous clinical evidence. We owe it to our nation’s veterans and all Americans who are suffering from these conditions to evaluate these potential therapies with urgency.” Following President Trump’s directive to accelerate medical treatments for serious mental illnesses, FDA announced major steps to support the development of serotonin-2A agonists & related products—a class of medications historically referred to as "psychedelic" drugs. … pic.twitter.com/SGjCcQW17n — U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) April 24, 2026 The agency additionally says it will soon be releasing guidance providing recommendations to sponsors developing psychedelic medicines. The psychedelic research guidance will include recommendations on study design, data collection and generation, patient monitoring and conducting adequate and well-controlled clinical investigations. “There is a growing recognition of the potential of psychedelic medications to address multiple different psychiatric conditions that are notoriously difficult to treat,” Tracy Beth Hoeg, acting director FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said. “At the FDA we are showing our support of investigating the safety and efficacy of this class of drugs through today’s actions.” Trump said when he signed the executive order last weekend that it will “dramatically accelerate access to new medical research and treatments based on psychedelic drugs,” Trump said. “In many cases, these experimental treatments have shown life-changing potential for those suffering from severe mental illness and depression—including our cherished veterans.” Steps taken under the order will “clear away unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, improve data sharing among the FDA and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and facilitate fast rescheduling of any psychedelic drugs that become FDA approved,” the president said. Some psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA have been designated with “breakthrough therapy” status, meaning that preliminary clinical evidence shows they can provide substantial improvement over existing therapies. Trump said his order will “expedite” the further review of such substances. The president also announced that the federal government is making $50 million available to support state-level research on ibogaine and is “opening a pathway for the substance to be administered to desperately ill patients under the Right to Try law” that he signed during his first term in office. Under Trump’s order, health officials will coordinate with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Justice on rescheduling reviews for psychedelics that complete successful Phase 3 trials. A growing body of research and experience indicates that psychedelics can help people suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, drug addiction and other mental health disorders. Lawmakers in a number of states have passed legislation to support clinical trials with the aim of developing ibogaine into a legal medication with approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Texas officials, for example, recently announced that the state will move ahead with launching its own research program on the psychedelic after the they couldn’t find a company to lead a consortium on the issue under a bill enacted last year. Meanwhile, Kennedy said recently that the Trump administration is “very anxious” to create a pathway for access to psychedelics therapy and that top officials across federal agencies want to “get it out to the public as quickly as possible.” In an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience in February, Kennedy said he’s confident “we’re going to get it done,” with plans to develop and finalize rules that would enable patients with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression to access psychedelic substances like psilocybin and MDMA in a “very controlled setting.” “Everybody in my agency…is very anxious to get a rule out there that will allow these kind of studies and will allow access under therapeutic settings, particularly [for] the military soldiers who have suffered these injuries to get access to these products,” the HHS secretary said. “We’re working through that process now. We’re all working on it and trying to make it happen.” “I think that we’re going to get it done,” he said. Last June, Kennedy said his agency is “absolutely committed” to expanding research on the benefits of psychedelic therapy and, alongside of the head of FDA, is aiming to provide legal access to such substances for military veterans “within 12 months.” Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins also disclosed in April that he had an “eye-opening” talk with Kennedy about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicine. And he said he’s open to the idea of having the government provide vouchers to cover the costs of psychedelic therapy for veterans who receive services outside of VA as Congress considers pathways for access. Bipartisan congressional lawmakers introduced legislation this session to provide $30 million in funding annually to establish psychedelic-focused “centers for excellence” at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, where veterans could receive novel treatment involving substances like psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine. A U.S. Senate committee has scheduled a hearing for next week on a bipartisan bill to promote research into the therapeutic potential psychedelics by creating a new office at VA that would advance the development innovative treatments for serious mental health conditions and assist in reviewing the scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) has said ibogaine represents an “astonishing breakthrough” in the nation’s current “sick care system” that’s left people with serious mental health conditions without access to promising alternative treatment options. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Mushroom Observer. The post Federal Officials Announce Plan For ‘Accelerating’ Access To Psychedelics For Patients With Mental Health Conditions Following Trump’s Order appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A key congressional committee issued a directive this week for federal agencies to study the “adequacy” of state marijuana laws and to assess methods for “preventing diversion of state legal cannabis product into jurisdictions that do not permit the use of cannabis.” The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved spending legislation and related reports, one of which contains the marijuana provisions. The draft report attached to the Fiscal Year 2027 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) bill says the panel “recognizes that over 20 States and territories now permit the adult use cannabis, while over 35 States and territories permit the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.” It directs the Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to “coordinate an assessment of the adequacy of State marijuana regulatory frameworks, including commonalities and novel approaches to enforcement and oversight.” The committee has approved similar cannabis provisions in past years, but it’s not clear if TTB has ever filed a resulting marijuana policy report with lawmakers. Here’s the full language of the current directive approved by the committee this week: “Cannabis Regulatory Framework.—The Committee recognizes that over 20 States and territories now permit the adult use cannabis, while over 35 States and territories permit the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. The Committee directs TTB in coordination with the entire Department, and other agencies, which may have relevant regulatory expertise, to coordinate an assessment of the adequacy of State marijuana regulatory frameworks, including commonalities and novel approaches to enforcement and oversight. The assessment shall include recommendations to improve data sharing and coordination between State and Federal authorities. The Department is directed brief the Committee on the findings of the assessment within one year of enactment of this Act.” This year’s report also includes a new cannabis-related passage directing TTB and other agencies to assess ways to prevent diversion of marijuana from legal markets to states that maintain prohibition. It reads: “Diversion Prevention.—The Committee urges DOJ, in coordination with the broader Department, TTB, and other agencies that may have relevant regulatory expertise, to coordinate an assessment of the most effective methods of preventing diversion of state legal cannabis product into jurisdictions that do not permit the use of cannabis.” In an amendment adopted in a voice vote on Tuesday, the panel also added report language urging the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to ensure that High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas programs get enough resources to combat illicit cannabis growing and other priorities. It says: “Allocation of Resources.-The Committee encourages ONDCP to ensure appropriate resources are allocated to HIDTA regions combatting significant methamphetamine and weapons trafficking and illegal marijuana cultivation to promote funding parity for intelligence, training, and support programs.” The directive for federal agencies to study the adequacy of state cannabis laws mirrors what was included in reports attached to appropriations bills covering FSGG and Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) in several prior sessions. It is also similar in intent to a standalone bill from House FSGG Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Dave Joyce (R-OH), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. That legislation would lay the groundwork for federal marijuana legalization, directing the attorney general to create a commission charged with making recommendations on a regulatory system for cannabis. The underlying FSGG bill, meanwhile, includes a longstanding provision continuing to block Washington, D.C. from legalizing and regulating recreational marijuana sales. While local lawmakers have found ways to work around that policy to some extent by significantly expanding access to an existing medical marijuana program, advocates view the rider—championed by prohibitionist Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD)—as a troubling infringement on D.C.’s autonomy. “SEC. 809. (a) None of the Federal funds contained in this Act may be used to enact or carry out any law, rule, or regulation to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, use, or distribution of any Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.) or any tetrahydrocannabinols derivative. (b) No funds available for obligation or expenditure by the District of Columbia government under any authority may be used to enact any law, rule, or regulation to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, use, or distribution of any Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C 801 et seq.) or any tetrahydrocannabinols derivative for recreational purposes.” Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) decried the bill’s inclusion of the cannabis rider and other that seek to interfere with local policymaking. “Although I am unsurprised at the number and scope of anti-D.C. home rule riders in the D.C. appropriations bill as passed out of Committee, I continue to be outraged at the entitlement shown by members of Congress who represent far-away districts yet think it’s appropriate to impose their policy preferences on 700,000 D.C. residents,” she said in a press release. “By loading this legislation with anti-home-rule riders, from stripping away reproductive healthcare access to meddling in our local public safety and education laws, Republican members are dictating how D.C. residents live, spend their own local tax dollars, and govern themselves. “These members were not elected by D.C. residents, yet they continue to treat the District like their own playground to rule as they please,” she said. “This bill should serve as a stark reminder of why D.C. statehood is not just a political goal, but a moral imperative to end this ongoing cycle of paternalism and disenfranchisement.” The White House last year called the District’s move to enact local marijuana reform an example of a “failed” policy that “opened the door to disorder.” President Donald Trump’s budget request that he released earlier this month similarly proposed to continue the Harris rider preventing adult-use marijuana sales in D.C. — 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 on Capitol Hill, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said this week that there is enough support within Congress to pass comprehensive federal marijuana reform—if only Republican leaders would allow a vote. “I’m hopeful that we can find a legislative path forward,” Jeffries said. “This does seem to exist as a bipartisan issue, particularly amongst younger generations of Republicans and the entirety of the House Democratic Caucus, and we know that the votes do exist to act legislatively.” Separately, bipartisan lawmakers have also filed several pieces of legislation to delay or reverse the broad federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that is set to take effect in November. The Department of Justice on Thursday announced that it is moving forward with federal rescheduling of marijuana. The post Congressional Committee Directs Federal Agencies To Study State Marijuana Laws appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Marijuana gun rights case not impacted by rescheduling, DOJ says; Federal hemp amendments; Senate psychedelics hearing; TN medical cannabis push Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… Your good deed for the day: donate to an independent publisher like Marijuana Moment and ensure that as many voters as possible have access to the most in-depth cannabis reporting out there. Support our work at https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the Trump administration is moving forward with the process of marijuana rescheduling, more than four months after the president issued an executive order telling the Department of Justice to get it done in “the most expeditious manner.” Marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license will immediately move to Schedule III, as will any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Then, beginning on June 29, there will be a new expedited administrative hearing process to consider the broader rescheduling of cannabis. President Donald Trump said medical cannabis is “the best of all the alternatives” for people with serious illnesses. “A lot of people are suffering from big problems, which this seems to be the best answer.” Trump administration solicitor general John D. Sauer told Supreme Court justices in a new filing that federal marijuana rescheduling should not change the impact of a case they are considering on cannabis consumers’ gun rights. Lawmakers, advocates and celebrities are weighing in on the Trump administration’s marijuana rescheduling move—with many saying it is long overdue, others arguing it doesn’t go far enough and some expressing concerns about what they fear will be negative consequences of the cannabis reform. Reps. James Comer (R-KY) and Andy Barr (R-KY) filed amendments to the Farm Bill that would delay the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC products for another year and create a framework for continued legal sales, with new restrictions and clarifications—though Barr withdrew his proposal after submitting it. The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee scheduled a hearing for next week on a bill to create a new Department of Veterans Affairs office that would promote research on psychedelics and assist in reviewing scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA. A Tennessee lawmaker is calling on Gov. Bill Lee (R) and legislative leaders to convene a special session focused on legalizing medical cannabis in the state as federal marijuana rescheduling advances. / FEDERAL The Drug Enforcement Administration promoted an anti-marijuana group’s “National Anti-420 Day” resources. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary spoke about the administration’s moves on psychedelics in a number of TV interviews. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) withdrew her name as a cosponsor of a bill to let states and Indian tribes opt out of the pending federal recriminalization of hemp THC products. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about steps to combat Chinese-linked illegal marijuana grow operations during a hearing. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (R-MN) tweeted, “I introduced the bipartisan Hemp Safety Enforcement Act with Sen. Rand Paul to protect Minnesota’s hemp industry. A one-size-fits-all federal ban would hurt farmers, brewers, and small businesses. Our bill lets states regulate safely while protecting consumers and jobs.” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) tweeted about meeting with members of the National Beer Wholesalers Association to discuss “reversing legislative setbacks on hemp that could affect production of hemp-derived beverages.” / STATES The Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee added provisions on keeping marijuana conviction records confidential to an omnibus crime bill. A Pennsylvania Republican senator said some of his colleagues in his party would rather vote to raise revenue by legalizing marijuana than with a tax increase. An Oklahoma representative praised President Donald Trump’s psychedelics executive order. The Michigan Supreme Court is ordering the Court of Appeals to reexamine the legality of the state’s new marijuana wholesale tax. Montana regulators filed proposed changes to marijuana tracking rules. Illinois regulators sent a reminder about marijuana business licensing and registration portal accounts. Colorado regulators will host a hemp symposium on Tuesday. — 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 Minneapolis, Minnesota City Council approved a proposal to decriminalize drug paraphernalia. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “the biochemical diversity of Cannabis sativa cultivated in Ondo state, Nigeria and its potential as a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds, with high variability across different plant tissues” and that “its antioxidant richness, especially in the composite and stem, suggests potential applications in the nutraceutical, functional food, and pharmaceutical industries.” A study supports “integration of psychedelic-assisted methods with standard palliative care to enhance end-of-life care.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The chair of the Missouri Republican Party issued a statement supporting President Donald Trump’s psychedelics executive order. The National Cannabis Industry Association is hosting lobby days on Capitol Hill from May 12-14. / BUSINESS Green Thumb Industries Inc. is expanding its share repurchase program. High Tide Inc. announced steps to address what it called “potential manipulation of its common shares.” Make sure to subscribe to get Marijuana Moment’s daily dispatch in your inbox. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post Trump talks benefits of medical cannabis after rescheduling announcement (Newsletter: April 24, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

President Donald Trump is urging congressional lawmakers to take action to amend a law that threatens to federally recriminalize hemp-derived full-spectrum CBD products in November. “I am calling on Congress to update the Law to ensure that Americans can continue to access the full-spectrum CBD products they have come to rely on, and that help them, while preserving Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose Health risks,” the president said in a Truth Social post on Thursday, the same day his administration announced it is moving forward to reschedule marijuana. “We must get this done RIGHT and FAST, especially for those who saw that CBD helps them,” he said. “Plus, I am told it will also help our GREAT FARMERS, who we love, and will always be there for.” Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a drug-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, he signed new legislation containing provisions that will redefine hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will remain legal after November 12. Industry advocates say that the provisions as enacted threaten to prohibit intoxicating and synthetic cannabinoid products but also stand to remove popular full-spectrum CBD products that many Americans use therapeutically from the market. “ONE in FIVE adults used it in the past year, and many say it improved their chronic pain enormously,” the president said in his social media post, adding that hemp-derived CBD “has made a HUGE difference for so many people.” He also referenced a new initiative the administration launched this month to cover up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products each year for eligible Medicare patients. The program being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) focuses largely on CBD but also allows products to have up to 3 milligrams of total THC per serving. “In December, I signed a very important Executive Order calling for Research and Innovation for Hemp-derived CBD,” Trump said. “Our wonderful Dr. Mehmet Oz moved fast to follow the directive in the Executive Order, and launched a model for some Seniors earlier this month. But more must be done!” “Please get it done, and SOON,” the president said in reference to a congressional fix for the broad recriminalization set to take effect in November. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!” It’s not clear how far Trump wants to scale back the scope of the scheduled federal restrictions on hemp products and what kinds of revised THC rules and limitations he would prefer to sign into law. In separate remarks in the Oval Office on Thursday, the president highlighted the medical benefits of marijuana hours after DOJ issued a rule to federally reschedule cannabis. “A lot of people are suffering from big problems, which this seems to be the best answer,” the president said in the Oval Office. “They’re very happy about it.” “So hopefully you don’t need it,” he said. “But if you do need it, I hear it’s the best of all the alternatives.” Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers in Congress this week filed amendments aimed at delaying the hemp product ban for another year and creating a framework for continued legal sales, with new restrictions and clarifications. The House Rules Committee is expected to decide next week whether any such proposal to amend the pending Farm Bill can be considered for floor votes. A number of other bipartisan hemp reform bills are also pending in Congress. Last week, for example, Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) filed the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, which would effectively let states opt out of the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that is set to be enacted later this year. Ernst on Wednesday, however, withdrew her name as a cosponsor of the legislation. Separately, anti-marijuana organizations filed a lawsuit suit against the Medicare hemp CBD coverage policy, and lawyers for Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Director Mehmet Oz recently filed a brief asking that the case be dismissed. The White House Office of Management and Budget has also been holding a series of meetings about a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) CBD products enforcement policy. FDA issued guidance making clear that it does not intend to interfere with implementation of the Medicare hemp-derived products coverage plan. CMS separately finalized a rule that will allow coverage of some hemp products as specialized, non-primarily health-related benefits through Medicare Advantage plans. As hemp products have become more popular with consumers, some large brands are attempting to get in on action. Major retailer Target, for example, is expanding its participation in the hemp-derived THC beverage market. Last year, the company began a pilot program involving sales of cannabis drinks at 10 select stores in Minnesota. That apparently went well, and now the company has obtained licenses from Minnesota regulators to sell lower-potency hemp edible products—including THC drinks—at all 72 of its stores in the state. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report published this month shows that farmers in the U.S. grew three-quarters of a billion dollars worth of hemp crops in 2025—a 64 percent increase from the prior year. The post Trump Pushes Congress To Keep Full-Spectrum CBD Legal While Restricting Hemp Products That Pose ‘Health Risks’ appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Federal officials said they plan to issue new tax guidance for the marijuana industry following a move by the Trump administration to reclassify cannabis that was announced on Thursday. Under an order from Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, marijuana regulated by a state medical cannabis license will immediately move to Schedule III. Marijuana products such as those in state-legal recreational markets remain in Schedule I for now, however, subject to a hearing process this summer to consider broader rescheduling of cannabis. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said they “expect DOJ’s action to have significant positive tax consequences for businesses in the medical marijuana industry, and Treasury and the IRS plan to issue guidance to address the principal federal tax issues stemming from” the move. Rescheduling won’t federally legalize cannabis, but it will benefit state-licensed marijuana businesses by allowing them to take federal tax deductions they’re currently barred from under an IRS code known as 280E that doesn’t apply to Schedule III substances. “Accordingly, rescheduling generally removes section 280E as a bar to claiming deductions and credits for businesses that as a result of the Final Order no longer traffic in Schedule I or II controlled substances under the CSA,” the new Treasury and IRS announcement says. Because of the way the rescheduling action is being rolled out in phases, state-licensed marijuana companies that serve both the medical and recreational markets may only be able to immediately obtain tax relief for parts of their businesses. “Guidance is expected to clarify the ways in which, for businesses with multiple activities, section 280E applies only to those activities related to trafficking in Schedule I or II controlled substances (e.g., by apportioning expenses),” the tax agency and Treasury Department said. Blanche’s rescheduling order for DOJ said he “encourages” the treasury secretary “to consider providing retrospective relief from Section 280E liability for taxable years in which a state licensee operated under a state medical marijuana license.” But the new Treasury and IRS announcement says that, at least for an initial transition rule, “rescheduling generally will be considered to first apply for a business’s full taxable year that includes the effective date of the Final Order, for the business’s activities that do not involve Schedule I or II controlled substances as a result of the Final Order.” The agencies did not specify when they expect to issue the forthcoming guidance. Separately on Thursday, the Justice Department told the Supreme Court in a filing that federal rescheduling of marijuana doesn’t change how justice should decide a pending case on cannabis consumers’ gun rights. President Donald Trump also highlighted the medical benefits of marijuana hours after DOJ issued the cannabis rescheduling rule. “A lot of people are suffering from big problems, which this seems to be the best answer,” the president said in the Oval Office. “They’re very happy about it.” “So hopefully you don’t need it,” he said. “But if you do need it, I hear it’s the best of all the alternatives.” The post Feds Announce Marijuana Industry Tax Guidance Is Coming As Rescheduling Takes Effect appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

President Donald Trump highlighted the medical benefits of marijuana on Thursday, hours after the Department of Justice announced it is moving ahead with a cannabis rescheduling proposal. “A lot of people are suffering from big problems, which this seems to be the best answer,” the president said in the Oval Office. “They’re very happy about it. So the rescheduling is starting, and that’s a big thing, rescheduling. They kept saying, ‘what about the rescheduling.'” Trump noted that his administration’s actions on cannabis rescheduling came after his friend Howard Kessler told him about how he used medical marijuana. “He had some medical difficulties, and he came upon this by accident, in a way,” the president said. “He had to go through a lot of different medications, and he said this was the one that was much better than anything else. And so he experienced that. He didn’t benefit by it, other than from the standpoint that he lives a much better life now.” “So hopefully you don’t need it,” he said. “But if you do need it, I hear it’s the best of all the alternatives.” Heidi Overton, deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, also spoke at the event in the Oval Office on Thursday. “Today is another promise made, promise kept day,” she said. “This is a giant move forward to implement your promise. That’s actually a campaign promise that you made where you’re going to move into Schedule III to increase the research on these medical products, and I just wanted everyone to know that when you make promises, you keep them.” “We will begin implementation right away of this order. It does not legalize marijuana. It makes it it makes it easy for the researchers to actually study and understand medical marijuana, especially in populations that are using it,” she said. “We know that one in 10 seniors right now used medical marijuana in the past year, and they report that it really helps them, but we don’t have the science or the understanding to guide the patients and the doctors,” Overton said. “And so both patients and doctors are flying blind without knowing how they interact with other medications, because the research has been difficult to do.” “Your promise today says those state licensed medical marijuana products are now on schedule III, and we expect the research to significantly increase so that we can understand how to guide patients and doctors in this effort,” she said “And there will be additional actions that will come this summer to do an expedited hearing, for an administrative hearing, by the Department of Justice for all of marijuana to move into Schedule III.” Trump complained last weekend that federal officials were “slow-walking” following through on his cannabis order. “You’re going to get the rescheduling done, right, please? Will you get the rescheduling done, please?” Trump said during a signing ceremony for a separate order on psychedelics, seeming to speak to a Department of Justice or White House official during an event in the Oval Office on Saturday. “You know, they’re slow-walking me on rescheduling. You’re going to get it done, right?” Trump in December signed an executive order directing the Department of Justice to expeditiously finish the process of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Thursday announced that rescheduling is finally happening through a process that will happen in phases. Under an order signed by Blanche, marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license will immediately move to Schedule III, as will any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Then, beginning on June 29, there will be a new expedited administrative hearing process to consider the broader rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. The Federal Register filing on the hearing says it “will conclude not later than July 15.” DOJ is ending a prior administrative hearing process on the rescheduling proposal that stalled near the end of the Biden administration amid litigation from pro-reform parties that alleged improper agency communications and witness selection decisions. Rescheduling won’t federally legalize cannabis, but it will remove certain Schedule I research barriers, while benefitting state-licensed marijuana businesses by allowing them to take federal tax deductions they’re currently barred from under an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E. Meanwhile, “any form of marijuana other than in an FDA-approved drug product or marijuana subject to a state medical marijuana license remains a schedule I controlled substance, and those who handle such material remain subject to the regulatory controls, and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions, applicable to schedule I controlled substances set forth in the CSA and DEA regulations,” Blanche wrote. For now, DOJ is establishing “an expedited review process for entities holding state medical marijuana licenses who seek registration as a marijuana manufacturer, distributor, or dispenser” in order to become federally compliant under Schedule III. In order to align with an international drug control treaty “requirement that a government agency serve as the exclusive purchaser of cannabis production,” DOJ is rolling out a process by which the federal government will technically purchase marijuana from producers and then sell it back to them or related entities. “Registered manufacturers must store crops in a facility to which DEA maintains access until that transaction is complete, and each manufacturer registration must specify the areas in which cultivation is permitted,” Blanche’s filing says. The order also allows researchers to legally obtain marijuana products from state-licensed businesses to be used in studies, for the first time. There has been some uncertainty about how DOJ would navigate the issue. While the department faced a mandate from the president, top officials have been notably silent on the issue in the months since receiving that directive—even as the White House touted Trump’s order as an example of a policy achievement during the first year of his second term. When Trump issued the rescheduling order late last year, Pam Bondi was attorney general. She opposed cannabis reform as Florida’s attorney general and she didn’t attend the president’s signing ceremony for the rescheduling executive order. Now, the process is being overseen by Blanche, who said in response to a written question about marijuana rescheduling during his confirmation process to become deputy attorney general that he would “give the matter careful consideration after conferring with all relevant stakeholders, including DEA personnel.” The president’s rescheduling directive was overwhelmingly popular among cannabis consumers, according to a recent poll from the cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD. About 83 percent of respondents said they support the executive order, compared to 7 percent who expressed opposition and 10 percent who said they didn’t have an opinion about the proposed reform. The cannabis rescheduling process was initiated by then-President Joe Biden, under whom the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a 252-page report finding that marijuana does not meet the criteria to remain classified as a Schedule I drug. The Department of Justice later issued a proposed rule to move cannabis to Schedule III, which then led to a stalled administrative hearing process. A Democratic senator told Marijuana Moment in January that it’s “too early to tell” what the implications of Trump’s cannabis order would be—saying that while there are “things that look promising” about it, he is “very concerned about where the DOJ will land.” “The ability of the Trump administration to speak out of both sides of their mouth is staggering,” Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said. “So I’m just going to wait and see right now. Obviously, there’s things that look promising—to end generations of injustice. I really want to wait and see.” — 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. — Also in January, two GOP senators filed an amendment to block the Trump administration from rescheduling cannabis, but it was not considered on the floor. A recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report discussed how DOJ could, in theory, reject the president’s directive or delay the process by restarting the scientific review into marijuana. The Department of Justice separately missed a congressionally mandated deadline in January to issue guidelines for easing barriers to research on Schedule I substances such as marijuana and psychedelics. The post Trump Says Medical Marijuana Is ‘The Best Of All The Alternatives’ For People Suffering With Illnesses appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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