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Republican elected officials had sought to invalidate the voter-approved medical cannabis legalization ballot measures. By Zach Wendling, Nebraska Examiner The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld Nebraska’s two voter-approved medical cannabis laws following a legal challenge to the 2024 petition effort. Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke, in a 7-0, 49-page opinion, sided against the lawsuit from former state Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell, a longtime opponent of medical marijuana, as well as similar arguments from Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen (R) and Attorney General Mike Hilgers (R). The duo had alleged widespread fraud and “notarial malfeasance” in the petition process. Kuehn’s appeal sought to get around a Lancaster County District Court judge who affirmed that medical cannabis supporters had enough valid signatures to reach voters in 2024. Kuehn initially sued Evnen. But in the end, the AG’s Office defending Evnen largely joined forces with Kuehn against the Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana campaign. Had the challenge succeeded, the campaign could have sought to rehabilitate challenged signatures in a second trial phase. “Notaries are, in effect, walking stamps of approval,” Zach Pohlman, state deputy solicitor general, told the high court in December. “They are professional truth tellers. And so when they lie, that presumption of truth…gets pierced, and they become just like every other witness.” In addition to the civil trial, Hilgers’s office secured misdemeanor convictions against a circulator from Grand Island and a notary public from York. The circulator pleaded guilty, and a jury convicted the notary. The notary is appealing his convictions. Kuehn, Evnen and Hilgers named other circulators and notaries who they alleged committed wrongdoing. No other charges were filed related to the medical cannabis petitions. If the justices had reversed, the 2024 ballot sponsors would have needed to rehabilitate enough signatures to show at least 86,499 valid signatures on two petitions apiece for the voter-approved laws—to legalize and regulate the new medicine—to stand, or 172,998 total. The campaign had 6,822 more signatures validated than needed when Evnen certified the measures in September 2024. Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong, who presided over the trial in Lancaster County just days before the 2024 election, ruled that about 1,500 signatures lost a “presumption of validity” across the two petitions, but she said those challenges still fell “well short” of affecting ballot access. During oral arguments, Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke and Justice Jonathan Papik also appeared skeptical of the need for many petition signers to potentially recertify that they signed the petitions. “So does that mean they’d call 86,000 signatories to testify that the petition was read to them, they understood what they were signing and they actually signed it?” Funke asked at the time. “And do that quickly?” Papik added. Justices Stephanie Stacy and William Cassel had also both hinted the case might be “moot” because of the result of the 2024 election or because signatures had already been verified. Papik pressed whether arguments from Kuehn and Hilgers’s office had ever been used. Papik was one of two justices who dissented from a 2020 Supreme Court decision that tossed the first petition effort from Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana from the ballot, arguing it was too broad. Supporters divided the legalization and regulation efforts in 2022 and, finally, in 2024. The voter-created Medical Cannabis Commission has been rewriting its regulations to allow fees for new applications before granting any new licenses. That process is still in the early stages. The next commission meeting is scheduled for September 14. State lawmakers granted the commission the authority to collect fees during the 2026 legislative session, but the commission had already been working to finalize a previous set of regulations. The decision comes amid an ongoing criminal investigation into significant allegations of fraud on at least eight different petitions in the 2026 election cycle. That consists of three proposed amendments to the Lincoln City Charter, four statewide ballot measures and one nonpartisan petition bid for Nebraska governor. Centered in Lancaster County, six out-of-state circulators were arrested who assisted the Lincoln petition effort, and law enforcement is searching for a seventh as of August 19. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R), Evnen and election commissioners for Lancaster and Hall counties are also calling for changes to how signature gathering is operated in Nebraska. Hilgers has called the 2026 situation a “sad period in Nebraska history,” and he’s repeated his assertion that the medical cannabis campaign was “top to bottom the most corrupt, the worst run, poorly executed, most disrespectful to voters in the State of Nebraska petition I’ve ever seen.” Campaign supporters continue to stand by their campaign and push for implementation, including in the Legislature, where multiple cannabis-related bills have stalled since 2024, at least one after Hilgers’s intervention. This story was first published by Nebraska Examiner. Photo courtesy of Max Pixel. The post Nebraska Supreme Court Upholds Medical Marijuana Ballot Initiatives, Rejecting Legal Challenge appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Now that President Donald Trump has signed a bill that contains provisions to delay the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that was scheduled to take effect in November, lawmakers are debating how—and whether—the crop’s derivatives should be regulated as an alternative to prohibition. Several Republican lawmakers spoke to Marijuana Moment about the kinds of rules they would like to see enacted to keep hemp THC products legal, while one said he wants to ban them altogether. Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), who sponsoring a bill to keep hemp THC drinks legal while taxing and regulating them like alcohol, said that the market is a “burgeoning industry” and that her view is to “let people have the choice” to use the products or not—even though she has “never had a hemp beverage in my life.” “I have heard from people in my district that want to continue to be able to buy it,” the congresswoman said. “The product that’s most commonly sold in the same basket is sauvignon blanc. So it seems to me the market is a bunch of yoga moms like me.” Van Duyne told Marijuana Moment that the “White House is taking it seriously” and emphasized that her bill “does not take away from states’ rights to be able to do what they want to do as far as making it illegal or legal.” “We’re following a model that’s already recognized and that it has already proven that it works” with alcoholic beverages, she said. “I’m just trying to do a very specific bill for a very specific product with rules and regulations that have already been established.” Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), who filed a bill this Congress to regulate hemp cannabinoid products, told Marijuana Moment that he thinks his own legislation is “darn close to what we need to do, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be some compromise” with other lawmakers who are supporting different approaches. “I would like to see the White House weigh in since we got the extension” on the effective date of the ban, he said. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, the president signed new legislation containing provisions that redefined hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container would remain legal after November 12. Now, however, under provisions included in a funding bill Trump signed this week, the effective date of the ban for most products is being pushed back to December 11 to give lawmakers more time to craft regulations for hemp derivatives. There is a carve-out, however, to allow the recriminalization on November 12 of synthetic cannabinoids “that are not capable of being naturally produced by a Cannabis sativa L. plant.” “I just want regulation,” Griffith said. “You can argue about what the limit ought to be, and I’m not passionate about it… You have to have third-party testing.” “In the meantime, the products are out there doing bad things to people who don’t understand how much THC they’re getting. Sometimes they don’t even understand they’re getting THC, and that’s bad,” he said. “These products are out there. They’re going to be sold.” “I believe you can’t get that horse back in barn but we can corral it,” Griffith said. “So let’s put the corral on.” Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), a leading opponent of marijuana reform in Congress who has led the charge to recriminalize hemp products, told Marijuana Moment that “we gotta stop poisoning children—it’s that simple.” He sees no need to craft regulations, pointing to the 2025 law he championed that redefined legal hemp by banning many products—saying that the newly enacted delay just means that “they’re poisoning children for one more month.” “Everything’s been written. We have the statute,” he said. “It’s been passed a year ago. It’s all ridiculous. This is to make money for billionaires and poison children, and I’m not into that. The laws already exist.” Van Duyne told Marijuana Moment that she thinks her beverage bill addresses the core concerns of Harris and of senators who are worried about intoxicating hemp products. “It stops the product from being marketed to kids. It puts a ton more regulations on it than it has now,” she said. “It puts it more in alignment with alcohol and beverages. It taxes it and makes sure that it’s not synthetic. It limits the amount per serving.” “We took all the concerns to heart and really tried to give a very strategic, very strict bill that solves the harms that we heard,” Van Duyne said. Griffith, for his part, said that “Andy and I disagree” but that they have talked about the issue. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH), a co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, told Marijuana Moment that the federal government needs to figure out how to more broadly regulate cannabis—pointing to a bill he filed with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) that would create a commission charged with making recommendations on a regulatory system for marijuana that models what’s currently in place for alcohol. “We should have a discussion with every agency that’s involved and spend the year trying to figure out what needs what and how to get to where we need to get and what does that look like,” he said. “Come to a conclusion. At the end of the year, have the report issued. We do it we beer, we do it with wine and spirits. Why can’t we do it with cannabis?” — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — The Senate last month rejected an amendment from Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) and several cosponsors that would have removed the hemp ban delay provision from the funding bill, tabling it in a vote of 61-32, and the passing the overall legislation 90-6. The House vote on the bill this week was 370-48. Harris and a handful of congressional Republicans threatened this week to upend their leadership’s agenda in protest of the hemp product ban delay advancing, but they did not succeed. The LCB contributed reporting from Washington, D.C. The post Lawmakers Debate How—And Whether—To Regulate Hemp THC Products After Trump Signs Bill To Delay Scheduled Ban appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A New Hampshire Democratic candidate for governor says the state should legalize marijuana and stop adding revenue to the coffers of its neighbors that have enacted the reform. “We do need an additional revenue source, and there’s one sitting right out there: the legalization of cannabis,” Cinde Warmington, the sole Democrat running for her party’s nomination to challenge incumbent Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R), said at a town hall event on Wednesday. “There is no reason why the citizens of New Hampshire should be driving across state borders to pay taxes to Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine to purchase a product that they obviously have stated that they want to have access to in our state,” she said. “We need to get that done.” Ayotte, who is up for reelection as governor this year, opposes marijuana legalization and recently vetoed legislation to allow businesses in the state’s existing medical cannabis program to cultivate in greenhouses. Her veto was overridden by lawmakers last month, however, and now the medical marijuana cultivation measure has become law despite her objections. In June, Warmington criticized Ayotte’s veto of the medical marijuana proposal. “Come on, Kelly. Shouldn’t we be trying to make health care more affordable for Granite Staters, not less?” said in a video posted to social media. “This bill would have made medical cannabis more affordable and more accessible to Granite Staters who really need it, and she vetoed it,” Warmington said. “But honestly, this is what we’ve come to expect from Kelly Ayotte. Look what she did to the Medicaid premiums. She increased them by up to $270 a month on the most vulnerable Granite Staters. She increased prescription co-pays when other costs are already going through the roof.” “New Hampshire deserves a governor who will fight to make sure we have lower health care costs and that health care is more accessible,” the Democratic candidate, who previously served as a member of the New Hampshire Executive Council, said. “That’s the bottom line.” In a veto statement on the medical marijuana greenhouse bill, the governor simply said, “I do not support expanding the cultivation of marijuana in our 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. — Ayotte has separately threatened to veto any marijuana legalization bill that reaches her desk. The governor said last year that her position on the reform would not change even as the federal government moved forward with rescheduling the plant. In 2024, then-Gov. Chris Sununu (R) vetoed a similar proposal to allow cannabis businesses to cultivate in greenhouses. The House had enough votes to override that action, but the Senate did not. The post New Hampshire Should Legalize Marijuana And Stop Sending Money To Neighboring States, Democrat Running For Governor Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

ID lawmaker: Vote for anti-marijuana ballot measure; Study: Cannabis in dentistry; Future of hemp op-ed Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… 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 signed a bill containing provisions to delay the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products, giving lawmakers more time to craft regulations as an alternative to prohibition. An Idaho senator is urging voters to approve a proposed constitutional initiative on the November ballot to make it so marijuana could only be legalized in the future by an act of the legislature and not via a voter initiative. “The reason that people push this—the marijuana lobby, whomever—is because there’s money to be made, particularly when people become addicted.” A new scientific review concluded that “cannabis has promising therapeutic potential in dentistry, with its main applications in the management of orofacial pain, periodontics, burning mouth syndrome, bruxism, management of oral mucositis, among others.” “Integrating cannabinoids into dental practice represents a significant path toward improving clinical outcomes and enhancing patients’ quality of life during treatments.” Greenspoon Marder LLP’s Matthew Ginder argues in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed that “the next few months could determine the future of the hemp-derived cannabinoid market in the U.S.” “The coming weeks will show whether the one-month reprieve becomes a bridge to lasting regulatory clarity or simply a brief postponement of an existential deadline.” / FEDERAL Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terrance Cole reportedly failed to properly disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of personal stock purchases. The U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Canada posted a warning that “it is illegal to bring cannabis across the border, including products such as edible cannabis, cannabis extracts, and items containing CBD.” / STATES A former Pennsylvania representative is lobbying for the cannabis company Cresco Labs. Missouri regulators announced a recall of marijuana products that contain cannabinoids produced through chemical modification, conversion, or synthetic derivation. California regulators rescinded a recall of marijuana products after further investigation confirmed that regulatory compliance testing was properly completed. Michigan regulators published an updated marijuana business compliance best practices guide. The Oregon Department of Transportation included an increase in cannabis taxes in an analysis of potential ways to raise revenue. Montana regulators sent a newsletter with updates on various cannabis issues. — 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 San Diego County, California Board of Supervisors voted to allow expanded marijuana business operations in unincorporated areas. / INTERNATIONAL Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission is collaborating on low-THC cannabis research. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study “found evidence that cannabis use was associated with reduced alcohol use.” A study of rats found that “CBDA has anti-inflammatory properties by reducing the synthesis of lipid inflammatory mediators, which are concomitant with improved insulin signaling and probably reduced neurodegeneration,” suggesting that it “could be considered as a part of future clinical treatment for many inflammatory conditions.” / BUSINESS cbdMD, Inc. is acquiring Twinlab. New England Treatment Access workers in Franklin, Massachusetts approved a new contract. 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 Mike Latimer. The post Trump signs hemp product ban delay (Newsletter: September 4, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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“The coming weeks will show whether the one-month reprieve becomes a bridge to lasting regulatory clarity or simply a brief postponement of an existential deadline.” By Matt Ginder, Greenspoon Marder For years, the hemp industry has occupied a unique and controversial space within the broader cannabis economy. What began as a niche agricultural market under the 2018 Farm Bill has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry spanning CBD products, THC beverages, edibles and more. Today, the hemp industry faces its greatest challenge yet: a federal restriction that many stakeholders warn will fundamentally reshape—or even eliminate—a large share of the market, raising urgent questions for thousands of businesses. The threat is no longer theoretical. A federal law enacted in 2025 imposed new restrictions on hemp-derived cannabinoid products, originally set to take effect in November 2026. That deadline has now shifted, but only briefly, and only for part of the market. For readers who haven’t followed the issue closely, understanding how the industry reached this point is essential. How Hemp Became A Cannabis Success Story The modern hemp industry emerged after Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill, which removed hemp and the THC it contains from the federal definition of marijuana. Hemp was defined by its delta-9 THC concentration: no more than 0.3 percent by dry weight. That distinction opened the door for farmers to cultivate hemp legally at scale. The 2018 Farm Bill addressed cultivation, not finished products. It expressly preserved the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) existing authority over food, drugs and cosmetics. Yet FDA largely took a hands-off approach to hemp products intended for consumption. That combination—a new legal definition of hemp, silence on finished products and minimal FDA enforcement—created the conditions for a wide variety of consumable hemp products to emerge. What followed was explosive growth. Some companies developed brands using hemp cannabinoids (compounds of the plant) aimed at wellness consumers, while others focused on intoxicating cannabinoids such as hemp-derived THC products. Because finished hemp products were not treated as federally controlled substances, companies operating in this space enjoyed certain freedoms not offered to the marijuana industry—nationwide manufacturing, distribution and sale, unconstrained by state borders. For instance, a consumer in Florida can order an intoxicating hemp product online from a company located in Minnesota, pay with a credit card, and have it delivered to their door by a major carrier. Interstate commerce, usage of credit cards, and the shipment of products remain prohibited in the marijuana industry. Brick-and-mortar access has expanded just as quickly. While marijuana products are typically sold only through licensed dispensaries, hemp products can be purchased through traditional retail outlets, including convenience stores, liquor stores and grocery chains. As the market advanced, so did scrutiny. Regulators and lawmakers raised concerns about product safety, potency, youth access, labeling and inconsistent state regulations. Those concerns became the driving force behind the push for stricter federal oversight. The New Restrictions And Why They Matter The 2025 federal restrictions narrow the legal definition of hemp considerably. Many products currently sold nationwide would no longer qualify as hemp. This threshold change will eliminate large segments of the cannabinoid marketplace. For businesses that have invested heavily in manufacturing, supply chains and retail distribution, the stakes are high. At least one study estimates the sector generates well over $28 billion in the U.S. annually. If the restrictions take effect without modification, the sector will face severe disruption and contraction. The ripple effects would extend well beyond manufacturers. Farmers who grow hemp for cannabinoid extraction could see demand sharply decline. Retailers that depend on hemp-derived product sales could lose a significant revenue stream. And consumers who now rely on legal hemp products could see many of those options disappear. Divided Lines Critics of the current framework view it as a de facto legalization of intoxicating cannabis through an unintended loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill. They argue that today’s products are inadequately regulated and too easily accessible, particularly to minors, and that stronger safeguards are necessary, especially for hemp products that have intoxicating effects. Many marijuana industry stakeholders, meanwhile, see the hemp sector as a competitor that has operated free of the regulatory burdens the marijuana industry has long carried, and are pushing hard to reform. The politics cut across party lines. The clearest illustration may be Kentucky’s two Republican senators: Mitch McConnell, who championed the 2018 Farm Bill, was one of the leading voices pushing to close the “hemp loophole” he helped create, while Rand Paul has emerged as one of the restrictions’ fiercest opponents. The White House has also weighed in, openly opposing the restriction in a letter addressed to the speaker of the House. Even the alcohol industry is split, with certain beer and spirits manufacturers largely supporting restrictions on hemp-derived THC beverages, while distributors, wholesalers, and retailers push to keep those products on the shelf. Why The Hemp Industry Has Reason For Cautious Optimism Despite the looming deadline, recent developments in Washington, D.C. have given the hemp industry a reason for cautious optimism. Last month the Senate passed a continuing resolution, by a vote of 90–6, that would delay the effective date of most of the new hemp restrictions from November 12 to December 11. A Republican-led effort to strip the delay from the bill, spearheaded by Senator Ted Budd (R-NC), failed 61–32. Multiple outlets reported that President Donald Trump personally called Budd in the days before the vote to make the administration’s case for the delay, though a Budd spokesperson said the president did not directly ask him to withdraw his amendment. This week, the House passed the Senate’s continuing resolution, including the one-month delay language. Trump signed the measure into law the next day, giving industry stakeholders a brief but meaningful window to continue advocating for longer-term regulatory solutions. The delay is narrower than it may first appear: it applies to hemp-derived cannabinoids that occur naturally in the cannabis plant. Products containing synthetic cannabinoids (i.e., those not capable of being naturally produced by the plant) would still be reclassified as marijuana under federal law on the original November 12 date. Beyond the short-term delay, several longer-term legislative fixes are circulating in Congress. The Lawful Hemp Protection Act, from Reps. Andy Barr (R-KY) and Angie Craig (D-MN), would establish a federally taxed and regulated framework for hemp-derived products, while the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, from Paul and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), would shift primary regulatory authority to states and tribal governments. A third, bipartisan bill titled the Beverage Regulatory Parity Act, from Reps. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) and Greg Landsman (D-OH) focuses narrowly on regulating hemp-derived beverages under a system comparable to alcohol. None of these proposals have yet to gain the traction needed to move independently, but industry groups view the one-month reprieve as a critical window to build support for a regulatory solution. What Industry Stakeholders Are Doing Now With the outcome still uncertain, hemp businesses are increasingly focused on advocacy. Trade groups, farmers, processors, manufacturers, retailers and consumers are urging lawmakers to pursue regulation over prohibition, with messaging centered on three themes: preserving jobs, protecting the hemp farming industry and establishing standards for cannabinoid products. In practical terms, companies should be using this window to stress-test contingency plans, diversify product lines and prepare for compliance changes should the restrictions ultimately take effect, whether on December 11 or a later date. The Road Ahead The next few months could determine the future of the hemp-derived cannabinoid market in the U.S. The president’s signing of the ban delay measure into law gives the industry a critical one-month window before the new December 11 deadline. What happens during that window will matter as much as the delay itself. Industry stakeholders, lawmakers and advocacy groups will have a brief but meaningful opportunity to pursue a legislative fix. Absent consensus, Congress could instead pursue another short-term delay, buying additional time without resolving the underlying policy questions. And if neither a permanent fix nor a further delay materializes before December 11, the industry would face the restrictions as originally enacted, with natural hemp-derived cannabinoids joining synthetics under the marijuana classification. As Congress weighs consumer safety, agricultural investment and market stability against each other, the hemp industry remains in an unusually precarious position, fighting not just for favorable policy, but for the survival of significant parts of its current business model. The coming weeks will show whether the one-month reprieve becomes a bridge to lasting regulatory clarity or simply a brief postponement of an existential deadline. Matthew Ginder is a partner in the Cannabis Law practice group at Greenspoon Marder LLP and represents various cannabis and hemp-related businesses where he assists in many areas of the industry, including licensing, regulatory and compliance and business transactions. He also represents ancillary businesses that provide products or services to the cannabis industry and advises individuals, investors, lenders, startups and large corporations on direct and indirect participation in state-legal cannabis markets. Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen. The post The Next Few Months Will Determine If The Future Of Hemp THC Products Is Regulation Or Prohibition (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

An Idaho lawmaker is urging voters to approve a measure on the November ballot that would restrict their own ability to legalize marijuana in the future. Sen. C. Scott Grow (R), who sponsored the proposed constitutional amendment to make it so that only lawmakers could legalize cannabis or other controlled substances, said the measure is a way to push back against the marijuana industry, which he claims is trying to make money off of addiction. “The reason that people push this—the marijuana lobby, whomever—is because there’s money to be made, particularly when people become addicted,” the lawmaker told Local News 8. “They can make it look chic, make it look wonderful, say it solves all ills. But the end game is money to be made by people that are purveyors of drugs, including marijuana.” Activists in Idaho tried to place a separate initiative on the ballot this year to legalize medical cannabis, but they failed to submit enough valid signatures to qualify the measure. Meanwhile, the state’s Legislative Council recently approved ballot language for the cannabis restriction measure. It reads: “In Idaho, a law may be passed by either of two methods. The first and more common method is for the Legislature to pass a law. The second, less common method allows the people themselves to pass a law through ballot initiative. This proposed constitutional amendment would give the Legislature exclusive authority to legalize marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances in the State of Idaho.” Grow said in the recent interview that the measure is in line with principles articulated in the state’s Constitution. “Here’s what the Constitution says, Article III, Section 24 declares, ‘The first concern of all good government is the virtue and sobriety of the people and the purity of the home. The Legislature should further all wise and well-directed efforts for the promotion of temperance and morality,'” he said. “That’s what we’re doing.” The Natural Medical Alliance of Idaho (NMAI), the campaign that worked unsuccessfully to put a medical cannabis legalization measure before voters this year, has pushed back against the secretary of state’s determination about its signature submissions—including his decision to refer allegations of possible illegal petitioning conduct to law enforcement. Aside from the proposed constitutional amendment to restrict future voter initiatives on marijuana and other drugs, Idaho lawmakers have also pushed back against reform in other ways. Both the Senate and House of Representatives passed a resolution this session urging voters to “reject” the medical marijuana petition. The measure, sponsored by the Senate State Affairs Committee, claims that cannabis legalization in other states has led to a host of harms, including “increased cartel activity, development of black market marijuana production, human trafficking, and increased crime rates” as well as “increased rates of serious health issues,” environmental harms and “safety concerns on job sites.” It argues that the marijuana initiative would not only increase costs to the state but that its list of approved medical conditions is “so broad that almost anyone could qualify.” “The Idaho Medical Cannabis Act lacks safeguards to such an extent that it would effectively legalize widespread recreational use of marijuana,” the resolution claims. “The legalization of marijuana would have devastating impacts on Idaho children and their families… The Legislature urges the citizens of Idaho to reject any effort to bring the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act to the ballot.” A statement of purpose filed with the legislation says it “addresses the devastating impact that legalizing marijuana has had on other states” and “identifies the significant problems” with the ballot initiative. Contrary to the claims made about marijuana reform in the legislative resolution, advocates often point to data showing that legalizing and regulating cannabis diminishes the size of the illegal market and has not led to increases in youth use. Meanwhile, NMAI recently released an analysis showing that Idaho could see more than $100 million worth of medical marijuana sold on an annual basis and up to $28 million in new yearly revenue for state coffers if voters approved the legalization initiative. The Idaho Medical Cannabis Act, which NMAI unveiled last October, would have provided patients with qualifying conditions access to marijuana from a limited number of dispensaries and provided a regulatory framework for the market. Here are the main provisions of the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act: Health practitioners would have been able to recommend medical cannabis to patients with conditions that included, but were not limited to, cancer, anxiety and acute pain. Medical marijuana patients or their designated caregiver could have purchased up to 113 grams of smokeable cannabis, or 20 grams of THC extract for vaping, per month. The state would have started by issuing three vertically integrated cannabis business licenses, after which point it could have licensed up to six total. Marijuana would have been reclassified under state law as a Schedule II, rather than Schedule I, controlled substance. State and local law enforcement would have been barred from assisting in federal drug enforcement activities related to the state-legal cannabis program. There would have been anti-discrimination protections for those who use or sell marijuana in compliance from state law, preventing adverse actions by employers, landlords and educational institutions. It does not appear that there would have been any equity-centered reforms, nor would the initiative have provided for a home grow option. The campaign in February also released the results of a statewide poll showing that 83 percent of likely voters back medical cannabis legalization, including 74 percent of Republicans, 95 percent of Democrats and 92 percent of independents. Asked how they would vote if the current medical cannabis legalization does appear on the November ballot, 76 percent of respondents said “yes.” Of that cohort, 50 percent said they would “definitively” vote yes, and just 21 percent said they’d vote “no.” After the medical cannabis initiative was unveiled last year, a separate campaign that launched in 2024, Kind Idaho, told supporters that it would be suspending its own signature gathering for a ballot initiative to legalize the personal possession and cultivation of marijuana by adults. Kind Idaho previously introduced medical marijuana ballot measures intended to go before voters in both the 2022 and 2024 elections, but the efforts proved unsuccessful. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Legislators separately held a hearing last year to discuss a bill to enact medical cannabis legalization legislatively, but there hasn’t been meaningful action on the issue in the months since. Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) last year signed legislation setting a $300 mandatory minimum fine for marijuana possession. A prior version of the proposal, which did not pass, would have set a $420 mandatory minimum fine for possessing cannabis. The post Idaho Lawmaker Urges Voters To Approve Ballot Measure Restricting Their Own Ability To Legalize Marijuana appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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President Donald Trump has signed a bill that contains provisions to delay the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that was scheduled to take effect in November. The legislation, which passed the House of Representatives this week and was approved by the Senate last month, is intended to give lawmakers more time to craft regulations as an alternative to prohibition. The provision is part of a bill to keep the federal government funded through December 11—past the end of the current fiscal year on September 30. Now that it has been enacted into law, the effective date of the hemp product ban is also being moved to December 11. The Senate last month rejected an amendment from Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) and several cosponsors that would have removed the hemp ban delay provision from the funding bill, tabling it in a vote of 61-32, and the passing the overall legislation 90-6. The House vote on the bill this week was 370-48. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, the president signed new legislation containing provisions that redefined hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container would remain legal after November 12. The funding bill’s provision to delay the ban, which is supported by the White House, contains a carve-out to allow the immediate recriminalization on November 12 of synthetic cannabinoids “that are not capable of being naturally produced by a Cannabis sativa L. plant.” A handful of congressional Republicans threatened this week to upend their leadership’s agenda in protest of the hemp product ban delay advancing, but they did not succeed. Trump signed the spending legislation into law on Wednesday, and now lawmakers are turning their attention to crafting regulations for hemp THC products. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Director Mehmet Oz sent a letter to senators expressing “grave concern” that the amendment to remove the delay would undermine the administration’s initiative to cover hemp-derived products through Medicare. Separately, the White House pushed back on the idea that the president’s support for keeping hemp products legal is intended to benefit the son-in-law of Trump’s chief of staff, who owns businesses in the industry—with a spokesperson saying that the administration’s advocacy is in “the best interest of the American people” and is aimed at helping veterans and other people who use hemp products for medical purposes. During a “tense” meeting with Senate Republicans about the issue, White House Director of Legislative Affairs James Braid reportedly committed that there would be no further extensions of the hemp ban’s effective date if the current proposal was enacted into law, though it was reported soon after that the staffer would be leaving the administration in September. Dueling coalitions of police, military veterans and industry groups sent letters pushing Congress in different directions on whether the planned federal recriminalization of hemp THC products should move forward as scheduled or be delayed. Additionally, a bipartisan coalition of 35 state and territory attorneys general sent a letter calling on Congress not to reverse the hemp THC product ban, saying that lawmakers’ move to enact the forthcoming prohibition “protected consumers, provided much-needed regulatory clarity, and preserved legitimate industrial, agricultural, and nonintoxicating hemp markets.” The Beverage Alcohol Merchants Coalition (BAMCO), which represents major alcohol retailers, is supporting the move to delay the hemp product ban—saying it provides industry supporters with more time to convince Congress to “establish a responsible federal framework for low-dose hemp-derived THC beverages.” BAMCO’s members include Total Wine & More, BevMo! by Gopuff, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Spec’s Wine and Spirits & Finer Foods, as well as a group of hemp product wholesalers. The group supports incorporating hemp THC drinks into the existing three-tier system for alcoholic beverages, along with new requirements for testing, labeling, marketing and taxation in tandem with flexibility for state regulations. Other alcohol industry groups such as Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America have also backed regulating hemp products instead of prohibiting them. A number of lawmakers from both chambers and both parties have filed or are circulating a growing number of bills to prevent the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC drinks and other products later this year. Until now, none of those proposals have gained traction with congressional leaders. For example, Reps. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) and Greg Landsman (D-OH) filed a bill to keep hemp THC drinks legal while taxing and regulating them like alcohol. Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is circulating legislation that would delay a planned federal ban on hemp THC products and institute some regulations—including packaging requirements, testing rules and age limits. Separately, Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), filed a lengthier proposal to prevent the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products and put in place a number of regulations for manufacturing, labeling, sales and taxation of hemp-derived products, including an age limit of 21. Trump and White House officials have in recent weeks repeatedly pressed Congress to delay, alter or reverse the ban. In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in June, for example, White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought said the Trump administration wants lawmakers to “ensure the fair treatment of hemp products”—specifically citing Barr’s earlier amendment to keep many hemp products legal while adding regulations and taxes. The administration “welcomes the opportunity to work with the Congress to, at a minimum, update the statutory definition of final hemp-derived cannabinoid products to allow Americans to benefit from access to appropriate full-spectrum CBD products,” OMB separately said in June, “while preserving the Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose serious health risks.” Also in April, the president himself urged congressional lawmakers to again redefine hemp to avoid recriminalization of 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,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “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.” Industry advocates say that the law as enacted last year not only threatens to prohibit intoxicating and synthetic cannabinoid products but also stands 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 in April 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. A federal judge granted the government’s motion to dismiss marijuana legalization opponents’ lawsuit challenging the initiative, but that is being appealed. “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!” The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), an alcohol industry trade association issued praise for Barr’s bipartisan hemp regulation bill, but said the measure’s tax provisions require “continued discussion.” Hemp policy observers expect to see a Senate companion bill to Barr’s proposal filed soon, likely from Sens. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). Sheehy recently cited hemp legislation as an area where Republicans and Democrats can work together in an otherwise “hyperpartisan time.” — 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, a recent poll from NuggMD found that most cannabis consumers say that state-level hemp product bans that lawmakers are enacting in line with the planned federal recriminalization move are causing them to shift their purchases toward licensed marijuana businesses. The National Restaurant Association recently sent a letter urging congressional leaders to delay the federal recriminalization of hemp THC beverages and replace it with a regulatory framework that “ensures consumer safety while meeting growing market demand” for the products as an alternative to alcohol. Major retailer Target, meanwhile, recently moved to expand its sales of hemp THC drinks into more states. The post Trump Signs Bill To Delay Hemp THC Product Ban, Giving Lawmakers More Time To Craft Regulations Instead Of Prohibition appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Medical marijuana has “promising therapeutic potential” in dentistry—including for treating conditions like orofacial pain, refractory periodontal diseases and burning mouth syndrome—according to a new scientific review. “Integrating cannabinoids into dental practice represents a significant path toward improving clinical outcomes and enhancing patients’ quality of life during treatments,” the paper, written by Brazilian researchers with the Health Department of the Federal District, School of Public Health of the Federal District and Higher Education Institute of Brasília, said. The review, which involved an analysis of 59 previously published studies, generally found “theoretical and scientific support on the potential therapeutic uses of medicinal cannabis in dentistry.” One study that the authors looked at concluded that cannabinoids have a “have a therapeutic effect in reducing pain perception,” especially for trigeminal neuralgia, persistent idiopathic facial pain, burning mouth syndrome and post-herpetic neuralgia. “Orofacial pain,” the new review said, “is among the most common conditions in dental care, and the use of cannabis appears to be an important ally in treating these discomforts, potentially enhancing the action of medications already used in these treatments or even replacing them.” The paper, published in Fitos Journal, noted that endocannabinoid receptors have been “identified throughout the oral cavity, including the oral mucosa, dental pulp, periodontal tissues, salivary glands, and temporomandibular joints.” Activating those receptors could provided targeted pain relief and reduction of inflammation, as well as antimicrobial effects, the authors said. “Cannabis has promising therapeutic potential in dentistry, with its main applications in the management of orofacial pain, periodontics, burning mouth syndrome, bruxism, management of oral mucositis, among others.” The researchers cautioned that while studies to date are “promising” when it comes to cannabis’s medical effects in dentistry and that it is “considered a safe therapy,” there is a need for randomized controlled trials to “more robustly confirm its efficacy and safety.” They also noted that in Brazil and elsewhere, there is a “lack of adequate regulation” of medical marijuana that “can lead to inequalities in access to treatment, favoring only those who can afford expensive products.” An additional problem is the “lack of standardization in cannabis use and dosing, given the absence of protocols due to the individuality of each person’s endocannabinoid system,” they said. “These factors alongside the need for more robust clinical studies and the high cost of cannabis-derived medications represent challenges that must be overcome to ensure broader and equitable access to this form of therapy,” the paper concluded. “Medicinal cannabis may be effective in relieving orofacial pain, reducing gingival inflammation, and treating hard-to-manage conditions such as temporomandibular disorders, among others.” The new review adds to prior research demonstrating cannabis’s potential to aid oral health. A study published last year mouthwash containing cannabidiol (CBD) and another botanical extract maintained “homeostasis of the oral microbiome, thereby reducing the levels of bacteria that can affect periodontal health.” Prior research showed that mouthwash with CBD and CBG has “promising bactericidal activity in vitro against total-culturable aerobic bacterial content in dental plaque.” A 2023 paper concluded that “a single dose of CBD is as potent as current analgesic regimens and can manage emergency dental pain effectively.” Photo courtesy of Max Pixel. The post Integrating Medical Cannabis Into Dentistry Can Boost Patient Quality Of Life During Treatments, Study Finds appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

CA gov touts marijuana revenue; Bill to legalize cannabis drive-thrus in CA shelved; Study: Cannabinoids for RLS; VA’s focus on cannabis use disorder Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… Free to read (but not free to produce)! We’re proud of our newsletter and the reporting we publish at Marijuana Moment, and we’re happy to provide it for free. But it takes a lot of work and resources to make this happen. If you value Marijuana Moment, invest in our success on Patreon so we can expand our coverage and more readers can benefit: https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW Bipartisan House and Senate lawmakers are saying it’s time for Congress to get to work crafting regulations for hemp THC products now that legislation to delay a scheduled ban on them is poised to be enacted. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is touting the state’s $8.4 billion haul in marijuana tax revenue—saying the money “helps fund programs that benefit Californians, including childcare and early childhood development, youth substance abuse prevention, medical research and environmental recovery.” A California lawmaker who sponsored legislation to legalize cannabis dispensary drive-thru windows spoke to Marijuana Moment about her decision to put the bill on hold after it cleared the full Assembly and a Senate committee. A new scientific review concludes that “current evidence indicates that cannabis, in various forms, may alleviate or prevent symptoms of [restless leg syndrome] through multiple mechanisms.” “Cannabinoids—particularly CBD—may hold therapeutic promise in RLS through multi-system neurobiological effects.” Veterans Action Council’s Etienne Fontan explains in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed how Department of Veterans Affairs documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show that the agency’s “increasing emphasis” on cannabis use disorder “coincided with expanded drug screening practices and a historically cautious institutional approach toward cannabis.” “Diagnoses are sometimes entered into medical records without…meaningful consideration of medically authorized cannabis use.” / FEDERAL President Donald Trump issued a statement on National Recovery Month. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration tweeted, “Marijuana use during pregnancy can pose serious risks to your baby’s health and development.” / STATES Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) issued a warning about the “dangers” posed by kratom and related substances. A New York senator was honored for his work on cannabis policy by an advocacy group at the State Fair. Oregon regulators are accepting public comments on proposed changes to psilocybin services rules. Oklahoma regulators issued a statement clarifying their oversight role following an explosion at a medical cannabis business that killed two people. Georgia’s top medical cannabis regulator discussed the importance of law enforcement understanding what’s legal for patients. — 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 Tulsa County, Oklahoma’s district attorney is pushing state regulators to “tighten down” on medical cannabis businesses following a deadly explosion at a processing facility. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study of U.S. voters found that “respondents generally expressed greater support for parental notification, community service, and education as a response to underage violations of marijuana laws than for punitive responses.” A review concluded that psychedelic-assisted therapy “was associated with reductions in substance use, higher abstinence rates, and improved psychological well-being.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS Strategies 64 published a report on cannabis product authentication. / BUSINESS Cresco Labs Inc. closed its acquisition of nine medical cannabis dispensaries in Pennsylvania from PharmaCann Penn, LLC. Aurora Cannabis Inc. is urging shareholders to reject an unsolicited take-over bid from Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. / CULTURE Brian Williams spoke to Bill Maher about his use of cannabis edibles. 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 Lawmakers turn focus to hemp THC product regulation (Newsletter: September 3, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

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130. Psilocybin and Menopause: Two Clinicians Reframe Midlife for Women Episode Summary Estrogen regulates the serotonin system, and psilocybin reaches the same receptor. That is where this Salon starts, and it is the most specific version of the psilocybin and menopause conversation I have heard in public. Kelly McGinty, a nurse practitioner, told a full room at Town Hall Seattle that the drop women feel in perimenopause is physiological rather than imagined. I asked whether that means psilocybin replaces estrogen. She said no, and that she would like more research. Her co-author, Dr. Trish Singh, added that research on menopausal women barely exists at any phase of the transition. Two clinicians describe what they see in their patients, then draw a line at the point where the evidence ends. Most people selling a reframe of midlife will not draw that line on a microphone. What sits on the other side of it: anxiety as a knock on the door rather than a malfunction, why women microdose intuitively instead of on a protocol, and the archetypes we inherit about aging women. Kelly's oldest client is 85, and she says the younger generation is watching to see how the older one heals. A woman in perimenopause deserves an explanation for what is happening in her body. Psilocybin is not what delivers that. A provider who knows the full symptom list is. Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 2:15 Why these clinicians reframe menopause as a rite of passage 6:20 Estrogen, serotonin, and what psilocybin cannot replace 10:10 Anxiety and brain fog in perimenopause 14:55 Why women microdose intuitively instead of on a protocol 18:10 What the microdosing research actually shows 19:20 Consciousness, unnaming, and identity in midlife 21:35 Ending the shame around menopause 24:25 The FDA hormone therapy warning change, explained 25:30 Goddess, crone, and the archetypes of aging women 30:35 Elders, psychedelics, and the wellness industry problem Guests Kelly McGinty, C-FNP, MSN is a family nurse practitioner accredited by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, with a master's in nursing from Gonzaga University. She spent more than a decade as an emergency department NP before training in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and she now works with first responders, people at end of life, and patients with treatment-resistant conditions. She is the clinician in this conversation who names the physiology and then names its limits. Kelly's website Dr. Trish Singh, PhD, LPCC is a licensed mental health counselor in New Mexico and California with twenty-five years in behavioral health. Her doctorate is in mind-body medicine with a specialization in integrative mental health, she is certified in psychedelic-assisted therapy through CIIS, and she founded A New Awakening Counseling, which serves people reentering society after incarceration. Her current research is on holistic weight strategies for menopausal women, and she is the reason this episode ends up talking about archetypes rather than symptoms. Trish's website Together they co-authored Mycelopause: Uncovering the Magic of Menopause with Psilocybin. Original Substack post: ⁠⁠https://aprilpride.substack.com/psilocybin-and-perimenopause Resources Psychedelic Salon at Town Hall Seattle - ⁠2026-27 Schedule⁠ ⁠⁠SetSet Psychedelic Cards⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Women in the Wild application⁠⁠ The Next Chapter virtual live screening - RSVP here More about Mycelopause on Substack + Instagram Hosted by April Pride Subscribe for April’s newsletter on Substack at ⁠⁠https://aprilpride.substack.com/subscribe⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@aprilpridecreates⁠ / YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@aprilpridecreates ⁠ Get full access to APRIL PRIDE at ⁠aprilpride.com⁠ Catch the full episode here

“Diagnoses are sometimes entered into medical records without…meaningful consideration of medically authorized cannabis use.” By Etienne Fontan, Veterans Action Council The 2013 release of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) introduced cannabis use disorder (CUD) as a new diagnosis, replacing the DSM-4 categories of Cannabis Abuse and Cannabis Dependence with a single, severity-based unified diagnosis. This change was framed as a modernization of psychiatric classification, but it has had significant implications within systems such as the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In Part 4 of our series on veterans’ cannabis issues that are illuminated by the Veterans Action Council’s (VAC) Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, we turn our focus toward a problem affecting many veterans: the improper diagnosis of CUD within VHA. CUD is defined as a pattern of cannabis use that causes clinically significant impairment or distress, assessed through criteria including impaired control, cravings, continued use despite harm, tolerance and withdrawal. The DSM-5 places these criteria on a continuum, classifying severity as mild, moderate or severe according to the number of criteria met. However, the decision by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to merge cannabis abuse and dependence into a single diagnosis did more than streamline terminology. It fundamentally altered the threshold and breadth of diagnosis. Under DSM-IV, abuse and dependence were distinct conditions with different clinical implications. Abuse generally referred to problematic patterns of use with social or legal consequences, while dependence suggested a more entrenched physiological and behavioral pattern. By collapsing these into one category, DSM-5 widened the diagnostic net, capturing a broader range of individuals under a single label. This shift was driven by concerns about inconsistency. Researchers and clinicians had long observed that the boundary between abuse and dependence was not always clear and that patients often moved between categories. DSM-5 sought to resolve this by treating substance use as a spectrum. In theory, this improved diagnostic reliability and aligned cannabis with other substance use disorders. In practice, however, it also created circumstances in which individuals who previously would not have received a diagnosis or would have received a less severe diagnosis could now be classified as having a disorder. This distinction is not merely academic. A diagnosis carries weight. It shapes treatment decisions, becomes part of a patient’s permanent medical record and influences how future providers interpret that patient’s history. Within the VHA system, the broader definition of CUD has intersected with institutional practices in ways that many veterans and advocates find troubling. Reports have surfaced describing situations in which a positive THC test, often obtained through routine screening, is followed by the assignment of a CUD diagnosis without a comprehensive clinical evaluation. Such practices raise an important question: Is CUD always being applied as a carefully considered medical diagnosis, or has it, in some cases, become an administrative label? In a proper clinical setting, diagnosis should follow a thorough assessment that considers symptoms, context, medical history and the patient’s own explanation of their cannabis use. It should involve a conversation in which the patient understands the criteria being applied and has an opportunity to explain whether their cannabis use is therapeutic, medically supervised or otherwise clinically appropriate. Yet many veterans report that this process is not consistently followed. Diagnoses are sometimes entered into medical records without prior discussion, without documentation of a structured DSM-5 assessment and without meaningful consideration of medically authorized cannabis use. This gap between diagnostic standards and real-world application undermines the principles DSM-5 was intended to advance. When patients use cannabis daily under state medical cannabis laws to manage chronic pain, PTSD or other conditions, they may satisfy certain DSM criteria despite experiencing improved functioning rather than impairment. Cannabis occupies a uniquely complex position within American healthcare. Although it remains federally prohibited, it is legal for medical use in many states and is widely used by veterans seeking alternatives to opioids or other medications. The DSM-5 framework does not explicitly distinguish therapeutic cannabis use from problematic use. As a result, individuals using cannabis as physician-guided symptom management may nevertheless fall within a diagnostic framework originally intended to identify psychiatric illness. The consolidation of abuse and dependence into a single diagnosis has also contributed to what many describe as diagnostic inflation. When criteria are broadened and applied without careful clinical judgment, prevalence rates may increase—not necessarily because more patients have a true disorder, but because more individuals satisfy an expanded definition. In large systems such as VHA—where diagnostic coding serves administrative, research and reporting functions—this creates the risk that consistency may take precedence over individualized assessment. The role of institutions cannot be overlooked. The APA establishes diagnostic criteria, but organizations such as the VHA operationalize those criteria on a national scale. Their implementation determines how these definitions affect veterans’ lives. The increasing emphasis on CUD within the VHA system has coincided with expanded drug screening practices and a historically cautious institutional approach toward cannabis. What has not kept pace, however, is the rapid evolution of scientific research examining both the potential therapeutic benefits and the limitations of medical cannabis. None of this is to suggest that CUD is not a legitimate diagnosis. For some individuals, cannabis use becomes harmful and requires clinical intervention. The concern is not the diagnosis itself, but proportionality, accuracy and adherence to accepted diagnostic standards. Additional Evidence From VAC FOIA Records Internal VA records obtained through the VAC’s FOIA request raise important questions about how VHA applies CUD. In 2022, VA correspondence reported 134,790 veterans with cannabis-positive urine drug screens and 139,336 veterans identified as having CUD. While these figures alone do not prove improper diagnoses, they warrant scrutiny when compared with national epidemiologic data. Research cited within the same FOIA records from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III) found that 7.3 percent of U.S. veterans reported cannabis use in the previous year, but only 1.8 percent met DSM criteria for CUD. This suggests that only a minority of cannabis users meet the diagnostic threshold and underscores the need for individualized clinical assessments rather than reliance on cannabis use alone. The FOIA records also reveal that VA officials recognized the complexity of the issue. In one email, VA Office of Research and Development Media Branch Chief Bruce I. Friedland acknowledged the need to “thread a needle” between addressing genuine cannabis-related substance use disorders and supporting research into cannabis as a potential therapeutic treatment. In another email, Friedland sought guidance because VA lacked cannabis-specific resources for veterans who believed they had developed cannabis dependence. Additional correspondence from UCSF physician Dr. Salomeh Keyhani recommended that veterans identified through urine drug screening be individually assessed for high-risk cannabis use and offered treatment when appropriate, consistent with the DSM-5 requirement for a comprehensive clinical evaluation rather than diagnosis based solely on laboratory findings. VA research contained in the FOIA materials also found that nearly one third of reviewed patient records contained no documented discussion of cannabis between providers and patients. Of those that did, nearly half involved medical cannabis use rather than discussions of risks or harm reduction. These findings reinforce the importance of patient-provider dialogue and individualized clinical judgment before assigning a psychiatric diagnosis. For veterans managing complex medical conditions, inaccurate psychiatric diagnoses can affect treatment decisions, disability evaluations, provider perceptions and confidence in the medical record. Restoring integrity to CUD diagnosis requires rigorous application of DSM-5 criteria, informed patient participation, consideration of therapeutic cannabis use and periodic review of institutional practices to ensure administrative efficiency never replaces sound clinical judgment. A diagnosis should ultimately serve the patient by guiding treatment and accurately reflecting clinical reality. The value of DSM-5 depends not only on how its criteria are written, but on how faithfully they are applied. Etienne Fontan is a U.S. Army Desert Storm combat veteran and co-owner of Berkeley Patients Group, one of the nation’s longest-operating medical cannabis dispensaries. He serves on the Veterans Action Council, where he works on veterans’ access to cannabis, federal policy reform and international drug policy issues. The post Newly Released VA Records Raise Questions About How ‘Cannabis Use Disorder’ Diagnoses Are Affecting Veterans (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

California’s governor is touting the state’s large haul of marijuana tax revenue since voters legalized recreational cannabis in 2016, saying that the money “helps fund programs that benefit Californians, including childcare and early childhood development, youth substance abuse prevention, medical research and environmental recovery.” Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Wednesday said that legal marijuana sales have generated nearly $8.4 billion in tax revenue for California communities. That includes almost $4.5 billion worth of cannabis excise taxes and nearly $3.4 billion in sales taxes. “We are building a legal cannabis market that generates billions for Californians, and going after the illicit operators who undermine it,” Newsom said. “That’s public safety—protect consumers, support the businesses playing by the rules and put the revenue to work in our communities.” The governor’s office said in the second quarter of this year alone, the state collected more than a quarter of a billion dollars ($261.7 million) in marijuana taxes. California's regulated cannabis market has generated a whopping $8.4B in tax revenue for childcare, youth substance abuse prevention, medical research, and environmental recovery. We'll keep strengthening our legal market and go after bad actors trying to undermine it. pic.twitter.com/s1iQjJxx0b — Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) September 2, 2026 Officials are also highlighting the administration’s efforts to crack down on illicit cannabis activity, singling out an August seizure of $13.3 million worth of illicit marijuana and tobacco products. “Taking illicit cannabis off the streets protects California’s law-abiding licensed businesses and is another step toward a fairer marketplace for those who follow the rules, pay their taxes, and invest in California,” California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) Director Trista Gonzalez said. “Removal and proper disposal of the illicit cannabis protects unwitting consumers while ensuring the product never makes it to the marketplace.” Earlier this week, the governor signed legislation to more clearly define the types of marijuana packaging and labeling that is prohibited due to appealing to children. Newsom recently took credit for helping to lead the push for the state to legalize marijuana and discussed his own limited experience with using cannabis. Last October, however, the governor vetoed a bill that would have allowed certain marijuana microbusinesses to ship medical cannabis products directly to patients via common carriers like FedEx and UPS, stating that the proposal “would be burdensome and overly complex to administer.” Newsom did sign a bill earlier that month aimed at streamlining research on marijuana and psychedelics. — 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. — Last September, the governor also signed a measure into law to put a pause on a recently enacted tax hike on marijuana products. Meanwhile, a lawmaker spoke to Marijuana moment about her decision to put her own bill to legalize cannabis dispensary drive-thru windows on hold for now. California’s treasurer recently said the marijuana legalization law that voters approved a decade ago has been a “complete failure” and should be replaced with a new ballot initiative that prioritizes consumers and small businesses. Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump, recently told Marijuana Moment that taxes and regulations on cannabis are “too high.” The post California Has Generated $8.4 Billion In Marijuana Tax Revenue, Governor Announces appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A California lawmaker is putting her own bill to legalize marijuana dispensary drive-thru windows on hold for now, she tells Marijuana Moment. The legislation from Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D) had passed the full Assembly this session and advanced through a Senate committee, but the sponsor said she wasn’t sure it had enough support to get through the full chamber and onto the governor’s desk this year. “California cannabis retailers lack a common and accessible transaction path for consumers afforded by so many other retailers in California, including fast food, pharmacies, banks, to-go alcohol sales at restaurants and a limited number of liquor stores,” Pellerin told Marijuana Moment. “Cannabis consumers who have mobility issues or other disabilities have limited options for being able to obtain cannabis without having to step out of their vehicles.” The measure says that licensed cannabis retailers and microbusinesses with storefronts could sell marijuana products “to a customer in a motor vehicle in a drive-through located on the premises.” Under AB 2697, cannabis businesses would need approval from the local jurisdictions in which they operate in order to add the drive-thru option. “While home delivery is legal, there are service area restrictions,” Pellerin told Marijuana Moment. “I authored AB 2697 because it retained local authority while enhancing the consumer experience, increasing safety at cannabis retailers and helping expand California’s legal cannabis marketplace.” “We had great momentum with AB 2697, but unfortunately we were not confident we had the votes and decided it was best to put the bill on hold and continue the work and engagement at a later time,” the lawmaker said. The California Narcotic Officers’ Association opposed the proposal, however, with a representative testifying this session that it would be harder for dispensary workers to check customers’ IDs for age compliance or to detect signs of current intoxication at drive-thru windows. “This bill prioritizes speed of sale over public safety, while undermining current safeguards designed to prevent illegal sales and protect public safety,” he argued. Under a current policy enacted during the height of the COVID pandemic, dispensaries can already offer curbside pickup. The bill would mandate that drive-thru sales “shall occur through a fixed-pane security window with a security drawer or similar secure transfer mechanism that is part of a building located within the premises.” — 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, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) this week signed separate legislation to more clearly define the types of marijuana packaging and labeling that is prohibited due to appealing to children. In June, the California Department of Cannabis Control rolled out a new AI tool to help businesses identify marijuana product packaging may appeal to kids in violation of existing state rules, which already ban cartoons on cannabis labels. California’s treasurer recently said the marijuana legalization law that voters approved a decade ago has been a “complete failure” and should be replaced with a new ballot initiative that prioritizes consumers and small businesses. The vice chair of the state Senate Budget Committee has floated the idea of putting a new initiative on the state ballot to “reverse” Proposition 64, for example, arguing that voters were misled and voicing concerns about the health impacts of marijuana use. Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump, recently told Marijuana Moment that taxes and regulations on cannabis are “too high.” DCC recently released data showing how 97 percent of state cannabis enforcement actions in unincorporated cities have happened in counties that have locally banned licensed growers from operating. California regulators also recently adopted emergency rules changes for the state’s marijuana licensing process that are intended to make it easier for businesses to qualify for benefits in line with the Trump administration’s recent move to federally reschedule medical cannabis. Newsom recently took credit for helping to lead the push for the state to legalize marijuana and discussed his own limited experience with using cannabis. Last October, however, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed certain marijuana microbusinesses to ship medical cannabis products directly to patients via common carriers like FedEx and UPS, stating that the proposal “would be burdensome and overly complex to administer.” Newsom did sign a bill earlier that month aimed at streamlining research on marijuana and psychedelics. Last September, the governor also signed a measure into law to put a pause on a recently enacted tax hike on marijuana products. Separately, the state attorney general says Indian tribes cannot independently engage in marijuana commerce with licensed cannabis businesses without first obtaining their own commercial license from state officials. California officials recently awarded nearly $30 million in grants for marijuana-focused academic research projects. The post California Bill To Legalize Marijuana Dispensary Drive-Thru Windows Is Put On Hold By Its Sponsor appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

Cannabis and its components appear to play a role in alleviating the symptoms of restless leg syndrome (RLS), according to a new scientific review. RLS is a neurological disorder that involves an urge to move the legs and that sometimes involves sensations like tingling or aching. “Cannabinoids—particularly CBD—may hold therapeutic promise in RLS through multi-system neurobiological effects,” the study, published in the Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology, said. Researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences conducted a comprehensive search of previously published studies on the issue, ultimately deciding to include seven papers in their review. Current evidence indicates that cannabis, in various forms, may alleviate or prevent symptoms of RLS through multiple mechanisms,” they concluded, though they also cautioned that studies published to date are “limited to case reports, cross-sectional surveys, and post hoc analyses.” High-quality randomized controlled trials will be needed to support more sweeping conclusions and recommendations about the use of medical marijuana to treat RLS, they said. “The evidence suggests that cannabis or cannabidiol may improve or prevent RLS symptoms.” That said, the scientific review includes a number of existing studies that provide initial evidence for cannabinoids’ efficacy in addressing RLS. Every patient in one study saw “complete relief in their symptoms” after starting cannabis. Another study found that “all patients, except one, reported complete or near-complete improvement in symptoms of RLS with marijuana smoking.” A third study found that half of patients who also had end-stage renal disease reported complete relief from RLS symptoms after using cannabis. “Topical application of CBD improved RLS significantly after two weeks, and smoked marijuana had better relief in symptoms of RLS compared to medical cannabis.” “This scoping review shows that use of illicit or medical cannabis can either prevent or improve symptoms of RLS, including refractory RLS,” the authors of the new paper concluded, though they reiterated that the existing evidence base is of “low quality” due to the lack of randomized controlled trials. “Despite these limitations, existing evidence indicates a potential role for cannabis in the management of RLS, primarily when available therapies do not provide optimal relief, lose efficacy over time, or have some disabling adverse effects,” they said, adding that the results of their review “invite cautious optimism regarding the role of cannabis and cannabinoids in RLS.” “The current evidence positions cannabis and cannabinoids as a potential adjunct rather than a replacement for established therapies. They may be worth considering in carefully selected patients—particularly those with refractory symptoms or intolerance to standard treatments—but only with a clear understanding of the uncertainties involved.” A separate recently published study concluded that people with RLS could find “significant” long-term relief with cannabis treatment. That research found that a cannabis product containing 2.7mg THC and 2.5mg CBD “was effective in reducing RLS severity” among patients with multiple sclerosis and “associated idiopathic RLS.” “Improvements were observed after 1 and 3 months of treatment and were maintained after 1 year among patients who continued therapy,” the study of 18 patients with RLS showed. For those that remained on treatment after one year, 67 percent “continued to show sustained improvement.” Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer. The post Cannabis Has ‘Therapeutic Promise’ For People With Restless Leg Syndrome, Scientific Review Concludes appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

House and Senate lawmakers from both major parties say it’s time for Congress to get to work crafting regulations for hemp THC products now that legislation to delay a scheduled ban on them is poised to be enacted. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that President Donald Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, the president signed new legislation containing provisions that redefined hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container would remain legal after November 12. The House of Representatives on Tuesday, however, approved a Senate-passed funding bill that contains provisions to delay the effective date of most parts of the hemp product ban, with an exception for synthetics, until December 11. Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) said in a video posted to social media after the vote that his home state of Montana has an “an incredibly strong hemp industry” and that he and other lawmakers have “fought hard to make sure that hemp-derived beverages and those pain management products that are so important for our seniors and veterans remain legal.” The senator posted the video after meeting with members of the hemp industry. “We’re standing here supporting this industry because it’s critical to our farmers and it’s critical to our veterans and seniors. Our veterans and seniors for too long have been pushed to use opioids and alcohol for pain management, and hemp-derived beverages have provided a very healthy and easily accessible alternative,” he said. “We’re trying to regulate the industry so that only adults can access these beverages, they are FDA approved and healthy and, most importantly, they’re an alternative for folks to use besides the opioids and besides alcohol.” Countless American farmers, veterans, seniors, and those living with chronic pain depend on hemp-derived products. Proud to support them. pic.twitter.com/fIsysaQJla — Tim Sheehy (@TimSheehyMT) September 2, 2026 Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) said the House’s vote to send the delay of the ban to Trump’s desk this week is “good news for Minnesota’s farmers, brewers, small businesses, and customers.” Good news: The House just passed a bipartisan bill with a key provision based on my legislation to delay the federal hemp ban, which I opposed last year. It’s headed to the President’s desk & he should sign it immediately. This gives us time to find a long-term solution for our… — Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) September 2, 2026 “The President should sign this bipartisan bill into law immediately,” she said. “This delay will give Minnesota hemp’s producers, retailers, and customers certainty, and give Congress more time to get to a long-term fix.” Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) noted in a press release that she and her home-state colleague Klobuchar “worked hard to delay this ban until December, which will now be signed into law.” “Adults should have the freedom to purchase a THC beverage if they want to. Minnesota has created one of the strongest, most carefully regulated systems in the country to allow the sale of hemp products,” she said. “The initial ban set to take place was ill-advised and would have hurt both hemp farmers and Minnesota breweries alike. We still need a long-term solution for this, but for now the industry can keep moving forward.” Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) sent a press release touting a bill he introduced this session to keep hemp products legal and regulate them. “American producers and consumers deserve nothing less than a system that upholds oversight, responsibility and safety. My bill, the HEMP Act, helps do this by getting the ball rolling on the establishment of necessary federal guardrails,” he said. “I believe that should my bill receive collective buy-in from the White House, lawmakers and stakeholders, the HEMP Act can become law.” Meanwhile, a handful of other congressional Republicans threatened this week to upend their leadership’s agenda in protest of the hemp product ban delay advancing, but they did not succeed. The funding bill’s provision to delay the ban, which is supported by the White House and is now headed to Trump to be signed into law, contains a carve-out to allow the immediate recriminalization on November 12 of synthetic cannabinoids “that are not capable of being naturally produced by a Cannabis sativa L. plant.” A number of lawmakers from both chambers and both parties have filed or are circulating a growing number of bills to prevent the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC drinks and other products. Until now, none of those proposals have gained traction with congressional leaders. For example, Reps. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) and Greg Landsman (D-OH) filed a bill to keep hemp THC drinks legal while taxing and regulating them like alcohol. Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is circulating legislation that would delay a planned federal ban on hemp THC products and institute some regulations—including packaging requirements, testing rules and age limits. Separately, Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), filed a lengthier proposal to prevent the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products and put in place a number of regulations for manufacturing, labeling, sales and taxation of hemp-derived products, including an age limit of 21. The post Bipartisan Lawmakers Turn Focus To Regulating Hemp THC Products Now That A Federal Ban Is Being Delayed appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

CA gov signs marijuana labeling bill; 10 states made over half of cannabis arrests; Study: THC can produce psychedelic-like effects; Hemp seed op-ed Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… Free to read (but not free to produce)! We’re proud of our newsletter and the reporting we publish at Marijuana Moment, and we’re happy to provide it for free. But it takes a lot of work and resources to make this happen. If you value Marijuana Moment, invest in our success on Patreon so we can expand our coverage and more readers can benefit: https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW The House of Representatives approved a Senate-passed funding bill with provisions to delay the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that industry supporters hope will give lawmakers more time to craft regulations as an alternative to prohibition—sending the measure to President Donald Trump. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) and a handful of other GOP marijuana prohibitionists tried and failed to derail House leadership’s agenda for the week in protest of legislation to delay the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a bill to more clearly define the types of marijuana packaging and labeling that is prohibited for appealing to children. A new NORML analysis of FBI data shows that just ten states were responsible for over half of the marijuana arrests in the U.S. last year. A new study found that “high-dose cannabis can produce psychedelic-like states”—a result that researchers said could help to address functional unblinding issues in future trials on psilocybin and other psychedelics. “Oral Δ9-THC, when administered under the set and setting conditions of a typical psychedelic clinical trial, can occasion subjective effects with phenomenological overlap with those of psilocybin.” The American Seed and Innovation & Growth Alliance Jessica Wasserman argues in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed that allowing hemp seeds to be banned as a “side effect” of the broader federal recriminalization of hemp THC products “would be a lose-lose for American agriculture and American innovation alike.” “American hemp farmers deserve to know their seed supply is not about to become collateral damage in a fight that was never about them.” / FEDERAL The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration tweeted, “Your health matters. Marijuana can affect: Brain health Mental health Athletic Performance Driving Baby’s health and development Daily life” Reps. Cathy Castor (D-FL) and Darren Soto (D-FL) sent a letter asking the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to investigate a grand jury’s finding that Florida officials misappropriated $10 million in Medicaid settlement funds, including to campaign against a marijuana legalization ballot initiative. The House bill to regulate hemp THC products got two new cosponsors for a total of seven. The House bill to codify parts of President Donald Trump’s psychedelics executive order got one new cosponsor for a total of seven. / STATES Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) signed a bill amending various medical cannabis business rules. Minnesota regulators published guidance about preparing for scheduled changes to federal hemp laws. Massachusetts regulators are now accepting applications for the cannabis social equity program. Maine regulators are distributing 12,000 free lockable cannabis storage bags. Oregon regulators sent an update about merging oversight of the cannabis and psilocybin programs. California regulators sent updates on various cannabis issues. — 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. — / INTERNATIONAL United Nations officials are calling on the U.S. to end what they called “unlawful killings” in military strikes on suspected drug boats. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study found that “higher cannabis use frequency was associated with lower appetite, eating fewer meals per day, and eating a less nutritious diet.” A review concluded that “evidence from animal models suggests that isolated CBD exerts promising but heterogeneous behavioral effects in [autism spectrum disorder]-relevant paradigms, supported by neurobiological changes that may help explain some behavioral outcomes.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The American Bar Association published an analysis of federal and Texas hemp issues. / BUSINESS Klutch Cannabis is acquiring an Ohio dispensary from Culture Cannabis. Decibel Cannabis Company Inc. began trading on the TSX Venture Exchange following a share consolidation. Glass House Brands won a partial victory in a property tax dispute with Ventura County, California officials. 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 Mike Latimer. The post Hemp ban delay passes Congress, heads to Trump’s desk (Newsletter: September 2, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

A handful of congressional Republicans threatened this week to upend their leadership’s agenda in protest of legislation to delay the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC products from taking effect. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that President Donald Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, the president signed new legislation containing provisions that redefined hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container would remain legal after November 12. The House of Representatives on Tuesday, however, approved a Senate-passed funding bill that contains provisions to delay the effective date of most parts of the ban, with an exception for synthetics, until December 11. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) and several other members knew that they didn’t have enough votes to block that bipartisan funding bill, known as a continuing resolution, so they set out instead to block a rule for consideration of a separate package of largely partisan GOP-led legislation touching on issues such as condemning socialism, defending Israel from boycotts and the mining of mineral. Harris, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, voted against the rule on Tuesday, as did Reps. Pete Sessions (R-TX) and Chip Roy (R-TX), each of whom cited the hemp product ban as among the issues they want to take a stand against their own party’s leadership over. Dangerous “gas station weed” is being sold in convenience stores across the country — and some products can contain even more THC than marijuana. A loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill allowed these unregulated products to flood the market. I worked to close that loophole. Now, the… pic.twitter.com/5iMo1Sw4o9 — Rep. Andy Harris, MD (@RepAndyHarrisMD) September 1, 2026 But their opposition, along with that of Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), was not enough to defeat the rule clearing the way for House leadership’s agenda for the week to advance. Two Democrats—Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) and Jared Golden (D-ME)—voted with Republicans to approve the rule, 210-208. Harris complained in a social media post that THC products are “being sold in convenience stores across the country,” saying that some “can contain even more THC than marijuana.” Sessions, for his part, said he wanted House leaders to “change” the bill by removing the hemp ban delay provision. “Let’s just make it a clean CR. I’ll vote for that,” he said. Roy, for his part, said in a letter to leadership that he had “serious concerns” about issues in the bill that “Congress should address rather than simply extend,” including its “treatment of harmful intoxicating hemp products.” I have similar concerns. Suspension, Hemp, CISA, Planned Parenthood, Surface Transportation (with no kill switch or flock fix), delay of OMB grant rule… to name a few. So Rule is an issue… https://t.co/10J7Y9zUNe — Chip Roy (@chiproytx) August 31, 2026 Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), for her part, criticized her colleagues for threatening to delay their party’s agenda over hemp. “There are a few House Republicans so upset the Continuing Resolution includes a delay in the implementation of the Mitch McConnell-backed language to ban most consumable hemp-derived products from the marketplace, they are threatening to vote against this week’s rule, which has nothing to do with the CR,” she said in a Facebook post. “Make that make sense.” Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR), who did not join other prohibitionists in voting against House leadership to protest the hemp move, said in a social media post that he opposes delaying the ban. “Congress legalized hemp in the 2018 Farm Bill for agricultural uses like fiber, not as a backdoor for intoxicating products. Modern extraction techniques turn low THC hemp into gummies, snacks and drinks; items that can particularly cause risk to children,” he said. “Unregulated, intoxicating products should not remain on the market. The currently scheduled restrictions close this gap. A delay prolongs the harm. I sincerely hope that the ban goes into effect without further delay.” I supported the Continuing Resolution to extend government funding through December 11th. It responsibly averts a shutdown and gives Congress more time for negotiation. However, I oppose the Senate provision delaying closure of the “hemp loophole.” Congress legalized hemp in the… — Rep. Rick Crawford (@RepRickCrawford) September 1, 2026 House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), said he was “sympathetic” to concerns from Harris and others about use of the funding bill to address the hemp issue. “This should not have been on here, CR should not be controversial, so I’m sympathetic with that,” he said, though he also criticized the handful of GOP holdouts for using the rule as “leverage” for their concerns. “A lot of this is we’ve got a group that wants to leverage the procedural votes to extract things that the majority of us probably don’t want to do. I find that disappointing,” he said, according to The Hill. “I mean, if you’re going to be a member of the Republican conference, you ought to be able to vote for the rule. It’s just that simple, and you shouldn’t use it to leverage things against your own team. You want to vote against the bill? That’s perfectly fine, and that’s true in any bill. Your final vote on the bill is up to you, but blackmailing your colleagues is not the way to build an effective team.” The funding bill’s provision to delay the ban, which is supported by the White House and is now headed to Trump to be signed into law, contains a carve-out to allow the immediate recriminalization on November 12 of synthetic cannabinoids “that are not capable of being naturally produced by a Cannabis sativa L. plant.” A number of lawmakers from both chambers and both parties have filed or are circulating a growing number of bills to prevent the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC drinks and other products later this year. Until now, none of those proposals have gained traction with congressional leaders. For example, Reps. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) and Greg Landsman (D-OH) filed a bill to keep hemp THC drinks legal while taxing and regulating them like alcohol. Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is circulating legislation that would delay a planned federal ban on hemp THC products and institute some regulations—including packaging requirements, testing rules and age limits. Separately, Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), filed a lengthier proposal to prevent the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products and put in place a number of regulations for manufacturing, labeling, sales and taxation of hemp-derived products, including an age limit of 21. The post GOP Hemp Opponents Fail To Derail House Agenda In Protest Of Delaying THC Product Ban appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that contains provisions to delay the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that is currently scheduled to take effect in November. The legislation, which has already been approved by the Senate, is intended to give lawmakers more time to craft regulations as an alternative to prohibition. It now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk. The provision is part of legislation, which cleared the House in a 370-48 vote on Tuesday, to keep the federal government funded through December 11—past the end of the current fiscal year on September 30. If enacted into law, the effective date of the hemp product ban would also be moved to December 11. The Senate last month rejected an amendment from Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) and several cosponsors that would have removed the hemp ban delay provision from the funding bill, tabling it in a vote of 61-32, and the passing the overall legislation 90-6. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that President Donald Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, 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. The funding bill’s provision to delay the ban, which is supported by the White House, contains a carve-out to allow the immediate recriminalization on November 12 of synthetic cannabinoids “that are not capable of being naturally produced by a Cannabis sativa L. plant.” Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN), who has sponsored standalone legislation to delay the scheduled hemp ban, said he is “proud to also see a priority of mine included” in the funding bill. “This short extension of the current hemp definition will provide Congress and farmers the time needed to develop a long-term solution.,” he said in a press release. “Producers deserve as much certainty as possible in deciding what to plant. Farmers should have the freedom to plant the crops that best serve their operations and profits.” Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Director Mehmet Oz sent a letter to senators expressing “grave concern” that the amendment to remove the delay would undermine the administration’s initiative to cover hemp-derived products through Medicare. Separately, the White House pushed back on the idea that the president’s support for keeping hemp products legal is intended to benefit the son-in-law of Trump’s chief of staff, who owns businesses in the industry—with a spokesperson saying that the administration’s advocacy is in “the best interest of the American people” and is aimed at helping veterans and other people who use hemp products for medical purposes. During a “tense” meeting with Senate Republicans about the issue, White House Director of Legislative Affairs James Braid reportedly committed that there would be no further extensions of the hemp ban’s effective date if the current proposal was enacted into law, though it was reported soon after that the staffer would be leaving the administration in September. Jonathan Miller, general counsel for the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, said on Tuesday that the industry is “grateful to the president and large bipartisan majorities in Congress for the lifeline of a 30-day extension.” “Now the important work comes: passing in December robust regulation that cracks down on illicit sales to minors, honors our commitments to farmers and ensures that safe hemp and CBD products are manufactured for adults, particularly seniors and veterans who rely on them for their health and wellness,” he said. Jim Higdon, co-founder and chief communications officer for Cornbread Hemp, said that “one month is not much time.” “Still, it gives us the chance to work on this issue after Election Day to build a long-needed regulatory framework that preserves interstate commerce for low-dose hemp THC beverages and full-spectrum CBD products, including the 3-milligram-per-serving THC standard for CBD products already established under the CMS Medicare pilot,” he said. “This hemp extension ends the debate over whether low-dose hemp products should be regulated or subject to re-criminalization. The work now is to write the regulations for full spectrum CBD, topical and pet products, and low-dose THC beverages sold to American consumers in interstate commerce.” But Chris Lindsey, vice president of policy and state advocacy, for the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp, said his group is “disappointed” in the delay, even if it was expected. “Our sights are set on December,” he said. “The loophole empowers bad actors, threatens public health, and undermines state regulations. We urge Congress to end the scourge of ‘gas station weed.'” Dueling coalitions of police, military veterans and industry groups sent letters pushing Congress in different directions on whether the planned federal recriminalization of hemp THC products should move forward as scheduled or be delayed. Additionally, a bipartisan coalition of 35 state and territory attorneys general sent a letter calling on Congress not to reverse the hemp THC product ban, saying that lawmakers’ move to enact the forthcoming prohibition “protected consumers, provided much-needed regulatory clarity, and preserved legitimate industrial, agricultural, and nonintoxicating hemp markets.” The Beverage Alcohol Merchants Coalition (BAMCO), which represents major alcohol retailers, is supporting the move to delay the hemp product ban—saying it provides industry supporters with more time to convince Congress to “establish a responsible federal framework for low-dose hemp-derived THC beverages.” BAMCO’s members include Total Wine & More, BevMo! by Gopuff, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Spec’s Wine and Spirits & Finer Foods, as well as a group of hemp product wholesalers. The group supports incorporating hemp THC drinks into the existing three-tier system for alcoholic beverages, along with new requirements for testing, labeling, marketing and taxation in tandem with flexibility for state regulations. Other alcohol industry groups such as Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America have also backed regulating hemp products instead of prohibiting them. A number of lawmakers from both chambers and both parties have filed or are circulating a growing number of bills to prevent the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC drinks and other products later this year. Until now, none of those proposals have gained traction with congressional leaders. For example, Reps. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) and Greg Landsman (D-OH) filed a bill to keep hemp THC drinks legal while taxing and regulating them like alcohol. Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is circulating legislation that would delay a planned federal ban on hemp THC products and institute some regulations—including packaging requirements, testing rules and age limits. Separately, Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), filed a lengthier proposal to prevent the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products and put in place a number of regulations for manufacturing, labeling, sales and taxation of hemp-derived products, including an age limit of 21. Trump and White House officials have in recent weeks repeatedly pressed Congress to delay, alter or reverse the ban. In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in June, for example, White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought said the Trump administration wants lawmakers to “ensure the fair treatment of hemp products”—specifically citing Barr’s earlier amendment to keep many hemp products legal while adding regulations and taxes. The administration “welcomes the opportunity to work with the Congress to, at a minimum, update the statutory definition of final hemp-derived cannabinoid products to allow Americans to benefit from access to appropriate full-spectrum CBD products,” OMB separately said in June, “while preserving the Congress’s intent to restrict the sale of products that pose serious health risks.” Also in April, the president himself urged congressional lawmakers to again redefine hemp to avoid recriminalization of 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,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “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.” Industry advocates say that the law as enacted last year not only threatens to prohibit intoxicating and synthetic cannabinoid products but also stands 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 in April 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. A federal judge granted the government’s motion to dismiss marijuana legalization opponents’ lawsuit challenging the initiative, but that is being appealed. “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!” The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), an alcohol industry trade association issued praise for Barr’s bipartisan hemp regulation bill, but said the measure’s tax provisions require “continued discussion.” Hemp policy observers expect to see a Senate companion bill to Barr’s proposal filed soon, likely from Sens. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). Sheehy recently cited hemp legislation as an area where Republicans and Democrats can work together in an otherwise “hyperpartisan time.” — 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, a new poll from NuggMD found that most cannabis consumers say that state-level hemp product bans that lawmakers are enacting in line with the planned federal recriminalization move are causing them to shift their purchases toward licensed marijuana businesses. The National Restaurant Association recently sent a letter urging congressional leaders to delay the federal recriminalization of hemp THC beverages and replace it with a regulatory framework that “ensures consumer safety while meeting growing market demand” for the products as an alternative to alcohol. Major retailer Target, meanwhile, recently moved to expand its sales of hemp THC drinks into more states. The post House Passes Bill To Delay Hemp THC Product Ban, Sending It To Trump’s Desk appeared first on Marijuana Moment. View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net