Marijuana Moment: Virginia cannabis bills passed by House and Senate (Newsletter: February 18, 2026)

[Tokeativity]

Former White House drug czar bashes rescheduling; OK GOP divided on medical marijuana; MD psychedelics vote; MA cannabis sales milestone

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Former White House Drug Czar William Bennett said President Donald Trump is wrong about rescheduling marijuana, calling it a “gateway drug” that is “massively destructive.”

• “I love Donald Trump. I love almost everything he does, but I don’t love this.”

Virginia lawmakers passed bills to legalize recreational marijuana sales, provide resentencing relief for past convictions and allow medical cannabis access in hospitals for seriously ill patients—setting up negotiations on the reforms between the Senate and House of Delegates.

Oklahoma’s GOP House speaker and Senate president pro tem are rejecting Gov. Kevin Stitt’s (R) push to put medical cannabis back on the ballot and roll back legalization—saying that voters have already decided they support legal access.

The Hawaii Senate Health and Human Services Committee and Commerce and Consumer Protections Committee held a joint hearing on bills to legalize marijuana, allow hemp-derived cannabinoid product sales and expedite medical cannabis access.

The Maryland House Health Committee approved a bill to extend the Task Force on Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances for a year and require a new report with recommendations to ensure “broad, equitable & affordable access to psychedelic substances.”

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission reported that retailers have now sold more than $9 billion worth of recreational marijuana products since legalization—including a huge surge in purchases ahead of a recent big snowstorm.

/ FEDERAL

The National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse will meet on March 9.

/ STATES

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) touted his mass marijuana pardon action.

Texas’s attorney general is suing kratom retailers.

The Oklahoma Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee approved a bill to allow counties and municipalities to add a local tax on medical cannabis.

A Missouri senator discussed her bill to criminalize public marijuana smoking.

Illinois regulators published guidance on cannabis labeling, stability testing and retention samples.

Virginia regulators launched a new medical cannabis program dashboard.

Massachusetts regulators published a guide on how marijuana revenue is allocated.

The California Board of State and Community Corrections released $125 million in grant funding to support local governments’ efforts to address public health and safety impacts associated with marijuana legalization.

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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.
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/ INTERNATIONAL

The Amsterdam, Netherlands City Council is expected to consider banning tourists from accessing cannabis cafes after next month’s elections.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A German study found that “eight months after legalisation, no significant short-term effects on cannabis use or [driving under the influence of cannabis] were observed.”

A study found that people who inject drugs “in states with recreational cannabis laws were less likely to use opioids daily” and that “cannabis legalization may potentially reduce opioid-related harms.”

/ BUSINESS

Compass Pathways plc announced it achieved its primary endpoint in an ongoing Phase 3 trial of its synthetic psilocybin formulation for treatment-resistant depression.

Rhode Island retailers sold $10.2 million worth of legal marijuana products in January.

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