Marijuana Moment: Dr. Oz warns about cannabis as alcohol alternative (Newsletter: February 24, 2026)

[Tokeativity]

FL legalization signatures zeroed out; MD & HI psychedelics votes; CT medical marijuana in hospitals bill; Study: Cannabis munchies are real

Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day.

Get our daily newsletter.

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you're human:

Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible…

Your good deed for the day: donate to an independent publisher like Marijuana Moment and ensure that as many voters as possible have access to the most in-depth cannabis reporting out there.

Support our work at https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment

/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz warned “there are going to be consequences” as more Americans choose marijuana over alcohol—including problems caused by “high-dose hemp and CBD,” even as his agency is preparing to roll out a plan to cover cannabidiol through Medicare.

The Florida Department of State’s Elections Division has reset the valid signature count for a marijuana legalization ballot initiative to 0 under a new law that doesn’t allow the hundreds of thousands of petitions the campaign collected for 2026 to be carried over into the 2028 cycle.

The Maryland House of Delegates and Senate Finance Committee approved bills 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 and affordable access to psychedelic substances.”

The Hawaii Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved a bill to create a psychedelics task force to study and make recommendations on providing access to breakthrough therapies such as psilocybin and MDMA.

The Connecticut legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Health held a hearing on a bill to let terminally ill patients use medical cannabis in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes and hospices.

A new study confirms that marijuana really does give you the “munchies”—and reveals which types of food people desire the most after consuming cannabis.

/ FEDERAL

Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) posted a video praising prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana.

/ STATES

The South Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill to eliminate the Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee.

The Michigan Supreme Court will hold oral arguments in two marijuana-related cases next month.

Washington, D.C. regulators finalized medical cannabis advertising and signage rules.

Vermont regulators sent a warning about scams targeting cannabis businesses.

Missouri regulators are working to launch a media campaign warning young people about the risks of using marijuana.

Colorado generated $236.4 million worth of marijuana tax revenue in 2025.

California regulators sent updates about 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

The German Bundestag Petitions Committee held a hearing on a petition to stop planned changes to the medical cannabis program.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study found “improvements in subjective sleep quality and other captured [patient-reported outcome measures] in insomnia patients treated with cannabis-based medicinal products.”

A review’s results “support the potential application of psilocybin for treating major depressive disorder.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

The Christian Democratic Union of Germany adopted a resolution calling for a repeal of the country’s marijuana legalization law.

/ BUSINESS

MTL Cannabis Corp. received court approval for its acquisition by Canopy Growth Corporation.

Canadian retailers sold C$503.7 million worth of legal marijuana products in December.

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 Dr. Oz warns about cannabis as alcohol alternative (Newsletter: February 24, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net