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Massachusetts reached a marijuana sales milestone in 2025, with $1.65 billion in adult-use sales for the year—bringing the state’s total legal cannabis purchases to over $10 billion since the recreational market launched, officials announced on Thursday. A top regulator also said that the forthcoming addition of social consumption lounges could give the industry a further boost in 2026, and that President Donald Trump’s directive to federally reschedule cannabis will create more research opportunities in the state. The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) released the latest data on Thursday, while indicating that officials anticipate an even higher sales record this year as the state prepares to launch a new license category or social consumption lounges. When combining recreational and medical sales for 2025, the state saw about $1.8 billion in legal marijuana purchases for the year. Overall since 2018, there have been about $10.8 billion in combined medical and recreational cannabis sales. “The cannabis industry in Massachusetts continued to mature in 2025 with the number of cannabis businesses reaching the highest point since adult-use sales began in 2018,” CCC Chair Shannon O’Brien said in a press release. “While gross sales remain high, the Commission will look to remove regulatory hurdles in 2026 through the new Red Tape Removal Committee, which will help licensees stabilize and plan for the future as the industry continues to evolve.” Marijuana Establishments in Massachusetts generated over $1.65 billion in sales in 2025, setting a new annual record for the Commonwealth’s cannabis industry. Learn more: https://t.co/8ZLLrTb6VS pic.twitter.com/1mocjXEq5h — Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (@MA_Cannabis) January 8, 2026 Travis Ahern, executive director of CCC, said that beyond the social consumption lounge expansion, Trump’s order to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) will bring benefits to the state. “Commissioners and staff are hard at work preparing for a potential expansion of the industry related to social consumption and the prospect of new research opportunities should the federal government reschedule cannabis,” he said. “With critical changes on the horizon, the Commission remains focused on adapting its policies, protocols, and oversight in a way that continues building out a safe, equitable, and effective cannabis industry for Massachusetts.” var divElement = document.getElementById('viz1767986250755'); var vizElement = divElement.getElementsByTagName('object')[0]; if ( divElement.offsetWidth > 800 ) { vizElement.style.width='1050px';vizElement.style.height='1127px';} else if ( divElement.offsetWidth > 500 ) { vizElement.style.width='1050px';vizElement.style.height='1127px';} else { vizElement.style.width='100%';vizElement.style.height='1727px';} var scriptElement = document.createElement('script'); scriptElement.src = 'https://public.tableau.com/javascripts/api/viz_v1.js'; vizElement.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, vizElement); Massachusetts marijuana retailers recorded a new annual record of 46.3 million transactions in 2025, CCC said, which is roughly 3.4 million more than in the prior year. In the background, Massachusetts election officials have scheduled a hearing to investigate a complaint challenging the signature gathering process for a proposed ballot initiative to roll back the state’s marijuana legalization law. That came about two weeks after the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Elections Division confirmed that the anti-cannabis campaign collected enough valid signatures to send the measure to lawmakers for consideration ahead of potentially being placed on the November ballot. As detailed in the recent complaint, the campaign has been marred with controversy over allegedly misleading signature gathering tactics. There have been claims that paid petitioners used fake cover letters for other ballot measures on issues like affordable housing and same-day voter registration. The state attorney general’s office has confirmed it’s received complaints to that end. And an association of state marijuana businesses urged voters to report to local officials if they observe any instances of “fraudulent message” or other deceitful petitioning tactics. The campaign has denied the allegations. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s (D) office—which cleared the campaign for signature gathering in September—has stressed to voters the importance of reading their summary, which is required to go at the top of the signature form, before signing any petitions. The Massachusetts legislature received the initiative for consideration on Wednesday when the 2026 session kicked off. Unless it’s invalidated, lawmakers have until May 5 to act on the proposal. If they choose not to enact it legislatively, the campaign would need to go through another round of petitioning and get at least 12,429 certified signatures by July 1 to make the November ballot. Meanwhile, the head of Massachusetts’s marijuana regulatory agency recently suggested that the measure to effectively recriminalize recreational cannabis sales could imperil tax revenue that’s being used to support substance misuse treatment efforts and other public programs. Massachusetts lawmakers recently assembled a bicameral conference committee to reach a deal on a bill that would double the legal marijuana possession limit for adults and revise the regulatory framework for the state’s adult-use cannabis market. — 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. — CCC has also launched an online platform aimed at helping people find jobs, workplace training and networking opportunities in the state’s legal cannabis industry. State lawmakers have also been considering setting tighter restrictions on intoxicating hemp-derived products and a plan to allow individual entities to control a larger number of cannabis establishments. Also in Massachusetts, legislators who were working on a state budget butted heads with CCC officials, who’ve said they can’t make critical technology improvements without more money from the legislature. Massachusetts lawmakers additionally approved a bill to establish a pilot program for the regulated therapeutic use of psychedelics. And two committees have separately held hearings to discuss additional psilocybin-related measures. Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen. The post Massachusetts Hits $10 Billion Marijuana Sales Milestone, With Top Official Saying Consumption Lounges Will Bolster Industry In 2026 appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

The Trump administration is backing away from a prior federal recommendation to limit alcohol consumption to specific amounts, even as marijuana remains federally criminalized and more Americans are choosing cannabis for personal health reasons. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released updated dietary guidance on Wednesday, drawing criticism over the reversal of a recommendation that American men should limit alcohol consumption to a maximum of two drinks per day and women should consume no more than one drink per day. Cannabis isn’t addressed in the guidance. President Donald Trump doesn’t drink alcohol, but his administration is evidently skeptical about giving Americans specific recommendations about how much of it that Americans should consume. The new federal document also removes prior mentions of alcohol’s role in potentially increasing the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and death. Trump also doesn’t smoke marijuana, but so far the administration has only taken the incremental—albeit contextually historic—step of directing the completion of a process to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). That would not legalize marijuana, but it would remove certain research restrictions and allow cannabis businesses to take federal tax deductions. Meanwhile, alcohol is not considered a federally controlled substance at all. It’s subject to regulations, but its use and sale for adults has been normalized—even if many Americans are starting to shift away from drinking and more adults have found an alternative in marijuana. “Alcohol is a social lubricant that brings people together,” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Mehmet Oz said at a White House briefing on Wednesday. “In the best-case scenario, I don’t think you should drink alcohol, but it does allow people an an excuse to bond and socialize, and there’s probably nothing healthier than having a good time with friends in a safe way.” The alcohol industry is cheering the Trump administration’s changes to the guidance. “Americans deserve a balanced and unbiased approach to recommendations on alcohol consumption and this is exactly what we got today from the new Dietary Guidelines,” Dave Parker, president of the National Association of Wine Retailers, said in a statement released by the White House. “Moderate consumption has long been the foundation of the proper relationship with alcohol, and we are very pleased to see that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not succumb to the call by extremist anti-alcohol groups to throw the idea of moderate consumption under the bus,” he said. To be clear, the Trump administration isn’t encouraging people to drink more alcohol. But its new guidance removes specific recommended limitations for daily alcohol consumption that were previously in place. “Consume less alcohol for better overall health,” the document says. “People who should completely avoid alcohol include pregnant women, people who are recovering from alcohol use disorder or are unable to control the amount they drink, and people taking medications or with medical conditions that can interact with alcohol. For those with a family history of alcoholism, be mindful of alcohol consumption and associated addictive behaviors.” Reuters reported on Thursday that federal officials under Biden administration had been preparing to issue even stricter alcohol recommendations than what was previously in place by suggesting that both men and women limit their consumption to one drink per day. The Trump administration decided to go in a different direction, however. Trump’s marijuana rescheduling order, which directs the attorney general to quickly finish the process of moving marijuana to Schedule III, earned him praise from much of the cannabis community, even if there’s broad consensus that the substance should be removed from the CSA entirely and be treated similar to alcohol. However, the administration hasn’t been consistent on its messaging around marijuana, with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) promoting content linking cananbis use to depression and suicidal thinking and echoing talking points from prohibitionists. Regardless, Americans are increasingly opting for cannabis over alcohol, which is tied to a substantial amount of deaths annually. A recent poll found that more U.S. adults set New Year’s resolutions to cut down on alcohol and tobacco, rather than marijuana, for example. Younger Americans are also increasingly using cannabis-infused beverages as a substitute for alcohol—with one in three millennials and Gen Z workers choosing THC drinks over booze for after-work activities like happy hours. Another survey released in October found that a majority of Americans believe marijuana represents a “healthier option” than alcohol—and most also expect cannabis to be legal in all 50 states within the next five years. Smoking marijuana is also associated with “significantly” reduced rates of alcohol consumption, according to a recent federally funded study that involved adults smoking joints in a makeshift bar. A study published last year found that adults who drink cannabis-infused beverages has found more evidence of a “substitution effect,” with a significant majority of participants reporting reduced alcohol use after incorporating cannabinoid drinks into their routines. Another survey released last year also showed that four in five adults who drink cannabis-infused beverages say they’ve reduced their alcohol intake—and more than a fifth have quit drinking alcohol altogether. The post Trump Administration Ditches Alcohol Limit Guidance As Marijuana Remains Federally Criminalized appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

The governor of Kentucky says he’s “not satisfied” with the time it’s taken to launch the state’s medical marijuana program, but he anticipates that the pace of patient access will “pick up significantly” in 2026—and that progress includes the new approval of the first cannabis processor business for operations. Gov. Andy Beshear (D) gave an update on the medical marijuana system during a briefing on Thursday, saying that the processor’s approval means “multiple products” will become “available in the coming weeks for eligible Kentuckians.” Also this month, the governor said he expects two additional dispensaries will open their doors “once additional product becomes available.” The state’s first medical cannabis dispensary launched last month, and Beshear said he expects another dispensary to open this month. “Our priorities are ensuring Kentuckians suffering from serious medical conditions like cancer, PTSD or multiple sclerosis can have access to medical cannabis as soon as possible,” he said. “We have the cultivators. We now have a processor. And we have dispensaries. This should greatly speed up product coming to dispensaries around the state,” Beshear said. “And I know it feels like it’s taken a long time, but the rules were very specific about how it had to be grown, how it had to be processed if it was going to be in certain products.” “While none of us are satisfied that there is not more product there yet, what we have done is to create a highly regulated, safe system that’s going to operate pretty smoothly as product comes online,” he said. The governor said he’s optimistic the state will see “full operation” of the cannabis program, possibly by the middle of the year. “This was a promise we made. This is a promise we’re keeping.” Later in the briefing, in response to a reporters’ question, Beshear reiterated that he’s “not satisfied” with the time it’s taken to keep that promise, and he wants “to speed it up.” “We’re pushing for it, but the crops have got to grow. It’s got to be processed,” Beshear said. “The restrictions inside the law were aimed at a very secure system, which is important, but that also meant it took a little more time than we would have liked. I expect it to pick up significantly, but I’m not going to be satisfied until we’re at 100 percent.” The governor, who has long championed cannabis reform, previewed the market launch last month, while making the case that medical marijuana will help thousands of patients find an alternative to opioids for pain management. He made much of crossing a 15,000 patient registration milestone in late October, but that’s evidently grown meaningfully in recent weeks. Beshear previously acknowledged that “it’s taken longer than we would have liked” to stand up the industry since he signed medical marijuana legalization into law in 2023. In recognition of that delayed implementation, he signed an executive order to waive renewal fees for patients who get their cards this year so that they don’t get charged again before retailers open. And another order he signed providing protections for qualified patients who obtain medical marijuana outside of Kentucky “will stay in place.” Beshear separately announced in May that the state had launched a new online directory that lets people see where medical cannabis dispensaries will be opening near them. He emphasized that the state has been working to deliver access to patients “at the earliest possible date,” and that involved expediting the licensing process. Last January, the governor also ceremonially awarded the commonwealth’s first medical marijuana cards. — 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, the governor sent a letter to Kentucky’s congressional delegation last year, “urging them to take decisive action to protect the constitutional rights of our law abiding medical cannabis patients” by repealing the federal ban on gun possession by people who use marijuana. That came after bipartisan Kentucky senators filed legislation that similarly called on the state’s federal representatives to take corrective action, which Beshear said he supports but would like to see even more sweeping change on the federal level. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) warned Kentucky residents in 2024 that, if they choose to participate in the state’s medical marijuana program, they will be prohibited from buying or possessing firearms under federal law. Health practitioners have been able to start assessing patients for recommendations since the beginning of last December. While there currently aren’t any up-and-running dispensaries available to patients, Beshear has further affirmed that an executive order he signed in 2023 will stay in effect in the interim, protecting patients who possess medical cannabis purchased at out-of-state licensed retailers. During the November 2024 election, Kentucky also saw more than 100 cities and counties approve local ordinances to allow medical cannabis businesses in their jurisdictions. The governor said the election results demonstrate that “the jury is no longer out” on the issue that is clearly supported by voters across partisan and geographical lines. The post Kentucky Governor ‘Not Satisfied’ With Medical Marijuana Access Rollout, But Expects Pace To ‘Pick Up Significantly’ In 2026 appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

A GOP congressman says President Donald Trump made it “very clear” his administration should move forward with rescheduling marijuana, and so he isn’t concerned about the possibility that the Justice Department will delay or ignore the recent directive to complete the process. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, told Marijuana Moment on Thursday that he doesn’t think Attorney General Pam Bondi would seek to undermine the president’s executive order to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) despite any personal reservations she may have. The congressman—who attended the Oval Office signing ceremony for the rescheduling order last month and has sponsored or cosponsored a number of marijuana reform bills over recent sessions—said Trump “was pretty clear about what he wanted and where he wants to go, so I can imagine it’s a good opportunity—the rescheduling of it—to be able to do the things that are necessary to study it and figure out, good or bad, what the impacts are.” “Certainly the ability exists to reschedule,” Joyce, who has also sponsored legislation to give cannabis businesses access to the banking system, said. The Department of Justice has not yet commented on its place for the rescheduling process, which was initiated under the Biden administration. DOJ representatives have not responded to multiple inquires from Marijuana Moment about the department’s intentions or the potential timeline for finalizing the reclassification rule. Bondi, who opposed efforts to legalize medical cannabis in Florida as state attorney general, also did not appear at Trump’s signing ceremony for the rescheduling order. If the pending proposal was to federally legalize cannabis, the congressman said that “might have been a different subject matter” for Bondi. But simply rescheduling marijuana—which would free up certain research barriers and allow state-legal cannabis businesses to take federal tax deductions—is a simpler matter. “At this point, obviously, if they asked certainly I’d give my input. But the attorney general is certainly competent,” he said, adding that he’s confident “we’ll be able to work this through.” Asked about a recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report that discussed how DOJ could, in theory, reject the president’s directive or delay the process by restarting the scientific review into marijuana, Joyce reiterated that “the president made it very clear what his intent was in doing this, so that’s why we want to follow through with it.” — 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, the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a spending bill that would continue protecting state medical marijuana programs from federal intervention—while excluding a provision that previously advanced to block the Justice Department from rescheduling cannabis. If federal officials follow through on Trump’s executive order directing the reclassification of marijuana, it could also free up Washington, D.C. to finally legalize recreational cannabis sales after a years-long congressional blockade. Separately, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently said that a marijuana rescheduling appeal process “remains pending” despite the president’s order directing the attorney general to finish the job “in the most expeditious manner.” An agriculture-focused conservative nonprofit connected to a PAC linked to the president recently applauded the rescheduling order, arguing that it will “destroy” the illicit market and support seniors and military veterans who could benefit from cannabis. Also, a coalition of Republican state attorneys general have criticized Trump’s rescheduling decision, saying cannabis is “properly” classified as a Schedule I drug with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Last month, groups of House and Senate Republican lawmakers also sent letters urging Trump not to reschedule cannabis. Trump, however, dismissed those concerns—pointing out that an overwhelming majority of Americans support the reform and that cannabis can help people who are suffering from serious health issues, including his personal friends. The LCB contributed reporting from Washington, D.C. The post GOP Congressman Dismisses Concerns About Marijuana Rescheduling Delay, Saying Trump Made It ‘Very Clear’ DOJ Must Act appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

A Florida lawmaker has introduced a new bill to legalize recreational marijuana that also aims to break up what he calls “monopolies” in the state’s current medical cannabis program by revising the business licensing structure. The legislation, filed by Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D), comes as the state Supreme Court reviews the constitutionality of proposed adult-use legalization initiative that an industry-funded campaign is seeking to place on the November ballot. Under the new bill, adults over 21 years of age could legally possess up to four ounces of smokable marijuana or cannabis products containing up to 2,000 milligrams of THC. Medical cannabis patients would be allowed to grow up to six flowering plants at home for personal use. Medical marijuana businesses that apply for adult-use licenses could begin selling cannabis for recreational purposes beginning next January. “We can’t call ourselves the ‘Free State of Florida’ while continuing to criminalize cannabis use by grown adults,” Smith told Marijuana Moment on Thursday, adding that a majority of voters approved a legalization initiative at the ballot in 2024 that wasn’t enacted after “falling just short of the state’s arbitrary 60 percent threshold.” “The message from voters was unmistakable: they want change,” he said. “Senate Bill 1398 answers that call by legalizing cannabis for adults 21 and over in a safe, responsible, and tightly regulated way.” “It also ends state-created medical marijuana monopolies by opening the market to small businesses and gives Floridians the freedom to cultivate their own cannabis if they choose,” the senator said. “It’s time for the Legislature to stop ignoring the will of the people, end draconian criminalization laws, and finally deliver a fair, legal, and accountable cannabis system for Florida.” Under the new bill, current medical cannabis dispensaries—known as medical marijuana treatment centers (MMTCs)—could apply for retail licenses to sell recreational marijuana. And only cannabis purchased from licensed businesses would be legal to possess. People with prior convictions for activity made legal under the bill would also be given an opportunity for resentencing and expungement. The legislation stipulates marijuana and paraphernalia would be exempt from being taxed—but only for medical cannabis patients and caregivers. Additionally, local governments would be able to levy a business tax on dispensing facilities. There’s been some criticism among advocates about the current medical marijuana system, specifically around the idea that vertical integration and licensing caps have effectively created a marijuana monopoly in the state. In an attempt to address that issue, the bill would break out licensing categories. In contrast to the current system of seed-to-sale businesses, regulators would offer individual licenses to cultivate, manufacture, transport and sell cannabis products. There isn’t a specific mandate for an increase in the number of licensed marijuana businesses, but the measure would direct the state Department of Health to adopt rules on “procedures and requirements for…the registration and registration renewal of MMTCs.” Depending on the outcome of that rulemaking process, new businesses could enter the market. Also, registered cultivator and processors would be able to do wholesale transactions with other MMTCs, which is not currently permitted under Florida’s medical cannabis program. The legislation would also task the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to adopt rules adopt “regulating the cultivation of marijuana by members of the public for their private use, including rules regulating the use of a cooperative model for cultivation.” — 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. — Here’s an overview of additional Florida marijuana developments: A state lawmaker recently introduced a bill that would protect the parental rights of medical cannabis patients, preventing them from losing custody of their children for using their medicine in accordance with state law. A pro-legalization GOP lawmaker filed legislation to amend state law to codify that the public use of marijuana is prohibited. Rep. Alex Andrade (R), the sponsor, said last year that embracing cannabis reform is a way for the Republican party to secure more votes from young people. Last month, a Florida Republican senator filed a bill to expand the state’s medical marijuana program, in part by increasing supply limits for patients and waiving registration fees for honorably discharged military veterans. A similar version of legislation was introduced in the House. Other recently filed bills in the legislature for 2026 would more incrementally reduce medical cannabis patient registration fees for military veterans and clarify that smoking or vaping marijuana in public places is prohibited. A Florida Democratic senator introduced legislation for the 2026 session that would legalize home cultivation of marijuana for registered medical cannabis patients in the state. In the background, a campaign is working against the clock to collect enough signatures to again put the question of adult-use marijuana legalization to voters at the ballot. But there have been complications. Most recently, the Republican attorney general of Florida and several business and anti-marijuana groups urged the state Supreme Court to block the legalization initiative, calling it “fatally flawed” and unconstitutional. The attorney general’s office last month asked the state Supreme Court to review the constitutionality of the legalization initiative. The court accepted the request and set a schedule for state officials and the cannabis campaign to file briefs this month. Proponents of the measure have until January 12 to submit response briefs, then the opposition has until January 20 to reply. The briefs were filed days after Smart and Safe Florida filed a new lawsuit against state officials, alleging that they improperly directed the invalidation of about 71,000 signatures as a turn-in deadline approaches. In March, meanwhile, two Democratic members of Congress representing Florida asked the federal government to investigate what they described as “potentially unlawful diversion” of millions in state Medicaid funds via a group with ties to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). The money was used to fight against the 2024 citizen ballot initiative, vehemently opposed by the governor, that would have legalized marijuana for adults. The lawmakers’ letter followed allegations that a $10 million donation from a state legal settlement was improperly made to the Hope Florida Foundation, which later sent the money to two political nonprofits, which in turn sent $8.5 million to a campaign opposing Amendment 3. The governor said last February that the newest marijuana legalization measure is in “big time trouble” with the state Supreme Court, predicting it would be blocked from going before voters this year. “There’s a lot of different perspectives on on marijuana,” DeSantis said. “It should not be in our Constitution. If you feel strongly about it, you have elections for the legislature. Go back candidates that you believe will be able to deliver what your vision is on that.” “But when you put these things in the Constitution—and I think, I mean, the way they wrote, there’s all kinds of things going on in here. I think it’s going to have big time trouble getting through the Florida Supreme Court,” he said. In 2023, the governor accurately predicted that the 2024 cannabis measure from the campaign would survive a legal challenge from the state attorney general. It’s not entirely clear why he feels this version would face a different outcome. While there’s uncertainty around how the state’s highest court will navigate the measure, a poll released last February showed overwhelming bipartisan voter support for the reform—with 67 percent of Florida voters backing legalization, including 82 percent of Democrats, 66 percent of independents and 55 percent of Republicans. Separately, Florida medical marijuana officials are actively revoking the registrations of patients and caregivers with drug-related criminal records. The policy is part of broad budget legislation signed into law last year by DeSantis. The provisions in question direct the state Department of Health (DOH) to cancel registrations of medical marijuana patients and caregivers if they’re convicted of—or plead guilty or no contest to—criminal drug charges. The post New Florida Bill Would Legalize Recreational Marijuana And End ‘Monopolies’ In Medical Cannabis With Expanded Business Licensing appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a spending bill that would continue protecting state medical marijuana programs from federal intervention—while excluding a provision that previously advanced to block the Justice Department from rescheduling cannabis. Following bicameral negotiations on the appropriations package, the House advanced it in a 397-28 vote on Thursday, sending it to the Senate for consideration. Advocates and industry stakeholders were encouraged to see the rescheduling language stripped from the final deal after it had been approved by the House Appropriations Committee last year, as well as the preservation of a longstanding rider preventing DOJ from using its funds to interfere in state medical marijuana laws. The legislation that’s now advancing to the Senate covers Fiscal Year 2026 spending for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), Interior, Environment and Energy and Water Development. The move comes weeks after President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to expeditiously complete the process of moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Here’s the language of the provision advanced by the House but excluded from the latest agreement:  “SEC. 607. None of the funds appropriated or other wise made available by this Act may be used to reschedule marijuana (as such term is defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)) or to remove marijuana from the schedules established under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812).” GOP senators have separately tried to block the administration from rescheduling cannabis as part of a standalone bill filed in 2023, but that proposal did not receive a hearing or vote. Meanwhile, on Monday, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said a marijuana rescheduling appeal process “remains pending” despite Trump’s executive order. The House-passed appropriations package also contains a rider that’s been annually renewed since 2014 barring the Justice Department from using its funds to interfere in the implementation of state medical marijuana laws. However, for reasons that are unclear, the rider that lists each state that would be protected excludes Nebraska. Here’s the text of that provision:  “SEC. 531. None of the funds made available under this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to any of the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, or with respect to the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, or Puerto Rico, to prevent any of them from implementing their own laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.” Missing from the latest version is an addition to that rider that the House previously included that would have authorized enhanced penalties for sales near schools and parks. That provision specifically stipulated that the Justice Department could still enforce a section of U.S. code that calls for increased penalties for distributing cannabis within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, vocational school, college, playground or public housing unit. However, a joint explanatory statement for the spending package also says Congress “directs the Department to appropriately enforce the Federal Drug-Free School Zones Act (2 1 U.S.C. 860), to ensure that areas with young children, including schools and playgrounds remain drug-free.” That appears to be related to a report from the Senate committee that was released last year stating that the medical marijuana protection rider “does not explicitly preclude” U.S. attorneys from enforcing a federal statute on selling or manufacturing controlled substances in “areas with young children, including schools and playgrounds.” The bill also maintains protections for state industrial hemp research programs under the 2014 Farm Bill:  “SEC. 530. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used in contravention of section 7606 (‘Legitimacy of Industrial Hemp Research’) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–79) by the Department of Justice or the Drug Enforcement Administration.” Advocates may welcome the exclusion of the rescheduling provision and inclusion of medical marijuana protections in the CJS bill, but many cannabis stakeholders have protested Trump’s signing of a separate appropriations measure in November that includes provisions to ban most consumable hemp products. However, when the president issued the marijuana rescheduling order last month, he also directed Congress to reevaluate that policy and ensure that people can continue to access full-spectrum CBD products. A federal agency will also be moving to cover such products for certain patients under Medicare and Medicaid. The post US House Passes Bill Protecting State Medical Marijuana Laws And Rejecting Attempt To Block Trump’s Rescheduling Move appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

Massachusetts election officials have scheduled a hearing to investigate a complaint challenging the signature gathering process for a proposed ballot initiative to roll back the state’s marijuana law. This comes about two weeks after the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Elections Division confirmed that the anti-cannabis campaign collected enough valid signatures to send the measure to lawmakers for consideration ahead of potentially being placed on the November ballot. Opponents of the initiative submitted a complaint to the secretary’s office last week, arguing that the campaign “obtained signatures fraudulently.” The State Ballot Law Commission has now put a pre-hearing conference on the calendar for January 12, and a formal hearing will take place on January 13. “Paid signature gatherers at Trader Joe’s in Hanover, Market Basket facilities in Plymouth, Whole Foods in Weymouth and in parking lots around Gillette Stadium in Foxborough have misled voters with respect to what they were signing and thus obtained signatures fraudulently,” the filing states. “Among the misleading statements were assertions that the law proposed on the petition blanks they were signing would get fentanyl off the streets, provide affordable housing in their communities or fund public parks,” the filing, which was first reported by State House News Service, says. “Each of these assertions would be apt with respect to one or more of the other initiative petitions approved by the Attorney General, but have nothing to do with Initiative Petition 1E.” “The paid signature gatherers in question often provided voters only the backside of Petition 1E to those whose signatures they obtained. The backside does not bear the summary of the proposed law. All those circulating the signatures for payment were assigned numbers that would enable them to be identified and collected signatures from multiple cities and towns.” “All signatures collected in the manner described above, whether by the particular individuals who gathered signatures at the locations described above or by other circulators are the subject of this objection,” the complaint, filed by attorney Thomas Kiley, concludes. Wendy Wakeman, the chair committee backing the anti-cannabis proposal, told State House News Service that petitions were “collected with integrity.” “We stand by the number,” she said. Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin (D) said that the complaints are “based on the people who now are in retail cannabis businesses.” “They’ve got to come up with enough signatures knocked off to disqualify the petition. It has to be based on evidence, it can’t be assertions. So it’s going to be a challenge,” he said. “You’re talking tens of thousands of signatures, to come up with enough that are going to be disqualified in a short period of time, because the Ballot Law Commission is time limited, 10 days, I think. So good luck. I hope they have a nice time.” The state last month certified 78,301 signatures for the petition, titled “An Act to Restore a Sensible Marijuana Policy.” The initiative would still let adults 21 and older possess and gift up to an ounce of cannabis, but it would repeal provisions of the voter-approved legalization law allowing for commercial sales and home cultivation by adults. The medical cannabis program would remain intact under the measure. As detailed in the recent complaint, the campaign has been marred with controversy over allegedly misleading signature gathering tactics. There have been claims that paid petitioners used fake cover letters for other ballot measures on issues like affordable housing and same-day voter registration. The state attorney general’s office has confirmed it’s received complaints to that end. And an association of state marijuana businesses urged voters to report to local officials if they observe any instances of “fraudulent message” or other deceitful petitioning tactics. The campaign has denied the allegations. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s (D) office—which cleared the campaign for signature gathering in September—has stressed to voters the importance of reading their summary, which is required to go at the top of the signature form, before signing any petitions. The Massachusetts legislature received the initiative for consideration on Wednesday when the 2026 session kicked off. Unless it’s invalidated, lawmakers have until May 5 to act on the proposal. If they choose not to enact it legislatively, the campaign would need to go through another round of petitioning and get at least 12,429 certified signatures by July 1 to make the November ballot. Meanwhile, the head of Massachusetts’s marijuana regulatory agency recently suggested that the measure to effectively recriminalize recreational cannabis sales could imperil tax revenue that’s being used to support substance misuse treatment efforts and other public programs. Whether the cannabis measures make the cut is yet to be seen. Voters approved legalization at the ballot in 2016, with sales launching two years later. And the past decade has seen the market evolve and expand. As of August, Massachusetts officials reported more than $8 billion in adult-use marijuana sales. Meanwhile, Massachusetts lawmakers recently assembled a bicameral conference committee to reach a deal on a bill that would double the legal marijuana possession limit for adults and revise the regulatory framework for the state’s adult-use cannabis market. Last month, state regulators also finalized rules for marijuana social consumption loungues. — 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 state Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) recently launched an online platform aimed at helping people find jobs, workplace training and networking opportunities in the state’s legal cannabis industry. State lawmakers have also been considering setting tighter restrictions on intoxicating hemp-derived products and a plan to allow individual entities to control a larger number of cannabis establishments. Also in Massachusetts, legislators who were working on a state budget butted heads with CCC officials, who’ve said they can’t make critical technology improvements without more money from the legislature. Massachusetts lawmakers additionally approved a bill to establish a pilot program for the regulated therapeutic use of psychedelics. And two committees have separately held hearings to discuss additional psilocybin-related measures. Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post Massachusetts Officials Will Review Complaint That Anti-Marijuana Campaign ‘Fraudulently’ Collected Signatures For Ballot Initiative appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating compound in marijuana, “holds substantial promise as an anti-tumor agent” in addition to its other anti-inflammatory properties, a new scientific review Scientists explored CBD’s effect on many types of cancer—including some of the most aggressive ones, such as glioblastoma, which affects the brain. They also noted it can help suppressing the growth and metastasis of other cancers, including breast, lung, colorectal, ovarian and prostate, among others. “CBD exhibits multi-targeted anti-tumor effects by disrupting key cancer hallmarks,” they found. The paper, funded by National Natural Science Fund of China, was designed as a systematic review of previous studies evaluating the cancer fighting qualities of CBD. The idea behind much of the research is to study how cancer cells survive by hijacking normal biological signals like growth cues, stress responses and immune pathways. The novelty scientists found was that CBD doesn’t seem to target just one of these systems and instead nudges several of them at once, pushing cancer cells toward collapse through overlapping and complementary effects. In colon cancer models, for example, CBD interferes with a receptor called GPR55, which helps tumors grow and migrate. Blocking that receptor weakens a pathway cancer cells rely on to divide quickly, and in some cases makes tumors more responsive to chemotherapy. Other experiments show CBD dialing down genes linked to aggressive growth while switching on stress-related pathways that slow things down. Lung and breast cancers appear to respond in related but slightly different ways. In non-small cell lung cancer, combinations of CBD and THC reduce tumor growth by interfering with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, the process that allows cancer cells to spread. In breast cancer models, CBD has been shown to stop cells mid-cycle, trigger programmed cell death and activate autophagy, the cell’s internal recycling system turned destructive. “Cannabidiol (CBD), an FDA-approved and well-tolerated compound, demonstrates promising antitumor effects by inhibiting cancer growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis, while also alleviating cancer-related symptoms such as pain and nausea.” There are also practical challenges, however. CBD is poorly absorbed when taken by mouth and is heavily metabolized, which means only a fraction may reach tumor tissue. To get around this, scientists are exploring nanoparticle-based delivery systems designed to improve absorption, target tumors more precisely and minimize side effects. Looking ahead, researchers say progress will depend on careful, methodical work. Tools like single-cell sequencing could help clarify how different tumor populations respond to CBD. Well-designed clinical trials will be essential to determine whether the effects seen in the lab translate into benefits for patients, especially when CBD is used alongside standard treatments. The study’s authors, who are affiliated with medical schools throughout China, noted the need to further explore the promise of CBD’s anti-tumor properties. “Future trials must stratify patients by tumor type and molecular markers to establish correlations between dosing, timing, and efficacy,” they wrote. The paper, which was not peer reviewed, was published in the December 2025 issue of the scientific journal Phytomedicine. The new study follows a series of encouraging discoveries related to CBD’s properties. In 2025, for example, a paper published in the journal Pharmacology & Therapeutics, assessed a range of clinical and preclinical findings that the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs can be enhanced by medical marijuana. In a sign of greater acceptance of medical applications of cannabis, President Donald Trump’s choice to serve as the next White House drug czar has called medical marijuana a “fantastic” treatment option for seriously ill patients and said she doesn’t object to legalization, even if she might not personally agree with the policy. Also last year, a study found that “patients with cancer using cannabis report significant improvements in cancer-related symptoms.” The post CBD Has ‘Substantial Promise’ To Combat Tumors From Cancer, Scientific Review Shows appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

Retailers sold more than $836 million in recreational cannabis products last year, while medical marijuana sales exceeded $233 million. By Megan Henry, Ohio Capital Journal Ohio’s recreational marijuana sales surpassed more than $836 million in 2025, the first full year recreational sales were legal. Recreational sales started in August 2024 and the state’s total recreational marijuana sales were $1,091,250,807, as of January 3, according to the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Cannabis Control. Ohioans voted to legalize marijuana in 2023 and recreational sales totaled more than $242 million in 2024. Ohio’s medical marijuana sales started January 14, 2019, and the state’s total medical marijuana sales were $2,293,970,758, as of January 3, according to the Division of Cannabis Control. Medical marijuana sales brought in more than $233 million in 2025. Ohio’s average marijuana prices are a bit lower now than they were compared to last year at this time. The manufactured sales average was $23.83 for the week ending in Jan. 3 compared to $26.66 for the week ending of January 4, 2025, according to the Division of Cannabis Control. There are 190 dual-use marijuana dispensaries in Ohio, meaning they can sell medical and non-medical marijuana, according to the Division of Cannabis Control. More than 130 Ohio municipalities and townships have moratoriums in place banning the sale of adult-use cannabis as of December 2, according to Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law. Senate Bill 56 Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed a bill into law last month that made various changes to the state’s voter-passed marijuana law, including adding crimes such as making it illegal to bring legally purchased marijuana from another state back to Ohio. DeWine signed Ohio Senate Bill 56, which is set to take effect in March. The bill also bans intoxicating hemp products. On the marijuana side, it will reduce the THC levels in adult-use marijuana extracts from a maximum of 90 percent down to a maximum of 70 percent, cap THC levels in adult-use flower to 35 percent, and prohibit smoking in most public places. The bill gets rid of protections against discrimination for housing, employment, and organ donation. It also allows police to have probable cause during traffic stops if someone is a known user of marijuana. The bill prohibits possessing marijuana in anything outside of its original packaging and criminalizes bringing legal marijuana from another state back to Ohio. It also requires drivers to store marijuana in the trunk of their car while driving. Ohioans for Cannabis Choice recently launched a referendum effort in an attempt to stop the law from taking effect. The initial signatures were submitted so now Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) must verify the signatures and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R) will also have to certify the petition summary is fair and truthful. If the petition passes those hurdles, organizers can begin canvassing to collect signatures. They’ll need 6 percent of the total number of votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election (248,092). The group will also need 3 percent of an individual county’s gubernatorial turnout in 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties. Organizers will have 90 days from the date the governor filed the law with the secretary to collect the required signatures. The last referendum that passed in Ohio was when voters overturned an anti-collective bargaining law in 2011. This story was first published by Ohio Capital Journal. The post Ohio Dispensaries Sold More Than $1 Billion Worth Of Legal Marijuana In 2025 appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

A Democratic congresswoman is imploring President Donald Trump’s newly Senate-confirmed White House drug czar to follow the science and proactively support fully legalizing marijuana—going beyond the incremental cannabis rescheduling order the president recently signed. Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, shared a link on Tuesday to a Marijuana Moment article about the Senate confirmation vote for Sara Carter Bailey to serve as the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Titus said Carter “must commit to common-sense, evidence-based cannabis policy.” “That includes supporting marijuana de-scheduling and fully implementing my Evidence-Based Drug Policy Act so that federal decisions are guided by science, not stigma,” she said. Titus and fellow Cannabis Caucus co-chair Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) announced the filing of the Evidence-Based Drug Policy Act back in April, aiming to remove a statutory restriction barring the drug czar from advocating for the legalization of marijuana or other Schedule I drugs. The legislation has not yet advanced in the GOP-controlled Congress, however. The new @ONDCP Director must commit to common-sense, evidence-based cannabis policy. That includes supporting marijuana de-scheduling and fully implementing my Evidence-Based Drug Policy Act so that federal decisions are guided by science, not stigma. https://t.co/4apx7i0Bom — Dina Titus (@repdinatitus) January 6, 2026   Here’s the text of the current law that would be repealed under the proposal: “The Director…shall ensure that no Federal funds appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall be expended for any study or contract relating to the legalization (for a medical use or any other use) of a substance listed in schedule I of section 812 of this title and take such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use of a substance (in any form) that— (A) is listed in schedule I of section 812 of this title; and (B) has not been approved for use for medical purposes by the Food and Drug Administration.” Carter, for her part, has previously voiced support for medical marijuana access, while stating that she doesn’t have a “problem” with legalization, even if she might not personally agree with the policy. A former journalist known for her coverage of drug cartels, the incoming ONDCP director also previously advised senators that the administration was keeping “all options” on the table as it considered a marijuana rescheduling proposal, while describing cannabis reform as a “bipartisan issue.” Despite her personal ambiguity on the rescheduling issue, Trump last month signed an executive order directing the attorney general to expeditiously complete the process of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Given the role of the ONDCP director in setting and carrying out the administrative agenda on drug policy issues, the fact that Carter has gone on the record enthusiastically endorsing medical cannabis in the past is welcome news for advocates. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) raised the issue of cannabis rescheduling with the then-nominee in September, stating that the incremental reform would represents a “step in the right direction.” “It would open up the door to more scientific study, and so I’m wondering if you were confirmed, how would you advise the American president about the ongoing rescheduling process?” he asked. Carter said she shares Booker’s passion for the issue, which she characterized as “bipartisan.” “If confirmed as director, I will comply with all federal laws and fulfill all statutory responsibilities of the ONDCP,” she said. “However, we will continue to work extensively with research and data. We will continue to do that and explore all options.” Tuesday’s vote on her confirmation was largely along party lines—with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) joining all Democrats in opposition, and all other Republicans in support. While Carter has spoken often about various marijuana policy issues—focusing attention on illicit trafficking and illegal grow operations on U.S. land, for example—her public comments on how she personally feels about the topic have been limited. What she did say in a 2024 episode of her podcast, The Sara Carter Show, signaled that she draws a distinction between legally regulated and illicitly supplied marijuana. “I don’t have any problem if it’s legalized and it’s monitored,” she said. “I mean, I may have my own issues of how I feel about that, but I do believe that cannabis for medicinal purposes and medical reasons is a fantastic way of handling—especially for people with cancer and other illnesses, you know—of handling the illness and the side effects of the medication and those illnesses. So I’m not saying we’ve gotta make it illegal.” Last month, a Democratic senator temporarily held up the Republican majority’s attempt to advance Carter’s confirmation, saying she is among many “unqualified” candidates who threaten to “undermine the rule of law and our national security.” Carter will be the second White House drug czar in a row who has voiced support for medical marijuana, following former President Joe Biden’s ONDCP director Rahul Gupta, who worked as a consultant for a cannabis businesses and also oversaw implementation of West Virginia’s medical marijuana program. On her social media, Carter has previously shared links—without commentary—to news stories about a variety of marijuana-related issues. In addition to her focus on illicit cartel grows, she’s also posted about congressional and state-level legalization votes, staffers in the Biden administration being fired over past cannabis use, Democratic presidential candidates’ support for legalization, the advancement of cannabis banking legislation in Congress and state policy developments such as Alaska’s legalization of cannabis cafes. Carter has separately sounded the alarm about the risk of pesticides and other contaminants in marijuana grown and sold by Chinese cartels—an issue that was taken up by a House committee last year. Also last year, the incoming ONDCP director talked about the issue with Derek Maltz, a then-retired Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official who temporarily served as acting administrator of the agency prior to the confirmation of Trump’s permanent pick, Terrance Cole. In an X post about the interview with Maltz, Carter said he exposed how “Chinese marijuana grow operations are using hazardous chemicals as pesticides.” —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.— In 2022, U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA) applauded Carter, who worked with his office to bring attention to illicit grow operations in his district, leading to a local law enforcement investigation. Carter gave the congressman credit, saying “your work in taking down the illegal marijuana grows has stopped cartels from exploiting your community, those people forced to work on them and the [money].” In an interview with Fox News’s Sean Hannity in 2021, she also talked about her work with Garcia—including accompanying him on a helicopter to survey “miles and miles and miles of vast, sophisticated illegal grows worth tens of millions of dollars.” Cartels have “become extremely more brazen. They’re not afraid of hiding it,” she said. “They don’t hide it because they don’t feel that they’ll ever be held accountable for it.” In a sense, Carter has seemed to implicitly suggest at multiple times that she supports regulated access to cannabis as a means of promoting public safety and health. Whether and how that implied position will influence federal policy now that she’s confirmed is yet to be seen. On her social media, she’s previously shared links—without commentary—to news stories about a variety of marijuana-related issues. In addition to her focus on illicit cartel grows, she’s also posted about congressional and state-level legalization votes, staffers in the Biden administration being fired over past cannabis use, Democratic presidential candidates’ support for legalization, the advancement of cannabis banking legislation in Congress and state policy developments such as Alaska’s legalization of cannabis cafes. The post Congresswoman Pushes Trump’s New Drug Czar To Back Full Marijuana Legalization And Follow ‘Science, Not Stigma’ appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

A top Hawaii lawmaker says he will work to advance a bill this session that would put the question of marijuana legalization to voters after repeated failed efforts to enact the reform legislatively in recent sessions. House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee Chairman David Tarnas (D) previewed the plan in an interview with Honolulu Civil Beat that was published on Monday. Given the legislature’s evident reluctance to end prohibition on its own despite public support for legalization, he said the issue ought to be decided by voters. “This is kicking this particular policy decision—very selectively—to the public for a decision,” Tarnas, who has previously sponsored legalization and other marijuana reform bills, said. While Gov. Josh Green (D) supports legalizing cannabis, and polling has indicated that Hawaiians are ready for the policy change, the chairman is signaling that he doesn’t anticipate that the legislature will be ready to move forward with a legislative reform this year but may instead be inclined to defer to voters. House Speaker Nadine Nakamura (D) has acknowledged broad public support for marijuana legalization, but said that some of her chamber’s members from the island of Oahu are not on board with the reform. Putting legalization on the ballot would come in the form of a proposed constitutional amendment under Tarnas’s plan, which would require a two-thirds vote in each chamber of the legislature. Hawaii’s Senate last February narrowly defeated a proposal that would have increased fivefold the amount of cannabis that a person could possess without risk of criminal charges. Had the measure become law, it would have increased the amount of cannabis decriminalized in Hawaii from the current 3 grams up to 15 grams. Possession of any amount of marijuana up to that 15-gram limit would have been classified as a civil violation, punishable by a fine of $130. A Senate bill that would have legalized marijuana for adults, meanwhile, ultimately stalled for the session. That measure, SB 1613, failed to make it out of committee by a legislative deadline. While advocates felt there was sufficient support for the legalization proposal in the Senate, it’s widely believed that House lawmakers would have ultimately scuttled the measure, as they did last February with a legalization companion bill, HB 1246. In 2024, a Senate-passed legalization bill also fizzled out in the House. Last year’s House vote to stall the bill came just days after approval from a pair of committees at a joint hearing. Ahead of that hearing, the panels received nearly 300 pages of testimony, including from state agencies, advocacy organizations and members of the public. Green signed separate legislation last year to allow medical marijuana caregivers to grow marijuana on behalf of up to five patients rather than the current one. And in July, the governor signed another bill that establishes a number of new rules around hemp products in Hawaii, including a requirement that distributors and retailers obtain a registration from the Department of Health. Lawmakers also sent a bill to the governor that would help speed the expungement process for people hoping to clear their records of past marijuana-related offenses—a proposal Green signed into law in April. That measure, HB 132, from Tarnas, is intended to expedite expungements happening through a pilot program signed into law in 2024 by Green. Specifically, it will remove a distinction between marijuana and other Schedule V drugs for the purposes of the expungement program. The bill’s proponents said the current wording of the law forces state officials to comb through thousands of criminal records manually in order to identify which are eligible for expungement under the pilot program. Meanwhile, in November, Hawaii officials finalized rules that will allow medical marijuana dispensaries to sell an expanded assortment of products for patients—including dry herb vaporizers, rolling papers and grinders—while revising the state code to clarify that cannabis oils and concentrates can be marketed for inhalation. The department also affirmed its support for federal marijuana rescheduling—a policy change that President Donald Trump ordered to be completed last month but has yet to come to fruition. —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.— Regulators are also launching a series of courses designed to educate physicians and other healthcare professionals about medical marijuana as the state’s cannabis program expands. The underlying medical marijuana expansion bill signed by the governor in late June, in addition to allowing more patients to more easily access cannabis, also contains a provision that advocates find problematic. Before lawmakers sent the legislation to Green, a conference committee revised the plan, inserting a provision to allow DOH to access medical marijuana patient records held by doctors for any reason whatsoever. This past fall, regulators solicited proposals to assess the state’s current medical marijuana program—and also sought to estimate demand for recreational sales if the state eventually moves forward with adult-use legalization. Some read the move as a sign the regulatory agency saw a need to prepare to the potential reform. Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen. The post Top Hawaii Lawmaker Previews Bill To Let Voters Decide On Marijuana Legalization At The Ballot appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

The New Hampshire House of Representatives has approved a bill to legalize marijuana in the state—though its chances of passage in the Senate remain dubious, and the governor has expressed clear opposition to the reform. Also on Wednesday, the House passed a proposal to allow medical cannabis dispensaries to become for-profit businesses. The marijuana legalization measure, sponsored by Rep. Jared Sullivan (D), cleared the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee in October. And on Wednesday, the body approved it in a 208-135 vote. “It is time to stop arresting people for simple possession of cannabis and start treating it with the same fairness and regulation we apply to alcohol,” Sullivan said in a committee majority report. “The majority of our constituents already support legal cannabis, and it is time for the law to reflect the will of the people.” “This bill creates a framework for responsible regulation, testing, and taxation while protecting public safety and freeing law enforcement to focus on serious crimes,” he said. “Legalization will open the door to new economic opportunities for local businesses and generate revenue for prevention, treatment, and education. Most importantly, it acknowledges reality—cannabis is already part of our society, and it is better for everyone when it is safe, legal, and responsibly regulated.” At the committee level, members agreed to move forward with the cannabis bill, even though they generally accepted that it was unlikely to advance beyond the chamber given opposition in the Senate and the threat of a veto by the governor. Rep. Lilli Walsh (R) argued in a committee minority report that legalizing marijuana “would come with significant psychiatric, public safety, and societal costs that far outweigh any projected state revenue.” “Numerous studies show that frequent marijuana use—especially among young men—leads to higher rates of depression, psychosis, and long-term cognitive decline,” she said. “Daily users often struggle with motivation, concentration, and productivity, creating barriers to steady employment and personal stability. We have an obligation to protect our youth from the proven mental health risks of early cannabis use, not normalize it under the false guise of harmless recreation.” If enacted, HB 186 would legalize possession of up to 2 ounces of cannabis flower, 10 grams of concentrates and products with up to 2 grams of THC for adults over 21 years of age. They could also grow six plants at home, three of which could be mature. Past cannabis possession convictions would be vacated, and non-discrimination protections for consumers would be established, including for access to medical care, public benefits, child custody and government employment. A new Cannabis Commission would be established to license and regulate the marijuana industry, along with a Cannabis Advisory Board. Recreational cannabis sales would be taxed at 8.5 percent, with revenue being split between program administration, municipalities, substance misuse programs, public safety agencies and the state general fund. Localities across the state would have ballot referendums asking voters if they want to opt in to allowing retail marijuana sales. The bill will now head to the House Finance Committee before potentially coming back to the House floor for a final vote and, if approved there a second time, will advance to the Senate for consideration. Sullivan’s legalization bill is one of several cannabis proposals filed for the 2026 session, including legislation from Rep. Jonah Wheeler (D) that seeks to put a constitutional amendment on the state ballot that would let voters decide if they want to legalize marijuana for adults 21 and older, allowing them to “possess a modest amount of cannabis for their personal use.” Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) has already threatened to veto any legalization bill that reaches her desk, though the constitutional amendment proposal would not require gubernatorial action. The governor said in August that her position on the reform would not change even if the federal government moved forward with rescheduling the plant. Since then, President Donald Trump has directed the attorney general to finalize the process of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). At a committee meeting last year, Sullivan ultimately made a persuasive argument for advancing his legalization bill, pointing out that the House has repeatedly passed similar legislation and that the chamber should stand its ground, forcing the Senate and governor to again go on record with their opposition to a policy popular among voters. “We know where it’s going to go. Let’s send a virtue signal,” Sullivan said. “Let them be the ones that are pissing off voters who care about this.” Meanwhile, the House also approved a bill on Wednesday from Rep. Wendy Thomas (D) that would allow medical marijuana dispensaries (known as “alternative treatment centers,” or ATCs, in the state) to convert their dispensary licenses to become for-profit entities. HB 54, which passed on the consent calendar with other legislation, previously advanced unanimously out of the House Finance Committee. Part of the motivation behind the legislation is the fact that medical marijuana dispensaries don’t qualify for federal non-profit status. But in the state, they’re considered non-profit organizations, which has resulted in disproportionately increased operating costs. Other bills filed for 2026 include two proposals to protect the gun rights of medical cannabis patients. There are also a few pieces of legislation aimed at regulating hemp sales—an issue that’s receiving heightened attention given that Congress passed, and Trump signed, an appropriations bill that would effectively re-criminalize most consumable hemp products. Meanwhile, after the House added provisions to a Senate-passed bill last year that would allow medical marijuana patients to grow cannabis at home, those measures were stripped in conference. Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer. The post New Hampshire House Passes Bills To Legalize Marijuana And Let Dispensaries Convert To For-Profit Status appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

It’s the season of New Year’s resolutions again, and Americans are apparently more inclined to quit or reduce their use of alcohol and tobacco than want to abstain from marijuana, according to a new poll. The survey from Censuswide, which was commissioned by Northerner.com, asked 1,003 U.S. adults about their resolutions for 2026. Among the 15 options, respondents were least inclined to curb their cannabis use. Just 8 percent of Americans said they wanted to reduce or cease their marijuana consumption. By contrast, 10 percent said they wanted to limit alcohol use, 12 percent said the same about tobacco and 16 percent wanted to limit their social media use. The most common New Year’s resolution commitment was to improve physical health, at 35 percent. Young people aged 21-24 were most likely (13 percent) to say they wanted to lower or quit their marijuana use, followed by those 25-34 (12 percent), 45-54 (5 percent) and 55+ (4 percent). Men were twice as likely (12 percent) to say they wanted to cut out cannabis compared to women (6 percent). And among those who said they wanted to reduce marijuana use in 2026, 40 percent said they’ve tried and failed in the past. Asked about the reasons they resolved to limit marijuana consumption, more than 50 percent said they feel it would “improve their independence and flexibility.” Forty-seven percent said they felt it would “make them feel more accomplished.” And 40 percent said they believe it “will help them lead a more active lifestyle and improve their mental and emotional well-being.” The fact that fewer people intend to quit cannabis over alcohol and tobacco in the new year isn’t especially surprising. While half of Americans report that they’ve tried marijuana, it’s still not as commonly used as alcohol or tobacco. Public education campaigns have also proven effective at deterring some, particularly young people, from drinking or using tobacco products that are legal and regulated for adults at the federal level, unlike cannabis. Recent polling shows that younger Americans are increasingly using cannabis-infused beverages as a substitute for alcohol—with one in three millennials and Gen Z workers choosing THC drinks over booze for after-work activities like happy hours. Another survey released in October found that a majority of Americans believe marijuana represents a “healthier option” than alcohol—and most also expect cannabis to be legal in all 50 states within the next five years. Smoking marijuana is also associated with “significantly” reduced rates of alcohol consumption, according to a recent federally funded study that involved adults smoking joints in a makeshift bar. A study published last year found that adults who drink cannabis-infused beverages has found more evidence of a “substitution effect,” with a significant majority of participants reporting reduced alcohol use after incorporating cannabinoid drinks into their routines. Another survey released last year also showed that four in five adults who drink cannabis-infused beverages say they’ve reduced their alcohol intake—and more than a fifth have quit drinking alcohol altogether. The post More Americans Want To Quit Using Alcohol And Tobacco Than Marijuana In 2026, New Year’s Resolution Poll Finds appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

A Florida lawmaker has introduced a bill that would protect the parental rights of medical cannabis patients, preventing them from losing custody of their children for using their medicine in accordance with state law. “A court may not deny or otherwise restrict a parent’s custody of a child or the parent’s visitation rights or parenting time with a child based solely on the parent’s status as a qualified patient,” the bill text states. “There is no presumption of neglect or child endangerment based solely on the parent’s status as a qualified patient.” “In determining the best interests of the child with respect to custody or dependency, this section applies,” it continues. The legislation, if enacted, would take effect on July 1. “I remember speaking with someone last year and the year before regarding public employees potentially listing their jobs even if they have a medical marijuana card and recently heard about parents getting [the Department of Children and Families] called on them,” Nixon told Florida Politics. “Those in leadership won’t look out for working families by providing adequate health insurance,” she said. “At least easing their pain physically without the possibility of them losing their kids is the least we can do.” A Senate version of the bill was pre-filed last year by Sen. Tina Scott Polsky (D), who is also seeking to add employment protections for registered medical cannabis patients in the state. In the background, a campaign is working against the clock to collect enough signatures to again put the question of adult-use marijuana legalization to voters at the ballot. But there have been complications. Most recently, the Republican attorney general of Florida and several business and anti-marijuana groups urged the state Supreme Court to block the legalization initiative, calling it “fatally flawed” and unconstitutional. The parties generally contend that the proposal is written in a way that’s affirmatively misleading, runs counter to federal law prohibiting cannabis and violates the state’s single subject rule for ballot initiatives. The attorney general’s office last month asked the state Supreme Court to review the constitutionality of the legalization initiative. The court accepted the request and set a schedule for state officials and the cannabis campaign to file briefs this month. Proponents of the measure have until January 12 to submit response briefs, then the opposition has until January 20 to reply. The briefs were filed days after Smart and Safe Florida filed a new lawsuit against state officials, alleging that they improperly directed the invalidation of about 71,000 signatures as a turn-in deadline approaches. The campaign has been fighting several legal battles this cycle to ensure that its initiative is able to qualify for ballot placement. The latest lawsuit, filed in the Leon County circuit court, claims Secretary of State Cord Byrd (R) directed county election officials to invalidate about 42,000 signatures from so-called “inactive” voters and roughly 29,000 signatures collected by out-of-state petitioners. This comes after another court upheld a previous decision to strike about 200,000 signatures that the state said were invalid because the petitions didn’t include the full text of the proposed initiative. The campaign contested the legal interpretation, but it declined to appeal the decision based on their confidence they’d collected enough signatures to make up the difference. Now, with a February 1 deadline to submit 880,062 valid signatures just about a month away, Smart & Safe Florida is signaling that the additional invalidations could jeopardize their chances of making the ballot. Currently, the state has validated 675,307 signatures. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) campaigned heavily against an earlier version of the legalization proposal, which received a majority of voters last year but not enough to meet the 60 percent threshold required to pass a constitutional amendment. Former Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) unsuccessfully contested the prior initiative in the courts. In March, meanwhile, two Democratic members of Congress representing Florida asked the federal government to investigate what they described as “potentially unlawful diversion” of millions in state Medicaid funds via a group with ties to DeSantis. The money was used to fight against a citizen ballot initiative, vehemently opposed by the governor, that would have legalized marijuana for adults. The lawmakers’ letter followed allegations that a $10 million donation from a state legal settlement was improperly made to the Hope Florida Foundation, which later sent the money to two political nonprofits, which in turn sent $8.5 million to a campaign opposing Amendment 3. The governor said last February that the newest marijuana legalization measure is in “big time trouble” with the state Supreme Court, predicting it would be blocked from going before voters this year. “There’s a lot of different perspectives on on marijuana,” DeSantis said. “It should not be in our Constitution. If you feel strongly about it, you have elections for the legislature. Go back candidates that you believe will be able to deliver what your vision is on that.” “But when you put these things in the Constitution—and I think, I mean, the way they wrote, there’s all kinds of things going on in here. I think it’s going to have big time trouble getting through the Florida Supreme Court,” he said. In 2023, the governor accurately predicted that the 2024 cannabis measure from the campaign would survive a legal challenge from the state attorney general. It’s not entirely clear why he feels this version would face a different outcome. While there’s uncertainty around how the state’s highest court will navigate the measure, a poll released last February showed overwhelming bipartisan voter support for the reform—with 67 percent of Florida voters backing legalization, including 82 percent of Democrats, 66 percent of independents and 55 percent of Republicans. — 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, another recently filed bill in Florida would make it so patients could lose their medical cannabis registrations if they are found with an open container of marijuana or hemp products inside vehicles. A pro-legalization GOP state lawmaker separately filed legislation to amend state law to codify that the public use of marijuana is prohibited. Rep. Alex Andrade (R), the sponsor, said last year that embracing cannabis reform is a way for the Republican party to secure more votes from young people. Last month, a Florida Republican senator filed a bill to expand the state’s medical marijuana program, in part by increasing supply limits for patients and waiving registration fees for honorably discharged military veterans. A similar version of legislation was introduced in the House. Other recently filed bills in the legislature for 2026 would more incrementally reduce medical cannabis patient registration fees for military veterans and clarify that smoking or vaping marijuana in public places is prohibited. Meanwhile, a Florida Democratic senator introduced legislation for the 2026 session that would legalize home cultivation of marijuana for registered medical cannabis patients in the state. Separately, Florida medical marijuana officials are actively revoking the registrations of patients and caregivers with drug-related criminal records. The policy is part of broad budget legislation signed into law last year by DeSantis. The provisions in question direct the state Department of Health (DOH) to cancel registrations of medical marijuana patients and caregivers if they’re convicted of—or plead guilty or no contest to—criminal drug charges. The post New Florida Bill Would Protect Medical Marijuana Patients’ Parental Rights, Including Custody And Visitation appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

The ban on the carry of open cannabis products applies to both drivers and passengers. By Christine Sexton, Florida Phoenix Carrying an open package of medical marijuana, hemp or THC products, including beverages, in a car, would be illegal and could lead to suspension or possible revocation of a patient’s access to medical marijuana under a bill that’s been filed in the Senate. Fort Myers Republican Sen. Jonathan Martin filed SB 1056 Monday, eight days before the 2026 regular legislative begins. Martin’s bill would give law enforcement the green light to search a vehicle based on the “plain smell” of edibles, hemp, marijuana or THC beverages by creating a new statute that provides “legislative intent.” In doing so, the bill aims to blunt the effect of an October 2025 Florida Second District Court of Appeal ruling that the smell of marijuana alone is not enough to establish probable cause for a police search because marijuana no longer is illegal. Because the ruling was in conflict with one of its previous rulings, the appeals court certified the question of whether the legalization of medical marijuana and hemp in Florida means the “plain smell” doctrine, which allows searches based solely on the smell of marijuana, still is valid.  Sen. Martin didn’t immediately reply to Florida’s Phoenix’s request for comment on the bill. The ban on the carry of open medical marijuana products applies to both drivers and passengers, although it wouldn’t apply to paying commercial passengers or passengers on buses or passengers in self-contained motor homes that are longer than 21 feet. The definition of “open container” mirrors the definition of open container for alcohol. The bill has different penalties for drivers and passengers who break the law. There are 929,655 medical marijuana patients in Florida, Office of Medical Marijuana Use data show. Both drivers and passengers who violate the law could be charged with a noncriminal moving traffic violation and suspension of their medical marijuana identification cards, which enable them to buy the product. And both drivers and passengers who repeatedly violate the law could have their access to medical marijuana permanently revoked. A driver who breaks the law a second time could be imprisoned for up to 90 days and forced to pay up to a $500 fine or both. Jail time for a third offense for a driver would be increased to up to six months and the potential fine upped to $1,000. Police won’t have to wonder whether the driver or passenger owns the open product. Under the bill, an open container of edibles would be considered to be in the possession of the driver unless it is located in a locked glove compartment, locked trunk or other locked part of the vehicle, or is in the physical control of the passenger. Rep. Dean Black (R) filed a similar bill in the House of Representatives on Monday. This story was first published by Florida Phoenix. Additional reporting by Marijuana Moment. The post Florida Patients Could Lose Medical Marijuana Registrations For Having Open Containers Of Cannabis In Cars Under New Legislation appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

The Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump’s pick to serve as White House drug czar. Sara Carter Bailey, who will soon be officially sworn in as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) following a 52-48 confirmation vote on Tuesday, will play a central role in implementing the administration’s drug policy agenda. That includes everything from marijuana and psychedelics to harm reduction and overdose prevention. The full Senate’s approval of Carter comes about three months after the Judiciary Committee advanced her nomination. Carter has voiced support for medical cannabis, while stating that she doesn’t have a “problem” with legalization, even if she might not personally agree with the policy. A former journalist known for her coverage of drug cartels, the incoming ONDCP director also previously advised senators that the administration was keeping “all options” on the table as it considered a marijuana rescheduling proposal, while describing cannabis reform as a “bipartisan issue.” Despite her personal ambiguity on the rescheduling issue, Trump last month signed an executive order directing the attorney general to expeditiously complete the process of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Given the role of the ONDCP director in setting and carrying out the administrative agenda on drug policy issues, the fact that Carter has gone on the record enthusiastically endorsing medical cannabis in the past is welcome news for advocates. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) raised the issue of cannabis rescheduling with the then-nominee in September, stating that the incremental reform would represents a “step in the right direction.” “It would open up the door to more scientific study, and so I’m wondering if you were confirmed, how would you advise the American president about the ongoing rescheduling process?” he asked. Carter said she shares Booker’s passion for the issue, which she characterized as “bipartisan.” “If confirmed as director, I will comply with all federal laws and fulfill all statutory responsibilities of the ONDCP,” she said. “However, we will continue to work extensively with research and data. We will continue to do that and explore all options.” Tuesday’s vote on her confirmation was largely along party lines—with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) joining all Democrats in opposition, and all other Republicans in support. While Carter has spoken often about various marijuana policy issues—focusing attention on illicit trafficking and illegal grow operations on U.S. land, for example—her public comments on how she personally feels about the topic have been limited. What she did say in a 2024 episode of her podcast, The Sara Carter Show, signaled that she draws a distinction between legally regulated and illicitly supplied marijuana. “I don’t have any problem if it’s legalized and it’s monitored,” she said. “I mean, I may have my own issues of how I feel about that, but I do believe that cannabis for medicinal purposes and medical reasons is a fantastic way of handling—especially for people with cancer and other illnesses, you know—of handling the illness and the side effects of the medication and those illnesses. So I’m not saying we’ve gotta make it illegal.” Last month, a Democratic senator temporarily held up the Republican majority’s attempt to advance Carter’s confirmation, saying she is among many “unqualified” candidates who threaten to “undermine the rule of law and our national security.” Carter will be the second White House drug czar in a row who has voiced support for medical marijuana, following former President Joe Biden’s ONDCP director Rahul Gupta, who worked as a consultant for a cannabis businesses and also oversaw implementation of West Virginia’s medical marijuana program. On her social media, Carter has previously shared links—without commentary—to news stories about a variety of marijuana-related issues. In addition to her focus on illicit cartel grows, she’s also posted about congressional and state-level legalization votes, staffers in the Biden administration being fired over past cannabis use, Democratic presidential candidates’ support for legalization, the advancement of cannabis banking legislation in Congress and state policy developments such as Alaska’s legalization of cannabis cafes. Federal statute dictates the drug czar is prohibited from endorsing the legalization of Schedule I drugs in the CSA, including marijuana. “The Director…shall ensure that no Federal funds appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall be expended for any study or contract relating to the legalization (for a medical use or any other use) of a substance listed in schedule I of section 812 of this title and take such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use of a substance (in any form) that— (A) is listed in schedule I of section 812 of this title; and (B) has not been approved for use for medical purposes by the Food and Drug Administration.” Last April, Democratic congressional lawmakers announced the filing of a bill that would remove that restriction. It has not yet advanced in the GOP-controlled Congress. Carter has separately sounded the alarm about the risk of pesticides and other contaminants in marijuana grown and sold by Chinese cartels—an issue that was taken up by a House committee last year. Also last year, the incoming ONDCP director talked about the issue with Derek Maltz, a then-retired Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official who temporarily served as acting administrator of the agency prior to the confirmation of Trump’s permanent pick, Terrance Cole. In an X post about the interview with Maltz, Carter said he exposed how “Chinese marijuana grow operations are using hazardous chemicals as pesticides.” In 2022, U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA) applauded Carter, who worked with his office to bring attention to illicit grow operations in his district, leading to a local law enforcement investigation. Carter gave the congressman credit, saying “your work in taking down the illegal marijuana grows has stopped cartels from exploiting your community, those people forced to work on them and the [money].” In an interview with Fox News’s Sean Hannity in 2021, she also talked about her work with Garcia—including accompanying him on a helicopter to survey “miles and miles and miles of vast, sophisticated illegal grows worth tens of millions of dollars.” Cartels have “become extremely more brazen. They’re not afraid of hiding it,” she said. “They don’t hide it because they don’t feel that they’ll ever be held accountable for it.” In a sense, Carter has seemed to implicitly suggest at multiple times that she supports regulated access to cannabis as a means of promoting public safety and health. Whether and how that implied position will influence federal policy now that she’s confirmed is yet to be seen. On her social media, she’s previously shared links—without commentary—to news stories about a variety of marijuana-related issues. In addition to her focus on illicit cartel grows, she’s also posted about congressional and state-level legalization votes, staffers in the Biden administration being fired over past cannabis use, Democratic presidential candidates’ support for legalization, the advancement of cannabis banking legislation in Congress and state policy developments such as Alaska’s legalization of cannabis cafes. Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer. The post Senate Approves Trump’s White House Drug Czar Pick Who Supports Medical Marijuana As Rescheduling Looms appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

An Indiana lawmaker has filed a bill that would effectively legalize the possession and cultivation of limited amounts of marijuana. The legislation filed on Monday by Rep. Mitch Gore (D) would remove all penalties for possessing or growing up to two ounces of marijuana without creating a regulatory structure for licensed cannabis production and retail sales, giving the state a non-commercial form of legalization. The proposal would amend existing statute that designates any level of marijuana possession or cultivation as a Class B misdemeanor. Possessing hashish and hash oil, which are concentrated forms of cannabis, would still be entirely prohibited. However, the bill would also make it so the cannabis possession threshold for a Level 6 felony—which is punishable by up to 2.5 years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine—would be increased from 30 grams to four ounces. Gore’s proposal has been referred to the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee for consideration. Whether the panel takes up the measure is yet to be seen, but cannabis reform advocates have struggled to make inroads in the conservative legislature. That said, the state’s GOP governor said recently that a move by President Donald Trump to federally reschedule marijuana could add “a little bit of fire” to the local push for cannabis legalization in his state. Months later, Trump did sign an executive order directing the attorney general to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Gov. Mike Braun (R) also said last year that he’s “amenable” to medical cannabis legalization. Meanwhile, one member of the state’s congressional delegation, Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN), expressed opposition to state-level reform despite Trump’s prior comments previewing a rescheduling decision. “President Trump has been honest about it, that when it comes to marijuana, he said very clearly we shouldn’t smell it on the streets. You have a lot of states that have legalized it. It’s caused even more crime and issues,” Banks said. “I hope Indiana is never a state that legalizes marijuana, by the way.” The senator acknowledged, however, that there is likely to be “further conversation” about the issue. Braun, for his part, previously said that “it’s probably time” to allow access to therapeutic cannabis among patients in the state. Those comments came alongside a poll indicating that nearly 9 in 10 Indiana adults (87 percent) support marijuana legalization. Top Republicans in the legislature, however, have openly opposed marijuana reform. “It’s no secret that I am not for this,” Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R) said in late 2024. “I don’t have people coming to me with really compelling medical cases as to why it’s so beneficial. And any state that I’ve seen pass medical marijuana is essentially passing recreational marijuana.” House Speaker Todd Huston (R) doubted any medical benefits associated with marijuana, calling the substance “a deterrent to mental health.” He and others suggested that lawmakers supportive of the reform merely want to boost state revenue. A number of marijuana reform bills were introduced for the Indiana legislature’s 2025 session, including one—from Reps. Jim Lucas (R) and Shane Lindauer (R)—that would have legalized medical marijuana for people with “serious medical conditions as determined by their physician.” Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post Indiana Lawmaker Files Bill To Legalize Low-Level Marijuana Possession And Cultivation appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

A top Republican Wisconsin lawmaker says President Donald Trump made the “wrong” choice to order the rescheduling of marijuana—which he called a “dangerous drug”—but he says the upside is that research barriers may be lifted in a way that demonstrates medical cannabis can be effectively used in a limited way as an alternative to prescription medications. As advocates hold out hope for some form of legalization in the state, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) said he thinks “we are not there” in terms of having enough votes to advance even a medical cannabis bill through his chamber at this point, despite characterizing himself as a supporter of patients’ access to marijuana “for almost a decade now.” At the federal level, however, Vos told CBS 58 that “I think what President Trump did by declassifying—or, you know, reducing the classification of marijuana—was wrong.” “I think marijuana is still a dangerous drug that should never be legalized in Wisconsin. All the data that’s coming out from states who’ve used it—it’s bad for kids, it’s bad for adults, it has long-term consequences that are all negative,” he said. “But the only positive that is going to come out of that is perhaps we will now be able to do some medical research on medicinal cannabis to say, is it something where we now have studies that can show it’s a better alternative than some kind of a narcotic?” Speaker Vos, on medical marijuana, says Assembly Republicans "are not there." Vos goes on to say President Trump reclassifying marijuana "was wrong." "The only positive that is gonna come out of it is, perhaps, we will now be able to do some medical research." pic.twitter.com/uQVdPVbkGr — A.J. Bayatpour (@AJBayatpour) December 31, 2025 Marijuana hasn’t been formally rescheduled yet, as the executive order Trump signed last month simply directed the attorney general to complete the process of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Such a reform would let marijuana businesses take federal tax deductions, while freeing up certain research restrictions that apply to Schedule I drugs. But it wouldn’t sanction the possession, cultivation or distribution of marijuana products without Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. In Wisconsin, meanwhile, with just under a year before voters elect their next governor, the majority of the current candidates have made clear that they will support efforts to legalize marijuana—in part to fund public programs such as increased access to broadband. And while there’s been splintering on the issue between the two chambers of the legislature, a Senate panel recently took up a Republican-led bill that would legalize medical marijuana in the state. Senate President Mary Felzkowski (R) and Sen. Patrick Testin (R) filed the legislation, and the Senate Health Committee debated the proposal at a hearing in October, taking testimony from patients and other advocates. Members didn’t vote on the bill, but the chair said the panel would be advancing it “fairly quickly.” Vos, for his part, said that month that he hopes lawmakers in the state can “find a consensus” on legislation to legalize medical marijuana. But he added that the cannabis bill filed by his Republican leadership counterpart in the Senate is “unlikely” to pass his chamber because it is “way too broad and way too wide-ranging.” As the 2025 session was set to get underway, Felzkowski said she was “hoping to have a conversation” in the legislature about legalizing medical marijuana—though the Republican Assembly speaker still represented “an obstacle,” she added. The Senate leader has previously sponsored medical cannabis legislation in past sessions, formally introduced the new legislation. Meanwhile, a Republican candidate for governor of Wisconsin who has since left the race said in July that he was “open to considering different opportunities” when it comes to legalizing medical or adult-use marijuana in the state, though he has provided little in the way of specifics so far. Current Gov. Tony Evers (D), who supports legalizing cannabis, isn’t seeking re-election—but he said in June that if his party can take control of the legislature, the state can “finally” legalize marijuana so that residents don’t have to go to neighboring Illinois to visit its adult-use market. Separately in June, a poll from Marquette Law School found that two in three Wisconsin voters support legalizing marijuana. The survey found that support for cannabis reform has generally increased over time since the institution first started tracking public opinion on legalization in 2013, with 67 percent of voters now backing the policy change. That’s 17 percentage points higher than the 2013 results. Democrats are the most likely to favor legalizing cannabis, at 88 percent, followed by independents (79 percent). However, a majority of Republicans (56 percent) said they’re still opposed to adult-use legalization. Underscoring the importance of party control, the state’s Republican-controlled Senate and Assembly this summer rejected another attempt to legalize marijuana, defeating amendments to budget legislation that would have ended prohibition in the state and established new medical and recreational cannabis programs. Evers has routinely attempted to change that policy as part of his budget requests—and Democratic leaders have similarly pushed for reform. Republicans in the legislature also cut the marijuana provisions from a state budget proposal in May, as they’ve done in past sessions. Despite Republicans’ move to cut legalization from the budget legislation, party leaders recently acknowledged that the debate over medical marijuana legalization is “not going to go away,” and there’s hope it can be resolved this session. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — “I don’t think anyone is naive enough to think that marijuana and THC products aren’t present in the state of Wisconsin when they are readily available over state lines, so I think we need to come to an answer on this,” Assembly Majority Leader Rep. Tyler August (R) said in February. “I’m hopeful that we can.” “If we’re going to call it medical marijuana, it needs to be treated like a pharmaceutical. But the marijuana debate is going to be something that is not going to go away,” Sen. Dan Feyen (R), the assistant majority leader, said at the time. “The margins are tighter.” There have been repeated attempts to legalize medical marijuana in the legislature over recent years, including the introduction of legislation from the Assembly speaker that called for a limited program facilitated through state-run dispensaries. That proved controversial among his Republican colleagues, however, and it ultimately stalled out. Evers previewed his plan to include marijuana legalization in his budget last January, while also arguing that residents of the state should be allowed to propose new laws by putting binding questions on the ballot—citing the fact that issues such as cannabis reform enjoy sizable bipartisan support while the GOP-controlled legislature has repeatedly refused to act. Previously, in 2022, the governor signed an executive order to convene a special legislative session with the specific goal of giving people the right to put citizen initiatives on the ballot, raising hopes among advocates that cannabis legalization could eventually be decided by voters. The GOP legislature did not adopt the proposal, however. Evers said in late 2024 that marijuana reform is one of several key priorities the state should pursue in the 2025 session, as lawmakers work with a budget surplus. Days after he made the remarks, a survey found the reform would be welcomed by voters in rural parts of the state. Nearly two thirds (65 percent) said they support legalizing cannabis. Last May, the governor said he was “hopeful” that the November 2024 election would lead to Democratic control of the legislature, in part because he argued it would position the state to finally legalize cannabis. “We’ve been working hard over the last five years, several budgets, to make that happen,” he said at the time. “I know we’re surrounded by states with recreational marijuana, and we’re going to continue to do it.” A Wisconsin Democratic Assemblymember tried to force a vote on a medical cannabis compromise proposal in 2024, as an amendment to an unrelated kratom bill, but he told Marijuana Moment he suspects leadership intentionally pulled that legislation from the agenda at the last minute to avoid a showdown on the issue. Meanwhile, the state Department of Revenue released a fiscal estimate of the economic impact of a legalization bill from then-Sen. Melissa Agard (D) in 2023, projecting that the reform would generate nearly $170 million annually in tax revenue. A legislative analysis requested by lawmakers estimated that Wisconsin residents spent more than $121 million on cannabis in Illinois alone in 2022, contributing $36 million in tax revenue to the neighboring state. Evers and other Democrats have since at least 2024 insisted that they would be willing to enact a modest medical marijuana program, even if they’d prefer more comprehensive reform. Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post Top Wisconsin GOP Lawmaker Says State Isn’t Ready To Legalize Medical Marijuana, Criticizing Trump’s Rescheduling Move appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

A Virginia lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require health care facilities in the state to allow terminally ill patients to access medical cannabis if they have a doctor’s recommendation. The legislation, sponsored by Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra (D), would not permit patients to smoke or vape cannabis in the facilities, and their use of marijuana would have to be documented in their medical records. But, similar to a law enacted in California in 2021, terminally ill patients could consume non-combustable cannabis products at state health facilities if they’ve received a certification from a physician. The text of the Virginia bill states that the policy change would “not apply to a patient receiving emergency medical services.” And it specifies that health care facilities would not be mandated to issue medical cannabis certifications. Also, the measure stipulates that facilities don’t have to comply with the law if a federal agency such as the Department of Justice or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services “initiates enforcement action against a medical care facility related to the facility’s compliance with a state-regulated medical marijuana program” or “issues a rule or otherwise provides notification to the medical care facility that expressly prohibits the use of medical marijuana in medical care facilities or otherwise prohibits compliance with a state-regulated medical marijuana program.” However, it states that health care providers cannot “prohibit patient use of medicinal cannabis due solely to the fact that cannabis is a Schedule I drug pursuant to the federal Controlled Substances Act or other federal constraints on the use of medicinal cannabis that were in existence” before the state law is potentially enacted. “Compliance with this section shall not be a condition for obtaining, retaining, or renewing a license as a medical care facility,” it says. Meanwhile, advocates in Virginia are eagerly awaiting potential movement on statewide commercial sales legalization for adult use—and the Democratic governor-elect recently laid out what “needs to be” included in such a bill in order for her to sign it into law. That includes “strong labeling” requirements and allocating tax revenue toward education. “Right now is that we live in this gray space where there’s some legality to marijuana, there’s some illegality,” incoming Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) said last month. “There’s a lot of questions—a lot of confusion—and that creates real problems for Virginians who might currently have the legal ability to buy it for medicinal needs, or for those who might try to fall under the personal use.” Cannabis has been legal to possess and cultivate for adult use since 2021, but there’s currently no retail access for non-medical marijuana. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who leaves office this month, has vetoed bills passed by the legislature to establish a commercial recreational cannabis market—but advocates have been encouraged by Spanberger’s position in favor of the policy change. Meanwhile, last month, Virginia’s Senate president pro tempore filed a bill to provide relief for people convicted of past cannabis crimes, mandating that individuals with certain offenses automatically receive resentencing hearings and have their punishments adjusted. Youngkin has vetoed similar proposals in past sessions. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — Also last month, the legislature’s Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a Cannabis Retail Market unveiled a much-anticipated proposal to legalize recreational marijuana sales that it is recommending lawmakers pass during the 2026 session. Sen. Louise Lucas (D), the Senate president pro tempore, recently said the state should move forward with legalizing recreational marijuana sales—in part to offset the Trump administration’s cuts to federal spending in support of states. Separately, the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry published a document recently outlining workplace protections for cannabis consumers. Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer. The post Terminally Ill Patients Could Use Medical Marijuana In Virginia Hospitals Under Newly Filed Bill appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

“The court recognizes the serious questions about whether this discriminatory tax violates the intent of the cannabis legalization that Michigan voters approved in 2018.” By Kyle Davidson, Michigan Advance Court of Claims Judge Sima G. Patel on Monday denied the state of Michigan’s request to rehear a motion to toss a lawsuit filed by cannabis industry advocates against the 24 percent wholesale tax on marijuana which took effect on January 1. In October the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association filed a lawsuit against the state, arguing that the Legislature’s decision to create a 24 percent tax on wholesale marijuana violates the state constitution by modifying the 2018 law established when Michigan voters approved a ballot proposal legalizing recreational marijuana. Industry advocates have also warned that the tax would bring irreparable harm to Michigan’s marijuana industry, forcing small retailers out of business and pushing buyers into the black market. In her early December ruling, Patel largely rebuffed arguments from industry advocates, denying the association’s request to block the wholesale tax from taking effect alongside its request to have the case resolved without a full trial. However she did permit the case to move to trial, raising questions on whether the Legislature’s decision to create the tax violates the intent of the initiated law, partially denying a similar request from the state to resolve the matter without moving to trial. While the state filed a motion to have their request reconsidered, Patel denied it on Monday, determining that there had been no palpable error in her previous ruling and reemphasizing that questions of fact remained around the new tax violates the purpose of the 2018 law. “It is not certain on this record whether the 24 percent wholesale excise tax will impact prices to the extent purchasers will be driven to the illicit marijuana market,” Patel wrote. “Discovery is required to examine how the tax will impact the purposes of the [voter initiated law.]” Rose Tantraphol, the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association’s spokesperson, called Monday’s decision a win for voters and the industry. “In issuing this order, the court recognizes the serious questions about whether this discriminatory tax violates the intent of the cannabis legalization that Michigan voters approved in 2018,” Tantraphol said. “We’re looking forward to making our case that this tax will push Michiganders, who are already feeling stretched financially, into the illicit market.” In a separate filing, the association has asked the Michigan Court of Appeals to hear the case, arguing it would allow them to pursue the full range of arguments they made in their initial lawsuit. This story was first published by Michigan Advance. The post Michigan Judge Allows Lawsuit Challenging New Marijuana Tax To Proceed appeared first on Marijuana Moment.