A much-anticipated congressional spending bill does not currently include provisions to protect all state, territory and tribal marijuana programs from Justice Department interference, despite pleas from dozens of bipartisan lawmakers. There were high hopes that such language could be attached to the base bill for the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and […]| Marijuana Moment
A coalition of nine U.S. senators on Monday sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, urging him to direct federal prosecutors to not interfere with marijuana legalization policies enacted by Native American tribes. The letter, led by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), requests that the Justice Department “respect the inherent sovereignty of Tribal governments and […]| Marijuana Moment
A Senate committee held a listening session on Friday to address marijuana issues for Indian tribes, discussing relevant legislation and the importance of Tribal sovereignty with respect to cannabis. The Senate Indian Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), first announced the meeting, titled “Cannabis in Indian Country,” last week. Schatz’s communications director recently […]| Marijuana Moment
Congressional leaders are seeking protections for Indian tribes against being federally prosecuted simply because they’ve legalized marijuana within their territory. However, there are some nuances to the proposed protections included a spending bill released by a House Appropriations subcommittee on Monday. The Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations legislation for the Department of the Interior is somewhat […]| Marijuana Moment
The House of Representatives on Thursday voted in favor of an amendment to protect all state, territory and tribal marijuana programs from federal interference. The measure, which would prevent the Department of Justice from using its funds to impede the implementation of cannabis legalization laws, passed in a 254-163 vote on the floor. Earlier in […]| Marijuana Moment
The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a package of spending legislation that contains measures to provide protections for banks that work with state-legal cannabis businesses and allow the legalization of marijuana sales in Washington, D.C., among many other drug policy provisions. The appropriations legislation and attached reports also direct federal government agencies to […]| Marijuana Moment
A federal commission tasked with developing recommendations to improve mental health treatment for military veterans has reached a surprising conclusion: Congress and the executive branch need to promote research into the therapeutic potential of marijuana and psychedelics such as psilocybin mushrooms and MDMA. Following months of meetings, the Creating Options for Veterans Expedited Recovery (COVER) […]| Marijuana Moment
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday issued warnings to consumers about the potential risks of the cannabinoid delta-8 THC, a psychoactive compound that has grown in popularity but exists in an especially grey regulatory space. While lawmakers have specified that hemp is only federally legal […]| Marijuana Moment
Congressional lawmakers are urging House leaders to include broad protections for states, territories and tribes that choose to legalize marijuana as part of a key spending bill that’s expected to be introduced next week. Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Barbara Lee (D-CA), along with 44 of their colleagues, […]| Marijuana Moment
Congressional leaders are proposing a number of marijuana policy changes in newly released spending legislation, including protections for immigrants who use cannabis, freeing up marijuana-related advertising and providing the industry with access to the banking system. There are also provisions concerning hemp. The Fiscal Year 2023 spending bills for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), […]| Marijuana Moment
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is looking to buy portable marijuana analyzers to quickly identify cannabinoid profiles and help distinguish between marijuana and federally legal hemp. In a recent notice, CBP said it is soliciting “statements of work” from companies that manufacture cannabis analyzers that meet the agency’s functional standards. While it didn’t say […]| Marijuana Moment
A coalition of more than 20 U.S. senators has filed a resolution condemning the arrests of American citizens in Russia, including a Pennsylvania medical cannabis patient, Marc Fogel, who is serving a a 14-year sentence over simple possession of marijuana. Sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), the measure was filed to mark the […]| Marijuana Moment
Three senators requested a review of Border Patrol immigration checkpoint actions on Tuesday, citing a past report that found a significant number of searches and seizures were executed against U.S. citizens for low-level marijuana possession. The request to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) outlines a number of data points concerning checkpoint enforcement that the senators […]| Marijuana Moment
A GOP senator is calling on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to “reverse” its updated policy that narrows the window of employment ineligibility over past marijuana use from two years to three months, arguing that it “undermines the security and integrity of the Border Patrol workforce” and questioning the “trustworthiness” of recruits who used […]| Marijuana Moment
Federal officials have been seizing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of marijuana from state-licensed cannabis businesses in New Mexico in recent weeks—detaining industry workers in what appears to be a localized escalation of national prohibition enforcement even as the federal government has largely refrained from interfering with the implementation of state legalization laws in […]| Marijuana Moment
It is “unacceptable” that the Department of Justice has yet to reissue federal marijuana enforcement guidance to discourage interference in state cannabis programs, leaving Americans in a “legal limbo” despite promises to update the policy, two Democratic congressional lawmakers said in a new letter to the attorney general. Writing to Attorney General Merrick Garland on […]| Marijuana Moment
Former President Donald Trump has selected Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) as his running mate in the 2024 presidential election—a choice that could have implications for marijuana policy if the ticket is ultimately elected given Trump’s mixed record and Vance’s opposition to certain modest cannabis reform proposals in the Senate. Vance, who was elected in 2022, […]| Marijuana Moment
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is touting President Joe Biden’s marijuana pardons and rescheduling moves, while calling for broader reform to expunge prior records. However, unlike in 2020, the party’s latest draft platform that was approved by a party committee on Tuesday doesn’t promote broader cannabis decriminalization. The party is also blasting former President Donald […]| Marijuana Moment
Nearly 188,000 people were arrested over marijuana possession in the U.S. last year, according to the FBI’s latest annual crime report, and another 16,000 were booked for allegedly selling or growing cannabis. However, those figures are likely understated given inconsistencies in the federal data and questions about the agency’s methodology. The full 2024 data set […] The post More Than 200,000 People Were Arrested For Marijuana In The U.S. Last Year, FBI Data Shows appeared first on Ma...| Marijuana Moment
A leading marijuana reform advocacy organization is circulating an open letter to the cannabis industry, stressing that the two pillars of the community “need each other” at a time when a “resurgent and well-funded neo-prohibitionist movement” is on the rise. “Neither industry nor advocacy will succeed alone,” the letter from Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) Executive […] The post Top Marijuana Advocacy Group Urges Collaboration With Industry Amid Rise Of ‘Neo-Prohibitionist M...| Marijuana Moment
Medical marijuana legalization is “associated with significant reductions in opioid prescribing,” yet another new study has found. Researchers at the University of Georgia and University of Colorado analyzed prescription claims for 15 to 20 million insured Americans annually from 2007-2020, comparing the prevalence of opioid prescriptions in states with and without medical cannabis programs in […] The post Legalizing Medical Marijuana Leads To ‘Significant Reductions’ In Opioid Pres...| Marijuana Moment
“Today’s decision allows thousands of hardworking Ohio entrepreneurs to continue supporting their families and serving consumers who rely on access to safe, legal, and properly regulated hemp products.” By Megan Henry, Ohio Capital Journal Ohio stores can temporarily resume to selling intoxicating hemp products—for now. Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Carl Aveni granted […] The post Ohio Judge Blocks Governor’s Hemp Product Ban From Taking Effect appeared first on Mari...| Marijuana Moment
It’s a “more accessible purchasing option for medical patients, primary caregivers and consumers, particularly those with physical limitations.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent Missouri marijuana dispensaries may soon be able to offer curbside pickup, which would add to the drive-thru and delivery services already allowed with state approval. The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation published […] The post Missouri Marijuana Dispensaries Could Offer Curbside Pickup Under New...| Marijuana Moment
A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official says the federal government needs to “gear up” to provide psychedelic medicines to veterans and ensure that therapists are equipped to facilitate the novel therapy. As VA continues to support research into psychedelic medicine, Rachel Yehuda, director of mental health at VA’s James J. Peters Veterans Affairs […] The post VA Official Says Federal Government Must ‘Gear Up’ For Expanding Psychedelic Medicine For Veterans appeared fi...| Marijuana Moment
Oklahoma activists are in the “home stretch” to collect enough signatures to put a marijuana legalization initiative on the state’s 2026 ballot, with just under three weeks left to go before a critical deadline. Key to the campaign’s signature gathering operation are partnerships with retailers across the state—from existing medical cannabis dispensaries to tattoo parlors—that […] The post Oklahoma Marijuana Campaign In ‘Home Stretch’ For 2026 Legalization Initiative, With U...| Marijuana Moment
SCOTUS acts on marijuana & guns case; CA gov vetoes cannabis shipping bill; NC psychedelics; Study: Blunt smoking on the rise; OH hemp THC product ban Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Your support […] The post GOP senator pushes federal cannabis “regulatory construct” (Newsletter: October 15, 2025) appeared first on Marijuana Moment.| Marijuana Moment
The U.S. Supreme Court has narrowed its list of pending cases concerning the federal ban on gun ownership by people who use marijuana, with justices declining to take up one of about a half dozen—with the others now set to be discussed by the justices at a closed-door meeting on Friday. On Tuesday, the court […] The post Supreme Court Denies One Case On Gun Rights For Marijuana Consumers, But Justices Will Discuss Several Others This Week appeared first on Marijuana Moment.| Marijuana Moment
North Carolina has the opportunity to “lead the nation” in expanding access to psychedelic medicine for military veterans suffering from major mental health conditions, a Republican state senator says. At an event organized by Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS) and the North Carolina Psychedelic Policy Coalition, Sen. Bob Brinson […] The post North Carolina Could ‘Lead The Nation’ In Expanding Psychedelic Access For Veterans, GOP ...| Marijuana Moment
Officials at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have come out against a series of bills that are designed to protect VA benefits for veterans who use marijuana, allow the department’s doctors to recommend medical cannabis and expand research into the plant’s therapeutic potential. Lawmakers and advocates representing veterans discussed the proposals during a congressional […]| Marijuana Moment
House committee votes on two bills concerning medical marijuana and military veterans that were scheduled for Wednesday have been cancelled, with the chair of the panel planning to hold a later hearing on the legislation instead. The reasoning behind the cancellation isn’t entirely clear, nor is it known at this point when the hearing will […]| Marijuana Moment
A group representing state treasurers and finance officials is formally calling on Congress to pass legislation allowing marijuana businesses to more readily store their profits in banks. The National Association of State Treasurers adopted a resolution on Friday announcing that the organization “supports common sense federal laws and regulations to provide essential banking services to […]| Marijuana Moment
The federal government would save money if a bipartisan bill to give marijuana businesses access to banks is approved, according to a report released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on Friday. The legislation, which cleared the House Financial Services Committee in a bipartisan vote of 45 to 15 in March, would change federal law […]| Marijuana Moment
Some Republican senators say there is a chance that Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, will schedule legislation aimed at increasing marijuana businesses’ access to financial services for a hearing in his panel if it passes the House of Representatives. Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Rand Paul (R-KY) both told Marijuana […]| Marijuana Moment
A congressional committee voted on Thursday to approve legislation aimed at increasing marijuana businesses’ access to banks. Following multiple days of lengthy debate and consideration of several amendments, the House Financial Services Committee voted 45 to 15 to advance the legislation to the full body. Floor action has not yet been scheduled, but cannabis reform advocates are hopeful […]| Marijuana Moment
Advocates of expanding marijuana businesses’ access to banks are pursuing two new strategies: amending pending standalone legislation to broaden its GOP appeal as well as supporting a separate a rider on the issue that was recently attached to a large-scale appropriations bill. While lawmakers have primarily focused on the bipartisan standalone bill, which would provide […]| Marijuana Moment
The Republican chairman of the Senate Banking Committee said on Tuesday that he couldn’t promise that his panel will take up a bipartisan bill to shield banks that service marijuana businesses from being penalized by federal financial regulators. The legislation—called the Secure And Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act—was approved by the House Financial Services Committee last […]| Marijuana Moment
A top official with the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday that the department would clarify to banks that hemp is a legal crop and that they are allowed to provide hemp businesses with financial services without violating the law. During her confirmation hearing for a renewed term, one of the Fed’s board members was pressed […]| Marijuana Moment
Twitter appears to have ended a federal partnership that had presented users who searched the site for certain drug-related keywords, including “marijuana,” with a suggestion they consider entering drug treatment. No such suggestion had appeared for “alcohol” searches. Launched in 2020, the feature has been a source of contention for advocates, who’ve criticized the social […]| Marijuana Moment
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) says that two top Republican senators re ultimately to blame for keeping marijuana banking out of a large-scale spending package that was released on Tuesday—but he pledged to “go back at it next year.” At a Democratic Senate leadership briefing on Tuesday, the majority leader was pressed on the […]| Marijuana Moment
Marijuana banking reform has been excluded from a large-scale spending bill that’s expected to be released as soon as Monday, Senate and House staffers familiar with negotiations told Marijuana Moment. A Republican senator who has been pushing to include the cannabis reform later confirmed the development. It’s not currently known whether the omnibus appropriations legislation […]| Marijuana Moment
As the Biden administration works to conduct a review into the marijuana’s federal scheduling, a bipartisan coalition of congressional lawmakers is asking the president to officially get on board with outright legalization. In a letter obtained by Marijuana Moment on Friday that’s expected to be sent to President Joe Biden and top cabinet officials next […]| Marijuana Moment
A key House committee on Thursday approved a bill to federally legalize marijuana and promote social equity. The Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act cleared the House Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by the legislation’s sponsor, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), on a 26-15 vote. The tally fell largely along party lines, with all Democrats […]| Marijuana Moment
Wednesday is the deadline to submit comments on a draft Senate bill to federally legalize marijuana, and feedback has flooded in from a broad array of advocates and industry stakeholders. While legalization proponents have widely celebrated the introduction of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), they have some suggestions for improvement—principally as it concerns […]| Marijuana Moment
A former U.S. attorney general says that the country is “clearly on the path to decriminalizing marijuana” at the federal level as more states continue to advance reform. Eric Holder, who served as the nation’s top law enforcement official under President Barack Obama, spoke on a drug policy panel hosted by Ohio State University’s Moritz […]| Marijuana Moment
A much-anticipated bipartisan Senate bill to legalize marijuana in Pennsylvania that has been months in the making was formally introduced on Friday. It’s the latest in a string of reform measures that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have been promoting in recent days. Sens. Dan Laughlin (R) and Sharif Street (D) unveiled the […]| Marijuana Moment
Minutes after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and colleagues unveiled a much-anticipated draft marijuana legalization bill on Wednesday, the White House press secretary reiterated that President Joe Biden remains opposed to the reform. However, she notably said the president would be “encouraged” by efforts to advance more incremental reform such as decriminalizing possession, as he […]| Marijuana Moment
A top staffer for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on Thursday about the path forward for a federal marijuana legalization bill and the prospects of passing incremental measures like cannabis banking reform in the interim. At an event hosted by the Council for Federal Cannabis Regulation (CFCR), Schumer’s chief counsel Reginald Babin said that […]| Marijuana Moment
A senator is asking colleagues on the powerful Appropriations Committee to include provisions in an upcoming spending bill to give small marijuana businesses fair access to federal Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs and entrepreneurial development resources that are available to companies in any other industry. Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) has been a longstanding advocate […]| Marijuana Moment
A Senate committee has scheduled a meeting for next week that will focus on marijuana issues in Indian communities. The Senate Indian Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), posted a notice of the listening session, titled “Cannabis in Indian Country,” which is set to take place on June 17. The notice, posted on […]| Marijuana Moment
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has held recent talks with a key GOP House lawmaker about possible interim, bipartisan cannabis reform steps that can be taken as he continues to finalize a comprehensive legalization bill, staffers from both offices told Marijuana Moment on Thursday. The discussions touched on a broad range of cannabis reform […]| Marijuana Moment
The House sponsor of a bipartisan marijuana banking bill revealed on Friday that conversations have been happening behind the scenes with Senate leadership about amending his legislation in a way that more specifically addresses equity issues to win their support. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) made the comments to Marijuana Moment just hours before the House […]| Marijuana Moment
As congressional lawmakers work to advance federal marijuana legalization, a bipartisan duo on Thursday filed a bill that would incentivize states and local governments to expunge cannabis records in their jurisdictions. Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) are sponsoring the legislation, titled the Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement (HOPE) Act. It would encourage […]| Marijuana Moment
A key congressman involved in bicameral negotiations on a large-scale manufacturing bill says he’s optimistic about the prospects of including marijuana banking reform in the final version of the legislation that gets signed into law. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), a longstanding champion of cannabis legalization who is serving as a conferee on the America COMPETES […]| Marijuana Moment
A bicameral congressional conference committee tasked with settling differences on a large-scale manufacturing bill kicked off negotiations on Thursday—and several appointed conferees from the House and Senate took the opportunity to push for marijuana banking reform as part of the package. At least seven members made a point to raise the cannabis issue as part […]| Marijuana Moment
Vice President Kamala Harris will be meeting with cannabis pardon recipients at the White House on Friday to discuss their experiences under the president’s clemency proclamations, and Marijuana Moment has spoken exclusively to one of the invited participants. Staff with the VP’s office started reaching out to people who were pardoned under President Joe Biden’s […]| Marijuana Moment
The head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) says his agency has “communicated” the agency’s “position” on marijuana rescheduling to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and has continued to offer additional information to assist with the final determination. HHS for the first time confirmed that it had recommended moving cannabis from […]| Marijuana Moment
As the sponsor of a bill to legalize marijuana in New Hampshire that has already won initial House approval works to tailor her proposal to better fit the demands of a skeptical Gov. Chris Sununu (R), a senator who led an ill-fated study commission on cannabis legalization last year is offering an alternative legalization plan. […]| Marijuana Moment
A coalition of 36 members of Congress are calling on President Joe Biden to grant clemency to all Americans currently in federal prison over non-violent cannabis convictions by commuting their sentences, pointing out that the pardons he’s issued to date for simple possession cases did not release a single person from incarceration. In a letter […]| Marijuana Moment
The White House and key officials touted policies and accomplishments of the Biden administration—including marijuana pardons, drug sentencing reform, harm reduction and enhanced drug war enforcement for fentanyl—ahead of the president’s State of the Union address on Tuesday. President Joe Biden did not end up explicitly discussing cannabis when he appeared before the joint session […]| Marijuana Moment
The Florida Supreme Court has announced that justices will be rendering “out-of-calendar opinions” on Monday, likely including a decision in a case that will decide whether a marijuana legalization initiative will appear on the state ballot this November. There were strong expectations that the court would release its opinion on Thursday given its routine policy […]| Marijuana Moment
A bipartisan marijuana banking bill remains a “very high priority” for the Senate, and members are having “very productive” bicameral talks to reach a final agreement, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) tells Marijuana Moment. The Democratic Senate sponsor of the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), also tells […]| Marijuana Moment
Former U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) didn’t waste much time after retiring from Congress to revive his push for a bipartisan marijuana banking bill he championed for a decade—this time from the private sector, as a policy advisor now lobbying for the reform on behalf of a national cannabis group. Just over a year after […]| Marijuana Moment
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) says it’s a “mistake” that President Joe Biden’s marijuana pardons don’t cover possession offenses under military code, arguing that cannabis should be broadly treated the same as alcohol under federal law. The senator said during an interview with Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo this week that cannabis reform is one area […]| Marijuana Moment
Rescheduling marijuana could set the country back “another 50 years” on the path to federal legalization, a Democratic lawmaker who leads the Congressional Cannabis Caucus says. At a National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) summit in Sacramento on Thursday, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) told Marijuana Moment that she’s “opposed” to moving marijuana from Schedule I to […]| Marijuana Moment
President Joe Biden stands to make significant political gains if marijuana is rescheduled under his administrative directive, according to a new survey that reveals majority support for the reform. It also found that marijuana enjoys greater favorability with voters compared to Biden and former President Donald Trump. The poll conducted by Lake Research Partners and […]| Marijuana Moment
The Biden administration is being pressed to reschedule marijuana by two coalitions representing military veterans and law enforcement—including a group that counts Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram among its members. In a pair of recent letters sent to DEA and President Joe Biden, Law Enforcement Leaders To Reduce Crime & Incarceration (LEL) and […]| Marijuana Moment
A multinational investment bank says that marijuana has become a “formidable competitor” to alcohol, projecting that nearly 20 million more people will regularly consume cannabis over the next five years as booze loses a couple million drinkers. It also says marijuana sales are estimated to reach $37 billion in 2027 as more state markets come […]| Marijuana Moment
The Washington State Senate has approved a bill to create a task force promoting research into psilocybin and developing a pathway for legal access to the psychedelic. The legislation from Sen. Jesse Salomon (D)—which was effectively gutted in an earlier Senate committee to exclude original regulated access provisions—cleared the full chamber in a 41-7 vote […]| Marijuana Moment
A top Food and Drug Administration (FDA) official said on Thursday that the agency is exploring “what flexibilities we might have” when it comes the federal government’s marijuana scheduling review directed by President Joe Biden, which she described as a “very high priority.” But she said that while FDA will lead the scientific and medical […]| Marijuana Moment
A Rhode Island House committee held a hearing on Thursday on a bill that would remove penalties for the use and possession of psilocybin and allow the home cultivation of psychedelic mushrooms for personal use. The legislation, introduced last week by Rep. Brandon Potter (D) and Sen. Megan Kallman (D), would also require the state […]| Marijuana Moment
House lawmakers have delayed committee consideration of a large-scale defense bill—which advocates had hoped to see advance with marijuana reform provisions attached—amid disagreements over several key issues that have not been resolved. Meanwhile, the offices of several Republican senators met with the Department of Justice to discuss their concerns with pending cannabis banking reforms. Advocates […]| Marijuana Moment
“The president was very clear—he wants this done as quickly as possible.” By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra said in Tampa Friday that he intends for his agency to move “as quickly as we can” to comply with President Joe Biden’s directive to review the decades-old policy […]| Marijuana Moment
President Joe Biden is cheering the Oregon governor’s move to grant tens of thousands of marijuana pardons this week, which followed his own federal clemency action last month. And he says other states should “follow Oregon’s example.” Gov. Kate Brown (D) announced on Monday that she was issuing pardons for more than 47,000 cannabis possession […]| Marijuana Moment
“This is the Judgment Day that we all predicted while sharing a conspiratorial joint in the dark days of prohibition. It’s surreal to see our fears manifesting in real time.” By Deb Tharp, NuggMD Politico recently published an extensive Q&A with Howard Sklamberg, a former top Food and Drug Administration (FDA) official who currently works […]| Marijuana Moment
A new study is offering more evidence that marijuana can serve as an effective substitute for opioids in pain management treatment. Researchers in Australia at Murdoch University and the Perth Pain Management Centre set out to investigate how the integration of cannabinoids into treatment for people with chronic non-cancer pain would impact opioid use. The […]| Marijuana Moment
“It over-regulates small businesses, making it harder for them to operate, while failing to put real protections in place to keep hemp products away from minors.” By Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector A Senate committee Wednesday rejected a bill aimed at regulating hemp beverages and products following a tense public hearing. SB 237, sponsored by Sen. […]| Marijuana Moment
“Today, we have hope for those patients—hope that we can proceed with our hearing process and get those products into their hands.” By Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals on Friday overturned a temporary restraining order (TRO) that had blocked the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) from issuing business licenses for […]| Marijuana Moment
More than half of marijuana consumers say they drink less alcohol, or none at all, after using cannabis, according to a new poll. The survey from the cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD that was shared exclusively with Marijuana Moment is one of the latest pieces of evidence supporting the idea of a substitution effect, with people […]| Marijuana Moment
Sweeping new marijuana legalization legislation landed in Hawaii last week that aims to comprehensively regulate not only adult-use cannabis but also the medical marijuana and hemp industries. Sponsored by House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Chair David Tarnas (D) and Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chair Joy San Buenaventura (D), the 311-page companion proposals would […]| Marijuana Moment
Hawaii’s Senate has passed legislation to legalize and regulate adult-use marijuana in the state, sending the proposal next to the House of Representatives. The legislation, SB 3335, would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and up to five grams of cannabis concentrates and would establish a framework for […]| Marijuana Moment
Hawaii officials are seeking proposals to assess the state’s current medical marijuana program—and also estimate demand for recreational cannabis sales if the state eventually moves forward with adult-use legalization. The Hawaii Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation (OMCCR) has put out a request for proposals (RFPs), soliciting input from existing vendors to “conduct an […]| Marijuana Moment
“Plaintiffs also bring this petition in their individual capacities because they have suffered specific injuries as a result of the Commissioner’s failure to establish the patient and caregiver registry and seek to vindicate their own private rights.” By Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector A judge will hold a hearing later this month in a lawsuit filed […]| Marijuana Moment
“Petitioners…do not have standing to bring a claim individually related to the patient registry.” By Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector A state judge Monday dismissed a lawsuit from parents of children who are potentially eligible to receive medical cannabis who wanted to force the state to create a patient registry. Montgomery County Circuit Judge James Anderson […]| Marijuana Moment
Senate Republicans have blocked a procedural vote to advance a bill to the floor that would promote research into the therapeutic effects of marijuana for military veterans with certain conditions. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) filed cloture on a motion to proceed for the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act last week, and that was […]| Marijuana Moment
Bipartisan House and Senate lawmakers are refiling bills to legalize medical marijuana for military veterans—the latest in a series of cannabis measures that have been introduced in the week leading up to the 4/20 holiday. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, introduced the Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act on Tuesday […]| Marijuana Moment
A bipartisan bill to provide military veterans with access to medical marijuana was reintroduced in Congress on Thursday. Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Brian Mast (R-FL), co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, are the chief sponsors of the Veterans Equal Access Act. The measure has been introduced several times in recent years with bipartisan support […]| Marijuana Moment
Congressional leaders have released another set of spending bills and reports, with lawmakers pushing multiagency coordination to create guidance on hemp manufacturing, better guidance on the marketing of CBD, updates on research into medical marijuana for veterans and investigations into “alternative treatments” for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) such as psychedelics. The new legislation and documents […]| Marijuana Moment
Bipartisan congressional lawmakers are looking to use a must-pass defense bill as a vehicle to advance a number of drug policy reform proposals, including provisions to expand access to medical marijuana for military veterans, facilitate the rescheduling of certain psychedelics, protect people from being denied security clearances over marijuana and allow servicemembers to use CBD […]| Marijuana Moment
The firebrand lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania—a longtime advocate for marijuana legalization—announced on Friday that he is formally exploring a run for the U.S. Senate in 2022. In a phone interview prior to the Senate announcement this week, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) spoke to Marijuana Moment about his push to legalize cannabis in the state, […]| Marijuana Moment
Nine out of 10 Kentucky residents support legalizing medical marijuana, and almost 60 percent say cannabis should be legal under “any circumstances,” according to a survey released on Wednesday. The Kentucky Health Issues Poll, which involved phone interviews with 1,559 residents from October to December 2019, shows a significant increase in support for reform over […]| Marijuana Moment
The Kentucky House Judiciary Committee voted on Wednesday afternoon to advance a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in the state. House Bill 136, which has 43 cosponsors out of the chamber’s 100 total members, would establish a medical cannabis program under a newly named Department for Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control. The state agency […]| Marijuana Moment
A measure to legalize marijuana for adult use has officially qualified for South Dakota’s November ballot, the secretary of state’s office announced on Monday. The proposed constitutional amendment, which was submitted by a former federal prosecutor in September, would allow adults 21 and older to possess and distribute up to one ounce of marijuana. Individuals […]| Marijuana Moment
The denial of home loans by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to military veterans because of work in the state-legal marijuana industry is prompting congressional action. On Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee included language in a report attached to a 2020 VA funding bill demanding clarification on the issue: “Home Loan Income Verification.—The […]| Marijuana Moment
A bipartisan marijuana banking bill has taken three new steps closer to a full floor vote in the House of Representatives after it was formally reported by one committee, another key panel discharged the legislation and it was placed on the body’s Union Calendar. The proposal, which would protect banks that service state-legal cannabis businesses […]| Marijuana Moment
President-elect Joe Biden is reportedly set to nominate Judge Merrick Garland—who seems to feel that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) should be deferred to when it comes to the science and classification of marijuana—to serve as the next U.S. attorney general. But according to press reports, he’s also selecting two civil rights activists who embrace […]| Marijuana Moment
A bipartisan group of 29 congressional lawmakers from both the House and Senate sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Thursday, asking that he formally back federal marijuana legalization as the administration carries out a review of cannabis scheduling at his direction. The letter, the text of which was obtained by Marijuana Moment last […]| Marijuana Moment
President-elect Joe Biden has picked the current attorney general of California to lead serve as the next federal secretary of health and human services, a position that could play a central role in loosening laws prohibiting marijuana. That seems to be good news for legalization advocates, as Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) has a considerable […]| Marijuana Moment
A bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers filed a bill on Thursday that would direct the attorney general to create a commission charged with making recommendations on a regulatory system for marijuana that models what’s currently in place for alcohol. Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Brian Mast (R-FL) are teaming up on what’s […]| Marijuana Moment
As congressional lawmakers pursue marijuana legalization, a pair of U.S. senators is calling on Attorney General Merrick Garland to use his own authority to swiftly end federal cannabis prohibition. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) sent a letter on Wednesday making the case that the Justice Department should initiate a descheduling process in […]| Marijuana Moment
Several Republican members of Congress introduced a bill on Monday to federally legalize and tax marijuana as an alternative to pending far-reaching Democratic-led reform proposals and scaled-down GOP cannabis descheduling legislation. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) is sponsoring the bill—titled the States Reform Act—along with a handful of initial Republican cosponsors. It would end federal marijuana […]| Marijuana Moment
