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Tag: marijuana

  • Trump Reclassifies/Downgrades Marijuana

    Trump Reclassifies/Downgrades Marijuana

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order today (December 18) directing the reclassification of marijuana as a less dangerous drug, marking a significant shift in U.S. federal drug policy. The move would downgrade cannabis from a Schedule I substance—alongside heroin and LSD—to Schedule III, a category that includes ketamine and some anabolic steroids. While the change would not legalize recreational marijuana nationwide, it could ease regulations, lower tax burdens on the cannabis industry, and expand opportunities for medical research.

    The order is expected to accelerate a review process already underway at the Drug Enforcement Administration, which typically involves extensive public consultation. A similar reclassification effort was proposed under former President Joe Biden, but Trump’s decision has drawn mixed reactions within his own party. Some Republicans strongly oppose any change, arguing marijuana remains harmful to public health and safety, while public opinion has shifted sharply in favor of legalization, with recent polling showing more than two-thirds of Americans support a less restrictive approach.

    Trump’s order also calls for expanded research into cannabis and increased access to CBD products. While the president has emphasized a tough stance on drugs such as fentanyl, he has framed marijuana policy as an area where federal rules should better reflect state-level changes. More than 20 states have legalized recreational marijuana or allow medical use, though federal law has continued to impose stricter limits and potential criminal penalties.

  • Shutdown End Puts Hemp on the Clock

    Shutdown End Puts Hemp on the Clock

    This week, President Donald Trump signed a funding bill to end the government shutdown, but, according to Forbes and other industry experts, tucked inside the legislation is an amendment that has the potential to dismantle the country’s $28 billion hemp industry. The provision rewrites the federal definition of hemp, and, after a 12-month grace period, would effectively outlaw most hemp-derived THC products, including the booming market for THC beverages and edibles.

    Since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and its derivatives, hemp-derived intoxicating products have proliferated nationwide, sold online and in mainstream retailers without the restrictions placed on marijuana. The new amendment closes that loophole by banning synthetic cannabinoid conversion (such as CBD-to-THC processing) and capping THC content at 0.4 mg per package—far below the levels in virtually all current hemp products, many of which contain at least 5 mg and some up to 1,000 mg per package.

    “This is an extinction-level event for the CBD products industry, and the greater hemp and hemp beverage industry,” said Jim Higdon, cofounder of Louisville-based Cornbread Hemp. “If we can’t stop it, and we don’t pivot, it will destroy our business. Every product that we make currently will become a Schedule I narcotic when it is implemented.”

    Industry leaders, including beverage manufacturers and multistate cannabis operators, warn that the measure would wipe out companies built around hemp-derived THC and plan to lobby aggressively for revised regulations during the one-year window. The amendment has ignited political tension as well, with Senator Mitch McConnell—architect of the 2018 hemp legalization push—now leading efforts to curb intoxicating hemp products amid rising concerns about youth exposure.

    “Mitch McConnell, the man who gave us the seeds to grow hemp, now wants to burn the crop and salt the ground,” said Thomas Winstanley, the executive vice president of Georgia-based Edibles.com. “[We see] it as not one year to ban, it’s one year to regulate. We do not see this as the end. The clock started, but there’s still runway for better policy here. It was a tough battle to lose, but it’s not the end of the war.”

  • Cresco Labs Moves to Dismiss Labeling Class Action

    Cresco Labs Moves to Dismiss Labeling Class Action

    Cresco Labs, the Chicago-based cannabis company, asked a federal judge in Illinois to dismiss a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing the company and its subsidiaries of mislabeling cannabis products. The lawsuit alleges that Cresco’s products were inaccurately labeled, potentially misleading consumers about potency and content.

    In its motion, Cresco contends that the claims lack sufficient legal basis and argues that the company has complied with applicable state and federal regulations. The company is seeking to have the case dismissed before it proceeds to discovery or trial.

    No court date has been set yet for a ruling on the motion, and the case remains under review. The outcome could have broader implications for labeling standards and consumer protection in the rapidly growing cannabis industry.

  • Texas: Expanded Medical Marijuana Bill Opens Door for Vape

    Texas: Expanded Medical Marijuana Bill Opens Door for Vape

    Medical cannabis grower Texas Original today announced its support of Texas Senate Bill 1505 which would improve patient access to medical cannabis. In particular, it would allow the use of aerosol and vapor as a means of administering low-level THC cannabis when medically necessary, saying “these medical products offer immediate relief, which is critical for patients with episodic conditions such as PTSD.”

    The bill, which was heard by the Senate Committee on State Affairs on March 3, proposes amendments to the Texas Compassionate Use Program (CUP).

    “Senate Bill 1505 proposes crucial improvements to the Compassionate Use Program that will benefit patients throughout the state,” said Nico Richardson, CEO of Texas Original. “We are grateful to Senator Charles Perry for his meaningful amendments. These changes will make the program more accessible and bring relief to the patients who rely on it for their medical care.”

    The new bill would also allow for satellite locations where medicine can be stored, improving patient access and reducing medicine costs, and aligning dosing with other prescription medications by capping THC by milligrams instead of by weight.

  • U.S. Drug Agency Schedules Cannabis Hearing

    U.S. Drug Agency Schedules Cannabis Hearing

    The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled a Dec. 2 hearing on its proposal to lower the classification of marijuana to the less dangerous level of Schedule III, according to a public announcement late Monday.

    The DEA had never issued any timeline for its process to potentially change the Schedule I classification of cannabis for the first time since the Controlled Substances Act went into effect in 1970. Still, some in the cannabis industry had hoped for a final decision before the U.S. election.

    The DEA had already received 43,000 comments on its proposal, initially made on May 21, with a comment period that closed late in July. The DEA said the comments included requests to hold a public hearing.

    DEA administrator Anne Milgram said she would determine who will participate in the hearing and name a presiding officer to run the meeting, which will take place on Dec. 2 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time at 700 Navy Drive, Arlington, Virginia.

    The government said the meeting may also be moved to a different location, continued from day to day, or recessed to a later date without notice.

  • White House Asked to Reclassify Marijuana

    White House Asked to Reclassify Marijuana

    Vapor Voice Archives

    The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration plans to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, which could have far-reaching implications for American drug policy.

    The proposed measure, which is yet to be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget, aims to acknowledge the medical benefits of using cannabis and recognize the fact that it is less prone to abuse in comparison to some of the most dangerous drugs in the country and reclassify cannabis as a Schedule III drug.

    However, it does not seek to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes.

    Five people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive regulatory review confirmed the agency’s move to the AP on Tuesday. The move clears the last significant regulatory hurdle before the agency’s biggest policy change in more than 50 years can take effect.

    According to the DEA, the following are examples of Schedule I drugs: 

    • Heroin 
    • Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) 
    • Cannabis 
    • Methamphetamine 
    • Methaqualone (Quaalude) 
    • Peyote 

    According to the National Institute for Health, California became the first State to make it illegal to possess cannabis. In the 1930s, the then U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics warned of the increasing abuse of cannabis, and by 1937, 23 States had criminalized possession.

    By 1970, the Controlled Substances Act passed, and the Federal government categorized marijuana as a Schedule I substance.

    The planned DEA rule change followed an August 2023 recommendation from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that DEA reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. Any change to the status of marijuana via the DEA rulemaking process would not take effect immediately.

  • BAT Ups Investment in Organigram

    BAT Ups Investment in Organigram

    Credit: Roxxy Photos

    Organigram Holdings Inc. has extended its relationship with British American Tobacco. The move boosts the Canadian cannabis producer’s financial strength and positioning it to expand globally.

    Organigram said in a statement that BAT is investing a further $90.5 million in the business, building on an initial $160 million injection back in 2021.

    Organigram said the investment will allow it to extend its footprint beyond Canada, and also strengthen its financial position for long-term, sustainable growth, according to media reports.

    “This investment bolsters an already strong balance sheet and solidifies our position as a leading cannabis company,” said Beena Goldenberg, chief executive of Organigram.

    The firm said the deal enables it to invest in growing the topline of its core business, while optimizing operations to deliver on cost-saving efficiencies, thus accelerating earnings growth.

    Organigram will use the majority of the investment to create a strategic investment pool, named Jupiter.

    Jupiter will target investments in emerging cannabis opportunities that will enable Organigram to apply its industry-leading capabilities to new markets, it said.