New DOJ marijuana guidance actions; CO & FL govs debate cannabis; PA legalization path forward; Veterans group pushes Congress on hemp; MI tax lawsuit
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
After the Trump administration quietly rescinded previously unpublicized Biden-era marijuana enforcement guidance, a U.S. attorney’s office has announced it will begin “rigorously” prosecuting people for possessing cannabis on federal land.
A White House spokesperson told Marijuana Moment that as President Donald Trump signed a bill to recriminalize hemp THC products, the process to evaluate a cannabis rescheduling proposal remains “ongoing” and that “all policy and legal requirements and implications are being considered.”
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) hit back at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) claim that marijuana legalization has led to an “increase in the black market”—highlighting allegations the Florida governor improperly used taxpayer dollars to campaign against reform in his state.
- DeSantis also said a 2026 cannabis measure in Florida is “vulnerable” to being invalidated in court.
Pennsylvania lawmakers did not include cannabis legalization in budget legislation as requested by Gov. Josh Shapiro (D)—but several House and Senate members spoke to Marijuana Moment about the path forward for enacting the reform.
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States sent a letter warning congressional leaders that a newly approved ban on hemp THC products could inadvertently “slam the door shut” on research—saying cannabinoids “could offer a real alternative to the heavy prescription drugs so many of our veterans are given for PTSD, anxiety, pain, and sleep problems.”
Lawyers for Michigan’s treasurer are defending the state’s newly enacted marijuana tax increase from a cannabis industry lawsuit, saying it does not “in any way” alter the voter-approved legalization law in violation of the state Constitution.
/ FEDERAL
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) authored an op-ed on his effort to stop the federal recriminalization of hemp products.
Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR) criticized congressional leaders for “inserting prohibitions on the hemp industry” into spending legislation “without any legislative process and without any opportunity for public process.”
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) tweeted, “Hundreds of constituents have reached out to my office about the impact of this near-total hemp ban on their pain management, jobs, and personal freedoms. Democrats and Republicans representing Floridians should be united in opposing this sweeping policy.”
Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) praised a new book from the president of prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana.
/ STATES
Texas’s lieutenant governor touted a recently enacted expansion to the state’s medical cannabis program as a federal recriminalization of hemp products was approved.
The Massachusetts Senate Ways and Means Committee approved a bill to overhaul the Cannabis Control Commission and double the amount of marijuana a person can legally possess.
An Ohio representative said lawmakers have “pumped the brakes a little bit” on state hemp legislation in light of a new federal ban on THC products being approved.
A Florida representative cheered the federal recriminalization of hemp products.
A Nebraska senator criticized officials for working to “thwart the will of” voters who approved medical cannabis ballot initiatives.
New York regulators approved changes to marijuana packaging, labeling and advertising rules.
The Michigan Emergency Medical Services for Children Committee on Prehospital and Emergency Medicine discussed cannabis vape issues at a meeting.
The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority Board of Directors will meet on Tuesday.
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/ INTERNATIONAL
Japanese officials are accepting public comments on a proposal to classify CBN as a restricted drug.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A review concluded that “hemp is rich in protein and vitamins such as A and E, it is a viable alternative to cow milk not only for those who want to change the diet in a healthy way or have made a vegan choice but also for lactose intolerants” and that “hemp milk, with its highly nutritional value and low allergencity, looks to be an attractive alternative to dairy, soy, and nut milks.”
A case report concluded that “full-spectrum cannabis oil shows promise as a therapeutic strategy for managing orofacial pain and improving sleep quality, providing significant relief in conditions where other interventions are ineffective or poorly tolerated.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Houston Chronicle editorial board is calling on Texas lawmakers to legalize marijuana as federal officials recriminalize hemp products.
NORML is conducting a cannabis consumer survey.
/ BUSINESS
Glass House Brands Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of $38.4 million and a net loss of $12.2 million.
Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of C$39.9 million.
AtaiBeckley reported quarterly revenue of $749,000 and a net loss of $61.1 million.
Sweed launched a bug bounty program allowing cybersecurity researchers to hack its cannabis retail platform and receive rewards of up to $2,000.
Missouri retailers sold $127.6 million worth of legal marijuana products in October.
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