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Congressional amendments to either delay the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC products for another year or to speed up its implementation will not be considered on the House floor this week. Rep. James Comer (R-KY) filed the delay proposal as an amendment to the Farm Bill, while Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) introduced the accelerated approach. Neither will advance, however, after Comer withdrew his measure and the House Rules Committee did not make Miller’s in order for a floor vote. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a drug-weight basis were federally . . .

“This legislation sets an important precedent for protecting licensed professionals from unjust discipline while respecting the will of Maryland voters and lawmakers who have legalized cannabis.” The post Maryland: Governor Signs Bill Into Law Providing Employment Protections for Firefighters’ Off-Duty Use of Medical Cannabis appeared first on NORML.

The best pipe for smoking weed shouldn’t have to hide in a drawer. Today’s cannabis consumers are done with fragile, disposable pieces. They want precision-engineered tools that look as good as they perform. A premium marijuana pipe can be both functional and sculptural, and Portland-based Artifact is proving it. Known for sculptural forms, precision-machined metals, and user-focused functionality, Artifact’s smoking pipes and tools blend durability and performance with refined aesthetics. From its flagship Tempest pipe to its soon-to-launch Vesta Magnetic Ashtray, the company is building a . . .

The Jersey City Cannabis Control Board (CCB) revoked approval for three unopened dispensaries while reviewing the status of approved cannabis companies. Revoking Approvals for Unopened Dispensaries Commerce Department Supervising Clerk Marquiea Starks explained that the White Lotus dispensary applicants couldn’t make the meeting. They’re almost out of funds and want to move their property and [ . . . ] Source: JC Cannabis Board Revokes 3 Unopened Dispensary OKs, Reviews Others from Heady NJ

“My stance on this issue has been clear. I remain committed to combatting the growing public health and safety threat marijuana poses.” By Zach Wendling, Nebraska Examiner After the Trump administration federally downgraded medical marijuana to a less dangerous classification of drug on Thursday, Nebraska federal and state representatives remained largely noncommittal. Advocates, meanwhile, said the move means the “last prohibitionist talking point has collapsed.” “Nebraska officials can still oppose medical cannabis out of stubbornness, but they can no longer hide behind the claim that the . . .

On April 23, 2026, the United States federal government did two things that do not belong in the same sentence. The Department of Justice, acting under a December 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump, issued a final order rescheduling FDA-approved marijuana products and state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. It was the most significant shift in federal drug policy in more than 50 years. Hours later, on the same day, the same president posted to Truth, urging Congress to act quickly to preserve Americans’ access to . . .

There was a moment-not long ago-when industrial hemp stood for something real: a second chance for American farmers, a new industrial base, and a pathway to rebuild rural economies. When Donald Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill-containing the Hemp Farming Act championed by KY Senator Mitch McConnell-the intent was clear: restore a legitimate agricultural commodity and let its component parts compete. That promise is not lost-but it is at risk. Let’s start with what’s working. Across the country, hemp farming is growing-and it’s working for farmers. The latest data shows strong double-digit . . .

Maryland’s governor has signed a bill to protect firefighters and rescue workers from being penalized over their lawful use of medical marijuana off the job. Gov. Wes Moore (D) gave final approval to the measure on Tuesday, weeks after it cleared the Senate and House of Delegates. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Carl Jackson (D), amends the state’s medical marijuana law by stipulating that firefighters, emergency medical technicians, cardiac rescue technicians and paramedics employed by the state or local governments will not face employment discrimination or retaliation for testing . . .

“The industry cannot ask for nuanced, evidence-informed regulation while simultaneously declining to produce the evidence that would make that possible.” By Leah Kollross, 23rd State Cannabis beverages are one of the fastest-growing segments in the hemp and cannabis marketplace, and one of the most structurally vulnerable to regulatory backlash. The reason has less to do with the products themselves, and has everything to do with the fact that most operators in this space cannot prove their products do what they claim. That’s not an indictment of any single brand. It’s a category-wide failure . . .

A group of Buddhist monks returning from a spiritual holiday in Thailand were found to be concealing several illicit packages of cultivated enlightenment within their suitcases on Sunday. On Apr. 26, Sri Lankan police arrested 22 of them at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo after customs officials discovered more than 110 kilograms of Kush amongst the group. They were returning from a four-day, all-expenses-paid holiday in Bangkok sponsored by an unnamed businessman, according to local reports. Each was holding roughly five kilograms of the potent cannabis strain concealed inside . . .

China’s agricultural history with cannabis is deeper than previously believed, with a new study placing the staple crop among “the five grains” (alongside rice and barely, for example) that were foundational to the ancient Eurasian economy and “deeply integrated into the daily lives of the inhabitants.” For the study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, researchers at Shandong University conducted phytolith extraction and analysis of 132 samples found in Beitaishang and Qianzhongzitou settlements dating back to the Late Neolithic era. The results showed that, by that point, . . .

North Carolina lawmakers will take a more serious look at legalizing medical marijuana in the state following the Trump administration’s move to reschedule cannabis at the federal level, the state’s top senator says. The North Carolina Senate has passed medical cannabis bills in a number of past sessions that have later stalled out in the House of Representatives. But now that federal marijuana rescheduling is moving forward under a process announced by the U.S. Department of Justice last week, North Carolina’s Senate leader says his members will discuss plans to potentially try to advance . . .

The short answer is: medical cannabis patients in states with medical cannabis laws are now on very different federal footing, but cannabis is not fully legal. The new federal scheduling action recognizes qualifying medical cannabis as medicine and creates new opportunities for patient rights, research, and healthcare integration – but many details still depend on agency guidance, state action, Congress, and the courts.

The short answer is: medical cannabis patients in states with medical cannabis laws are now on very different federal footing, but cannabis is not fully legal. The new federal scheduling action recognizes qualifying medical cannabis as medicine and creates new opportunities for patient rights, research, and healthcare integration – but many details still depend on agency guidance, state action, Congress, and the courts.

Nevada’s ailing cannabiz wants a better relationship with the casinos, the Las Vegas Sun reports. Since the state legalized REC in 2016, the casino industry, which answers to federal financial regulators, has distanced itself from the industry. The industry says that’s part of the problem. The mandatory 1,500 feet between cannabis businesses and casinos keeps tourists away and invites the illegal market in. Ten tears ago, Riana Durrett, who’s now director of . . . Log in or become a WeedWeek Member to read this article. The post Newsbrief: Nevada biz seeks thaw with gaming:Report appeared . . .

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) last week signed into law the Intoxicating Cannabinoid Control Act. In a statement, the governor said the “legislation ensures that Missourians know the products sold in their communities are safe, regulated, and kept out of the hands of children.” “For too long, bad actors have exploited loopholes to market intoxicating products – including candy-like gummies or look-alike products – without meaningful oversight or accountability.” – Kehoe, in a press release The bill aligns the state’s definition of hemp with the new federal definition, bringing the regulation . . .

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is disputing recent claims made by a Nova Scotia government official that unlicensed cannabis dispensaries are selling firearms and participating in human trafficking, the Toronto Star reports. During a legislative meeting last month, Minister of L’nu Affairs Leah Martin alleged that during crackdowns on illegal dispensaries run by First Nation members, police found “some that sell guns, some that sell mushrooms, some that sell cocaine, women.” Nova Scotia’s Premier has also previously alleged that fentanyl was discovered in unregulated cannabis, . . .

The Supreme Court of West Virginia is considering a case that could determine whether the odor of cannabis alone is enough to justify a search of a person’s home, West Virginia Watch reports. The court is expected to rule on the appeal of Berkeley County Circuit Court’s ruling that threw out evidence police found in the search of a home after determining the “strong odor” of cannabis. Excluding the evidence prohibited the state of prosecuting a man on drug charges. In 2020, Aaron Lewis was arrested by Martinsburg police officers after coming to his home during a search for a suicidal woman. . . .

Indiana state officials are holding a series of meetings with medical marijuana advocates at the direction of the Republican governor. One day after the Trump administration announced that federal cannabis rescheduling is moving forward, officials from the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Health and other state agencies sat down with Hoosier Veterans for Medical Cannabis and Indiana NORML to discuss potential next steps at the state level. The meetings, activists said, came at the request of Gov. Mike Braun (R). “The governor has reached out to us to meet with other . . .

“Often the best remedy is not in this court. It’s to go down the hall and persuade your state legislator to . . . amend the statutes that you have an issue with.” By Zach Wendling, Nebraska Examiner The Nebraska Supreme Court heard a technical appeal Monday in a second case in six months asking the high court to void Nebraska’s medical cannabis laws. Both cases have been brought by former State Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell, a longtime opponent to marijuana, who alleges Nebraska can’t move forward with medical cannabis because of federal laws classifying marijuana as a dangerous drug. Kuehn argues . . .

Welcome to the latest edition of “Last Week In Weed,” catching you up on the latest breaking news and industry developments in the world of cannabis. Here’s what you may have missed over the last week: 242 Pounds of Cannabis Seized From Sri Lankan Monks in Major Bust Authorities in Sri Lanka arrested 22 Buddhist monks at Colombo’s main international airport after discovering more than 242 pounds of cannabis hidden in their luggage, marking one of the largest drug seizures in the country’s history. Officials said the monks, many of them students returning from a sponsored trip to Thailand, . . .

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced that it will begin accepting applications this week for medical marijuana businesses to apply for federal protections being granted under the Trump administration’s cannabis rescheduling process. The agency’s “Medical Marijuana Dispensary Registration Portal” is set to go live on Wednesday at 9 AM ET. The move follows last week’s announcement by the Department of Justice that marijuana is being moved from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), in phases. Under an order signed by Acting Attorney General Blanche . . .

Check out this Op-ed by ASA’s Founder, Steph Sherer. Read it here!

Tennessee’s governor has signed a bill to block an automatic review that could have potentially legalized medical marijuana under state law following the federal rescheduling of the drug. Under Tennessee law, federal reclassification of a substance generally triggers an automatic review by the state’s commissioner of health and commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services. But under SB1603, which Gov. Bill Lee (R) approved on Thursday, that will not be the case when it comes to cannabis. “If marijuana is rescheduled or deleted as a controlled substance under federal law, then . . .

The DOJ Final Order on marijuana rescheduling dropped last week. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche ordered that “FDA-approved drug products containing marijuana, as well [as] marijuana in any form covered by a state medical marijuana licensing, be placed in Schedule III of the CSA.” The Order went further than many of us anticipated. It also includes a short section on “Tax Implications.” Here is that section, in whole: “The Acting Attorney General further notes that, as a consequence of this rule, state licensees will no longer be subject to the deduction disallowance imposed by Section . . .