Federal Policy

In a recent letter, 22 attorneys general called on members of Congress to tighten federal rules on hemp-derived cannabinoid products, arguing that the 2018 federal Farm Bill “unleashed… a flood of products that are nothing less than a more potent form of cannabis.”

Vice President Kamala Harris said last week that the Schedule I status of cannabis under federal drug laws is “absurd” and “patently unfair,” and urged the DEA to reschedule the plant under the Controlled Substances Act.

Leading veterans groups and U.S. law enforcement officials have urged the Biden Administration to reschedule cannabis, highlighting its potential benefits for veterans and the need for reform to enhance treatments and reduce unnecessary legal consequences.

Twelve Senate Democrats have urged the Biden Administration to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, countering a recent HHS recommendation for Schedule III that is currently being reviewed by the DEA.

About one-third of cannabis consumers say that if the expected federal shift to Schedule III were to require prescription-based transactions at pharmacies instead of the well-established dispensary model, they would go back to relying on the illicit market.

A recent survey found that President Biden’s cannabis reform efforts are popular among Americans, with the president standing to gain about 11% political support if he were to follow the HHS’ recommendation to reschedule cannabis.

Federal officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last week released the unredacted, 250-page document recommending the rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.

Is the DEA planning to change the scheduling status of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act? In a leaked letter to Congress, the agency has asserted their control over any decision about rescheduling or descheduling the plant.

Researchers with the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, with the support of a $10 million federal grant, are set to track 10,000 U.S. cannabis patients from the start of their medical cannabis journey through at least a year to better understand the efficacy and effects of cannabis medicine.

President Joe Biden has issued additional pardons for simple cannabis possession and use but once again stopped short of granting clemency to any prisoners currently serving time for cannabis-related convictions.

A think-tank focused on taxation in the US has released a report detailing how federal cannabis legalization could generate over $8 billion in annual tax revenue.

The latest Gallup poll found record-high support for the federal legalization of adult-use cannabis, with 70% of U.S. adults supporting the reforms.

A lawsuit in Alaska is challenging the Department of Natural Resources’ recently approved regulations to limit intoxicating hemp products, claiming the rules are unconstitutional.

Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D), a 27-year veteran of Congress and founding member of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, announced this week that he will not seek reelection.

A federal judge in Northern Virginia has denied an attempt to block a recently enacted state law that imposed stricter limits on intoxicating hemp products, with the judge arguing the state “demonstrated that delta-8 THC is a credible threat to the Virginia population.”

The public safety director for Jersey City, New Jersey has filed a federal lawsuit against the state for allowing police officers to consume cannabis while off duty.

A nearly two-thirds majority of U.S. truck drivers and carriers support changing the federal cannabis testing regulations, according to an American Transportation Research Institute report.

The USDA has approved the cultivation of a hemp plant varietal engineered by Growing Together Research Inc. that has genetically reduced levels of THC and cannabichomene (CBC).

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) sent a letter to Division of Arkansas Crime Information Operations Director Rick Stallings outlining safety concerns with the decision to let medical cannabis patients carry concealed handguns.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) recently wrote a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) arguing the chamber should prioritize a measure to permanently schedule fentanyl-related substances under federal law over the SAFER Banking Act, which would normalize cannabis banking.

A group of more than 20 attorneys general sent a letter this week urging Congressional leadership to pass the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act, which passed a key Senate committee on Wednesday and moves next to the full Senate floor.