Tag: the war on (some) drugs

FDA Plan To Include Hemp-Derived Cannabinoids In Federal Adverse Health Event Reporting System Goes To White House For Approval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is moving forward with a proposal that aims to better track the health impacts of hemp-derived cannabinoid products by adding CBD and other hemp-derived cannabinoids as selectable options on federal documents used by healthcare professionals, patients and consumers to report adverse events.

Initially unveiled in January, the proposal would revise the “Product Type” field of FDA safety reporting documents to include a selection for “Cannabinoid Hemp Products (such as products containing CBD).” An initial round of comments was open until mid-March.

In a post published in the Federal Register this week, FDA announced that the “proposed collection of information” has now been submitted to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) “for review and clearance.”

The new filing says that two comments were received in the initial round of public feedback supporting the addition of a “cannabinoid hemp product” category “but encouraged FDA to include additional categories as well that would allow for specific data as it pertained to a wider variety of individual products.” A third called for changes to make entries easier by respondents.

“FDA appreciates each comment and although we continue to modify applicable forms to increase the utility of the information collection as our limited resources allow,” the agency said, “we are proposing no other modifications at this time.”

An additional round of feedback is now being accepted on the submission of the information, with comments due by July 25.

The move—designed to more actively gather information about adverse health effects that might be linked to hemp-derived products—comes amid a number of other CBD-focused actions at the federal level and state levels.

Earlier this week, for example, a powerful House committee approved a spending bill containing provisions that hemp stakeholders say would devastate the industry, prohibiting most consumable cannabinoid products that were federally legalized during the first Trump administration.

The House Appropriations Committee passed the agriculture appropriations legislation in a 35-27 vote on Monday. It now heads to the Rules Committee to be prepared for floor consideration.

While the panel adopted a manager’s amendment to a report attached to the bill earlier this month that provided clarifying language stating that members did not intend to prohibit non-intoxicating cannabinoid products with “trace or insignificant amounts of THC,” the underlying bill went unchanged, despite the industry’s concerns about the proposal.

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Just one single dose of ‘magic mushrooms’ could relieve depression for 5 years, researchers find

Psilocybin, the main psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms, could alleviate depression for at least five years after just one dose, according to a new study.

The research, presented June 18 at the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference in Denver, followed up with patients who had been diagnosed with clinical depression — also known as major depressive disorder (MDD) — and had participated in a previous psilocybin treatment study in 2020.

“Most people who participated in our trial reported improvements in depression symptom intensity or in the ways in which they experienced depression in their life, lasting up to five years after the trial,” study co-author Alan Davis, director of the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education at The Ohio State University, told Fox News Digital.

Doug Drysdale, CEO of the Canadian pharmaceutical company Cybin in Toronto, Ontario, told Fox News Digital that the outcome speaks to the “exciting” potential of psilocybin and other psychedelic-based treatments in treating MDD and other mental health conditions.

“The results of the study are certainly very encouraging,” said Drysdale, who was not involved in the study.

Earlier studies pointed toward the possibility of psilocybin as a potential antidepressant, prompting researchers to conduct the first-ever randomized clinical trial.

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Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission Proposal Will ‘Destroy Patient Access,’ Advocates Say

It’s unclear what requirements the state commission to regulate medical cannabis in Nebraska might enact to license such operations by this fall, ahead of a deadline next week for detailing the criteria for applications.

The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission has until July 1 to write licensing criteria under state law. But as commissioners gear up for their next meeting Thursday, the first with all five commissioners, they have indicated they will consider adopting draft or emergency criteria to accept or deny licensing applications after July 1.

Licensing must begin by October 1, the same time any other requirements for medical cannabis must be enacted, according to a pair of laws that voters overwhelmingly approved in a pair of November ballot measures.

However, with just hours until the next commission meeting, there is no specific indication of what criteria the board will consider.

Also on the agenda is a legal “memorandum of agreement” to help with future rulemaking involving the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Gov. Jim Pillen’s (R) Policy Research Office, the policy lobbying arm of the state’s chief executive.

No draft rules or regulations, including licensing criteria, have yet been made public.

Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, which has led medical cannabis ballot measures since 2020, said she’s faced a lack of transparency and been unable to reach the commission or have questions answered in recent weeks, leaving many advocates “extremely frustrated.”

“I didn’t know we could be more frustrated than what we have been previously, but there just seems to be a new layer added every single day,” Eggers said Tuesday.

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U.S. House Approves Amendment Allowing VA Doctors to Recommend Medical Cannabis to Veterans

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved an amendment that would allow Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) physicians to recommend medical marijuana to veterans in states where it’s legal.

The measure, introduced by Representatives Brian Mast (R-FL) and Dave Joyce (R-OH), was adopted as part of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 3944). The overall bill is expected to receive a final vote on the House floor soon.

The amendment would prohibit the VA from using federal funds to enforce a longstanding policy that prevents VA doctors from assisting patients with enrolling in state-approved medical marijuana programs. Under current rules, VA physicians are barred from discussing or filling out the necessary paperwork for veterans to access legal marijuana, even in the 39 states that allow its use for medical purposes.

The amendment states:

“None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Veterans Affairs in this Act may be used to enforce Veterans Health Directive 1315 as it relates to:

(1) the policy stating that ‘VHA providers are prohibited from completing forms or registering Veterans for participation in a State-approved marijuana program’;

(2) the directive for the ‘Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management’ to ensure that ‘medical facility Directors are aware that it is VHA policy for providers to assess Veteran use of marijuana but providers are prohibited from recommending, making referrals to or completing paperwork for Veteran participation in State marijuana programs’; and

(3) the directive for the ‘VA Medical Facility Director’ to ensure that ‘VA facility staff are aware of the following’ ‘[t]he prohibition recommending, making referrals to or completing forms and registering Veterans for participation in State-approved marijuana programs.

Two bills have been filed this year in the House that would take a similar approach in easing access to medical cannabis for veterans, the Veterans Cannabis Use for Safe Healing Act and the Veterans Equal Access Act, filed by Rep. Gregory Steube (R-FL) and Brian Mast (R-FL).

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Federal Court Upholds Arkansas Hemp Restrictions, Contradicting Texas Governor’s Stance In Vetoing Proposed Ban In His State

Several of the reasons Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) made for vetoing a statewide THC ban, SB 3, were rejected Tuesday by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Texas legislature overwhelmingly passed SB 3 with bipartisan support during the regular legislative session. Late Sunday night, Abbott vetoed it.

In his proclamation explaining the veto, he said SB 3 was “well-intentioned. But it would never go into effect because of valid constitutional challenges.” If it were enacted, “its enforcement would be enjoined for years, leaving existing abuses unaddressed,” he said, adding that “Texas cannot afford to wait.”

He pointed to Arkansas enacting a THC ban in 2023, Act 629, which was challenged in court. A lower court halted it from going into effect, arguing it would “likely [be] preempted by federal statutes and that its criminal provisions were likely unconstitutionally vague,” Abbott said. “The result in Arkansas? Their law has sat dormant, meaningless, having no effect for nearly two years while further legal proceedings play out. That result must be avoided in Texas,” Abbott said.

Instead, he proposed regulating THC similar to how alcohol is regulated.

On Monday, Patrick challenged each of Abbott’s arguments, saying they were flawed and factually inaccurate. Federal law expressly permits states to impose their own restrictions, including banning THC, Patrick said. He also said the Fourth and Seventh circuits have ruled as much and California and Colorado banned THC with no problems, The Center Square reported.

He said he believed the 8th Circuit would rule in favor of Arkansas.

One day later, it did.

On Tuesday, a panel of judges on the Eighth Circuit, including the chief judge, reversed the lower court’s injunction.

The judges also confirmed Patrick’s argument, stating in their 16-page ruling that nothing in the 2018 Farm Bill “preempts or limits any law of a State or Indian tribe that…regulates production of hemp and is more stringent than this subchapter.”

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Rand Paul Files Bill To Triple Federal THC Limit For Hemp As House Pursues Crackdown On Consumable Cannabinoids

As the hemp industry raises concerns about congressional attempts to ban most consumable cannabinoid products, a GOP senator has filed a bill that would triple the concentration of THC that the crop could legally contain, while addressing multiple other concerns the industry has expressed about federal regulations.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the legislation, titled the Hemp Economic Mobilization Plan (HEMP) Act, last week. It mirrors versions he’s sponsored over the last several sessions.

Hemp and its derivatives were legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill, but the industry has experienced multiple setbacks in the years since—and the proliferation of intoxicating cannabinoid products has led to pushes in Congress and state legislatures across the country to reign in the largely unregulated market.

To that point, a GOP-led House committee this week approved a spending bill containing provisions that hemp stakeholders say would devastate the industry, prohibiting most consumable cannabinoid products that were federally legalized during the first Trump administration.

The legislation would “effectively” criminalize hemp-derived cannabinoid products, including CBD, according to a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report.

In contrast, the newly reintroduced measure from Paul would address one of the most common complaints that lawmakers have heard from hemp businesses under the current law, which is that the crop is federally defined as containing no more than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight. They say that’s too low, and so the bill would increase that threshold to 1 percent.

It would also address potential problems with testing requirements under U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations. Hemp processors currently get a 15-day window to test the crop’s flower to ensure that the THC concentration is within the allowed limits. But testing flower can be onerous and farmers have said it would stretch their resources thin, not to mention that the plant’s THC is significantly impacted by external factors.

To fix that issue, the bill calls for final hemp products themselves to be tested, rather than the initial flower from the plant.

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Marijuana Industry Workers Are The Happiest In Any Job Sector In The U.S., Survey Finds

Hourly workers in the marijuana industry rank at the top of the list of “happiest” employees across multiple sectors—with more than 9 in 10 reporting a “positive sentiment” in their job—according to a new survey.

The annual Shift Pulse Report from the workforce management platform Deputy gauged how hourly workers felt about their jobs in 10 common industries—from cannabis to cleaning services to firearms.

While the overall finding of the report is that American workers are becoming less happy, with the happiness sentiment down to 78.5 percent in 2025 compared to 80 percent the prior year, the sector with the most content employees work at marijuana or e-cigarette/tobacco businesses.

A total of nearly 92 percent of cannabis and tobacco hourly workers said they feel positively about their jobs. By contrast, that sentiment is shared by 91 percent of hourly employees at catering, 90 percent in cafes, 90 percent of those in dentistry, 89 percent in gyms, 87 percent in firearms, 86 percent in sit-down restaurants, 84 percent in cleaning services and 83 percent in childcare.

“This may reflect stronger workplace culture and wage competitiveness in newer, regulated industries that prioritize employee retention as they scale rapidly,” Deputy said.

It’s also notable that cannabis sector hourly workers report higher levels of happiness in their trade considering that the industry faces unique challenges under federal prohibition, which has included an outsized risk of being targeted in robberies since many marijuana businesses operate in a largely cash-based environment.

“This year’s happiest industry sectors reveal a growing trend: purpose, predictability, and a sense of control over one’s workday matter just as much—if not more—than prestige or pay alone,” the report says. “For employers looking to improve sentiment, these industries offer practical lessons in team cohesion, autonomy, and culture-building.”

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Attorney Says Just One Signature Could Federally Reschedule Cannabis

In a newly published legal analysis, Denver-based attorney and international drug policy expert Jason Adelstone outlines a compelling case that the U.S. Attorney General has the authority to unilaterally reschedule marijuana—without needing approval from Congress or input from health agencies.

Adelstone points to a rarely discussed provision of federal law, 21 U.S.C. § 811(d)(1), that grants the Attorney General the authority to reschedule substances in order to comply with international treaty obligations. Unlike the more commonly cited rescheduling process involving the Department of Health and Human Services, this statute allows for swift, unilateral executive action.

“All it would take is a press release and a pen,” Adelstone writes, noting that current Attorney General Pam Bondi could shift marijuana from Schedule I to a lower schedule—such as Schedule III—immediately, citing treaty compliance with the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. That move would eliminate the burdensome IRS tax code provision 280E, which prevents legal marijuana businesses from deducting ordinary expenses.

While litigation would likely follow, Adelstone argues the statutory authority is clear and would remain in effect during court proceedings. He also warns that the same provision could be used in reverse—a future Attorney General could place marijuana back into Schedule I without Congressional input, highlighting the instability of relying solely on executive action.

“The real solution lies with Congress,” Adelstone concludes. “Only a legislative fix can provide durable protection from policy reversals and regulatory uncertainty.”

Adelstone also criticizes the marijuana industry’s lobbying efforts, calling them largely ineffective despite millions spent. He suggests a more politically strategic approach is necessary—one that acknowledges how Washington works and adjusts accordingly.

A longtime advisor on cannabis law and international policy, Adelstone has worked with U.S. and global stakeholders on regulatory issues surrounding marijuana reform. His latest analysis throws new weight behind the argument that one signature could ignite sweeping change—but that only Congress can make it last.

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Legal Weed Is Working, Data Suggests: $24.7 Billion In Taxes, Teen Use Down In Most States

More than a decade into America’s state-by-state experiment with cannabis legalization, the results are no longer theoretical. Government data now confirms what early advocates envisioned—and what critics warned against: legal cannabis is reshaping public policy. The numbers tell a clear story, one grounded in billions in state tax revenue and a measurable decline in teen marijuana use.

According to two reports from the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), legal adult-use cannabis sales have generated more than $24.7 billion in state tax revenue since 2014. Much of that money is being directed toward education, healthcare, infrastructure, substance use prevention and community reinvestment. At the same time, teen cannabis use has declined in most legal states, defying long-held fears that legalization would increase youth access and consumption.

“Legalization does not increase youth cannabis use. In fact, evidence suggests the opposite,” MPP’s youth impact report states.

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Marijuana Opponents ‘Have Lost’ The Debate, GOP Senator Says, Arguing ‘It’s Time’ To Regulate It Like Alcohol And Tobacco

A GOP senator says opponents of marijuana legalization “have lost” the fight to maintain prohibition and that “it’s time” for lawmakers to address that reality by creating a regulatory framework treating cannabis “in the same way that we do with alcohol and tobacco,” so that states can set their own policies without federal intervention.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday that featured witnesses from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) pressed the DEA representative on cannabis policy issues.

“I have tried to keep pounding the table and saying, ‘Folks, those of us who were not necessarily eager to legalize pot have lost,’” the senator said. “The majority of states have legalized it at some level or another. I don’t really have a whole lot of emotions about it personally, but for the fact that I don’t think we’re regulating it properly, and I do believe it’s just become another distribution channel for the cartels.”

Tillis seemed to be arguing that the absence of federal regulations, and the policy disconnect with states that have increasingly enacted legalization, has created a vacuum that’s allowed illicit operators to thrive.

“We’ve got to get this under control. We have to realize that pot is going to be legal in this country in one form or another, and virtually every other state,” he said. “We can either figure out how to regulate it by putting a U.S. Department of Agriculture regimen in [and] an [Food and Drug Administration, or FDA] regimen in the same way that we do with alcohol and tobacco are.”

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