Month: August 2025

The Drug Policy Alliance is seeking signatures for a petition that asks the Trump administration to deschedule cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), rather than rescheduling it to Schedule III, saying descheduling “is the only way to truly end federal marijuana prohibition.” 

The petition notes that during the 2024 presidential campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump (R) said he believed it was time to end arrests for cannabis and incarceration for low-level possession. 

“Anything less than descheduling falls short because it will continue criminalizing people for marijuana. It will leave everyday Americans at risk of being arrested, incarcerated, and saddled with criminal records that can create lifelong barriers to housing, jobs, and so much more. We can’t let these harms go on! That’s why we hope you will deschedule marijuana to end federal marijuana criminalization once and for all and deliver on what the American people want and deserve.” — Drug Policy Alliance, in the petition 

The organization says that descheduling cannabis completely under federal law would end federal criminal penalties, advance expungements for those with cannabis convictions, protect public health and consumer safety, and that cannabis-derived tax revenues would be invested in communities harmed by prohibition.    

Earlier this

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Google has launched a pilot program in Canada that allows licensed cannabis retailers to advertise their products online using Google Ads.

First reported by StratCann, Google said in an August 20 update to the company’s advertising policies that the program’s “purpose is to explore user interest and inform potential future policy updates.” The program will run for up to 20 weeks.

Only federally licensed cannabis companies in Canada will be able to participate in the pilot Google Ads program. Additionally, if users see advertising for cannabis products during the pilot program, but would prefer not to, “you’ll have the option to opt out and manage your ad preferences,” the company said.

Canadian federal law places heavy restrictions on cannabis advertising; however, licensed cannabis brands are allowed to share information so long as the audience is of legal consumption age. As an online platform, Google’s constant monitoring and collection of consumer data could make it especially well-suited for age-gating advertising audiences.

In the U.S. — where cannabis remains federally prohibited — Google Ads has allowed advertisements for topical hemp cannabinoid products, the report said, but doing so requires advertisers to apply for permission, and they could face further restrictions depending on

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A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that when dairy cows were fed spent hemp biomass products, cannabinoids, including THC, were undetectable in milk after a 12-day withdrawal period, but THC remained detectable in the cows’ fat tissue for up to 30 days after the withdrawal period.

Hemp biomass is the organic material (stalks, leaves, stems, and roots) of the hemp plant, often left over after harvesting flowers and seeds.

The Oregon State University researchers also found that CBD and CBD-acid remained detectable in the plasma of cows after calving (90 days after withdrawal from spent hemp biomass); however, when hemp biomass was withdrawn from the cows’ diet, the risk of ingesting THC by drinking milk from the cows was eliminated after two weeks.

The researchers note that despite “having an excellent nutritional profile,” spent hemp biomass cannot be legally used as a livestock feed ingredient due to the presence of THC, which could pose a risk to consumers due to accumulation in the products produced by the animals.

Earlier this month, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) backed using hemp seed meal – which are hemp seeds ground into meal with some fat removed

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The heads of law enforcement organizations are speaking out in opposition of the Oklahoma ballot question that would legalize adult-use cannabis in the state.  

Todd Gibson, president of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police, told News 9 that the organization and more than 300 police chiefs oppose the proposal, arguing that, if passed, the measure would “tie the hands of police officers and prosecutors” by limiting the use of cannabis in a suspect’s system as evidence.

“Oklahomans have already resoundingly spoken out on this topic, and it creates serious public safety concerns, community concerns and concerns for our youth.” — Gibson to News 9 

Donnie Anderson, director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, told News 9 that the state’s medical cannabis program – considered among the most permissive in the nation – is already fueling illicit sales in the state.   

“From March 2024 to March 2025, Oklahoma produced over 87 million plants,” he told News 9. “Only 1.6 million pounds were sold legally. That leaves more than 85 million pounds unaccounted for.” 

Anderson added that the state has seen a 30% increase in cannabis use among 11- and 12-year-olds and a 56% increase among high

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Adult-use cannabis sales in Washington state have been falling for five years, according to Department of Revenue data reported by KHQ.

First-quarter sales in 2025 reached $277 million, which is nearly $100 million less than the market’s peak during the pandemic in 2021. Based on current trends, annual cannabis sales this year could be the state’s lowest since 2019 after five straight years of declining sales in Washington.

Regulators attribute the decline to oversupply issues, which drive prices down and make it more difficult for licensees to turn a profit.

Officials with the state Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) recently announced the largest expansion of cannabis dispensaries since the market’s launch over a decade ago, offering up to 52 new retail social equity licenses.

Meanwhile, a report from the state’s legislative auditor found that “Washington businesses produced two to three times more cannabis than retailers sold in 2023,” and that “inaccurate and incomplete data” had hampered regulators’ capacity for “data-driven regulation.”

The auditcalls on the LCB to submit a plan to lawmakers by December 31, 2025, containing strategies to improve data accuracy.

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Massachusetts Auditor Diana DiZoglio last week released an audit of the state’s Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), claiming to have uncovered violations and mismanagement issues at the commission, NBC Boston reports.

The audit found that officials “failed to take appropriate steps and institute procedures” to guarantee the administering of cannabis industry license extensions, and that a “lack of supervision and minimal accountability over licensing staff members” helped contribute to the breakdown.

“CCC’s mismanagement of prorated fees for license extensions resulted in procedural inequity, revenue loss, and noncompliance with state regulations.” — Excerpt from the audit summary

The commission said it has “been working closely with the State Auditor’s Office for almost a year and will review the report released today in furtherance of our shared commitment to government improvement. Over the course of the audit period and since, the Commission has hired key leaders, made progress to address many of the issues referenced, and begun to move forward in a constructive way.”

The report was released hours after the commission voted unanimously to reinstate the license of Assured Testing, a testing lab accused of failing to report thousands of contaminated cannabis samples, the report said. The commission issued penalties

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The international psychedelic drugs market, estimated at $7.4 billion globally in 2025, is expected to grow to $22.6 billion by 2033, according to a report published in Research and Markets.

The report covered both synthetic and natural psychedelics that are under investigation for mental health therapy, including psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, ketamine, and DMT. Recent research has found that certain psychedelic substances show promise in treating mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD and treatment-resistant depression.

Researchers calculated the market for products manufactured for medicinal and research purposes and recreational purposes, focusing on online retailers, pharmacies, and specialty stores or dispensaries as the industry’s distribution channels.

With an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15%, the report authors said the rapid expansion is thanks to a growing research base and a significant shift in public opinion regarding the potential benefits of psychedelics. Additionally, the authors predicted that innovations in delivery formats and digital health platforms would drive additional growth, highlighting Europe and Latin America “as key growth regions with performing policy reforms and enhanced clinical infrastructure.”

The report considered the psychedelic markets in specific countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, China, India, Japan,

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Texas lawmakers will continue to consider rules to regulate intoxicating hemp products in another special session announced this week by Gov. Greg Abbott (R). In the current session, lawmakers have been unable to pass any legislation due to a stunt by Democratic lawmakers to block voting on a Republican redistricting plan aimed at gaining seats in the House of Representatives. Abbott said he is calling the next session “immediately.”

“With the Texas House and Senate today announcing they are prepared to sine die on Friday, I will call the Texas Legislature back immediately for Special Session #2. The Special Session #2 agenda will have the exact same agenda, with the potential to add more items critical to Texans. There will be no reprieve for the derelict Democrats who fled the state and abandoned their duty to the people who elected them. I will continue to call special session after special session until we get this Texas first agenda passed.” — Abbott, in a statement

Earlier this year, Texas lawmakers approved a bill to heavily restrict — and effectively destroy — the popular hemp products industry. The governor, however, facing heavy pressure from hemp businesses and consumers, vetoed

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A recent audit from California’s State Auditor suggests that cannabis packaging is too “attractive to children” and that “unclear rules and insufficient enforcement” by the state Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) hamper the agency’s ability to identify packaging that runs afoul of state rules.  

The auditor’s report found that more than half of the products reviewed from retail websites – 23 of 40 products – were likely attractive to children. The auditor determined that products that could be attractive to children because they included images of foods – some that mimic children’s treats, such as crispy rice treats – colorful fonts and cartoon images, and other design elements that could appeal to youth. The auditor’s report noted that sometimes it disagreed with the DCC determination that a product’s package could be attractive to children, such as a package for crispy rice treats that shows only the cereal on the package rather than the treat itself. 

The report found a drastic 469% increase in the total number of calls to the California Poison Control System related to cannabis ingestion among children age five and younger with 148 calls in 2016 – the year voters passed the legalization law – to 842 calls in 2023.  

The auditor’s office found

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A federal appeals court in New York on Tuesday ruled that some of the state’s social equity rules for cannabis licenses are likely unconstitutional. In the 2-to-1 decision, judges on the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Manhattan said that the rules, which exclude people with federal or out-of-state cannabis convictions from receiving priority, appeared to violate constitutional principles that prohibit states from favoring their own residents over those from other states.    

“Under traditional dormant Commerce Clause principles, New York’s prioritization of applicants with convictions under New York law is a protectionist measure that cannot stand.” — Circuit Judge Dennis Jacobs, Variscite NY Four, LLC, Variscite NY Five, LLC v. New York State Cannabis Control Board, New York State Office of Cannabis Management, Tremaine Wright, Felicia Reid, FKA Christopher Alexander, 8/12/25 

The case was brought by two out-of-state applicants who were denied priority status. The decision will have no immediate effect on licensing or on existing businesses in New York or in other states. The case was returned to the trial court for further proceedings. 

While the majority pointed out that “Congress has given New York no clear permission to enforce protectionist marijuana licensing laws,”

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