Newsletter
DEA ordered to reply to cannabis opponents’ push for more rescheduling testimony (Newsletter: October 15, 2026)
Talarico on marijuana legalization; Boston mayor: Keep cannabis sales legal; Former MPP staffer slams org’s hemp stance; NE medical marijuana rules
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
A Drug Enforcement Administration judge is ordering the agency to respond to marijuana rescheduling opponents’ request to reopen a hearing on the proposal for additional testimony and document discovery—saying “this matter remains STAYED to allow time for a response and to allow time for the tribunal to consider the pending motions.”
Texas Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico said he will work to federally legalize marijuana if he wins next month’s election.
- “Texans aren’t going to stop smoking weed because politicians in Austin or D.C. told them not to… In the Senate, I’ll support legalizing marijuana for adults—regulating and imposing taxes on its sales to support public safety and health programs.”
Boston, Massachusetts Mayor Michelle Wu (D) opposes a measure on the state’s November ballot to roll back marijuana legalization—saying that legal cannabis “has created new businesses and jobs and generated state and local revenue to support substance use recovery and public health programs.”
The American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp’s Chris Lindsey, who used to work at the Marijuana Policy Project, authored a new Marijuana Moment op-ed criticizing his former organization’s push to keep hemp THC products federally legal.
- “The charade of hemp intoxicants must end. Sneaking in the back door with synthetic drugs nobody asked for is not the path to legalization.”
The chair of the Oklahoma House Alcohol, Tobacco and Controlled Substances Committee said lawmakers should stop altering medical cannabis rules so frequently and “give the industry a break and give it time to show us if the changes we made are beneficial.”
The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission will hold a hearing on Thursday to consider proposed changes to medical marijuana rules—including removing a requirement for product labels to list medical cannabis as a Schedule I controlled substance in light of federal rescheduling.
The New Mexico Department of Health’s proposed changes to medical psilocybin rules are getting pushback—including from the state senator who sponsored the bill that created the legal psychedelic therapy program.
/ FEDERAL
Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) posted photos of himself visiting a hemp business, saying, “We need to save Kentucky’s hemp industry and protect the farmers who built it. I’m leading the charge to establish clear rules of the road, protect consumers, and keep hemp products out of the hands of children.”
/ STATES
Nebraska Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lynne Walz, a former state senator, said that if elected she would “sign an executive order that gets that across so that people who need medical marijuana can go and get a prescription from their doctor and start accessing that.”
An Idaho representative urged voters to approve a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot to block themselves from ever being able to legalize marijuana.
Colorado regulators issued a health and safety advisory about marijuana products with pesticides above acceptable limits.
Maine regulators issued an advisory about medical cannabis products with unsafe levels of microbial contaminants, yeast and mold.
Oklahoma regulators published guidance about changes to rules for medical cannabis processors and dispensaries.
New Jersey regulators published information about cannabis use by older adults.
Minnesota regulators sent a newsletter with various cannabis updates.
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/ LOCAL
Baltimore, Maryland officials pledged to crack down on illicit cannabis sales following a media investigation.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum denied a journalist’s claim that she uses marijuana.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that “adjunctive purified CBD was associated with sustained seizure reduction and good long-term tolerability in children with treatment-resistant” non-self-limited focal epilepsies.
A review concluded that “when administered in controlled clinical settings with structured psychological support, psilocybin produces rapid and sustained reductions in depression and anxiety, particularly in advanced cancer” and “also facilitates meaningful psychological experiences associated with improved spiritual well-being, reduced fear of death, and greater illness acceptance.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Cannabis Media Council published updated cannabis advertising guidelines.
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