President Donald Trump could issue an executive order reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug as soon as Monday, multiple sources told MJBizDaily.

And along with moving cannabis to Schedule 3, unlocking major tax breaks for plant-touching businesses, the president may also hand the CBD industry a significant gift: allowing Medicare insurance coverage for certain CBD treatments, sources said.

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That timeline is consistent with reporting from CNBC, which said Friday the president “is expected” to order cannabis moved to Schedule 3 of the Controlled Substances Act at the beginning of next week.

The presidential executive order is not yet finalized, cautioned the sources, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity. Thus, it’s not clear exactly how long the Trump marijuana rescheduling process

The post Trump marijuana rescheduling expected Monday along with coverage for CBD appeared first on GrowCola.com.

Bipartisan congressional lawmakers are weighing in on a potentially imminent decision by President Donald Trump to move forward with federal marijuana rescheduling—with Democrats like Rep. Alex Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) calling the reform a “no-brainer” and others like Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) pushing back against the proposal.

It was first reported on Thursday that Trump intended to sign an executive order on rescheduling, potentially directing the attorney general to complete the Biden administration-initiated process to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

Since then, a number of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have shared their views on the plan in interviews with Marijuana Moment. While Democrats might disagree with the president on a multitude of policy issues, they’ve generally welcomed the news about the rescheduling development, even if they’d ultimately like to see a complete end to federal prohibition rather than the incremental change.

Ocasio-Cortez said it’s a “no-brainer” to enact the policy change, which would federally legalize marijuana but would remove certain research barriers and let cannabis businesses take federal tax deduction, while symbolically recognizing the medical value of the plant.

“I’ve honestly felt that it’s been a race” between the two

The post Bipartisan Congressional Lawmakers Give Mixed Reactions To Marijuana Rescheduling News From Trump Administration appeared first on GrowCola.com.

After years of delays, Alabama is finally making progress on launching medical marijuana sales.

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) on Thursday unanimously approved dispensaries licenses for three companies: GP6 Wellness, RJK and CCS of Alabama, according to WVTM 13.

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The award of the fourth dispensary license available under state law is on hold for 46 days, but could be awarded in January, according to Al.com.

The first three MMJ dispensaries could be licensed by Jan. 8, more than two years after licenses were granted to cultivators and transporters. Cultivators have already harvested several crops.

When the licenses are issued, doctors can start recommending medical marijuana to their patients.

The first sale could then come by the spring, AMCC Chair Rex Vaughn said,

The post Alabama finally awards medical marijuana dispensary permits appeared first on GrowCola.com.

Wanda James, a marijuana dispensary owner and advocate in Colorado who’s running for Congress, is applauding news about a potentially imminent move by the Trump administration to federally reschedule cannabis. But that reform doesn’t go far enough, she said, pledging to introduce a bill to end prohibition altogether on her “first day” on Capitol Hill if she’s elected.

To help her accomplish that goal, James has hired Neal Levine—a decades-long veteran of the cannabis reform movement—to manage her campaign, Marijuana Moment has exclusively learned.

As one of the first Black dispensary owners in the country, the candidate said in a statement on Thursday that she welcomes reports that President Donald Trump would be making a final decision on moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

Whether or when that happens remains unclear, and a White House spokesperson told Marijuana Moment that “no final decisions have been made” at this point.

In any case, James said that any incremental reform that “reduces barriers for research, protects patients, or eases access for workers and businesses is welcome.” However, “Coloradans and all Americans, deserve more than halfway measures that leave core issues of justice, equity, and

The post As Trump Nears Marijuana Announcement, Dispensary Owner Running For Congress Pledges To File Full Legalization Bill On First Day In Office appeared first on GrowCola.com.

An Alaska campaign says it failed to collect enough signatures to put an initiative to legalize certain psychedelics such as psilocybin and DMT on the state’s 2026 ballot—but activists are emphasizing that the “work is far from over” as they shift focus to placing the reform measure before voters in 2028.

About three months after state officials cleared Natural Medicine Alaska to collect signatures for the initiative, the campaign announced on Wednesday that, “despite months of tireless work,” they were “unable to gather enough signatures to place the Alaska Natural Medicine Act on the 2026 ballot.”

“Throughout this effort, we submitted initial signatures, mobilized volunteers across Anchorage, the Valley, the Kenai Peninsula, Haines, Juneau, and communities statewide, and built strong grassroots momentum,” it said. “Even with these tremendous efforts, we have determined that we will not reach the full signature threshold to qualify the Alaska Natural Medicine Act for the 2026 ballot.”

A spokesperson for the campaign told Marijuana Moment on Wednesday that organizers collected more than 10,000 signatures during the relatively short window to qualify the initiative for next year. But they won’t have to start over again to make the ballot in 2028, as those petitions will still

The post Alaska Psychedelics Campaign Ends Push To Put Legalization On 2026 Ballot, Shifting Focus To 2028 appeared first on GrowCola.com.

States that opened recreational marijuana dispensaries saw suicide rates decline among older adults, according to a new scientific analysis of more than two decades of nationwide data. Correlating state legalization to the decline, the researchers note a “modest yet statistically significant reduction” in states with legal access to cannabis.

The research, conducted by a team of public health economists, examined monthly suicide counts from U.S. states between 2000 and 2022. Their aim was to better understand whether easier access to marijuana, specifically through licensed retail stores, might have any measurable effect on mental health outcomes. Their working paper, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, shows that may be the case.

The study found that in states where recreational cannabis dispensaries began operating, suicide rates among adults ages 45 and older declined. The effect was strongest among men, who historically have had significantly higher suicide rates and are more likely to use cannabis to manage chronic pain, a health challenge that increases the risk of suicide.

“Given that older adults are more prone to chronic pain and various physical and mental health issues, it is not surprising that this demographic is increasingly turning to marijuana for its medicinal properties,”

The post Legal Marijuana Access Reduces Suicide Rates For Older Adults, New Study Suggests appeared first on GrowCola.com.

Michael Kudrewicz/Courtesy photo

(This is a contributed guest column. To be considered as an MJBizDaily guest columnist, please submit your request here.)

As legalization continues to spread and regulated cannabis markets mature, a critical vulnerability is appearing at a fundamental link on the supply chain: unstable, poorly sourced genetics.

In the push for new strains that look different, sound different, or test at higher levels of THC, the $32 billion legal cannabis industry has drifted away from reliable cultivars. Yet the more we scale, the more it becomes clear that the future of cannabis hinges on heritage genetics.

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Legacy cultivars – the Blue Dreams, Trainwrecks, and Sour Diesels fondly remembered from the legacy market and early-stage medical cannabis era – provide a foundation that many modern

The post Blue Dream’s revenge: Why the market needs old-school cannabis genetics appeared first on GrowCola.com.

SCOTUS marijuana meeting; OH gov to sign cannabis restrictions; KY medical marijuana sales launch; ID ballot; FM DEA official on cartel/legalization

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Prohibitionist group Smart Approaches to Marijuana is warning that President Donald Trump may be about to imminently announce his administration will reschedule cannabis—but a White House spokesperson tells Marijuana Moment that “no final decisions have been made.”

U.S. Supreme Court justices are set to discuss whether to take up a case from marijuana businesses that are challenging the constitutionality of federal prohibition in a

The post Trump rescheduling cannabis imminently? (Newsletter: December 12, 2025) appeared first on GrowCola.com.

President Donald Trump could soon direct the federal government to reclassify cannabis as a less dangerous drug, the Washington Post reported late Thursday.

Echoing a similar Biden-era directive to ease restrictions, Trump is weighing an executive order that would direct federal agencies to move marijuana to Schedule 3 of the federal Controlled Substances Act, according to the Post, which cited six unnamed sources with knowledge of a discussion between the president and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson.

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The timing is unclear – as is the president’s commitment.

Trump, who over the summer promised to look at marijuana rescheduling within a few weeks, “could still change his mind,” according to the Post’s sources, who added that the exact plan isn’t yet finalized.

But if

The post Report: President Trump close to marijuana rescheduling appeared first on GrowCola.com.

A leading prohibitionist group is sounding the alarm about a potentially imminent decision from the Trump administration to reschedule marijuana, and a major news organization is reporting that the president plans to issue an executive order on the policy change—but despite amplified rumors about the potential reform action, the White House tells Marijuana Moment that “no final decisions have been made.”

There’s been a swell of speculation in recent days from industry observers, as well as opponents of rescheduling such as Smart Approaches To Marijuana (SAM), that President Donald Trump would be making a decision on moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) as early as Thursday or Friday.

Those rumors became so pronounced that Kevin Sabet, president of the prohibitionist group SAM, took to X to share a video about the issue.

“If the rumors are correct,” Sabet said, “President Trump is going to call for marijuana to be rescheduled to Schedule III,” which is “obviously not an outcome we wanted.”

“But I can tell you that it’s not going to be good for our country for many reasons,” he said. “First of all, it’s going to give tax breaks to big

The post Trump May Be About To Announce He’s Reclassifying Marijuana, Opponents Warn As White House Denies Rumors appeared first on GrowCola.com.

Massachusetts marijuana regulators have unanimously approved rules to license and regulate cannabis social consumption lounges in the state.

Members of the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) on Thursday voted 4-0 to approve the rule, which was unveiled over the summer.

The rules create three new license types related to social consumption: One would let existing dispensaries build upon their business by allowing marijuana use at their facilities, another would permit “hospitality” services by non-cannabis businesses such as cafes and theaters and another would create an “event organizer” category for entities wishing to allow marijuana consumption at events such as music festivals.

“The Commonwealth has been eagerly waiting social consumption, so we’re proud to move this effort across the finish line,” Shannon O’Brien, chair of the commission, said in a press release. “We look forward to the economic opportunities these new license types will offer to small businesses and entrepreneurs who have been disproportionately harmed by the War on Drugs.”

Bruce Stebbins, co-chair of the CCC social consumption working group, said the finalized regulatory package “reflects years of stakeholder engagement, research, and policy discussion and deliberation.”

“Next steps will include ongoing engagement with municipalities that must opt-in to hosting social consumption and

The post Massachusetts Officials Approve Rules Allowing Marijuana Social Consumption Lounges To Open appeared first on GrowCola.com.

Massachusetts cannabis regulators pledged to crack down on THC potency inflation amid accusations from law enforcement that “nothing” is being done to halt what many critics say is a longstanding problem.

In an interview with Boston-based CBS News affiliate WBZ, Matt Gutwill, president of the New England Narcotic Officers Enforcement Association, claims to have found cannabis products with THC inflated by nearly 300% – a result of poor state oversight, he said.

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Licensed cannabis retailers and producers are “ripping off the consumer,” Gutwill told CBS.

His critique follows years of similar claims from labs and industry observers that commercial cannabis testing labs are bending to market pressures and producing friendly results to stay in business.

Unlike other states, Massachusetts does not conduct random

The post Massachusetts cops criticize cannabis regulators over THC potency inflation appeared first on GrowCola.com.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) on Thursday at last approved regulations for social consumption licenses.

Years in the making, the vote opens the door for cannabis cafes, tasting rooms and other marijuana-friendly hospitality and makes Massachusetts the 12th state to permit some form of on-site cannabis consumption.

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The new rules are expected to be sent to the secretary of state by Dec. 19 and become official in early January, according to the Boston Globe.

However, it’s not yet clear when marijuana stores and other license holders could apply for consumption permits or when lounges could open for business.

And like with cannabis stores, municipalities have the ability to opt out.

Three marijuana social consumption lounges available in Massachusetts

The CCC’s unanimous vote

The post Massachusetts finally legalizes cannabis consumption lounges appeared first on GrowCola.com.

The governor of Kentucky has announced that the state’s first licensed medical marijuana dispensary will be opening this coming weekend. And he’s anticipating that the business will “run out” of its supply by the end of the day.

During a press briefing on Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear (D) delivered what he called the “great news” that The Post Dispensary in Beaver Dam will officially start serving registered medical cannabis patients beginning on Saturday—with cannabis supplied by the state’s first licensed cultivator, Farmtucky.

“This news makes Saturday the first day that safe, regulated medical cannabis is available to patients, and it makes The Post our first fully approved and licensed medical dispensary in the state,” Beshear said. “Our priorities are ensuring Kentuckians suffering with serious medical conditions like cancer, PTSD, MS and others can now have access to safe medical cannabis.”

“There will be a limited supply that we expect to run out on Saturday,” he said. “But this shows certainly what’s coming, and this is a big mark that we have now hit in this program.”

The Post Dispensary will be open on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.—or until supplies run out. There will also be

The post Kentucky’s First Medical Marijuana Dispensary To Open This Weekend, With Supplies Expected To ‘Run Out’ Quickly, Governor Says appeared first on GrowCola.com.

Ohio’s Republican governor says he will sign a controversial bill to scale back the state’s voter-approved marijuana law and ban the sale of what he described as “juiced-up hemp” products that fall outside of a recently revised federal definition for the crop unless they’re sold at licensed cannabis dispensaries.

Just days after the legislature gave final approval to the marijuana legislation, Gov. Mike DeWine (R) said on Thursday that he intends to enact it into law.

“To me, it’s a major, major victory, and it’s a long time coming. But it’s a major victory, I think, for kids in the state,” he said, according to The Columbus Dispatch. “There’s going to be some regulation. They won’t be able to have juiced-up hemp gummies. They won’t be able to walk into a gas station and an 11-year-old buy this stuff.”

The governor did not respond to a question about whether the marijuana components of the legislation undermined the will of voters who approved adult-use legalization in 2023.

The bill on DeWine’s desk would recriminalize certain marijuana activity that was legalized under that ballot initiative, and it’d also remove anti-discrimination protections for cannabis consumers that were enacted under that law.

After the

The post Ohio Governor Says He’ll Sign Bill To Roll Back Marijuana Legalization And Restrict ‘Juiced-Up Hemp’ Products appeared first on GrowCola.com.

U.S. Supreme Court justices are scheduled to meet this week to discuss a much-anticipated case challenging the constitutionality of federal marijuana prohibition—an issue that even one of the bench’s more conservative members, Justice Clarance Thomas, has previously argued must be resolved amid the state legalization movement.

While it remains unclear whether the court will ultimately take up the issue, a number of interested parties have urged action. And justices put the case, Canna Provisions v. Bondi, on the agenda for a closed-door conference meeting on Friday to consider their options.

Massachusetts-based marijuana businesses are asking the court to take their case because they argue federal law unconstitutionally prohibits intrastate cannabis activity, contravening the Commerce Clause.

That issue was raised in amicus briefs filed by supporters of the suit over recent weeks. That includes a public interest law firm representing a man who says federal law infringed on his property rights, libertarian think tank the Cato Institute and the Koch-founded Americans for Prosperity Foundation.

The powerhouse law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP submitted their petition for writ of certiorari from the court on behalf of their cannabis industry clients in October, and the Justice Department subsequently declined the opportunity to file a brief

The post U.S. Supreme Court To Discuss Case Challenging Federal Marijuana Prohibition This Week appeared first on GrowCola.com.

An Idaho campaign seeking to put medical marijuana legalization on the state’s 2026 ballot is stepping up its efforts by recruiting paid petitioners to gather voter signatures to qualify the measure.

The Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho (NMAI) says it is hiring for a “1099 independent contractor opportunity, ideal for motivated, people-oriented individuals who value flexible schedules and meaningful work.”

“Your pay is directly tied to your accuracy and effort, rewarding those who uphold the highest standards of integrity,” it said, adding that the opportunity will involve “meeting voters, attending community events, and visiting neighborhoods to collect valid signatures from registered Idaho voters.”

The campaign has also been hosting signature gathering petition drives at events such as sports games and an upcoming performance by the comedian Shane Gillis on Friday.

Idaho is currently among the minority of states without any form of marijuana legalization.

NMAI unveiled its recently certified initiative to put medical marijuana legalization on the ballot in October. The measure would provide patients with qualifying conditions access to marijuana from a limited number of dispensaries and provide a regulatory framework for the market.

Here are the main provisions of the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act:

Health practitioners would be

The post Idaho Medical Marijuana Campaign Steps Up Push For 2026 Ballot Initiative By Hiring Paid Petitioners appeared first on GrowCola.com.

A GOP senator and former top Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official on Tuesday traded thoughts about the state and federal marijuana policy conflict, arguing that legalization laws are enabling foreign cartels to exploit the system in a way that threatens broader public safety.

The discussion took place at a Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control hearing titled “Dirty Money: Chinese Organized Crime in Latin America.” Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), chair of the panel, raised the cannabis issue and asserted that Chinese and Mexican cartels in particular using marijuana laws in states like Maine and Oklahoma to mask illicit drug trafficking activities.

Even as marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), “the federal government has turned its gaze elsewhere while states have allegedly passed state [legalization] laws—which I used to think were subject to federal supremacy, but only when the federal government actually enforces the law,” the senator said.

Cornyn asked Ray Donovan, former chief of operations at DEA, about the “consequences” of having foreign operators involved in the cannabis market, particularly under the guise of legitimacy in states that have enacted legalization.

Today’s Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control hearing on Chinese organized crime

The post State Marijuana Legalization Laws Shield Foreign Cartels And Threaten Public Safety, GOP Senator And Former DEA Official Claim appeared first on GrowCola.com.

As the cannabis industry matures and competition stiffens, some operators yearning for bygone “good old days” have to face an uncomfortable truth: they were doing it wrong all along.

Despite years of experience and access to more sophisticated equipment such as efficient lighting, many cannabis cultivators are losing money due to preventable mistakes, including hiring the wrong vendors and purchasing clones stricken with hidden pathogens, panelists at MJBizCon’s “Cultivating Success: Building and Scaling a Profitable Grow” session said.

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Hidden behind the nostalgia for higher prices and beefier margins is a creeping realization that errors in the grow room can no longer be hidden in mature, competitive markets.

“Fifteen years ago a lot of people built everything wrong,” said Cory Desloge, director

The post The secrets behind a profitable cannabis cultivation operation appeared first on GrowCola.com.

RFK’s psychedelics use; FL medical marijuana expansion bill; Study: AI can design new cannabis strains; VA legalization op-ed

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Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) filed a bill to replace a federal ban on hemp THC products that was signed into law by President Donald Trump with a regulatory regime limiting them to 5 milligrams of THC per serving.

The Congressional Research Service said in a new report that the ongoing marijuana conflict between the federal government and states could provide “guidance” for

The post Federal hemp regulation bill filed as alternative to ban Trump signed (Newsletter: December 11, 2025) appeared first on GrowCola.com.