Amid heightened rumors that the Trump administration will be moving forward on marijuana rescheduling, multiple top congressional Democrats are making the case that the reform would not go far enough—including one senator who said the move is only an attempt by the president to “gaslight” voters into thinking he legalized cannabis to boost his “pathetic” approval ratings.

It remains to be seen whether President Donald Trump will fulfill his campaign promise to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which would not legalize the plant but would let marijuana businesses take federal tax deductions while removing certain research barriers. There was speculation that it’d happen late last week, and CNBC reported a decision would be made as early as Monday, while Axios said it’d occur early next year.

In the interim, Democratic lawmakers are making clear they feel that simply rescheduling cannabis would do little to address the harms of the drug war while problematically maintaining prohibition. Without Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, marijuana sold in dispensaries across the state would remain illicit in the eye’s of the federal government.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), who has cosponsored cannabis legalization bills, posted an

The post Trump Is Trying To Boost ‘Pathetic’ Approval Ratings With Marijuana Rescheduling Move, Senator Says As Democrats Push Full Legalization appeared first on GrowCola.com.

“Although our study is still preliminary, it lays an important foundation for future research into the potential applications of CBD and THC in ovarian cancer treatment.”

By Angharad Brewer Gillham, Frontiers

Ovarian cancer is dangerous and difficult to treat, partly because it’s hard to diagnose early, and partly because it’s often resistant to existing drugs. Now scientists looking for new treatments have identified two promising compounds in cannabis.

Both THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) can stop ovarian cancer cells reproducing, and a combination of both compounds kills existing cancer cells. More research is needed to see if these compounds work as well outside the lab, but if these findings are confirmed they could become a source of new treatments for patients, less toxic and more effective than current options.

In the future, scientists could use drugs made from cannabis to fight ovarian cancer. A team of scientists testing the effects of two chemical compounds sourced from cannabis on ovarian cancer cells have found that both show promising anti-cancer effects. While more research will be required to turn these results into drugs which can be delivered to patients, these findings are an important opportunity to develop effective new therapies for a

The post Marijuana Components ‘Effectively Inhibited Ovarian Cancer Cell Growth,’ Study Shows appeared first on GrowCola.com.

Leafly's list of the top 100 US dispensaries, backed by data and costumer ratings. Find the best dispensaries in your state and beyond.

The post Leafly’s top 100 US dispensaries of 2025 appeared first on Leafly.

The U.S. Supreme Court is declining to take up a case challenging the constitutionality of federal marijuana prohibition—an issue that even one of the bench’s more conservative members, Justice Clarance Thomas, had previously argued must be resolved amid the state legalization movement.

The case, Canna Provisions v. Bondi, was on the agenda for a closed-door meeting of the justices on Friday. On Monday, the court posted an order list showing that the matter failed to receive the needed votes from four justices to grant certiorari.

Massachusetts-based marijuana businesses had asked the court to take their case because they argued that 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 for or against the

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A former top state marijuana regulator and current executive at a cannabis consulting firm will participate in a Senate committee hearing on banking issues this week.

While attention within the cannabis community is largely focused on a potentially imminent marijuana rescheduling decision by President Donald Trump, the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection will likely be discussing an adjacent issue for the marijuana industry: The lack of banking access for cannabis companies under federal prohibition.

Tyler Klimas—who served as executive director of the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) and was a founding member of the Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) before becoming the founder of Leaf Street Strategies—will testify before the panel as the Democratic minority’s witness.

The hearing, which is scheduled for Tuesday, is titled “Ensuring Fair Access to Banking: Policy Levers and Legislative Solutions.” The description of the meeting doesn’t specifically mention marijuana, but Klimas’s participation signals that, at least on the Democratic side, there’s interest in addressing the industry’s banking issues.

The hearing is set to take place about two weeks after a GOP member of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), raised the cannabis banking issue with Comptroller Jonathan Gould at

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A major drug testing industry organization is “sounding the alarm” amid reports that President Donald Trump may soon finalize a proposal to reschedule marijuana, arguing that the reform would “have catastrophic consequences for the safety of the United States workforce and transportation sectors.”

Ahead of a scheduled “National Conversation on the Rescheduling of Marijuana” webinar this week, National Drug & Alcohol Screening Association (NDASA) board member Emilee Avery said in a press release that rescheduling “will dismantle critical safety measures that have protected our roads, airways, and communities for decades.”

“The guardrails implemented under President Reagan’s administration 30 years ago have been instrumental in ensuring that safety-sensitive positions, such as truck drivers, school bus drivers, and airline pilots, remain drug-free,” she said. “This decision threatens to undo all of that progress.”

A final decision hasn’t been made at this point, but multiple sources have claimed that there’s an executive order that could be issued imminently, possibly directing the attorney general to complete the process of moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

Cannabis industry stakeholders are holding out hope that the reform will be achieved as soon as possible, but opponents—including NDASA and

The post Drug Testing Industry Group Is ‘Sounding The Alarm’ About Marijuana Rescheduling As Trump Plans Action appeared first on GrowCola.com.

Imagine this: you’ve spent months nurturing a batch of premium cannabis clones, hand-selected from a trusted source. They’re vigorous, vibrant, and primed for a bumper harvest. But when flowering kicks in, disaster strikes: the plants stall out, the buds turn into small, sad, airy little balls, and your yields crash by up to 50%. Welcome to the world of Hop Latent Viroid (HpLVd), the invisible destroyer that has become the cannabis grower’s worst nightmare. Often dubbed the “COVID of cannabis”, HpLVd doesn’t just hit hard; it spreads silently through your clones, underscoring why plant health is non-negotiable for any grower.

In this guide, we’ll demystify plant viruses (and viroids like HpLVd) in plain English—think science served with a touch of grow-room wisdom. We’ll trace the stealthy history of HpLVd, highlight its red flags, and arm you with battle-tested strategies to prevent and fight it. Whether you’re a seasoned grower or just dipping your toes into cloning, this is your roadmap to resilient, virus-free crops. Let’s dive in.

Plant viruses 101: Nature’s saboteurs

Before we zoom in on HpLVd, let’s pull back and look at the bigger picture: plant viruses and viroids. These tiny lurkers are the ultimate uninvited guests in your garden, but understanding them is your first line of defence.

Cannabis viruses

At their core, plant viruses are fragments of genetic code—either RNA or DNA—wrapped in a protein coat (or not, in the case of viroids). They’re not alive the way bacteria are; they’re more like rogue software that needs a host computer (your plant’s cells) to run. Once inside, they hijack the cell’s machinery: the plant’s own ribosomes and enzymes are pressed into service to crank out viral copies instead of essential plant proteins. This replication frenzy drains resources, disrupts metabolism, and triggers weird growth patterns.

Think of it like this: a virus sneaks into your plant’s “factory” (the cell nucleus or cytoplasm) through a back door—a pruning wound, an insect bite, or even contaminated tools. It tricks the factory workers (enzymes) into building a viral assembly line, flooding the system until cells burst or start sending distress signals to their neighbours. The result? A cascade of chaos.

Viroids, the category HpLVd belongs to, are even more stripped-down villains: naked loops of RNA with no protein coat, only 250–400 nucleotides long. They’re the minimalist hackers—small enough to slip past defences and replicate using the plant’s nuclear machinery via a “rolling-circle” method, spitting out error-prone copies that evolve on the fly.

Transmission is their superpower. Unlike animal viruses that travel by air or touch, plant viruses rely on vectors:

• Mechanical spread: sap from infected plants on your scissors or hands gets transferred to healthy ones during cloning or trimming.
• Insect messengers: aphids, whiteflies, or leafhoppers sip virus-laden sap and deposit it elsewhere.
• Vegetative betrayal: grafts, cuttings, or clones carry the load directly from the mother plant to the babies.
• Seed surprises: rare, but some viruses travel in pollen or embryos.

Symptoms vary by virus and host, but often include:

• Mosaic patterns: mottled, yellow-green leaves that look like a bad paint job.
• Stunting: dwarfed growth, as if the plant hit a permanent growth plateau.
• Necrosis: dead spots or wilting, the plant’s SOS flare.
• Yield impacts: fewer flowers, smaller fruits, or watered-down potency—devastating for cannabis.

The catch? Many infections lurk asymptomatically, only showing up under stress like heat, drought, or flowering. For growers, that means vigilance: healthy plants fight back better, so balanced nutrition, optimal light, and low-stress environments are your baseline armour. Now, let’s meet the viroid that’s driving the cannabis world crazy.

HpLVd: From hop fields to cannabis chaos—a brief history

Hop Latent Viroid earned its name from humble beginnings in hop yards. Discovered in 1987 in Spain, it first appeared as an innocuous RNA oddity in Humulus lupulus (hop, the cannabis plant’s botanical cousin in the Cannabaceae family). By 1988, surveys in Germany revealed it was infecting 90–100% of European hop cultivars—yet hops largely shrugged it off with mild symptoms, like a modest drop in cone yields (8–37%) or bitter acids (15–50%). Brewers noticed subtler beer flavours from altered terpenes, but there was no industry-wide panic.

Fast-forward to the cannabis boom. HpLVd jumped species around 2017, probably via shared propagation tools or infected germplasm in U.S. facilities. The first rumblings showed up on online forums in 2014, with growers complaining about the “dudding disease”—stunted, brittle plants producing airy buds. By 2019, high-throughput sequencing nailed it: HpLVd was the culprit in California, where a survey by Dark Heart Nursery estimated 90% of operations were contaminated. It then tore through North America, Canada, and beyond, with infection rates averaging 30% across the industry and economic hits nearing $4 billion annually in lost yields and potency.

Why cannabis? Unlike resilient hops, weed is a softer target. HpLVd’s 256-nucleotide circular RNA thrives in cannabis cells, replicating in the nucleolus and clogging up metabolite production. It hits glandular trichomes especially hard, slashing THC by 50–70%, terpenes by up to 40%, and overall vigour. Two variants (Can1 and Can2) have adapted, with mutations like U225A boosting infectivity. It’s pleiotropic—symptoms range from none to full-blown nightmare—making it a shapeshifter in your grow.

Bottom line, HpLVd’s “latent” label is a lie in cannabis: it hides in veg, then explodes in flower, turning premium clones into liabilities.

Spotting the cannabis virus: HpLVd symptoms in your grow

Early detection is your crop’s guardian angel, but HpLVd plays hide-and-seek like a pro. In clones from infected mothers, it often lies dormant until week 4+ of flower, when stress unmasks it. Here’s what to watch for, especially if you run a clone-heavy setup:

• Stunting and structural changes: shorter internodes, more horizontal sprawl than vertical reach, and overall dwarfing—as if the plant were stuck in permanent juvenile mode.
• Brittle stems and leaves: they snap like dry twigs; foliage yellows (chlorosis) or curls unevenly.
• Dudding disaster: the hallmark—buds stay small, loose, and sparse. Trichomes ripen early (amber too soon), resin production tanks, and aromas fade.
• Potency crash: lab tests show cannabinoid drops (THC down 50%+), terpene loss (myrcene oddly elevated, β-caryophyllene down 13–29%), and weaker flavour.

Not all cultivars respond the same way; some coast with few symptoms while others fail en masse. Co-infections (e.g., with other viroids) amplify the damage. Pro tip: scout weekly under magnification—uneven trichome distribution is a screaming red flag. When in doubt, test: RT-PCR on leaf samples from both old and new growth is the gold standard, catching around 30% of silent carriers.

Transmission traps: Why clones are HpLVd’s highway

HpLVd doesn’t fly or float; it’s a full-contact sport. As a viroid, it needs direct sap-to-sap transfer—perfect for clone-heavy operations.

• Clone-borne contagion: the big one. Infected mother plants pass it 100% to cuttings. One sketchy clone in your tray? Boom—your whole batch is toast.
• Tool terrorism: pruners, scalpels, or gloves smeared with sap spread it like wildfire. Recirculating hydro systems or shared reservoirs amplify the problem.
• Human highways: workers touching multiple plants without washing? Instant vector.
• Rare routes: pollen/seed transmission is negligible; no known insect vectors.

In cannabis, where 70%+ of crops start from clones, this transmission chain explains the explosion. A single imported cutting can doom an entire facility. Lesson: plant health starts upstream—vet your sources ruthlessly.

How to prevent it: Protect your clones from day one

Good news: HpLVd is beatable with prevention. Focus on clean inputs and rock-solid hygiene—your clones will thank you.

1. Source smart: ditch untested clones; opt for certified clean stock or start from seed (much lower risk). Quarantine new arrivals for 30 days, testing in week 3 via lab RT-PCR or dot-blot.
2. Sanitise like a surgeon: bleach (5–10% sodium hypochlorite) or Virkon S (2%) on tools—alcohol doesn’t cut it, since it precipitates RNA. Heat-treat blades at 160°C for 10 minutes. Swap PPE between plants; wash hands obsessively.
3. Segment your grow: keep veg and flower separated; use dedicated cloners per batch. Filter water and avoid runoff mixing.
4. Boost resilience: healthy plants fight back via RNA silencing. Dial in balanced nutrients at the right pH, stable temps, and low stress—strong clones slow viral buildup.
5. Test religiously: sample 10–20% of your stock every quarter. Early wins save whole harvests.

These steps cut risk by about 90%—proven in hop yards and cannabis labs alike.

Fighting an outbreak: Damage control when HpLVd hits

Found an infection? Don’t panic—move fast. There’s no silver-bullet antiviral, but here’s your playbook:

• Cull ruthlessly: chop symptomatic plants immediately; burn or bleach waste to kill persistent RNA.
• Rescue team: for salvageable mothers, try meristem-tip culture (micro-propagating tiny <0.5 mm shoot tips) paired with cold (2–4°C for months) or heat therapy (36°C for 2 weeks). This can knock down viral load via mutations but it’s not foolproof—re-infection is a constant threat.
• Facility wash-down: deep-clean everything; use urea or chloropicrin for soil. Restart with verified clean material.
• Long-term R&D: breed resistant cultivars or deploy RNA interference—emerging tools, but not quite ready for your grow room yet.

Recovery hurts yields in the short term, but rebuilds trust in your system. Remember: one clean cycle resets the clock.

Final harvest: Put plant health first for thriving grows

HpLVd isn’t just a viroid—it’s a wake-up call. In an industry hooked on clones for speed and uniformity, its spread drives home why plant health trumps everything. From virus basics to outbreak ops, once you’re armed with the right knowledge, you can grow with confidence, dodge duds, and deliver your best.

At Alchimiaweb, we aim to empower growers by giving them the tools to succeed. Stock up on sterile gear, test kits, or clean genetics today—your next round of clones is waiting. Got HpLVd stories or tips to share? Drop them in the comments. Grow Happiness!

Bibliography

1. 1. Adkar-Purushothama, C. R., Sano, T., & Perreault, J. P. (2023). Hop latent viroid: A hidden threat to the cannabis industry. Viruses, 15(3), 681. https://doi.org/10.3390/v15030681
   2. Punja, Z. K., Collyer, D., Scott, C., Holmes, J., Zhao, Y. Y., Hinz, F., … & Reed, S. (2023). Symptomology, prevalence, and impact of hop latent viroid on greenhouse-grown cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) plants in Canada. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, 46(2), 174–197. https://doi.org/10.1080/07060661.2023.2279184
   3. Punja, Z. K., Scott, C., Tso, H. H., Munz, J., & Buirs, L. (2025). Transmission, spread, longevity and management of hop latent viroid, a widespread and destructive pathogen affecting cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) plants in North America. Plants, 14(5), 830. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050830
   4. Puchta, H., Ramm, K., & Sänger, H. L. (1988). The molecular structure of 26 S rRNA from Humulus lupulus L. (hops) and the sequence of a viroid-like RNA associated with hop stunt disease. Nucleic Acids Research, 16(9), 4197–4216. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/16.9.4197
   5. Warren, J. G., Mercado, J., & Grace, D. (2019). Occurrence of hop latent viroid causing disease in Cannabis sativa in California. Plant Disease, 103(10), 2699. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-03-19-0530-PDN
   6. Viruses and Viroids – an overview. (n.d.). In ScienceDirect Topics. Elsevier. Retrieved November 24, 2025, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/viruses-and-viroids
   7. Hop latent viroid in hemp. (n.d.). OSU Extension Service. Oregon State University. Retrieved November 24, 2025, from https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/em-9570-hop-latent-viroid-hemp
   8. Kovalchuk, I., Pellino, M., Rigault, P., van Velzen, R., Bhalerao, R., Clark, J., … & Kovalchuk, A. (2020). The Genomics of Cannabis and Its Conservation. Genome Biology and Evolution, 12(3), 292–312. (For general viroid context; referenced in broader reviews)
   9. Hop Latent Viroid: A Guide to Sampling, Testing and Lab Selection. (2024, July 9). Cannabis Business Times. Retrieved November 24, 2025, from https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/disease/cannabis-plant-disease/news/15686586/hop-latent-viroid-a-guide-to-sampling-testing-and-lab-selection
   10. Bektaş, M., Sõmera, M., Faggioli, F., & Pallas, V. (2019). First report of hop latent viroid on marijuana (Cannabis sativa) in California. Plant Disease, 103(10), 2699. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-03-19-0530-PDN

The post HpLVd: The most feared viroid in cannabis cultivation and how to protect your clones appeared first on Alchimia blog.

Plant-touching cannabis companies would benefit from marijuana rescheduling, but it's one step on a longer reform road.

What’s next after President Trump reschedules marijuana? is a post from: MJBizDaily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

President Donald Trump is expected to order cannabis be reclassified as a less dangerous drug as soon as today.

What happens next – and exactly when the $32 billion legal marijuana industry could expect to reap the benefits – is less clear and may remain so even after the president issues an executive order, legal and political observers told MJBizDaily.

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“It’s difficult to say precisely exactly what the rescheduling process will look like at this time,” said Tim Swain, a Boston-based partner at law firm Vicente LLP.

“There are several avenues the process could take,” he added, including “a return to last year’s hearings on the DEA’s proposed rulemaking or something similar.”

Whether marijuana rescheduling follows a Biden-era pattern or whether Trump takes

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Congressional candidate pledges legalization bill on 1st day; AK psychedelics initiative; Study: Legal marijuana reduces suicide rates in older people

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Bipartisan members of Congress spoke to Marijuana Moment about reports the Trump administration is planning to reschedule cannabis—with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) calling it a “no brainer” that the two parties have been in a “race” to achieve and Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) saying he doesn’t “agree with everything the president does.”

Colorado Democratic congressional candidate Wanda James, who is also a cannabis business owner, reacted to news of the Trump administration potentially rescheduling marijuana by pledging to file legislation to “fully

The post Lawmakers react to Trump’s big cannabis news (Newsletter: December 15, 2025) appeared first on GrowCola.com.

It’s that time of year again, which is to say, roughly the same time as last year — but never exactly the same time — because it’s Hanukkah… right? Yes! As a genuine Jewish person with access to a lunar calendar, I can assure you that tonight is indeed the first night of the “festival of lights.”

Hanukkah commemorates the military victory of warrior priest Judah “The Hammer” Maccabee’s guerrilla army over the numerically superior forces of the Seleucid Empire and the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem. It’s kind of a long story, but here’s the gist: A Syrian king tried to outlaw Jewish worship and claim the Temple — the nucleus of ancient Jewish culture and law — for Hellenistic rituals.

It didn’t work out.

In the end, the victorious Maccabee rebels regained control of the Holy Temple, which contained the menorah, a ceremonial oil lamp that needed to be lit to rededicate the temple for worship. Left with only enough oil to light the sacred lamp of the Holy Temple for one night, the Maccabees fired up the lamp anyway and it stayed lit — for eight days and nights.

Now, if you have enough oil, staying lit for eight days is just a matter of persistence and scheduling. But what if you only have one gram of oil? For me, making one gram of oil last eight days would be nothing short of miraculous. Frankly, I don’t recommend doing this on purpose, but if circumstances require you to be especially economical with your oil, here’s a few tricks — eight of them, because Hanukkah:

1. Take smaller dabs

Experiment with microdosing — it’s so hot right now anyway. This isn’t exactly advanced calculus here; if you take smaller dabs you’ll use less, which should help stretch out your stash. The nice thing about smaller dabs is they often provide a more accurate and balanced expression of the flavor profile than a huge glob.

2. Take larger dabs

Alternately, you can take larger dabs and get the heavy lifting out of the way when it comes to the desired impacts. I mean, if your goal is to get lit every day for eight days you could just portion your gram into eight 1/8-gram globs and take one every day. This method works best if combined with methods #3 and #6 — and all of these work best if you follow method #5.

3. Roll or press your shatter

This is just my pet theory, but I’m convinced the volume of vapor you pull from a dab has more to do with surface area than weight. Hear me out. Based on my extensive personal research, if you take a quarter gram of shatter and roll it up into a ball, it will produce less vapor when dropped on the nail than the same quarter gram pressed out into a thin strip and laid across a larger section of the heating element. This sounds weird, but in my experience it works and the pressing will generally improve the clarity of your shatter.

All you need to do is take some shatter, warm it gently and roll or press it out through a silicone mat or wax paper: I like to sandwich the shatter between two small non-stick mats and use a lighter and/or my hands to heat it slightly, then I use a lip balm tube or a lighter to press it out. This also makes it easier to take a “bigger” dab while using less product.

4. Re-heat liquefied oil

Assuming you’re taking proper low-temp dabs (because the alternative is dumb and dangerous), you should usually end up with at least a small amount of liquefied oil in your banger. Generally this would probably end up soaked into the ends of a q-tip, but if you’re looking to stretch your stash, you might consider running the torch under the nail for a few seconds, just until you see any activity in the oil, then recap and hit it again. The flavor profile will likely be diminished slightly, but there are still cannabinoids in there, and if you’re so inclined, you can get them.

5. Buy better oil

This is actually the easiest way to stretch your oil out as far as possible. It’s pretty hard to justify taking baby dabs of bland soup, but then again, it’s even harder to justify taking big ones — just don’t dab bland soup. It’s not worth the money you save, because you just end up buying more. It’s like buying one-ply toilet paper at the dollar store; sure you save money, but the poor quality always gets you in the end. And anyway, it’s a celebration! You don’t have to buy the $100-a-gram stuff, but get something tasty and potent — think of it as a present to yourself.

6. Follow up with some bud

You should really be doing this anyway, but if you’re one of those “no pre-run” people who doesn’t smoke flowers anymore, you should really reconsider. Sure, there’s no substitution for a great dab, but the full spectrum benefits of an old fashioned joint or bong bowl provide a fantastic compliment to the more refined effects and flavors of your oil.

7. Press rosin from your bud

The upside is you’ll have more dabs. The downside is you’ll be dabbing homemade rosin. Your call.

8. Pray to the wrathful Old Testament God for more oil

It can’t hurt.

TELL US, how do you make your cannabis concentrates last longer?

The post How to Make One Gram of Oil Last 8 Lit Days appeared first on Cannabis Now.

“It’s a bad situation for a lot of hemp growers and processors and retailers.”

By Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury

Richmond-based Bingo Beer legally joined a nationally-growing market for hemp-derived THC products earlier this year when it unveiled THC seltzers.

The nonalcoholic beverage option has been growing nationwide as an alternative for people who are looking to cut back or cut out alcohol altogether. A recent Gallup poll showed the percentage of Americans drinking alcohol has fallen to 54 percent.

Analysts and farmers say the hemp-based THC industry, however, could come to an abrupt halt by November of next year as Congress voted to ban most hemp-derived THC products in a last-minute addition to a government spending bill that ended the most recent government shutdown.

The THC seltzers and other hemp-based products are a “big and growing segment of the economy,” Bingo Beer co-owner Jay Bayer told the Mercury earlier this year.

“I don’t think the solution is to put the genie back in the bottle,” Bayer said in a recent call.  He added that offering THC products has been a “lifeline” for some in the alcoholic beverage industry to stay afloat while meeting consumers’ needs.

But as Virginia continues to explore a legal cannabis market, Bayer

The post Virginia Hemp Businesses Consider How To Pivot With Federal Ban Looming appeared first on GrowCola.com.

“So many chemical products are used. Because it’s criminalized, there is no control over the waste process. It contaminates water, soil and animals in the surroundings.”

By Alexander Lekhtman, Filter

Drug prohibition is a driver of the climate crisis, outlines a major report by international researchers and policy experts. Both drug policy reform and “ecological harm reduction,” it argues, are essential to climate justice.

“From Forest to Dust: Socioeconomic and environmental impacts of the prohibition of the coca and cocaine production chain in the Amazon basin and Brazil” was produced by a coalition called Intersection – Land Use, Drug Policy and Climate Justice, involving numerous NGOs.

Its 100-plus pages cover vast historical and geographical expanses, from the Spanish colonial era to today, and from the jungles of Brazil to the ports of West Africa. It calls for a system of legal regulation for coca, but one that doesn’t simply replace the control and violence of trafficking networks with that of multinational corporations. Instead, the authors argue, Indigenous communities and family farms should be centered, to ensure that the coca and cocaine trade won’t harm people and their lands.

“In some regions, coca acts as a direct driver of deforestation,” Rebeca Lerer told Filter.

The post The War On Drugs Makes The Climate Crisis Worse, New Report Shows appeared first on GrowCola.com.

“I am absolutely elated today because we’re on the cusp of having a working program.”

By Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission Thursday approved three dispensary licenses, which members of the commission hailed as a critical step toward making medical cannabis available in Alabama nearly five years after the Legislature established the program.

“We waited a long time to get to this point in time where we can make a decision like this, and it is monumental,” Rex Vaughn, chair of the commission, said. “It’s a milestone meeting for us, so I’m tickled we can get this far.”

GP6 Wellness, RJK Holdings and CCS of Alabama will receive dispensary licenses within 28 days, as long as the companies pay the $40,000 licensing fee. A fourth license will be approved by the commission in late January due to a recommendation from an administrative law judge, Vaughn said after the meeting.

Vaughn said multiple times during the meeting that the approval of dispensary licenses is a milestone and will lead to patients getting care they need and tax revenue for the state.

“It takes a while for that to come through the system, but we should be seeing revenue

The post Alabama Officials Approve Medical Marijuana Dispensary Licenses, Readying Program For Sales To Start In 2026 appeared first on GrowCola.com.

“This was my American dream, so to see it get taken away from you, kind of hurts.”

By Megan Henry, Ohio Capital Journal

Ohioans in the intoxicating hemp industry fear a bill heading to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s (R) desk will put them out of business.

Ohio Senate Bill 56 is on its way to DeWine after Ohio Senate Republicans passed the bill Tuesday. The Ohio House passed the bill last month after it went to conference committee.

Ohio’s bill complies with recent federal changes by banning intoxicating hemp products from being sold outside of a licensed marijuana dispensary. If DeWine signs the bill into law before the new year, the ban could take effect as soon as March.

“This bill is going to put businesses like me and families like me out of business,” said Ahmad Khalil, one of the owners of Hippie Hut Smoke Shop, with locations in Ohio and Washington.

“Overnight, we’re going to see tens of thousands of people directly impacted, which will ripple effect into 50,000 of families that are also dependent on this person.”

Khalil has been in the hemp industry for nine years.

“This was my American dream, so to see it get

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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) voted 4-0 on Thursday 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 educating residents to ensure the Commonwealth is prepared for this expansion of our $8 billion regulated cannabis industry,” he said.

The enactment of the policy makes Massachusetts the first state in New England to allow cannabis social consumption facilities to open.

Today Commissioners voted unanimously to approve three new license types that will allow the on-site consumption of cannabis in Massachusetts for the first time. Learn about the final policies and next steps here: https://t.co/tsE2Wlggtb

— Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (@MA_Cannabis) December 11, 2025

Kimberly Roy, another member of the commission, said the vote to advance the package “marks a long-awaited and carefully considered milestone for Massachusetts' regulated cannabis industry.”

“By finalizing the Social Consumption license-type, the Commission is honoring the will of the voters who envisioned safe, legal spaces for adult-use cannabis, while maintaining strong safeguards to protect public health and public safety,” she said. “This achievement represents years of collaboration among stakeholders, policymakers, and communities across the Commonwealth.”

However, she added, the vote on Thursday “does not conclude the Commission's work; it begins a new chapter of consumer and public education to ensure this emerging sector operates safely and responsibly.”

Commissioner Carrie Benedon said the “finalization of these social consumption reforms represents a significant milestone for legal cannabis in the Commonwealth.”

“Commissioners and staff have put significant thought and care into crafting a program that will provide economic opportunities for equity participants and small businesses while emphasizing public health and safety,” she said.

Travis Ahern, executive director of CCC, said the social consumption license option “offers the Commonwealth significant regional tourism opportunities, safe spaces for those who cannot consume cannabis at home, the ongoing transition of legacy operators to the legal market,” he said. “Commission staff have worked hard to support the creation of each license type, and we're excited to get to work setting up the internal infrastructure that will enable these new businesses to serve Massachusetts residents.”

The policy change around social consumption lounges comes amid a push by anti-legalization activists to put an initiative on the ballot next year that would roll back the state's adult-use legalization law.

An association of Massachusetts marijuana businesses recently urged voters to tell local officials about any cases of misleading signature gathering tactics and “fraudulent messaging” by the campaign behind that effort.

There have been allegations piling up that petitioners working on behalf of Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts have shared false information about what the measure would accomplish, with claims that paid petitioners have used fake cover letters for other ballot measures on issues like affordable housing and same-day voter registration. The state attorney general's office has confirmed that it has received complaints to that effect, but the campaign has denied sanctioning such activities.

Under the proposed initiative, adults 21 and older could still possess up to an ounce of cannabis, only five grams of which could be a marijuana concentrate product. Possession of more than one ounce but less than two ounces would be effectively decriminalized, with violators subject to a $100 fine. Adults could also continue to gift cannabis to each other without remuneration.

But provisions in the state's voter-approved marijuana law that allow for commercial cannabis retailers and access to regulated products by adults would be repealed under the proposal. Adults' right to cultivate cannabis at home would also be repealed. The medical cannabis program would remain intact, however.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell's (D) office—which cleared the campaign for signature gathering in September—has stressed to voters the importance of reading their summary, which is required to go at the top of the signature form, before signing any petitions.

Meanwhile, the head of Massachusetts's marijuana regulatory agency recently suggested that the measure to effectively recriminalize recreational cannabis sales could imperil tax revenue that's being used to support substance misuse treatment efforts and other public programs.

Whether the cannabis measures will be approved is yet to be seen. Voters approved legalization at the ballot in 2016, with sales launching two years later. Over the past decade, the market has evolved and expanded. As of August, Massachusetts officials reported more than $8 billion in adult-use marijuana sales.

In November, the Massachusetts Senate approved a bill that would double the legal marijuana possession limit for adults and revise the regulatory framework for the state's adult-use cannabis market. Similar legislation also advanced through the House earlier this year.

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Written by Kyle Jaeger for Marijuana Moment | Featured image by Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

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President Donald Trump is expected to issue an executive order rescheduling marijuana and covering certain CBD treatments under Medicare.

Trump marijuana rescheduling, CBD coverage order expected Monday is a post from: MJBizDaily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

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

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President Donald Trump is weighing an executive order that would push the federal government to reclassify cannabis, a step that could mark the most significant shift in U.S. cannabis policy in decades—even as the White House cautions that no final decision has been made.

The deliberations, first reported late Thursday by The Washington Post, center on moving marijuana from Schedule I—the government’s most restrictive category, reserved for drugs deemed to have no accepted medical use—to Schedule III, a classification that would acknowledge medical value and loosen some federal controls. 

“This is an encouraging development and a strong indicator that comprehensive legalization is no longer a distant goal,” says Sorse Tech CEO Howard Lee.

The Post reported Trump discussed the potential policy change in a call that included House Speaker Mike Johnson and cannabis industry executives, alongside senior administration officials. Johnson voiced skepticism, the report said, while industry participants pressed the case that rescheduling would reduce barriers to research and help normalize a legal market that now operates in tension with federal law. 

In response to the news, Sasha Nutgent, VP of cannabis retail for Housing Works Cannabis Co. out of New York, tells Cannabis Now that with today’s current cannabis classification, “retailers are not incentivized to operate legally. Reclassification would change that for thousands of businesses, especially those owned by folks from communities most impacted by the War on Drugs.”

Industry and Markets Brace for Potential Policy Change

News of the possible executive order rippled quickly through financial markets early this morning. Cannabis-related stocks and exchange-traded funds jumped in premarket trading after the Post report, according to Reuters, reflecting investor optimism that a federal shift could ease access to capital and reduce tax burdens that have long squeezed state-legal operators. 

Rescheduling, however, would not legalize marijuana nationwide. Even supporters describe it as a narrower, technical move with broad downstream effects—especially for research, medical access and business operations—rather than a sweeping rewrite of prohibition-era policy. 

Gennaro Luce, founder and CEO at CannaLnx, powered by EM2P2, argues that “Rescheduling is an important and overdue shift for patient-centric healthcare, but the move to Schedule III alone isn’t enough to make medical cannabis more accessible or affordable.”

Luce says insurers still need verification, compliance and eligibility frameworks before they can treat medical cannabis like a real benefit. “That part of the system is still missing from the national conversation — fortunately, it’s the medical-cannabis system piece we’ve already built and tested alongside physicians, patients, dispensaries, POS systems and insurers.”

Legal Nuances Stall Progress

President Trump’s considerations land on well-trodden terrain. The modern push to reconsider cannabis’ federal classification accelerated under President Joe Biden, whose administration initiated a review that produced a recommendation from the Department of Health and Human Services to move cannabis to Schedule III. The Justice Department formally began the rescheduling process in 2024, opening the door to rulemaking that has since faced delays and political crosscurrents. 

Policy experts say an executive order can direct agencies and set priorities, but it cannot, by itself, rewrite the Controlled Substances Act. Any durable change to cannabis scheduling ultimately runs through federal administrative procedures led by the Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, including scientific findings, legal analysis and formal rulemaking steps. That legal nuance has become familiar to cannabis readers—and to anyone who has watched the issue ricochet between campaign promises and bureaucratic reality.

In past coverage of cannabis executive action, Cannabis Now has emphasized that the “stroke of a pen” theory often collides with the limits of federal authority, even when presidents or governors have wide latitude to shape enforcement priorities and regulatory posture. Still, the political stakes are unmistakable. A Trump-backed push to reschedule could scramble the usual partisan map on cannabis, where national Democrats have often positioned themselves as the party of reform while Republicans have been divided between states’-rights advocates and prohibition-aligned lawmakers.

The Post report suggested Trump views rescheduling as a way to “cut restrictions” without endorsing full legalization—a framing that could appeal to voters who support medical access and regulated markets but remain cautious about broader social change. 

For the cannabis industry, the practical implications of Schedule III are potentially enormous—but also uneven. Operators have argued that rescheduling could reduce certain federal tax penalties and make it easier for institutions to do business with cannabis companies.

Ryan Hunter, chief revenue officer for Colorado-based Spherex, a leader in cannabis extraction and purification, offers perspective: “Cannabis is still federally illegal—but even as a federally illegal substance, the move to Schedule III dramatically reduces the federal tax burden for operators. Under IRS code 280E, handling Schedule I or Schedule II substances eliminates the ability for operators to deduct standard operating expenses that most other businesses deduct from their federal taxes. As a result of 280E, cannabis operators’ effective tax rate may be as high as 80 pecent. Beyond this significant improvement, the implications are unclear, but we’re hopeful that this move will allow for cannabis operators to garner the same investment opportunities other industries will enjoy.”

Rescheduling’s Promise and Uncertainty

Analysts told Reuters that shifting cannabis to Schedule III could also accelerate pharmaceutical research and distribution models, even as state-legal markets continue to rely on a patchwork of rules that vary widely from one jurisdiction to another. Critics, including some in Congress, argue rescheduling risks moving faster than the science. The Post reported Johnson referenced studies he said cut against reclassification, reflecting a broader debate over how to weigh evidence of therapeutic benefits against risks of misuse and dependency. 

What happens next could hinge on timing and follow-through. An executive order, if issued, would likely instruct cabinet agencies to prioritize or expedite the administrative process rather than instantly change marijuana’s legal status. Even then, opponents could challenge the move politically and in court, while regulators would still need to align policy with existing federal statutes and international commitments.

“Whenever the White House moves forward with Schedule III, the federal government is effectively telling us that cannabis is medicine,” comments Calyx Containers President and Co-Founder Alex Gonzalez. “And if it’s medicine, ‘good enough’ cannabis practices won’t cut it anymore. Whether rescheduling happens next month or next year, the direction is clear: Cannabis is moving toward pharma-grade standards. For brands, that means tightening quality systems, investing in the ability to react or scale, and preparing for a regulatory-ready supply chain. We’re seeing the smart operators onshoring infrastructure, and we’re positioning our domestic production and business model on being ready to help operators turn this moment into a competitive advantage.”

In the meantime, the national reality on cannabis continues to diverge from federal law. Most states now allow marijuana for medical use, and a growing number permit adult-use sales—a shift that has normalized cannabis commerce for millions of Americans while leaving businesses and consumers navigating legal gray zones that are invisible at the dispensary counter but very real at banks, research institutions and federal agencies.

“Rescheduling is the single most important drug policy move in decades. The potential opportunities for medical and scientific research will significantly increase, while those living in states without an existing medical program will now have access to the powerful healing properties of the plant,” says Mark Lewis, president of specialty banking at Lüt.

“Make no mistake though, rescheduling is just the beginning for those working in the cannabis industry. Until the SAFE Banking Act or 280E is passed, operators will still have to jump through challenging financial hoops to pay their staff, bills or garner investment. The moment is historic, but until cannabis businesses can operate fiscally with the same ease as any other business, more work needs to be done,” Lewis continued. “Payments still need to work in the reality of today, where the ongoing threat of card network shutdowns exists, not just the promise of future reform. While rescheduling may open doors over time, it does not remove the day-to-day financial friction that cannabis operators face right now.”

Whether Trump ultimately signs an order or backs away, the past 24 hours have underscored a core truth of cannabis politics in Washington: Even incremental change can move markets, reshape messaging and reopen debates that Congress has struggled for years to settle.

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We asked Snoop three burning questions. Find out Snoop Dogg's favorite strain, and 2 more hot takes from the legend.

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