medical cannabis

Advocates are sharply criticizing congressional leaders for advancing a spending bill ahead of Veterans Day on Tuesday that omits bipartisan provisions allowing U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to recommend medical cannabis to patients in states where it’s legal—even though the policy was approved by the full Senate and House of Representatives earlier this…

With Virginia Democrats widening their House majority and voters electing a pro-legalization governor during last week’s election, one senator from the party says he’s “very optimistic” about the prospect of advancing legislation to create an adult-use marijuana market in the coming session. In an interview with 13 News Now that aired on Friday, Sen. Aaron Rouse…

The Senate has rejected an amendment to a critical spending bill that would have removed language to ban hemp products containing THC. After the chamber cleared the appropriations minibus package for floor consideration on Sunday, senators on Monday took up the measure from Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) that he said would prevent the eradication of…

President Donald Trump “supports” the proposed ban on hemp products containing THC that’s been included in a Senate spending bill, a White House spokesperson says as cannabis, alcohol and other interests continue their efforts to influence the final deal. One day after the Senate cleared an appropriations package for floor consideration—with provisions that hemp stakeholders…

The government might reopen. But only if Congress agrees to something else first: banning intoxicating hemp nationwide. On Sunday, Senate leadership inserted a hemp-recriminalization clause into the must-pass funding bill that would end the longest shutdown in American history, reported Marijuana Moment. On Monday, Cannabis Business Times confirmed that intoxicating hemp is being targeted as…

A congressional spending bill containing a hotly contested ban on hemp products with THC has cleared a procedural Senate vote, teeing up consideration of final passage, expected within days. But one GOP senator has a plan to strike the provision, industry stakeholders tell Marijuana Moment. The Senate agreed to advance the minibus appropriations package in…

A pro-legalization Florida lawmaker has filed a bill to amend state law to codify that the public use of marijuana is prohibited. Rep. Alex Andrade (R)—who has voiced support for removing cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and earned an “A” grade from NORML—introduced the public smoking and vaping legislation on Thursday. Under…

Newly released spending legislation negotiated by congressional leaders would federally recriminalize many hemp-derived products. It also excludes provisions previously passed by the House and Senate that would have allowed Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to begin issuing medical marijuana recommendations to their patients. The new measure, if enacted into law, would ban certain hemp…