Although cannabis acceptance is rising in many states, its use and possession is still illegal under federal law under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Activists are still working to change federal policy to reflect the voters in many states who have approved social use. Explore news below about the decriminalization effort from patients, politicians, and businesses on the federal level:
Tue / Jul 7th
An amendment to the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act would give a path for service members to re-enlist in the military even if they have consumed cannabis during their time away.
Mon / Jul 6th
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives have advanced a highways infrastructure bill that includes language making products from state-legal cannabis markets available for federal research purposes.
Wed / Jun 24th
A Justice Department whistleblower is testifying today that AG William Barr’s personal distaste for legalized cannabis has led to nearly one-third of the agency’s Antitrust Division merger investigations.
Mon / Jun 8th
Congressional Democrats have put forward legislation aimed at addressing systemic racial discrimination by police that includes a ban on no-knock warrants for drug-related crimes.
Thu / May 28th
Morgan Fox is the Media Relations Director for the National Cannabis Industry Association, a cannabis trade organization that represents nearly 2,000 member businesses.
Thu / May 21st
The federal government is withholding $3.3 million slated for children’s mental health programs in Maine because the state allows students to be medical cannabis patients.
Wed / May 13th
House leadership has included language giving the cannabis industry access to traditional banking and loan services as part of the latest federal coronavirus stimulus plan.
Tue / May 5th
The USDA has released guidelines for hemp businesses to apply for and receive federal loans.
Fri / Apr 24th
House Democrats have introduced legislation that would give cannabis businesses access to congressional coronavirus stimulus packages.
Fri / Apr 17th
Congressional lawmakers are standing up for cannabis businesses’ right to access traditional financial services and the federal coronavirus stimulus packages that are currently unavailable to the industry.
Mon / Apr 13th
The Maryland town of Hancock is being forced to pay back a $600,000 federal renovation loan after the town rented the rehabbed facility to a medical cannabis company.
Fri / Apr 10th
Six cannabis business organizations have sent a letter asking governors to provide state-based loans for the industry as the federal coronavirus aid program specifically omits the cannabis space from receiving any assistance.
Wed / Apr 8th
Businesses that operate adjacent to the legal cannabis industry will be ineligible for the federal coronavirus loan assistance plan signed by President Trump last month.
Mon / Apr 6th
Legal cannabis businesses spent nearly $11 million in federal lobbying efforts during 2019 — the spending is nearly three times what the industry spent in 2018.
Fri / Apr 3rd
Eleven U.S. senators — all Democrats — have filed a letter asking the federal Small Business Administration to open up loans and other financial assistance to state-legal cannabis companies amid the coronavirus crisis.
Fri / Mar 20th
The DEA has unveiled a new rule proposal that would finally open up the licensing of new research-grade cannabis cultivators.
Thu / Mar 12th
Two bills aiming to improve veterans’ access to medical cannabis have passed through the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee this week.
Mon / Mar 9th
A recent Veterans Affairs memo confirmed that employees of the agency can still be fired for cannabis use, even if they live in states where it has been legalized for personal use.
Thu / Mar 5th
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Wednesday that the IRS faces “significant problems” due to the cash-only nature of the cannabis industry and urged lawmakers to address the issue “one way or another.”
Wed / Feb 12th
President Trump’s budget proposal for the fiscal year 2021 would remove a rider containing protections for state-legal medical cannabis programs; congressional lawmakers, however, are expected to override the move.
Wed / Feb 5th
Newly-appointed members and several incumbents will replace long-serving members for 2020-2022 term WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Cannabis Industry Association… Read More
Mon / Feb 3rd
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders pledged this weekend that he would legalize cannabis in all 50 states on his first day if he wins the presidential election.
Thu / Jan 16th
Lawmakers questioned officials from the DEA, FDA, and National Institutes of Health yesterday about the federal limitations on cannabis research; Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) accused the government agencies of hiding behind a cannabis “Catch-22.”
Wed / Jan 15th
The House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee will meet today to discuss the ongoing federal barriers to cannabis research.