“Almost all of our neighbors have legalized marijuana and it’s benefiting from hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and revenue.”

By John Cole, The Center Square

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) believes the Trump administration took an “important step” Thursday after redefining how the federal government classifies medical marijuana.

US Attorney General Todd Blanche issued an order immediately FDA approved marijuana products and Marijuana regulated by state medical licenses III of the Controlled Substances Act.

“Governor Shapiro has made it clear that we need to move forward — nearly all of our residents have legalized marijuana and are benefiting from hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and revenue — and this important step by the federal government only adds support to the Governor’s proposal,” Shapiro spokeswoman Rosie Lapowsky told The Center Square. “The Shapiro Administration stands ready to seize this opportunity to work with the General Assembly to legalize marijuana and make our Commonwealth more competitive and fair.”

Since 1970, along with marijuana, heroin, LSD and ecstasy, it has been classified as a Schedule I drug. This designation defined them as drugs with no approved medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Schedule III drugs are defined as having a moderate or low potential for physical and psychological dependence. Some examples of Schedule III drugs are products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit (Tylenol with codeine), ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone.

The Trump administration’s decision on Thursday moves medical marijuana from one of the more restricted drug classifications to an unregulated category and gives cannabis businesses a tax break. However, it is exempt from federal legislation.

In April 2016, then-Gov. Tom Wolf (D) signed the legislation making Pennsylvania the 24th state to create a medical marijuana program.

Shapiro announced his support for legalizing recreational marijuana In 2019, he was serving his first term as state attorney general.

Since being elected governor in 2022, he has called on lawmakers to pass an adult-use program, even as the supposed tax revenue is included in all of his budget plans. If approved on July 1, the administration believes the legalization would raise $729 million.

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa. He has been an advocate for the legalization of marijuana and celebrated the decision taken by the Trump administration.

“John has been a lifelong supporter of legal weed,” a spokesperson for Fetterman told The Center Square. “It’s a good step forward and he supports it.”

NORML, the National Organization for Marijuana Law Reform, has given Shapiro and Fetterman an “A+” grade for their support of marijuana legalization.

However, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., has seen things differently in the past. In December, he signed a joint letter with 21 Senate Republican colleagues opposing the Trump administration’s reclassification of the drug.

“Scheduling marijuana as a Schedule III drug will undermine your strong efforts to make America Great Again and usher in America’s next economic Golden Age,” the senators wrote in their letter to the Trump administration. “The only winners from the renegotiation will be the bad actors, such as Communist China, who will leave Americans footing the bill.”

In a telephone town hall that same month, McCormick described himself as a “strong advocate for the use of medicinal marijuana,” but said at the time that he was “opposed to moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.”

However, McCormick did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment Thursday about his thoughts on the Trump administration’s latest move.

Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor, also did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment.

FOX43 reported in August 2025 that Garrity said he did not have a firm policy position on the issue, but cautioned against lawmakers claiming his financial benefits.

“The amount of money they had in the budget, I would say it’s way too much,” Garrity said, according to FOX43. “I don’t have a policy position on that, but I will tell you if they pass the legislation, I’m going to make sure it’s properly bankrolled.”

Organizations in Pennsylvania and beyond have also weighed in on the Trump administration’s latest move.

“Today’s order marks a historic reversal in federal cannabis policy,” said NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano. “It validates the experiences of tens of millions of Americans, as well as tens of thousands of doctors, who have long recognized the legitimate medical utility of cannabis, as well as the legitimacy of longstanding cannabis access programs available in most US states.”

“It wasn’t long ago that federal officials were denying that cannabis had legitimate medical utility, were confiscating doctors’ licenses for discussing medical cannabis with patients, and were shutting down state-licensed marijuana dispensaries,” he added. “Now the government wants to integrate these programs into the existing federal and international framework for regulating substances with recognized medical value.”

The PA Family Institute sees the issue differently. They said they are disappointed with the Trump administration’s decision.

“The PA Family Institute is disappointed with the Trump Administration’s decision to provide significant tax breaks to the marijuana industry and protect this non-addictive industry,” said Dan Bartkowiak, Chief Strategy Officer of the Pennsylvania Family Institute. “Big Marijuana should not be allowed to more easily direct new consumers to harmful marijuana products.”

“In Pennsylvania, the recreational use of marijuana remains illegal, a policy that until now has been maintained by sensible PA Senate leaders. Maintaining this people-first policy helps avoid many of the public health and safety challenges seen in other states,” he added. “Evidence continues to link marijuana use, especially among youth, to increased emergency room visits, mental health concerns, and negative impacts on families and communities.”

A majority of Pennsylvanians think the government should go further, at least according to one poll.

A recent poll by Susquehanna Polling and Research showed 72 percent of Democrats, 67 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of independents Supporting the legalization of recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania.

However, due to the Trump administration’s recent decision, marijuana that is not sold through a state medical program or approved by the FDA remains Schedule I.

40 states have approved medical marijuana programs, and 24 states and Washington, DC, have legalized adult recreational use.

This story was first published by The Center Square.

Village Farms opened its new cannabis facility this morning in Groningen, the Netherlands, a building designed from the ground up around the crop, with an aroma system so precisely calibrated, the surrounding businesses could stand next to a tomato grower.

Dutch roots run deeper than the board members’ accents might suggest. The company’s relationship with the Netherlands goes back many years, and the Groningen location is an extension of the work begun in Drachten, where Village Farms began farming last year using practices carried over from its Canadian operations. The new facility is where that learning is applied at scale.

“Nearly four decades ago, we started bringing Dutch technology to North America. We’ve always worked with Dutch partners, and many of our producers and engineers are Dutch or have Dutch heritage. It’s like coming home.”

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

Village Farms entered the Dutch market through its majority-owned subsidiary Leli Holland, which holds one of ten licenses granted by the Dutch government to legally produce recreational cannabis and distribute it to participating cafes.

Once fully ramped up, Village Farms anticipates a production capacity of around 10 tonnes in the Netherlands, enough to quintuple its production for the Dutch cannabis trial and position the company for wider access to the European market. Orville Bovenschen, President of Canadian Cannabis and Leli Holland and Mike DeGiglio, CEO and founder, highlighted their confidence in the Dutch market, as well as growing in Europe. “We believe in the power of cannabis.”

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

Village Farms started its Dutch farming operations in the nearby town of Drachten last year, using farming practices developed through its Canadian experience to set up the facility. The new Groningen location represents a continuation and improvement of this established direction, with the building completely designed around the cultivation requirements. Special attention was paid to the odor control system, ensuring that nearby businesses could be located next to a tomato plant.

The opening featured an artwork by local artist Ben that reflects the company’s history: strong roots in vegetables and a future in cannabis.

More technical details to follow on Monday!

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

White House officials are commenting on pending legislation to create a regulatory framework for hemp amid a flurry of lawmakers’ proposals on the issue, including a new amendment slated for November to speed up the recriminalization of hemp-derived THC products.

On Tuesday, Vince Haley, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, and James Braid, assistant to the president for legislative affairs, sent suggestions on hemp policy to Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), who is helping lead efforts to establish regulations for the plant as an alternative to prohibition.

“We appreciate your work to advance policy” in an executive order President Donald Trump signed in December that included provisions to protect Americans’ access to CBD products, the staff wrote in a letter to the congressman.

“We are submitting draft legislation and comments to your account to address the final statutory definition of hemp-derived cannabinoid products to ensure that Americans have access to adequate full-spectrum CBD products while maintaining Congress’ intent to limit the sale of products that pose serious health risks,” White House officials said, according to a social media screencast. “We are open to discussion and further technical assistance.”

An attachment to the administration’s proposed legislative text was not included in the message, and the White House and Barr’s office did not immediately respond to Marihuana Moment’s request for more details.

Barr introduced a hemp amendment to the pending Farm Bill this weekbut later withdrew for reasons he did not announce.

It’s not clear from the text of the letter whether the White House was proactively sending legislative proposals to the lawmaker or whether they were responding to something sent by his office, though two cannabis industry sources suggested to Marihuana Moment that Barr was sending the language to the administration, and then providing technical feedback.

Barr’s now-withdrawn amendment, according to the sponsor’s summary, “changes the definition of hemp to protect the legal hemp market by creating a regulatory framework that protects children, bans synthetics, and ensures that products on the market are of American origin.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) also introduced a new Farm Bill amendment to take effect on November 12 that she said “accelerates the implementation of the hemp reduction provisions.”

Instead, under his proposal, the ban would go into effect the day the new Farm Bill takes effect — though it’s unclear when that will be based on current progress in Congress, and the legislation could not be passed until after the current recriminalization date, making the change controversial.

Hemp derivatives containing less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by drug weight were made federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill signed by Trump during his first term. But late last year, the president signed new legislation containing provisions that will redefine hemp so that only products with a total of 0.4 milligrams of THC per container will be legal starting November 12th.

Trump this week It inspired lawmakers in Congress to take action to change the currently planned hemp banand suggested that this threatens to federally recriminalize full-spectrum CBD products.

“I’m calling on Congress to update the Act so Americans can continue to have access to the full-spectrum CBD products they trust and support, while maintaining Congress’ intent to restrict the sale of products that pose health risks,” the president said in a Truth Social message Thursday, the same day his administration announced it is moving forward to re-regulate marijuana.

“We need to do this RIGHT and FAST, especially for those who have found CBD to help them,” he said. “Also, I’m told it will help our BIG FARMERS that we love and will always be around.”

Barr echoed the president’s comments, saying in his message that he is “working in Congress to pass these critical reforms so farmers can have certainty and Americans continue to have access to safe and reliable hemp-derived products.”

An additional Farm Bill amendment by Reps. James Comer (R-KY) and Kelly Morrison (D-MN) would push back the federal recriminalization of THC hemp products for another year.

Amendments to the Farm Bill, known as the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026, or HR 7567, will be considered by the Rules Committee next week. That panel will decide whether or not the proposals can receive votes on the House floor.

Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) had it introduced the hemp ban delay amendment before the House Agriculture Committee when it took up the Farm Bill last month, but the president of that panel determined that the proposal was not in line with the legislation.

The Farm Bill passed by the previous committee includes provisions to help the hemp industry and farmers who grow cannabis for industrial purposes, such as fiber and grain. For example, the legislation would amend statutes related to states and tribes developing regulatory plans for industrial hemp production, including policies on testing, sampling, background checks and record keeping.

Other bipartisan hemp reform bills are pending in Congress.

Last week, for example, it was introduced by Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA). The Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, which would give states the option of federal recriminalization of THC hemp products. it will be established this year.

Ernst on Wednesday, however, withdrew his name as a sponsor of the legislation. His office did not respond to Marihuana Moment’s request for clarification on the move.

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The US Department of Agriculture published this month shows that US farmers grow $3 billion in hemp crops by 2025— 64% increase compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, this month the Trump administration launched a new initiative Cover up to $500 of hemp-derived products annually for eligible Medicare patients. The program being implemented by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) focuses largely on CBD, but also allows a certain amount of THC in products.

Anti-marijuana organizations filed a lawsuit against the Medicare hemp coverage policyand Health and Human Services attorneys. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Director Mehmet Oz recently He submitted a letter requesting the filing of the case.

Meanwhile, the White House Management and Budget Office has held a series of meetings a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) CBD product enforcement policy.

The FDA also issued guidance making it clear that it does not intend to interfere Establish a Medicare coverage plan for hemp-derived products.

CMS finalized a rule that will be adopted separately Coverage of certain hemp products, primarily as specialized health-related benefits, through Medicare Advantage the plans

As hemp products become more popular among consumers, some big brands are trying to get in on the action.

The main retailer Target, for example, is expanding its market share of hemp-derived THC beverages. Last year, the company began a pilot program selling cannabis beverages at 10 stores in Minnesota. That apparently went well, and now the company has secured licenses from Minnesota regulators to sell lower-potency edible hemp products — including THC drinks — in 72 stores in the state.