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Congressional Leaders Drop Attempt To Block Marijuana Rescheduling, While Preserving State Medical Cannabis Protections

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Bipartisan House and Senate leaders have rejected a provision It would have prevented the Justice Department from rescheduling marijuana– Maintaining a long-standing rider while protecting state cannabis programs from federal interference.

While a GOP-controlled House committee advanced a version of Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) legislation this summer that would have prevented the DOJ from rescheduling cannabis, the new bicameral agreement introduced Monday omits that language.

The move by President Donald Trump to Attorney General Pam Bondi from Schedule I to III of the Marijuana Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

Here is the language of the provision advanced by the House Appropriations Committee, but left out of the final agreement:

“SEC. 607. Funds made available by this Act or otherwise made available may not be used to reschedule marijuana (as that term is defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 USC 802)) or to remove marijuana from the schedules established by section (802) of the Controlled Substances Act.”

GOP senators have it individually tried to block the administration from rescheduling cannabis As part of a stand-alone bill introduced in 2023, but that proposal was not heard or voted on.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said Marijuana redistricting appeals process ‘remains pending’ Despite Trump’s executive order.

The newly introduced bicameral CJS bill, which is combining legislation to fund parts of the government covering the interior, environment and energy and water development, also includes a pilot that has been renewed annually since 2014 to block the Justice Department from using its funds to enact state medical marijuana laws.

However, for reasons that are unclear, the rider listing every state that would be protected omits Nebraska.

Here is the text of that provision:

“SEC. 531. None of the funds made available to the Department of Justice under this Act shall be used in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire. Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico, to authorize their use, distribution, or establishment of their own laws.”

Missing from the final version is an addition to that rider that the House had previously included, which would have allowed enhanced penalties for sales near schools and parks.

That provision specifically specified that the Justice Department could still enforce a section of the US Code that requires increased penalties for distributing cannabis within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, vocational school, university, playground or public housing.

However, a joint statement explaining the new spending package also states that Congress “directs proper enforcement of the Federal Drug-Free School Zones Act (2 1 USC 860) to ensure that areas where young children are present, including schools and playgrounds, remain drug-free.”

That appears to be related to a Senate committee report released earlier this year that found the medical marijuana protection pilot “does not expressly prevent” U.S. attorneys from enforcing a federal statute that prohibits the sale or manufacture of controlled substances in “areas where young children are present, schools and playgrounds.”

The new bill also maintains protections for state industrial hemp research programs under the 2014 Farm Bill:

“SEC. 530. None of the funds made available by this Act shall be used by the Department of Justice or the Drug Enforcement Administration in violation of Section 7606 (‘Legitimacy of Industrial Hemp Research’) of the Agriculture Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79).

“President Trump laid an important foundation when he signed the three appropriations bills into law in November, and we’re carrying that momentum into the new year,” House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK). he said in a press release. “This bipartisan, bicameral package reflects continued progress toward responsibly completing FY26 funding.”

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins (R-ME) he said The overall agreement is “a fiscally responsible package that cuts spending, provides essential federal investments that will improve our nation’s water infrastructure, improve our nation’s energy and national security, and advance the scientific research needed to keep America competitive.”

Advocates may welcome the exclusion of the reconsideration provision and the inclusion of medical marijuana protections in the CJS bill, but many cannabis advocates protested Trump’s signing of a separate credit measure in November. It includes provisions to ban most consumable hemp products.

However, when the president ordered marijuana reregulation last month, he also directed Congress to review that policy and ensure that people continue to have access to full-spectrum CBD products. A federal agency will also move to cover these products for certain Medicare and Medicaid patients.

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We don’t really deal with a lot of mites because of our IPM program

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Flora Farms Pest Management Program it is built to reduce to nothing depending on the harvestso the plant ends up clean. Luke Allenbrand, Flora Farms’ crop leader, leads an integrated pest management program that focuses on prevention. “We don’t honestly deal with a lot of mites because of the IPM program, because of the predatory mites that we’ve put down as a precaution,” says Luke. “It allows us to have a much cleaner garden in the back half.” Preventative work keeps spray volumes relatively low because the curative side of the program rarely needs to be heavy.

“Actually, we are at the lowest number of these sprays that we have. The milliliters that we are using are numbers that do not exist to be a prevention,” says Luke. “But as soon as you see an uptick of those mites or anything, we bring it up to a therapeutic amount, which is still a small milliliter. And as long as you’re on a fast track with it, you see them disappear within 10 days.” The targets are spider mites, which feed on the plant’s THC and terpene production and degrade the flower.

© Flora Farms

Tested solutions
The three products used by the company are derived from agricultural and food use. “We actually apply about three insecticides that are very common around the agricultural and food grade of these products, using a suite of IPM, Venerate and Grandevo, insecticides that will deal with these mites,” says Luke. The application is intermittent rather than constant. “We usually use a 5-day spray cycle so we can have rest periods in between, so it’s not just a consistent density of that spray,” says Luke. He sees progress against mites in the gaps between the successions.

However, at some point, the spraying stops. “We finish the spray cycle by day 40. We usually don’t want to spray anywhere after day 40. At that point, you’re going to damage the product,” says Luke. “And at that point, we’ll put predatory mites in. It really helps us get to that final push point by day 59, 60 of that harvest. So we actually have a lot less of our spray in that late period. So it’s a much better tasting product.” Predatory mites take over the job of spraying, leaving nothing on the flower.

Biological control
Biological control has two forms. “We usually use them, they’re called crazy mites, and honestly, it’s crazy to see,” says Luke. “Actually, I’ve seen some of the ones in a close-up photo kill a bug, some of the cocoons actually drive away, and even attack the spider mites themselves. Very beneficial. Callias are also slow. They’re little bags that we hang on plants and they’re very beneficial to us.” Different predators work at different speeds, which is why the program runs more than one.

Missouri’s testing regime is the context in which growers operate. Each plant is tested for pest control chemicals and must pass before the product goes ahead. “Other crops and other black market shops or smoke shops in Missouri don’t have to worry about the testing we have to do,” Luke says. “Everything we use here is natural. Each of our pest management is a lot of essential oils that fight these mites. Everything we would put on a plant is food grade.” The test covers foreign chemicals, heavy metals, and anything else that an unregulated supply should never consider.

The whole arc is from biology to chemistry and back to biology. “We go from predatory mites to a food-grade spray regimen, and then back to predatory mites at the end. That way, these plants will have time to finish with no chemicals, nothing,” says Luke. “The rest of that life cycle, about 15 to 20 days, is the most natural it will have. No spraying at all during that, just to push predatory mites off that end, so there’s no residual mite damage on those plants.”

For more information:
Flower Farms
florafarmsmo.com

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California Bill To Legalize Marijuana Dispensary Drive-Thru Windows Advances In Senate After Clearing Full Assembly

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It has been passed by a California Senate committee and passed by the Assembly bill that would allow marijuana dealers to offer car windows to serve customers.

The measure, which cleared the Senate Business, Careers and Economic Development Committee on a 7-3 vote Monday, says licensed cannabis retailers and micro-businesses with storefronts can sell marijuana products “in a motor vehicle to a customer in a drive-through located on the premises.”

Under Assemblywoman Gail Peller’s (D) AB 2697, cannabis businesses would need permission from the local jurisdictions in which they operate to add a drive-thru.

The sponsor told committee members before the final vote that the bill will “expand access to legal cannabis products while strengthening our ability to compete with the illegal market.”

Annie Aubrey of Chuck’s Wellness Center, a retailer in Placerville, testified that the legislation is “about improving access.”

“A large portion of our customers use cannabis as medicine, including seniors, veterans and people living with chronic conditions that affect mobility, the population that this regulated system seeks to serve,” he said. “For many, even simple tasks like getting out of a vehicle or navigating a retail space can be physically difficult or prohibitive…A drive-thru option removes that barrier, giving patients and consumers access to what they need in a way that’s dignified and consistent with their healthcare needs.”

Amy O’Gorman Jenkins of the California Cannabis Operators Association said the legislation will provide “operational flexibility” in a highly regulated system.

“It doesn’t expand who can access cannabis,” he said. “It allows retailers, with local approval, to serve existing patients and customers more efficiently.”

Jenkins also argued that this measure could improve security.

“Currently, road traction transactions are already allowed. This means that workers regularly have to leave a safe premises while transporting the product, and sometimes they have to deposit cash in parking lots,” he said. “AB 2697 provides an additional mechanism for obtaining product, but requires a fixed and secure transaction point, keeping employees inside and reducing exposure to theft.”

Pellerin, the bill’s sponsor, previously said that “California cannabis retailers lack a common and accessible transaction channel for consumers that so many other retailers in California offer, including fast food, pharmacies, banks and even liquor stores.”

“Cannabis consumers with mobility issues or other disabilities have limited options for obtaining cannabis without having to get out of their vehicles. And while home delivery is legal, there are restrictions on service areas,” he said. “Allowing cannabis sellers to add a secure ride option, if allowed by their local jurisdiction, will improve the consumer experience, increase the security of cannabis sellers and help expand California’s legal cannabis market.”

The California Association of Narcotics Officers opposes the proposal, however, as a representative, Ryan Sherman, testified that it would make it more difficult for dispensary workers to check the IDs of customers who are of legal age or to spot signs of current intoxication at drive-thru windows.

“This bill prioritizes speed of sale over public safety while undermining existing protections designed to prevent illegal sales and protect public safety,” he argued.

Under current policy during the COVID pandemic, dispensaries can already offer street pickup.

The invoice that moving forward in the legislature would mandate that auto sales “be made through a fixed panel security window with a security drawer or similar secure transfer mechanism that is part of a building located within the premises.”


It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.


Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access

California regulators recently approved emergency rule changes to the state’s marijuana licensing process. to make it easier for companies to receive benefits In line with the Trump administration’s latest move to federally regulate medical cannabis.

While Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) recently He took credit for helping lead the state’s push to legalize marijuana and discussed his limited experience with cannabis use.

In October, however, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have It allowed micro-marijuana companies to ship medicinal cannabis directly to patients Through common carriers like FedEx and UPS, he said the proposal would be “too burdensome and complex to manage.”

Newsom signed a bill earlier this month streamlining research into marijuana and psychedelics.

In September, the governor also signed a measure pause on the recent tax increase on marijuana products.

Separately, the state attorney general says Indian tribes cannot independently participate in the marijuana trade with licensed cannabis businesses without obtaining their own commercial license from state officials.

California officials have recently been rewarded nearly $30 million in grants for marijuana-focused academic research projects.

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Concert Series Specials launched for state medical cannabis patients

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Post Dispensary, Kentucky’s first medical cannabis dispensary, is connecting with patients in Owensboro, Henderson, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Madisonville, Hopkinsville and surrounding areas by aligning unique specials with the region’s summer concert calendar. Located at 300 N Main St. in Beaver Dam, minutes from major highways connecting these vibrant cities.

This summer, The Post Dispensary is offering special pricing and incentives for Concert Series Events at the Beaver Dam Amphitheater, SPARKS in the Park 4th of July celebration and surrounding events, such as Owensboro’s ROMP Festival (June 24-27, 2026). Patients can stop by before or after shows for big savings.

“We’re more than just a booty,” said a dispensary representative. “From Owensboro’s world-class ROMP Festival to Beaver Dam’s Amphitheater events, we’re making it convenient and budget-friendly for patients in Owensboro, Henderson, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Hartford and beyond to combine our love of music with compassionate care and an affordable product.”

The Post Dispensary hosts regular Patient Guidance events on the second Saturday of every month. These units have professionals on hand to assess patients and issue written certificates at low cost, application support and expert consultations in a welcoming environment. The next Patient Drive aligns perfectly with summer travel patterns, making it easy for patients from Owensboro, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Madisonville, Henderson, Madisonville and surrounding towns to plan a trip to Beaver Dam that combines care with community and entertainment.

For more information:
Post-Dispensary
thepostdispensary.com/










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