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DEA Picks Participants For Marijuana Rescheduling Hearing This Month, And Only Opponents Are Invited

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3 weeks ago

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The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has selected participants Hear about the Trump administration’s cannabis reorganization process this will begin this month—and only those opposed to the reform have been invited to participate.

On Thursday, the DEA began notifying parties who expressed their intention to participate that they had been invited to participate, and sending rejection letters to those who were not invited.

The invited participants are:

  • Drug and Alcohol Screening Association (NDASA)
  • Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
  • Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM)
  • The states of Nebraska, Idaho, Indiana and Louisiana
  • Voice of the Victims
  • Kenneth Finn, MD
  • Phillip A. Drum, PharmD

All organizations, individuals and officials have come out against marijuana reform, and some have filed lawsuits specifically trying to block cannabis reform.

Supporters of the reform who have expressed their intention to participate have not been invited.

According to several rejection letters seen by Marijuana Moment from cannabis reform advocates, the DEA said they do not meet the definition of “interested person” to participate because they “would not be harmed or harmed by any rule or proposed rule that may be issued.”

In a letter to the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), DEA Administrator Terrance Cole wrote that the agency has “concluded that you have not demonstrated that you are harmed or harmed by the promulgation of a proposed rule to transfer marijuana, 21 CFR 1308.11(d)(23) 21 CFR 1308.11(d)(23), marijuana as defined in abstracts, 21 CFR. 1308.11(d)(58), and naturally derived delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinols from Schedules I through III of the CSA as proposed in the “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” (NPRM).

“In fact, you state that the DPA supports the removal of marijuana from Schedule I and ‘does not object’ to the transfer of marijuana to Schedule III. Furthermore, the DPA states that any harm it would suffer from the NPRM would be to schedule marijuana in Schedule III. Because the DPA has not sufficiently demonstrated that the proposed rule itself is harmed or harmed, the DEA concludes that the DPA is not an “interested person.”

“Accordingly, the DEA is denying your request to participate in the hearing,” Cole told DPA.

Cat Packer, DPA’s director of drug markets and law enforcement, told Marihuana Moment after receiving the opt-out notice that “the rescheduling would leave the federal criminalization of marijuana largely intact and falls far short of what the public has asked for.”

“More than 70 percent of this public comments submitted on the proposed rule supported decriminalizationHowever, many patients, consumers, families, small businesses and individuals who have suffered the consequences of the ban — including arrests, incarcerations, family separations, housing barriers, immigration consequences and lost economic opportunities — have been excluded from meaningful participation in these proceedings, he said. dialogue, helping to shape the policies that affect their lives, families and communities.”

Michael Bronstein, president of the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH), said his group is “very disappointed” that not a single supporter of cannabis rescheduling was elected.

“The upcoming redistricting hearings will strictly include prohibitionist parties who oppose President Trump’s stance on redistricting. Now it’s up to the Drug Enforcement Administration to defend its rule,” he said.

SAM president Kevin Sabet, meanwhile, said his prohibitionist group “appreciates the opportunity to make our case” at the hearing.

“Rescheduling marijuana would be the biggest drug policy mistake in a generation,” he argued in a statement. “SAM looks forward to presenting the science, data, and public health stakes that show why reprogramming should be rejected.”

The hearingwhich will be overseen by a DEA administrative law judge, will begin on June 29 and conclude no later than July 15.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in April He issued an order that immediately reclassified the state’s licensed medical cannabisas well as marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under Schedule I through Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

According to a separate order signed by the acting Attorney General, in the upcoming hearing, marijuana III.

In order to be considered for participation in the hearing, the parties had to submit requests, indicating their interest in the procedure, the claims or issues they want to hear and their position on these issues.

“The purpose of the hearing is to ‘receive factual evidence and expert opinion’ on whether marijuana should be transferred to Schedule III of the controlled substance list,” Blanche’s initial statement in April said.

The attorney general will also select an administrative law judge (ALJ) to oversee the proceeding.

“The ALJ’s authority includes the power to hold conferences to simplify or determine the issues at the hearing or to consider other matters that may assist in the expeditious resolution of the hearing; to require the parties to state their position in writing; to sign and issue subpoenas; to compel the production of documents and materials to the extent necessary to conduct the hearing; to examine witnesses; to direct, exclude, or testify; the Rule on Procedural Matters and the President’s DEA Hearing Procedures and Administrative Procedure Actions allowed under the law, Blanch wrote.

Preliminary hearing process on the marijuana redistricting process initiated by the Biden administration It was halted last year amid allegations of improper communications and witness selection.

the current The marijuana redistricting process is being challenged in several ways which have been upheld by a federal Court of Appeals. those pieces of State attorneys general have filed lawsuits against cannabis reform, Opponents of marijuana legalization and a a cannabis-based biopharmaceutical corporation.

Meanwhile, the reorganization of state-licensed medical cannabis is already having a major impact.

The Congressional Research Service published a report on the current rescheduling of cannabis Certified patients with medical marijuana from state licensed dispensaries are now eligible for Class III. “The order appears to allow end users to use marijuana medically without a CSA prescription,” he says.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has published a Draft update to a gun purchase form to recognize the legal status of medical marijuana in the reprogramming. The revised section of the question states that only the “recreational use or possession of marijuana” is federally prohibited, omitting the prior form’s mention of medical cannabis.

The US Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said they plan to issued new tax guidelines for the marijuana industry after reprogramming. The reform will benefit state-licensed marijuana businesses by allowing them to take federal tax deductions that are currently prohibited under IRS Code Section III, known as Section 280E.

Even the DEA, which has long opposed cannabis legalization and accused the Biden administration of stalling the initiative in the reorganization process, has done so. It launched a registration process for legal marijuana businesses in the state to take advantage of the federal benefits that come with the reform.

The Department of Transport, on the other hand, issued guidelines stating this use Legal medical cannabis in the state is still no excuse for truck drivers to test positive for drugspilots and other safety-sensitive personnel.

A congressional committee recently Federal officials voted to block further steps to reschedule cannabis.

Read DEA Reorganization Denial the letter To the Drug Policy Alliance below:

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Entourage Health faces severance claims from dismissed employees

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13 hours ago

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July 9, 2026

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Entourage Health Corp., an Aylmer, Ont.-based cannabis grower, laid off 53 workers on June 8 without notice, offering only two weeks’ pay in lieu of notice rather than layoffs. More than 40 former employees have since filed complaints with Ontario’s Ministry of Labor, alleging the company violated the province’s Employment Standards Act, which entitles workers with more than five years of service at companies with payrolls of more than $2.5 million to receive 26 weeks of severance pay.

The company is owned by the pension fund of LiUNA, a major private sector union, which became Entourage’s largest lender and shareholder following a series of investments beginning in 2017. Entourage was taken private by an entity related to LiUNA in April 2025. After struggling with debt and unprofitability, the company laid off most of its leisure workers, and lost most of its bank employees to CCAA. protection at the end of June 2026. Its medical cannabis division continues to operate with 22 employees.

Court filings show Entourage owes LiUNA’s pension fund about $240 million. Efforts to sell the company generated little industry interest, leading to a bankruptcy filing. Former employees, including Benjamin Hessel and Gabriela Ayee, say they were blindsided by the sudden layoffs and worry they won’t get back the severance they were owed in the restructuring. A labor attorney noted that workers laid off in bankruptcy typically become unsecured creditors with limited recourse because secured lenders and government creditors are prioritized. The federal Wage Protection Program offers affected workers a one-time payment of up to $9,275. Neither Entourage nor the LiUNA Pension Fund responded to requests for comment.










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Wyoming Attorney General Blocks State Marijuana Rescheduling That Would Be Triggered By Trump’s Federal Reform

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13 hours ago

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July 9, 2026

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The attorney general of Wyoming has determined that the state will not reclassify marijuana under state law under a federal rescheduling From the Trump administration.

“The Wyoming Legislature has not legalized medical marijuana, adopted a state-licensed medical marijuana regulatory scheme, or agreed to recognize any other state’s medical marijuana licenses,” Attorney General Keith Kautz (R) said Tuesday. “Therefore, making marijuana subject to a state medical marijuana license in Title III of the Wyoming Controlled Substances Act is inconsistent with the police powers previously exercised by the Wyoming Legislature.”

“The question of whether to remove a type of marijuana from Schedule I of the Wyoming Controlled Substances Act is a matter for the Wyoming Legislature and should not be done through the administrative rulemaking process,” he said.

The Legislature, however, previously enacted a law stating that “if a substance is designated, rescheduled, or eliminated as a controlled substance under federal law,” the drug and substance abuse commissioner “must control the substance under this law in the same manner as federal law” within 30 days.

Under state law, the attorney general serves as the drug and substance abuse commissioner and can formally challenge the state’s automatic rescheduling to prevent it from happening, subject to a public hearing, “giving all interested parties an opportunity to be heard.”

Kautz called a hearing in June to consider the issue, and also accepted public comments via email.

“The Commissioner received eight comments by email. Four of the comments expressed support for leaving medical marijuana and marijuana products in Schedule I of the Wyoming Controlled Substances Act. Four of the comments supported leaving medical marijuana and marijuana in Schedule III of the Wyoming Controlled Substances Act. All of the comments, both by email and in person, focused on the important policy considerations surrounding the legalization of marijuana and marijuana products.

According to the Attorney General, “all marijuana products currently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration are already scheduled under the Federal Controlled Substances Act.” referring to prescription medications such as dronabinol, Cesamet, and Epidiolex. “The Commissioner will continue to appropriately monitor individual substances as they are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.”

“After considering all stakeholder comments, the commissioner has determined that all marijuana products, including marijuana subject to the state’s medical marijuana license, will remain in Schedule I of the Wyoming Controlled Substances Act,” Kautz’s announcement reads. “This decision is final unless changed by statute.”

Under an order issued in April by US Attorney General Todd Blanche, marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license were immediately changed from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Annex, as well as marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

An an administrative hearing now underway is examining a broader rescheduling of cannabisincluding for recreational products.

In Wyoming, activists have tried unsuccessfully to put it down initiatives to legalize medical cannabis and decriminalize possession of marijuana on the ballot.

State lawmakers have also considered legislation on the issue, but Wyoming remains one of the few states without legal access to medical marijuana.

In 2022, the speaker of the Wyoming House introduced a bipartisan decriminalization bill to remove criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of cannabis and replace the state’s current felony charge with a $100 fine. But that legislation he did not receive a vote Despite the support of top GOP lawmakers.

A bill to legalize and regulate adult cannabis in Wyoming he advanced from a House committee In 2021, but at the end of that session it didn’t move anymore.

A A survey released in 2020 has been found It found that 54 percent of Wyoming residents approve of allowing adults in the state to “legally possess marijuana for personal use.”

Meanwhile, other states without comprehensive medical cannabis programs are also grappling with changes to state marijuana laws that could trigger federal redistricting action.

A The GOP senator from South Carolina, for example, said that “medical marijuana is now legal.” under a trigger law in the state.

In May, the governing bodies The Alabama Department of Public Health voted against federal rescheduling of marijuana after health officials said they need more time to determine how to implement the change at the state level.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R), on the other hand, signed the legislation this session block automatic review that could have legalized medical marijuana Under state law, after federal drug rescheduling.

user photo Carlos Gracia.

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There’s product in the German market you wonder how it got in

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2 days ago

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July 8, 2026

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Sascha Mielcar, CEO of Canify AG, inspects all the suppliers the company buys from, retesting each batch and discarding anything out of specification. However, cannabis from other companies is reaching German pharmacies that cannot meet these standards. “There is a market in Germany where you wonder how the product got into it,” says Sascha. The certification standards, he believes, are not being strictly applied.

© Canify

“I don’t like the term GMP cleaning, it’s a complex methodology,” says Sascha. His concern is the microbiological purity of what reaches the patients, a product that clears certification abroad and would not survive the same examination in Germany. Canify only sells flowers that are GMP certified, and Sascha would rather turn away business than release something out of spec.

For repair, Canify uses a GMP validated method. “We don’t revel in repairs, but if we do, we do it through a qualified, validated process,” says Sascha. Others in the market use various methods and claim GMP validation, and Sascha is skeptical of the extent of these standards.

From the early days to the international footprint
Canify was among the first movers in the German market. Founded in 2018, obtained GMP certification in 2021 after three years and huge expenses, trading since the end of 2022, imports, processes and releases products from various countries, including Portugal, Canada, Uruguay, Colombia, South Africa, Lesotho, Spain, Denmark and North Macedonia, for its brands and telemedicine and clinical services on its German soil. Its volume grew tenfold in 2024 and fivefold again in 2025, although price compression means revenue has not grown in line with volume. The company has also announced a merger with MG Health, a Lesotho-based grower and manufacturer with GMP I and II certified facilities, a step that Sascha calls Canify vertically integrated on two continents, and what he believes to be the first fully integrated operator of its kind outside of Canada.

© Canify

Cannabis from a bunker in Nato
The manufacturing site has an unusual history. As cannabis was classified as a narcotic, storage regulations were strict, and Canify built its vault inside a former NATO bunker. “It’s a regular piece of real estate, but it’s quite useful,” says Sascha.

© Canify

In terms of product formats, little has changed. Germany remains a compound market where pharmaceuticals are prepared and the main form factor is still dried flower. “We’re using Stone Age form factors, dried flowers,” says Sascha. He doubts whether edibles are legal in Germany and is wary of vaporizers, where the certification covers the device rather than the cartridge, and there are voices calling for the disappearance of these products from the market. Canify is investing in a fully certified device, closer to an inhaler than a vaporizer, designed for precise dosing and high bioavailability. “Germany remains a composite market, the only real way is to work with pharma,” concludes Sascha.

For more information:
Canify AG
canify.com

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