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Indiana GOP Governor Directs State Agencies To Meet With Medical Marijuana Advocates As Federal Rescheduling Takes Effect

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Indiana state officials are holding a series of meetings with medical marijuana advocates at the behest of the Republican governor.

After a day The Trump administration announced that federal cannabis regulation is moving forwardOfficials from the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Health and other state agencies spoke with Hoosier Veterans for Medical Cannabis and Indiana NORML to discuss next steps at the state level.

The meetings, activists said, were at the request of Gov. Mike Braun (R).

“The governor has reached out to us to meet with other heads of his department to get their input on this move,” military veteran Jeff Staker, one of the advocates, told Fox 59. “Our next step, hopefully, will be in the governor’s office.”




Lucy Luman, who is also a veteran and serves as president of Indiana NORML, he said That federal reform “addresses major challenges our lawmakers have raised before.”

Advocates previously met with Indiana Secretary of Business Affairs Mike Speedy, they told WHTR-TV.

“It tells you that the governor has considered it well, and I hope that our organization and others will come into the governor’s office and discuss with him and brainstorm more,” Staker. he said. “You have to realize that a lot of our state legislators have been waiting for that to happen.”

“The feds have made their move, and now it’s time for Indiana to make ours,” he said. “And of course we want to do well.”




State Rep. Jim Lucas (R) said federal marijuana rescheduling “takes away the arguments that the opposition had in our state.”

State Sen. Rodney Pol (D) agreed, saying the Trump administration’s action has “helped get the ball rolling.”

last month, The governor said the “crescendo will rise” in the call to legalize marijuanaregional dynamics as well as law enforcement by opting for reform. But for now, he said, the GOP legislative leadership is “not interested in doing anything anytime soon,” even though “half of Hoosiers probably smoke illegally.”

Braun said he thinks lawmakers should take an “extra look” at medical cannabis and, while he’s personally “agnostic” about legalization, the reality is Indiana is “now surrounded by four states” that allow medicinal or adult use of cannabis.

“Probably half of Hoosiers smoke illegally,” he said, noting that suburban Kentucky allows patients to access medical cannabis, while Illinois, Michigan and Ohio have recreational marijuana laws.

“I’m going to listen to law enforcement. They’ve even changed their minds about legalizing and regulating,” Braun said, adding that he compared cannabis to gambling. The state was late to pass laws allowing adults to gamble, he said, but now ranks among the top three states nationally in terms of per capita revenue from vice.

“Some people won’t want to, just on principle. A lot of police and sheriffs in our state are willing to cross the border (to buy cannabis). It’s going to be a growing problem, so far, the way our state legislature has opposed it,” he said. “I’ve been more agnostic about it. I can see the points of view, and I’ve seen law enforcement move somewhat.”

“So that will give you the best description of where the dynamic is in our state,” the governor told WOWO. “I think the leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the House in particular are cool — and they control the legislative agenda — they’re not interested in doing anything anytime soon. But I think the crescendo will rise, and that pretty much describes where we are.”

Braun also addressed the issue in another recent interview, saying the state will “probably have to address” the issue and pairing cannabis reform with sports betting.

State legislators already He stated that there is no legalization of marijuana in the 2026 sessionThis is another year where Indiana will be left out as one of the few states without effective medical or adult use cannabis laws.

The governor said this separately in January He “fits in” with the idea of ​​legalizing medical cannabis in the state. Instead, Indiana lawmakers this session have focused on efforts to ban THC hemp products, though The fight for 2026 appears to be over after a last-minute push failed late last month.

Braun has previously said that federal marijuana reorganization He could add “some fire” to the local push to legalize cannabis in his state.

Among Indiana residents, a survey released in January found that nearly three in five supported the legalization of medical and recreational cannabis.

Specifically, Ball State University’s (BSU) Bowen Center’s annual Hoosier Poll found that 59 percent of residents support the legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational purposes. An additional 25 percent return allowing patients to access medical marijuana, bringing total support for that reform to 84 percent.

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Braun, for his part, He previously said it is “probably time” to introduce therapeutic cannabis among state patients. The comments came alongside a separate poll showing that nearly 9 in 10 Indiana adults (87 percent) support the legalization of marijuana.

The main Republicans in the Legislature, however, They have openly opposed marijuana reform.

“It’s no secret that I’m not,” Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R) said at the end of 2024. “I don’t have people coming to me with really compelling medical cases to find out why it’s so beneficial. And any situation I’ve seen, it’s passing medical marijuana, it’s basically passing recreational marijuana.”

House Speaker Todd Huston (R) questioned any medical benefits associated with marijuana, calling the substance a “mental health deterrent.” He and others suggested that lawmakers in favor of reform simply want to increase state revenue.

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Health Canada opens consultations to deregulate hemp

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8 hours ago

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May 19, 2026

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Health Canada has published a Notice of Intent to “simplify” the Industrial Hemp Regulation to “eliminate or reduce regulatory burden,” which could include removing the licensing requirement for certain industrial hemp activities, and is asking the industry what changes it wants to see before June 30, 2026.

The announcement acknowledges that “industry stakeholders have advocated for a new approach to regulating industrial hemp that treats it as an agricultural product” and that although industrial hemp and cannabis belong to the same plant family, “the productions and products resulting from the cultivation and processing of industrial hemp are completely different and pose very different risks.” CBD is “non-intoxicating,” the release states, and hemp “has less potential for public health harm and misuse and less public safety concerns compared to cannabis due to its extremely low THC levels.”

© Colin Temple | Dreamstime

Under the current framework, industrial hemp is listed in Schedule 1 of the Cannabis Act along with high-THC cannabis, even if it contains 0.3% THC or less by weight in the flower heads and leaves. To cultivate, sell, import or export seeds or grains, clean seeds, process grains or grow hemp, operators need a separate license for each activity, plus a separate permit for each import or export shipment. Anyone licensed to cultivate the seeds must test the flower heads and leaves for THC concentration, and all cultivated varieties must appear on Health Canada’s List of Approved Crops. Imported seeds also require phytosanitary certification according to CFIA frameworks. Mature stems, non-viable seeds and their derivatives are already out of the field, sitting on tab 2.

The review calls for eliminating or reducing licensing requirements, removing the separate layer of import/export permits, cutting reporting obligations, revamping the List of Approved Crops, reducing or eliminating THC testing requirements and potentially changing the 0.3% THC definition itself. That said, Health Canada is clear that some controls are being left out, specifically to “prevent the illegal cultivation and diversion of cannabis disguised as industrial hemp into an illegal market,” and that international reporting obligations remain an “important consideration.” Extracting CBD from flower heads is also out of scope, as this requires a cannabis processing license under the Cannabis Regulations.

A separate cost-benefit questionnaire goes directly to current IHR licensees, and the responses feed into the regulatory Impact Analysis Statement required by Health Canada before any proposed amendment reaches the Canada Gazette.

Source: magazine.gc.ca

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Cannabis Advocacy Groups Push Congress For Legalization And Other Reforms Following Trump’s Rescheduling Move

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8 hours ago

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May 19, 2026

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“Cannabis reform is the hottest topic in American politics, and … Congress is on course to pass a comprehensive legalization bill that targets the release of cannabis prisoners.”

Author: Jack Gorsline, Filter

A national coalition 41 advocacy groups gathered on Capitol Hill for Cannabis Unity WeekA coordinated lobbying blitz pressed a deadlocked Congress to act on federal marijuana deprogramming, criminal law reform, and fair access.

The May 12-14 mobilization brought together unions, veterans, civil liberties advocates, legal experts, industry executives and individuals directly affected by three main demands: federal cannabis legalization, the release of federal cannabis prisoners, and the expungement of civil rights restoration records. The coalition spent three days navigating the halls of both houses of Congress to introduce a comprehensive package of 13 hemp and cannabis reform bills.

The legislative push comes at a critical time. The vast majority of states have legalized medical or adult use of cannabis in some form, and although the Trump administration rescheduled state legal medical marijuana last month, federal law otherwise continues to classify the plant as a Schedule I controlled substance, creating a legal and economic paradox that advocates say can no longer be ignored.

The coalition’s main thrust is the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Elimination (MORE) Act, introduced as HR 5068. If passed, the MORE Act would completely remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, ending nearly a century of federal prohibition.

The bill’s provisions go beyond simple deprogramming. It aims to eliminate all federal penalties for marijuana activity, establish clear pathways to expungement and reentry, and create community reinvestment with federal cannabis tax revenue. The bill also includes equity measures designed to lower barriers to entry for small and independent businesses trying to navigate the highly capitalized legal market.

“Cannabis reform is a hot topic in American politics, and now that the president has indicated he’s open to reform, it’s up to Congress to pass a comprehensive legislative bill that targets the release of cannabis prisoners who no longer need to be incarcerated,” Jason Ortiz, director of strategic initiatives at the Last Prisoner Project and Co-founder of the Latino Cannabis Alliancehe said The filter.

Ortiz emphasized that the administrative gesture must be supported by specific legislative moves. “The LPP is ready to work with the co-chairs of the Cannabis Caucus and the Cannabis Unity Coalition to pass a comprehensive deprogramming bill like the MORE Act,” he continued, “to finally end the nightmare that has been cannabis prohibition, and create a pathway for all those incarcerated for cannabis offenses to reunify their families and become full members of society.”

A central theme of Unity Week was the disproportionate impact of federal prohibition on minority communities, particularly Latinos. At a May 13 news conference outside the Senate wing of the Capitol, advocates drew a direct line from the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the early 20th century to today’s deportation statistics.

“Buenos dias. My name is Jessica Gonzalez. I’m an Ecuadorian immigrant, attorney, and president of the Latino Cannabis Alliance, a national coalition of Latino advocates, lawyers, organizers, researchers, and storytellers fighting to move our communities from the margins of cannabis politics to the center,” Gonzalez told reporters and lawmakers. “We’re Harry Anslinger’s worst nightmare.”

Anslinger, the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, weaponized prejudice against Latinos and blacks in the 1930s to secure the initial federal crackdown on cannabis. Gonzalez noted that the structural machinery built at that time continues to operate with remarkable efficiency.

“We’re here because Latinos are the largest immigrant group in the country, and the cannabis industry benefits enormously from Latino consumers and workers because they remain silent on the same policies that make participation by non-citizen Latinos dangerous,” Gonzalez said. “That’s a contradiction we’re here to say out loud. And here’s a number we don’t hear often enough: 70 percent. More than 70 percent of people convicted federally of cannabis possession are classified as Hispanic. That’s not a coincidence, it’s the result of a system that has merged cannabis prohibition and immigration enforcement into a deportation pathway and targeted our families.”

For noncitizens, as well as legal residents, federal convictions or possession of cannabis can result in mandatory deportation without judicial discretion. Gonzalez noted that the Latino Cannabis Alliance refuses to let the economic boom of state-sanctioned cannabis eclipse the human cost of federal action.

“But we have never been a town that accepts the conditions given to us,” said Gonzalez. “My family refused when they left everything they knew and built a life in a foreign country. Our communities refused when prohibition tried to turn our families into criminals and our neighborhoods into evidence. And today, the Latino Cannabis Alliance refuses to deport one more family, silence one more worker, or erase one more community from a movement we’ve always been.”

He continued, “decriminalization is the floor, not the ceiling. We will not forget the deportees. We will not forget the detainees. Our work takes borders, but it begins where this system was built. The ban began with a lie about our people. It will end with the truth we made.”

Business leaders also described the injustice and inequality of the current landscape.

“Cannabis Unity Week is not a celebration of victory, it’s a call to action,” said Susie Plascencia, founder of Latinas in Cannabis and representative of the National Hispanic Cannabis Council. “Thousands of people are still incarcerated for cannabis crimes, families are still living with the consequences of prohibition, and Latino communities remain disproportionately harmed and underrepresented in this industry.”

Today, Plascencia noted, multi-state marijuana operators generate billions of dollars in public markets, but minority-owned independent startups face severe capital constraints due to federal bank restrictions.

“Latino entrepreneurs are among the fastest growing in the country, building businesses despite systemic barriers,” he said., “But in cannabis, many still face limited access to capital, restrictive policies and exclusion from ownership. We’re building it anyway, but we don’t have to build it alone. We’re here to demand federal action… Because equity isn’t just about repairing damage, it’s about investing in the future.”

The broader drug policy reform movement also gave the coalition its institutional weight.

“As MAPS celebrates its 40th anniversary, we are proud to join the Cannabis Unity Coalition to advance the movement for compassionate, evidence-based drug policy,” said Gina Vensel, Community Partnerships Manager for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS).

“This milestone is an opportunity to reflect on the progress made in the War on Drugs case while recognizing the crucial work that still lies ahead, especially around restorative justice,” Vensel said. The filter. “Together, we strive to dismantle stigma, educate our communities, and advocate for meaningful reform. The Cannabis Unity Coalition represents the power of collective action to drive lasting, positive change.”

Beyond the comprehensive scope of the MORE Act, advocates spent time on the Hill educating lawmakers on narrower measures designed to solve immediate practical problems.

Among them is the STATES 2.0 Act (HR 2934), a bipartisan bill that would amend federal law to respect state legal cannabis programs while protecting state-regulated businesses from federal interference and asset forfeiture. Advocates also pushed for the PREPARE Act (HR 2935 / S 3576), which would have created a federal commission charged with designing a comprehensive regulatory framework for the post-prohibition transition.

To address the decades-long decline in political motivation for scientific research, the coalition also sponsored the Evidence-Based Drug Policy Act (HR 3082) to remove barriers that prevent the Office of National Drug Control Policy from conducting objective research on the social impacts of cannabis legalization.

The coalition also focused heavily on “clean slate” initiatives, housing stability and agricultural guidelines. Key legislation in this area includes the Clean Slate Act, a bipartisan measure that mandates the unsealing of certain federal records for nonviolent cannabis convictions to help affected individuals access employment and educational opportunities. Advocates are also championing the Veterans Safe Use of Cannabis for Healing Act and the Veterans Equal Access Act — additional bills to prevent Veterans Affairs benefits from being stripped away if veterans participate in illegal cannabis programs, and to allow VA doctors to prescribe medicinal cannabis in states where it is legal.

Another item on the coalition’s agenda is the Marihuana Federally Assisted Housing Parity Act, a state-enforced measure to protect people in federally assisted housing from eviction or denial of residency based solely on cannabis use. Finally, organizers are seeking clarification on hemp regulations through a series of farm bills.

As the coalition faced a fight against the entrenched Congress leadership, several lawmakers came out of their offices to show solidarity. After the press conference, Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) spoke plainly TMZ About changing currents inside the Capitol.

Omar noted that the enormous financial fallout of maintaining prohibition has fundamentally changed the conversation, making fiscal conservatives increasingly open to reform.

“I will say, legalization advocacy doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a user, so everybody can be an advocate … because we understand that it’s not good for us to spend the billions of dollars that we make now incarcerating people for smoking a port,” Omar said.

Omar also suggested that the Hill’s policy positions lag behind private reality. “I think so There are a lot of people in Congress who smoke cannabis“, he said.

As the three-day rally ended, organizers were optimistic, saying the breadth of the 41-group alliance is forcing lawmakers to view cannabis not as a boutique policy issue, but as a critical intersection of labor rights, immigration justice, veterans’ health care and economic equity, among others.

Whether their unity can propel legislative movement in a deeply polarized Congress remains to be seen, but advocates left Washington with a clear message: the floor for decriminalization has been set; the battle for the ceiling of total justice is underway.

This the article Originally published by the author The filteran online magazine that deals with drug use, drug policy and human rights from a harm reduction perspective. Keep the filter on Bluesky, X or Facebookand sign up for their newsletter.

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More cannabis companies join Texas medical marijuana program as list of potentials hits 15

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1 day ago

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May 18, 2026

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Texas public safety officials have tentatively approved a dozen cannabis providers to join the state’s medical marijuana program. It’s an important step in expanding access to medical cannabis, after lawmakers voted last year to grow the system from three licensed operators to 15, state officials said.

The companies selected cover nearly every corner of Texas, from the Dallas area and the Panhandle to the Rio Grande Valley and West Texas, reflecting what supporters hope will become a statewide network. Among the 12 suppliers selected to move forward in the final approval process are four companies added since December. Then the Texas Department of Public Safety, which oversees the “Compassionate Use Program,” released an initial list of nine conditionally accepted applicants.

When completed, the licenses will allow the companies, many of them based in Texas, to grow, manufacture, store and sell throughout the state.

“DPS will request additional information from these businesses and will not bill the distributor organization licensing fees until additional due diligence evaluations are completed and passed,” DPS officials said in a statement.

Read more at Dallas Morning News










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