Cannabis News
Senator Blocks Confirmation Of Trump’s ‘Unqualified’ White House Drug Czar Pick Who Has Voiced Medical Marijuana Support
A Democratic senator is holding back nearly 90 of President Donald Trump’s administration nominees, including the president’s pick for White House drug czar He says he is among many “unqualified” candidates who threaten to “undermine the rule of law and our national security.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee in October advanced the nomination of Sara Carter Bailey to join the administration as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). But when he was included in an en bloc confirmation package of 88 nominees, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) raised a procedural question that led Republicans to stall the vote.
“I’ve just blocked 88 of Trump’s nominees for confirmation, including Sara Carter Bailey, the former Fox News contributor nominated to be our country’s drug czar,” Bennet said Thursday. “Bailey was nominated by Trump, who recently pardoned the former president of Honduras, who served 45 years in prison for conspiring to distribute more than 400 tons of cocaine.”
“I will not allow those without a candidate, this White House or the president to undermine the rule of law and our national security,” he said. he said.
The procedural complaint raised by Bennet relates to the ONDCP director being a “Tier I” executive officer.
Therefore, unlike the other candidates in the package, Bailey could not be included in the group vote – the body that was chaired by the Republican senator on Thursday. recognize.
Bailey, for his part, yes expressed his support for medical cannabis, while stating that he has “no problem” with legalizationeven if you may not personally agree with the policy.
A former journalist known for his coverage of drug cartels, Bailey also recently informed senators that the administration. keeping “all options” on the table as it continues to consider a proposal to reorganize marijuanawhile describing cannabis reform as a “bipartisan issue.”
Bennet isn’t the only senator questioning the nominee’s abilities. Before the committee’s vote in October, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the panel’s ranking member, called Bailey a Trump “loyalist” who was “appointed to a position that he is completely, utterly unqualified for.”
“He’s not a doctor or an addiction specialist,” she said. “He’s never been a prosecutor or a law enforcement officer.”
Given the ONDCP director’s role in setting and carrying out the administration’s agenda on drug policy issues, Bailey’s enthusiastic endorsement of medical cannabis in the past is welcome to advocates.
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) raised the issue of cannabis rescheduling one-on-one with the candidate in September, stating that the proposal to move marijuana from Schedule I to III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) would be a “step in the right direction.”
“It would open the door to more scientific research, so if you were to be confirmed, how would you advise the American president on the reprogramming process going on?” he asked.
Bailey said she shares Booker’s passion for the issue, which she described as “bipartisan.”
“If confirmed as director, I will comply with all federal laws and meet all legal responsibilities of ONDCP,” he said. “However, we will continue to work in depth with research and data. We will continue to do so and explore all options.”
Trump endorsed the redistricting on the campaign trail before his second term — as well as bank access to the marijuana industry and a ballot initiative to legalize Florida. But his latest comments in late August about the timing of the reorganization decision gave a more ambiguous impression of his stance on the matter.
While Bailey has spoken often on a variety of marijuana policy issues (focusing on illegal trafficking and illegal growing operations on US soil, for example), his public comments have been limited on how he personally feels about the issue. Last year, she said in an episode of her podcast, The Sara Carter Show, that she makes a distinction between legally regulated and illegally supplied marijuana.
“I don’t have a problem if it’s legalized and controlled,” he said. “I mean, maybe I have my own issues with how I feel about it, but I think it’s a wonderful way to handle cannabis for medicine and medical reasons — especially for people with cancer and other diseases, you know — to manage the disease and the side effects of those drugs and diseases. So I’m not saying we should make it illegal.”
If Bailey is ultimately confirmed by the Senate, he will be the second drug czar to come out in favor of medical marijuana. Former President Joe Biden’s ONDCP Director Rahul Guptaworked as a consultant to cannabis businesses and oversaw the implementation of West Virginia’s medical marijuana program.
On his social media, Bailey has previously shared links (without comment) to news on various marijuana-related topics. In addition to his increased focus on illegal billboards, he has also published on congressional and state legalization votes, Biden administration staffers fired for cannabis use, Democratic presidential candidates’ support for legalization, progress on cannabis banking legislation in Congress, and state policy developments such as the legalization of cannabis cafes in Alaska.
the federal statute The drug czar is prohibited from agreeing to the legalization of Schedule I drugs in the CSA, including marijuana.
“The Director . . . shall ensure that federal funds appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall not be expended for any study or contract related to the legalization (for medical use or any other use) of a substance listed in section I of section 812 of this title and shall take such measures as may be necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use (in any form) of a substance not listed in subparagraph (I)(B) of section 8 of section (I). The purpose of the Food and Drug Administration approved for medical use.
In April, on the other hand, the democratic members of Congress announced the introduction of a bill that would remove this restriction. It has yet to advance in the GOP-controlled Congress.
Bailey has separately sounded the alarm about the risk of pesticides and other contaminants in marijuana grown and sold by Chinese cartels…recently a House committee took up the matter.
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Last year, the candidate discussed the issue with Derek Maltz, a now-retired Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official who is serving as the agency’s interim administrator before his confirmation. Trump’s perennial pick, Terrance Cole.
In an X post about the interview with Maltz, Bailey said how “Chinese marijuana growing operations are using dangerous chemicals as pesticides.”
In 2022, U.S. Representative Mike Garcia (R-CA) praised Bailey for working with his office to bring attention to illegal grow operations in his district, leading to an investigation by local law enforcement.
Bailey credited congress, saying, “The work you’ve done to get rid of illegal marijuana seeds has prevented the cartels from exploiting your community, the people forced to work in it, and (your money).”
In a 2021 interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, he also talked about his work with Garcia, including accompanying him on a helicopter, “a lot of sophisticated illegal farms worth billions of dollars.”
The posters “have become much bolder. They are not afraid to hide,” he said. “They don’t hide it because they don’t feel like they’ll ever be held accountable for it.”
In a sense, Bailey seems to be implicitly suggesting that he supports regulated access to cannabis as a means to promote public safety and health. Whether that implied position would influence federal policy and whether the role of ONDCP director is confirmed and assumed remains to be seen.
On his social media, he has previously shared links (without comment) to news on various marijuana-related topics. In addition to his increased focus on illegal billboards, he has also published on congressional and state legalization votes, Biden administration staffers fired for cannabis use, Democratic presidential candidates’ support for legalization, progress on cannabis banking legislation in Congress, and state policy developments such as the legalization of cannabis cafes in Alaska.
Photo by Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
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Fluent has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Etain, LLC, the Company’s New York-based operating entity. The purchase agreement was signed on July 22, 2026. The transaction provides for the sale of Etain’s Registered Entity license, certain of the Company’s New York operating assets and related New York leases for cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments.
The Company believes the Transaction advances its strategic objectives and expects the Transaction to comply with applicable regulatory requirements in connection with the Company’s previously announced plan of arrangement for Vireo Growth Inc. (the “Deal”) while providing for an orderly transition of the New York operations to an experienced operator committed to serving patients and consumers.
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For more information:
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Cannabis News
Marijuana Has ‘Horrific Health Risks’ And No Medical Value, Former Trump Attorney General Claims
A former US attorney general who served in President Donald Trump’s first term says marijuana poses “tremendous health risks,” has no medical value and should not be rescheduled under federal law.
“Marijuana redistricting would create a false impression that it is safe, reduce penalties for illegally selling the drug, and provide a large tax windfall to those who legally supply it,” William Barr wrote in a Wednesday op-ed for The Washington Post, Kevin Sabet, CEO of the prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana. “That would be a disaster.”
The opinion comes as the Trump administration moves forward with cannabis reregulation.
According to 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 As did marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
an administrator The hearing is looking at the broader rescheduling of marijuanawith The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has been tasked with advocating for cannabis reform highlighting the testimony about the medical benefits of marijuana and its relative safety compared to other substances such as alcohol and opioids. It included appearances by a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scientist and a doctor from New Hampshire. Medical marijuana provides relief to pain patients and can serve as an alternative to opioids.
But Sabet and Barr, who served as Trump’s attorney general from 2019-2020, argued that “the evidence presented at the hearing did not support the rescheduling of marijuana” and instead “confirmed what decades of data have shown: raw marijuana has no scientifically established medical value and is highly susceptible to abuse.”
After the parties to the hearing have filed termination rights, the DEA administrative law judge overseeing the proceedings will make a recommendation regarding rescheduling, and the agency administrator will make a final decision.
DEA Administrator Terrance Cole only organizations and individuals opposed to marijuana reform have been invited to the hearing as a designated participant – telling supporters that they do not meet the definition of “interested person” to participate because they have not been “affected or prejudiced by any rule or proposed rule that may be issued.”
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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.
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The former attorney general’s new opinion says “the stakes couldn’t be higher”, arguing that “marijuana today is more dangerous than ever” and that it is “addictive”, throwing out a list of alleged harm to mental and physical health.
“These unhealthy effects are a predictable result of a powerful and addictive drug being normalized, commercialized and marketed as a medicine,” Barr and Sabet say. “It would be one thing if marijuana had medical value. But there is no credible evidence that marijuana is an effective treatment for any medical condition, despite the millions of dollars spent trying to prove otherwise.”
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a 252 analysis in 2023 that concluded that marijuana had accepted medical value and should be rescheduled.
The new opposition piece also says that “rescheduling would unlock enormous revenue for the corporate marijuana industry by bringing it into a category that has not been covered by a longstanding reduction in federal drug tax deductions,” referring to a law known as 280E, which repeals Sections I and II.
“This, in turn, would allow the industry to spend even more on advertising and marketing to young people,” Barr and Sabet. he wroteArguing that “those who would lose this dragon in society are laying the foundations for another Big Tobacco”.
The Sabet organization, SAM, is one of several parties Challenging the Marijuana Redistricting Process which have been upheld by a federal Court of Appeals. those separate parts State attorneys general have filed lawsuits against cannabis reform, Opponents of marijuana legalization and a a cannabis-based biopharmaceutical corporation.
SAM’s lawsuit was signed by attorneys at Torridon Law PLLC, where Barr is a partner.
The team announced in January that it was Hiring Barr’s firm to fight cannabis rescheduling After Trump signed an executive order directing officials to quickly complete the process.
During the first Trump administration, Barr was accused by a Justice Department official Directing improper anti-company investigations into multiple cannabis company mergers– Accounting for almost a third of the division’s cases in 2019.
Several Democratic members of Congress introduced a resolution calling for an investigation into Barr’s possible impeachment, saying “abused the power of his office” to improperly investigate marijuana businesses while engaging in other allegedly illegal conduct.
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When growers pull out two LED fixtures side by side, the first number they usually discuss is percent red. This is an easy specification to fix. They are efficient at producing red photons and incredibly efficient at photosynthesis, and cannabis eats away at the flower. So more red must be better, right?
Not so simple. Red is an input to a spectrum, and the spectrum is an input to a room. There is no single spectrum that wins everywhere. An indoor room pushes hard, a greenhouse that soaks up sunlight, a temperamental cultivar, and aggressive yields call for something different. Knowing what each light strip actually does allows you to choose a tool that fits your grow instead of one that just has a big number on the sales page.
© JumpLights
Blue: structure
Blue (approximately 400-500 nm) gives shape to the plant. It maintains dense growth, strong stems, tight internodes and allows it to develop as desired. It also encourages stomatal opening, so the plant manages water and gas exchange better. Get blue and you’ve built a plant that can carry heavy flowers with no problem.
Green: access
Green was eliminated as the wavelength is “reflected” by plants. It turns out that it does a real job. Blue and red are absorbed above; the green goes deep into the fat and reaches the leaves that are never touched by the above photons. In a compact room, it’s the difference between plants photosynthesising from the top down and those that work only from the top. Green won’t replace your red or blue, but it does carry usable light where they can’t reach.
Red: engine
Red is the horse of the flower. It absorbs as efficiently as anything in the spectrum, and is responsible for most of the biomass you’re after. Redder generally means faster flower development, more weight and better efficiency per watt.
But red has a ceiling, and it’s tied to what you run. Push PPFD upwards with a heavy red spectrum and some cultivars begin to whiten at the top: the flower should be dense with pale, washed tips. Genetics, intensity, barrel temperature and your general environment all feed into it. If you’re using aggressive light levels, a lower red spectrum will buy you room before that becomes a problem, leaving you almost no photosynthetic punch to get it.
Far Red: More than Emerson
Far-red (700-750 nm) appears in more devices every year. It contributes little to photosynthesis on its own, but it moves plant morphology and works with red through the Emerson Enhancement Effect. Used properly, it helps to deepen the light, encourage uniformity of the canopy and encourage the response of the bloom. The key word is small. A touch of far red rounds out a spectrum; he’s not there to make a show.
Matching the red percentage with the room
Cannabis addresses the entire spectrum, not a line on a spec sheet. Reds cause flowers, but blues, greens and crimsons give the plant something it needs. Where you land in red refers to how you grow.
A lower red spectrum (30-40%) captures more blue and green, gives you better morphology, reduces the risk of photobleaching, and holds up when you’re running extreme PPFD. Moderate spectrum (40-55%) is the sweet spot in commercial greenhouses: strong photosynthetic efficiency, strong flowering, balanced growth. A high-red spectrum (70%+) makes the most sense in a greenhouse, where the sun is already giving you lots of blue and green and your supplemental light can cast effective red to fill the gap.
Where does the ETS MAX series fit in?
This is the thinking behind the JumpLights ETS MAX series. Instead of forcing a spectrum into each room, it rarely comes up because a greenhouse and a high PPFD indoor flower room are not the same problem.
- ETS MAX 4C41% red: for indoor rooms operating at very high intensity, where photobleaching is a real risk. The wider, red bottom balance allows you to push the tops without overcooking them
- ETS MAX 4A48% red: balanced internal spectrum that maintains high output while controlling bleaching.
- ETS MAX 5B57% Red: A high-performance indoor option. Moderate red, marked with efficiency and flower at the same time, up to 3,450 μmol/s, with efficiency that holds the spectrum.
- ETS MAX 7A76% red: built for the greenhouse. The sun already supplies blue and green, so this leans heavily on the complementary red, up to 3,900 μmol/s in the infrastructure most greenhouses already have in place.
Bottom line
Choosing an activity is not a competition for the highest red number. The winning spectrum is the one that matches your environment, your intensity, your genetics, and what you’re trying to produce. Combine spectrum, intensity, environmental control, light distribution and genetics, and you’ve got a lighting strategy. Keep a spec isolated and all you’ve got is a bright room.
The ETS MAX line was created around this idea: choose the spectrum of the room you actually have, indoor or greenhouse, and let the device work with your grow rather than against it.
For more information:
JumpLights
www.jumplights.com
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