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Texas Poll Finds 75% Support for Medical Cannabis Reforms

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Texas Lawmakers Will Continue Pursuing Hemp Product Restrictions In Second Special Session

A recent Texas poll found that 75% of voters support medical cannabis reforms, KTAL reports.

The survey by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates found that while three-quarters of respondents said they support the legalization of medical cannabis in general, only 11% said they had previously heard of the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP), which state lawmakers passed in 2015 to grant limited access to cannabinoid-based products.

Of the 1,000 respondents, 44% said they would be more likely to vote for a legislator who supported TCUP, while only 13% said they would be less likely to vote for them.

Meanwhile, Texas lawmakers passed a new law last year expanding the TCUP to increase the number of licensed operators and allow new methods of consumption, including the distribution of vaporized or aerosolized medical cannabis, while smoking remains prohibited. The expansions also included adding traumatic brain injury, chronic pain and any terminal illness or condition requiring hospice as qualifying conditions for the program.

The poll, which was designed to gauge voter reaction to the TCUP expansions, found that 63% of Texas Republicans support legalizing medical cannabis.

Based in Portland, Oregon, Graham is the editor-in-chief of Ganjapreneur. He has been writing about the legalization landscape since 2012 and has contributed to Ganjapreneur since our official launch in…

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House Passes Federal Farm Bill Without Changes to Hemp-Derived Cannabinoid Rules

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House Passes Federal Farm Bill Without Changes to Hemp-Derived Cannabinoid Rules

The US House of Representatives voted 224-200 on Tuesday to approve the federal farm bill, which contains some hemp-related provisions but excludes language to delay or reverse expected federal changes to hemp-derived THC this November. of reports.

The US first legalized industrial hemp through the 2018 Farm Bill, which was passed during President Trump’s first term. The original legalization language covered the hemp plant and all its derivatives, as long as the crop contained less than 0.3% THC. The changes allowed a national gray market for hemp-derived cannabinoids that quickly grew into a multibillion-dollar industry as operators established methods of converting hemp-derived CBD to delta-8 THC and other intoxicating cannabinoids.

But the industry was plunged into uncertainty last year when President Trump signed a spending bill that contained language to shut down the sale of intoxicating hemp products nationwide.

According to the report, the hemp provisions in the Farm, Food, and Homeland Security Act of 2026 seek to clarify regulations and reduce the burden faced by industrial hemp farmers in the US.

The farm bill moves to the Senate for consideration, where advocates hope lawmakers will propose protections for the sunset hemp industry.

Unless Congress passes any changes or exemptions to the rules, the current hemp cannabinoid industry will effectively end on November 12, 2026.

Based in Portland, Oregon, Graham is the editor-in-chief of Ganjapreneur. He has been writing about the legalization landscape since 2012 and has contributed to Ganjapreneur since our official launch in…

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Missouri Gov. Signs Bill to Align State Hemp Rules with Federal Changes 

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Missouri Gov. Signs Bill to Align State Hemp Rules with Federal Changes 

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe (R) last week signed into law the Intoxicating Cannabinoid Control Act. In a statement, the governor said “the legislation ensures that Missourians know that products sold in their communities are safe, regulated and kept out of the reach of children.”

“For too long, bad actors have exploited loopholes to market intoxicating products — including candy-like candy or similar products — without meaningful oversight or accountability.” – Kehoe, in one press release

The bill aligns the state definition of hemp with the new federal definition, bringing the regulation of hemp-derived cannabinoid products under existing cannabis regulations.

President Donald Trump (R) on Nov signed an expense bill which included new federal regulations on hemp products that effectively criminalize hemp-derived THC and redefine hemp as “grown for the use of the whole grain, oil, cake, nut, husk, or any other non-cannabinoid compound, derivative, mixture, preparation or manufacture of the seed” and “grown for the purpose of human consumption or other products made from its flesh.” an immature hemp plant grown from seeds that do not exceed” 0.3% THC. The new regime will take effect this November.

Missouri law requires unlicensed entities to cease manufacturing or selling hemp-derived cannabinoid products.

The bill also prohibits cannabis distributors or other authorized parties from keeping records or sharing identifying information of regulated consumers of cannabis products, unless the consumer consents to the creation or retention of records in writing.

TG joined Ganjapreneur in 2014 as a news writer and began hosting the Ganjapreneur podcast in 2016. He is based in upstate New York, where he also teaches media at a local university.

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Federal Bill Would Require Data Collection on Cannabis-Related Medicaid Spending

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Republican Congressman Plans to Reintroduce Bill to Reschedule Cannabis 

A federal bill introduced Monday would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to collect Medicaid spending on cannabis-related inpatient and outpatient care and emergency room visits related to cannabis use. The bill, sponsored by North Carolina Sen. Ted Budd (R), comes just weeks after launching a pilot program that allows Medicare providers to be reimbursed up to $500 per patient per year for discussing and providing certain hemp-derived cannabis products.

In a statement, Budd claims that the use of cannabis has “serious” health consequences and that lawmakers must “put the health and safety of the American people first, ban it completely.”

“This is exactly why lawmakers need access to reliable data detailing Medicaid spending related to marijuana abuse. Millions of Americans rely on Medicaid health care benefits, and my legislation will ensure that Congress understands the dangers of this drug and its impact on federally funded health programs.” – Stupid in a press release

The bill is supported by the anti-cannabis group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), which is also suing the federal government on the pilot program allowing reimbursement for hemp-derived products. In a statement, Kevin Sabet, CEO of SAM, said the organization “enthusiastically” supports the legislation.

“Senator Budd’s bill requires an accounting of taxpayer-funded health programs and the impact of normalizing this dangerous drug on their costs,” Sabet said in the statement, “and this is long overdue.”

In addition to collecting data on Medicaid costs related to cannabis use, the Marijuana Impact on Medicaid Act would require HHS to provide Congress with a report within one year of enactment that includes a summary of the findings from the data collection, in addition to making recommendations for possible legislative or administrative action to be considered.

TG joined Ganjapreneur in 2014 as a news writer and began hosting the Ganjapreneur podcast in 2016. He is based in upstate New York, where he also teaches media at a local university.

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