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Trump ‘Supports’ Hemp THC Ban That’s Advancing In Senate, White House Says

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6 months ago

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President Donald Trump “endorses it.” He proposed banning THC-containing hemp products included in the Senate spending billA White House spokesman says cannabis, alcohol and other interests are continuing efforts to influence the final deal.

A day after the Senate passed the debt relief package – with provisions that would effectively wipe out the market for hemp operators – a White House staffer told NBC News that the president “supports the current language in the hemp bill.”

While Trump endorsed cannabis reform on the campaign trail (including a pending marijuana redistricting proposal), he has also expressed concern about the non-medical use of cannabis. In his first term, he signed the 2018 Farm Bill that federally legalized hemp and its derivatives, but has been less vocal on issues related to cannabis’ cousin.

Now, eager for a plan to reopen the government amid a historic shutdown, the White House says it stands by the controversial ban, which is just one part of a larger legislative package.

Marijuana Moments reached out to the White House for additional comment, but a representative was not immediately available.

Meanwhile, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) hasn’t thrown in the towel yet, introducing an amendment calling for the leader to crack down on hemp language altogether.

But there are many competing voices on the issue, including a coalition of alcohol companies that sent a letter to senators Monday urging them to back the current language.

The American Distilled Spirits Alliance (ADSA), the Beer Institute (BI), the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), Wine America and the Wine Institute said in the letter that Paul’s “short-sighted actions could threaten the delicately balanced deal to reopen the federal government.”

“Producers of alcoholic beverages, one of the most highly regulated consumer products, are calling on the Senate to reject Senator Paul’s attempts to allow hemp-derived THC products to be sold across the country without federal regulation and oversight,” it says. “We stand ready to work with Congress and the Administration to enact meaningful regulations that protect consumers and ensure a safe and orderly marketplace for these toxic products when this loophole is addressed.”

The alcohol companies individually pushed the Congress stand on the hemp ban in a letter to the leader last week.

Under current law, cannabis products are considered legal hemp if they contain less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight.

The new legislation specifies that, within a year of taking effect, the weight will be applied to all THC—including delta-8 and other isomers. Also, “as tetrahydrocannabinol (or any other marketed cannabinoid) with similar effects in humans or animals (as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services).”

The new definition of legal hemp would also prohibit “any hemp-derived cannabinoid intermediate product marketed or sold as an end product or directly to an end consumer for personal or household use,” as well as products containing cannabinoids that are synthesized or manufactured outside of the cannabis plant or that cannot be produced naturally by the plant.

Legal hemp products would be limited to a total of 0.4 milligrams of total THC or any other cannabinoid with similar effects per container.

Within 90 days of the bill’s passage, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies would be required to “publish a list of all cannabinoids known to FDA to be naturally produced by a Cannabis sativa L. plant, as reflected in the peer-reviewed literature,” “all tetrahydrocannabinol classes known to be plants of the cannabinoid class known” and “all cannabinoids” known to occur naturally. Cannabinoids that have or are marketed as having effects similar to cannabinoids of the tetrahydrocannabinol class.”

The language differs slightly from provisions in legislation advanced out of the House and Senate Appropriations panels, which would have banned products with “quantifiable” amounts of THC, to be determined by the HHS secretary and the agriculture secretary.

Separately, the newly released appropriations legislation omits language passed by the House earlier this year. let VA doctors recommend medical cannabis to their military veteran patients in states where it is legal.

The appropriations bill’s progress comes amid a push by parties on both sides of the hemp debate as they negotiate a deal to influence Congress.

For example, last week more than 50 alcohol distributors have come together Oppose efforts in Congress to ban hemp products containing THCinsisting to lawmakers that as demand for alcohol has “declined”, the cannabis market has helped sustain their industry.

It is interesting that there is a special distribution among the agents of alcohol, many of them have reported lobbying on hemp issues this year. There seems to be disagreement on the way forward between the wholesalers that distribute alcohol and hemp products and the big brands that market their drinks.

A major consumer trade association, its member corporations include Coca-Cola, General Mills, Kraft Heinz and Nestlé. Pressuring Congress to ban THC-containing hemp products.

Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of 39 state and territory attorneys general recently petitioned Congress. clarifying the federal definition of hemp and imposing regulations preventing the sale of intoxicating cannabinoid products.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D), who helped write that letter to congressional leaders last month, he defended his decision amid criticism from industry players and advocates He questioned why attorneys general in states with strong hemp markets like Minnesota would promote federal recriminalization of those products.

Two GOP lawmakers—Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD)—has committed to a complete ban on THC-containing hemp products. But others like Paul have insisted that such a policy change would destroy the industry. And Paul had warned before that he would go far stick to large-scale spending legislation if the entire ban is kept intact.

The senator also pushed back against a recent letter from state and territory attorneys general imploring Republican leaders to completely prevent the marketing of intoxicating hemp products.

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As for legislative opportunities, Paul recently ran for the legislature This requires a study and report on the state’s regulatory models for hemp It could inform future revisions to the federal law—rather than outright banning sales, as McConnell wanted.

In August, McConnell – who pushed for federal hemp legalization under the 2018 Farm Bill – took to the Senate floor. criticized those who opposed the ban, including Paul.

Meanwhile, Paul recently introduced a stand-alone bill that would go in the opposite direction of the hemp ban, proposing to triple the concentration of THC that the crop could legally containaddressing several other concerns expressed by industry about federal regulations.

The senator introduced legislation in June called the Hemp Economic Mobilization Plan (HEMP) Act. It reflects versions backed up in recent sessions.

read it the letter Alcohol companies below on the proposed hemp ban:

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Cannabis operators report mixed results as rescheduling reshapes the financial outlook

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10 hours ago

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May 14, 2026

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The rescheduling came mid-quarter and rewrote the tax math for each medical sales operator, but the underlying revenue picture remained uneven in early 2026, with acquisitions driven at one end of the scale and continued top-line compression at the other.

Vireo Growth: Back on $106 million deal
Vireo Growth Inc. reported Q1 GAAP revenue of $106.2 million, up 333.5% year-over-year, driven almost entirely by recent acquisitions rather than organic growth. The company completed the Schwazze acquisition in March, adding 45 dispensaries and two manufacturing facilities in Colorado and New Mexico. At the end of the quarter, it closed Eaze and Hawthorne Gardening, FLUENT Corp. announced an acquisition agreement and executed a California dispensary joint venture with Glass House Brands. Treating all acquisitions as closed on January 1, 2025 on a pro forma basis, revenue was $210.2 million and adjusted EBITDA was $42.2 million. The company ended the quarter with $137.8 million in cash.

John Mazarakis, CEO of Vireo, said: “Performance in the first quarter met our expectations and we are excited to welcome Schwazze, Eaze and Hawthorne to Vireo. We are focused on integration and optimization across the platform, while remaining opportunistic regarding growth opportunities associated with further acquisitions.”

Cresco Labs: $151 million, 280E relief and Texas license
Cresco Labs reported Q1 revenue of $151 million, down from $165.8 million in Q1 2025. Adjusted gross margin was 50.7% and adjusted EBITDA margin of $33 million was 21.7%. Cash at the end of the quarter was $67 million against a $310 million secured term loan. The company was conditionally granted a Texas Compassionate Use Program license after the quarter ended and opened two new dispensaries in Ohio.

Management said, “Moving the state’s legal medical cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III is the most impactful reform this industry has seen, and it validates the work we’ve been executing for years. We’ve built the operational foundation and balance sheet discipline to reap the immediate benefits of rescheduling, and position Cresco to take advantage of the broader path to normalization.”

Jushi Holdings: 4% growth, 460 basis point margin expansion
Jushi Holdings reported first-quarter revenue of $66.4 million, up 4% year-over-year, with gross profit margin up 460 basis points to 45%. Adjusted EBITDA was $11.4 million, up 17.2%. The margin improvement was driven by higher production volumes in Ohio, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania and the performance of grower processors. Jushi brand products accounted for 58% of retail revenue in vertical markets. The company refinanced $132.3 million in debt during the quarter, providing $160 million in new debt through 2029.

Jim Cacioppo, president and CEO, said: “The recent scheduling of state-licensed medical marijuana for Schedule III is an important milestone for the industry, eliminating 280E tax limitations for medical operations and supporting a more favorable long-term operating environment.” Medical sales accounted for about 60% of Jushi’s 2025 revenue, making this material relief.

iAnthus Capital: Revenue falls to $33.5 million
iAnthus Capital reported first-quarter revenue of $33.5 million, down $4.6 million from 2025’s first quarter. Gross margin was 47.5%, up 477 basis points from the 2025 quarter. The company did not provide a management comment in the press release.

Country farms: international export record, fourth consecutive quarter of net income
Village Farms International reported first quarter consolidated net sales of $50.2 million, up 27% year-over-year, with net income of $2.9 million and adjusted EBITDA of $9.9 million, up 118% year-over-year. International export sales increased 171% to a record $14.6 million, driven by demand for EU-GMP compliant products in Germany. Pure Sunfarms had the top Canadian market share in dried flowers for the 15th consecutive month. The company started planting the first half of its Delta 2 greenhouse expansion and expects its Phase II facility in the Netherlands to reach full capacity by the end of 2026, which would quadruple Dutch production.

Michael DeGiglio, President and CEO, said: “Our first quarter results reflect a strong start to the year and continued momentum in our largest markets, with adjusted EBITDA growth of 118% year-over-year, significantly outpacing revenue growth of 27%, driven by our international business and continued leadership in Canada.

Cronos Group: Record revenue, $822 million in cash
Cronos Group reported Q1 net income of $45.2 million, up 40% year-over-year and a record quarter, with net income of $15.7 million and adjusted EBITDA of $5.1 million. Israel led growth PEACE NATURALS grew 53% for ninth consecutive record quarter. In Canada, the Spinach brand took first place in vapes with a 9.8% share of the national market, and maintained its top spot in edibles at 20.8%. The company ended the quarter with $821.9 million in cash and authorized a new $50 million stock repurchase program. The deadline to close the acquisition of CanAdelaar, one of the ten licensed growers in the Dutch Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment, has been extended to September 9, 2026 to allow time for regulatory approvals.

Mike Gorenstein, chairman, president and CEO, said, “Cronos achieved net earnings and gross profit in the first quarter as we continue to execute against our unlimited product strategy and the additional supply from Cronos GrowCo’s expansion fuels the next phase of our growth.”

Org chart: Revenue down 9%, Sanity Group acquisition closes after quarter
Organigram Global reported fiscal second quarter net income of $59.8 million, down 9% year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA of $0.9 million, down 82%. Lower vape and pre-infusion sales drove the decline, along with a $5.8 billion dent in the U.S. hemp business. The company achieved a record quarterly harvest of over 32,000kg at its Moncton facility, up 56% year-on-year, and launched 10 SKUs in Australia targeting over 4,000 pharmacies. At the end of the quarter, Organigram acquired Sanity Group, one of Germany’s leading cannabis companies, and updated its 2026 guidance to net revenue of more than $350 million.

James Yamanaka, CEO, said: “Q2 reflected our poor performance in vaporizers and temporary challenges in pre-infusion production, compounded by slower industry growth. We have acted quickly to address these issues, and the operational changes and product improvements we have implemented are already beginning to stabilize performance.”

Greg Guyatt, Chief Financial Officer, said: “The financial impact of the competitive and operational challenges encountered earlier in fiscal 2026 is believed to have materialized in the first half of the year, and we are now beginning to stabilize performance. We expect to resume a trajectory of margin expansion and improved profitability during the second half of the year, supported by positive revenue and international sales growth. The Sanity Group.”

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Medical Marijuana Helps Pain Patients Reduce Use Of Opioids, New Study Shows

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10 hours ago

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May 14, 2026

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As opioids continue to cause overdose deaths, a new study suggests that making medical cannabis available and affordable could help patients reduce their use of prescription painkillers.

“Although cannabis has historically been characterized as a potential ‘gateway drug,’ it may also serve as a harm reduction tool for some patients seeking to reduce their reliance on higher-risk opioid medications,” researchers at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine found.

The study, a prospective observational trial at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, followed 29 adults over five months. All had been living with chronic pain for years—an average of 11 years—and were already taking opioid medications, but struggled to taper off of them despite other treatments.

The study is unique in its focus on cost as a factor in access to medical marijuana, with the researchers describing their work as “the first prospective observational study evaluating medical cannabis as an alternative to opioids in a setting where cost was removed as a major barrier.”

Participants were recruited from a university outpatient chronic pain clinic and then completed monthly pain assessments using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NRS). The researchers measured daily opioid use, measured in milligrams of morphine equivalents (MME).

“Seven patients (24%) were able to completely discontinue opioid therapy at the end of the study, five of whom did so by the second month. Pain levels also decreased over time,” the authors wrote.

Notably, “there was a statistically significant reduction in mean pain scores experienced over the five-month study period,” says the paper published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science.

“There was also a reduction in average opioid consumption of about 32 MME per day, which remained the same throughout the follow-up. In addition, seven patients were able to completely discontinue opioid therapy during the study.”

“Mean daily opioid consumption decreased from 46.8 MME/day at baseline to 16.2 MME/day at one month and remained low during the five-month follow-up period,” the researchers found.

What set the new study apart was not just the inclusion of medical cannabis, but the deliberate removal of cost as a barrier. Participants “consistently identified cost as a major barrier to initiating medical cannabis” before enrolling in the study, the document says.

Noting the novelty of the study, they added their hypothesis: “Improving access to medical cannabis will allow a subset of patients, especially those with a high cost barrier, to reduce or discontinue opioid use while maintaining adequate pain control.”

“These results suggest that medical cannabis may be a useful adjunctive therapy to reduce opioid use, relieve chronic pain, and improve health-related quality of life,” they concluded.

“The findings of this study add to the body of literature supporting the safety profile and potential therapeutic role of cannabis.”

The studies the authors are cautious in their conclusions, warning of limitations and the need for further research. “The sample size was small and derived from a single clinical site, and there was no control group.” And because “patients self-titrate cannabis products, leading to variability in dosage and frequency of use,” the findings are not standardized.

But the authors concluded that “when used under appropriate medical supervision, medical cannabis may be an effective adjunctive strategy to reduce opioid use among patients receiving long-term opioid therapy.”

This study follows a Recent research shows that using medical marijuana helps people reduce their use of other drugs, including opioids.sleep aids and antidepressants. They also experience fewer negative side effects after switching from prescription drugs to cannabis, according to a study involving more than 3,500 patients.

It also comes from behind President Donald Trump says marijuana ‘can make people feel a lot better’ and serves as a “substitute for addictive and potentially lethal opioids.”

Last month, the Trump administration announced it moving forward with federal reclassification of marijuana medicinal cannabis is classified under Schedule I to III of the Controlled Substances Act.

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Livermore Falls debates cannabis licensing fees

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1 day ago

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May 13, 2026

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Existing medical cannabis licensing fees will be temporarily applied to recreational marijuana businesses, the Select Committee decided on May 5. Board members agreed 4-1 to the temporary change, as long as officials say the fees are higher than necessary and accurately reflect the town’s oversight costs.

Bryce Cobb, Livermore Falls’ code enforcement officer, plumbing inspector, health officer and E-911 dispatcher, said voters approved the amended cannabis ordinance on April 28. Cobb said the amended ordinance allows recreational marijuana businesses and the next step was to establish a fee schedule. Recreational cannabis businesses operating in town would require local licensing approval under the ordinance.

Asked if he had fee schedules from other towns to compare, Cobb said he did not. Additionally, the town’s fee schedule specifically mentions medicinal cannabis.

“So it could be medical and adult use,” Cobb said when discussing whether the existing fee structure could apply to recreational businesses.

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