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Trump’s Medical Marijuana Move Focused On Helping Ailing Seniors, But Lack Of Coordination Could Cause Backlash (Op-Ed)

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1 month ago

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“The rush to provide medical marijuana to the elderly will require substantial legal, scientific, and commercial infrastructure, which in an ideal world would avoid repeating historical mistakes with clarity and coordination.”

By Emily Dufton

Everyone knows that the last month was historic for cannabis. There are big changes coming with the rescheduling of medical marijuana and federal Medicare coverage of hemp.

But what many have misunderstood is why.

For the first time in 56 years, a type of marijuana has finally escaped Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Cannabis was placed there in 1970, and despite previous attempts at legalization – including 40 states that legalized medical access and 24 states that legalized recreational use – for more than half a century, cannabis continued to be defined as a substance with no approved medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Until last month, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche moved medical marijuana to Schedule III, a drug category with some medical uses approved and “moderate-low” addiction potential.

This review includes four cannabis products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in all 40 states and Washington DC. These products are now Schedule III, which means that dispensary owners don’t have a heavy tax burden like 280E.

Medical marijuana became a much more legitimate industry.

But what makes this change even more historic is who it is intended to benefit: the elderly.

Previous legalization movements all focused on young adults. The decriminalization movement of the 1970s painted cannabis as an “adult right” for a mature baby boomer. Activists in the 1980s and 90s argued that medical marijuana was needed for young people struggling with HIV/AIDS. And in the 2010s and 2020s, social justice movements promoted legalization as a means to end the mass incarceration of Black youth.

Recriminalization movements have been equally concerned with pot’s impact on children. Reagan’s zero-tolerance, “Just Say No” drug war of the 1980s was launched explicitly to save children. And the intoxicating hemp products accidentally legalized in the 2018 Farm Bill are slated to be made illegal again this November, after opponents warned they sent too many children to emergency rooms.

But the Trump administration’s support for medical marijuana reform is based on something new: the concern of 18 percent of Americans over 65 — nearly 1 in 6 — a number expected to rise to nearly a quarter of the population by 2050.

A new industry is emerging to service this demographic. Howard Kessler, of the Commonwealth Project, is one of the biggest proponents of medical marijuana use for seniors.

A Project video (reposted by Trump on Truth Social last September) he seemed to be addressing the president directly. “You can revolutionize healthcare for the elderly,” begins the narrator, before listing cannabis’ positive effects on pain, stress and sleep. The video ends with the promise: “You will deliver the most important senior health initiative of the century, strengthening your legacy and transforming aging care. Millions everywhere will thank you.”

As a drug historian, I did not see this coming. The historic overhaul of medical marijuana is being hailed as a victory for the elderly, a demographic that was almost never included in the conversation.

For years, prohibitionists argued that today’s cannabis products are too strong, a far cry from the tamer, weaker weed of yesteryear. But with these new products aimed at seniors, this really is your grandma’s marijuana. The baby boomers who fought for decriminalization in the 1970s are getting it, in 2026, with federal funding from Dr. Mehmet Oz’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Focusing on the health and well-being of the elderly, Kessler’s campaign successfully overturned decades of drug policy concerns about children, and this shift will have major implications for both legalization and recriminalization campaigns. The “save the kids” attitude that changed the law before may not work when marijuana users are older.

But a backlash could arise just as quickly if unregulated “medical” products start harming grandma.

Therefore, as a historian, I am concerned that this project has been rapidly expanded with vocal support but little coordination. There is a significant lack of clarity on how this transformation will work.

Given that Schedule I marijuana has been around for half a century, the science behind medical cannabis is still a work in progress. It’s also not entirely clear who is responsible, as multiple entities are involved in the change, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FDA, the Department of Justice, and the Internal Revenue Service, as well as legislative, regulatory, and law enforcement agencies at the state and local levels.

And so far no one has addressed the impact it has had on hemp/marijuana distribution. Lack of coordination doomed previous legalization campaigns, and could harm reprogramming if it unfolds in a chaotic fashion.

At the moment, the outlook does not look promising. Dr. Gillian Schauer, executive director of the Cannabis Regulatory Association, told NPR, “We’re implementing policy that’s far from where the science is… It’s like flying an airplane blind when we’re building it without parts.”

Last month’s rescheduling was historic, but it’s also incomplete. The rush to provide medical marijuana to the elderly will require extensive legal, scientific and commercial infrastructure, which in an ideal world would avoid repeating historical mistakes by providing clarity and coordination.

It may not happen yet, but it’s what grandma deserves.

Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America and Addiction, Inc.: Medication-Assisted Treatment and America’s Forgotten War on Drugs.

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Massachusetts CCC pauses license applications

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6 hours ago

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June 17, 2026

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The Cannabis Control Commission, the government body that oversees the marijuana business in the state of Massachusetts (USA), has decided to temporarily stop accepting new license applications for growing marijuana, both indoors and outdoors. This hiatus officially began on June 16, 2026.

Anyone planning to apply for a new marijuana cultivation license after June 16, 2026 will not be able to do so while this suspension is in effect. The Commission will not accept such requests during this period.

There are two groups that can continue normally. First, anyone who submitted an application before June 16, 2026, will continue to review and process applications as usual. Second, applicants for specific programs designed to help communities historically affected by drug laws, known as the Social Equity Program and the Economic Empowerment Program, are exempt from this suspension if they apply for a smaller-scale “Microenterprise” license.

The suspension will be in effect for 120 days from June 16, 2026, which is currently scheduled to be lifted around mid-October 2026. However, the Commission has the power to terminate earlier or extend further, depending on market conditions.

Source: Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission










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Federal Marijuana Rescheduling ‘Does Not Appear To Apply’ To Washington Businesses, State Officials Say

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6 hours ago

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June 17, 2026

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Marijuana regulators in Washington say the Trump administration’s move to re-regulate cannabis at the federal level “doesn’t appear to apply” to the state’s businesses.

US Department of Justice 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). A trial scheduled for this month will take place consider marijuana III.

“Washington does not issue licenses to producers, processors or retailers of medical cannabis,” the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) said in guidelines released Tuesday. “Instead, Washington has a single recreational market and within that market producers/processors can manufacture (DOH) compliant products, and certain retailers can sell DOH-compliant products to adult patients and all designated providers.”

“Therefore, Washington cannabis licensees do not appear to qualify as ‘state medical marijuana licensees’ and therefore may not be eligible for registration under the final Rule,” the agency said, referring to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Registration process for legal marijuana businesses in the state to take advantage of the federal benefits that come with the reform.

That said, the LCB “does not take a position if licensees decide to apply for federal registration,” the guidance continues. “If a licensee is seeking federal registration, we would be interested in learning about their experience and federal decisions.”

However, “based on our analysis, the federal reorganization in its current form does not appear to apply to cannabis licensees in Washington, primarily because of the legal framework governing recreational cannabis,” the LCB said.

The agency emphasized, however, that while it has consulted with the Cannabis Regulatory Association, the National Governors Association and industry stakeholders, its current opinion does not represent Washington’s formal opinion and “may not be our final interpretation as information is evolving and the decision may not rest with the state.”

“We await additional guidance from the federal agencies involved, new or updated federal agency processes and/or other federal procedures,” he said. he saidreferring to the next administrative hearing and Ongoing litigation calls into question the rescheduling of cannabis.

“The LCB recognizes that there are many cannabis growers, processors, and retailers actively involved in the production and sale of medical cannabis in Washington. These businesses may or may not be eligible to use the 280e tax deduction, and may also register with the DEA III. Ultimately, they have no input into whether their licensees meet the criteria for “state medical marijuana licensees,” as that determination can be made unilaterally by the DOJ within the meaning of the Final Rule. to reasonably interpret and determine that Washington cannabis licensees qualify as “state medical marijuana licensees.”

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.

In California, regulators recently approved emergency rule changes to the state’s marijuana licensing process. to make it easier for companies to receive benefits In line with the Trump administration’s latest move to federally regulate medical cannabis.

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How New Zealand showed up in London’s cannabis industry

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1 day ago

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June 16, 2026

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The medical cannabis market is expected to grow from $47 billion to $149 billion by 2031, and New Zealand has a real role to play in that story. And thanks in large part to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), the government’s international business development agency, Puro is starting to play.

At Cannabis Europa 2026 London, NZTE hosted an evening event at the City Arts Bar with Puro, New Zealand companies Bluelab, Rua Bioscience and CannFX. Puro called it The NZ Room.

Beyond all things Kiwiana – including Puro brand kiwifruit, Kiwi’d – the room was filled with some pretty amazing people: Ivy League scientists, company founders, patients, advocates, industry players, government officials, Maori tribal leaders and a tough Scotsman. All in the same space with the same true passion for where this industry is going.

It was one of those rooms where conversations went well when they had to end. That’s usually a sign of something well done.

Made possible by NZTE
For Puro, the NZTE relationship has been formative. With ongoing support, Puro has entered the Australian market with 47 unique product SKUs and signed a £7 million supply agreement with UK distributor IPS Pharma.

NZTE understands the potential of the New Zealand cannabis industry. The willingness to support this nascent industry and put New Zealand in the spotlight at events like Cannabis Europa is very significant. New Zealand is a small country and the country’s credibility in international markets is built from relationship to relationship, room by room. NZTE helps build those rooms.

© Cigar

what’s next
For the first time, patients in the UK have access to medicinal cannabis grown in New Zealand. That’s the direct result of years of work by Puro’s team, but it’s not worth much if you can’t connect with buyers globally. Creating international relationships that events like Cannabis Europa make this possible.

“We are grateful for the extensive support from the New Zealand Government that drives our progress, including the Ministry of Primary Industries’ support for our genetic breeding, product innovation and market access goals. This collective effort from agencies such as the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, NZTE and the New Zealand Export Credit Bureau ensures that Mail that started in London will continue to grow in Puro’s international goals,” he said. a statement

For more information:
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www.puro.co.nz

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