CANNASWEEP

September 2025

OFW’s Cannabis Team regularly monitors cannabis news, legislation, regulation, and policy so our clients stay up-to-date on the latest developments impacting their business.

If you have any questions or would like more information about any of the items below, please contact us.

We also track cannabis-related legislation introduced in the U.S. Congress.  If you would like to learn more about our Congressional Bill Tracker, please reach out to Ben Dash. 

Cannabis Rescheduling

• DOJ Seeks to Extend Stay, Delaying Cannabis Rescheduling by Months
• Government funding fight endangers Trump’s marijuana rescheduling push
• Trump, Cannabis Re-Or De-Scheduling And What Comes After (Forbes: Opinion)
• Rescheduling marijuana is the responsible choice for America – we can ensure it’s accessed safely, responsibly, and legally (Washington Times: Opinion)
• Congress Trying to Limit Marijuana Rescheduling, but DEA Can Still Act Now (MMJ: Opinion)
• One of President Donald Trump’s longtime advisors, Roger Stone, says his administration has an opportunity to move forward with marijuana rescheduling—or, even broader legalization—in a way that Democrats who regularly tout the reform failed to achieve when they controlled the White House and Congress.

Executive Branch/Enforcement

• President Donald Trump posted a video that endorsed Medicare coverage of CBD, the legal cannabidiol substance derived from the cannabis plant and widely marketed as beneficial for health. Why President Trump’s Truth Social Post on the Farm Bill and Cannabis Matters
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its adverse drug event reporting forms to begin tracking incidents related to hemp-derived cannabinoid products such as CBD.
• In late September, thousands of CBD products were recalled nationwide, mainly as a result of allergen cross-contact. 
• The Trump administration is asking a federal court to dismiss one of multiple pending cases concerning marijuana and gun rights, in large part because it expects the U.S. Supreme Court to make a precedent-setting ruling on the issue.
• Four Ways Trump Could Change Weed Laws Without Congress

U.S. Congress

• Rescheduling marijuana is an “important domino,” SAFER Banking Act sponsor Sen. Moreno (R-OH) says.
• Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL-21) on why we should reschedule marijuana; Rep. Mast tweeted, “Rescheduling marijuana can help veterans. America’s heroes struggling to heal deserve every possible tool for recovery.”
• Rep. James Comer (R-KY-1) tweeted, “I’ve witnessed firsthand the tremendous potential of industrial hemp to create quality jobs & meaningful economic opportunities for American workers & family farmers. I’m leading a bipartisan effort today to protect the hemp industry.”
• Bipartisan House lawmakers are pushing back against attempts to ban hemp THC products, arguing that it would “deal a fatal blow” to the industry and, as currently included in a spending bill, violates congressional rules.
• CRS: A divided Tenth Circuit panel reversed and remanded a district court decision, which had found the prohibition of controlled substance users from possessing firearms in 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3) to be unconstitutional as applied to a user of marijuana who was not intoxicated at the time of the firearm possession.
• Hemp producers and processors are concerned about possible added regulations in the new farm bill

The States

• Arkansas: DFA Enforcement seizes 6,000 illegal hemp-derived products
• California: Commercial Cannabis Activity: Personal Income Tax Law – Business Expenses Report
• Georgia: Lawmakers meet again to consider expanding Georgia’s medical marijuana program; ‘Everything has completely flipped’ families, patients push Georgia lawmakers for medical marijuana access
• Illinois: Hemp advocates are nervous Illinois could be the next state to ban intoxicating hemp THC products; Lawsuit: Illinois suspected ‘systemic diversion’ at Curaleaf cultivation; The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) released “FAQs” updates for Round 3 of the Cannabis Direct Forgivable Loan Program for Craft Growers, Infusers, Transporters, and Adult-Use Dispensing Organizations.
• Iowa: Consumable Hemp: Retailer and Distributor Product Submission Guide
• Kentucky: Kentucky hemp farmers urge McConnell to protect CBD market, warn of ‘catastrophic consequences’
• Maryland: MCA announced the availability of several new MCA-approved educational offerings tailored to cultivator and processor agents.
• Michigan: Cannabis group plots lawsuit over new Michigan weed tax plan
• Minnesota: Minnesota launches ‘Be Cannabis Aware’ Campaign – New campaign provides cannabis facts, tips, and tools for open conversations with youth and young adults; Hemp Beverage Coalition submits letter to support Minnesota’s hemp and cannabis industries.
• Missouri: St. Louis County drops bill to ban unregulated intoxicating cannabis products
• Nebraska: Two state liquor commission members resign at governor’s request; Attorney General Hilgers Sends Cease and Desist Letters to Every Retail Store in Nebraska selling THC-containing products
• New York: The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced that a court order will allow certain cannabis dispensary businesses to continue using the “door-to-door” method to measure the required distance from schools.
• North Carolina: Bill in Congress could snuff out sales of hemp products in N.C.
• Ohio: Regulators have filed new proposed rules to build upon the state’s marijuana legalization law, laying out plans to update regulations on labeling and packaging requirements.
• Pennsylvania: Sen. Laughlin tweets that it is time to establish the PA Cannabis Control Board; Pa. High Court Backs Two-Lab Rule For Medical Pot Products
• Texas: TABC approves rules to regulate low-level THC for 21 and up in Texas
• Vermont: Recently made updates to the Lab Testing Action Limits Guidance that impact cannabis cultivation and manufacturing licensees; Middlebury retailer Flora Cannabis and the VT Cannabis Action Fund reached a settlement with the Vermont Cannabis Control Board over a lawsuit concerning advertising and free speech. 
• Virginia: State officials to inspect Virginia retailers’ inhalable hemp products
• Washington: New Required Reporting Function Posted
• Wisconsin: State Republicans want to ban hemp-derived THC products; the Senate president announced that she and two other bicameral Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation to legalize medical marijuana in the state.

Cannabis Abroad

• UK: Sir Keir Starmer has insisted the Government will not legalize cannabis, and defended his plans to give 16 and 17-year-olds the vote, as he took questions from teenagers.
• Germany: German Government Report Shows Marijuana Legalization Hasn’t Increased Youth Use Or Traffic Accidents
• Uruguay: Uruguay Includes CBD in Healthcare System – new measures aim to expand access to treatments, train professionals, and adjust adult use rules to combat the informal market
• South Africa: The Agricultural Research Council (ARC), South Africa’s principal agricultural research institution, is looking to construct a climate-controlled cannabis research facility at its Pretoria facility to support advanced research into cannabis cultivation and processing.
• Australia: The NSW government has rejected every recommendation made by a parliamentary inquiry into the state’s cannabis regulatory framework, but flagged some issues – including drug driving – may be revisited in its response to last year’s Drug Summit.

Business, Banking, Insurance

• Cannabis stocks surge after Trump endorses cannabidiol for senior healthcare
• Ongoing cannabis worker strikes in two states are the longest in industry history
• Cannabuzz, a Kentucky-based manufacturer of hemp-derived THC beverages, is now an associate member of Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), the company announced in a press release last week.
• Flowhub, the dispensary growth platform for cannabis retailers, today announced the launch of its Marketing Suite, a new set of built-in tools designed to help dispensaries grow customer loyalty and drive predictable revenue.
• What Cannabis Companies Need To Know About Work-Related Asthma (Op-Ed)

Research

• Study: Inhaling Cannabis May Greatly Increase Your Risk of Lung Disease. The study found that inhaling marijuana every day is associated with a 44% increased chance of developing asthma. It also increases the odds of developing a common set of lung diseases known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by 27%.
• Study: An experimental medication made from marijuana successfully reduced back pain in a large study
• Study: Using cannabis during pregnancy may subtly impact weight gain, brain development, and behavior of the unborn child.
• Study: both acute and sub-chronic administration of Hemp leaf oil (HLO) at certain levels could be safe for the vital organs.
• What do we know about the effects of marijuana use? Oklahoma doctor discusses studies
• A non-intoxicating cannabis product that is being sold across the U.S. can ease symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety after a short duration of use, a new study has found.

Other Noteworthy Updates

• An American citizen who served years in a Russian prison over marijuana possession before his release was secured by the Trump administration earlier this year will be a featured speaker at a Pennsylvania cannabis festival.
• Americans View Using Marijuana As Less Risky During Pregnancy Than Alcohol Or Cigarettes, Poll Finds
• A new poll shows that a majority of Americans don’t consider marijuana dangerous. However, most do think consuming cannabis increases the likelihood that people will transition to using more dangerous drugs.
• Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) is again highlighting the potential benefits of the powerful psychedelic ibogaine for people with serious mental and physical health conditions.

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If you are interested in exploring commercial opportunities in the cannabis space, we would be happy to assist you in any of your cannabis law questions, comments, or concerns. Please contact our cannabis team (Tish Pahl, Kyla Kaplan, Ben Dash, Denise Calle, and Michael Goodman) for assistance.