CANNASWEEP

January 2026

 

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

• DEA Says Marijuana Rescheduling Appeal Process ‘Remains Pending’ Despite Trump’s Order
• Congressional Leaders Drop Attempt To Block Marijuana Rescheduling, While Preserving State Medical Marijuana Protections
• Congressional Cannabis Caucus Co-chair Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) says he is not concerned the Department of Justice will delay or ignore President Donald Trump’s rescheduling order
• Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) coauthored an op-ed arguing that reclassifying cannabis is an inflection point on the way to its becoming regulated, taxed and sold like alcohol and nicotine.
• What Exactly Does Trump’s Executive Order Do for Marijuana Reclassification? Advocates say reform is possible with enough pressure.

Executive Branch

• Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) redefined the value of roots in industrial hemp, providing new opportunities for industrial hemp growers and opening new avenues for pediatric cancer research.
  • This rule revises the provisions of the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC), and Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) programs to conform with provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). This includes defining hemp.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services issued new dietary guidelines backing away from a prior federal recommendation to limit alcohol consumption—even as marijuana remains federally criminalized.
• During a webinar, federal officials discussed the results of the latest Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey – which is supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and conducted every year by the University of Michigan – and found teens are finding it harder to access marijuana even as legalization spreads, contrary to opponents’ fears

• The U.S. Sentencing Commission published a data briefing video on proposed amendments to drug sentencing guidelines
• President Donald Trump said the U.S. is going to pursue land strikes against drug cartels
• The Drug Enforcement Administration is promoting resources on how staying drug-free can help people land “cool” jobs.

U.S. Congress

• Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04) introduced the Hemp Planting Predictability Act to provide a two-year extension on the hemp provision passed in the FY2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations bill that restricts the definition of legal hemp.
• The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a spending bill that would continue protecting state medical marijuana programs from federal interference.
• House and Senate leaders released a funding bill that will continue to block Washington, D.C. from legalizing recreational marijuana sales.
• Senator McConnell, architect of the 2018 Farm Bill, has argued that cleanup is needed regarding intoxicating hemp products.

The States

• Alabama: The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners is accepting applications from physicians who want to be able to recommend medical cannabis; doctors in 9 cities can now apply for medical cannabis permits
• California: Regulators issued a recall of marijuana products due to a company operating as a distributor without a license; Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted to ease restrictions on cannabis farms; Regulators published guidance about cannabis products intended for use on animals
• Colorado: Regulators issued health and safety bulletins about marijuana products with contaminants above acceptable limits.
• Connecticut: Three marijuana companies have agreed to pay $416,000 to resolve allegations they violated Connecticut’s gun-jumping laws by closing mergers more than 100 days before reporting the transactions to regulators.
• Florida: A Florida senator filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana and break up what he calls “monopolies” in the state’s current medical cannabis program; Florida’s secretary of state pushes back in lawsuit over recreational pot petitions.
• Hawaii: The chair of the Hawaii House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee discussed his plan to put marijuana legalization on the ballot.
• Indiana: As Indiana lawmakers again look to reform state marijuana policy in the 2026 session, a new poll finds that nearly three in five residents back legalizing cannabis for medical and recreational use.
• Kansas: House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, said Democrats were exploring ways to pay for their 2026 wish list. Legalizing recreational marijuana was on the table, he said, along with raising taxes for millionaires.
• Kentucky: Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said he’s “not satisfied” with the pace of the state’s medical cannabis rollout, though the first processor business was recently approved; A representative filed marijuana legalization and expungement legislation.
• Maine: Confusion over cannabis petition underscores constitutional ‘right to lie’ – Maine Sec. of State encourages voters to read before signing.
• Maryland: Independent Testing Laboratories Certification Information.
• Massachusetts: Retailers have sold more than $10 billion worth of marijuana products since 2018; The state’s top regulator questioned a study purporting to link cannabis use to mental health issues for young people; Attorney sees ‘scant evidence’ to disqualify retail cannabis repeal.
• Mississippi: The state generated more than $11 million in medical cannabis tax revenue in 2025.
• Missouri: Retailers sold $132.6 million worth of legal marijuana products in December.
• Nebraska: Bill would make Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission an elected post.
• New Jersey: New Jersey lawmakers have passed a bill to create a psilocybin therapy pilot program and allocate $6 million in funding to support the effort.
• New York: Governor Hochul is proposing to bolster the cannabis supply chain by creating a certified cannabis business incubator hub network, a workforce development partnership with SUNY and CUNY, and a CUNY Law Foundation pro bono initiative; Regulators took enforcement action against an unlicensed marijuana store.
• North Carolina: Federal hemp ban threatens NC’s booming cannabis industry.
• Ohio: State Senator Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City) announced that the funds collected by cannabis dispensaries as a result of taxes incurred under Senate Bill 56 have now been distributed to local municipalities across Ohio.
• Oklahoma: As of Jan. 1, 2026, state law (SB 1066) requires all physicians to complete medical marijuana education and register with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) before providing medical marijuana recommendations to OMMA patients and applicants.
• Oregon: New Registry Requirements for Hemp – Retailers encouraged to work with suppliers to ensure compliance.
• Pennsylvania: Public Hearing on 2018 Farm Bill: An Update on the Hemp Industry shared perspectives related to the impact and unintended consequences of the 2018 Farm Bill and recent federal legislative changes on the hemp industry, including its economic impact, the opportunities and challenges with running a hemp business, and legal and scientific considerations.
• Tennessee: A lawmaker proposes the “Freedom to Farm Act” to allow home marijuana cultivation as the 2026 legislative session approaches.
• Texas: Texas proposes 13,000% licensing fee hike on retailers who sell hemp-derived THC; A blossoming Texas medical marijuana industry adds new businesses, products and patients.
• Virginia: Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) appointed a new member to the Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council; Regulators spoke about the need to train police officers to detect impaired driving.
• Wisconsin: Hemp regulation divide among Republican lawmakers continues as Wisconsin legislators consider changes to hemp policy ahead of potential federal bans.

Cannabis Abroad

• Canada: Health Canada’s Forward Regulatory Plan for 2025-2027 no longer includes a proposal to regulate CBD products that would not require practitioner oversight; A poll found that 65 percent of Canadians support cannabis being legal; SNDL Inc. completed the acquisition of five retail stores in Alberta and Saskatchewan
• Israel: Knesset examines growing use of medical cannabis among PTSD-afflicted soldiers.

Business, Banking, Insurance

• Marijuana industry taking fight against Wall Street blockades straight to Trump. According to a JP Morgan memo, a top executive at the bank told one potential pot client that “The feedback I’ve received is that it’s still too early to reconsider our position, and we will not change our stance until it is formally classified as a Schedule III drug and the law changes.”
• Tilray Brands, Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of $217.5 million and a net loss of $43.5 million
• Compass Pathways plc announced that FDA accepted its investigational new drug application for its synthetic psilocybin treatment for late-stage clinical trials in patients with PTSD
• Sunderstorm, the company behind the widely recognized KANHA brand, announced the acquisition of Lime.

Research

• Psilocybin: Psilocybin-assisted therapy consistently demonstrated efficacy and safety in the reduction of depressive and anxiety symptoms; This systematic review and meta-analysis underscore psilocybin’s robust therapeutic potential, demonstrating significant reductions in symptoms of mood disorders.
• Study: CBD exhibits neuroprotective properties by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, offering a promising therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative disorders
• Study: Medical cannabis may be associated with improvements in subjective sleep quality.
• Study: CBD has established effectiveness in managing specific severe forms of epilepsy, such as Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes, and is successfully applied in medical practice for these disorders.
• Study: CBD holds “substantial promise” as an anti-tumor agent in cancer treatment
• Study: Young adults are increasingly mixing cannabis with nicotine and tobacco

Other Noteworthy Updates

• Legal marijuana access faces an existential threat in 2026, and we must fight back (Op-Ed)

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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.