California has seized more than $1.2 billion in illegal cannabis since 2022. But whether those numbers are moving the needle on the state's entrenched illicit market is another matter.
California lawmakers convened a joint legislative oversight hearing on February 17 to examine concerns that unclear cannabis packaging rules are undermining youth protections.
When Missouri voters legalized cannabis, it became one of the fastest-growing regulated industries in the country. But in just a few short years, that success is being threatened by a
The political rivalry between President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom has dominated headlines this year, most recently over the issue of congressional redistricting, also known as gerrymandering.
The Texas Senate on August 1 passed a bill that would ban all intoxicating hemp-derived THC products, reviving legislation that Governor Greg Abbott vetoed earlier this summer. The move adds pressure to the Texas House and raises new questions about the future of the state’s fast-expanding and large
When President Richard Nixon told the nation on June 17, 1971, that drug abuse was “public enemy number one,” he formally launched the War on Drugs and cemented cannabis in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.
California’s legal cannabis industry is under mounting pressure, and in early June, state lawmakers and the governor appeared poised to help. A bill to freeze the state’s cannabis excise tax at 15% sailed through the State Assembly with a unanimous 74-0 vote. The governor’s office backed the plan. A
In a late-session vote last week, House Republicans advanced a sweeping change to federal hemp policy that could outlaw a wide range of intoxicating hemp products, sometimes referred to as “gas station weed,” as the hemp Farm Bill loopholes become a major policy issue in many states, including Calif
On June 23, 2025, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott shocked lawmakers and lobbyists alike by vetoing Senate Bill 3 (SB 3), a measure that would have banned hemp-derived THC products across the state. He also called for a special session to bring lawmakers back to Austin on July 21 to craft regu
California has just proposed a sweeping new rule to permanently ban intoxicating hemp products — and Texas may soon follow, as Governor Greg Abbott (R) faces a June 22 deadline to sign or veto a similar bill.
A sweeping bill to ban hemp-derived THC products in Texas is now headed to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk after final legislative approval. On May 26, the Texas Senate voted 25–6 to concur with House amendments to Senate Bill 3 (SB3), clearing the last procedural hurdle for the legislation.
Cara Brown McCormick
Independent Voter Podcast
