Marijuana Is A ‘Gateway Drug,’ GOP Congressional Majority Leader Says As Trump Moves To Ease Federal Restrictions
One of the top Republicans in Congress says he is concerned that marijuana causes people to use other, more dangerous substances as the Trump administration is moving forward with a proposal to federally reschedule cannabis. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) told Marijuana Moment last week that he thinks “marijuana is a gateway drug, and […]
GOP Hemp Opponents Fail To Derail House Agenda In Protest Of Delaying THC Product Ban
A handful of congressional Republicans threatened this week to upend their leadership’s agenda in protest of legislation to delay the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC products from taking effect. Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that President Donald Trump […]
Texas Democrats Say GOP Lieutenant Governor Pushed For Hemp THC Product Ban To Benefit His Alcohol Industry Donors
Texas Democrats are calling out a key Republican official for allegedly working to ban hemp THC products in order to benefit alcohol companies, which happen to be among his substantial campaign contributors. During the last legislative session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), who oversees the Senate, championed legislation to recriminalize many hemp products. While the […]
Michigan GOP Governor Candidate Pledges Huge Tax Cut For Marijuana Industry, Along With Crackdown On Hemp Products
The Republican Party’s nominee for governor of Michigan is promising to repeal or significantly roll back a recently enacted tax hike on the marijuana industry if he is elected in November. He also wants to crack down on sales of unregulated hemp THC products. Last year, lawmakers and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), who is term-limited […]
Michigan GOP Lawmaker Seeks To Repeal Marijuana Tax Increase As Rising Costs Cause Businesses To Close
A Michigan Republican representative has filed legislation that would reverse a recently enacted tax increase on marijuana businesses. The new bill, from Rep. James DeSana (R) would repeal the 24 percent wholesale cannabis tax that was enacted as part of legislation negotiated by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and House and Senate leaders last year. The […]
GOP Senators Argue That Hemp Product Ban Should Take Effect As Scheduled, Raising Alarm About Kids’ Access To THC
A pair of Republican lawmakers took to the Senate floor on Wednesday to urge their colleagues not to delay the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that is currently scheduled for November. Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) said the widespread availability of intoxicating hemp products in states across the country is a “public health crisis” that […]
So Will the Hemp Ban Be Delayed or Not? Tensions Rise Between the GOP and the White House
A Senate stopgap funding bill would delay the federal prohibition on most hemp-derived THC products until December 11, but Republican senators Ted Budd and Pete Ricketts are trying to block the reprieve. The White House is urging GOP lawmakers to accept the short delay, warning that the dispute could stall the broader spending bill and […]
GOP Senator Aims To Keep Hemp THC Product Ban On Track For November With New Amendment
A Republican senator wants to make sure that hemp THC products are federally recriminalized on time under a current plan that is set to go into effect in November. Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) announced on Monday that he will be filing an amendment to strip provisions out of a key spending bill released by Senate […]
GOP Lawmaker Circulates Another New Bill To Keep Hemp THC Products Federally Legal
Another Republican congressman is circulating legislation that would delay a planned federal ban on hemp THC products and institute some regulations—including packaging requirements, testing rules and age limits. Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has not yet formally filed the proposal, but Marijuana Moment obtained a draft version […]
GOP Lawmaker Claims White House Backs His Hemp Bill, But Administration Has Problems With Inhalable Product Provisions, Sources Say
The office of a Republican congressman who filed a new bipartisan bill to keep certain hemp-derived THC products federally legal this week sent a press release saying the legislation is “backed by the White House”—but an administration official deflected Marijuana Moment’s question about the matter and other sources say President Donald Trump’s team has problems […]