Former Trump officials’ contrasting cannabis rescheduling advocacy (Newsletter: September 5, 2025)

DOT changes marijuana terminology; KY medical cannabis launch; Study: Delta-8 sales higher in marijuana prohibition states; TX hemp ban stalls again

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Kellyanne Conway, a former senior counselor to President Donald Trump, is the “biggest champion” of marijuana rescheduling within the president’s “inner circle,” Congressional Cannabis Caucus Co-chair Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) told Marijuana Moment.

Former Trump administration Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson authored an op-ed arguing that the marijuana rescheduling proposal the president is currently considering would undermine his push to end “the crime epidemic destroying American cities.”

• “Negative consequences follow liberalized drug policies like night follows day. It makes sense that order and civil society suffer the more you give license for individuals to engage in antisocial behavior such as abusing drugs.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation is proposing to change marijuana-related terms in federal drug testing programs to reflect a more nuanced understanding of cannabinoids like delta-8 and THCA and to be “consistent with current scientific nomenclature”—a move intended to “harmonize” with cannabis terminology already adopted by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) predicted that medical cannabis should be available to patients in dispensaries by the end of this year, saying that “everybody is working as hard and as fast as they can, but they’re wanting to make sure they do it right as well.”

A new federally funded study found that “delta-8-THC use was highest among states that prohibit marijuana use,” suggesting that the hemp-derived cannabinoid “might be fulfilling the demand for marijuana in areas where marijuana use is prohibited.”

Texas legislation to ban consumable hemp products with any amount of THC has died—again—after lawmakers failed to reach a deal ahead of the end of a second special session.

/ FEDERAL

The Food and Drug Administration published more detailed information on its rejection of MDMA-assisted therapy.

The Drug Enforcement Administration posted resources about how to talk about drugs with young adults.

The House bill to federally legalize marijuana got three new cosponsors for a total of 46.

/ STATES

Illinois regulators are being sued over ban on outdoor marijuana cultivation.

Vermont regulators issued a warning about “misleading” medical cannabis recommendation websites.

Iowa regulators posted guidance on consumption of hemp-derived THC beverages in public places.

Washington State regulators are providing training sessions for cannabis business retail staff.

Virginia regulators launched a new medical cannabis online portal.

Oklahoma regulators sent a reminder of a requirement for medical cannabis businesses to designate a “managing owner.”

Colorado regulators will hold a cannabis rulemaking stakeholder meeting on Tuesday.

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/ INTERNATIONAL

Caye Caulker, Belize voters will decide on a marijuana legalization referendum on October 8.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study suggested that “CBD, especially in combination with [metronidazole], may represent a novel therapeutic option for rosacea and offer a scientific basis for its clinical application in managing inflammatory skin conditions.”

A study found that “differences between legal and illegal cannabis prices have narrowed considerably, likely due to declines in the price of cannabis from legal stores since the opening of legal markets in Canada.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

The Mississippi Medical Marijuana Association published a report on the growth of the state’s medical cannabis program.

/ BUSINESS

Green Check launched a managed services program to help financial institutions scale their cannabis banking programs faster.

Arcana Collective, LLC is a new collaboration of cannabis breeders and cultivators.

/ CULTURE

Whoopi Goldberg and a former Paterson, New Jersey mayor are engaged in litigation over a stalled effort to open a marijuana dispensary.

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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.