An Arkansas law banning hemp-derived THC can now be enforced, following a ruling today from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The court lifted a previous injunction that had blocked enforcement of Act 629, a 2023 law that classifies certain hemp products—like those containing delta-8 and THCA—as controlled substances similar to marijuana. Attorney General Tim Griffin said the decision allows his office to begin enforcement immediately.

“We’re going to be able to deal with this issue,” said Griffin. “Our hands have been tied, but they’re not tied anymore.”
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A new clinical study from Michigan State University concludes that THC and CBD may help suppress key inflammatory responses in human monocytes, a type of immune cell involved in both acute and chronic inflammatory conditions.

Published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, the study evaluated how THC, CBD, and a cannabinoid receptor 2 agonist (JWH-015) influence inflammatory pathways in CD16+ and CD16− monocyte subtypes. These cells were stimulated using toll-like receptors (TLR7 and TLR8), which mimic viral activation, and then tested for inflammatory cytokine output.
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In a newly published legal analysis, Denver-based attorney and international drug policy expert Jason Adelstone outlines a compelling case that the U.S. Attorney General has the authority to unilaterally reschedule marijuana—without needing approval from Congress or input from health agencies.

Adelstone points to a rarely discussed provision of federal law, 21 U.S.C. § 811(d)(1), that grants the Attorney General the authority to reschedule substances in order to comply with international treaty obligations. Unlike the more commonly cited rescheduling process involving the Department of Health and Human Services, this statute allows for swift, unilateral executive action.
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A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial has found that cannabis sativa extract may help alleviate pain and improve certain aspects of quality of life in patients with advanced lung cancer.

Published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the phase III trial involved 40 patients with locally advanced or metastatic lung cancer confirmed by histopathology. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either cannabis extract or a placebo, with dosing gradually increased from 10 mg/day up to 100 mg/day as needed over several weeks.
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The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on an amendment that would allow Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to recommend medical marijuana to military veterans in states where it’s legal.

(Photo credit: Getty Images Plus)

The proposal, introduced by Representatives Brian Mast (R-FL) and Dave Joyce (R-OH), was approved for floor consideration by the House Rules Committee on Monday. It would prohibit the VA from using federal funds to enforce a longstanding directive that bars its doctors from helping veterans access state-approved medical marijuana programs.
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A proposal that would have allowed each tribal nation in Montana to set its own marijuana regulations has been vetoed by Governor Greg Gianforte.

House Bill 952 would have repealed current restrictions that limit each tribe to one licensed marijuana facility no larger than 1,000 square feet and located at least 150 miles outside of their reservation. Instead, tribes would have been allowed to negotiate their own agreements with the state, similar to the cannabis compacts used in Washington.
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A new study published in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse found that 11.7% of adults entering New York City nightclubs in 2024 tested positive for THCA-A, and 8.9% tested positive for CBN—two cannabinoids not typically included in routine screenings.

Conducted by researchers from Stanford University, the University of California, and NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the study used both saliva drug testing and self-report surveys from 1,024 nightclub attendees to assess cannabinoid use. THC was the most commonly detected cannabinoid, found in 30.8% of participants.

The findings showed significant demographic disparities. Women were substantially less likely than men to test positive for both THCA-A and CBN. Black participants were more than twice as likely as white participants to test positive for THCA-A and nearly four times as likely to test positive for CBN. Education level also played a notable role—those with a high school diploma or less were four times more likely to test positive for THCA-A than those with a college degree, and nearly two and a half times more likely to test positive for CBN.
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