Several marijuana and hemp-related laws officially took effect today, January 1, 2026. While some of the changes are minor, the measures reflect an ongoing shift toward tighter oversight of both state marijuana programs and the rapidly evolving hemp-derived product market.
In Alabama, a comprehensive regulatory system for consumable hemp products is now in force. The law establishes statewide licensing, testing and labeling requirements for hemp-derived products intended for human consumption, sets THC limits per serving and per package, and mandates child-resistant packaging. Sales are now restricted to licensed, in-person retail locations only, with online sales, delivery services and vending machine sales prohibited. The law also imposes a new 10% excise tax at the retail level, fundamentally reshaping how hemp-derived products are sold in the state.
Also today, California implemented targeted changes aimed at tightening controls on hemp-derived products, particularly those entering the food and supplement market. As of today, hemp extracts may no longer be added to foods, beverages or dietary supplements unless they are ultra-refined, contain no detectable THC and do not include synthetic cannabinoids, effectively limiting legal products to pure cannabinoid isolates. The changes strengthen enforcement authority against noncompliant products and further narrow the distinction between regulated marijuana products and hemp-derived items sold outside the licensed marijuana system, though broader structural changes related to hemp integration will phase in later.
Washington state also saw multiple cannabis-related updates take effect at the start of the year. Changes to cannabis licensing provisions are now active, affecting regulatory requirements for licensed producers, processors and retailers, including new limits on ownership concentration under SB 5403. The law caps the number of marijuana retail licenses any individual or group of related investors can control at five and prohibits management, branding or other arrangements that effectively link separate retailers through shared ownership, profits, intellectual property or coordinated marketing. The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board is tasked with enforcing the cap and may order the forfeiture of licenses found to be in violation.
In addition, updated advertising and signage rules for marijuana businesses are now enforceable following the implementation of SB 5206. That law expands the number of allowable exterior signs on a retailer’s building from two to four, while excluding signs smaller than 512 square inches from that limit, and clarifies rules governing window signage, trade names, and the size and content of advertisements.
In Oklahoma, physicians who recommend medical marijuana must now complete a required education course and register with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority to continue recommending cannabis to patients. This is part of broader regulatory changes to the state’s medical marijuana framework.
Kentucky’s new framework for cannabis-infused beverages also took effect today. THC drinks are now regulated similarly to alcohol, with products limited to 5 milligrams of THC per container and sales restricted to licensed alcohol retailers. The changes replace a previously unclear regulatory environment, with sales now prohibited at festivals, public events, and other unlicensed venues.
In Michigan, a new 24% excise tax on wholesale marijuana transfers is now in effect, giving the state the second highest cannabis excise tax in the state behind Washington State’s 37%.
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