A bill introduced today in the Kentucky legislature, House Bill 571, would expand the state’s medical marijuana law.

If enacted, the measure would allow registered patients aged 18 and older to cultivate up to three mature plants and three seedlings on private property they own. Caregivers could grow the same amount for each patient under their care.

The bill eliminates any requirement for patients or caregivers to register with the state for home cultivation. Additionally, marijuana grown under this provision would not be subject to the potency limits that apply to commercially sold products. However, the legislation maintains strict restrictions on transfers, prohibiting patients and caregivers from selling or giving marijuana plants or products to anyone else. Those who violate this provision could face prosecution under state law.
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Senate Bill 255, a measure that would require adults to obtain a state-issued identification card before purchasing recreational marijuana, has been scheduled for a public hearing on February 27 at 8:30 a.m. in Room 422 of the Montana State Capitol.

Sponsored by State Senator Greg Hertz (R), the bill would make it so that those 21 and older must apply for and receive a marijuana identification card from the state Department of Revenue before being allowed to buy recreational marijuana or marijuana products. The process would involve submitting an application, paying a $200 fee, and providing proof of Montana residency along with personal information.

The bill grants rulemaking authority to the Department of Revenue and would amend sections of Montana’s existing marijuana regulations.
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At today’s Cannabis Control Board (CCB) meeting, The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced the launch of the Trade Practices Bureau (TPB)—a specialized unit under the Office of General Counsel, dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of New York’s regulated cannabis market.

The TPB will expand OCM’s capacity to investigate complex trade practice violations, combat market abuses, and ensure compliance with the Cannabis Law. By bringing together experienced investigative attorneys, inspectors, analysts, and forensic accountants, TPB will hold bad actors accountable while protecting small and medium-sized businesses from unfair practices that threaten their success.

TPB will focus on regulatory offenses related to trade practice, including, but not limited to:
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The Arkansas House of Representatives has voted 88 to 4 to pass Senate Bill 59, a measure that would allocate tax revenue from medical marijuana sales and licensing to support free school meals across the state.

The bill, which advances a proposal first introduced by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, has already been approved by the states Senate.

Sanders initially outlined the plan in her State of the State address, emphasizing the need for sustainable funding to support free breakfast and lunch programs for students. She stated that medical marijuana tax revenue would help ensure long-term financial stability for these initiatives.

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Switzerland’s Social Security and Health Committee has voted 14 to 9 to approve a draft law to federally regulate the cultivation, production, trade, and consumption of recreational marijuana.

While the draft law maintains that marijuana should remain classified as a narcotic, it acknowledges that consumption is a social reality and that prohibition has not been effective. The proposed framework aims to protect public health, enhance youth safeguards, and improve safety by regulating access and reducing the illicit market.

Under the proposal, adults in Switzerland would be allowed to grow, purchase, possess, and consume marijuana within set limits. Personal cultivation would be restricted to three female plants in the flowering phase, while sales to minors would remain illegal. Commercial production would require federal permits, and products would need to meet strict quality and child-proof packaging standards. The law would also prohibit vertical integration, meaning no entity could both produce and sell marijuana.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., newly confirmed as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), expressed concern over high-potency marijuana while also acknowledging the failures of past criminalization efforts.

(Photo credit: AP File Photo/Jordan Strauss).

Speaking to Fox News’s Laura Ingraham in his first major interview after securing confirmation yesterday, Kennedy said he is “worried about” the effects of potent marijuana and believes its use can have “really catastrophic impacts” on individuals. Despite his concerns, he emphasized that state-level legalization allows for research into both its risks and benefits.

Kennedy, who has been in recovery from substance abuse for over 40 years, noted that he frequently hears about the negative effects of marijuana in his daily 12-step meetings. However, he said the potential harms must be weighed against the consequences of criminalization.

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According to a new Meredith College Poll, a strong majority of voters in North Carolina support making medical marijuana legal.

The Meredith Poll, conducted in early February, gauged North Carolina voters’ opinions on policy ideas advanced by President Donald Trump, political issues in North Carolina, and voter approval of elected officials.

“Although a law legalizing medical marijuana has not passed the North Carolina General Assembly, despite repeated efforts in recent sessions, it is likely to emerge again in 2025”, states the poll’s authors. “It was recently called the North Carolina Compassionate Care Act and would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana for a number of physical and mental conditions.”
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On February 13, 2025, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) decision to deny Dr. Sunil Aggarwal’s petition to access psilocybin for therapeutic use under the federal “Right to Try” law.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

The three-judge panel concluded that the DEA did not exceed its authority in rejecting the petition.

Dr. Aggarwal, a Seattle-based palliative care physician, sought permission to use psilocybin for patients with terminal illnesses, citing its potential to alleviate end-of-life distress. He argued that the federal “Right to Try” law, which allows patients with life-threatening conditions to access investigational treatments not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), should permit the use of psilocybin in this context.

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