🇺🇸 US Cannabis Rescheduling Pressure Builds on Trump as Price Compression Perseveres

🏛️ Trump weighs reclassifying marijuana as less dangerous drug; The president told donors earlier this month that he was interested in reclassifying the drug.

• Rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III risks public health by legitimising high-THC products and prioritising corporate interests over safety.
  • Reclassifying cannabis to Schedule III would boost research opportunities, stimulate economic growth, and better align federal policy with existing state medical cannabis laws.
  • 40 lawmakers reintroduced the MORE Act to legalise cannabis federally, expunge convictions, and support communities impacted by prohibition.
  • Descheduling cannabis is favoured by 69% for eliminating penalties, ensuring legal clarity, and benefiting consumers and small businesses.
  • Trump administration may consider marijuana reform, but descheduling is necessary to end federal criminalisation and prevent arrests.
• MAGA leaders oppose Trump's marijuana reclassification plans, fearing societal decline, while some support medical research benefits of cannabis.
  • Trump's administration urged for medical cannabis policy reform, emphasising rescheduling and integration into mainstream healthcare for patient benefits.
  • Joe Gruters elected RNC Chairman, supports marijuana legalisation; Trump endorses him despite opposition from Florida Governor DeSantis.
  • The group of GOP House representatives sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and copied the president.
• Excise taxes evolve to regulate cannabis markets, influence consumer behaviour, and fund public programmes with various taxation models.
  • Los Angeles and San Diego are both raising cannabis fees. The increased costs come as legal pot shops are already going out of business.
• Governor **Greg Abbott **called the Texas Legislature back into a second special session, focusing on congressional redistricting and hemp regulation.
  • Texas substantially expands medical cannabis compassionate use programme.
  • Jushi Holdings Inc. has initiated legal action against 10 hemp companies in Pennsylvania, alleging they sell intoxicating products disguised as legal hemp that violate state laws and erode profits for licensed operators.(https://highlycapitalized.com/jushi-sues-pennsylvania-retailers-over-unregulated-hemp-derived-thc-products/) in Pennsylvania, alleging they sell intoxicating products disguised as legal hemp that violate state laws and erode profits for licensed operators.
• Cannabis testing lab in Massachusetts shuttered by regulators after reporting a fail rate for yeast and mould 90 times lower than state average will reopen.
• Officials in Michigan have recalled more than 26,000 marijuana vape cartridges manufactured by Sky Cannabis because they contain a potentially unsafe ingredient.

💼 Falling cannabis prices benefit consumers but threaten small growers, leading to industry consolidation and potential quality decline.

• Michigan's cannabis sales peaked in 2024, then plateaued due to oversupply and price drops, impacting market dynamics significantly.
  • Agrify Corp rebrands to RYTHM Inc after acquiring cannabis brands from Green Thumb Industries for $50 million on August 28, 2025.
• Colorado's marijuana tax revenue exceeds $3 billion since 2014, but industry faces downturn with declining sales and lower prices.
• Ohio cannabis dispensaries will soon offer pre-rolls for both medical patients and adult-use customers, expanding product options.
• Cheech and Chong's two cannabis companies are on track to make $100 million in revenue this year, up from $50 million last year, with the majority of that money coming from hemp sales.
  • While thousands of cannabis farms go out of business in a bleak market, Leef has invested over $15 million into this ranch, buying 1,900 acres of land and securing the largest single cannabis permit in Santa Barbara County.
• Leafwell offers medical cannabis as an employee benefit, improving access and reducing healthcare costs for organisations.
• Mini Joints gain popularity for their convenience, quality, and lifestyle branding, appealing to modern cannabis consumers.

🔬 Myrcene attenuates pain hypersensitivity in preclinical models and is one of the most abundant terpenes found in cannabis.

• Big pharma enters the psychedelic space with **AbbVie** set to acquire Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals' bretisilocin for up to $1.2 billion, expanding its psychiatry pipeline for major depressive disorder.