Florida cannabis legalization measure blocked from 2026 ballot (Newsletter: March 11, 2026)

*Marijuana worker mortgage amendment; AZ cannabis smoke bill passes; CO
medical marijuana in hospitals; Study: Psilocybin for quitting cigarettes*

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*/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW*

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) filed an amendment to a housing bill on the Senate
floor that would help marijuana industry workers qualify for federally
backed mortgage loans by treating cannabis income the same as that derived
from other industries.

The Florida Supreme Court rejected a marijuana campaign’s request to review
state officials’ rejection of tens of thousands of signatures for its
legalization initiative, effectively killing the effort to get it on the
2026 ballot.

Colorado lawmakers sent Gov. Jared Polis (D) a bill to allow terminally ill
patients to use medical cannabis in healthcare facilities such as hospitals—but
advocates say recent changes undermine the reform’s intent.

The Arizona Senate passed a bill to punish people for creating “excessive”
marijuana smoke or odor—including by making it punishable by up to four
months in jail if it is “intentional or the person knowingly and
substantially interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or
property.”

The Hawaii Senate passed a bill to create a psychedelics task force
responsible for studying and making policy recommendations on providing
access to breakthrough therapies such as psilocybin and MDMA.

A new study published by the American Medical Association found that “a
single psilocybin dose combined with manualized [cognitive behavioral
therapy] yielded significantly greater smoking abstinence than the nicotine
patch paired with the same CBT.”

- “Psilocybin is a promising candidate for smoking cessation that should
move forward in the FDA process toward potential approval.”

The National Cannabis Industry Association’s Adam Rosenberg and Dentons’s
and Eric Berlin describe in a new op-ed how marijuana and hemp industry and
advocacy groups have been meeting in an informal group called “The
Commission” and are aligned on a “shared vision of more effective federal
policy.”

Ohio officials are facing a Friday deadline to respond to a lawsuit filed
by breweries challenging Gov. Mike DeWine’s (R) veto of portions of a bill
that would have allowed sales of hemp THC beverages until the end of the
year.

*/ FEDERAL*

The Drug Enforcement Administration Museum sent a newsletter highlighting
the work of the agency’s Foreign-Deployed Advisory Support Team.

*/ STATES*

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed a cannabis compact with the Lower Sioux
Indian Community.

Kansas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cindy Holscher, currently a state
senator, discussed her support for legalizing marijuana.

The West Virginia House Health and Human Resources Committee advanced a
bill to allow prescription of crystalline polymorph psilocybin following
federal approval.

The Rhode Island House Corporations Committee will consider several bills
to amend cannabis laws on Thursday.

Tennessee lawmakers discussed the benefits of legalizing marijuana.

California regulators are asking a federal court to uphold the state’s
cannabis business labor peace requirements.

New York regulators took action against an unlicensed marijuana business.

Massachusetts marijuana regulators submitted a budget request to lawmakers.

Washington State regulators will host feedback sessions about cannabis
rules this month.


*— Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug
policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon
supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps,
charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.*


*Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on
Patreon to get access. —*

*/ INTERNATIONAL*

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded to a lawmaker’s question about the
cost of medical cannabis.

*/ SCIENCE & HEALTH*

A review concluded that “cannabinoids represent a promising yet
underexplored therapeutic option in rare and complex disorders.”

A study found that patients “showed significant improvements in [post-treatment
Lyme disease] symptom burden and quality of life from study enrollment
through 1-month following the second dose of psilocybin (primary endpoint),
with significant benefits sustained through 6 months.”

*/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS*

The Cannabis Financial Industry Group published a guide on how changes to
federal hemp laws affect financial services providers.

*/ BUSINESS*

Verano Holdings LLC is being sued for allegedly violating privacy laws by
printing customers’ names and birthdays on receipts.

SHF Holdings, Inc., d/b/a Safe Harbor Financial touted its moves to
eliminate debt.

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*Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.*

The post Florida cannabis legalization measure blocked from 2026 ballot
(Newsletter: March 11, 2026) appeared first on Marijuana Moment.