Surprising senator votes to keep hemp THC products legal (Newsletter: November 12, 2025)

*Veterans medical marijuana provisions deleted; VA senator “optimistic” on
legalizing cannabis sales; TX hemp rules checklist; MO microbusinesses*

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*/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW*

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) explained his decision to be one of only two
Republicans to support an amendment to keep hemp THC products federally
legal in an historic first Senate standalone roll call floor vote on the
issue of cannabis, saying that “regulation of hemp and marijuana products
should rest with each individual state.”

- Democrats, meanwhile, were nearly evenly divided on the vote.

On Veterans Day, congressional leaders have abandoned an effort to allow
Department of Veterans Affairs doctors to issue medical cannabis
recommendations to their patients—even though the reform was approved by
both the House and Senate earlier this year.

A Virginia senator who has sponsored legislation to legalize recreational
marijuana sales says he’s “very optimistic” the reform can be enacted now
that voters elected a supportive new Democratic governor to replace the
Republican one who vetoed his bills.

The Texas Department of State Health Services published a new hemp law
checklist list to help businesses comply with recently enacted state
cannabis rules—including age-gating to prevent the sale of intoxicating
cannabinoid products to youth.

Missouri marijuana microbusinesses run by social equity applicants are
beginning to harvest their first crops, but many are struggling to succeed
as they navigate restrictive rules and an inability to get bank loans.

*/ FEDERAL*

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) said he doesn’t think Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)
should have gotten a vote on his amendment to remove hemp product ban
provisions from a spending bill.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) said he “detest[s] the tactics that are being
used to try to get this [hemp product] ban enacted into law.”

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) tweeted, “Should we really be regulating [hemp]
from the federal level? We’ve had the debate already in Texas. I’m sure we
will continue to have it. Passing [Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY)] amendment would
allow states to keep having that debate.”

Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) said he would oppose a spending bill if hemp
product ban language was removed.

*/ STATES*

Texas’s lieutenant governor and agriculture commissioner cheered the
advancement of hemp product ban legislation in Congress.

New Mexico’s attorney general sent a letter warning retailers about
potentially illegal cannabis products that purport to be legal hemp.

Minnesota lawmakers expressed concerns about advancing federal legislation
to recriminalize hemp products.

Washington, D.C. regulators adopted changes to medical cannabis rules.

Maine regulators published guidance about a cannabis tax increase.

Nevada regulators will consider changes to marijuana rules on November 20.

Changes to Colorado medical cannabis rules will take effect on December 15.

Vermont regulators will host cannabis business development workshops in
December.


*— 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. —*

*/ LOCAL*

Springfield, Colorado voters rejected a ballot measure to allow marijuana
businesses to operate, while voters in Craig approved a question to allow
local officials to increase cannabis taxes.

*/ INTERNATIONAL*

Canadian officials published a report on an effort to prevent youth
marijuana use and to reduce the size of the illegal market.

*/ SCIENCE & HEALTH*

A study suggested that a long-acting injectable formulation of CBD “may
overcome key limitations of oral CBD and support its further development as
a long-acting therapeutic option for epilepsy.”

A study suggested that “a broad scope of benefits can be achieved by using
flexible dosing schemes of cannabis extracts in managing diverse [chronic
pain syndrome] conditions in female patients.”

A review concluded that “cannabidiol is generally well tolerated and has
been shown to effectively reduce seizure frequency in children with
[developmental and epileptic encephalopathies] whose seizures are
refractory to concomitant antiepileptic medications.”

*/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS*

The Cato Institute published a blog post arguing that in advancing
legislation to recriminalize hemp products, “Congress has once again
mistaken prohibition for prudence.”

*/ BUSINESS*

The Cannabist Company Holdings Inc. reported quarterly revenue of $79.9
million and a loss of $14.7 million.

Rubicon Organics Inc. secured $4 million in financing.

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The post Surprising senator votes to keep hemp THC products legal
(Newsletter: November 12, 2025) appeared first on Marijuana Moment.