NewsRoom Articles - CannabisNewsWire

FridayJan 16, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Trends Impacting the US Marijuana Industry in 2026

As the legal marijuana sector enters another year of adjustment, new data points show an industry still working to find its footing. While some long-standing challenges remain unresolved, recent developments suggest parts of the market may finally be moving toward a more sustainable balance. Tax policy remains one of the most consequential issues for cannabis retailers. For years, Section 280E of the federal tax code has prevented marijuana businesses from deducting ordinary operating expenses, including rent, wages, and compliance costs. This framework has routinely pushed otherwise viable stores into the red. In many established cannabis markets, the tax burden created by 280E has exceeded total net income, effectively eliminating profits…

ThursdayJan 15, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Government-Funded Research Says Cannabis Users are Being Wrongfully Jailed for DUI

Government-funded research is raising serious concerns about how cannabis driving laws are being enforced in the United States. According to a new scientific study, many cannabis users are being arrested, charged, and even jailed for driving under the influence despite showing no real signs of being impaired. The research suggests that current DUI laws related to marijuana are not based on sound science and are unfairly punishing innocent people. In almost 20 U.S. states, lawmakers use what are known as per se or zero-tolerance THC laws. These laws set a fixed amount of THC in the blood that automatically labels a driver…

WednesdayJan 14, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Some Changes Resulting from Marijuana Rescheduling Could Take Time

President Trump’s executive order directing federal agencies to loosen restrictions on marijuana is being welcomed by cannabis businesses and researchers, but experts caution that the practical effects will unfold slowly and unevenly. While the move signals a shift in federal posture, it does not immediately dismantle decades of drug policy. The order instructs Attorney General Pam Bondi to move marijuana toward Schedule III under federal law, a lower-risk category than its current classification. However, executive action alone does not rewrite the Controlled Substances Act, which has governed drug scheduling since 1970. According to Gillian Schauer, executive director of the Cannabis Regulators Association, rescheduling typically requires a formal rulemaking process or…

TuesdayJan 13, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — UW Scientists Study Health Hazards of Marijuana in Workplaces

Researchers at the University of Washington are taking a close look at the potential health risks for marijuana production workers. A new study from the university’s Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences is examining whether people employed in cannabis cultivation and processing face health risks on the job, particularly those affecting the lungs. Since recreational and medical marijuana laws began to change across the U.S., cannabis businesses have hired thousands of workers. However, scientists say there is still limited information about the hazards these employees may encounter. Since cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, formal research into working conditions has lagged behind the industry’s growth. Early warning signs…

MondayJan 12, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — GOP Congressmen are Fuming at Trump for Embracing Marijuana

President Donald Trump has opened a rare rift within his party, and the issue driving it is marijuana policy. Last month, Trump announced plans to ease federal rules that govern cannabis, arguing that existing regulations have driven up taxes on marijuana businesses and hindered scientific research into potential medical benefits. The proposal immediately put him at odds with Republican leadership on Capitol Hill, including the House speaker and several senior Senate Republicans. Just weeks earlier, congressional Republicans had advanced legislation as part of a government funding package that tightened rules on certain cannabis-related products. That vote followed the party’s long-standing skepticism toward marijuana, even…

FridayJan 09, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Officials in New York Tout Successes Recorded in Legal Marijuana Program

New York regulators have published a series of year-end reports outlining how the state’s legal cannabis industry has developed, highlighting strong sales, growing tax revenue, progress on equity goals, and expanded access for medical patients. According to the reports, total legal marijuana sales in the state have now passed $2.5 billion since recreational use was approved. Of that amount, roughly $1.6 billion came in during the most recent year, through November. The number of licensed retail outlets has also grown from 261 stores in 2024 to 556 by 2025, nearly doubling in just one year. The Office of Cannabis Management noted that New York continues to surpass its social equity…

ThursdayJan 08, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — US Supreme Court Sets Dates to Hear Marijuana Users’ Gun Rights Case

The United States Supreme Court has set a date to hear arguments in a closely watched case that could determine whether federal restrictions on gun ownership for people who use cannabis are constitutional. The justices scheduled oral arguments for March 2, roughly two months after agreeing to review the dispute. The case pits the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Ali Danial Hemani, who was prosecuted under a federal statute that bars individuals who use illegal drugs from purchasing or possessing firearms. Hemani argues that the law violates the Second Amendment. At issue is a provision of federal law, codified as 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3), which has been under increasing…

WednesdayJan 07, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Florida Could Again Vote on Recreational Marijuana in 2026 Polls

Florida’s debate over recreational cannabis is resurfacing after a failed ballot initiative and renewed public support, setting the stage for a possible return to voters in 2026. During the 2024 election cycle, a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize adult-use marijuana earned backing from 56% of voters. While that represented a clear majority, it did not meet the state’s 60% threshold required to amend the constitution. As a result, recreational marijuana remained illegal despite growing public approval. New polling suggests attitudes have continued to shift. A survey conducted by the University of North Florida in 2025 found that support for recreational cannabis had climbed to 66%, well above the level needed to pass…

MondayJan 05, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Ohio Campaigners Start Effort to Undo Recent Changes to State Marijuana Laws

A new campaign is underway to challenge recent changes to Ohio’s cannabis laws, setting the stage for another statewide vote on cannabis policy. Ohioans for Cannabis Choice has launched a referendum effort aimed at overturning parts of Senate Bill 56, legislation that tightens rules around intoxicating hemp products and revises the recreational cannabis framework approved by voters in 2023. If the effort succeeds, the question of whether to repeal portions of the law would appear on the statewide ballot next November. To reach the ballot, organizers must gather close to 250,000 valid signatures, a process that is already moving forward. Supporters say the new law…

WednesdayDec 31, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Trump’s Cannabis Order Injects New Life into Hemp Industry

President Trump has offered a boost to the struggling hemp sector with his executive order that directs federal agencies to accelerate the reclassification of cannabis and explore Medicare coverage for CBD products. The move arrives as the industry prepares for a major policy fight in Congress over rules that could sharply restrict hemp-derived goods. The sector has faced mounting pressure since November, when lawmakers inserted new language into a government funding package aimed at tightening oversight of hemp-derived products. The provision was designed to close a regulatory gap that allowed hemp products to be sold widely with limited federal scrutiny. Industry representatives argue the change goes too far and could…