The midterms are less than a month away, with elections mostly scheduled for November 3, 2026. Cannabis reform is on the table both directly and indirectly, at the federal, state and local levels. The vast majority of Americans support legalizing marijuana in some way, which has been the case for years now. Whether that general
Recently on the podcast High Spirits: The Cannabis Business Podcast, I discussed how cannabis legalization can occur through executive action, not just congressional action. This post will expand on what we discussed on the podcast. My co-founder, Amna Shamim, and I started Project Four 2029 to engage with presidential and congressional candidates ahead of the
What just happened in the marijuana rescheduling hearing On September 28, 2026, three participants in the ALJ marijuana rescheduling hearing filed a “Joint Motion for Leave to File Supplemental Briefing, for Admission of Supplemental Exhibit, and for Stay of Proceedings.” The motion was submitted by DUID Victim Voices, Kenneth Finn, M.D., and the National Drug
Join us on October 8, 2026, for DEA Enforcement in a Changing Cannabis Landscape: Rescheduling, Hemp, and What Comes Next, a free webinar examining what the evolving federal cannabis landscape could mean for cannabis and hemp businesses. The discussion will feature: Jason Adelstone, Partner at Harris Sliwoski LLP; Matthew John Strait, former Deputy Assistant Administrator
A Michigan cannabis grower proved breach of contract and won a $31.8 million jury verdict—only to lose it on appeal. The Sixth Circuit held that a federal court could not enforce an agreement requiring conduct prohibited by the Controlled Substances Act. The decision offers a stark warning about forum selection, federal illegality, medical-use limitations, and remedies in cannabis contracts.
Cannabis law has never been more contradictory. In the U.S., federal and state governments often regulate identical products under completely different legal frameworks. Hemp and marijuana can produce the same intoxicating effects, yet lawmakers treat them as fundamentally different. Medical marijuana now occupies a unique place under federal law while adult use marijuana remains prohibited.
While most attention has focused on the recently concluded marijuana rescheduling hearing, an equally significant legal battle has unfolded in the D.C. Circuit over the final rescheduling order ("Final Order"). Petitioners, the Department of Justice, newly intervening parties, and amici participants have exchanged a series of briefs over the past month. Those filings may ultimately
Tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. PT, Harris Sliwoski attorney Jason Adelstone will join fellow cannabis industry professionals for a live webinar, The Cannabis Brief LIVE: Cannabis Rescheduling After the Hearing. The discussion will examine where federal cannabis rescheduling stands following the DEA administrative hearing process, what recent developments mean for the industry, and what cannabis
On April 28, 2026, Acting Attorney General Blanche (“AG”) issued a notice of hearing concerning the proposed rule to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”). The notice replaced the hearing that began in December 2024 (“2024 Hearing”), which the AG terminated upon issuing the new notice. The
On May 22, the states of Nebraska, Indiana, and Louisiana filed a Petition for Review in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (“DC Circuit”) challenging the Acting Attorney General’s (“AG”) final agency action moving FDA-approved and state-licensed marijuana into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”). The DC
