Legislatively speaking, Monday was a pretty swift, solid kick in the groin for weed reform. While there were a few bright spots along the way, the final days of August 2024 made for a mostly caca ending to the month.

That said, a few bright spots helped alleviate some of the sting handed down by D.C. and others this week. So, take a moment to catch up on the mostly bad but sometimes good news that happened in weed last week. 

Monday, August 26

• The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) scheduled an extra procedural hearing on cannabis rescheduling, delaying any possible reform until after the November election.
• In more unwelcomed rescheduling news, a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report determined that rescheduling would provide a minimal impact on banking access.        
• Arkansas medical sales are down 4% from last year. 
• Ivo Skoric, a Vermont medical cannabis patient who lost his job and unemployment benefits over a random drug test, lost his appeal with the state Supreme Court.
• Here’s something that’ll maybe shock a handful: a new study found that states that continue to prohibit legal cannabis access are experiencing higher rates of poison center reports over delta-8 THC exposure.
• Oklahoma, a state with a moratorium on new medical licenses, was accused of delaying license sales, with some blaming a renewal backlog as the cause. 

Tuesday, August 27

• Weed stocks fell sharply the day after the DEA decided to delay any possible rescheduling efforts. 
• Ohio fined five operators a total of $213,000 for promoting adult use sales before the official launch of the rec market 
• The California Senate has approved bills that would grant small growers DtoC access and legalize cannabis cafes. 
• The Associated Press profiled the efforts of Brazilian moms pushing for legal CBD access for their kids. 
• A new study found that people who “use and abuse” cannabis are more likely to miss work than non-consumers. 
• Meanwhile, Home Depot announced in an internal memo that it plans to stop testing employees for pot.   

Wednesday, August 28

• Ohio pulled in another $10.5 million during the third week of rec sales.
• Ascend Wellness Holdings announced a number of C-suite shakeups, including the termination of CFO Mark Cassebaum.
• New York City Mayor Eric Adams burnt four tons of seized illegal cannabis products, releasing one of the city’s few pleasant smells this summer.   
• The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled that a Texas gun owner could not be barred from ownership over their cannabis use.  
• Vermont State University’s cannabis program received praise for bringing young people and others into the state’s weed workforce. 

Thursday, August 29

• A study found that cannabis and hallucinogen use is at “historically high levels.”   
• Employees at Escanaba, Michigan’s Lume dispensary, are unionizing, marking the first such unionization in the Upper Peninsula. 
• A joint effort by Oakland and Santa Cruz Counties resulted in the arrest of 22 suspects linked to alleged dispensary robberies totaling more than $1 million in stolen products.
• The Cherokee Nation-owned Great Smoky Cannabis Company, the first retailer in North Carolina, despite the state’s disapproval, will launch adult use sales on September 7.

Friday, August 30

• Kentucky’s Office of Medical Cannabis received over 1,000 business applications before the window closed this past Saturday. 
• Missouri hemp industry members appear set to sue Governor Mike Parsons, claiming his intoxicating hemp crackdown goes too far.     
• Trulieve announced a partnership with Major League Pickleball and the PPA Tour to support both professional and amateur pickleball leagues. 

That’s a bit of what happened in weed last week. Did we miss anything in this week’s weed news recap? Send us a message, and we’ll do our best to round up all the essentials next week.