News

November 18th, 2025 President Trump has signed a spending bill that both ends the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and enacts a sweeping federal crackdown on hemp-derived THC products. The legislation, approved by the Senate in a 60–40 vote and by the House in a 222–209 vote, includes language redefining legal hemp in a way that will ban more than 95% of current hemp extract products, effectively dismantling the multi-billion-dollar industry that emerged after the

November 13th, 2025 | Written by NORML Washington, DC: Federal lawmakers have negotiated and finalized legislation to fund the US Department of Agriculture that includes amended provisions recriminalizing the sale of certain hemp-derived intoxicating products. The appropriations bill is one of three separate funding bills that were included in a package to reopen the government until January 30, 2026. The provisions – which were advocated by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), among

November 11th, 2025 Although Congress appears to have reached a deal to end the government shutdown, the vote is being delayed by an unexpected sticking point: hemp. A bill aimed at ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has stalled over a hemp-related provision included in the Agriculture Department’s funding. The provision would effectively ban intoxicating hemp products by closing the “loophole” in the 2018 Farm Bill, which currently allows THC products der

Oct. 23, 2025 The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that could determine whether cannabis consumers can legally own guns under federal law, which currently prohibits firearm possession by anyone considered an “unlawful user” of a controlled substance — including cannabis, even in states where it’s legal. Read more about the case here .

September 24th, 2025 In a huge victory for cannabis advocates, Governor Newsom signed AB564 , eliminating the 25% tax increase on...

September 18th, 2025 | Written by NORML Members of the California Assembly and Senate have approved Assembly Bill 564 , which halts a...

August 28th, 2025 The cannabis tax has increased from 15% to 19% as of July 1st. AB564 was heard on August 18th  at the Senate...

April 22, 2025 | Article written by CAL-NORML WRITE TO YOUR LEGISLATOR AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT AB 564.  UPDATE: The bill will next be...

Newly introduced bill AB 564 , would repeal the cannabis excise tax rate beyond 15%. Given the extreme challenges being faced by the...