Americas

Global business and regulatory news covering the cannabis industry

22nd January 2025

Global debate on HHC regulation heats up ahead of UN meeting on narcotic drugs

8th January 2025

US rescheduling, Brazil’s hemp hopes, and the status quo for cannabis in 2025

31st December 2024

How did we do? CannIntelligence’s predictions for 2024 under review

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Daily regulatory updates of legal changes in the cannabis sector, including monthly compilations

22nd January 2025: US - Federal: President Donald Trump has appointed Derek Maltz as acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Maltz was a career agent with the DEA for 28 years before retiring in 2014. It is not yet clear whether Maltz will be nominated to lead the DEA on a permanent basis. Maltz has a history of making negative comments about cannabis legalisation, including claiming that the rescheduling of marijuana was politically driven and was “placing politics above public safety”.
21st January 2025: US - Federal: One of the executive orders president Donald Trump issued after his inauguration yesterday (20th January) freezes federal regulations that have not yet been issued – such as the rescheduling of marijuana – so that they may be reviewed by the new administration. Though the order does not single out or mention the rescheduling, it states that an appointee or designee of the president must review and approve any such regulations before they can be issued. The rescheduling of marijuana has already been delayed for about three months due to an interlocutory appeal. So while the executive order might not cause further delay, it injects more uncertainty into an already uncertain process.
16th January 2025: US - Federal: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public input, especially from veterinarians, on the use of cannabis-derived products in animals. The RFI is focused on CBD and other hemp-derived products. The FDA aims to gather data on usage patterns, quality standards, benefits, potential drug interactions, adverse events, safety issues and toxicological concerns. The comment period for this RFI opens today, and will be open for 90 days, ending on 16th April.
14th January 2025: US - Federal: A judge presiding over the hearing to reschedule marijuana has delayed hearings for at least three months that were slated to begin on 21st January, press reports. Pro-reform witnesses at the hearing have challenged the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s ability to serve as proponent of the rescheduling at the hearing due to alleged improper communications with anti-reform witnesses, and the court will now allow arguments around these claims. The delay and upcoming change of administration throw the rescheduling process into further uncertainty, as it may allow time for US president-elect Donald Trump’s selection for DEA administrator to be approved by the Senate before the rescheduling hearing begins. Trump had previously nominated Chad Chronister to head the DEA, but Chronister withdrew from consideration in December, and Trump has not yet put forth another nominee.
10th January 2025: US - Illinois: The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has added four conditions – endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, and female orgasmic disorder – to the list of medical issues eligible for treatment with medical cannabis. The approval of these four conditions marks the first expansion of Illinois’ medical cannabis eligibility list since 2019, increasing the total to 56 conditions. The full list of qualifying conditions is available on the Illinois government’s Debilitating Conditions webpage.
8th January 2025: US - Illinois: Despite strong support in the state Senate (passing 54-1) and backing from governor JB Pritzker, a bill that would regulate several hemp and delta-8 products in Illinois failed to pass, media reports. The proposal aimed to regulate delta-8 THC by restricting sales to licensed cannabis dispensaries, banning synthetic THC production, and introducing measures like age restrictions, testing, and labelling. Governor Pritzker called the bill’s failure a disappointment and criticised opponents for undermining efforts to protect public health.
7th January 2025: US - Federal: After months of delays, Congress has passed a one-year extension of the Farm Bill – citing the need for more time to negotiate new legislation, media reports. This means the status quo will remain for another year unless Congress passes new legislation.
7th January 2025: US - Tennessee: Davidson County chancellor I’Ashea Myles has issued a temporary injunction that blocks new state product testing rules that would have banned the sale of hemp products. The temporary injunction specifically prohibits the Department of Agriculture from regulating “mere hemp or raw hemp flower” and implementing concentration limits for tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) in hemp-derived cannabinoid (HDC) products which would, in effect, ban those products. The judge has now paused the rules, requiring more information about the products before making a final decision. Limited in scope, the injunction will remain in place until 18th February 2025, giving all parties time to present additional evidence regarding the contested rules.
18th December 2024: US - Federal: Congressional House leaders have introduced a continuing resolution to fund the government that includes a one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill, press reports. The resolution would fund the government until 14th March but would leave the current Farm Bill in place for at least another year. The status quo would be a boon for the cannabinoid hemp industry, as both parties have previously introduced drafts of a new Farm Bill that would have changed the definition of hemp to reduce the amount of THC that may be contained in hemp. A new Farm Bill is normally passed about every five years, but this would be the second one-year extension after the five-year period.
17th December 2024: US - Ohio: Ohio lawmakers are unlikely to pass a bill restricting delta-8 and synthetic hemp products before the legislative session ends, according to Senate president Matt Huffman. He said the House isn’t interested in the proposal, leaving little time to reach an agreement. Huffman believes the bill is unlikely to move forward, as he said the House showed little interest in a similar effort last December to address issues with the “marijuana initiative”, media reports.
13th December 2024: US - Nebraska: Governor Jim Pillen has signed proclamations that certified the enactment of measure 437 and measure 438. In November, more than 70% of voters across the state approved legalising and regulating medical cannabis. Both measures are now law in the state of Nebraska.
13th December 2024: Brazil: The Attorney General’s Office (AGU) has filed an appeal with the Superior Court of Justice with a request to extend the deadline of six months for the regulation of the import of seeds, cultivation, industrialisation and commercialisation of cannabis plants of up to 0.3% THC for medical, pharmaceutical or industrial purposes. In November 2024, the Superior Court of Justice gave the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) and the federal government six months to issue regulations on the matter. According to the AGU, the regulations are a significant regulatory challenge that requires coordination and political-administrative alignment between several government agencies, which require a longer period to ensure a cohesive, comprehensive and technical approach.

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