Cannabis News Roundup: Week 2025-17: Cannabis in Crisis: Dementia Risks, State Battles, and Hemp Crackdowns

26 Apr, 2025

Cannabis risks and rewards collide this week: new studies reveal troubling links to dementia and pregnancy complications, while states like Maryland, Delaware, and Minnesota advance reforms. But chaos reigns in Alabama’s licensing system, Nebraska’s petition scandal, and Texas’s push to re-criminalize hemp products. Plus, big industry moves in Kentucky, Hawaii, North Dakota, and South Dakota highlight both growth and growing pains.

 

 

 

 

 

Transcript:

 

DEMENTIA / PREGNANCY

This week, two major medical studies are raising fresh questions about the long-term health impacts of cannabis use.

In California, researchers from Columbia University examined nearly 900,000 pregnancies and found a steady rise in diagnoses of cannabis use disorder among pregnant women between 2015 and 2020. Although still rare — affecting about 1 in 400 pregnancies — the trend highlights growing use, often driven by women seeking relief from symptoms like nausea, despite doctors' warnings about potential risks to developing babies.

Meanwhile, in Ontario, a study published in JAMA Neurology tracked over six million adults and found that those hospitalized for cannabis-related issues faced a 23% higher risk of developing dementia within five years, compared to others — and a 72% higher risk compared to the general population. While researchers point to possible factors like brain inflammation and social isolation, they caution that the study doesn't prove cannabis directly causes dementia.

#CannabisNews #MarijuanaStudy #DementiaRisk #CannabisHealth #MedicalMarijuana #CannabisUseDisorder #BrainHealth #CannabisAwareness #JAMANeurology #CannabisPodcast

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DELAWARE

Delaware Governor Matt Meyer has nominated cannabis regulatory attorney Joshua Sanderlin as the state’s new Marijuana Commissioner, aiming to jumpstart the implementation of Delaware’s stalled adult-use cannabis market. Sanderlin brings over 15 years of cannabis regulation experience and, if confirmed by the Senate, will lead the state’s effort to launch its recreational marijuana market.

#DelawareCannabis #CannabisRegulation #MarijuanaCommissioner #AdultUseCannabis #CannabisMarket #CannabisLaw

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MARYLAND

Maryland has enacted a series of cannabis reforms aimed at expanding economic opportunity and addressing the consequences of past prohibition. Governor Wes Moore signed several measures into law, including the Expungement Reform Act, which automatically shields thousands of low-level cannabis convictions from public view — a step supporters say will ease barriers to employment, housing, and business ownership.

The new laws also authorize on-site consumption lounges, formally regulating spaces where adults may use cannabis socially, and allow individuals to produce concentrates and edibles for personal use under safety guidelines.

Additionally, Maryland will now permit faster ownership transfers of cannabis businesses, aiming to diversify participation in the industry.

#MarylandCannabis #CannabisReform #Expungement #SocialEquity #CannabisLounge #CannabisSocialUse #CannabisJustice #CannabisEntrepreneurs

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NEBRASKA

In Nebraska, a judge has reinstated criminal charges against notary public Jacy Todd, who was accused of improperly notarizing signatures for two medical marijuana ballot initiatives.

District Judge ruled Todd must face 24 counts of misconduct, reversing an earlier decision that notaries aren't public officials. Todd allegedly notarized petition signatures without witnessing them in person, which is a legal requirement.

The petitions helped legalize and regulate medical cannabis winning nearly 70% voter approval. Supporters call the case politically motivated while state officials say it's about protecting election integrity.

The outcome could impact Nebraska’s program and how grassroots ballot measures are handled across the U.S.

#NebraskaCannabis #BallotPetition #NotaryMisconduct #LegalWeedNE #CannabisInitiative #CannabisPolitics #MarijuanaLegalization

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HAWAII

Hawaii has expanded its medical cannabis infrastructure with the licensing of its 25th dispensary even as the state's patient base is shrinking.

Over the past year, the number of registered medical cannabis patients in Hawaii has declined by more than 5%, with just under 30,000 active participants today. Despite this, new retail outlets continue to open, reflecting broader industry efforts to position for future growth — potentially in anticipation of eventual recreational legalization, which is currently going through the state's legislature.

For businesses nationwide, Hawaii's pattern mirrors a familiar challenge: expanding infrastructure in a tightening market. Patients and medical users may see immediate benefits from easier access, but entrepreneurs and investors face questions about long-term demand.

#HawaiiCannabis #CannabisIndustry #CannabisDispensary #CannabisGrowth #FutureOfCannabis #CannabisLegislation

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KENTUCKY

In Kentucky this week, Cresco Labs officially launched a $15 million dollar medical marijuana cultivation facility. Housed in a former ammunition plant, the new site is expected to produce up to 2,000 pounds of pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis each month and employ up to 100 people. The company has pledged to educate both patients and the public as it prepares for full product availability by late 2025.

However, the path forward isn’t without friction. Kentucky’s licensing process is still under investigation for a lack of transparency, as new cannabis markets come online.

#KentuckyCannabis #CannabisCultivation #CannabisFacility #CrescoLabs #CannabisBusiness

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MINNESOTA

This week, the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management launched a major support initiative aimed at ensuring farmers aren’t left out of the state’s legal cannabis rollout. 

The “CanGrow program is a $2 million investment offering grants for farmer training and technical assistance, as well as nonprofit-backed loans to help new and expanding cannabis growers access capital. The move comes just after Minnesota adopted rules for adult-use cannabis, signaling that licenses will soon be issued, with social equity applicants first in line. OCM leaders say this support will help farmers navigate regulatory complexities, reduce startup costs, and encourage growth across communities statewide. 

CanGrow is part of a larger ecosystem of similar grants, aimed at helping cannabis entrepreneurship in Minnesota flourish during the early start up stages.

#MinnesotaCannabis #CanGrowProgram #CannabisFarming #CannabisGrants #CannabisSupport #CannabisCommunity #CannabisGrowers

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ALABAMA

Alabama’s medical cannabis program is back to square one — again. A judge has thrown out the state's latest attempt to award business licenses, ruling regulators illegally rushed the process. It's the third reset since Alabama legalized medical cannabis in 2021, and it could delay patient access and business operations for another year or more.

The court found that the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission improperly used an emergency rule last December to speed up license awards — without meeting legal standards. As a result, companies that had already built facilities and stocked products are left stranded, and patients hoping for medical cannabis treatments remain in limbo.

But Alabama's chaos reflects a wider trend: in emerging cannabis markets, unclear rules and legal battles are slowing progress everywhere. For businesses, it’s a warning about investing before the ground rules are stable. For patients, it’s a reminder that legalization doesn't guarantee fast access. And for policymakers, it’s a signal that without clear, resilient regulation, even the best intentions can get stuck in court.

#AlabamaCannabis #CannabisDelays #CannabisLegalization #CannabisPatients #CannabisRegulations

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NORTH DAKOTA

In a cautious shift, North Dakota has expanded its medical cannabis program to allow edible products for the first time. Governor Kelly Armstrong signed legislation this week permitting registered patients to purchase cannabis-infused lozenges under strict regulations.

The new law caps individual servings at five milligrams of THC, with packages limited to 50 milligrams total—making it one of the most tightly controlled edible policies in the United States. Each edible must be a plainly shaped lozenge to avoid appealing to children.

For the over 10,000 North Dakotans who are enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program, the legislation offers a new smokeless option with longer-lasting relief, while the broader legalization efforts across the state remain stalled after recent attempts to decriminalize small amounts of cannabis failed in the state Senate, and voters have twice rejected adult-use legalization measures. 

#NorthDakotaCannabis #CannabisEdibles #CannabisPolicy #THCLimits #CannabisLaw

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SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota harvested more hemp than any other U.S. state in 2024, proving that strong infrastructure—not just acreage—is critical to success in the evolving hemp industry.

According to the USDA’s latest report, the state processed nearly all of its 3,700 acres, even as average yields fell by 30%. By contrast, Texas planted more but harvested far less, highlighting the fragile state of supply chains nationwide.

South Dakota’s crop value soared by 50% thanks to rising fiber prices, but for cannabis entrepreneurs and hemp producers the path forward is far from clear—especially for those planning to use hemp for consumable products containing THC. Regulatory uncertainty looms large: as multiple U.S. states are now moving to ban, restrict, or even criminalize hemp-derived THC products, creating serious risks for businesses and investors alike.

#SouthDakotaHemp #HempIndustry #HempHarvest #CannabisEconomy #HempProducts #HempMarket #HempRegulations

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TEXAS

Texas this week escalated its crackdown on cannabis reform, with new legislation that could reset the state to some of the harshest marijuana and hemp laws in the United States.

First, the Texas Senate passed a bill aimed at blocking cities from putting marijuana decriminalization measures on local ballots—an effort to curb the growing wave of grassroots cannabis reforms in places like Austin and Dallas. Meanwhile, a state appeals court struck down Austin’s voter-approved decriminalization ordinance, restoring the ability of police to arrest individuals for low-level possession.

But the debate is no longer just about marijuana. Lawmakers are also weighing two major bills that would re-criminalize even federally legal hemp products. HB 28, in particular, would ban the sale of nearly all THC items except for beverages, and criminalize the simple possession of hemp edibles, lotions, vapes, and even raw flower. If passed, Texans caught in possession of any of these products could face up to a year in jail, despite hemp being legal at the federal level since 2018.

The developments highlight a deepening rift: while public opinion in Texas and nationally continues to favor cannabis liberalization, state leaders are moving to tighten, not loosen, drug laws. The clash is especially significant for entrepreneurs, patients, and the booming hemp-derived product industry, which had seen Texas as a promising, if complex, market.

#TexasCannabis #CannabisCrackdown #HempBan #MarijuanaDecriminalization #CannabisLegislation #TexasHemp #CannabisRights

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