Cannabis News Roundup: Week 2025-24: Alabama Felony Hemp Law, New York Recalls Contaminated Weed, Cannabis Chaos in Texas

14 Jun, 2025

In this episode, we cover major cannabis policy shifts across the U.S.—from Alabama’s new law making smokable hemp a felony to Florida’s crackdown on medical cannabis patients with drug convictions, and Missouri’s dual push for product safety and THCA enforcement. We also dive into Minnesota’s steep cannabis tax hike, Texas’s proposed ban on hemp-derived THC, and New York’s product recall over pesticide contamination. Hear updates on tribal cannabis reform in Mississippi, medical marijuana legislation in South Carolina and Pennsylvania, and the uncertain rollout of Nebraska’s new cannabis program.

Tags: cannabis news 2025, US cannabis laws, medical marijuana updates, hemp THC ban Texas, Alabama hemp laws, Missouri THCA crackdown, Minnesota cannabis tax, Florida cannabis patients, New York cannabis recall, Mississippi Choctaw marijuana, Nebraska medical marijuana, South Carolina medical cannabis, Pennsylvania cannabis workplace, Colorado cultivation shutdown, Montana cannabis tax veto, cannabis podcast, cannabis regulation, state cannabis updates, marijuana legalization USA

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SUMMARIES:

• Alabama's new hemp law, HB445, will take effect on July 1. It bans smokable hemp, limits THC in products, and imposes felony penalties for possession. Small businesses say the law could force them to close or move operations, while lawmakers say it brings needed regulation.
• Green Dragon, a major cannabis operator in Colorado, is closing its 92,000-square-foot cultivation facility near Denver at the end of June. The company blames falling wholesale prices and rising labor costs. Forty-five employees will lose their jobs. Green Dragon’s dispensaries will remain open, sourcing cannabis from third-party growers.
• Florida lawmakers are backing a bill that would revoke medical marijuana cards from patients and caregivers convicted of certain drug offenses. The proposal, now likely to pass as part of a broader health bill, would suspend access once charges are filed and revoke it entirely if the person is found guilty—potentially affecting thousands of users in the state’s medical cannabis program.
• Minnesota's cannabis rollout hit a snag this week after the state’s Office of Cannabis Management mistakenly emailed all 249 cannabis license lottery winners to say they’d been denied. The agency corrected the error within an hour, but business owners say the mistake could have real consequences and is shaking their confidence in the process. // Minnesota just raised its cannabis tax from 10% to 15%, giving the state one of the highest rates in the country. Lawmakers also cut out local governments from sharing in cannabis revenue. With dispensaries still months away from opening, groups like NORML warn that higher prices could push people back to the illegal market.
• The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has approved a referendum supporting the development of marijuana laws on tribal lands. With 55% of members voting in favor, the tribe could soon establish Mississippi’s first legal adult-use cannabis market. Tribal officials will now begin research and planning for a possible legalization framework.
• Starting July 1, Missouri will begin surprise inspections of cannabis dispensaries and collect products for state lab testing. The effort is aimed at adding a new layer of safety and compliance, checking for mold, pesticides, and THC levels. While regulators say they trust current labs, experts warn the res