Latest Cannabis News: January 28, 2026
Latest Cannabis News: January 28, 2026
Stay up to date with the latest legalization and cannabis news with the C.B. Advisors. Every week, we will release a snippet of what’s happening with each state in the cannabis industry. Did you miss last week? No worries – click here for last week’s cannabis news.
Low THC, High CBD
Indiana: Indiana lawmakers are moving forward with legislation aimed at tightening restrictions on hemp-derived THC products, with the bill heading to the Senate floor for debate. Supporters say the measure would close regulatory loopholes and rein in intoxicating products that currently fall outside the state’s cannabis laws. But hemp business owners warn the proposal could function as a de facto ban on much of the existing market, forcing retailers to shut down or leave the state. Critics argue the bill goes further than necessary and risks wiping out a legal industry that employs thousands of Hoosiers.
South Carolina: A South Carolina GOP lawmaker says President Trump’s move to reschedule marijuana federally could give new momentum to the state’s stalled medical cannabis bill. He argues the shift may ease concerns among skeptical lawmakers by acknowledging marijuana’s medical value and aligning state action with federal changes.Source: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/trumps-marijuana-rescheduling-move-could-boost-south-carolina-medical-cannabis-bill-gop-lawmaker-says/
Tennessee: Tennessee lawmakers are reopening debate on marijuana policy this session, with proposals ranging from a bill to study a potential medical cannabis program to a measure that would allow limited home cultivation. The renewed discussion is being fueled in part by shifting federal cannabis policy, though significant resistance remains in the legislature.
Source: https://newschannel9.com/news/local/tennessee-lawmakers-reignite-marijuana-policy-debate-nashville
Medical
Alabama: Alabama’s long-delayed medical cannabis program is taking another step forward after the state issued dispensary licenses, positioning Cullman County as a potential location for one of the sites. The move signals progress after years of legal and administrative delays. While patients still cannot purchase medical cannabis yet, state officials say the program is nearing its final implementation phase. Alabama’s system will remain tightly regulated, allowing only non-smokable medical cannabis products once sales begin.
Florida: A Florida appeals court ruled that state election officials can reject roughly 70,000 petition signatures tied to a proposed 2026 adult-use cannabis ballot initiative. The decision upholds the state’s authority to disqualify signatures from inactive voters and certain petition circulators. The ruling creates a significant hurdle for legalization supporters as the signature deadline approaches, forcing the campaign to submit additional valid signatures to qualify for the 2026 ballot.
Hawaii: Hawaii lawmakers are pushing legislation to place adult-use cannabis legalization directly on the 2026 ballot, giving voters the final say after years of stalled efforts at the Capitol. If approved, the measure would require the legislature to establish a regulated and taxed cannabis market.
New Hampshire: New Hampshire senators recently held a hearing on a bill to legalize adult-use marijuana, with testimony heard but no vote taken yet. The bill’s sponsor told the Senate Judiciary Committee that federal cannabis rescheduling efforts under President Trump are a reason for the state to act, arguing that New Hampshire is now the only New England state without a regulated recreational market. If enacted, the measure would allow adults 21 and over to possess and regulate cannabis, set up a licensing structure under the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Commission, and levy a tax on sales to support state programs.
South Dakota: A South Dakota Senate committee advanced bills to ban hemp-derived THC products and kratom without recommending for or against passage, highlighting deep divisions among lawmakers. The measures now move forward with an uncertain outlook as opposition from retailers and some senators continues.
Source: https://mitchellnow.com/news/236632-south-dakota-senate-committee-advances-hemp-derived-thc-kratom-ban-bills-without-recommendation/
Recreational
Massachusetts: Massachusetts officials rejected a challenge seeking to block a ballot initiative that would roll back the state’s adult-use cannabis market, allowing the proposal to move forward despite claims of deceptive petition tactics. The measure now heads to the legislature, which can choose to act on it or send it to voters in 2026.
Virginia: Existing medical cannabis operators in Virginia would have to pay a $10 million fee to convert to adult-use sales. Virginia adult-use cannabis sales would begin as soon as November under a bill in the state House of Delegates, with a bill in the state Senate not launching the first adult-use cannabis market in the South until January 2027, as the Cardinal News reported.
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