As Congress considers the future of the American hemp industry in debates over the next Farm Bill, I’m reminded of these wise words that apply to almost any circumstance where you find yourself vulnerable and similarly situated to a similarly vulnerable person: “You don’t have to run faster than the bear to get away. You
There’s a scene just before the final firefight in Platoon, Oliver Stone’s unflinching view into the experiences of a group of young Americans fighting in Vietnam, that reminds me of the state of the potential rescheduling of marijuana by the federal government. In the scene, as Sgt. “Red” O’Neill (played with the typical
A congressional committee has approved a spending bill that contains provisions to block the Justice Department from rescheduling marijuana. The legislation would also maintain a separate long-standing rider protecting state medical cannabis programs from federal interference — though with new language
![North Carolina Governor Forms a [High] Council on Cannabis](https://www.buddingtrendsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2025/07/North-Carolina-Sign-GettyImages-1417021384.jpg)
On June 4, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein issued an executive order creating the North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis. Stein elaborated on this decision in a recent interview with WRAL News.
The High Council (yes, that’s what we’re calling it now) is made up of 24 bipartisan members drawn from various governmental agencies, the
During the course of the most recent session when the Alabama Legislature gutted Alabama’s consumable hemp program, I had the opportunity to hear from certain individuals with thoughtful, nuanced views on the pros and cons of the availability of consumable hemp in Alabama. I think there are reasonable positions on both sides of the issue
Hemp advocates are surely still nursing sore throats (and the effects of whatever else they used to celebrate) after singing “God Blessed Texas” this past weekend. Moments before a bill that would essentially ban all consumable THC products in Texas was due to become law, Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed the would-be law. He proposed instead
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it
All participants of Mississippi’s cannabis industry should take notice of an opinion the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office published on June 11, 2025. The opinion answered three questions Mississippi Rep. Lee Yancey presented: (1) Is the sale of non-FDA approved hemp-derived products designed for human ingestion and/or consumption prohibited in Mississippi; (2) is the possession of
With the passing of Brian Wilson, it seems like an appropriate time to debut The Beach Boys to Budding Trends, and the governor of California’s proposed ban of hemp products reminds me of one of Brian’s great lyrics:
If you should ever leave me
Though life would still go on believe me
The
One of my favorite quotes from Justice Potter Stewart (naturally, a Supreme Court justice writing about watching pornography is my favorite) is “[f]airness is what justice really is.” The Alabama attorney general has an opportunity to demonstrate fairness and put wisdom before power. Will he?
We’ve written extensively about Alabama’s new law substantially curbing the