A lot has changed over the last several years in the world of cannabis. What hasn't changed? Government's inability to acknowledge the medical benefits of the plant.

Ohio—and many other states—have legalized cannabis for medicinal and adult use. Some states are medical-only, while others remain stuck in the "Reefer Madness" stone age. Strangely, since legalization in Ohio, not much seems to have changed.

Was Reefer Madness and the trillion-dollar War on Drugs damaging to our country? Unfortunately, federal legislation remains untouched. It's a puzzling dynamic. On one hand, people are still locked up for cannabis-related offenses. On the other, companies are making millions in cannabis sales—and paying insane taxes (see: Section 280E). Many Tier 2 companies are now facing bankruptcy or shutting down altogether.

Ohio generated roughly $90 million in cannabis revenue in its first two months alone. And to be clear: this is regulated, tested, protected cannabis. Every dollar spent on legal, regulated cannabis is one less dollar funding the illicit market, drug cartels, fentanyl-laced products, gas station unregulated hemp, and so on.

Watch interviews with podcasters roaming Capitol Hill and talking to senators and representatives—you’ll quickly realize most of them don’t understand cannabis or its medical potential. They simply oppose it.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Farm Bill doesn’t even include an age restriction—a startling oversight.

Unless, of course, you’re cozy with the hemp industry, which managed to sneak into that bill and make certain levels of intoxicating hemp legal. According to Gemini AI:

• Delta-9 THC: Must be 0.3% or less on a dry weight basis.
• Total THC (THC + THCA): Many states now require that the combined percentage of Delta-9 THC and Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) does not exceed 0.3% to account for conversion when heated.

The Key Differences

• Psychoactivity: THCA does not cause a "high" because its molecular shape prevents it from binding effectively to CB1 receptors in your brain. Delta-9 THC fits these receptors perfectly, creating psychoactive effects [4, 6].
• Chemical Structure: THCA contains an extra carboxyl group (an acidic chain). This is why it is often called "THC-acid."
• Activation (Decarboxylation): To turn THCA into Delta-9, you have to apply heat—a process called decarboxylation. This happens instantly when you smoke, vape, or bake cannabis.
• Stability: THCA is unstable and will naturally convert to Delta-9 over time if exposed to light or room temperature.

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Currently, the market feels like the Wild West. Lawmakers seem fine legalizing THCA flower (which turns into THC when combusted) and other unregulated flower, vape products, and concentrates—sold openly in gas stations. Is it so the negative effects of unregulated products can be lumped together with tested, legal ones—to try to prove they’re all harmful?

If you're a fan of—or even just indifferent to—federal legalization, here are three things to keep an eye on:

1. Rescheduling
The Biden administration ran on it in 2020 and didn’t get it done in four years. Eventually, they got the ball rolling with a study recommending cannabis be moved from Schedule I (heroin, cocaine, etc.) to Schedule III. But their poorly timed push to reschedule right before the election backfired, handing the issue to Republicans on a silver, diamond-encrusted platter. They underestimated how the DEA would drag its feet—or maybe they didn’t.

Fun fact: Fentanyl is a Schedule II drug. So, apparently, it's considered less dangerous than the edible you took to sleep better.

It’s hard to believe that in 2025, cannabis remains federally illegal—despite being legal in half the states and recommended by doctors for a range of conditions. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a 252-page study showing its medical benefits, which is a total paradox, considering Schedule I drugs are legally defined as having no accepted medical use. Clearly, something doesn’t add up.

Bottom line: every dollar not spent on legal, regulated cannabis is a dollar spent fueling the illicit market. People are going to use cannabis. Let’s at least protect them when they do. Studies show regulated markets reduce teen use. Why? Try buying cannabis at a dispensary without ID. Good luck.

2. SAFER Banking Act
The SAFER Banking Act would allow state-legal cannabis businesses access to traditional banking services. It would reduce risk for financial institutions, lenders, and insurers serving the industry despite federal restrictions.

Here’s another fun fact: over 500,000 Americans can’t get a mortgage because they work in the cannabis industry—even though they pay taxes. They’re not even included in the official jobs numbers. So yes, technically, President Trump could add half a million jobs to his record just by rescheduling cannabis.

3. Florida (Amendment 3 didn't pass)
Supported by both Trump and Harris, this amendment would have created the largest legal cannabis market in the U.S. If Ohio did $90 million in two months, imagine what Florida—a major tourist destination—could generate. Estimates suggest $4–6 billion per year.

Trulieve, the state’s biggest cannabis player with 150+ stores, invested heavily in getting the amendment passed. But it faced opposition from Governor DeSantis, who reportedly spent millions in taxpayer money—possibly earmarked for opioid enforcement—to defeat it. The same DeSantis who supports Florida’s booming, unregulated hemp market. Conflicts abound.

We know people who could benefit from this one plant—cannabis, with just under 500 compounds, like THC, CBD, etc. that could help mankind. We've lost friends who might’ve been helped. We've seen elderly patients struggling to sleep, eat, or recover from cancer, who—according to the HHS study—would benefit from access to cannabis. We’re heading in the right direction, but facing headwinds from out-of-touch, often corrupt, mostly older politicians. I hope they sleep well at night. And if not, Might I suggest a gummy or two. But only tested and regulated product.

An update to this article: A December 2025 Executive Order by President Trump has instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to fast-track the move to Schedule III. Once finalized and implemented, this would finally decouple state-legal cannabis businesses from the 280E tax penalty, though the timeline for the DOJ’s final action remains unclear as of March 2026.

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