The Biggest Cannabis News Stories of 2025

2025 marked one of the most consequential years in modern cannabis history.

Federal policy is about to shift, state markets expanded, a federal ban on hemp-dercied THC was approved by Congress, and more. With that in mind, below are the 20 most important and closely followed cannabis news stories of the year.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Justice Department to quickly finalize the process of moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. Once finished, the change represents the first change to marijuana’s federal classification since the Controlled Substances Act was enacted in 1970. Although the move doesn’t legalize cannabis, it has wide-reaching implications, including allowing FDA-approved cannabis medicines to be prescribed nationwide and bringing forth a bevy of regulatory and legal protections for cannabis businesses and medical cannabis patients.

Delaware officially launched adult-use marijuana sales in 2025, turning a law passed in 2023 into a functioning retail market for the first time. With dispensaries finally opening their doors, Delaware joined the rest of the Northeast corridor in offering legal, regulated marijuana to adults, closing a long-standing gap between legalization and access.

Minnesota followed a similar path, opening adult-use marijuana sales in the second half of 2025 after a prolonged implementation process that focused heavily on rulemaking, licensing and equity provisions, bringing the total number of states with operational recreational cannabis markets to 23.

At the federal level, lawmakers moved to close the “hemp loophole” outright, passing legislation that bans intoxicating hemp-derived THC products nationwide. The measure addressed years of concern that the 2018 Farm Bill unintentionally allowed psychoactive THC products to be sold outside of marijuana regulatory systems.

While the ban marked a decisive shift in federal policy, it will not take effect until late 2026, leaving states to manage enforcement in the meantime. That delay created a regulatory gray zone throughout 2025, prompting many states to act preemptively rather than wait for federal implementation.

States across the country moved aggressively in 2025 to restrict or eliminate intoxicating hemp-derived THC products, including delta-8, delta-9 and synthetic cannabinoids commonly sold in beverages, gummies and vapes. Legislatures and regulators cited concerns over youth access, inconsistent testing standards and the rapid growth of largely unregulated products competing with licensed marijuana markets.

In many states, the response came through emergency rules or targeted legislation that imposed potency caps, banned certain cannabinoid conversions, or reclassified hemp-derived THC as marijuana under state law. The actions upended large segments of the hemp industry, leading to product recalls, store closures and legal challenges from businesses that had operated openly under federal hemp law. By the end of the year, the once-booming hemp-derived THC market had become fragmented, with dramatically different rules depending on state lines.

After years of gridlock, Virginia moved closer in 2025 to launching regulated adult-use marijuana sales following a pivotal shift in state politics. The change came after voters elected a governor who campaigned in favor of establishing a retail marijuana market, reversing the opposition that had repeatedly blocked legislative efforts since legalization first passed.

With the governor’s office no longer standing in the way, lawmakers reopened negotiations over how Virginia’s commercial market would be structured, including licensing limits, regulatory oversight, and tax distribution. Proposals that had previously stalled began advancing again, signaling a renewed willingness to move beyond possession-only legalization.

Although retail sales are still prohibited, the election result fundamentally altered the trajectory of marijuana policy in Virginia. For the first time since legalization, state officials were aligned on turning the law into a functioning marketplace, setting the stage for licensed sales to finally move forward after years of delays.

Ohio lawmakers enacted sweeping revisions to the state’s voter-approved adult-use marijuana system, altering key elements of the law just months after legalization took effect. The changes included adjustments to tax distribution, restrictions on public consumption and shifts in regulatory authority, reshaping how the market would function compared to what voters approved at the ballot box.

The move sparked sharp backlash from legalization advocates, who accused lawmakers of undermining the will of voters. Supporters of the revisions argued the changes were necessary to bring the system in line with existing state policy and public safety concerns. The dispute highlighted ongoing tensions between voter-driven legalization efforts and legislative control.

Florida’s push to legalize adult-use marijuana regained major momentum in 2025, with organizers announcing in November that they had collected more than one million valid signatures in support of a new ballot initiative. The milestone came after the campaign narrowly fell short of passage in 2024 and reset its strategy with an eye toward returning to voters in 2026. The updated effort focused on tightening ballot language, expanding grassroots outreach and addressing concerns raised during the previous election cycle.

Campaign leaders said the signature total far exceeds what is required to qualify for the ballot, even after accounting for signatures that were invalidated during the verification process. The early success underscored both voter enthusiasm and a more disciplined organizational approach, positioning the initiative well ahead of schedule. While legal and administrative hurdles remain, including judicial review of ballot language, the campaign’s progress immediately placed Florida back at the center of the national legalization conversation.

2025 marked a century since international cannabis prohibition took root, prompting reflection from advocates, historians and policymakers. The anniversary highlighted how dramatically public attitudes and laws have shifted over the past decade. At the same time, the milestone underscored unresolved issues, including federal prohibition in the U.S. and international treaty constraints.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined in 2025 to hear Canna Provisions v. Bondi, dealing a significant blow to hopes that federal marijuana prohibition could be overturned through the courts in the near future. The rejection made clear that, absent an unexpected or dramatically different case, the cannabis community is unlikely to see meaningful change come from the Supreme Court anytime soon.

The petition had argued that continued federal prohibition conflicts with modern scientific evidence, state-level legalization and evolving constitutional standards. By declining review, the Court signaled that it is not prepared to intervene in marijuana policy, leaving reform squarely in the hands of Congress and the executive branch. For advocates, the decision reinforced a growing consensus in 2025: while litigation can raise important questions, the path to federal change is far more likely to come through legislation or administrative action than through the nation’s highest court, at least for the foreseeable future.

In 2025, the entire U.S. Congress overwhelmingly approved legislation that included provisions designed to expand access to medical marijuana for veterans, marking one of the strongest bipartisan endorsements of cannabis reform in years. The measure would have allowed Department of Veterans Affairs doctors to discuss and recommend medical marijuana to their patients in states where it is legal, addressing a long-standing barrier that has prevented many veterans from receiving guidance through the VA system.

Despite the broad support in both chambers, the marijuana provisions were ultimately removed from the final version of the bill by congressional leadership before it was sent for enactment. The last-minute decision drew frustration from veteran advocates and reform supporters, who noted that the policy had consistently passed Congress when given an up-or-down vote. The episode underscored the disconnect between rank-and-file lawmakers and leadership on marijuana policy, while reinforcing that veterans’ access to medical marijuana remains unresolved at the federal level despite repeated, bipartisan approval.

Marijuana reform advocates in Idaho launched a statewide initiative campaign in 2025 aimed at placing a legalization measure before voters in 2026, led by the Natural Medicine Alliance. The group began organizing signature gathering, volunteer recruitment and public outreach in what is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious cannabis reform efforts Idaho has seen to date.

The Natural Medicine Alliance framed the initiative as a response to shifting public opinion and Idaho’s growing isolation as surrounding states move forward with marijuana reform. Organizers acknowledged the steep political and logistical challenges ahead, including strict signature requirements and a conservative electorate, but said early momentum showed growing appetite for change. The launch positioned Idaho as a key battleground heading into the 2026 election cycle, particularly as national marijuana policy continues to evolve.

California moved forward in 2025 with the implementation of rules allowing broader on-site marijuana consumption, including lounges, cafes and hospitality-style venues connected to licensed dispensaries. While the legal authority for these spaces was established earlier, 2025 marked the point at which the changes began taking effect in practice, as regulators finalized guidance and local governments started approving new consumption models.

Supporters said the expansion was long overdue in a state that legalized adult-use marijuana years ago but left consumers with few legal places to consume outside their homes. The shift was viewed as a potential lifeline for struggling operators, offering new revenue streams and tourism opportunities. Critics raised concerns about local control and public health, but state officials framed the move as a natural next step in the evolution of California’s mature marijuana market.