As many US states have moved to legalize marijuana, the federal government has steadfastly refused to play along, with cannabis still outlawed on the national level. But there are New Signs that the wall is beginning to crack.
The Obama administration said in 2016 it would sign up more growers but the Drug Enforcement Administration|(DEA) hasn’t taken action under President Trump until now.
Right now only one facility at the University of Mississippi is licensed.
Researchers have long complained about the poor quality of its product.
They say it limits their ability to learn about the potential benefits of 100 chemical compounds contained in the drug.
The move by the DEA should help but growers remain wary.
Trump’s former attorney general, Jeff Sessions, told prosecutors in 2018 they could go after marijuana users and businesses in states where it’s legal.
The current attorney general, Bill Barr, told Congress in January that he’s not inclined to target marijuana businesses.
Even without the threat of prosecution, marijuana businesses are forced to operate in financial handcuffs, as they’re shut out of the federal banking system.
But the tide is clearly turning. Marijuana is now legal for recreational or medical use in 33 states and the District of Columbia.
According to New Frontier Data, the legal market is expected to reach $12.4 billion in the United States this year and nearly double in size by 2025.
