Top 16 Cannabis Stories of 2024: Science, Policy, and Milestones
2024 was a transformative year for cannabis, marked by groundbreaking research, pivotal policy shifts, and cultural milestones. From medical advancements to regulatory changes, these 16 stories capture the key moments that defined the year and shaped the future of cannabis.
Cannabis Schedule Change Process to Begin
Following a recommendation from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Biden administration initiated the regulatory process to reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. The DEA hearings will begin on January 21, 2025, though the full process is expected to take years. Moving cannabis to Schedule III would change it from federally illegal to federally regulated. The impacts on state programs are yet to be determined, but there would likely be an easing of banking and credit restrictions along with criminal and civil penalties. One of the greatest immediate benefits would be the unshackling of full cannabis medical research in US institutions.
Farm Bill Controversies and its Implications
US House member Mary Miller of Illinois introduced an amendment to the farm bill which would initiate enormous changes in the Hemp industry if passed in the final version. Her amendment excludes from the definition of hemp any products with synthetic cannabinoids, quantifiable amounts of THC, or seeds from plants with over 0.3% THC. Since nearly all hemp seed comes from plants with over 0.3% THC in the mature flower, this could outlaw hemp seed. It could also ban full spectrum hemp products, which have been consistently shown to be most effective in treating many serious health conditions.
Logo for the OLCC (Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Comm
3. Oregon’s Regulatory Crackdown on Lab Results
The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) sent notices to seven of Oregon’s eleven licensed testing laboratories over inflated THC results. The notices threaten license cancellation for three of the labs and fines and suspension for the other four. Consumers often pay a premium for products with higher listed THC quantities, resulting in financial motivation to provide higher test results. This has been a widespread and well-known issue since the industry's inception. There are ongoing discussions of possible solutions, including removing THC percentages from flower marketing.
4. How the Executive Branch Can Affect Cannabis
You probably missed it, but there was a presidential election. If you’re wondering about the powers of the president in cannabis reform, Steph Sherer of Americans for Safe Access breaks it down in an opinion piece published in The Hill: “The executive branch’s influence is more limited than many realize. There are a few things a president can do to alleviate some of the challenges medical cannabis patients face, like directing HUD to stop evicting medical cannabis users in federal housing. The president could also direct the VA to allow its doctors to recommend cannabis to veterans or end drug testing for federal employees. But these are temporary fixes — band-aids on a much larger problem. The most significant progress in protecting medical cannabis patients has come from Congress. The Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment halted federal raids on medical cannabis providers, even when President Obama couldn’t.” Read the rest here.
5. Insight into the Wealth of Cannabis Research
We now know more about cannabis than possibly any other plant. The official US government website pubmed.gov cites nearly 50,000 scientific papers on cannabis, with over 35,000 of those published in the last 11 years. In the words of NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano, “Despite the perception that marijuana has yet to be subject to adequate scientific scrutiny, scientists’ interest in studying cannabis has increased exponentially in the past decade, as has our understanding of the plant, its active constituents, their mechanisms of action, and their effects on both the user and upon society. It is time for politicians and others to stop assessing cannabis through the lens of ‘what we don’t know’ and instead start engaging in evidence-based discussions about marijuana and marijuana reform policies that are indicative of all that we do know.” Read more here.
6. Cannabis Cognitive Impact Studies – Age-related Male Cognition
A 2024 study found that men who used cannabis experienced less age-related cognitive decline than those who did not. 5162 men were studied for an average of 24 years, and neither frequency of use nor age of initiation were significantly associated with a greater decline. This echoes previous longitudinal studies which not only fail to indicate cannabis-related cognitive decline, but actually show potential neuro-protective activity. More study is needed to fully unlock the medicinal potential of cannabis, and the repeal of federal prohibition would allow this research to occur in the United States. Read the full publication.
7. Cannabis Cognitive Impact Studies – Long Term Daily Use
An exciting new study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on long-term cannabis use and the brain. Adults using cannabis for anxiety, depression, pain, or insomnia were studied before and after one year of daily cannabis use. No significant association was found between cannabis use and working memory, cognitive and inhibitory control, and reward processing. This contradicts previous studies, which focused primarily on brain differences between those who use cannabis and those who do not, rather than changes in individuals before and after initiating cannabis use. These results suggest there may be pre-existing differences in the brain between those who choose cannabis and those who do not. Further study is warranted, and we urge US lawmakers to remove restrictions on cannabis research. Read the full publication.
8. Cannabis Cognitive Impact Studies – Effect on Suicidal Ideation
A 2024 study of 777 individuals using cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) concluded that, “Treatment with CBMPs reduced the prevalence and intensity of suicidal ideation.” The authors also concluded, “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first observational study of CBMPs to report on rates of suicidal ideation. …while also suggesting that the presence of suicidal ideation should not be used as a reason to exclude an individual from CBMPs treatment.” We look forward to more research on the medical aspects of cannabis. As long as cannabis remains federally prohibited, much of this research will be difficult or impossible to perform in the United States, compromising public health and education. Read the full publication.
9. FDA-approved Trials for PTSD treatment
In a historic decision in November, the FDA approved a clinical trial to study the efficacy of using cannabis to treat military veterans with PTSD. A spokeswoman for the FDA said the agency “recognizes that there is a great need for additional treatment options for mental health conditions such as PTSD.” As recently as 2021, the FDA rejected a similar clinical trial on the basis that allowing patients to smoke high-potency cannabis was an unjustifiable risk to their health. While the vast majority of federal studies have focused on the dangers of cannabis use, thousands of studies and millions of anecdotal experiences have demonstrated medical benefits. We applaud the FDA for (finally) recognizing the need to learn about the medical potential of cannabis, and for standing up for veterans who are suffering. Without federal prohibition we would already have well-researched and effective cannabis-based medications.
10. Teen Cannabis Use is Near an All-Time Low
New data from a survey funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that teen cannabis use is at a 30-year low and very close to the lowest levels reported in 50 years. With the majority of the US population living in states with legal cannabis use, this data suggests that regulated use and education protect our youth more effectively than prohibition. “This trend in the reduction of substance use among teenagers is unprecedented,” said Nora D. Volkow, M.D., director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). “We must continue to investigate factors that have contributed to this lowered risk of substance use to tailor interventions to support the continuation of this trend.” “Kids who were in eighth grade at the start of the pandemic will be graduating from high school this year, and this unique cohort has ushered in the lowest rates of substance use we’ve seen in decades,” said Richard A. Miech, Ph.D., team lead of the Monitoring the Future survey at the University of Michigan. Find out more here.
Logo for the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)
11. NCAA's Decision to Remove Cannabis Bans
Joining the MLB, NBA, and NHL, the NCAA removed cannabis from its list of banned substances for Division I athletes. Divisions II and III are currently finalizing the new policy. The NFL no longer tests for cannabis in the off-season, but does test in-season. The new policy applies retroactively, discontinuing all current penalties for past cannabis violations. The NCAA is responding to overwhelming evidence supporting the medicinal benefits of cannabis, including stress reduction, anti-inflammatory action, and pain relief.
12. Arrests and Racial Disparities in Enforcement Continue
According to FBI data released in 2024, US law enforcement made over 182,000 arrests in 2023 for marijuana possession. This comes at a time when 88% of the US population believes cannabis should be legal for medical or recreational use. Countless organizations support access to cannabis, including the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Nurses Association. Highlighting the racial disparity in cannabis enforcement, Black Americans accounted for 29% of the arrests, even though they make up less than 14% of the US population and use cannabis at the same rate as White Americans.
California makes controversial decision to ban Full Spectrum CBD Products.
13. Full-spectrum CBD Bans and Challenges
California issued emergency regulations banning all intoxicating cannabinoids from hemp products sold in the state. These rules include THC and synthetic cannabinoids like D8. The intent is to limit minors’ exposure to untested and unregulated intoxicating products, which were being sold in gas stations and convenience stores. Synthetic cannabinoids are generally untested and contaminated with multiple laboratory byproducts. Unfortunately, the rules also eliminate full spectrum hemp products which contain a trace of THC. Many patients require full spectrum hemp products for their health and well-being. Products made with CBD isolate are less effective and do not provide relief for many severe conditions. We hope that the state of California will recognize that it is possible to protect our youth while providing for the medical needs of patients with non-intoxicating products like 20:1 CBD to THC ratio hemp tincture.
14. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome Awareness
There was growing awareness of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) in 2024. CHS is a condition characterized by nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain linked with frequent use of THC-rich products. Unknown to medical science until this century, this previously rare condition is becoming more common, and may affect millions of Americans. Most people diagnosed with CHS ingest large quantities of THC or synthetic cannabinoids daily, and the only known cure is cessation of use. A characteristic behavior of people with CHS is finding relief through frequent hot showers or baths, though this is also associated with other conditions. CHS can be confused with cyclic vomiting syndrome (CHS), which is not linked with cannabis use. Social stigma and prohibition make diagnosis, research, and treatment challenging. The mechanism behind this condition is mysterious, particularly because of the well-known anti-emetic properties of cannabis. If you experience CHS, please talk with people you trust — the more we share real information with each other, the better off we all are.
15. Maternal Cannabis Use Findings
Two new peer-reviewed studies published in The Journal of the American Medical Association conclude that, “…maternal cannabis use was not associated with an increased risk of child early developmental delays,” or “…with child ASD.” (autism spectrum disorder) Both of these studies involved over 119,000 mothers, making them two of the largest maternal cannabis studies ever performed. More studies are warranted. Unfortunately, federal prohibition prohibits the most effective research, slowing scientific progress and placing the US at a competitive disadvantage in health and wellness fields. Read more: Journal 1, Jornal 2.
Report shows that alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer, after tobacco and obesity.
16. Warning labels for alcohol vs. cannabis
At the beginning of 2025, US attorney general Dr. Vivek Murphy called for cancer warning labels on alcohol products. He reports that alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer, after tobacco and obesity. Studies link alcohol with cancers of the mouth, throat, breast, liver, and colon. Two drinks a day increases risk of mouth cancer by 97% and breast cancer by 32%. Alcohol directly contributes to 100k cancer cases and 20k related deaths yearly. There are safer ways to relax, socialize, celebrate, and work with difficult feelings, which are the primary reasons that people use alcohol. You can read the report here.