Archive

Urgent! Federal Hemp Policy Briefing | Critical Insights on the New Hemp Definition, THC Limits, and 2026 Market Impacts

Nov 14, 2025

On November 19, 2025, Vicente LLP will deliver a rapid-fire update on the sweeping federal changes redefining “hemp” and their impact on products, businesses, and state regulatory frameworks. We’ll break down the new Total THC limits, synthetic cannabinoid prohibitions, and one-year compliance timeline, as well as how these developments intersect with state “trigger” laws and potential cannabis rescheduling. Register now!

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2025 Federal Hemp Reclassification: Congress Moves to Redefine “Hemp” and Ban Most Hemp-Derived THC Products

By Cassia Furman, Shawn Hauser, Juliana Todeschi, Bridgette Nikisher
Nov 13, 2025

A new federal law has been signed, effectively banning most commercially available hemp products. Language included in the FY2026 Agricultural Appropriations Bill resets the threshold for federally legal hemp at 0.3% Total THC, as opposed to delta-9 THC, caps Total THC content for finished products at 0.4 mg per container, and prohibits synthetic or converted cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC. In this blog, we break down the key aspects of the legislation, including how it changes the definition of hemp, the timelines businesses should prepare for, and what this means for hemp operators, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers nationwide.

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Rescheduling Marijuana: What It Means (and Doesn’t) for Criminal Justice Reform

By Angela George, Shawn Hauser
Nov 3, 2025

The DEA’s proposal to move marijuana to Schedule III would change its federal classification by acknowledging its medical use and relative safety, but marijuana would remain a controlled substance with most criminal penalties and collateral consequences unchanged. Federal illegality would persist until FDA approval, and prior convictions would remain unaffected. Read on for how the proposed rescheduling could affect criminal justice for marijuana convictions.

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Cannabis Rescheduling Hearings Postponed: How Did We Get Here and What Happens Next?

By Shawn Hauser, Andrew Livingston
Jan 31, 2025

The much-anticipated hearings on the proposed rulemaking to reschedule cannabis, which were scheduled to begin on January 21, have been postponed for at least three months as a result of an appeal granted by DEA Administrative Law Judge John Mulrooney. In this article, we examine a timeline of progress on rescheduling so far and discuss what may happen next and how the new administration may affect the process.

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