Filed Under: Weekly Burn
The week rolled out confusion wrapped in reform. Ohio rewrote its own legalization law before it took effect. Wisconsin pretended that prohibition was compassion. Massachusetts still can’t regulate itself. The feds teased clarity on CBD while Europe doubled down on fear. Let’s grade the wreckage.
STATEHOUSE HEADLINER
Ohio rewrites legalization before it begins
The Ohio House passed a bill that folds cannabis, hemp, and intoxicating cannabinoids under one legal banner, calling it a “comprehensive fix.” Retailers call it a nightmare. The law would restrict Delta-8, tighten taxes, and hand power to a new regulatory commission that does not yet exist. Reform without a map.
Grade: D
GOVERNMENT CLOWN CAR AWARD
Wisconsin dangles medical cannabis to kill reform
Republican lawmakers unveiled a limited “medical” bill that would only allow non-smokable products for a narrow list of illnesses. It reads like a stall tactic designed to quiet pressure from voters who overwhelmingly support full legalization. Wisconsin wants credit for a conversation it refuses to finish.
Grade: F
REGULATOR ROULETTE
Massachusetts commission under fire again
After a wave of internal disputes, the Cannabis Control Commission now faces renewed calls for leadership reform and outside oversight. Auditors cited inconsistent testing standards and opaque decision-making. The agency keeps talking about modernization while operating like a rotary phone.
Grade: C-
FEDERAL STALL JOB
FDA moves on CBD, but just barely
The Food and Drug Administration announced plans to collect new data on adverse event reports tied to hemp-derived cannabinoids. That’s not reform, that’s record-keeping. It’s progress only if you count paperwork as policy.
Grade: D+
INTERNATIONAL HEAT CHECK
European Union pushes tighter import rules on cannabis products
The European Commission introduced new safety rules requiring ingredient disclosures, purity testing, and standardized THC labeling for imported cannabis goods. On paper, it sounds reasonable. In practice, it’s another wall around the market.
Grade: C
FINAL GRADE: D+
Ohio rewrote a law it hasn’t implemented. Wisconsin pulled the same old bait and switch. Massachusetts stayed messy. The FDA hid behind clipboards. Europe polished its bureaucracy. The movement keeps moving, but not forward.
©2025 Pot Culture Magazine. All rights reserved. This content is the exclusive property of Pot Culture Magazine and may not be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the publisher, except for brief quotations in critical reviews.
F O R T H E C U L T U R E B Y T H E C U L T U R E
Reefer Report Card Vol. 28: The Rescheduling That Wasn’t
This week’s Reefer Report Card cuts through the hype around cannabis “rescheduling,” exposing how a label change left federal prohibition fully intact. Arrest authority, workplace punishment, and immigration penalties remain untouched. Headlines claimed progress. Reality delivered none. A week defined by performance over policy, and reform that never arrived.
THE SCHEDULE III SCAM
Federal officials claim cannabis is moving forward, but Schedule III changes nothing that matters. This investigation breaks down what rescheduling actually does, what it deliberately avoids, and why prohibition logic remains intact. Arrests continue. Markets remain conflicted. Reform language replaces reform action. The system shifts labels while preserving control.
LEGAL WEED, OLD RULES
Legalization promised freedom but preserved prohibition logic. This investigation examines how cannabis reform left arrests, racial disparities, job punishment, medical blame, and equity barriers intact. By tracing enforcement, employment law, healthcare practice, and licensing rules, it shows how legalization changed the label without dismantling the system.
Discover more from POT CULTURE MAGAZINE
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Leave a comment