Just a week after the measure from Rep. Grayson Lookner (D) advanced through both chambers of the legislature for initial approval, the House ultimately decided against enacting the proposal by a vote of 72-74 on Monday and the Senate concurred with a tied 16-16 vote on Tuesday.
The bill, LD 1034, would not have authorized or regulated production, distribution or commercial sales of the psychedelic substance.
Earlier this session, a committee had moved to significantly amend the proposal to instead simply require the creation of a “Commission to Study Pathways for Creating a Psilocybin Services Program,” but the legislation was first approved by both chambers in its initial, as-introduced form before the enactment votes.
Ahead of last week’s House vote, Lookner called the bill “a matter of compassion, common sense and justice.”
“We have before us an opportunity to alleviate profound suffering, particularly among our veterans who have borne the invisible wounds of war, while correcting an unjust and irrational law that persists only because of outdated stigma,” he said.
“This bill would simply decriminalize possession of psilocybin for adults 21 years of age and older. It does not legalize sales. It does not create recreational markets,” the sponsor added. “It simply says that if an adult chooses to possess this substance for personal use, they should not face arrest, jail time nor criminal record.”
On Tuesday, Sen. Scott Cyrway (R) said on the Senate floor that “as a career law enforcement officer, I know the dangers associated with these drugs.”
“I shudder to think of what will happen if we pass this bill, which decriminalizes drugs without a well-thought-out public safety policy,” he said. “Despite the title claiming to legalize a therapeutic amount, the bill is not about medicinal drug use.”
“Why would we want anyone, regardless of where they are, to acquire a substance that can blur the lines between the real and fake and alter one’s brain?” the senator asked.
There was no discussion on the House floor when that body rejected the measure a day earlier.
The proposal as originally filed had support from advocacy groups such as ACLU of Maine and the Reason Foundation, which both submitted testimony in favor of LD 1034 at an initial hearing.
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Adult-use cannabis sales in Washington state have been falling for five years, according to Department of Revenue data reported by KHQ.
First-quarter sales in 2025 reached $277 million, which is nearly $100 million less than the market’s peak during the pandemic in 2021. Based on current trends, annual cannabis sales this year could be the state’s lowest since 2019 after five straight years of declining sales in Washington.
Regulators attribute the decline to oversupply issues, which drive prices down and make it more difficult for licensees to turn a profit.
Officials with the state Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) recently announced the largest expansion of cannabis dispensaries since the market’s launch over a decade ago, offering up to 52 new retail social equity licenses.
Meanwhile, a report from the state’s legislative auditor found that “Washington businesses produced two to three times more cannabis than retailers sold in 2023,” and that “inaccurate and incomplete data” had hampered regulators’ capacity for “data-driven regulation.”
The auditcalls on the LCB to submit a plan to lawmakers by December 31, 2025, containing strategies to improve data accuracy.
Based in Portland, Oregon, Graham is Ganjapreneur’s Chief Editor. He has been writing about the legalization landscape since 2012 and has been contributing to Ganjapreneur since our official launch in…
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During an interview with Delaware Public Media, Gov. Matt Meyer (D) also discussed a conversation he had with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) about regulating the marijuana industry, drawing a contrast between their respective responsibilities given the fact that Colorado is much larger with more local jurisdictions to interact with compared to Delaware, which has just three counties.
Delaware’s adult-use cannabis market launched at the beginning of this month, but legislation awaiting Meyer’s action would make a key change related to local control of where marijuana businesses could operate. And the governor has indicated he’s still wavering on the proposal.
Asked about the fate of the bill from Sen. Trey Paradee (D), who also championed the state’s legalization legislation, Meyer said: “Stay tuned. You’ll hear soon. We will be taking action very shortly.”
“Listen, I have local government background. I don’t think it’s appropriate that, when state government likes local government regulation, they say, ‘Yeah, we support it,’” the governor said. “And when they don’t like local government regulation, they overrule it.”
“At the same time, it’s important for communities that this moves forward,” he said, referring to the implementation of the adult-use cannabis market.
The response didn’t clearly indicate where Meyer currently stands on the proposal, but he also said it’s “always on the table” that he could allow the bill to take effect without his signature.
“I was talking to Governor Polis of Colorado about marijuana regulation just the other day and he’s just like, ‘Just let the counties do it.’ He has too many counties to know,” Meyer said. “I was asking, ‘What’s the regulation of counties?’ He’s like, ‘I have no idea.’ He’s like, ‘Some do it, some don’t. I don’t really know.’”
The Delaware Public Media host said: “But he’s not going to run into the problem, though, where if there’s enough zoning laws, there’s literally no place to put the facilities. That’s probably not a problem for him.”
The governor agreed, saying “Colorado is much larger” with a “three-mile [zoning] limitation from schools,” which would be less feasible in the smaller state of Delaware. “We’re going to see what we can do,” he said.
On the topic of broader regulatory responsibilities, Meyer said the state is “very lucky” that the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OCM) is headed up by someone who comes from outside of Delaware who is “one of the leading thinkers on this issue.”
“He looks at it from a business and community aspect, whereas traditionally Delaware has looked at it as a public safety issue,” the governor said. For his part, Meyer said revenue generated from cannabis taxes is “clearly third” on his list of reasons to support legalization.
The first priority, he said, is ensuring that “communities are sustainable and they’re safe and they’re protected.”
“I think there’s a lot of concern in communities. I have small children. What are we doing? Do we want this thing all around our kids? I don’t know how many of you have been to New York or San Francisco lately, but you go outside and there’s that stench,” he said. “That’s not Delaware. We’re doing everything to make sure that we continue to retain the same communities we have.”
“We also have a historic obligation. Marijuana and marijuana enforcement in this state has not been equitable. There are people in our communities today, almost all Black and brown people, who have been imprisoned for years and years for using and selling marijuana, where people of different colors of skin have not had that same experience. We need to make sure we use whatever revenue we have to address that historic wrong going forward.”
“We’re continuing to watch and monitor to make sure communities are being protected as this economic opportunity grows and make sure people are safe,” Meyer said.
While marijuana revenue might be “third” on his list, the governor recently touted the state’s first “successful” weekend of adult-use cannabis sales, with total purchases for medical and recreational marijuana totaling nearly $1 million—and compliance checks demonstrating that the regulated market is operating as intended under the law.
Delaware’s first adult-use marijuana shops officially opened for business on August 1, with a handful of existing medical cannabis operators able to service consumers 21 and older.
Ahead of the sales roll-out, the governor last month toured one of the state’s cannabis cultivation facilities, praising the quality of marijuana that’s being produced, which he said will be the “French wine of weed.”
Dozens of other would-be retailers that have either already received licenses or are still awaiting issuance will need to wait for further regulatory approvals until they can open their doors—a situation that’s frustrated some advocates.
The idea is to identify any hiccups that lawmakers might need to address when they return for next year’s legislative session.
OCM initially projected that recreational sales would start by March, but complications related to securing an FBI fingerprint background check service code delayed the implementation. Lawmakers passed a bill in April to resolve the issue, and the FBI subsequently issued the code that the stat’s marijuana law requires.
A total of 125 licenses will ultimately be issued, including 30 retailers, 60 cultivators, 30 manufacturers and five testing labs. Last year, regulators also detailed what portion of each category is reserved for social equity applicants, microbusinesses and general open licenses.
The then-governor last year signed several additional marijuana bills into law, including measures that would allow existing medical cannabis businesses in the state to begin recreational sales on an expedited basis, transfer regulatory authority for the medical program and make technical changes to marijuana statutes.
The dual licensing legislation is meant to allow recreational sales to begin months earlier than planned, though critics say the legislation would give an unfair market advantage to larger, more dominant businesses already operating in multiple states.
The policy change removes limitations for patient eligibility based on a specific set of qualifying health conditions. Instead, doctors will be able to issue cannabis recommendations for any condition they see fit.
The law also allows patients over the age of 65 to self-certify for medical cannabis access without the need for a doctor’s recommendation.
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Senator touts hemp research funding; TX medical marijuana rules unveiled as hemp ban advances again; Study: Cannabis as opioid alternative for pain
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“Opioid consumption decreased significantly after both 6 and 12 months. Physical activity and sleep also improved. These findings indicate that medicinal cannabis can help patients to reduce their opioid consumption and improve their physical activity and sleep.”
Texas crime lab officials told lawmakers considering a ban on hemp products with any amount of THC that they don’t have enough resources to test cannabis as they prioritize processing fentanyl and sexual assault kits. Indian tribes are increasingly seeing opportunity in hemp-derived THC products and the cannabis industry more broadly, even in tribal communities located within states that continue to criminalize marijuana. / FEDERAL Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terrance Cole was named emergency police commissioner for Washington, D.C., though the move was later reversed amid litigation over the issue. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) said that “Mexican cartels are involved in the marijuana farms in Oklahoma and Colorado, and they are smuggling that into states like Kansas, where marijuana is illegal, addicting our youngsters, especially to those types of drugs.” / STATES Florida’s attorney general announced the arrest of a petition gatherer working in support of a proposed marijuana legalization ballot initiative for allegedly submitting a dead woman’s signature. New York regulators are being sued by marijuana businesses over a zoning rule mix-up that threatens to force dozens of dispensaries to move or close. The Massachusetts state auditor published a report criticizing regulators’ oversight of the cannabis industry. Separately, regulators filed proposed rules for marijuana social consumption businesses. California regulators announced a recall of marijuana products due to the use of CBD isolate from an unknown and unidentifiable source. Louisiana regulators are asking a federal judge to pause a lawsuit challenging hemp rules while federal policy on the issue is settled. Maryland regulators published updated guidance on cannabis micro dispensaries. Missouri regulators issued a variance to allow variety packs of certain edible marijuana-infused products. Minnesota’s top marijuana regulator spoke about efforts to license businesses, including microbusinesses. The Utah Medical Cannabis Policy Advisory Board will meet on Tuesday. Michigan regulators will host an event about terpene profiles and best practices for vaporized products on September 11. — Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. —
/ LOCAL New York City’s mayor announced a proposal to allow involuntary commitment of people with substance use disorders. / INTERNATIONAL The Philippine Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms is investigating the alleged use of marijuana in the legislative chamber by a staffer. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A review suggested that “cannabidiol may benefit blood pressure control, specifically with prolonged use in hypertensive patients.” A study found that “hemp seeds represent a sustainable, nutrient-dense food ingredient with momentous potential to support health and diversify agricultural economies.” / BUSINESS Tilray Brands, Inc. submitted an application requesting an extension to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s listing standards regarding price per share. Curalef Inc. employees in Maryland secured class status in a lawsuit accusing the company of stealing tips. Cresco Labs Inc. closed a $325 million senior secured term loan refinancing. Michigan retailers sold $274.7 million worth of legal marijuana products in July. / CULTURE Bill Maher referenced his meeting earlier this year with President Donald Trump in light of the administration’s consideration of marijuana rescheduling, joking, “And they say it wasn’t smart to have dinner with him.”
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