Federal Cannabis Contradictions Exposed: USDA Says "Medicinal" While DEA Keeps Schedule 1

Built by a former cannabis regulator, Policy, Decoded is your high-signal daily briefing for operators, investors, and policymakers navigating the collision of law, regulation, and business.

The USDA's official plant database now describes cannabis as "medicinal" while the DEA keeps it in Schedule 1, exposing the federal government's institutional breakdown over prohibition. Illinois lawmakers failed for the third consecutive year to regulate intoxicating hemp products, leaving delta-8 THC completely unregulated while licensed cannabis operators face extensive oversight. Meanwhile, Missouri cleared over 150,000 marijuana cases but hundreds of thousands more await expungement, proving that criminal justice reform moves faster in press releases than courthouses. The contradictions are multiplying faster than the solutions, and those who understand the patterns are positioning for what comes next.

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