Featured Analysis
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Nebraska Voters Approved Medical Cannabis. Now Protect the Doctors Who Make It Possible
Nebraska Voters Approved Medical Cannabis. Now Protect the Doctors Who Make It Possible Nebraska voters spoke when they approved medical cannabis. But a medical program cannot exist without doctors willing to recommend it. Right now, Nebraska law does not provide basic protections for physicians who choose to recommend cannabis to their patients. That means doctors…
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No. 13 — Criminal Prosecution After Federal Medical Recognition: Motions Practice, Rational Basis, and Schedule I Litigation Exposure
No. 13 — Criminal Prosecution After Federal Medical Recognition: Motions Practice, Rational Basis, and Schedule I Litigation Exposure By Jason Karimi | WeedPress Policy Series No. 13 | March 10, 2026 ⸻ Abstract Federal rescheduling of cannabis based on a determination of “currently accepted medical use” alters not only regulatory classifications but also the litigation…
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Why Formal Process Matters in Cannabis Reform: My South Dakota DOH Petition
Why Formal Process Matters in Cannabis Reform: My South Dakota DOH Petition By Jason Karimi | WeedPress March 8, 2026 When I filed my petition with the South Dakota Department of Health, I already knew some people would hate it. Not because it was sloppy. Not because it was unserious. Not because it lacked legal…
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Kill the MMOC: South Dakota Should Stop Protecting a Failed Anti-Patient Committee
HB 1160 Should Pass: The MMOC Lost Any Claim to Speak for Patients By Jason Karimi | WeedPress March 7, 2026 South Dakota’s Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee should be repealed, and the Senate should stop dragging out the inevitable. HB 1160—the bill to repeal the MMOC—was smoked out of committee and forced back onto the…
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South Dakota Senate Uses “Smoke-Out” Procedure to Revive MMOC Repeal Bill
South Dakota Senate Uses “Smoke-Out” Procedure to Revive MMOC Repeal Bill By Jason Karimi | WeedPress March 6, 2026 In a procedural move that underscores how legislative strategy can override committee decisions, the South Dakota Senate has revived HB 1160, the bill that would eliminate the state’s Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee (MMOC). Just one day…
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Iowa Moves to Give Medical Cannabis Operators State Tax Relief Under HSB 687
Iowa Moves to Give Medical Cannabis Operators State Tax Relief Under HSB 687 By Jason Karimi | WeedPress March 6, 2026 Iowa lawmakers have introduced House Study Bill 687, a tax measure that would let licensed medical cannabis manufacturers and dispensaries deduct ordinary business expenses on their Iowa tax returns even though those same deductions…
Policy
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Government Witness Tells DEA Five Factor Test Would Never Reschedule Marijuana – New Test Fixes That Problem
The new two part test the government created to declare marijuana is medicine was a big deal. Now, government witnesses tell the public the old five part test was never going to let marijuana be recognized as medicine. Prohibitionist group SAM shares the details: More details here at The Dales Report:
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Seventeen Years of Federal Exemption Architecture: From 2011 Arizona Preemption Fights to Schedule III in 2026
For more than seventeen years, the central argument advanced on WeedPress has been straightforward: medical cannabis cannot achieve real legitimacy or stability while operating in a permanent state of federal prohibition. State programs alone, no matter how well-intentioned, were always structurally limited by the Controlled Substances Act’s Schedule I classification and the absence of workable…
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The Watchman’s Hour: 1 AM Reflections on Seventeen Years of Federal Exemption Vigilance
https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/06/04/nursing-home-takes-regulators-to-court-over-residents-eviction/ Lately I wake up almost every night around 1 AM and stay awake for hours. Not from anxiety or restlessness in the ordinary sense, but with a clear, alert presence. The house is quiet. The world outside is sleeping. And my mind turns, as it has for years, to the intricate architecture of federal…
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South Dakota Cannabis Banking: The Persistent Cash Problem Behind the Claims
“If you’re gonna take the risk, you gotta do the frisk.” – ZipTrader Charlie South Dakota’s medical cannabis program has always operated under a difficult reality: while the state legalized medical access, the federal government still treats cannabis as a Schedule I substance (with only partial movement to Schedule III for state-regulated products in 2026).…
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Indigenous Women’s Medicine Wheel Ride – August 9 Sturgis (Sign Up Here)
I’ll be on this ride at Sturgis this year on the marijuana Harley ultra glide. Go to the guy with the reggae blasting to link. Prayer at 8:30. Bring your safety gear as well. $60 registration. Follow Doodle On A Motorcycle on YouTube for updates. Ride starts at Outlaw Square. Register here: https://www.medicinewheelride.org/ Who We…
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The Beautiful Game as Peacemaker: How the World Cup Is Revealing America’s Greatness to the World
In 2014, I was in Indiana at a national recruiting tournament for U.S. Soccer. I spent the week meeting MLS coaches and refereeing some of the best young players in the country. Between games I sat in a giant, air-conditioned referee tent with catered organic food and a massive screen tuned to the World Cup.…
Law
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Summer Business Applications For Nebraska’s Cannabis Program Now Open
Nebraskans don’t deserve good marijuana. Smugglers, dump your garbage weed in Nebraska. Summer 2026 Cannabis Licensing Opportunities: Nebraska and Missouri As this summer heats up, so are new cannabis licensing opportunities. Licenses for both Nebraska’s medical program and Missouri’s hybrid adult-use/medical program will be available this summer, with licenses slated to be awarded in the…
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Iowa Injunction Petition 2025-2026 (Ongoing Updates Here)
Iowa District Court, Polk County Carl Olsen, Petitioner Case No. 05771 CVCV068508 File DateDocumentFiled By06/20/2026Motion for Judicial Notice Carl Olsen06/17/2026Motion for Judicial Notice Carl Olsen06/11/2026Motion for Judicial Notice Carl Olsen06/10/2026Motion for Judicial Notice Carl Olsen06/09/2026Motion for Judicial Notice Carl Olsen06/03/2026Court Reporter CertificateCourt Reporter06/01/2026Order Regarding TranscriptsDistrict Court05/29/2026Motion for April 24, 2026, Hearing TranscriptCarl Olsen05/28/2026Order Denying Motion for Summary JudgmentDistrict Court05/18/2026Motion for Judicial Notice – Transportation…
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Watch DEA Rescheduling Hearing Updates Here All Week
The Dales Report is covering the daily play by plays for the DEA hearings on cannabis as a valid medicine: Get the patients off the battlefield, especially those in South Dakota nursing homes being discriminated against, or those in Iowa nursing homes in court this month fighting eviction over medical cannabis use, and THEN cry…
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Government Witness Tells DEA Five Factor Test Would Never Reschedule Marijuana – New Test Fixes That Problem
The new two part test the government created to declare marijuana is medicine was a big deal. Now, government witnesses tell the public the old five part test was never going to let marijuana be recognized as medicine. Prohibitionist group SAM shares the details: More details here at The Dales Report:
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Seventeen Years of Federal Exemption Architecture: From 2011 Arizona Preemption Fights to Schedule III in 2026
For more than seventeen years, the central argument advanced on WeedPress has been straightforward: medical cannabis cannot achieve real legitimacy or stability while operating in a permanent state of federal prohibition. State programs alone, no matter how well-intentioned, were always structurally limited by the Controlled Substances Act’s Schedule I classification and the absence of workable…
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New Iowa Medical Cannabis Law Changes Explained
HF990 Implementation – What it Means On June 2, 2026, Governor Reynolds signed HF990 into law. This legislation impacts the issuance of medical cannabidiol registration cards by Iowa HHS, including removal of the Iowa residency requirement to become a patient. This FAQ is provided to help stakeholders understand these changes that will be in effect on July 1, 2026, and…
Science
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Join The Team: Help WeedPress Cover Iowa’s Cannabis Stories And Opinions
Any blogger or aspiring blogger who wants to write about Iowa cannabis related current events / Iowa cannabis news, and has some background in or ability to learn WordPress blogging, feel free to message WeedPress on Facebook. You’ll be your own author, under your own name, be enabled to publish, edit, and promote what you want, with…
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Full Video From Latest Iowa Medical Cannabis Board Meeting — Increase In Dispensaries, Concerns About Telemedicine, More
For more information on Iowa’s medical cannabis program and how to get yourself a patient registration card, visit the link at https://www.idph.iowa.gov/omc/Medical-Cannabidiol-Board and click the links to the left hand side of the page. Also, here’s a copy of the Board’s slideshow presentation, which has data on patient registration numbers and sales. Below is information…
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The “New Meth:” The Atlantic
If you’re working on drug policy, do not miss this article from the Atlantic on how a new form of meth is a likely factor contributing to violence, mental illness, and riots nationwide. Here’s an excerpt: “Once your eyes are open to the scale and human consequences of the P2P-meth epidemic, it’s hard to miss its…
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NBA Suspending Marijuana Testing for 2021/2022 Season (by NORML)
One of my main motivations for founding and creating WeedPress — help yourself and follow WeedPress on Facebook — as an alternative news resource was that I was an Iowa soccer referee. I was told that I was a candidate for the top ten slots in the state in fall 2013, and put on a…
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Today: 1 PM Central Minnesota House Committee Debating Ending Police Qualified Immunity, Rec Cannabis Legalization
https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/live/4 Watch at the above link, or at YouTube below. A respected colleague writes, (Representative) “Erik Mortenson is debating in committee today to end qualified immunity and legalize recreational marijuana in Minnesota. Live at the links at 1 pm central.” Follow WeedPress on Facebook
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The short-term impact of 3 smoked cannabis preparations versus placebo on PTSD symptoms: A randomized cross-over clinical trial
WeedPress note: This PTSD study was done with the Mississippi federal farm pot, which Dr. Sisley says is inadequate. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0246990 The short-term impact of 3 smoked cannabis preparations versus placebo on PTSD symptoms: A randomized cross-over clinical trial Marcel O. Bonn-Miller,Sue Sisley,Paula Riggs,Berra Yazar-Klosinski,Julie B. Wang,Mallory J. E. Loflin ,Benjamin Shechet,Colin Hennigan,Rebecca Matthews,Amy Emerson,Rick Doblin…
Current Events
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The Beautiful Game as Peacemaker: How the World Cup Is Revealing America’s Greatness to the World
In 2014, I was in Indiana at a national recruiting tournament for U.S. Soccer. I spent the week meeting MLS coaches and refereeing some of the best young players in the country. Between games I sat in a giant, air-conditioned referee tent with catered organic food and a massive screen tuned to the World Cup.…
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South Dakota Small Cannabis Operators Face a Compliance Cliff: Federal Rescheduling Likely to Drive More Closures and Force Consolidation
The collapse of recreational legalization efforts in South Dakota already triggered a wave of dispensary closures. At least eight licensed medical cannabis businesses shuttered in late 2024 and early 2025 amid falling cardholder numbers, intense price competition, and regulatory pressures.¹ “Then it was a race to the bottom on pricing,” one industry participant observed as…
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SD: Brandon City Council Considers Sharp Reduction in Medical Cannabis Renewal Fees at June 1 Meeting
On June 1, 2026, the Brandon City Council took up a proposal to significantly lower annual renewal fees for medical cannabis businesses operating inside city limits.¹ The measure, requested by local cultivator Cannanaut, would reduce the renewal application fee from $5,000 to $500.² While the council discussed the change and appeared supportive of advancing it,…
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The June 27 DEA Registration Deadline Is Coming Fast: South Dakota Operators Face a Compliance Cliff as the Safe Harbor Window Closes
With the June 27 DEA registration deadline approaching, the following analysis examines the practical timeline and compliance pressures facing South Dakota operators. South Dakota’s licensed medical cannabis operators now have roughly 29 days to secure critical federal protections before the expedited DEA registration window closes. On April 28, 2026, the Department of Justice and Drug…
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Nebraska RFRA Religious Liberty Case Advances: Supplemental Authority Filed Citing Federal Schedule III Rescheduling
Defendant Jason Karimi has filed a Notice of Supplemental Authority in Nebraska District Court while his motion to modify probation conditions under the Nebraska First Freedom Act remains under advisement. The filing notifies the Court of the recent federal Schedule III rescheduling action and Defendant’s participation in the ongoing DEA administrative proceeding (Docket No. DEA-1362)…
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I Spent 17 Years Arguing for Federal Cannabis Legitimacy. Now Small Operators Are About to Learn What That Means.
I have spent most of my adult life arguing that state medical cannabis programs could not survive forever as legally tolerated gray markets.¹ They needed federal recognition. They needed treaty analysis. They needed administrative pathways. They needed constitutional pressure. They needed people willing to say the uncomfortable thing before the institutions were ready to admit…
Legislation
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The Patients Left Behind: How South Dakota’s Medical Cannabis Law Still Punishes the Sickest Among Us
In Iowa recently, a 91-year-old woman was told she had to leave the nursing home she called home because she used medical cannabis to manage her pain and symptoms. The facility gave her an ultimatum: stop using the medicine her doctor supported, or move out. She refused. The case went to court. What should have…
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Patient Legal Risks Solved: A User-Level Exemption Model for Schedule III
The April 28, 2026 federal partial rescheduling order left a significant gap: personal home cultivation was not included in the narrow categories moved to Schedule III. Colorado attorneys Brian Vicente and Rachel Gillette have been direct about the practical consequences. Vicente noted that home grows do not qualify for the new federal registration pathway because…
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Travis Ismay Responds to My Congratulatory Email: A Small Step Toward Civil Discourse in South Dakota Politics
Yesterday, Rep. Travis Ismay (R-House District 28B) replied to the congratulatory email I sent him shortly after his decisive Republican primary victory on June 2.¹ For context, here is the full exchange: My email (June 2, 2026): For context, here is the full exchange: It’s a brief, gracious response — and one I appreciate. Background…
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The Rural Access Question South Dakota’s New Pharmacy Rules Raise for Medical Cannabis
As regulators embrace telepharmacy and remote prescription pickup, policymakers may eventually face similar questions about medical cannabis access in rural communities. South Dakota’s Board of Pharmacy is advancing updated rules under Article 20:51 of the Administrative Rules of South Dakota (ARSD) that formalize the use of remote drop sites for prescription medications and introduce a…
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I Spent 17 Years Arguing for Federal Cannabis Legitimacy. Now Small Operators Are About to Learn What That Means.
I have spent most of my adult life arguing that state medical cannabis programs could not survive forever as legally tolerated gray markets.¹ They needed federal recognition. They needed treaty analysis. They needed administrative pathways. They needed constitutional pressure. They needed people willing to say the uncomfortable thing before the institutions were ready to admit…
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Stork Just Sent a Researcher to WeedPress: What Academic Tools Mean for Cannabis Policy Analysis
Independent statutory deep-dives are showing up alongside peer-reviewed literature in researchers’ workflows. It’s not every day your analytics dashboard lights up with a referrer you’ve never seen before. Today, May 5, 2026, WeedPress received a visit from paper-box.co — the domain tied to Stork (storkapp.me), a specialized publication-tracking and research intelligence platform used by academics,…
RFRA Updates
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Iowa Injunction Petition 2025-2026 (Ongoing Updates Here)
Iowa District Court, Polk County Carl Olsen, Petitioner Case No. 05771 CVCV068508 File DateDocumentFiled By06/20/2026Motion for Judicial Notice Carl Olsen06/17/2026Motion for Judicial Notice Carl Olsen06/11/2026Motion for Judicial Notice Carl Olsen06/10/2026Motion for Judicial Notice Carl Olsen06/09/2026Motion for Judicial Notice Carl Olsen06/03/2026Court Reporter CertificateCourt Reporter06/01/2026Order Regarding TranscriptsDistrict Court05/29/2026Motion for April 24, 2026, Hearing TranscriptCarl Olsen05/28/2026Order Denying Motion for Summary JudgmentDistrict Court05/18/2026Motion for Judicial Notice – Transportation…
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The Watchman’s Hour: 1 AM Reflections on Seventeen Years of Federal Exemption Vigilance
https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/06/04/nursing-home-takes-regulators-to-court-over-residents-eviction/ Lately I wake up almost every night around 1 AM and stay awake for hours. Not from anxiety or restlessness in the ordinary sense, but with a clear, alert presence. The house is quiet. The world outside is sleeping. And my mind turns, as it has for years, to the intricate architecture of federal…
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Letter To Court June 25, 2026
Jason Karimi June 25, 2026 Honorable [Judge’s Full Name] District Court Judge Thurston County District Court Pender, NE 68047 Re: State v. Jason Karimi Case No. CR23-13 Status Inquiry – Motion for Religious Accommodation Dear Judge, I am writing regarding the above-referenced matter. An evidentiary hearing on my Motion for Religious Accommodation under the Nebraska…
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DEA ALJ Preliminary Order Confirms Medical Cannabis Rescheduling Is Already Done: June 29 Hearing Limited to the “Remainder” of Marijuana
On June 18, 2026, Chief Administrative Law Judge Derek C. Julius of the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a Preliminary Order that sharply narrows the scope of the upcoming expedited administrative hearing on marijuana rescheduling. The order makes clear that the rescheduling of FDA-approved marijuana products and state-regulated medical marijuana products has already occurred and will…
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Nebraska RFRA Religious Liberty Case Advances: Supplemental Authority Filed Citing Federal Schedule III Rescheduling
Defendant Jason Karimi has filed a Notice of Supplemental Authority in Nebraska District Court while his motion to modify probation conditions under the Nebraska First Freedom Act remains under advisement. The filing notifies the Court of the recent federal Schedule III rescheduling action and Defendant’s participation in the ongoing DEA administrative proceeding (Docket No. DEA-1362)…
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I Have Filed Notice to Participate in the DEA’s June 29 Rescheduling Hearing
Today I formally submitted my Notice of Intention to Participate in the DEA administrative hearing on the proposed rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III (Docket No. DEA-1362), scheduled to begin June 29, 2026. This filing continues my 17-year record of cannabis policy advocacy and public commentary. It focuses on the interaction between…
Upcoming Events
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Indigenous Women’s Medicine Wheel Ride – August 9 Sturgis (Sign Up Here)
I’ll be on this ride at Sturgis this year on the marijuana Harley ultra glide. Go to the guy with the reggae blasting to link. Prayer at 8:30. Bring your safety gear as well. $60 registration. Follow Doodle On A Motorcycle on YouTube for updates. Ride starts at Outlaw Square. Register here: https://www.medicinewheelride.org/ Who We…
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The June 27 DEA Registration Deadline Is Coming Fast: South Dakota Operators Face a Compliance Cliff as the Safe Harbor Window Closes
With the June 27 DEA registration deadline approaching, the following analysis examines the practical timeline and compliance pressures facing South Dakota operators. South Dakota’s licensed medical cannabis operators now have roughly 29 days to secure critical federal protections before the expedited DEA registration window closes. On April 28, 2026, the Department of Justice and Drug…
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Advance Notice to South Dakota Department of Health: Petition for Scheduling Review Will Follow Federal Rescheduling Hearings
South Dakota’s medical cannabis program stands at a critical juncture following the federal partial rescheduling of certain marijuana products to Schedule III.¹ After the DEA’s June 29, 2026 rescheduling hearing concludes, the undersigned will formally petition the South Dakota Department of Health (DOH) to review and align the state’s Schedule I classification of marijuana with…
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I Have Filed Notice to Participate in the DEA’s June 29 Rescheduling Hearing
Today I formally submitted my Notice of Intention to Participate in the DEA administrative hearing on the proposed rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III (Docket No. DEA-1362), scheduled to begin June 29, 2026. This filing continues my 17-year record of cannabis policy advocacy and public commentary. It focuses on the interaction between…
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I Spent 17 Years Arguing for Federal Cannabis Legitimacy. Now Small Operators Are About to Learn What That Means.
I have spent most of my adult life arguing that state medical cannabis programs could not survive forever as legally tolerated gray markets.¹ They needed federal recognition. They needed treaty analysis. They needed administrative pathways. They needed constitutional pressure. They needed people willing to say the uncomfortable thing before the institutions were ready to admit…
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Why South Dakota’s Own Statutes Now Make Schedule I Marijuana Unlawful to Maintain
“Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is placing both FDA-approved drug products containing marijuana, and medicinal marijuana products subject to a qualifying state-issued license in Schedule III under his authority to reschedule drugs to carry out the United States’ obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.”¹ South Dakota, however, is not automatically bound by that…
For The Record (2026), By Jason Karimi
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The Watchman’s Hour: 1 AM Reflections on Seventeen Years of Federal Exemption Vigilance
https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/06/04/nursing-home-takes-regulators-to-court-over-residents-eviction/ Lately I wake up almost every night around 1 AM and stay awake for hours. Not from anxiety or restlessness in the ordinary sense, but with a clear, alert presence. The house is quiet. The world outside is sleeping. And my mind turns, as it has for years, to the intricate architecture of federal…
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Reflections on a Bruised Nail: What My Left Middle Finger Injury Taught Me About Inner Worth and Boundaries
Two months ago, I slammed my left middle finger, resulting in a subungual hematoma—the dark pool of blood trapped beneath the nail that turned my fingertip into a visual reminder of sudden impact.¹ No longer painful, the nail still carries a mottled shadow of black and white as new growth slowly pushes the old damage…
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I Have Filed Notice to Participate in the DEA’s June 29 Rescheduling Hearing
Today I formally submitted my Notice of Intention to Participate in the DEA administrative hearing on the proposed rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III (Docket No. DEA-1362), scheduled to begin June 29, 2026. This filing continues my 17-year record of cannabis policy advocacy and public commentary. It focuses on the interaction between…
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DARE Poster Kid to Marijuana Regulation Advocate: My Unchanging Fight to Protect Kids
When I was in elementary school, the DARE program left a lasting impression. Officers visited regularly, warning us about the dangers of drugs and pushing the “just say no” message. I took it seriously. So when the school announced an anti-drug poster contest open to elementary students, I threw myself into creating something impactful. My…
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Chapter 9: The Record vs. the Narrative
Table of Contents Preface Chapter 1 — The First ArrestEarly rupture, authority, and the beginning of resistance Chapter 2 — Before the File Was Opened Gifted education, faith, discipline, and early legitimacy Chapter 3 — Becoming a ProblemWork, exhaustion, collapse, and the cost of visibility Chapter 4 — Learning the Language of PowerCourts, probation, jail, campaigns, and proximity to decision-makers…
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Chapter 10: What Remains
Table of Contents Preface Chapter 1 — The First ArrestEarly rupture, authority, and the beginning of resistance Chapter 2 — Before the File Was Opened Gifted education, faith, discipline, and early legitimacy Chapter 3 — Becoming a ProblemWork, exhaustion, collapse, and the cost of visibility Chapter 4 — Learning the Language of PowerCourts, probation, jail, campaigns, and proximity to decision-makers…
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Chapter 8: What the Media Gets Wrong
Table of Contents Preface Chapter 1 — The First ArrestEarly rupture, authority, and the beginning of resistance Chapter 2 — Before the File Was Opened Gifted education, faith, discipline, and early legitimacy Chapter 3 — Becoming a ProblemWork, exhaustion, collapse, and the cost of visibility Chapter 4 — Learning the Language of PowerCourts, probation, jail, campaigns, and proximity to decision-makers…
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Chapter 7: Why I Never Left
Table of Contents Preface Chapter 1 — The First ArrestEarly rupture, authority, and the beginning of resistance Chapter 2 — Before the File Was Opened Gifted education, faith, discipline, and early legitimacy Chapter 3 — Becoming a ProblemWork, exhaustion, collapse, and the cost of visibility Chapter 4 — Learning the Language of PowerCourts, probation, jail, campaigns, and proximity to decision-makers…
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Chapter 6: Staying Power
Table of Contents Preface Chapter 1 — The First ArrestEarly rupture, authority, and the beginning of resistance Chapter 2 — Before the File Was Opened Gifted education, faith, discipline, and early legitimacy Chapter 3 — Becoming a ProblemWork, exhaustion, collapse, and the cost of visibility Chapter 4 — Learning the Language of PowerCourts, probation, jail, campaigns, and proximity to decision-makers…
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Chapter 5: The Apprenticeship
Table of Contents Preface Chapter 1 — The First ArrestEarly rupture, authority, and the beginning of resistance Chapter 2 — Before the File Was Opened Gifted education, faith, discipline, and early legitimacy Chapter 3 — Becoming a ProblemWork, exhaustion, collapse, and the cost of visibility Chapter 4 — Learning the Language of PowerCourts, probation, jail, campaigns, and proximity to decision-makers…
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Chapter 4: Learning the Language of Power
Table of Contents Preface Chapter 1 — The First ArrestEarly rupture, authority, and the beginning of resistance Chapter 2 — Before the File Was Opened Gifted education, faith, discipline, and early legitimacy Chapter 3 — Becoming a ProblemWork, exhaustion, collapse, and the cost of visibility Chapter 4 — Learning the Language of PowerCourts, probation, jail, campaigns, and proximity to decision-makers…
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Chapter 3: Becoming a Problem
Table of Contents Preface Chapter 1 — The First ArrestEarly rupture, authority, and the beginning of resistance Chapter 2 — Before the File Was Opened Gifted education, faith, discipline, and early legitimacy Chapter 3 — Becoming a ProblemWork, exhaustion, collapse, and the cost of visibility Chapter 4 — Learning the Language of PowerCourts, probation, jail, campaigns, and proximity to decision-makers…
Commentary
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Why I No Longer Testify at Most Hearings
Why I No Longer Testify at Most Hearings Seventeen Years, Four Bills Passed, and Managing Campaigns and Staff Have Taught Me Institutional Architecture Is Not a Two-Minute Topic By Jason Karimi | WeedPress | February 12, 2026 This week’s attempt to repeal South Dakota’s medical cannabis laws leaned on ignorance of the federal architecture and…
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Call for Prosecutions Raises Concerns About Politicization
Call for Prosecutions Raises Concerns About Politicization When criminal law becomes a first-resort response to disagreement, institutional trust is at risk By Jason Karimi | WeedPress | January 17, 2026. In recent weeks, prominent progressive commentators have openly discussed the need for criminal accountability for political opponents. On a podcast appearance with CNN’s Jim Acosta,…
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Why So Much Cannabis Activism Burns People Out — and Why Mine Doesn’t
Why So Much Cannabis Activism Burns People Out — and Why Mine Doesn’t By Jason Karimi | WeedPress | February 4, 2026 If this work can be energizing, why do so many advocates flame out, disappear, or turn bitter? The answer isn’t workload.It’s structure. Burnout Is a Design Failure Most activist burnout isn’t personal weakness…
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Why WeedPress Exists the Way It Does: How I Learned to Navigate Hostile Systems — and Still Publish Solutions
WeedPress focuses on documented facts, public records, and procedural analysis, not personal vendettas or speculation. Why WeedPress Exists the Way It Does: How I Learned to Navigate Hostile Systems — and Still Publish Solutions By Jason Karimi | WeedPress | January 29, 2026 WeedPress wasn’t built by someone who grew up with a safety net.…
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Updates From Visiting South Dakota Capitol So Far Today
From recent official remarks and events: The Supreme Court is hosting treatment court sessions at the Capitol Drug court policy and funding is a major legislative talking point Drug Court Advisory Council met Jan 27 (yesterday) This ties directly into: – Cannabis vs. criminal justice – How the state frames “treatment” vs. legalization – Budget…
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On Independence, Accountability, and Why I Don’t Build My Work Around Approval
On Independence, Accountability, and Why I Don’t Build My Work Around Approval By Jason Karimi At 19, I ended up in a homeless shelter. Not because I committed a crime.Not because I was addicted.Not because I couldn’t work. I was there because I stood up in court for religious cannabis rights, made the front page…
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Why WeedPress Chooses to Be a High-Heat, Contrarian Watchdog
Why WeedPress Chooses to Be a High-Heat, Contrarian Watchdog By Jason Karimi | WeedPressJanuary 24, 2026 WeedPress was not created to be polite. It was not created to echo press releases, recycle activist talking points, or play nice with institutions that have repeatedly failed cannabis patients, small operators, and civil liberties. WeedPress exists to document,…
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Who Actually Holds Power?
Who Actually Holds Power? Another hit master piece by Jason Karimi, WeedPress News Scroll social media for five minutes and you’ll see the same illusion repeated in different forms: whoever controls the narrative controls the system. Influencers, viral posts, cultural momentum — these are presented as the new centers of power. The message is simple:…
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Give Them What They Want: How to Truly Connect With Your Audience
Most people think influence is about being louder, sharper, or more controversial. Chapter 7 of The 50th Law quietly destroys that myth. Its central message is simple but ruthless: Power grows when your value grows to others. That single idea changes how we understand influence, loyalty, reputation, and even conflict. If people don’t need what…
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Truth Telling = Treason ? Thought on Fixing Propagandized Divisive Narrative Spreading
The real problem in the world today and as always is not “bad people.” It’s broken information systems. And the most effective, non-destructive way to fight that is not rage, humiliation, or ideological warfare — it’s: • calm clarity • good-faith reasoning • source literacy • pattern awareness • explaining how manipulation works • slowing…
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How Paul Hijacked Jesus’s Message And Built Christianity
My Rasta buddy in Minneapolis used to say Paul was a test and not to fall for it…good talk from the best professor in the world.
Patient Perspectives
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Watch DEA Rescheduling Hearing Updates Here All Week
The Dales Report is covering the daily play by plays for the DEA hearings on cannabis as a valid medicine: Get the patients off the battlefield, especially those in South Dakota nursing homes being discriminated against, or those in Iowa nursing homes in court this month fighting eviction over medical cannabis use, and THEN cry…
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Seventeen Years of Federal Exemption Architecture: From 2011 Arizona Preemption Fights to Schedule III in 2026
For more than seventeen years, the central argument advanced on WeedPress has been straightforward: medical cannabis cannot achieve real legitimacy or stability while operating in a permanent state of federal prohibition. State programs alone, no matter how well-intentioned, were always structurally limited by the Controlled Substances Act’s Schedule I classification and the absence of workable…
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New Iowa Medical Cannabis Law Changes Explained
HF990 Implementation – What it Means On June 2, 2026, Governor Reynolds signed HF990 into law. This legislation impacts the issuance of medical cannabidiol registration cards by Iowa HHS, including removal of the Iowa residency requirement to become a patient. This FAQ is provided to help stakeholders understand these changes that will be in effect on July 1, 2026, and…
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The Watchman’s Hour: 1 AM Reflections on Seventeen Years of Federal Exemption Vigilance
https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/06/04/nursing-home-takes-regulators-to-court-over-residents-eviction/ Lately I wake up almost every night around 1 AM and stay awake for hours. Not from anxiety or restlessness in the ordinary sense, but with a clear, alert presence. The house is quiet. The world outside is sleeping. And my mind turns, as it has for years, to the intricate architecture of federal…
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The Patients Left Behind: How South Dakota’s Medical Cannabis Law Still Punishes the Sickest Among Us
In Iowa recently, a 91-year-old woman was told she had to leave the nursing home she called home because she used medical cannabis to manage her pain and symptoms. The facility gave her an ultimatum: stop using the medicine her doctor supported, or move out. She refused. The case went to court. What should have…
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Charlie Kirk: Outsider Threats Don’t Hurt, Betrayal By Allies Does
Watched this clip, and had some thoughts: One month before the political assassination of a man to stop him from sharing ideas peacefully, I posted on Facebook that Kirk was an idiot for being so uninformed about cannabis policy failures. Since he’s been murdered, I’ve watched him a lot. Everyone should before forming an opinion…
WeedPress: The Paper Trail 