Featured Analysis
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Four Pot Shops Five Minutes Over the Iowa Line Sell the Flower Iowa Still Won’t License
North Sioux City, South Dakota, is a town of a few thousand people on the Missouri River. Sioux City, Iowa, is across the water. Between them is a five-minute drive and a statutory mismatch Iowa has never closed.¹ South Dakota’s Department of Health currently lists four licensed medical cannabis dispensaries in North Sioux City: Dakota…
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WeedPress Asks South Dakota Health Department to Rule Whether Schedule I Cannabis Still Fits the State’s Own Statute
Update 1: Delivered in person and received and stamped by Department as of 3:33 pm: South Dakota still lists tetrahydrocannabinol in Schedule I. The same Department of Health that runs the medical cannabis program is also charged with applying the Schedule I test in SDCL 34-20B-11. That test requires, among other things, “no accepted medical…
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SD AG WeedPress Questions: October’s MMOC Meeting
South Dakota’s August 17 MMOC meeting confirmed institutional uncertainty that WeedPress policy posts had already identified and documented in statutory detail. Those WeedPress posts do not replace official guidance, but they do supply usable legal architecture, prior administrative filings, and concrete policy questions that the Committee and DOH can employ as they move toward the…
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$150: Paying for the Record in Nebraska’s First Freedom Act Appeal
On Wednesday, August 26, 2026, I mailed a $150 cashier’s check to the Thurston County District Court at P.O. Box 216, Pender, Nebraska 68047. The check covers the estimated cost of the Bill of Exceptions for the April 8, 2026 evidentiary hearing on my request to modify a probation condition under Nebraska’s First Freedom Act.¹…
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DEA Brief To Judge…Use These DEA Quotes For Lawsuits
DEA brief to DEA Judge… Here are strong, usable quotes from the Government’s Post-Hearing Brief (August 17, 2026) in the DEA marijuana rescheduling hearing (DEA Docket No. 1362 / Hearing Docket No. 26-96), with page citations. These are drawn from the official DOJ/DEA brief arguing that marijuana no longer meets the statutory requirements for Schedule…
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New Mexico Draws a Clear Line: Federal Rescheduling Does Not Rewrite State Cannabis Rules
While some states have challenged, delayed, or insulated themselves from the federal marijuana rescheduling order, New Mexico has chosen a different approach. In Industry Bulletin 26-07, issued June 16, 2026, the Cannabis Control Division made clear that the federal Schedule III order does not automatically alter New Mexico’s cannabis laws or the obligations of state…
Policy
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Health Department Tells Lawmakers South Dakota’s $20 Home-Grow Law Is Too Thin to Police — and Tightening It Raises Safety Questions
The Department of Health did not need a ballot fight to put a warning on the medical cannabis statute. It used the August Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee.¹ Program administrator Whitney Brunner told the committee that licensed home cultivators rose from 61 in fiscal year 2022 to 715 in fiscal year 2026 — a 1,072 percent…
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Michigan Promised Further Guidance On Federal Law. Months Later, Where Is It?
When the Department of Justice announced its historic federal medical cannabis rescheduling order on April 23, 2026, state cannabis regulators immediately faced a common challenge: determining how the new federal framework would affect their own licensing systems, regulatory programs, and compliance expectations. Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) responded the same day with a measured and…
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When States Respond Differently to Federal Medical Cannabis Rescheduling: The Growing Legal and Operational Risks Facing Cannabis Licensees
The Department of Justice’s April 2026 final order placing qualifying state-licensed medical cannabis into Schedule III of the federal Controlled Substances Act represented the most significant federal regulatory development affecting state medical cannabis programs since Congress first enacted the Controlled Substances Act in 1970.¹ Although the order did not legalize adult-use marijuana, nor eliminate federal…
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Federal Medical Cannabis Rescheduling Has Produced Four Distinct State Responses—But Most States Still Have Not Chosen One
On April 23, 2026, the United States Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration fundamentally changed federal cannabis policy by issuing a final order placing FDA-approved marijuana products and marijuana distributed pursuant to qualifying state medical marijuana licenses into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act while simultaneously initiating broader administrative proceedings regarding additional…
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South Dakota Reports Fewer Cannabis Businesses—but Not Why Their Licenses Disappeared
Welcome back to WeedPress, South Dakota’s only source for transparency and open public debate. South Dakota’s medical cannabis industry has lost 34 certified establishments since reaching its reported peak in state fiscal year 2023. The Department of Health reported 139 registered establishments in SFY 2023. That total fell to 124 in SFY 2024, 118 in…
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Why South Dakota’s Medical Cannabis Businesses Are Disappearing: The Pressures Behind a 24.5% License Decline
South Dakota’s medical cannabis industry has lost nearly one-quarter of its licensed establishments since reaching its high point three years ago. The state reported 139 certified medical cannabis establishments in state fiscal year 2023, including 79 dispensaries. By July 14, 2026, only 105 establishments remained: 60 dispensaries, 30 cultivation facilities, 14 manufacturing facilities, and one…
Law
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The Private Reckoning: What Two Out-of-State Consultants Most Likely Taught South Dakota Operators Behind Closed Doors
The April 28, 2026 partial Schedule III order (91 Fed. Reg. 22714) did not merely lower marijuana’s scheduling classification.¹ It imposed a new federal compliance regime that effectively ended the low-overhead, cash-only state-only model that defined South Dakota’s medical cannabis program.² Some public voices have offered vague assurances that “we’ll figure it out” for the…
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Federal Changes Do Not Mean South Dakota Will Simply Leave Cannabis Operators Alone
Some in South Dakota’s cannabis space appear to have viewed federal rescheduling primarily as a way to reduce state and local scrutiny while keeping existing arrangements in place. That is not what the April 28, 2026 federal order and the upcoming DEA registration process deliver.¹ Federal legitimacy brings new, federally enforceable compliance layers on top…
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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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Industry Analysts Agree: Interstate Cannabis Markets Are Inevitable
Part 2: Insider Look at State Resistance Strategies — Coming Next Weekend. Six months ago, WeedPress detailed how federal rescheduling of cannabis would interact with the Dormant Commerce Clause (DCC) to challenge state-level barriers to interstate commerce in state-regulated cannabis markets.¹ Now, the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) has reached substantially the same conclusions in its…
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Small Operators’ Last Stand: Actionable Pathways to Survive the Schedule III Compliance Cliff and Capture 280E Relief
The April 28, 2026 partial Schedule III order (91 Fed. Reg. 22714) has created a genuine compliance cliff for legacy small cannabis operators.¹ While the removal of the Internal Revenue Code § 280E deduction prohibition offers substantial after-tax cash-flow relief for qualifying entities, that relief is strictly gated behind expedited DEA registration and full compliance…
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Small South Dakota Cannabis Operators May Never See the 280E Windfall
The April 28, 2026 partial Schedule III order (91 Fed. Reg. 22714) is being sold in some circles as an automatic cash-flow miracle for state-licensed medical cannabis operators. Remove 280E. Unlock billions in after-tax profits. “Figure it out” and keep operating. That narrative is dangerously incomplete. What the industry chatter is quietly admitting — and…
Science
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When Public Advocates Attack Motives Instead of Answering Evidence
Public policy debates should be resolved by evidence, not by assumptions about the motives of the people participating in them. Yet it is common for substantive criticism to be met with claims that the critic is motivated by jealousy, a desire for power, or some other personal grievance rather than by the merits of the…
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Online Workshop – Candidate Vulnerability Assessment
Every candidate enters a race with potential vulnerabilities. These may include previous statements, professional history, financial records, social media activity, personal relationships, policy positions, or inconsistencies in the candidate’s public record. https://leadershipinstitute.org/event/701VL00000xvu8MYAQ Campaigns often devote significant time and resources to researching their opponents while failing to conduct the same level of research on their own…
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Professional Eyes on WeedPress: What an Exiger Referral Means
Analytics occasionally reveal more than pageviews. One recent referral to WeedPress came from insight.exiger.com. That domain belongs to Exiger, a global risk, compliance, and investigative intelligence firm. Their Insight platform is used by corporations, law firms, financial institutions, and investigative teams to conduct due diligence, monitor public information, and assess risk. When traffic arrives from…
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Working in Huron’s Federal Building Today — and a Reminder of What Rounds’ Staff Said Last Summer
I’m in Huron today working at the federal building, troubleshooting and repairing an IT failure for the offices here. While on site, conversations with staff turned to cannabis policy and federal rescheduling. It brought back a discussion I had last summer while installing computers in Senator Mike Rounds’ offices in Pierre. During that work, staff…
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Cannabis Is Being Rebuilt From the Ground Up: Closed Technology Systems and Medical Gaps Force a New Foundation
The cannabis industry is still operating on incomplete infrastructure—both technological and scientific. That was the central message of a recent Trade to Black episode from The Dales Report, featuring Flowhub founder and CEO Kyle Sherman and Dr. Paul Shields.¹ The conversation made clear that many of the systems currently supporting cannabis retail and medical use…
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Iowa Medical Cannabis Board Public Meeting This Friday July 24 (DETAILS) (YOUTUBE)
Update: video is linked below of this meeting: Meeting Information for July 24, 2026 Medical Cannabidiol Board Meeting Beginning at 10:00am on Friday, July 24, the second Medical Cannabidiol Board meeting of 2026 will be held virtually using the information below: * For those who wish to participate in the public comment period virtually, please send an email…
Current Events
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Health Department Tells Lawmakers South Dakota’s $20 Home-Grow Law Is Too Thin to Police — and Tightening It Raises Safety Questions
The Department of Health did not need a ballot fight to put a warning on the medical cannabis statute. It used the August Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee.¹ Program administrator Whitney Brunner told the committee that licensed home cultivators rose from 61 in fiscal year 2022 to 715 in fiscal year 2026 — a 1,072 percent…
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SD AG WeedPress Questions: October’s MMOC Meeting
South Dakota’s August 17 MMOC meeting confirmed institutional uncertainty that WeedPress policy posts had already identified and documented in statutory detail. Those WeedPress posts do not replace official guidance, but they do supply usable legal architecture, prior administrative filings, and concrete policy questions that the Committee and DOH can employ as they move toward the…
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When States Respond Differently to Federal Medical Cannabis Rescheduling: The Growing Legal and Operational Risks Facing Cannabis Licensees
The Department of Justice’s April 2026 final order placing qualifying state-licensed medical cannabis into Schedule III of the federal Controlled Substances Act represented the most significant federal regulatory development affecting state medical cannabis programs since Congress first enacted the Controlled Substances Act in 1970.¹ Although the order did not legalize adult-use marijuana, nor eliminate federal…
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South Dakota Reports Fewer Cannabis Businesses—but Not Why Their Licenses Disappeared
Welcome back to WeedPress, South Dakota’s only source for transparency and open public debate. South Dakota’s medical cannabis industry has lost 34 certified establishments since reaching its reported peak in state fiscal year 2023. The Department of Health reported 139 registered establishments in SFY 2023. That total fell to 124 in SFY 2024, 118 in…
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Online Workshop – Candidate Vulnerability Assessment
Every candidate enters a race with potential vulnerabilities. These may include previous statements, professional history, financial records, social media activity, personal relationships, policy positions, or inconsistencies in the candidate’s public record. https://leadershipinstitute.org/event/701VL00000xvu8MYAQ Campaigns often devote significant time and resources to researching their opponents while failing to conduct the same level of research on their own…
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South Dakota Medical Cannabis Establishments Drop 11% as National License Counts Continue Multi-Year Decline
South Dakota’s medical cannabis industry continues to contract, extending a multi-year decline in licensed establishments. Official Department of Health figures show the total number of certified establishments fell from 118 in FY 2025 to 105 as of the July 14, 2026, public list—a decline of 11.0%, from 118 establishments to 105.¹ Measured from the SFY…
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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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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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,…
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Why Cannabis Operators Can’t Afford to Ignore the Federal Rescheduling Details — And What You Must Do Now
The federal government has split cannabis into two tracks. FDA-approved drug products containing marijuana and marijuana activity tied to a qualifying state-issued medical marijuana license under the new federal framework now occupy a different federal posture, while broader marijuana remains in Schedule I pending further proceedings.¹ That split is real, immediate, and carries tax, compliance,…
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WeedPress Looked Deeper: Congress’ Quiet Move to Block Trump’s Cannabis Rescheduling — and Why It Threatens Operators
The quietest threat to the federal cannabis shift is not coming from DEA’s June hearing. It is coming from the House appropriations process. On May 13, 2026, the full House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to mark up the FY2027 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) bill after the CJS subcommittee approved its version on April 30. Buried…
RFRA Updates
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Nebraska First Freedom Act RFRA Appeal: Notes On General Language In Judicial Opinions
Türkiye Halk Bankası / Illinois v. Lidster: general language in an opinion is about the case then in front of the Court, not every later fact pattern. He is telling you not to treat a sentence from O Centro or a church case as a machine that prints a win for a lone probationer in…
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$150: Paying for the Record in Nebraska’s First Freedom Act Appeal
On Wednesday, August 26, 2026, I mailed a $150 cashier’s check to the Thurston County District Court at P.O. Box 216, Pender, Nebraska 68047. The check covers the estimated cost of the Bill of Exceptions for the April 8, 2026 evidentiary hearing on my request to modify a probation condition under Nebraska’s First Freedom Act.¹…
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Court Said I Didn’t Prove My Religion Because I Didn’t Testify. I’m Appealing Under Nebraska’s Religious “First Freedom Act”
Today I filed a Notice of Appeal in Thurston County District Court challenging the July 1, 2026 Order that denied my motion to modify a probation condition under the Nebraska First Freedom Act. The motion I filed sought a narrowly tailored religious accommodation allowing sacramental cannabis use consistent with my practice of the Rastafari faith.…
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Nebraska RFRA Appeal Argument, July 21, 2026
ARGUMENT I. The District Court Erred by Treating Defendant’s Personal Testimony as Effectively Indispensable to Establishing Sincerity Under the Nebraska First Freedom Act. The district court denied Defendant’s motion on the ground that he failed to establish a “sincerely held religious belief.” The court reasoned as follows: “There was no direct evidence of Defendant’s sincerely…
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Clarifying the Burden of Proof on Religious Sincerity Under RFRA and the Nebraska First Freedom Act
This submission addresses the proper burden of proof regarding religious sincerity under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (“RFRA”), 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb-1, and the Nebraska First Freedom Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 20-1701 et seq., in the context of a probation modification request seeking a religious exemption for the sacramental use of cannabis. Legal Standard:…
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“Exorcism:” Why Spiritually Attuned Paths Reject Fear-Based Rituals of Casting Out
This article examines why exorcism, as commonly understood and practiced across traditions, often represents a spiritually mistaken approach. It externalizes power that belongs to the individual’s divine spark, frequently misattributes psychological or energetic imbalances, and can reinforce fear-based dualism instead of the living reality of “I and I”—the recognition that the Divine dwells within and…
Upcoming Events
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Online Workshop – Candidate Vulnerability Assessment
Every candidate enters a race with potential vulnerabilities. These may include previous statements, professional history, financial records, social media activity, personal relationships, policy positions, or inconsistencies in the candidate’s public record. https://leadershipinstitute.org/event/701VL00000xvu8MYAQ Campaigns often devote significant time and resources to researching their opponents while failing to conduct the same level of research on their own…
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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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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…
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South Dakota’s Schedule I Marijuana Prohibition Heads to Court This Summer: Lawsuit Will Seek Declaration That State Law No Longer Satisfies Its Own Criteria
This summer I intend to file a civil action against the State of South Dakota seeking a judicial declaration that the state’s Schedule I classification of marijuana no longer satisfies the statutory criteria required for Schedule I placement under South Dakota law.¹ The claim is straightforward: once the factual predicate of “no accepted medical use”…
For The Record (2026), By Jason Karimi
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South Dakota Faces Risk of Automatic Rescheduling Under Existing Statutory Language
The recent action by Wyoming’s Attorney General demonstrates that states are increasingly recognizing the legal significance of federal marijuana rescheduling where state statutes incorporate federal scheduling decisions. South Dakota’s existing statutory language raises similar questions that should be addressed before federal reform takes effect. WeedPress has previously warned that South Dakota law contains automatic trigger…
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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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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 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 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 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…
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Chapter 2: Before the File Was Opened
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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“Unlocked Potential: Small Businesses in the Cannabis Industry”
In 2019, senior legal fellow Paul J. Larkin Jr. provided testimony titled “Unlocked Potential: Small Businesses in the Cannabis Industry” before the U.S. House Small Business Committee. Key Points on Business Impacts and Policy Recommendations • Differential Impacts: The testimony acknowledges that federal prohibition creates barriers for all cannabis businesses but notes that small operators…
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The Five Enemies Of Greatness
Spotted at a Sioux Falls Vern Eide dealership fix it ticket for camera security today.
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“Code of the West” Covers Montana’s Failed Effort To Repeal Marijuana Laws
Year: 2012 At a time when the world is rethinking its drug policies large and small, one state rises to the forefront. Once a pioneer in legalizing medical marijuana, the state of Montana may now become the first to repeal its medical marijuana law. Set against the sweeping vistas of the Rockies, the steamy lamplight…
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How Kim Reynolds Bullied Iowa City Council Members Out of Decriminalizing Marijuana
Iowa city council members who wished to decriminalize marijuana tell Iowa cannabis activists Kim Reynolds threatened to take away city funds from the state if the city council pursues marijuana decriminalization. As of today Kim Reynolds is the most unpopular governor in the country. Republicans stifling debate on a winning political issue using threats to…
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RFRA Changes The Cannabis Game; Fulfills My Prediction Religious Cannabis Constitutional Claims
Prior to RFRA state laws, I argued the first amendment right to religion would bring constitutional rulings for individuals protecting religious access to cannabis in private prayer. I think this is still the inevitable end result of cannabis litigations. There are several things to note about the RFRA.
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Patient Perspectives
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Petition for DEA Rule-making, Filed May 1 2026
Patients deserve federal alignment — not just corporate access. I’m two decades of obsessive non stop borderline unhealthy researched on federal exemption policies statutes laws and rules. Tell your local attorney general of your state hi. They’ll be subject to filings themselves over the next two years as well. Nobody cares about federal illegality injustice…
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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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The Policy Vacuum: What Happens When Leadership Steps Back During Federal Cannabis Rescheduling
South Dakota’s medical cannabis program is entering its most consequential phase just as federal partial rescheduling from Schedule I to Schedule III takes effect.¹ Yet at this critical moment, the state lacks clear, consistent public guidance on DEA registration deadlines, conformity triggers, testing requirements, and market consolidation risks.² The federal change creates both opportunity and…
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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,…
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The South Dakota Board of Pharmacy and the April 2026 Federal Partial Rescheduling: An Implementing Role in a Layered Statutory Framework
The federal government’s April 2026 partial rescheduling of marijuana—placing FDA-approved products and marijuana subject to a qualifying state-issued medical marijuana license into Schedule III while leaving most adult-use marijuana in Schedule I—has created new conformity pressures for mature medical cannabis states.¹ South Dakota illustrates one variant of this federalism challenge. Unlike states with a single…
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The Post-Announcement Phase of Cannabis Rescheduling: What the June DEA Hearing Means, What States May Have to Change, and What to Watch Next
The most important cannabis-law story in the country is no longer the announcement that part of the marijuana market has been moved into Schedule III. It is the implementation phase that follows. In April 2026, the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration took the unusual step of immediately placing state-licensed medical marijuana and…
WeedPress: The Paper Trail 