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ARTICLE · 21 APRIL 2026

The Week In Weed: April 17, 2026

Seyfarth Shaw LLP
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Virginia's retail cannabis market faces delays as Governor Spanberger sends legislation back for revisions, while Texas courts block hemp product bans and Maryland extends medical marijuana protections to veterinarians treating pets. The week's developments highlight the complex regulatory landscape across states, with even longtime drug war advocate Roger Stone questioning federal rescheduling delays.

United StatesCannabis & Hemp
Susan Ryan
Susan Ryan
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Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what’s happening in the world of legalized marijuana. This week, we start off with Virginia, where legalization is so close, but yet so far. Then we move on to Texas, where a smokeable hemp ban has been blocked. In Maryland, veterinarians are now free to prescribe cannabis to Fido and Fluffy. And finally, when Roger Stone is unhappy with the pace of rescheduling, you know times have changed.

Remember when Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the governorship of Virginia, and everyone (including us!) thought that meant a retail cannabis market was coming to the Old Dominion State? Well, that may still happen, but not just yet. In Virginia, the governor has several options when considering a bill, including sending it back to the legislature to make changes. This is the option Spanberger has chosen. Will the legislature agree to these changes? Probably. Will Spanberger then sign the bill? Presumably. But the image of Charlie Brown and

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