By Shelby Huffaker, MPH | Chair, San Diego Chapter of Americans for Safe Access
2025 was a busy year for medical cannabis. We celebrated many meaningful wins on the local, state, and national levels, while also seeing with renewed clarity how much work remains to ensure safe, equitable, and affordable access for patients.
Most notably, the fight for medical cannabis continues to move forward in the United States, with leading agencies and even the President acknowledging its therapeutic potential. However, cannabis is still illegal on the federal level, and patients continue to lack safe, equitable, affordable access as well as key protections in housing, healthcare, employment, and more. The caregivers and businesses that serve patients are also vulnerable under current law, underscoring the need to continue fighting for comprehensive federal legislation that promotes access and equity. This fight plays out on the state and local stages as well, particularly through cannabis tax policy and the implementation of cannabis social equity programs.
Below are the key takeaways from the past year, with specific actions and milestones to look forward to in 2026. Remember to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up-to-date all year round!
Local: San Diego
A Look Back…
In 2025, the San Diego Chapter of Americans for Safe Access proudly re-formed our Board, which now meets monthly over Zoom. Our diverse membership includes cannabis patients, entrepreneurs, artists, veterans, and seasoned advocates. San Diego ASA also resumed quarterly public meetings, hosted at the newly-opened cannabis consumption lounge, Sessions By the Bay—the first and only consumption lounge in all of San Diego. This year’s meetings featured presentations from Dale Gieringer, Director of California NORML, and a powerful cannabis social equity panel with Cynara Velazquez, MEGain McCall, and Andrew Bañez. We even had a naloxone training provided by A New PATH!
Early in the year, San Diego ASA advocated against the City’s decision to increase the cannabis business tax, which rose from 8% to 10%. A recent news report confirmed our concerns, highlighting that the estimated increase in tax revenue fell short of what the City expected by $1.5 million, as patients and consumers turn to retailers in adjacent cities with lower tax rates and the unregulated market.
In November, San Diego ASA received a proclamation from the County of San Diego, issued by the office of Supervisor Monica Montgomery-Steppe, recognizing the organization’s role—alongside patients and advocates—in advancing safe access over the past 30 years since California passed Proposition 215. The proclamation also declared November 1-7 “Medical Cannabis Awareness Week” in San Diego County.
Finally, San Diego ASA presented and secured endorsements for the Medical Cannabis & Cannabinoid Act from the Blue Dream Democratic Club, A New PATH, and Beard Bros Media. San Diego ASA also spoke with the office of Congressmember Scott Peters about the MCCA over the summer. San Diego ASA Chair Shelby Huffaker interviewed Dr. Thomas Marcotte from the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at UC San Diego on research related to cannabis and driving, and responded publicly to misleading media narratives about cannabis, youth, and mental health.
A Look Ahead…
San Diego ASA continues to provide public feedback on the County’s Cannabis Environmental Impact Report (EIR), with the next scheduled hearing on January 14, 2026 at 9:00 AM. The recommendations outlined in the final EIR will be instrumental for ensuring safe access and a viable cannabis social equity program in the unincorporated county. All cannabis advocates are encouraged to speak, write, or call in to the meeting to provide input on:
- The proposed zoning requirements (e.g., buffer distances, sensitive use definitions);
- Allowable use activities (cannabis consumption lounges and events); and
- Tax rebates and grants for socially equitable cannabis businesses.
The final EIR is expected to go before the Board of Supervisors for adoption later this year.
At the City level, there has been renewed interest in reviving the Social Equity and Economic Development (SEED) program. Stakeholders are encouraged to continue speaking, writing, and calling into City Council meetings to advocate for the reintroduction of the cannabis social equity program. If and when the program is reintroduced, it will go to committee first, so be sure to follow our calendar to see specific dates and instructions for submitting public comments. Bonus points if your comment also mentions the need for local cannabis tax relief, which is necessary for advancing safe access and ensuring the viability of cannabis social equity programs!
State: California
A Look Back…
Several key cannabis-related bills passed in California in 2025. ASA members joined California NORML for another successful lobby day on March 24, advocating for AB 564 (Haney), which rolled back the state cannabis excise tax to 15% after it automatically increased to 19% in July.
Other bills that passed include:
- AB 8 (Aguiar-Curry): Establishes a regulatory framework for hemp-derived cannabinoid products
- AB 1103 (Ward): Expedites review of qualifying cannabis and psilocybin research studies
- SB 378 (Wiener): Creates a whistleblower mechanism targeting unlicensed online cannabis and hemp sellers
Bills that did not pass included AB 762 (Irwin), which would have banned disposable vapes, and AB 1332 (Ahrens), which would have allowed licensed medicinal microbusinesses to ship certain medical cannabis products statewide.
Finally, the California Department of Public Health voted to adopt rules extending emergency regulations that ban consumable hemp products containing any detectable level of THC. California ASA chapters submitted public comments arguing for a narrow therapeutic exemption for full-spectrum CBD oil and tincture products with levels of THC under 0.03%.
A Look Ahead…
Stay tuned for the next round of state bills to be introduced, as well as the next ASA/NORML annual lobby day!
National
A Look Back…
The big news of 2025 was President Trump’s executive order directing the Department of Justice to expedite the process of rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III. The order also instructs the Department of Health and Human Services to develop real-world evidence models for cannabinoid therapies and signals interest in improving access to full-spectrum CBD.
On the one hand, the order may expand access to a limited range of CBD products (including through Medicare and Medicaid), make researching cannabis easier, and lead to greater acceptance of cannabis medicines. However, the order does not reschedule, decriminalize, or legalize medical cannabis. A schedule III status would still hold hefty federal penalties for patients, consumers, and cannabis businesses. It would not bring state medical cannabis programs into federal compliance, nor would it guarantee protections in housing, employment, healthcare, or education. There is also a real risk that Congress may treat rescheduling as “mission accomplished,” slowing momentum for comprehensive reform.
2025 also saw new restrictions on hemp-derived cannabinoid products, attacks on licensed cannabis programs, and a continuing resolution that temporarily stalled House-led efforts to block rescheduling efforts and open the door for federal interference in state programs.
A Look Ahead…
ASA continues to make progress towards the introduction of the Medical Cannabis & Cannabinoid Act in Congress. The MCCA would:
- Decriminalize cannabis through the creation of a new Schedule VI;
- Create a national regulatory framework through a new Office of Medical Cannabis;
- Bring state programs into compliance with federal law;
- Expand access, affordability, and patient protections nationwide
Patients and advocates are encouraged to key into the campaign by taking the Medical Cannabis Action Pledge and using ASA’s advocacy toolkit for easy, actionable steps.
Key federal milestones in 2026 include:
- January 26, 2026: An Opening to Insurance Coverage. CMS’s public comment process on Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits will help determine whether medical cannabis remains excluded by default or evaluated based on legality and medical use. Medicare sets norms across the healthcare system; what CMS does here influences hospitals, insurers, and long-term care nationwide.
- January 30, 2026: FY2026 Continuing Resolutions Expire. Congress must decide whether DOJ and DEA are allowed to complete rescheduling, whether state medical cannabis programs retain federal protection, and whether HHS has funding to carry out research and healthcare integration work tied to the Executive Order.
- February 2026: FDA Weighs In. Under H.R. 5371, FDA must publish cannabinoid lists and definitions that will shape which products survive the hemp transition, how “intoxicating” is defined, and whether patients retain access to non-intoxicating and full-spectrum products.
- September 30, 2026: FY2027 Appropriations Deadline. FY2027 appropriations are due. Medical cannabis protections must be renewed. Any progress made earlier in the year can be undone.
- November 11, 2026: The Hemp Line in the Sand. New statutory definitions become enforceable. Total THC thresholds apply. Synthetic cannabinoids are banned. Container limits are enforced. This is when access actually changes—especially for patients relying on hemp-derived cannabinoid therapies.
None of this work is possible without the support of ASA’s members and sponsors. While the opposition is well-funded, ASA remains a critical patient-centered voice on Capitol Hill. Please consider making a donation or becoming a sponsor to help sustain this fight.
From all of us at San Diego ASA, we wish you a happy New Year—and look forward to continuing the fight for safe access together in 2026!
