NHCann Friday Wrap Up: Week of Oct 19, 2026

It was a busy week for cannabis policy, from veterans and insurers in Washington to a neighboring city’s vote and the DEA’s slow-moving rescheduling case. If you missed our posts on social, here’s what we shared Monday through Friday, with links to the original reporting.

Veterans Want the VA to Lead Cannabis Research

A survey by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) of 470 veterans found strong support for medical marijuana research, and most respondents want the Department of Veterans Affairs to do it. IAVA is backing the bipartisan VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2026. Granite State veterans and their families can ask NH’s congressional delegation to support it.

Source: The Marijuana Herald (reporting on the IAVA survey). Shared by NHCann on Oct. 19.

Life Insurers Lobby for SAFE Banking and the CLAIM Act

The American Council of Life Insurers’ latest federal lobbying disclosure lists the SAFE Banking Act and the CLAIM Act. Those bills would protect banks and insurers that serve state-legal cannabis businesses. That’s another mainstream industry group pushing Congress on access to financial services, which matters for New Hampshire’s alternative treatment centers and the businesses that work with them.

Source: The Marijuana Herald. Shared by NHCann on Oct. 20.

Poll: Cannabis Policy Is a Cross-Party Voting Issue

A NuggMD poll released by NORML found that most cannabis consumers say a candidate’s marijuana stance affects their vote, and that holds for both Democrats and Republicans. The poll surveyed consumers in legal states, not the full electorate. With New Hampshire’s governor, all 24 Senate seats and all 400 House seats on the Nov. 3 ballot, now’s the time to find out where your candidates stand.

Source: The Marijuana Herald (reporting on the NORML/NuggMD poll). Shared by NHCann on Oct. 21.

Worcester City Council Opposes Massachusetts Question 8

Worcester’s City Council voted unanimously to oppose Question 8, the Massachusetts ballot measure that would repeal adult-use retail sales. Mayor Joseph Petty called the resolution important “from a safety standpoint, and from an economic development standpoint.” New Hampshire is still the only New England state without a legal adult-use market.

Source: The Marijuana Herald. Shared by NHCann on Oct. 22.

DEA Judge Won’t Reopen Rescheduling Hearing, but Allows New Briefs

DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge Derek Julius turned down opponents’ request to reopen the federal rescheduling hearing for more testimony. He did add a recent GAO report to the record and invited optional briefs on it, with initial filings due Oct. 29 and replies due Nov. 5. The case stays paused until briefing closes. This is a procedural step, not a final Schedule III decision.

Source: Marijuana Moment. Shared by NHCann on Oct. 23.

Get Involved

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Check your registration with the NH Secretary of State, ask your candidates where they stand on cannabis, and vote. Live free, and let’s legalize.