President Donald Trump has signed a federal spending bill that once again prevents the District of Columbia from legalizing and launching recreational marijuana sales, continuing a policy that has stalled the city’s cannabis market for more than a decade.
The restriction appears in the annual Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill and prohibits D.C. from using federal funds to implement any law that would legalize or regulate adult-use marijuana commerce. While District voters approved legal possession and home cultivation years ago, the rider has consistently blocked city leaders from establishing licensed retail sales.
Supporters of the provision argue that Congress has clear authority over the District and should maintain oversight on drug policy. Critics counter that the move overrides local democracy, keeps cannabis sales in a legal gray area, and deprives the city of tax revenue and consumer protections.
The decision arrives as national marijuana policy remains unsettled. The administration has signaled support for rescheduling cannabis under federal law, a change that could reshape marijuana regulation nationwide and potentially weaken the legal basis for the D.C. restriction.
For now, however, the status quo remains: adults in the nation’s capital can legally possess marijuana, but buying it through a regulated market is still off-limits — thanks to Congress reminding D.C. who really owns the rulebook.
Dabbin-Dad Newsroom
Congress Says “Just Visiting”: D.C. Still Can’t Sell Weed
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