The Year in Weed: 2025’s Biggest Moments

Schedule III, finally

Rescheduling screen grab, Courtesy of The White House.

Editor’s note:

The shift to Schedule III is a major federal signal, but it’s not legalization, and the details matter. Read David Downs’ report on the order: Trump Reschedules Marijuana, but Wait, There’s A Catch and Javier Hasse’s practical explanation: Cannabis REScheduling Questions Answered. We’re also publishing serious concerns: Bill Levers argues cannabis should be treated as a wellness/nutraceutical category in Cannabis is a Nutraceutical, Not a Pharmaceutical, while Rolando Garcia reports on critics who believe Schedule III could backfire in “It’s a Trap”: Why Schedule III Could Be Worse Than Standing Still.High Times re-lit

2025 was the year that

creator Josh Kesselman turned the lights back on at the venerable counterculture institution, High Times.RAW Rolling PapersHelmed by Javier Hasse, High Times released a 50th anniversary special edition featuring archival work from icons such as Hunter S. Thompson and interviews with legends like Bob Marley, as well as a slew of fresh content from around the globe.

Plus, they restarted their

.Cannabis CupsHemp recriminalization

The year 2025 goes down in U.S. history books as a setback for “intoxicating” hemp. Congress passed a bill to end the longest U.S. government shutdown ever — 43 days. The bill also included

as well as hemp products that can get you high. Unless it’s actual rope, the government considers it dope once again.re-criminalized cannabis seedsZangbanger’s moment to shine

Zangbanger (sherbanger 22 x zangria) #53 bred and selected in house. This is the most unique strain in our current line-up. What do you think of it? Wizard Trees (@wizard_trees).

“I think this is going to be our main staple for a while,” Lane says.Zalympix Winner’s FlightWizardTrees.com relaunched on December 16, with a new app rolling out shortly after. Look out for Zangbanger’s successor: Tidebanger.

The return of orange terps

Super Boof, courtesy Moon Valley

The Trop Cookies cross Super Boof won big in the 2025 Transbay Challenge Finals in California in May. Orange Drip from LA Family Farms also won the Zalympix winner’s flight. Hash culture is on the rise

Hash Culture in 2025. Photo by David Downs.

of this year. This summer, we saw dabs being used in Thailand. Live rosin pen sales increased in new markets.

“This last year has been the year of evolution and adoption of concentrates — 100 percent,” says Lance Lambert, who travels the world as the chief marketing officer for industry-leading

Alcohol use collapsesthe growth of infused pre-rollsThis year, Gallup found

not seen since 1939. This year, Gallup found that only 54% of Americans consume alcohol — a nearly historic low. Wine Country bars and clubs have been rocked by health concerns, the growth of non-alcoholic alternatives, including cannabis, as well as changing cultural norms, especially among young and middle-aged people. New York ramps it upGrove BagsNew York. David Downs Photo.

New York’s three-year-long, rocky legal weed launch has evened out with more than

by September and new revenue milestones. Zohran Mamdani is the city’s new mayor and he was the first to make a public declaration of that alcohol use hit a low in a legal store. Annual sales herb may reduce drinking by 25% in September.

Cannabis states’ legal setbacks

. Thailand has backed away from its wide-open adult-use regime. Thailand backed away from its wide-open adult-use regime.464 storesSmokers need to rally around groups like NORML, Marijuana Policy Project, and Americans for Safe Access to push back in 2026.

“It means getting involved with your time, and financially, and acknowledging that this fight is not over,” says Paul Armentano, Deputy Director for NORML.he bought herbMary Jane Berlin bloomscrossed $1 billionGermany emerged as a legal cannabis epicenter with

in June. Germany, the largest country in Europe with an 82-million-strong population and the fourth highest GDP in the globe, is the European Union leader. German legalization eclipsed action in the Netherlands and Spain.

“Mary Jane was the biggest show, and the biggest news over the last year,” says Lambert. rolled back some of its voter-approved legalizationSouth Park’s pot farm goes bust

The Colorado creators captured the zeitgeist of distressed U.S. cannabis companies facing new headwinds. Stan’s father Randy went bankrupt, became addicted to ketamine, ChatGPT and Tegridy Farms, and was forced to sell it. This marked a turning point in the

series. Trey Parker and Matt Stone again helped define the sentiment in the country.

“Things are really uncertain in the U.S. currently,” says Lambert. The exponential growth of Mary Jane Berlin selling 65,000 tickets is happening internationally, not domestically. The Prevention Research Center discovered that

. A hash researcher determined the static charge of a trichohome head for first time. Now we know. It’s 20 Picocoulombs. The green rush has not ended despite challenges such as hemp recriminalization, state-level rollbacks, and New York’s $1 billion milestone.

Whether you’re team Zangbanger or still waiting on Schedule III, one thing’s clear: The conversation around cannabis has evolved from “if” to “how” — and that’s a win worth celebrating.