Cannabis Business Times
Alongside President Donald Trump’s strategy to combat the fentanyl crisis and end drug addiction, the White House plans to target certain hemp-derived psychoactive products that pose a “growing concern.”
His administration released the 2026 National Drug Control Strategy on May 4, a biennial report prepared by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) that provides a strategic roadmap to dismantle the illicit drug supply in the U.S.
The strategy intends to disrupt the illicit drug supply chain at every stage, from attacking foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations abroad to fortifying communities at home through prevention, education and treatment.
Part of the ONDCP strategy focuses on a whole-of-government approach to “intensify efforts to prosecute the illicit production and distribution of dangerous substances,” such as high-potency cannabis grown by criminal groups and unregulated psychoactive derivatives of hemp, such as delta-8 THC. Illicitly produced psychedelics and kratom products are also on the list.
“Enforcement will focus on substances falling outside regulatory frameworks or being sold illegally,” the 195-page document states. “The administration has been granted new legal authority to address certain psychoactive hemp-derived cannabidiol substances thanks to the ‘hemp loophole closure’ passed as part of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Act funding bill for fiscal year (FY) 2026.
“Shutting down these domestic sources of harmful substances is crucial to degrading the overall availability of illicit drugs within our communities.”
