BIOACTIVE
BIOACTIVE
Riley D. Kirk, Ph.D.
What went down at the Cannabis Rescheduling Hearing with Max Jackson
1 hour 3 minutes Posted Aug 7, 2026 at 6:21 pm.
Welcome and Guest Intro
Max Jackson Background
Why He Attended Hearing
Security and Closed Doors
Who Opposed Rescheduling
Bias and Expert Framing
Psychosis and CUD Claims
IV THC and Syringe Confusion
Plant vs Single Molecule
No Medical Use Argument
Youth Access and Regulation
Humboldt Crime Fears
Hearing Strategy Angle
Drugged Driving Testing
Tolerance And Impairment
Research Collaboration Gaps
Breastfeeding And Postpartum
ER Harms And Education
Schedule Logic Debate
DEA Museum Narrative
Van Check At DEA
What Happens Next
Wrap Up And Resources
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Show notes
What actually happened inside the DEA’s cannabis rescheduling hearing? In this timely episode of the Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk sits down with Max Jackson, former commercial cannabis cultivator and founder of Cannabis Wise Guys, to unpack what he witnessed firsthand at the DEA hearing on moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III.
Max spent most of the hearing inside the room, taking handwritten notes because recording and livestreaming were not permitted. As someone who previously managed a commercial cultivation facility with approximately 13,000 flowering cannabis plants, he offers a unique perspective on the arguments being made about cannabis, medical use, public health, research, and the plant itself.
Together, Riley and Max break down who opposed rescheduling, what the government and opposing parties argued, and some of the surprising claims and misconceptions that came up during the proceedings. They discuss the difference between whole-plant cannabis and isolated cannabinoids, the challenges of dosing and medical education, cannabis research limitations, adverse effects, and why the lack of cannabis research is itself connected to decades of Schedule I restrictions.
The conversation also explores what rescheduling to Schedule III could actually mean, what happens next in the process, why the administrative judge does not make the final decision, and why the DEA ultimately holds that decision.
Whether you're a cannabis consumer, home grower, medical professional, researcher, cultivator, cannabis business owner, or simply trying to understand the future of cannabis policy in the United States, this episode gives you an inside look at a hearing most people never had the opportunity to see.
CHAPTERS:
Connect with Max Jackson
Cannabis Wise Guys
https://cannabiswiseguys.com/
Cannabis Fact Book
https://thecannabisfactbook.com/
Email: [email protected]
IG: www.instagram.com/cannabiswiseguys/
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