Drug Law - Summer 2025

Cannabis and Psychedelics

  • Victoria Litman

In recent decades, cannabis and psychedelic laws have undergone rapid transformation, with evolving policies at the local, state, and federal levels. This course will expose students to these legal and policy changes with a focus on Rhode Island and neighboring states. Despite these changes at the local and state levels, cannabis and psychedelics both remain classified as Schedule I under the federal Controlled Substances Act. This federal illegality creates significant challenges for state-licensed businesses, particularly in banking, taxation, and interstate commerce. Students will engage with key legal frameworks, including state regulations, federal agency oversight (FDA, DEA, USDA), and constitutional law issues. They will also explore how drug laws intersect with various legal fields, such as employment, criminal justice, property rights, taxation, religious freedom, intellectual property, and family law. This course offers a unique opportunity to compare and contrast cannabis and psychedelic law, drawing lessons from both industries and exploring how legal reforms can balance public health, economic growth, and individual rights.

1 Tuesday, May 20: Introduction 1 Tuesday, May 20: Introduction

What Counts as a Psychedelic?

What Counts as a Psychedelic?

Read Part II: Edibles: An Introduction Parts A & B

American Edibles: How Cannabis Regulatory Policy Rehashes Prohibitionist Fears and What to do About It by Jay Wexler, Connor Burns :: SSRN

Read Part II: Edibles: An Introduction Parts A & B
H2O

Drug Law - Summer 2025

Victoria Litman

This free and open casebook is Creative Commons licensed. Learn more

Table of contents

  1. 1

    Tuesday, May 20: Introduction

    1. —

      What Counts as a Psychedelic?

    2. —

      Read Part II: Edibles: An Introduction Parts A & B

  2. 2

    Thursday, May 22: History of Federal Drug Law

  3. 3

    Tuesday, May 27: Medical Marijuana

  4. 4

    Thursday, May 29: Adult Use Cannabis and Local Control – Focus on Rhode Island

  5. 5

    Tuesday, June 3: Social Equity Programs, Expungement, and Personal Protections

  6. 6

    Tuesday, June 10: Ongoing Challenges Due to Federal Illegality

  7. 7

    Thursday, June 12: Interstate Commerce in Cannabis and the Dormant Commerce Clause

  8. 8

    Tuesday, June 17: Cannabis Federal Proposals

  9. 9

    Tuesday, June 24: Drug Decriminalization and Local Psychedelic Reform

  10. 10

    Thursday, June 26: State Psychedelic Laws: Personal Use

  11. 11

    Tuesday, July 1: State Psychedelic Laws: Facilitated Use

  12. 12

    Tuesday, July 8: Psychedelic Medicine and Spirituality

  13. 13

    Thursday, July 10: Legal Landscape of the Religious Use of Psychedelics

  14. 14

    Tuesday, July 15: Federal Regulation of Psychedelics

  15. 15

    Thursday, July 17th: Hot Topics

  16. 16

    July 22, and 24 - Student Presentations

Previous Next ▶