The complex collision between a federal court’s interpretation of the 2018 Farm Bill and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) interpretation was the article of the month for Cannabis Business Times readers. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled Sept. 4 that THC-O acetate, commonly referred to as just THC-O, meets the legal definition of hemp, deviating from a 2023 DEA declaration that the semi-synthetic analogue is a Schedule I controlled substance. The court found that the DEA’s interpretation of synthetically derived tetrahydrocannabinols related to the Farm Bill lacks the “power to persuade,” one of many determinations that captivated reader attention to lead CBT’s top 10 most-read articles in September. Taking the No. 2 spot this month was another hemp-related article: California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s emergency regulations that effectively banned hemp-derived cannabinoid products with any traceable amount of THC starting Sept. 23. September’s top 10 articles also featured an in-depth analysis of 11 states that are projected to have billion-dollar cannabis markets in 2024, Virginia awarding a long-vacated medical cannabis license to multistate operator AYR Wellness, the DEA assisting a raid of nine vape shops in Texas, and a pair of articles on Trump predicting Florida’s adult-use ballot measure would pass and his support for federal cannabis rescheduling and banking reform. CATCH UP ON THE TOP 10 STORIES FROM SEPTEMBER | 
