Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that cannabis legalization progress has been made toward moving medical marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug.
Table of Contents
According to a Department of Justice release (DOJ) under President Donald Trump (R), they are “immediately placing both FDA-approved products containing marijuana and marijuana products regulated by a state medical marijuana license in Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act.”
So it applies to medical cannabis in state legal markets and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved marijuana products. Notably, that wouldn’t address the legal adult-use/recreational cannabis market nor underground legacy weed.
The DOJ said, “this action recognizes the longstanding regulation of medical marijuana by state governments and the need for a common-sense approach to this reality.”
“The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options,” said Blanche in a release. “This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.”
Their release said they still want to maintain “strict federal controls against illicit drug trafficking.”
The process remains ongoing.
New DEA Schedule III Marijuana Hearing Announced
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will hold a new administrative hearing on June 29th regarding the proposed rescheduling of marijuana. A new notice of hearing is being published in the Federal Register to govern these proceedings and facilitate a timely resolution of the rulemaking.
They seem to really emphasize canceling the Schedule III marijuana reform process initiated under former President Joe Biden (D) that included adult-use cannabis.
Trump Administration Progress on Medical Marijuana Reform
“DEA is expeditiously moving forward with the administrative hearing process,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “Our men and women in law enforcement remain committed to fighting drug cartels…”
Trump re-endorsed moving marijuana to Schedule III in December via an Executive Order signed in the Oval Office of the White House.
He initially endorsed it while running for President in 2024.
According to the DOJ, “this action will accelerate the administrative process, include firm deadlines, and allow DEA to proceed in the most expeditious manner consistent with federal law.”
The DOJ Order noted that the judge presided over the one hearing of the DEA trial held in December 2024 has retired.
As the lead fighters of the War on Drugs imposing federal marijuana prohibition, the DEA held up the process under Biden and made the hearing a ridiculous show.
Trump also made progress on legalizing psychedelics earlier this week via Executive Order.
Federal Marijuana Issues
Marijuana has been a Schedule I narcotic on the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) list since the 1970s, while Cocaine is a Schedule II drug.
Many cannabis businesspeople, social justice grassroots advocates, and Heady NJ want full federal cannabis legalization by descheduling marijuana off the CSA.
Large corporate Multi-State Operators (MSOs) led by Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers have been lobbying Trump to support Schedule III.
Many MSOs and craft cannabis operators want Section 280-E of the IRS Tax Code reformed. Currently, licensed cannabis companies cannot deduct expenses from their taxes. So this leads to a hefty tax bill and far fewer profits than many expect.
Plus, a lot of banks hate weed because of the Feds, which causes a lot of problems.
Even as a media company, Heady NJ has faced issues with MailChimp, GoDaddy, and the Meta corporation-owned Instagram for championing the sacred herb.
Pharmacist/CEO Tony Minitti of the Camden Apothecary dispensary has been wary of Schedule III. He has noted on social media that the FDA process causes even more problems for small businesspeople than state-legal cannabis.
Cannabis Politics
The Democrats would have let the normal, slow regulatory process play out. In constradt Trump often rams things through even if it is unconstitutional.
Democrats have done little on the issue. Moderate Democrats barely tolerate it as an issue. Others often only champion it when it is to their advantage to do.
Biden was on the side of the War on Drugs while a prominent Senator in the 1980s. So little progress was made under him. The progress he did make is being redone by Trump.
While President Donald Trump (R) has been pushing some weed reform. But he also seems to love cops and ICE, which have killed American citizens.
Opponents will argue the announcement is a distraction from the Epstein files. There is evidence he raped an underage girl. Among other issues.
Trump ran for President in 2024 on peace and inflation and has started wars with Venezuela and Iran and imposed tariffs, which have caused prices to skyrocket and many to become disillusioned.
It will be interesting to see how the cannabis reform issue plays out in the upcoming 2026 midterm congressional elections. Moderate Democrats and conservative Republicans alike might hate this. Some progressive Democrats and libertarian Republicans will say we need to move on to descheduling, ideally.
