Trump Administration Reclassifies State-Licensed Medical Marijuana to Schedule III

On April 23 2026 Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, acting on President Donald Trump’s December 2025 executive order, signed a Justice Department directive that moves state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. The reclassification aligns cannabis with drugs such as ketamine, provides a federal tax break, and stops short of legalizing recreational use.

USA Today

Forty states and the District of Columbia allow medical or recreational cannabis; 24 states plus D.C. permit adult use. Polls show 84 % favor medical legalization and 59 % support recreational use, while a 2024 Pew survey found 57 % back both. Schedule III status lets licensed medical operators deduct ordinary business expenses, ending the 280E tax penalty that has pushed effective rates above 70 %. Researchers can now obtain state-licensed product without DEA risk, opening pathways for safety and efficacy studies and projected billions in new economic activity.

CNN

Blanche said the move “allows research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.” Trump called the step “common-sense” but warned against recreational abuse. Bronstein hailed it as the most significant federal cannabis policy advance in five decades, while Sabet denounced it as a giveaway to the marijuana industry.

Christian Science Monitor

Senator Tom Cotton warned that higher-potency cannabis can increase psychosis, anti-social behavior and fatal crashes. Stanford addiction psychiatrist Dr. Smita Das noted the lack of “massive medical indications” and a rising risk perception. Sabet and Smart Approaches argue the change benefits “Big Weed” without adequate research. Josh Meisel said the artificial split between medical and recreational markets “raises all sorts of questions,” and Shaleen Title cautioned that patient-rights guidance remains absent.

The Independent

Massachusetts cannabis operators welcomed the tax relief and reduced stigma, while patient advocates warned that the piecemeal approach leaves medical users uncertain about travel, housing and employment protections.

WGBH - NPR - Boston

Sources differ on the total number of states with legal cannabis (40 vs 45) and on poll support levels (84 % vs 57 %). Guidance on housing, employment and interstate transport remains pending.

CNN

• “This is a signal that this administration means business on getting this done,” — Jesse Alderman, attorney, Foley Hoag

The Independent

• “the most significant federal advancement in cannabis policy in over 50 years.” — Michael Bronstein, president, American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp

People Magazine

• “The only thing today’s decision advances are the interests of an addiction-for-profit industry—and if the president isn’t going to use the Food and Drug Administration as the law requires, why doesn’t he simply abolish it,” — Kevin Sabet, CEO, Smart Approaches to Marijuana

CNN

• “If this artificial distinction between medical and recreational is maintained, it raises all sorts of questions,” — Josh Meisel, sociology professor, Humboldt Institute

The Independent

The DEA will hold an administrative hearing on June 29 2026 to consider broader rescheduling. Afterward, the Justice Department must publish a final rule, followed by a 30-day comment period and likely legal challenges.

The Hill