Story perspectives

Medical Marijuana Rescheduled to Schedule III, Trump Faces Legal Challenge

4/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

Todd Blanche signed an order on April 23, 2026 moving medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.
The reclassification gives state-licensed cannabis firms a tax deduction that could lower their tax rate, while the Justice Department said it will ease research without legalizing marijuana.
President Donald Trump ordered the Justice Department to expedite the rescheduling, prompting Smart Approaches to Marijuana and 20+ Republican senators to announce a legal challenge.

History

Historical Context

After the 1969 Nixon announcement, Attorney General John N. Mitchell drafted a 91-page bill that became the 1970 Controlled Substances Act, placing marijuana in Schedule I. The DEA formed in 1973 to enforce it. On April 23 2026, Attorney General Todd Blanche moved cannabis to Schedule III, sparking opposition from the Justice Department, Smart Approaches to Marijuana and over twenty Republican senators.

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Story summary

Todd Blanche signed an order on April 23, 2026 moving medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.
The reclassification gives state-licensed cannabis firms a tax deduction that could lower their tax rate, while the Justice Department said it will ease research without legalizing marijuana.
President Donald Trump ordered the Justice Department to expedite the rescheduling, prompting Smart Approaches to Marijuana and 20+ Republican senators to announce a legal challenge.

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