Medical marijuana reclassified
- The acting U.S. Attorney General reclassified medical marijuana as less dangerous, easing research and banking limits. (x.com) - The change applies to medical use only and does not decriminalize recreational cannabis. (x.com) - Federal shifts could unlock more clinical studies and bank services for medical providers, though regulation will still vary. (x.com)
The Justice Department on Thursday moved state-licensed medical marijuana and Food and Drug Administration-approved marijuana drugs into Schedule III, a lower federal drug category than Schedule I. (justice.gov) Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed the order on April 23, 2026, and the Drug Enforcement Administration said it will start an expedited hearing on June 29 to consider moving marijuana more broadly from Schedule I to Schedule III. (justice.gov) The order does not legalize marijuana under federal law, and it does not cover recreational cannabis. It applies to marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration and products sold under a qualifying state medical marijuana license. (justice.gov) Schedule I is the federal category for drugs deemed to have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule III includes drugs with recognized medical use and fewer restrictions, which changes how researchers, doctors and licensed businesses can handle them. (usnews.com) The federal shift reaches into a state system that has grown far ahead of Washington. Medical marijuana programs now operate in 40 states, while 24 states and Washington, D.C., allow adult recreational use under state law. (usnews.com) (abcnews.go.com) For researchers, the change removes a major obstacle that came from studying a Schedule I drug. Blanche said the new status will allow research on marijuana’s safety and efficacy and give doctors “more reliable information.” (justice.gov) For licensed medical marijuana operators, the immediate business effect is federal tax treatment. Associated Press reported that Schedule III status lets state-licensed medical marijuana companies deduct ordinary business expenses on federal taxes for the first time. (usnews.com) Some financial restrictions could ease too, though banks will still weigh federal anti-money-laundering rules, state law and their own compliance policies. CNBC reported the reclassification opens banking pathways, but it does not erase the broader patchwork of federal and state regulation. (cnbc.com) The move follows President Donald Trump’s December 18, 2025 executive order on medical marijuana and cannabidiol research. The Justice Department said Thursday’s action was taken under that order and under Blanche’s authority tied to U.S. obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. (justice.gov) The next fight is no longer whether federal policy changed on Thursday; it is how far the June 29 hearing goes beyond state-licensed medical cannabis, and how quickly federal agencies turn that order into rules researchers, doctors and businesses can actually use. (justice.gov)
