The national debate over rescheduling marijuana has intensified following President Donald Trump’s public statements about potentially moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This announcement came after the Department of Justice, under the Biden Administration, submitted a proposed rule in May 2024 to begin rescheduling marijuana, sparking renewed attention in Congress, advocacy groups, and the media.
On August 28, nine Republican members of Congress sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi opposing rescheduling marijuana, warning that it could deliver a multi-billion-dollar tax break to multistate cannabis companies and even to criminal cartels. They argued marijuana lacks accepted medical use, has high abuse potential, and poses risks to children.
In contrast, the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) is urging the White House not only to support rescheduling marijuana but to fully legalize cannabis at the federal level. The group has launched a petition encouraging President Trump to follow through on rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, which would recognize accepted medical use and ease the burdens of Section 280E, though cannabis would remain criminalized under federal law.
Yet longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone published an op-ed arguing that rescheduling marijuana is a critical next step to unlock banking access, expand research, and align federal law with state programs.
Adding to the pressure, Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, said he’s confident movement on rescheduling marijuana will happen soon and noted that Kellyanne Conway has been a major champion within the Trump inner circle. Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee advanced a bill that would actually bar the Department of Justice from using funds to implement rescheduling marijuana, reserving that power to Congress.
With more than 20 states allowing adult-use cannabis and over 35 allowing medical use, the push for reform is no longer fringe. Yet uncertainty remains about whether President Trump will ultimately support rescheduling marijuana or whether Congress will act first. What’s clear is that rescheduling marijuana has become a flashpoint for tax policy, public health, and states’ rights and the next few weeks could prove pivotal for the future of U.S. cannabis law.