The Trump administration has illegally rescheduled marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, which would––if the move goes through as planned––open the floodgates to the profit-driven marijuana industry and harm the health of millions of Americans.
Marijuana has long been classified as a Schedule I substance, meaning it has no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. To date, marijuana is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of any disease or condition. A drug’s placement in Schedule III would indicate that it has an accepted medical use and a lower potential for abuse.
Trump’s move follows a questionable rescheduling review from the Biden administration. The FDA for decades has relied on a five-factor analysis to determine whether a drug has a currently accepted medical use, though the agency developed an unprecedented two-part test to arrive at its foregone conclusion for marijuana. In short, the agency argued that marijuana has a currently accepted medical use because some doctors prescribe it to patients through state-level medical marijuana programs, which is a dangerous precedent that could be used for any other drug.
Given the dearth of scientific evidence in support of rescheduling marijuana, it begs the question of why it is expected to be done? The answer is money.
The marijuana industry has lobbied aggressively for the reform. Kim Rivers, the CEO of Trulieve, a major company in the industry, attended a Trump fundraiser where each seat cost $1 million. Trump has also been lobbied by Howard Kessler, who stands to profit from CBD.
Trump himself said, “I’ve never been inundated by so many people as I have about” rescheduling.
Given that recreational marijuana would continue to be illegal even if it is placed in Schedule III, why does the industry want it rescheduled? The answer, again, is money.
The change would allow the marijuana industry to deduct business expenses, such as those spent on marketing, through Section 280E of the federal tax code. SAM CEO Kevin Sabet argued in the New York Post that these tax breaks “would supercharge the pot market.” The millions––or billions––that the industry stands to save would be reinvested in producing stronger products and promoting them nationwide.
The industry-backed push to reschedule marijuana threatens the health of millions of Americans, as more than 20 million already have cannabis use disorder, better known as addiction to marijuana. Marijuana use is linked to psychosis, anxiety, depression, and numerous other harms.
More broadly, the reform would come at a time when public opinion has begun to turn against marijuana. Between 2023 and 2025, Gallup found that support for legalization dropped by 8% nationwide––and by 15% among Republicans, down to 40%.
The nation is finally waking up to the harms of marijuana. However, Trump and his friends in the marijuana industry want to take us in the opposite direction.