{"id":2521401,"date":"2025-12-15T14:39:02","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T19:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-to-expect-if-trump-reclassifies-marijuana\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T14:41:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T19:41:10","slug":"what-to-expect-if-trump-reclassifies-marijuana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-to-expect-if-trump-reclassifies-marijuana\/","title":{"rendered":"What to expect if Trump reclassifies marijuana"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwhat-to-expect-if-trump-reclassifies-marijuana%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2521401&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the possibility that former President Donald Trump may reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug. This change would lower marijuana&#8217;s federal classification, placing it alongside substances like anabolic steroids and ketamine instead of heroin and LSD. Although marijuana would remain illegal federally, this shift could have meaningful legal impacts on the cannabis industry and its consumers.<\/p>\n<p>Key effects of rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III include allowing cannabis businesses to deduct expenses on federal taxes-currently prohibited under Section 280E for Schedule I and II drugs-resulting in lower effective tax rates for thes companies. Criminal penalties for some marijuana offenses would be reduced, but certain mandatory minimum sentences would remain unchanged.<\/p>\n<p>Rescheduling would also ease restrictions on scientific research, making it simpler for institutions to study marijuana by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-of-business-north-carolina-no-1-for-3rd-time-in-4-years-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"State of Business: North Carolina No. 1 for 3rd time in 4 years - Washington Examiner\">reducing regulatory hurdles<\/a>. Though, cannabis is not yet FDA-approved, so medical marijuana would still face challenges, including the need for prescriptions aligned with federal regulations if the drug were rescheduled.<\/p>\n<p>While rescheduling would not legalize marijuana federally, it would mark a significant shift in federal drug policy, affecting taxation, law enforcement, and research.The article notes no final decision has been made and that the White House had no <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >confirmed executive order planned<\/a> at the time of publication.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">What to expect if Trump reclassifies marijuana<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2445648\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> could reportedly be preparing to reclassify <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/marijuana\/\">marijuana<\/a>, lowering it from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug, a move that could have several legal effects on the cannabis industry and its consumers.<\/p>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/business\/2025\/12\/11\/trump-marijuana-reclassification-executive-order\/\">reported<\/a> reclassification would relax federal regulations on cannabis, grouping it with substances such as anabolic steroids and ketamine rather than heroin and LSD. Trump is reportedly expected to sign an executive order rescheduling the drug as early as Monday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/3918180\/stephen-a-smith-interview-invitations-democratic-leaders-unanswered\/\">Stephen A. Smith says interview invitations for Democratic leaders went unanswered<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3918358\/colorado-unemployment-rate-trending-down\/\">Colorado unemployment rate trending down<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3918356\/tennessees-economy-growing-affordability-becoming-major-issue\/\">Tennessee&#8217;s economy growing, but affordability becoming a major issue<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Rescheduling cannabis to a Schedule III drug would follow a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/2985346\/biden-administration-moves-reclassify-marijuana-less-dangerous-schedule-iii-drug\/\">Biden-era<\/a> Drug Enforcement Administration proposal for the same reclassification, which <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dea.gov\/stories\/2025\/2025-01\/2025-01-15\/hearing-proposed-rescheduling-marijuana-postponed\">stalled<\/a> Trump&rsquo;s inauguration. Schedule III substances have an accepted medical use, while Schedule I substances do not. Drug schedules typically change based on the abuse rate of a substance, according to the DEA, with Schedule I substances having the highest potential for abuse and Schedule V substances having the lowest abuse rates.<\/p>\n<p>Cannabis is still illegal under federal law, despite 24 <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/disa.com\/marijuana-legality-by-state\/\">states<\/a> and the District of Columbia fully legalizing the substance. It is the most commonly used illicit drug in the country, according to the DEA&rsquo;s 2025 National Drug Threat <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dea.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2025-07\/2025NationalDrugThreatAssessment.pdf\">Assessment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If the country were to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug, it would not federally legalize the substance, but instead have several key effects on tax benefits for cannabis companies, criminal penalties, and marijuana research. The Congressional Research Service issued a legal sidebar in May 2024 on the &ldquo;Legal Consequences of Rescheduling Marijuana&rdquo; when it was up for discussion under the Biden administration.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;With respect to the manufacture, distribution, and possession of recreational marijuana, if marijuana were moved to Schedule III, such activities would remain illegal under federal law and potentially subject to federal prosecution regardless of their status under state law,&rdquo; Joanna Lampe, legislative attorney for the CRS, wrote in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/crs-product\/LSB11105\">sidebar<\/a> piece.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tax-benefits\">Tax benefits<\/h2>\n<p>Moving cannabis to a Schedule III drug would allow cannabis businesses to deduct their business expenses, as they would be exempt from Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code. Section 280E prohibits companies involved with Schedule I or II substances from deducting their expenses in federal tax filings.<\/p>\n<p>This reclassification would result &ldquo;in a much <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elizabeth-warren-proposes-ultra-millionaire-wealth-tax\/\" title=\"Elizabeth Warren Proposes \u2018Ultra-Millionaire\u2019 Wealth Tax\">lower effective tax rate<\/a> for businesses across the industry,&rdquo; according to business law firm <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mcglinchey.com\/insights\/rescheduling-marijuana-understanding-the-legal-impacts\/\">McGlinchey Stafford<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-criminal-penalties\">Criminal penalties<\/h2>\n<p>Criminal penalties for some cannabis offenses would be reduced, according to the CRS legal analysis, though the sidebar did not specify which offenses. According to Ohio State University&rsquo;s Moritz <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/moritzlaw.osu.edu\/faculty-and-research\/drug-enforcement-and-policy-center\/research-and-grants\/policy-and-data-analyses\/federal-marijuana-rescheduling\">College of Law<\/a>, the penalties for &ldquo;manufacturing, distributing, and possessing&rdquo; schedule III substances can be less severe than those of schedule I substances. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If marijuana were moved to Schedule III, applicable penalties for some offenses would be reduced. However, [Controlled Substance Act] penalties that apply to activities involving marijuana specifically, such as the quantity-based&nbsp;mandatory minimum&nbsp;sentences discussed above, would not change as a result of rescheduling,&rdquo; Lampe wrote for the CRS sidebar.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-marijuana-research\">Marijuana research<\/h2>\n<p>If marijuana is reclassified from a Schedule I drug, it would ease regulations surrounding academic research on the substance. Schedule I substances require a DEA research <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/nida.nih.gov\/research\/resources-grants-contracts\/faqs-conducting-research-with-cannabis-marijuana-hemp\">registration<\/a> for scientific use.<\/p>\n<p>In an interview with Pennsylvania State University&rsquo;s news outlet, university professor Kent Vrana, the director of the school&rsquo;s Center for Cannabis and Natural Product Pharmaceutics, explained the research limitations of a Schedule I drug.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I can only get cannabis and cannabinoids from a handful of federally approved sources. Otherwise, it puts our federal funding at risk. It makes it harder for us to conduct clinical trials that would help us better understand the potential benefits &mdash; and harms &mdash; of cannabis,&rdquo; Vrana <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psu.edu\/news\/research\/story\/qa-what-would-reclassifying-marijuana-mean-medical-research\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-effects-on-medical-marijuana\">Effects on medical marijuana<\/h2>\n<p>Schedule III drugs may be legally dispensed with a medical prescription if the FDA approves them, but cannabis runs into a hurdle with this, as it is not an FDA-approved drug, the CRS said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Moreover, if one or more marijuana products obtained FDA approval, manufacturers and distributors would need to register with the DEA and comply with regulatory requirements that apply to Schedule III substances in order to handle those products,&rdquo; Lampe wrote. &ldquo;Users of medical marijuana would need to obtain valid prescriptions for the substance from medical providers, subject to federal&nbsp;legal requirements&nbsp;that differ from existing state regulatory requirements for medical marijuana.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/beltway-confidential\/3917642\/reclassifying-marijuana-will-not-make-america-great-again\/\">RECLASSIFYING MARIJUANA WILL NOT MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;No final decisions have been made about marijuana rescheduling,&rdquo; a White House official told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The president&rsquo;s Monday schedule did not include an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/its-a-mess-team-biden-loses-track-of-20-million-covid-19-doses-report\/\" title=\"\u2018It\u2019s A Mess\u2019: Team Biden Loses Track Of 20 Million COVID-19 Doses: Report\">executive order signing<\/a> at the time of publication.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump may reclassify marijuana, easing federal cannabis rules<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3976,"featured_media":2521402,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP23104801107201.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[64233,68847,5561,61328,3634],"class_list":["post-2521401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-cannabis-policy","tag-drug-laws","tag-marijuana","tag-reclassification","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP23104801107201.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2521401","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3976"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2521401"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2521401\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2521405,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2521401\/revisions\/2521405"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2521402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2521401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2521401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2521401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}