Trump Considers Rescheduling Cannabis Amid Broader Drug Policy Debate
Donald Trump has publicly indicated he is "very strongly" considering rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This potential change, recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2023, would not legalize or decriminalize cannabis, nor dismantle existing penalties such as arrests, deportations, mandatory drug tests, or bans related to housing, student loans, or travel.
Since August 2025, speculation about this policy move intensified, with about 43,000 public comments received on the proposal, roughly 70% of which were in favor. Rescheduling cannabis would facilitate research and potentially boost the cannabis industry by enabling tax deductions under the IRS code, leading to significant gains in cannabis stock prices—rising as much as 54% on news of the potential change.
Currently, 40 of 50 U.S. states have medical cannabis programs, and 24 states have legalized cannabis for recreational use. The proposed rescheduling has been linked to Trump's broader "America First" framework, highlighting a contrast between domestic liberalization efforts and a hardline international war on drugs. This includes threats against Venezuelan and Colombian shipments and harsh rhetoric toward their leaders.
The article asserts that genuine reform requires removing cannabis entirely from the CSA and pairing any decriminalization with reinvestment of profits into disenfranchised communities, including in Latin America. The current step of rescheduling is portrayed as insufficient to achieve meaningful change.
