President Donald Trump’s historic move to direct the reclassification of marijuana on Thursday has elicited a wave of positive feedback from top lawmakers, state officials, advocates and industry stakeholders—reflecting the uniquely bipartisan way cannabis reform has bridge political divides during an especially divisive time.
While several Democratic lawmakers have made clear that simply moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) does not go far enough, even some of Trump’s sharpest critics have generally agreed that the executive order directing the incremental reform is a step in the right direction.
The order directs the attorney general to complete a rescheduling process that was initiated under the Biden administration. The reclassification wouldn’t legalize marijuana, but it would loosen research restrictions, allow cannabis businesses to take federal tax deductions and symbolically recognize that the plant holds medical value—breaking from the federal government’s decades-long position that it is therapeutically ineffective with a high abuse potential.
The order also has implications for the hemp market, with a call to reevaluate how the crop is defined under a newly enacted spending bill that stakeholders say would ultimately eradicate the industry by banning most consumable cannabinoid products.
Here’s how people are reacting to the rescheduling news:
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)
Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH)
Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV)
Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL)
Former Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
“I am delighted that at Long last there will be some federal movement on rescheduling… This is not everything we want, but it is a huge step forward, dealing with banking, taxation and the mindset for reform. I have long felt that this could be the break, the crack in the dam that allows the waters of reform to rush out. It is frustrating that is taken this long, but it is hugely significant and should not be underestimated about leading to a chain of events for more meaningful reforms.”
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D)
“To be blunt, it’s far past time for the federal government to catch up to Colorado and many other states and get rid of arcane federal policies on cannabis that aren’t based in reality and hurt Colorado small businesses and public safety. I thank the President and am pleased that they are finally taking this step to begin the process to reschedule.
For years Colorado has been a national leader in smart and safe cannabis policy that has virtually eliminated illegal markets, ensured safe use, and generated over a billion dollars for education. Colorado’s cannabis industry is the gold standard ensuring that products are safe and regulated. It’s good to see the federal government finally following suit, but it’s frustrating it’s taken this long and there is much more to do for a full descheduling.”
Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board
“As President Trump signs an executive order reclassifying cannabis, the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board is prepared to navigate the changes ahead alongside industry and State lawmakers. The CCB will continue to regulate licensing matters and oversee compliance measures from seed-to-sale, upholding public health and safety.”
Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency Executive Director Brian Hanna
“While we are still assessing the details of the order, this development has the potential to move the federal marijuana policy debate forward after years of advocacy by patients, businesses, and states across the country. Rescheduling marijuana carries important implications – but also clear limitations – for state-regulated markets. That distinction is critical for policymakers, media, and the public to understand as this process continues…
We look forward to completing our review of the executive order and continuing to work with our federal partners to ensure that any change in classification is accompanied by clear guidance and thoughtful implementation that meaningfully addresses long-standing barriers – particularly in banking, research, social equity, and taxation – while preserving the authority, safety, and integrity of state-regulated systems like Michigan’s.”
Pennsylvania State Sen. Sharif Street (D)
NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano
“The Administration’s order calling to remove the cannabis plant from its Schedule I classification validates the experiences of tens of millions of Americans, as well as those of tens of thousands of physicians, who have long recognized that cannabis possesses legitimate medical utility. It wasn’t long ago that federal officials were threatening to seize doctors’ medical licenses just for discussing medical cannabis with their patients. This directive certainly marks a long overdue change in direction.
But while such a move potentially provides some benefits to patients, and veterans especially, it still falls well short of the changes necessary to bring federal marijuana policy into the 21st century. Specifically, rescheduling fails to harmonize federal marijuana policy with the cannabis laws of most states, particularly the 24 states that have legalized its use and sale to adults — thereby leaving those who produce, dispense, possess, or use marijuana in compliance with state laws in jeopardy of federal prosecution. In order to rectify this state/federal conflict, and in order to provide state governments with the explicit authority to establish their own cannabis regulatory policies — like they already possess with respect to alcohol — cannabis must be removed from the Controlled Substances Act altogether. Doing so would affirm America’s longstanding principles of federalism and appeal to Americans’ deep-rooted desires to be free from undue government intrusion into their daily lives.
Nevertheless, as a first step forward, this federal policy change dramatically shifts the political debate surrounding cannabis. Specifically, it delegitimizes many of the tropes historically exploited by opponents of marijuana policy reform. Claims that cannabis poses unique harms to health, or that it’s not useful for treating chronic pain and other ailments, have now been rejected by the very federal agencies that formerly perpetuated them. Going forward, these specious allegations should be absent from any serious conversations surrounding legalizing and regulating cannabis. Finally, he added: “It is anticipated that reclassification will also provide tax fairness to state-licensed businesses — allowing them, for the first time, to take traditional tax deductions. This change levels the playing field and lowers these entities’ costs of doing business. This change also likely benefits cannabis consumers by resulting in lower overall prices for state-licensed retail products, further incentivizing them to abandon the underground market.”
Marijuana Policy Project Executive Director Adam J. Smith
“While MPP welcomes the President’s proposal to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, neither the plant itself nor its naturally occurring component cannabinoids belong on the schedule at all. We hope this move to Schedule III truly does open up medical research, that it inspires states to guarantee access to safe, regulated cannabinoids for patients who desperately need them, and that the regulated industry might finally be treated more fairly under the federal tax code.
But a move to Schedule III does nothing to end hundreds of thousands of possession arrests each year, nor does it do anything to fix the untenable, ongoing disconnect between federal prohibition and the regulated state markets under which more than half of American adults live. We are pleased that the President is taking this important step, but it is only a step. It is long past time to deschedule cannabis entirely and end nearly a century of failed prohibition.”
Drug Policy Alliance Executive Director Kassandra Frederique
“Americans have waited a long time for the U.S. government to acknowledge what the President said today: cannabis has medical value. But it’s important to be clear about what Schedule III does and does not do. While it may ease some research restrictions, it’s still unclear what real relief it will provide to everyday Americans who rely on cannabis to manage pain. The announcement also benefits large corporations without a clear pathway for affordable access for patients and consumers. Rescheduling does not end the harms of criminalization. Millions of Americans will still face arrest records that limit access to housing, jobs, and opportunity, leaving the long-standing impacts of cannabis criminalization in place. Americans want legalization that works: limited to adults, with accurate labeling, strong public health protections, real opportunities for small businesses and workers, and tax revenue that reinvests in communities. If people still risk arrest, eviction, or a lost job—and patients still can’t afford or legally access the medicine they rely on—this announcement does not offer enough relief for Americans.”
Doctors for Drug Policy Reform President Bryon Adinoff
“Rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III could reduce some barriers to cannabis research but would leave virtually all cannabis products illegal, except for a small number approved by the FDA as medicines. Only by descheduling cannabis can the federal government finally end criminalization and begin treating cannabis as a public health issue—through regulation that protects consumers, research that helps us better understand potential benefits and risks, and medical access for those who need it most.”
The Weldon Project’s Weldon Angelos, who received a marijuana pardon from Trump
“President Trump’s decision to reschedule cannabis is a major first step toward ending prohibition, and while more work remains, including clemency for those still incarcerated for cannabis, this is a moment worth recognizing and celebrating.”
Last Prisoner Project Director of Strategic Initiatives Jason Ortiz
“President Trump’s decision to reschedule cannabis is a historic step that reflects the will of the American people. However, moving cannabis to a lower schedule does nothing for the tens of thousands of Americans still locked behind bars for actions that are now legal in most of the country. Thankfully, President Trump has demonstrated he is willing to act boldly to correct outdated policies. By pairing rescheduling with clemency for people incarcerated for cannabis, he can cement his legacy as the leader who has done more for cannabis justice than any other president in American history.”
Parabola Center for Law and PolicyCannabis and Equity Expert Damian Fagon
“Rescheduling to Schedule III may eliminate a punitive tax penalty, but it leaves core policy failures untouched. It does not remove banking barriers, clear criminal records, or safeguard state equity programs. And without regulatory guardrails, it risks trading prohibition for monopoly as the largest corporations consolidate control while small, local businesses are squeezed out of the market. Real reform demands full decriminalization with rules that prevent excessive consolidation and ensure legalization delivers justice and opportunity to the communities harmed most by prohibition.”
Cannabis Regulators of Color Coalition Board Director of Policy Cat Packer
“The American people overwhelmingly support legalization and an end to federal marijuana criminalization. Rescheduling marijuana continues federal criminalization, regardless of state law, and falls far short of the reforms our communities need and deserve.”
American Legion National Commander Dan K. Wiley
“This is a really important executive order, and The American Legion has long advocated for this change. Cannabis being classified schedule 1 blocks large-scale, randomized clinical trials examining cannabis’ impact on PTSD, TBI, sleep disruption, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain…conditions strongly associated with veteran suicide.
Reclassification is not legalization and does not mandate use. It simply removes federal barriers to research and informed decision-making. It promotes transparency, clinician oversight, informed consent, and honest patient-provider discussions – reducing unsafe self-medication. Supporting reclassification demonstrates the Legion’s commitment to science, oversight, and saving lives through evidence-based public health policy.”
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers President Andrew Birrell
“Rescheduling cannabis is an incremental, imperfect improvement. While moving this drug from the Schedule I shadow is a small step off the cliff of cruel prohibition, it’s not the lifeline for justice we desperately need. A reclassified schedule still leaves a web of harmful criminal penalties intact, meaning the War on Drugs will continue to ensnare Americans in a failed punishment scheme. The current federal approach has demonstrably failed to enhance public safety, instead diverting taxpayer dollars to enforcement while maintaining needlessly harsh sentences.
This over-criminalization has created devastating collateral consequences—the loss of access to housing, employment, and education—for individuals and families. Crucially, the enforcement of federal cannabis law has been defined by profound racial disparities. Black Americans are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white Americans, despite comparable usage rates. Even with declining federal prosecutions for possession and trafficking, the average sentence for federal marijuana felonies remains a staggering 37 months, with 70% of those offenders having little or no criminal history.”
UFCW International President Milton Jones
“The Administration’s plan to reclassify cannabis amounts to a tax giveaway for cannabis business owners without any protections for the workers who power this industry. Similar to the Biden Administration’s plan, this effort risks creating an industry that reinforces the inequities present throughout our economy. Hundreds of thousands of cannabis workers will still face the same challenges that they do now, including the lack of access to proper job training and health and safety protections.
Reclassifying cannabis from a Schedule I to Schedule III drug ignores the needs of workers and wastes the chance to finally deliver justice for the families impacted by the War on Drugs. Cannabis must be federally decriminalized, with a regulatory framework to ensure that cannabis workers, from seed to sale, have the health, safety, and labor protections they deserve.”
National Safety Council CEO Lorraine Martin
“President Trump’s executive order to speed up cannabis rescheduling is a welcome move toward expanding much-needed safety research in this area, but to avoid adverse impacts on public safety, it must come with substantive risk mitigation. Because cannabis impairs psychomotor skills and cognitive ability, no level of cannabis use is safe or acceptable for drivers or for employees who work in safety-sensitive positions. The National Safety Council urges the Trump Administration to ensure that the positives of rescheduling cannabis do not exacerbate the already troubling statistics of impairment contributing to serious injuries and deaths in our nation’s workplaces and on our roadways.”
National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) Director of Government Relations Michelle Rutter Friberg
“Medical professionals, patients, and millions of Americans have long understood that cannabis has accepted medical use and does not belong in the same category as the most dangerous controlled substances. By taking this step, the Administration is recognizing the realities of today’s regulated markets and the work states have done to responsibly oversee them…
This is meaningful progress, but it cannot be the final word. NCIA urges lawmakers to build on today’s decision by establishing a framework that respects states’ rights, supports responsible operators, and provides clear federal enforcement guidelines in order to provide certainty to the thousands of businesses operating openly and in compliance with state law. NCIA will continue working to ensure that this industry can thrive under policies that are fair, consistent, and reflective of modern realities.”
Dutchie Chairman and CEO Tim Barash, who also serves as co-chair of the Coalition for Cannabis Scheduling Reform
“Moving cannabis to Schedule III represents a fundamental shift in how the federal government and society at large view the plant, transforming the way the cannabis industry operates. This change will empower the 425,000 people working in the US cannabis industry and bring in new talent, capital, and awareness to an industry that has a positive impact on millions of people’s lives…
One of the most immediate impacts of rescheduling is the end of the 280E tax penalty, removing a long-standing barrier to growth. This change will also bring in large institutions and services across the business and banking world, allowing this major US industry to have the same support as the rest of our economy. When federal policy catches up to reality, it changes how consumers, families, and patients think about cannabis. That matters just as much as the business impact.”
American Trade Association for Cannabis & Hemp (ATACH) President Michael Bronstein
“Today’s decision to move cannabis to Schedule III marks the most significant federal shift in cannabis policy in over 50 years. After decades of outdated policy, the federal government has finally acknowledged what we as a movement have said for a generation: that marijuana can be medicine. It opens doors to expanded medical research and helps reduce the stigma and provide for better patient outcomes. This change also brings long overdue equal tax treatment by lifting draconian tax penalties on state-legal businesses, and allowing reinvestment in local jobs and communities. Today is a celebration, but our work is not done and we will build on this momentum to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework to fully end prohibition in America.”
Cresco Labs CEO Charlie Bachtell, who also serves as chair of U.S. Cannabis Roundtable
“The U.S. Cannabis Roundtable commends President Trump and the Trump Administration for moving to reclassify cannabis as a Schedule III drug. Once completed, this shift will mark a dramatic break with the failed policies of the past. Cannabis has widely accepted medical uses and low abuse potential. It never belonged at Schedule I. After more than five decades, this untenable status quo is finally coming to an end.”
Trulieve Chief Executive Officer Kim Rivers
“This bold and historic direction from President Trump represents long overdue change and a major milestone in cannabis reform. Trulieve is grateful for the decisive action taken by the Administration that acknowledges the medical benefits of cannabis, supports licensed and regulated operators, and allows law enforcement agencies to prosecute bad actors. We are committed to supporting the Administration throughout this process.”
Scotts Miracle-Gro Company CEO Jim Hagedorn
“With 39 states already legalizing cannabis in some form, rescheduling to a lower level drug on the federal level has been long overdue. President Trump deserves credit and praise for taking this bold action, as it reflects the will of the people and sets the stage for much-needed research into the medical use of cannabis.
Just as importantly, this will help deliver a blow to the illicit cannabis market by strengthening the financial viability of the legal and regulated industry that employs over 425,000 people and contributes $100 billion to the economy.”
Curaleaf Chairman and CEO Boris Jordan
“Curaleaf thanks President Trump for acting on his commitment to move forward with cannabis reclassification and we express our deep gratitude to him for this bold move. Moving the plant from Schedule I to Schedule III acknowledges what has been known for thousands of years, that the cannabis plant has medicinal properties. This policy shift by the United States government sets a precedent for how cannabis should be viewed globally and we eagerly await Attorney General Pam Bondi’s prompt execution of President Trump’s order.”
Brian Vicente, founding partner at Vicente LLP
“This monumental change will have a massive, positive effect on thousands of state-legal cannabis businesses around the country. One dominating inequity cannabis businesses face is the inability to deduct regular business expenses, since they sell a Schedule I substance. Rescheduling releases cannabis businesses from the crippling tax burden they have been shackled with and allow these businesses to grow and prosper. We work with hundreds of licensed cannabis businesses, and the ability to deduct ordinary operating costs under the Schedule III proposal is a game-changer for them.”
Cato Institute Senior Fellow Jeffrey Singer
“This is a positive step in the right direction, but it won’t significantly change things for people who use cannabis medically or recreationally in states where it is legal. It might make it easier to conduct medical research on cannabis, and it could help state-licensed cannabis retailers cover business costs, but overall, it just rearranges the landscape of cannabis prohibition.”
Smart Approaches To Marijuana (SAM) President Kevin Sabet
“This rule, if finalized, will herald a public health disaster. It’s a full betrayal of the President’s promise to keep all Americans safe and healthy. This is a giant gift to Big Marijuana and its pushers who are now more incentivized to target children with their highly addictive products.
Thankfully, this decision does not legalize marijuana, but it gifts the industry with more than $2 billion in tax write-offs at a time when their advertising is inflicting carnage on America’s families. In reality, this is a pyrrhic victory for the industry. They have failed in their attempt to legalize their products, banking, and they were dealt a huge blow with the new law outlawing Delta-8 and other synthetic pot products. In addition, they are facing increased pressure in legalized states, with several now considering a rollback of such policies. The implications for marijuana products remain unclear, since now the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will have enforcement jurisdiction over them in a way only the Drug Enforcement Administration currently does.”
U.S. Hemp Roundtable General Counsel Jonathan Miller
“The U.S. hemp industry is deeply grateful to President Trump for issuing his strong pro-hemp Executive Order today. While the headlines of the announcement will focus on marijuana rescheduling – which is a positive in itself, for any cannabis reform benefits the entire plant – we are especially pleased to see the provisions that direct the White House staff and urge Congress to ensure access to hemp-derived, full-spectrum CBD products, a lifeblood of the industry.
We are also thrilled to see the development of a model that would allow a number of Medicare beneficiaries to receive CBD under doctor recommendation at no cost. We consider this Executive Order to be a direct rebuke to the hemp ban that was malignly attached to legislation that reopened government. This also gives strong impetus to efforts to extend the ban’s moratorium an additional 18 months to allow proper time for Congress and the Trump Administration to develop the regulatory framework that ensures the safe provision of hemp products while cracking down on the bad actors peddling the unsafe products that the Executive Order calls out. We look forward to working with the President, his staff, HHS, and Congress in the coming months to ensure the bipartisan vision of a safe, legal, and regulated hemp extract industry.”
American Trucking Associations’ Vice President of Safety Policy Brenna Lyles
“While we do not hold a formal position on marijuana legalization or deregulation, we are concerned about the safety risks of rescheduling marijuana without explicit safeguards to preserve the testing authority and technical requirements that apply to DOT-regulated, safety-sensitive workers. A safe driver is a qualified driver. And a qualified driver is drug- and alcohol-free. Motor carriers must retain reliable, enforceable tools to ensure they are not putting unqualified drivers behind the wheel.
Without clear measures to ensure DOT’s drug- and alcohol-testing program retains—and is equipped to execute—marijuana testing authority, such a federal policy shift could have serious consequences for highway safety and the integrity of the national transportation network. This risk is exacerbated by the fact that there is currently no proven, widely accepted standard to determine marijuana impairment at roadside or before a driver begins operating a vehicle, making it far more difficult to prevent impaired driving.
The stakes are not theoretical. Marijuana accounts for nearly 60 percent of all positive drug tests among commercial drivers subject to DOT testing requirements.
We appreciate the Department of Transportation’s ongoing commitment to highway safety and its work to strengthen driver qualification and enforcement standards. We urge DOT to proactively coordinate with HHS, DOJ, and Congress to ensure that any federal policy shift preserves a holistic approach to safety, one that maintains the authority, tools, and technical capacity necessary to keep impaired and unqualified drivers off our roads.”
Boxer Mike Tyson
Former NFL Player Ricky Williams, who is a co-founder of Project Champion
“For over 50 years, cannabis has been wrongly classified alongside the most dangerous substances in America. This Executive Order represents a long-overdue recognition that cannabis has legitimate medical value and that patients deserve policies grounded in science, compassion, and reality.”
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