Yesterday, President Trump issued an Executive Order directing completion of the rulemaking process started under the Biden Administration to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act “in the most expeditious manner in accordance with Federal Law.” While this is a significant policy shift that should be widely recognized, the Order largely advances an already-pending process and does not, on its own, immediately resolve many core legal and regulatory barriers facing patients, providers, or the cannabis industry. The Order follows years of federal review acknowledging credible scientific support for medical uses of marijuana, including treatment of epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, intractable pain, including from migraines, cancer, degenerative disc disease, central pain syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis, anorexia related to certain medical conditions, and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. This Order does not itself complete the process of...
