06/13/2026
Cannabis is no longer classified in the same category as he**in.
After more than half a century, the federal government has reclassified state-licensed medical ma*****na from Schedule I to Schedule III, removing it from the same category as he**in and L*D.
It's one of the biggest changes to U.S. cannabis policy in decades.
Since 1970, ma*****na has been classified as a Schedule I substance, a category reserved for drugs considered to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.
That classification increasingly clashed with reality.
Today, 40 states operate medical ma*****na programs, and millions of Americans legally use cannabis products under state law. Researchers, doctors, and lawmakers have long argued that treating ma*****na the same way as he**in no longer reflected the available evidence.
The new classification doesn't make ma*****na federally legal. Recreational cannabis remains illegal under federal law, and interstate cannabis sales are still prohibited.
But the change has major practical consequences.
State-licensed medical ma*****na businesses will face fewer restrictions and gain access to significant federal tax relief. Researchers will also encounter fewer barriers when studying cannabis, potentially leading to better evidence about both its benefits and risks.
Scientists are still working to answer many important questions about ma*****na. Studies have suggested cannabis may help with chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea, and appetite loss associated with certain illnesses. Other research has raised concerns about heavy use, addiction risk, impaired driving, and potential effects on developing brains.
Supporters call the move a long-overdue correction. Critics argue it could send the wrong message about the risks associated with ma*****na use.
Learn more:
"Cannabis reclassification could 'open the floodgates' for research, scientists say." NBC News