The Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration announced an order immediately placing FDA-approved marijuana products and state-licensed medicinal marijuana into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, while launching an expedited administrative hearing to consider broader rescheduling.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche issued the order under his authority to carry out U.S. obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, a move that aligns with President Trump’s December 18, 2025, Executive Order on Increasing Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research.
The new classification recognizes the longstanding regulation of medical marijuana by state governments and aims to expand access to approved therapies while maintaining strict federal controls against illicit drug trafficking.
DEA Administrator Terry Cole stated that the agency is expeditiously moving forward with an administrative hearing process to bring consistency and oversight to an area that has lacked both, while law enforcement remains committed to fighting drug cartels, the fentanyl epidemic, and protecting American lives.
The Department also announced procedural updates to accelerate the ongoing rulemaking process required to fully remove marijuana from Schedule I. The DEA is withdrawing a prior notice of hearing published on August 29, 2024, and terminating those proceedings to move more efficiently toward the completion of marijuana’s complete redesignation.
A new administrative hearing regarding the proposed rescheduling of marijuana will begin on June 29, 2026. A new notice of hearing is being published in the Federal Register to govern these proceedings and facilitate a timely resolution.