Post Reports Wait, is weed legal now?
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Dec 22, 2025 David Ovalle, a health reporter for The Washington Post specializing in opioids and addiction, discusses the recent executive order to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to III. He clarifies the difference between rescheduling and legalization, highlighting implications for consumers, scientists, and businesses. Ovalle explores the political motivations behind the change, health concerns regarding cannabis potency, and how this shift could affect research and cannabis industries. He also touches on potential access changes for consumers and the anticipated timeline for legal processes.
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What Rescheduling Actually Means
- The Controlled Substances Act sorts drugs by abuse risk and medical value, with Schedule I the strictest category.
- Moving marijuana to Schedule III signals a major federal policy shift even if it doesn't legalize the drug.
Rescheduling Isn't Legalization
- Rescheduling won't legalize or fully decriminalize marijuana at the federal level.
- It should reduce some restrictions, especially for research and sentencing priorities, but practical effects may be limited.
This Follows A Biden Proposal
- The Biden Justice Department had already proposed rescheduling but stalled in administrative reviews.
- Trump's order largely accelerates a process the prior administration initiated.