A coalition of law enforcement, anti-marijuana, and religious organizations is urging President Donald Trump to reject a proposal to reclassify cannabis under federal law—a decision the administration has said will come within weeks.
The effort, led by the advocacy group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), included a letter sent to the White House on Monday. The organizations argue that moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act would undermine public safety, weaken drug enforcement, and send the wrong signal to young people.
“President Trump has an opportunity to make a stand for the safety of children across America by opposing the flawed proposal,” SAM President Kevin Sabet said in a statement. “Marijuana has not been approved for any medical use by the FDA. It is an addictive drug with a high risk of abuse, which is why it must stay in Schedule I.”
Currently, marijuana is classified alongside heroin and LSD, with no accepted medical use. The Biden administration launched a scientific review that recommended moving it to Schedule III, a category that includes substances like ketamine. Rescheduling would not legalize cannabis federally, but it would allow state-licensed businesses to take tax deductions currently barred under IRS code 280E and expand research opportunities.
The coalition—which includes the Drug Enforcement Association of Federal Narcotics Agents, Family Research Council, CADCA, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and others—warned that rescheduling could “hand dispensaries and drug dealers a massive tax break estimated at $2 billion annually.” They argued international cartels involved in state-level marijuana grows could also benefit.
The letter further claimed that rescheduling would undermine federal workplace drug testing and jeopardize road and air safety. “Rescheduling marijuana would not only ignore the science, but it would give tax breaks to corporate marijuana and traffickers, make our roads more dangerous, and send the wrong message to youth,” the groups wrote.
Trump has previously expressed openness to reclassification, along with banking reform and broader cannabis policy changes. But he has also stressed the complexity of the issue, saying, “Some people like it. Some people hate it. We’ll make a determination over the next few weeks.”
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