Politics

Consumers will save money if cannabis moves to Schedule III

Published on August 31, 2023

A decision by the federal government could put money back in your pocket, and make legal cannabis businesses more competitive. So keep hammering your elected officials on rescheduling marijuana this fall.

Those are the two biggest takeaways from this week’s news that the US Department of Health and Human Services has recommended to the Drug Enforcement Administration that cannabis be downgraded from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug, under the Controlled Substances Act.

Cannabis attorney Lauren Mendelsohn at Omar Figueroa Law in Sebastopol, CA joins Leafly News Senior Editor David Downs to talk through the news and its implications.

Beyond saving businesses and consumers a bundle on onerous taxes—moving cannabis to Schedule III would likely multiply the amount of cannabis research and cannabinoid drugs in the world.

Listen along to understand what consumers and licensees should do about this news, as well as better understand drug scheduling and the politics of reform.

Shop highly rated dispensaries near you

Showing you dispensaries near
See all dispensaries
David Downs
David Downs
Leafly Senior Editor David Downs is the former Cannabis Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. He's appeared on The Today Show, and written for Scientific American, The New York Times, WIRED, Rolling Stone, The Onion A/V Club, High Times, and many more outlets. He is a 2023 judge for The Emerald Cup, and has covered weed since 2009.
View David Downs's articles
Get good reads, local deals, and strain spotlights delivered right to your inbox.

By providing us with your email address, you agree to Leafly's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.