Earlier this year, the federal government announced its intentions to pursue cannabis rescheduling under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), i.e., the proposal to move “marijuana” from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act via a rulemaking process.

If you’ve been reading news and wondering “did cannabis get rescheduled?” or “when will cannabis be rescheduled?”, you’re at the right place. We’re here to answer these and numerous other questions regarding cannabis rescheduling to help you understand what’s been proposed and what’s been changed. We’ll dive into what rescheduling actually means, what the federal government has proposed so far, and what it could mean for cannabis consumers like you, especially in a state-legal market.

At RISE, we’re committed to keeping our customers informed about the ever-evolving policies without any hype or speculation. We want you to know that no matter what happens with the federal government, we’re committed to safe, legal, and regulated access to cannabis products sold through licensed dispensaries.

The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) is the federal framework that organizes certain drugs into five schedules (Schedule I through Schedule V). A substance’s schedule affects how it’s regulated at the federal level, including how it can be studied, what restrictions apply, and how federal agencies treat it.

In this regard, cannabis rescheduling is simply the federal government considering a change to the “marijuana” schedule within the CSA. Currently, marijuana is a Schedule I substance under federal law (the crazy part is that it’s the same as heroin and LSD). The change being considered would reschedule it to Schedule III, which is a change that is currently under review through a formal rulemaking process.

This is also where many news headlines muddy the waters between two different things: rescheduling and descheduling.

Rescheduling means that cannabis stays within the CSA scheduling system—it is still a controlled substance under federal law, but it is now a different schedule. Descheduling, on the other hand, means that cannabis is no longer part of the CSA schedules at all. This is a different legal status with a different process and different implications than a Schedule I to Schedule III change.

And one thing that is most relevant to the average consumer: even if the federal government does make a change to the schedule, state cannabis laws are not automatically changed along with it.

A large component of this is that this is not a sudden change—it is the culmination of a formal review process that has been in the works for a bit of a time.

In October 2022, the White House asked federal agencies to conduct a new review of the scheduling of marijuana under the CSA. This began a process that followed the normal course: scientific and medical assessment first, followed by regulatory assessment and rulemaking.

Scientific and medical evaluations

The scheduling of drugs under the CSA is related to certain criteria.

As part of this process, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the FDA, performed what is often referred to as an eight-factor analysis (the criteria set forth in the CSA for assessing a drug’s abuse potential, health risks, dependence liability, and other key factors).

HHS ultimately has recommended rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III, and this is reflected in the publicly available documentation as being based on HHS/FDA’s analysis of the drug under the CSA criteria, with agreement from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Federal agency assessments and the rulemaking process

After HHS completes its scientific/medical evaluation, it is up to the DEA to make its scheduling decision, which is part of the formal administrative process. In May 2024, DOJ/DEA published a proposed rule that will move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. This is where the standard rulemaking track begins, which includes public comment and additional administrative review before any decision can be made.

In other words: The government is in a process that has certain steps, and until that process is complete, questions like “has cannabis been rescheduled?” still have the same answer: A proposal is on the table, and final action will depend on completing that process.

Changing state-level legal frameworks (the “real-world context” lane)

At the same time, cannabis isn’t operating in a vacuum. There are many states with some form of medical program, as well as some with adult-use programs. There are many practical implications, particularly with research, regulatory consistency, and the relationship between federal law and state-legal systems. The summaries provided by Congressional Research Service (CRS) consistently highlight that the U.S. is working with a state-by-state cannabis system, while marijuana remains federally controlled, and this is part of what makes federal scheduling decisions so impactful (and so closely watched).

Rescheduling is a federal classification change, not a full rewrite of U.S. cannabis policy. However, changing the classification of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III may have some significant implications for the regulated cannabis industry in the United States. Here’s what’s most likely to matter, and what won’t change just because the schedule does.

Potential impacts on the cannabis industry

• Federal research opportunities

  • The Schedule I classification has historically been a significant point of contention for cannabis research in the U.S. Not because it makes research “impossible,” but because it makes it more difficult to accomplish on a larger scale: more hurdles, more red tape, more paperwork than would be required for Schedule III research. This is why the federal government has tied the rescheduling of cannabis to a larger effort to increase medical marijuana and cannabidiol research. If marijuana is rescheduled to Schedule III, it is expected that the rules for conducting research will be less onerous than under Schedule I—possibly making it easier for universities, hospitals, and other qualified researchers to conduct cannabis and cannabinoid research under federal law.

  • What this means for you: Don’t expect the shopping experience to change overnight, but ultimately, easier research could translate to better data, better product performance standards, and better public information about cannabis and cannabinoids.

  • Tax treatment for licensed operators (280E)

  • This is one of the most talked-about effects, and that’s because it’s such a tangible one. The current state of the Internal Revenue Code, Section 280E, prohibits standard business deductions for businesses that are “trafficking” Schedule I or II controlled substances. In other words, many state-legal cannabis businesses cannot deduct standard business expenses like other industries can, due to the fact that marijuana remains Schedule I. If marijuana were moved to Schedule III, the CRS indicates that 280E would no longer apply to marijuana businesses, as 280E specifically refers to Schedule I and II substances.

  • What this means for you: If there is a reduction in the tax penalty, this could, in theory, impact pricing, investment in stores and staff, and the amount of money that can be reinvested in the system, but this won’t necessarily flip a switch the day that the rules change.

  • Long-term regulatory clarity (with a big asterisk)

  • A rescheduling to Schedule III would be a big indicator that the federal policy is changing—but it is not the same as federal legalization, and it does not necessarily establish a nationwide set of regulations for state-legal markets. The CRS is quite direct about how the practical and legal implications are dependent on how the DOJ/DEA proceed and what the final outcome is. Therefore, while rescheduling might help clarify some issues (research and taxes are the two most obvious areas), it will not necessarily solve the problem of the federal law not aligning with state-legal cannabis systems.

  • What this means for you: Even with the rescheduling, the rules that you’re subject to as a citizen come from the state program that you’re in, and what you can buy, where you can buy it, and how it’s regulated won’t suddenly become “national.” The biggest thing that this means is more federal guidance, but not necessarily more freedom for the consumer.

What does not immediately change

Here’s the part of the process that often gets glossed over:

• Cannabis programs in the states don’t simply change overnight. Just because the federal scheduling has changed, it doesn’t mean the rules the states operate under to license, comply, test, and retail will change.

• Where the consumer can go to buy cannabis doesn’t suddenly expand. Rescheduling doesn’t mean a federally legal retail market has opened. State rules still dictate where it’s legal to sell it.

• Eligibility requirements and product access remain state-driven. Age requirements, medical patient rules, purchase limits, and program-specific access don’t update automatically because a federal schedule changes.

So if you’re watching this process and thinking, “Okay, but what changes for me?”—the short answer is: any immediate change is far more likely to show up behind the scenes than at the dispensary counter.

If you are a regular cannabis user in a state where cannabis is legal, the first thing that you need to understand is that your access to cannabis on a day-to-day basis does not depend on federal scheduling news headlines. Even in a major cannabis rescheduling update, the legal sales, the purchase limits, and the program regulations come from the state law, not from the CSA schedule.

What that means in practice:

1. Your legal access is still state-governed.  Rescheduling is a federal classification change. It does not, by itself, instantly rewrite state cannabis programs or immediately change where cannabis can be sold, who can buy it, or what the purchase requirements are. Your state’s system is still the authority for the rules surrounding medical and adult-use markets.

2. The products you buy at RISE don’t become “less regulated” because federal policy is being reviewed.  When you buy from RISE, you’re buying from a licensed dispensary and following the rules set by the state in which you reside. That includes testing, labeling, and compliance requirements, which remain in effect until changed by the state, regardless of federal rulemaking.

3. Expect questions, confusion, and misinformation—especially around timing.  You’ll see a lot of chatter online about when has cannabis been rescheduled, or when is cannabis going to be rescheduled, as if it’s a specific event with a specific date and time. The truth is, it’s a rulemaking process with specific steps to complete. Until those steps are complete, “proposed” is not the same as “final.”

Bottom line: for consumers, the safest way to stay compliant is to treat your state’s rules as the source of truth and rely on licensed dispensaries for accurate, current guidance, not social media summaries or secondhand takes.

Headlines about policy can blow by faster than actual rules and regulations. That’s why we keep our focus firmly fixed on what doesn’t change: compliance, product oversight, and information you can actually use.

What we prioritize at RISE

• State-regulated, lab-tested products: We operate within state cannabis programs, meaning our products are part of a regulated environment with established standards for safety and quality control, including lab testing requirements. We’re not using regulated as a marketing buzzword; it’s what we expect as a bare minimum.

• Clear labeling and cannabinoid information: We put a lot of emphasis on labeling and cannabinoid information because that’s what helps you make informed decisions. You shouldn’t have to guess what you’re getting or rely on marketing fluff words to understand the basics.

• Education and guidance from our knowledgeable staff: Sometimes, rules change and news gets loud. The most important information we can offer is what doesn’t change: what’s legal in your state, what’s really changed (if anything), and what hasn’t. We’re here to help you make sense of what you need to know.

The goal is simple: we want to be a steady resource during policy changes so you can shop with confidence in a regulated environment, even when the conversation feels uncertain.

What Can You Shop?

Flower

Cannabis flower is the easiest category, but it is still highly structured in regulated markets. Products are packaged and labeled for retail sale with required information (such as cannabinoid levels and other state-mandated information), and they are sold in measured quantities based on state purchase limits. In many states, flower products also include batch documentation that can be traced back to a specific harvest and test result.

Edibles

Edibles are usually where you’ll see the tightest rules around serving size and total package limits, along with detailed labeling requirements. Packaging requirements are generally more stringent in edibles as well, such as child-resistant packaging, clearer unit counts, and limitations on how a product is represented. The issue isn’t necessarily that edibles are “strong” or “mild” – it’s simply that they have more standardized dosing information available.

Vapes

Vape products are often regulated around things like product type (cartridge/disposable), ingredient disclosures, and labeling requirements that help consumers understand what’s in the formulation. There may also be state guidelines for how a vape product is tested and how it must be packaged to be sold to the retail level, including identifiers to help track the product through the legal channels.

Topicals

Topicals tend to come with their own labeling expectations—especially around how the product is intended to be used (external use), how it’s packaged, and what cannabinoid information must be displayed. Like other categories, they’re subject to state rules for manufacturing, testing, and retail compliance, even though the use case is different.

What this means for you: No matter which category you choose, you’re shopping within a system that’s been created to help ensure that you’re making informed decisions based on factual data, not guesswork.

Rescheduling is still in the federal process. It's not something that's decided overnight. The current proposal to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III has been in the formal rulemaking pipeline since the DOJ/DEA published the proposed rule in May 2024. It's difficult to give any kind of timeline and feel confident about it. Even after the proposal is published, there are steps that have to occur before a final decision is made. The federal actions we've seen most recently, such as the executive order in December 2025 to expedite the process, don't change the steps that still have to occur.

The cannabis space in America is still in a state of change, and this rescheduling of cannabis is a part of a much broader ongoing shift. Because the process is still unfolding, it’s too early to draw firm conclusions but it is worth staying up to date as policies continue to develop.

And this is where we come in. Our goal at RISE is to help you, and we’re here to provide you with accurate and factual information, and a way to get safe and legal access to cannabis through licensed dispensaries in a state of compliance.

No matter what happens with this federal process, our commitment to quality, transparency, and compliance remains the same.