Will marijuana be reclassified as a Schedule III drug? What change means for Kentucky.

As Kentucky heads towards legalization of medical marijuana in 2025, the U.S. Drug and Enforcement Agency (DEA) is debating rescheduling marijuana as a less dangerous substance.

Marijuana has been classified as a Schedule I drug since the 1970s, falling into the same category as substances like heroin, MDMA or Ecstasy. While reclassification to a lesser schedule wouldn't make cannabis federally legal, it would put the substance at the same level as Tylenol with codeine, ketamine or testosterone.

As such, it would still be a controlled substance that’s subject to federal rules and regulations. More importantly, rescheduling does not decriminalize marijuana or make it legal for recreational use on the federal level.

Adam Terry, CEO and Co-Founder of Cantrip, offers some more insight into the implications: "Rescheduling won't legalize cannabis or let a doctor prescribe it, but it will allow existing marijuana companies to be taxed like any other business — essentially a huge investment in the overall sector by the government by way of tax relief.”

Federal rescheduling would not suddenly make state marijuana programs legal under federal law. State-licensed marijuana businesses would still be considered illegal under federal law but these businesses would face reduced penalties in the event of federal enforcement. While rescheduling would not provide a full legalization safe zone, it would certainly be better than how it is now.

Photo credit to Rolling Stone

Rescheduling marijuana also will allow valuable research to be conducted.

Schedule I status implies that marijuana has no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, severely restricting research and medical applications. Therefore, very little research can be done on marijuan and most of the evidence we rely on currently is entirely anecdotal. Rescheduling would facilitate more research into marijuana's potential medical benefits and risks. Scientists could conduct clinical trials to explore its efficacy in treating various conditions, from chronic pain to epilepsy. This could lead to a better understanding of its therapeutic properties and potential applications in treating a number of medical conditions such as chronic pain, epilepsy, cancer, and PTSD.

The next step in the rescheduling process is for the White House Office of Management and Budget, to review the rule. If approved, it would go to public comment before potentially being finalized.

While rescheduling marijuana would not drastically change what’s happening in Kentucky, it is certainly a step in the right direction when it comes to marijuana legalization.