Conservatives claim that marijuana will be downgraded to Schedule III drugs

When I served in my Florida home, I realized that our outdated federal policies were failing patients, veterans, and businesses, so I introduced laws that legalize marijuana. Then in Congress I continued this fight and introduced a law that made it easier for veterans to talk to doctors about cannabis-based treatments. I have always believed that marijuana law should be rooted in science, not stigma.

Today, there is a meaningful change on the horizon thanks to President Donald Trump and his leadership in helping reschedule cannabis from Schedule I drugs to Schedule III drugs.

For a long time, cannabis has been classified along with heroin and LSD. This is a substance that is unacceptable for medical use and is likely to be abused. This classification severely hindered research, blocked access to patients, including millions of veterans, and placed a burden on legal businesses with unnecessary regulations. Moving cannabis to Schedule III is a step in the right direction. It recognizes its medical benefits, eases restrictions on scientific research, and allows cannabis companies to operate in a more level playing field by eliminating unfair tax burdens.

One group that is expected to benefit significantly from this policy shift is our country’s veterans. Many of our brave service members return home with debilitating conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain, and traumatic brain damage. Unfortunately, current federal restrictions prevent the Department of Veterans from fully exploring cannabis-based treatments as an option for these heroes. Rescheduled cannabis opens the door for more research and gives veterans access to safe and effective treatments that can improve quality of life.

If cannabis is not scheduled, scientists will need to obtain special licenses to conduct research and continue navigating unnecessary hurdles, such as procuring cannabis from a limited number of suppliers.

Additionally, by moving cannabis to Schedule III, we eliminate these excess tax burdens, allowing legal operators to thrive, increasing investments for patients and veterans and access to cannabis.

Trump has long been a champion who has survived the bureaucratic deficit, and his support to reschedule marijuana is another example of his commitment to commonsense reform. In support of this move, he is standing up for patients, small businesses, especially our veterans. It is important that our federal agencies follow this effort and ultimately align federal cannabis policy with the will of the American people.

Rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III will not solve all the issues overnight, but it is a necessary step in the right direction. This is an important move to support entrepreneurs who millions of Americans relying on cannabis for bailouts, veterans who deserve better treatment options, working to build responsible industries. Let’s do this and continue our fight for complete cannabis reform.

Matt Getz is a Republican and a former member of Congress who represented Florida’s First District from 2017 to 2023. He previously served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 to 2016.