DEA moves medical marijuana to Schedule III, but rec weed stays in Schedule I
A final DEA rule, effective immediately, puts FDA-approved marijuana drugs and state-licensed medical marijuana in Schedule III. Adult-use cannabis waits on a separate hearing.
The feds finally moved the needle, just not all the way. On April 28, 2026, the DEA published a final rule, effective the same day, placing FDA-approved marijuana drug products in Schedule III. The rule also reaches marijuana held under a state-issued license to grow, process or sell it for medical purposes.
The rule also sets up an expedited DEA registration lane for state medical marijuana licensees and adds these products to the list of drugs that need a federal permit to import or export.
Recreational cannabis didn't make the cut. Adult-use marijuana is still Schedule I. The same day, the DEA scrapped its stalled 2024 hearing notice and announced a fresh hearing on rescheduling marijuana broadly, starting June 29, 2026.
Why it matters: State medical operators now have a federal registration path, but adult-use businesses stay stuck in Schedule I until the broader proceeding wraps up.
