Marijuana Reclassified Schedule III 2026: What AG Blanche's Order Actually Means

# Marijuana Reclassified Schedule III 2026: What AG Blanche's Order Actually Means

> **Quick answer:** Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order on April 23, 2026 moving state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act — the same category as ketamine and testosterone. The shift does NOT legalize marijuana federally or for recreational use. It DOES eliminate crushing tax burdens under Section 280E, ease research restrictions, and send cannabis stocks surging double digits. This is the most consequential federal cannabis policy change in more than 50 years.

Marijuana reclassified Schedule III 2026 — this morning's order from AG Todd Blanche marks a historic inflection point in U.S. drug policy, and the legal and financial consequences are already rippling through the cannabis industry. But before you assume this means weed is now federally legal, read the fine print. The gap between "less scheduled" and "legal" is larger than most headlines suggest.

Here is exactly what changed, what did not, and what it means for cannabis businesses, investors, researchers, and consumers.

## What AG Blanche's Order Actually Says

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed the reclassification order on April 23, 2026, moving state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I — the most restrictive federal drug classification, shared with heroin and MDMA — down to Schedule III, a category that includes ketamine, anabolic steroids, and Tylenol with codeine.