As more details of the Trump administration’s fiscal plans for the year ahead come to light, so do more thinly veiled attacks on cannabis, this time the ongoing cannabis rescheduling process.
Marijuana Moment reports that the House Appropriations Committee has called for a review of the Biden administration’s cannabis rescheduling recommendation, raising concerns about changes to the review process and the risks associated with high-potency cannabis products.
The language appears in the House Appropriations Committee’s report on the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, one of 12 annual spending bills currently moving through Congress. The bill was advanced by the relevant subcommittee last week and is set to be considered by the full committee this week.
Lawmakers have asked the Department of Health and Human Services’ Inspector General to examine potential deviations from established drug scheduling standards in the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) 2023 review of cannabis, which recommended moving it from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act.
The committee also cited concerns over the mental health impacts of high-potency cannabis, particularly among young people, and called for further FDA research into its effects.
In addition, members highlighted the growing market for cannabis products that fall outside existing federal regulations. Lawmakers urged the FDA to step up enforcement against non-compliant products and to establish clear guidelines for hemp-derived cannabinoids, including acceptable THC levels and safety standards.
As Business of Cannabis reported earlier this week, the spending bill will also remove protections for state medical cannabis programmes.
This is set to dramatically destabilise the medical cannabis industry as without the so-callled Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment the DOJ would regain full authority to prosecute individuals and businesses, even if they fully comply with state law.
This would expose medical cannabis providers to criminal charges, asset forfeiture, and banking restrictions, potentially forcing many legitimate businesses to close or operate underground.
The spending bill also calls for greater research into the potential therapeutic use of psychedelics, and for further federal support to bolster the US hemp fibre industry.
The House’s FY 2026 appropriations process remains in its early stages, with the agriculture spending bill expected to progress to a full House vote in the coming weeks. It could ultimately be packaged into a broader omnibus spending measure later this year.
