Cannabis Laws
by State

Marijuana is partially Schedule III as of April 2026 — but most cannabis remains federally illegal

On April 23, 2026, the Department of Justice issued a final order (effective April 28, 2026) moving FDA-approved marijuana products and marijuana produced under state-issued medical licenses from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, easing some controls while maintaining strict federal oversight. Adult-use (recreational) marijuana and any marijuana outside a state medical-licensing program remains in Schedule I and federally illegal. The order, prompted by a December 2025 executive order, also directed the DEA to hold an expedited administrative hearing — set to begin June 29, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia — to consider whether marijuana more broadly should be rescheduled to Schedule III. Even under Schedule III, marijuana would remain a controlled substance and most state-legal commercial cannabis activity would still conflict with federal law.