Statement from Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency Executive Director Brian Hanna
The Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) is reviewing the president’s executive order directing federal agencies to pursue reclassification of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. While we are still assessing the details of the order, this development has the potential to move the federal marijuana policy debate forward after years of advocacy by patients, businesses, and states across the country.
Rescheduling marijuana carries important implications – but also clear limitations – for state-regulated markets. That distinction is critical for policymakers, media, and the public to understand as this process continues.
In July 2024, the CRA submitted formal comments to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration during the rescheduling rulemaking process. In those comments, we emphasized the need for federal policy to reflect the realities of state-regulated markets like Michigan’s, where hundreds of thousands of patients and adult-use consumers rely on cannabis safely and responsibly, and where a regulated industry contributes billions of dollars to the economy. We also underscored the importance of a whole-of-government approach to rescheduling, including clear guidance on implementation, oversight, banking, taxation, public safety, and research.
As our July 2024 public comment makes clear, simply changing a designation within the Controlled Substances Act – without coordinated, practical implementation – will not, on its own, resolve the challenges faced by patients, businesses, financial institutions, or state regulators. Rescheduling does not automatically align federal law with existing state cannabis programs.
We look forward to completing our review of the executive order and continuing to work with our federal partners to ensure that any change in classification is accompanied by clear guidance and thoughtful implementation that meaningfully addresses long-standing barriers – particularly in banking, research, social equity, and taxation – while preserving the authority, safety, and integrity of state-regulated systems like Michigan’s.
