The federal government’s reclassification of medical marijuana products as Schedule III drugs doesn’t federally legalize marijuana. We demystify that and 3 other marijuana misconceptions.
The federal government’s reclassification of medical marijuana products as Schedule III drugs doesn’t federally legalize marijuana, but it might extend tax breaks to some cannabis businesses.
Driving while under the influence of marijuana is illegal; studies show marijuana use impairs a person’s driving. The federal government has changed its view of marijuana’s dependence and abuse risks, causing some confusion about what that means for Americans.drug with no accepted medical use and high potential for abuse. Marijuana will now be regulated alongside drugs considered to have legitimate medical applications such as Tylenol with codeine and anabolic steroids.drugs on April 23.
Although the change signals a major shift in federal policy, its practical effects are more subtle. Most states have already adjusted their own laws to provide wider access to marijuana. Forty states, three territories and the District of Columbiamedical cannabis products as of June 2025. And 24 states, three territories and D.C. allow or regulate non-medical cannabis uses.
But the news might have reinforced some already prevalent fallacies about marijuana.
"One of the most common misconceptions is that marijuana is ‘completely safe’ simply because it’s natural or legal," said Andrew Yockey, a University of Mississippi public health professor. "In reality, research shows it has a mixed risk profile. " Here are the facts behind four other misconceptions about marijuana and the new federal drug reclassification:, businesses that sell and distribute Schedule I and II drugs cannot deduct standard business expenses.
The new order makes medical marijuana businesses eligible for such deductions and could enable them to getthat researchers studying sanctioned medical marijuana products will not be in violation of federal law. Previously, researchers were limited to researching marijuana obtained through official channels, which some scientistsof the marijuana sold in dispensaries.
Risk-averse researchers may now feel more comfortable studying the cannabis products that are in popular use, said Beau Kilmer, co-director of RAND’s Drug Policy Research Center.of marijuana users have cannabis use disorder. In 2024, rates of substance use disorder involving marijuana in the United States wereMultiple factors can increase a person’s risk of developing cannabis use disorder including frequent cannabis use, using from a young age, smoking tobacco, a family history of substance use disorder and mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression.
Some research also signals that specific genetic factors can play a role.chemicals linked to cancer and respiratory diseases. It carries respiratory risks — even without the clear, consistent and direct association with long-term health risks that stem from smoking tobacco cigarettes.found people who smoke only marijuana had smoke-related toxic chemicals in their blood plasma and urine, though those chemicals were atalso found that compared with people who smoke only tobacco cigarettes, cannabis- and tobacco cigarette-smokers were exposed to higher levels of harmful chemicals.that drivers who tested positive for cannabis were almost twice as likely to have been responsible for a fatal collision compared to drivers without cannabis in their system.
Marijuana’s exact role in crashes is difficult to quantify, however, because blood tests canEmail interview with Andrew Yockey, a public health professor at The University of Mississippi, April 23, 2026 Email interview with Shaleen Title, president of the Parabola Center for Law and Policy, April 23, 2026 Email interview with Matt Springer, professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco, April 23, 2026Interview with Douglas Berman, Ohio State law professor and director of the Ohio State University’s Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, April 24, 2026 Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health What is the prevalence and risk of cannabis use disorders among people who use cannabis? a systematic review and meta-analysis Risk factors for cannabis use disorders and cannabis psychosis in Japan: Second report of a survey on cannabis‐related health problems among community cannabis users using social networking services Prevalence and Correlates of DSM-5 Cannabis Use Disorder, 2012-2013: Findings from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions–III Probability and Correlates of Dependence Among Regular Users of Alcohol, Nicotine, Cannabis, and Cocaine: Concurrent and Prospective Analyses of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions Acrolein and other toxicant exposures in relation to cardiovascular disease among marijuana and tobacco smokers in a longitudinal cohort of HIV-positive and negative adults - eClinicalMedicine Justice Department Places FDA-Approved Marijuana Products and Products Containing Marijuana Subject to a Qualifying State-issued License in Schedule III, Strengthening Medical Research While Maintaining Strict Federal Controls Schedules of Controlled Substances: Rescheduling of Food and Drug Administration Approved Products Containing Marijuana and Products Containing Marijuana Subjects to a Qualifying State-issued License From Schedule I to Schedule III; Corresponding Change to Permit Requirements Federally Approved Research Marijuana Is 'Very Similar' To What's On Commercial Markets, Study Says, But Other Scientists Aren't So Sure Drugged driving – including under the influence of cannabis and prescription drugs – is quietly becoming one of the most dangerous road hazards SAM Survey on"Drugs and Fatal Accidents": Search of Substances Consumed and Comparison between Drivers Involved under the Influence of Alcohol or Cannabis “No están recibiendo el entrenamiento tradicional de cinco meses… .
El entrenamiento para los agentes de ICE ahora es de 47 días”. There was not “a single, prominent conservative voice in the country that even remotely wanted or hoped or was pushing to get Jimmy Kimmel taken off the air. ” Imagen muestra que “950 inmigrantes derrumbaron el muro fronterizo entre México y Estados Unidos intentando ingresar a Estados Unidos” en abril 2026.
“As a result of the 'Big Beautiful Bill' 15 million Americans have been thrown off the healthcare that they need. "“Tras el atentado a Trump”, en la cena de corresponsales de la Casa Blanca el 25 de abril, “Irán lanza un mensaje fuerte: ‘no le crean nada, miente’”. U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds voted"against three pay raises for military service members, including the largest pay raise for the military in 22 years.
""There's two ways of calculating percentage" decreases. “If you have a $600 drug and you reduce it to $10, that's a 600% reduction. "
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