Trump’s Schedule III Govt Order: A Loss Dressed Up as a Win
So Trump is allegedly about to signal an government order rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III, and we’re alleged to rejoice this as some form of victory for hashish reform. Let me be crystal clear: this is not a win for anybody besides Massive Pharma and the huge hashish companies which were lobbying for this actual final result for years.
This has been within the talks for months. Trump mentioned it with Home Speaker Mike Johnson again in December. The Biden administration spent years setting this up by way of the DOJ and HHS suggestions. And now Trump goes to slap his identify on it, declare victory for “the largest hashish reform in historical past,” and his supporters will cheer whereas the remainder of us get screwed over.
That is basic Trump—the swamp factor claiming to empty the swamp. And if you cannot see by way of this con, you are not paying consideration.
What Schedule III Truly Means (Spoiler: Not A lot)
Let’s break down what transferring hashish to Schedule III truly does for normal individuals, small companies, and sufferers. The reply? Virtually nothing optimistic, and probably quite a bit destructive.
What Schedule III Does not Do:
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It does not legalize hashish federally
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It does not mean you can legally possess or eat hashish underneath federal legislation
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It does not cease federal legislation enforcement from prosecuting you
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It does not resolve banking points for many hashish companies
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It does not expunge the information of the tens of millions arrested for hashish offenses
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It does not enable interstate commerce
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It does not take away hashish from the Managed Substances Act
What Schedule III Does Do:
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Removes IRS Code 280E, giving huge tax breaks to giant hashish companies
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Requires FDA approval for hashish merchandise (hi there, Massive Pharma!)
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Topics dispensaries and growers to the Meals, Drug, and Beauty Act
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Creates new federal crimes together with promoting pharmaceuticals and not using a license, misbranding, and unlawful distribution
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Successfully fingers the hashish market to pharmaceutical corporations whereas crushing small operators
Discover who advantages right here? Giant companies with the sources to navigate FDA approval processes and pharmaceutical corporations that may synthesize THC and get it permitted as drugs. Discover who will get screwed? Everybody else.
This Is Massive Pharma’s Want Come True
Josh Kesselman, writer of Excessive Occasions and founding father of RAW Rolling Papers, put it completely: “I, amongst others within the trade, are very involved that Trump’s information of rescheduling is a false flag.”
He is proper to be involved. Transferring THC to Schedule III permits pharmaceutical corporations to dominate the market with artificial THC merchandise whereas subjecting each dispensary and grower to enforcement underneath the Meals, Drug, and Beauty Act. Out of the blue, promoting hashish with out FDA approval turns into a federal crime. Mislabeling efficiency? Federal crime. Distribution with out correct licensing? Federal crime.
Chris Fontes, Founder and CEO of Excessive Spirits, confirmed what many people have been warning about: most hashish companies can be unable to legally function in a Schedule III framework with out FDA approval and licensure. And who has the sources to get FDA approval? Massive Pharma and big hashish companies. Who does not? The mom-and-pop dispensaries, craft growers, and small companies that constructed this trade from the bottom up.
This is not reform. This can be a company takeover disguised as progress.
The Tax Break That Solely Helps Massive Gamers
Sure, Schedule III removes the burden of IRS Code 280E, which at the moment prevents hashish companies from deducting normal working bills. Some companies are paying efficient tax charges as excessive as 80% due to this rule. That is genuinely crushing for smaller operators.
However here is the factor: the companies struggling most underneath 280E are those that will not survive the transition to Schedule III. Small dispensaries and growers which are barely hanging on now will not have the sources to fulfill pharmaceutical-grade requirements, get FDA approval, or navigate the brand new regulatory framework.
The tax aid goes to those that can afford to adjust to the brand new system—huge companies that have already got authorized groups, compliance departments, and the capital to fulfill pharma-grade requirements. For everybody else, that is only a totally different method to get crushed.
Small Companies and Social Fairness Get Crushed Once more
Harrison Bard, CEO of Customized Cones USA, nailed it: “Rescheduling will additional stack the chances towards small operators.”
The social fairness applications that states have tried to implement to assist communities harmed by the Battle on Medication? They’re about to turn into much more meaningless. How is somebody from a neighborhood destroyed by hashish prohibition alleged to compete in a market that requires FDA approval, pharma-grade services, and tens of millions in compliance prices?
They can not. That is the purpose.
Schedule III ensures that the hashish market appears to be like like each different pharmaceutical market: dominated by a handful of huge companies, closely regulated, costly for customers, and fully inaccessible to small entrepreneurs. The individuals who constructed this trade within the shadows whereas risking their freedom? They’re about to be priced out by the identical companies that fought towards legalization till they realized they might revenue from it.
The Hemp Market Contradiction
This is the place the hypocrisy will get much more blatant. Whereas Trump is allegedly transferring to reschedule marijuana to Schedule III, his administration simply signed off on a ban of hemp-derived THC merchandise set to take impact in 2026.
Joe Gerrity, CEO of Crescent Canna, identified the plain: “With hemp THC merchandise set to be successfully banned subsequent yr with out new laws, loosening marijuana restrictions whereas eliminating hemp is totally illogical.”
Until, in fact, the logic is to funnel the whole THC market by way of pharmaceutical channels the place Massive Pharma can management it. Then it makes excellent sense. Ban the hemp merchandise that anybody could make. Require FDA approval for marijuana merchandise that solely huge companies can afford to get permitted. Consolidate the whole market underneath pharmaceutical management.
It isn’t illogical—it is corrupt.
Trump Defending His Donors, Not the Individuals
Let’s be trustworthy about what’s occurring right here. Trump’s base is essentially anti-cannabis. He is aware of this. However the majority of Individuals—throughout social gathering strains—help full legalization. Ballot after ballot confirms this. We’re speaking 70%+ help for authorized hashish.
So what does Trump do? He picks the choice that advantages his donors—the huge companies and pharmaceutical corporations that may afford to play the regulatory recreation—whereas throwing a bone to his base by not “totally legalizing weed.”
That is Trump displaying precisely the place his allegiances lie, and spoiler alert: it is not with you. It is with the company pursuits that funded his marketing campaign and can fund his future political endeavors. He is defending Massive Pharma’s capacity to manage the hashish market, defending huge hashish companies that may afford to conform, and screwing everybody else.
The person who campaigned on draining the swamp simply handed the hashish trade over to the swamp creatures.
This Is not Trump’s Win—It is Biden’s
Let’s give credit score the place it is due: this Schedule III proposal was Biden’s doing. The Division of Well being and Human Companies really useful Schedule III throughout Biden’s administration. The DOJ underneath Biden moved the method ahead. Biden arrange each piece of this puzzle.
Trump is simply signing his identify to it and claiming victory. An actual Trump win would have been full descheduling—eradicating hashish from the Managed Substances Act totally and treating it like alcohol or tobacco. That will have been daring. That will have been precise reform. That will have benefited everybody, not simply company pursuits.
However Trump did not try this as a result of it is tougher, extra controversial, and would possibly upset a few of his base. As a substitute, he is taking the simple path that Biden already paved, slapping his identify on it, and hoping his supporters are too dumb to note they’re getting conned.
What Actual Reform Would Look Like
If Trump truly cared about hashish reform and the need of the American individuals, here is what he would do:
Deschedule hashish totally – Take away it from the Managed Substances Act. Deal with it like alcohol or tobacco—regulated however authorized.
Expunge all federal hashish convictions – Not simply pardon them, expunge them. Clear the information of everybody whose life was destroyed by the Battle on Medication.
Enable interstate commerce – Let state-legal companies function throughout state strains with out federal interference.
Set up cheap federal rules – Create a framework that prioritizes security with out requiring pharmaceutical-grade requirements that solely huge companies can meet.
Defend small companies and social fairness – Implement actual applications to assist communities harmed by prohibition take part within the authorized market.
Open banking and monetary providers – Enable hashish companies to entry regular banking, insurance coverage, and monetary providers.
That will be reform. That will be value celebrating. That will present that Trump cares in regards to the will of the individuals over the pursuits of company donors.
However that is not what we’re getting. We’re getting Schedule III—a half-measure that maintains prohibition whereas handing management to Massive Pharma and crushing small operators.
The Sticky Backside Line
Trump’s alleged transfer to reschedule marijuana to Schedule III is not a victory. It is a con. It is a method to declare he did one thing historic whereas truly sustaining the established order and handing the hashish market to pharmaceutical corporations and big companies.
That is the swamp factor claiming to empty the swamp. That is Trump defending his donors over the individuals. This can be a loss dressed up as a win, and should you’re celebrating it, you are lacking what’s truly occurring.
The vast majority of Individuals need full legalization. We would like descheduling. We would like expungement of information. We would like small companies to have an opportunity. We would like an finish to the criminalization of a plant that is safer than alcohol.
What we’re getting as an alternative is Massive Pharma’s want checklist wrapped in reform rhetoric.
Schedule III helps huge companies that may afford FDA approval. It helps pharmaceutical corporations that need to synthesize and patent THC merchandise. It helps Trump’s donors who lobbied for this actual final result.
It does not assist sufferers. It does not assist small companies. It does not assist communities destroyed by the Battle on Medication. It does not assist the common hashish client. And it certain as hell does not signify the need of the individuals.
This is not Trump draining the swamp. That is Trump being the swamp. And if you cannot see that, you are precisely the form of mark he is relying on.
An actual chief would have descheduled hashish, expunged information, and advised Massive Pharma to fuck off. Trump took the simple corporate-friendly path and slapped his identify on Biden’s proposal.
That is not successful. That is promoting out. And we deserve higher.
WHO ARE THE WINNERS FROM SCHEDULE 3, READ BELOW…
