Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear Calls on Trump to Stop Blocking Cannabis Rescheduling

Gov. Andy Beshear has directly appealed to President Trump and the DEA to preserve momentum on moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, amid congressional attempts to halt the process.

Beshear wrote a letter urging Trump to oppose language in the pending FY 2026 appropriations bill that would prohibit the Department of Justice and DEA from using funds to reclassify marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. The governor emphasized that rescheduling is supported by medical science, public demand, and his own administration’s actions advancing medical cannabis access. He reminded the President of his past campaign support for Schedule III reform.

The governor argued that rescheduling would expand safe access for patients, facilitate medical research, and reduce illicit market harms. Kentucky’s medical marijuana program, legal as of 2023, is set to roll out in early 2025, with the state relying on regulatory readiness and patient health protections.

Beshear criticized the appropriations language as politics over policy, calling it “not common‑sense law” because it interrupts a process based on medical expertise. He stated that drug decisions should remain in the hands of science, not Congress overriding them midstream.

With the DEA Administrative Law Judge overseeing rescheduling retiring and the DEA’s incoming head yet to prioritize the effort, Beshear warned delays could stall reform and hurt patients seeking legal access.