U.S. Senate Committee Advances Nomination of Sara Carter, Who Supports Legalizing Medical Cannabis, as White House Drug Czar

Sara Carter, Trump’s pick to lead the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), received committee approval today.=. The move sets up a final confirmation vote in the Senate, where she is expected to have strong support. Carter, a longtime journalist who has reported extensively on the opioid epidemic and border security, has voiced support for medical marijuana and has signaled openness to broader federal reform. “I do believe that cannabis for medicinal purposes and medical reasons is a fantastic way of handling, especially for people with cancer and other illnesses, handling the illness and the side effects of the medication and those illnesses,” she has said.

She has gone further in past remarks, adding, “I don’t have any problem if it’s legalized and it’s monitored.”

Her nomination comes at a time when the Trump administration is weighing whether to finalize the rescheduling of marijuana to Schedule III. The process, initiated under the Biden administration and temporarily paused earlier this year, would formally recognize marijuana’s medical use under federal law, expand research opportunities, and ease tax restrictions on state-licensed marijuana businesses.

During her committee hearing, Carter was pressed by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) on rescheduling. She described it as a “bipartisan issue” and pledged to rely on research and data in shaping policy.

“If confirmed as director, I will comply with all federal laws and fulfill all statutory responsibilities of the ONDCP,” Carter said. “However, we will continue to work extensively with research and data. We will continue to do that and explore all options.”

If confirmed by the full Senate, Carter would take the helm of an office historically resistant to marijuana reform at a time when 24 states have legalized recreational use and 40 allow medical use.