Kentucky advocate expects business benefit from marijuana reclassification

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — President Donald Trump put his signature on the latest executive order, reclassifying marijuana. The order classifies marijuana as a schedule three drug, a change from its previous schedule one classification.

“We have people begging me to do this, people that are in great pain,” President Trump said. “For decades this action has been requested by American patients suffering from extreme pain, incurable diseases, aggressive cancers, seizure disorders, neurological problems, and more, including numerous veterans with service-related injuries and older Americans who live with chronic medical problems that severely degrade their quality of life.”

The change caught the attention of Kentucky NORML, an organization focused on marijuana law reform.

“We had heard rumblings,” said their executive director, Matthew Bratcher. “For the last few weeks, this was coming down the pipeline. and I was just like, ‘I’ll believe it when I see it…I think it’s a big deal.”

The change opens the doors for medical research with the drug.

“That aligns with what patients and clinicians already understand and what many states already, kind of do, and address cannabis in this way,” Bratcher said.

Since January, medical cannabis has been legal in Kentucky, and businesses are now starting to open. The Post Dispensary in Beaver Dam held its soft opening last weekend, becoming the first medical marijuana dispensary in the state.

Bratcher believes businesses may no longer be burdened with a tax form from this change.

“Without having to do the 280E [tax form], they’ll actually be able to make traditional tax deductions and… be able to make a little bit more money,” Bratcher said.

The national order is not hailed by everyone.

“We have so many drug issues and so forth, and we want to be protective of our young people, so no, I don’t think it should be classified,” North Dakota GOP Senator John Hoeven told reporters.

“I quite frankly disagree with the President on this one,” said Wyoming Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis. “My state has neither recreational nor medical marijuana and quite frankly, I like it that way.” 

People are bracing for potential court challenges over the order.

Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul took to X to support President Trump on ‘ ignoring the tired “reefer madness” rhetoric and moving forward with rescheduling.’.

“The federal war on drugs has failed for decades because Washington insists on controlling what it cannot fix,” Paul wrote. “President Trump recognizes that reality…”