Lawmakers and Advocates Demand Comprehensive Federal Cannabis Reform Beyond Rescheduling

A coalition of U.S. lawmakers and activists convened in Washington, D.C. this week to urge Congress to move beyond incremental cannabis rescheduling and enact sweeping federal marijuana reform. The press conference, part of a national "Cannabis Week of Unity," brought together members of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus and representatives from leading drug policy organizations to spotlight the disconnect between public opinion and federal law. According to Marijuana Moment, this event underscored broad public support for legalization and the growing impatience with slow federal action

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), a co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, emphasized the widespread backing for legalization and the need for justice-focused reforms. "Millions of people across this country agree that cannabis should be legal. People understand that the old approach has failed. They understand that adults should not carry criminal records for possessing cannabis," Omar said. She further stressed, "It is about damn time Congress caught up with where the American people are," insisting that legalization efforts must include record expungement and community reinvestment to address the harms of the War on Drugs

Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), another co-chair of the Caucus, highlighted the lag between federal policy and state-level legalization. "States have been way ahead of the federal government the whole time," Titus noted, urging Congress to align with the majority of states that have legalized marijuana in some form. Titus also discussed her sponsored legislation aimed at enabling fair research into cannabis and giving legal businesses the opportunity to thrive. "Let’s do the research, get the facts that these folks need, so they can educate our members," she said

The event also featured Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), who criticized the historical roots of federal cannabis prohibition. He pointed out that the Nixon administration used marijuana criminalization to target marginalized communities and political opponents. "There’s never really been a logical path why marijuana is illegal, except for politics," Cohen said. The lawmakers collectively called for descheduling cannabis, ending the federal hemp ban, and removing barriers to banking for legal cannabis businesses, noting that current contradictions in the law harm consumers, workers, and small enterprises

On the regulatory front, recent actions by the federal government have shifted medical cannabis regulated by states to Schedule III, though adult-use products remain in Schedule I pending further review. While this change could ease research restrictions and provide tax benefits to some businesses, it falls short of full legalization. Meanwhile, Congress is considering amendments to improve access for military veterans and address the needs of hemp producers, although significant hurdles remain, including DEA resistance to broader reform. Drug policy organizations present at the event echoed the call for comprehensive change, emphasizing the need for equitable participation in the cannabis industry

From the OG Lab newsroom perspective, this coordinated push for federal reform reflects mounting pressure on lawmakers to bridge the gulf between state-level progress and federal inertia. The inclusion of social justice provisions and small business protections in reform proposals signals a desire for an industry that is both profitable and equitable. As federal rescheduling processes continue and legislative debates intensify, the cannabis sector should prepare for ongoing policy shifts that could reshape the market landscape nationwide