On April 23, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice and DEA made a major announcement. Medical marijuana and FDA-approved cannabis products have moved from Schedule I to Schedule III under federal law. It’s the biggest change to federal cannabis policy in over 50 years.
At CommCan, we want to help you understand what changed, what didn’t, and what Schedule III cannabis in Massachusetts means for you.
What Actually Happened
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order that does two things:
- It moves two types of products to Schedule III right away: FDA-approved cannabis products, and state-licensed medical marijuana products.
- It sets up a DEA hearing on June 29, 2026 to look at rescheduling cannabis more broadly.
The order follows President Trump’s executive order from December 18, 2025. That order told the DOJ to finish the rescheduling process.
Schedule III is the same group that includes drugs like ketamine, Tylenol with codeine, and anabolic steroids. These are substances with accepted medical uses.
The order does not move all cannabis to Schedule III. Adult-use marijuana is still Schedule I at the federal level. That’s what the June 29 hearing will address.
What This Means for Medical Patients
For medical patients in Massachusetts, the biggest changes are about recognition and access.
Being on Schedule I meant cannabis was classified with heroin and LSD as having “no accepted medical use.” That was out of step with reality. It also made life harder for researchers, doctors, and patients. Moving medical cannabis to Schedule III is the federal government’s way of saying cannabis has medical value.
Your day-to-day experience won’t change. You still need an active patient certification. You can still shop at CommCan in Millis, Rehoboth, and Mansfield. State rules on possession and use still apply. The Cannabis Control Commission still runs the state’s medical program.
The long-term benefit is research. With cannabis off Schedule I, scientists can study it more easily. That means better information for doctors over time.
What This Means for Adult-Use Customers
Right now, not much. The April 23 order covers medical cannabis only. Adult-use marijuana is still Schedule I. Nothing about your day-to-day shopping experience with us will change.
Indirectly, it still matters. A healthier cannabis industry helps everyone. Licensed operators won’t be paying harsh federal tax rates anymore. That means more money to invest in quality cultivation and better products.
The June 29 DEA hearing will look at whether cannabis more broadly should move to Schedule III. If it does, these changes would also extend to adult-use.
The 280E Tax Change
Section 280E is a federal tax rule. It blocks businesses that sell Schedule I or II drugs from deducting normal business expenses like rent, payroll, and marketing. For years, cannabis companies have paid federal tax on their total sales instead of their profit. That led to much higher tax rates than any other industry.
Schedule III isn’t covered by 280E. That means medical cannabis operators can now claim normal business deductions. The U.S. Treasury and IRS have said tax guidance is coming.
Massachusetts dropped its state version of 280E back in 2022. So this federal shift is what really changes the math for local operators.
Licensed operators will have more room to invest in their business, their team, and their products. That’s good for patients and customers in the long run.
What’s Next: The June 29 Hearing
The DEA hearing on broader rescheduling starts June 29, 2026. It will decide whether all cannabis, including adult-use, moves to Schedule III.
A few things to watch:
- Legal challenges. The April 23 order may face court challenges from groups on both sides.
- Banking access. Rescheduling doesn’t fix the banking issues that force many cannabis companies to operate in cash. That would need separate laws.
- Interstate sales. Cannabis still can’t legally cross state lines, even between two legal states.
- Federal legalization. Rescheduling is not legalization. Cannabis is still a controlled substance.
What’s Not Changing
To be clear about what this order does not do:
- Cannabis is not federally legal.
- Adult-use cannabis is still Schedule I for now.
- You still can’t take cannabis across state lines, onto federal land, or on a plane.
- Massachusetts rules on possession, potency, and public use still apply.
- Employer drug testing policies are not affected.
If you drive, work a safety-sensitive job, or travel often, the federal rules on cannabis use haven’t really changed for you yet.
CommCan’s Take
CommCan is one of the original Massachusetts cannabis companies. We’ve been growing, processing, and packaging cannabis here for close to a decade. We’ve worked through many regulatory changes, and we’re watching this one closely.
Federal recognition of cannabis’s medical value is long overdue. The path to full rescheduling will take time. It will include hearings, rulemaking, and likely some legal challenges. None of this happens fast.
What we can tell you is this: nothing about our cultivation, our product quality, or our commitment to patients and customers is changing. Same team, same facility, same great products.
We’ll keep following the story and share updates as the June 29 hearing approaches. For more on the state-level reforms Governor Healey signed this spring, check out our explainer on Massachusetts H.5350.
If you have questions about what this means for your certification, a product, or your purchase, our team at any of our three Massachusetts locations is happy to help.
