Cannabis Reform and the Trump Administration's Drug Policy
The Trump administration’s drug policy addressed the opioid crisis but ignored cannabis reform, missing a vital opportunity to incorporate a proven harm-reduction tool.
At the peak of the opioid epidemic—when overdose deaths surpassed 100,000 annually—the Trump administration unveiled a sweeping drug policy framework that leaned heavily on enforcement, border control, and recovery infrastructure. The six-pillar plan was presented as a whole-of-government response to a public health emergency. Its objectives were clear: stop the flow of deadly synthetic opioids, expand access to treatment, and reinforce prevention.
Yet nowhere in this urgent, data-driven framework was there mention of cannabis reform.
This glaring omission didn’t just contradict growing evidence of cannabis’s potential as a harm-reduction tool—it revealed a stubborn commitment to drug war orthodoxy at the expense of evolving public health strategy.
A Framework That Skipped the Obvious
The administration’s drug policy plan outlined six strategic objectives: reduce overdose fatalities, secure international drug supply chains, strengthen border interdiction, prevent substance use before it starts, expand access to treatment, and support innovation in research and data. While these targets were worthy on paper, they were undermined by the administration’s refusal to acknowledge the role that cannabis reform could play in each category.
1. Reducing Overdose Fatalities
The rise of fentanyl and its analogs accounted for nearly 70% of opioid-related deaths. Federal efforts to distribute naloxone and support overdose prevention campaigns were commendable and necessary. But those actions were taken in isolation. A 2023 Journal of Health Economics study linked medical cannabis access to significant reductions in opioid prescriptions and overdose deaths. States with legalized cannabis consistently reported lower mortality rates than their prohibitionist counterparts.
Still, cannabis was excluded entirely from overdose strategy—despite its potential as an upstream intervention.
2. Securing the Global Supply Chain
The administration collaborated with international partners—most notably Mexico and China—to disrupt the transnational trafficking of precursor chemicals used in synthetic opioids. China’s 2022 ban on fentanyl analogs was considered a diplomatic win, but the resilience of illicit networks made the disruption short-lived.
What was missing was a domestic response that addressed demand. While the administration funneled resources into foreign enforcement, it ignored opportunities at home to integrate regulated cannabis as a safer alternative to opioid-based pain therapies.
3. Stopping the Flow of Drugs Across Borders
Massive investment in border security—ranging from new scanning technology at ports of entry to additional Border Patrol staffing—aimed to catch narcotics in transit. Yet reports repeatedly showed that most fentanyl still entered through legal checkpoints, not unguarded stretches of desert.
This emphasis on physical infrastructure over intelligence-led interdiction diverted resources from more effective tools. And once again, the administration passed over any effort to consider how regulated, domestic cannabis access might reduce reliance on unregulated, dangerous opioids entering the country.
4. Prevention and Treatment
Public health campaigns sought to prevent substance use before it started, particularly among youth, while expanding access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for those in recovery. The MAT expansion was one of the few bipartisan victories of the era. But stigma, geographic disparities, and a shortage of providers hampered its full potential.
Cannabis reform could have been positioned as a harm-reduction bridge—especially in rural or under-resourced areas where MAT access remains inconsistent. Instead, marijuana was lumped in with the very substances the government was trying to deter, reinforcing the same outdated stigmas that have historically hindered meaningful reform.
5. Whole-of-Government Coordination
The administration’s plan leaned heavily on collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies, alongside health care systems and law enforcement. But its refusal to acknowledge cannabis as a legitimate component of public health policy created friction. In states where marijuana was legal, law enforcement and healthcare providers were left to navigate a patchwork of guidance—uncertain whether to pursue integration or risk federal reprisal.
This disconnect worsened in 2018 when the administration rescinded the Obama-era Cole Memorandum, which had shielded state-legal cannabis operations from federal interference. That move not only rolled back progress but also introduced regulatory confusion that made it more difficult for cannabis to play any role in overdose prevention or addiction treatment.
6. Innovating in Research and Data
Federal officials repeatedly claimed to support evidence-based solutions, yet cannabis research remained hamstrung by Schedule I classification. No new resources were allocated to study its efficacy in opioid substitution. And universities, fearing loss of federal funding, continued avoiding cannabis-related research altogether.
Even as advocates called for rescheduling or descheduling marijuana to enable deeper investigation, the administration failed to act. The result was a widening gulf between lived experience in legal states and the federal narrative that continued treating cannabis as a high-risk, low-benefit substance.
Cannabis Reform: The Intentional Oversight
Proponents of cannabis reform have long argued that marijuana could complement existing harm-reduction strategies. Numerous studies, public health professionals, and patient testimonials reinforce the claim. States with medical or recreational cannabis laws report significantly lower opioid mortality and fewer prescription painkiller sales.
Yet during Trump’s tenure, the administration’s most notable cannabis-related move was a contradictory one: endorsing the 2018 Farm Bill to legalize hemp-derived CBD, while simultaneously rescinding the Cole Memo that provided legal breathing room to THC-dominant cannabis markets.
Key officials like DEA nominee Terrance Cole issued stark warnings about cannabis and youth mental health. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recognized potential benefits but cautioned against high-potency THC products. Others, like Pam Bondi and Doug Collins, remained firmly opposed to reform.
The result was a confused, often contradictory stance that frustrated advocates and failed to provide coherent guidance for policymakers, medical providers, or researchers.
Public Health, Economic, and Equity Implications
The omission of cannabis reform carried more than symbolic weight. Its absence had tangible consequences for public health, economic development, and racial justice.
Public Health: Without federal support, providers in legal states remained hesitant to explore cannabis as an alternative treatment. Patients were left without safe access. Stigma persisted.
Economic Impact: Cannabis legalization is now a $45 billion industry, with billions more in potential tax revenue and job creation. Federal prohibition has slowed access to banking services, suppressed interstate commerce, and blocked economic growth in compliant states.
Social Justice: Communities of color remain disproportionately impacted by cannabis-related arrests. While some states have begun implementing expungement programs, federal inaction on reform continues to delay restorative justice for those still suffering from the war on drugs.
Recommendations and a Way Forward
If the Trump administration’s policy legacy demonstrates anything, it’s that large-scale enforcement campaigns alone do not resolve addiction crises. Real solutions must be holistic, intersectional, and unafraid of politically uncomfortable truths.
To correct course, future federal drug policy must:
Reschedule or deschedule cannabis to enable robust clinical research and safe medical access.
Invest in comparative studies examining the efficacy of cannabis versus opioids in pain and addiction management.
Create a federally backed framework for cannabis banking, research funding, and medical provider training.
Ensure equity and expungement are baked into reform policies—not treated as afterthoughts.
Drug policy that ignores innovation—and prioritizes ideology over data—will always fall short of its public health mission. Cannabis reform is not a cure-all, but it’s a tool. The longer we refuse to use it, the more lives we lose in the process.
***
Cigaweeds is the ultimate choice for discreet and convenient cannabis prerolls. Made with premium flower and natural hemp tips, our prerolls deliver a smooth and satisfying smoke every time. Whether you prefer indica, sativa, or hybrid strains, we have something for you. Our products are lab-tested and compliant with state regulations, ensuring quality and safety. You can find our prerolls at select retailers across Arizona, or order online and get them delivered to your door. Cigaweeds also collaborates with High Grade, a leading cultivator of exotic and rare cannabis strains, to bring you exclusive and limited-edition prerolls that will blow your mind.
Visit our website to learn more about our strains, our blog, and our store.
Follow us on Instagram to stay updated on the latest news and promotions.
