The anti-marijuana group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) has retained former Attorney General Bill Barr to sue and reverse the federal rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, which they call a "full betrayal" that will cause a "public health disaster." SAM argues the move is an unmerited gift of over $2 billion in tax write-offs to the industry and plans to both sue the court system and petition the DEA to keep marijuana strictly prohibited in Schedule I.

Anti-Cannabis Group Hires Former Trump AG to Sue Over Rescheduling

Jan 2, 2026

Source:

Kyle Jaeger

Marijuana Moment

It looks like the fight for rescheduling just got a bit more dramatic. The anti-cannabis group SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) isn't going down without a fight. They have teamed up with former Attorney General Bill Barr to sue the federal government, aiming to stop the move from Schedule I to Schedule III that President Trump recently pushed for via executive order. SAM claims this shift is a betrayal and wants to block the significant tax breaks businesses would receive once the 280E restriction is finally removed. They are even planning to petition the DEA to keep the plant strictly prohibited as a high-risk substance.

This legal challenge matters because moving to Schedule III is a massive step toward legitimizing the community and stabilizing the industry. If these prohibitionists succeed, it could stall vital medical research and keep consumer prices high by maintaining unfair tax burdens on local dispensaries. It is a classic case of old-school politics trying to stifle progress, so we definitely need to keep our eyes on this battle.

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