Feds Call Marijuana A ‘Deadly’ Drug And Say Even Medical Cannabis Has ‘Serious Consequences’

Federal officials are calling marijuana a “deadly” drug—touting their
efforts to seize it and other illegal substances—while also warning that
possessing cannabis, even for medical use, carries “serious consequences.”

As President Donald Trump considers a cannabis rescheduling proposal—and
after he posted a video on the health benefits of CBD—the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are sending
a conflicting message about cannabis.

In a press release about an August “surge” in drug seizures that was sent
out on Tuesday, DHS said that CBP, as part of its “mission to stop harmful
drugs from entering the United States,” was announcing that “seizures of
deadly drugs—including fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and
marijuana—increased substantially from July to August.”

That rhetoric as it concerns marijuana departs from how most people view
and compare the plant with the other listed substances that can be
associated with overdose deaths. By the federal government’s own admission
in the past, cannabis has not on its own caused a fatal overdose.

“Cartels are increasingly desperate to keep doing business, but the Trump
Administration is stopping their deadly operations,” CBP said.

While looping together marijuana and drugs like fentanyl might raise
eyebrows, cartel-related crime associated with cannabis has been a
consistent talking point in Congress. In fact, it was the subject of a
House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, &
Accountability hearing last month that focused on a so-called “invasion” of
Chinese and Mexican cartels via illicit cannabis operations.

“Secretary Noem and the Department of Homeland Security are fulfilling
President Trump’s promise to make America safe again by dismantling drug
cartels and stopping the flow of deadly drugs into American communities,”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. “Thanks to President Trump,
fewer American families will be torn apart by addiction, fewer lives will
be lost to overdoses, and fewer profits will go to violent cartels.”

Separately, CBP posted a reminder on social media on Tuesday that cautioned
travelers against bringing cannabis across the border.

“Attention, travelers! Did you know that marijuana is still a controlled
substance under U.S. federal law?” it said. “This means that selling,
possessing, producing, or distributing both medical and recreational
cannabis is illegal!”

[image: 🚨] Attention, travelers! Did you know that marijuana is still a
controlled substance under U.S. federal law? This means that selling,
possessing, producing, or distributing both medical and recreational
cannabis is illegal! Think twice before crossing the border with
marijuana.… pic.twitter.com/i0ufyMyulV

— CBP (@CBP) September 30, 2025

“Think twice before crossing the border with marijuana. Doing so could lead
to serious consequences like seizure, hefty fines, or even arrest!” it
said. “Plus, it might affect your ability to enter the U.S. Stay informed
and safe and #KnowBeforeYouGo.”

The messages from DHS and CBP aren’t entirely surprising, as the agencies
have maintained a staunch criminalization mentality when it comes to
cannabis even amid reconsideration of the federal scheduling of marijuana
and other comments from the president suggesting that there are outsized
penalties for possession and use of the plant.

Back in January, for example, DHS and CBP urged a federal court to dismiss
a lawsuit from licensed New Mexico marijuana businesses who claimed the
agencies have been unconstitutionally seizing state-regulated marijuana
products and detaining industry workers at interior checkpoints.

CBP’s actions against state-legal marijuana business has also received
pushback from other members in Congress as well.

In 2023, the agency also published an overview of issues related to the
non-intoxicating cannabinoid CBD, warning that such products remain
unregulated and may contain concentrations of THC that could show up in a
drug test for employees.

However, CBP did update its workplace policy last year, narrowing the
window of employment ineligibility over past marijuana use from two years
to three months. A GOP senator subsequently called on the agency to reverse
that decision.

*Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan.*

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Has ‘Serious Consequences’ appeared first on Marijuana Moment.