Former Trump AG William Barr sounds off against rescheduling, claiming cannabis has zero benefits and massive health dangers

The push to modernize federal cannabis laws is facing some old-school pushback from familiar prohibitionist figures. Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr and Kevin Sabet, the head of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, recently teamed up for a Washington Post op-ed aggressively criticizing the current administration's rescheduling efforts. The duo claimed that moving cannabis down the federal classification list would create a dangerous illusion of safety, lower penalties for illicit sales, and grant the licensed industry massive tax relief by bypassing the 280E tax code restriction.

Despite their warnings of extreme health hazards and assertions that the plant lacks valid medical utility, federal momentum has been shifting in a more progressive direction. A previous directive shifted state-licensed medical products to Schedule III, and current administrative proceedings are weighing a broader federal overhaul. During recent hearings, medical professionals and federal researchers presented substantial testimony highlighting the therapeutic value of cannabis, particularly as a safer alternative for managing pain compared to highly addictive pharmaceuticals like opioids.

For everyday consumers and dispensary operators, this high-stakes political debate underlines the ongoing friction between outdated federal classifications and the reality of a thriving state-regulated marketplace. While opponents are utilizing legal challenges to stall progress, the massive body of evidence supporting the plant’s safety profile and therapeutic benefits continues to drive the movement forward. For the cannabis community, staying informed about these policy shifts is crucial, as federal rescheduling would significantly reduce operational costs for local dispensaries, ultimately leading to better pricing, increased accessibility, and a wider variety of quality products on shop shelves.