The Fight For Cannabis Reform Must Focus On Medical Patients—Not Taxes And Banking—In Order To Win (Op-Ed)

*“Without medical cannabis at the center, federal reform loses both its
moral compass and its political leverage for many.”*

*By Cannabis Businesses & Professionals United for National Medical
Cannabis*

It is clear that opposition to cannabis is on the rise—fueled by moral
panic, misinformation and the “Big Marijuana” narrative. Without a
strategic, well-funded counteroffensive, we risk losing the ground we’ve
gained.

Last week, the House Appropriations Committee passed a version of the
Department of Justice budget bill. The FY2026 Commerce, Justice, Science
and Related Agencies (CJS) legislation included provisions that would allow
the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to come into states with cannabis
programs once again.

The CJS budget bill also included language that would prevent President
Donald Trump’s efforts to make any determination on cannabis scheduling.
That should set off alarms across our community. And yet, the loudest
pushback came not from businesses, but from patients—our most committed,
but consistently under-resourced, allies.

*Our Most Valuable Asset*

Press coverage of Trump’s recent remarks on cannabis scheduling zeroed in
on his promise to produce a “determination” within weeks. But the real
takeaway was in what he said about cannabis: that he’s heard “great things
about medical.”

Those words capture a truth in Washington, D.C.: medical cannabis remains
the most politically viable foundation for federal policy reform. Given the
headwinds facing cannabis businesses and professionals today, it’s a truth
we can’t afford to ignore.

*Banking And Tax Relief Isn’t Coming Without Major Cannabis Reform*

Despite a flood of new state laws, new businesses and new participants,
Washington has barely budged.

It has been over a decade since Americans for Safe Access (ASA) helped
secure a cease-fire from Congress barring DOJ interference in state medical
programs. Banking reform, tax fairness and interstate commerce still all
remain out of reach. Patients continue to face stigma, discrimination, and
patchwork access.

It seems corporate cannabis has pivoted toward non-medical expansion and
the business of cannabis, walking away from the patient narrative at a
great cost. This was evident in the aftermath of The Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) concluding cannabis has “currently accepted
medical use” and recommending it be moved to Schedule III.

Instead of taking a victory lap for medical cannabis, the cannabis
community focused on tax deductions.

This pivot may have delivered short-term growth and attention, but it
abandoned the one proven path that has actually moved Congress: patients.
The result is a decade of policy paralysis in Washington.

Without medical cannabis at the center, federal reform loses both its moral
compass and its political leverage for many.

*Leaning Into The “Great Things” About Medical Cannabis*

Medical cannabis is our strongest counterpoint. It saves lives, lowers
healthcare costs and commands overwhelming public support across the
political spectrum.

Consider the numbers:

- Chronic Pain: Nearly 30 percent of chronic pain patients use cannabis
for relief, often reducing or replacing opioids. More than 68 million
Americans live with chronic pain.
- Cancer: Over 40 percent of cancer patients report cannabis use to
manage symptoms such as pain, anxiety, sleep and appetite loss.
- Older Adults: One in five older adults now use cannabis. In medical
states, many report benefits for arthritis, sleep and quality of life. This
is the fastest-growing demographic of cannabis users.
- Veterans: Around 22 percent of veterans use cannabis to manage PTSD,
chronic pain and sleep disturbances—yet they still face stigma and federal
obstacles.
- Opioids: The Washington Post recently cited research showing that counties
with dispensaries see up to a 30 percent reduction in opioid overdose deaths
over time.

*The Roadmap*

If you have joined the cannabis space in just the last five years or even
10 years, you may not be aware of how we got here.

Patient advocates have been working on a strategy for decades for a
national medical cannabis program.

Year after year, they have been hitting milestones on that plan: State
medical cannabis programs, product safety protocols for the cannabis supply
chain, Congress passing annual protections for medical cannabis programs,
the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations (UN) acknowledging
cannabis’ medical value, removing barriers to research, Congress creating
protections for medical professionals recommending cannabis to their
patients and changing the schedule of cannabis in international drug
treaties.

When the White House moved to undercut those protections this year, ASA
convened national patient organizations and pushed Congress to restore
them. And HHS’s recent finding that cannabis has “currently accepted
medical use”? That reflects more than two decades of groundwork laid by
patient advocates.

*Not A Zero-Sum Choice*

Supporting medical cannabis does not mean opposing adult use. In fact,
centering medical strengthens the entire marketplace.

Patients bring credibility with policymakers, their stories generate
bipartisan support and their experiences cut through cultural divides in
ways that quarterly sales figures cannot.

President Trump’s comments—“great things about medical”—weren’t just a
passing remark. They reflect the only consistent thread in cannabis policy
across administrations, parties and decades: medical cannabis has staying
power.

If we lean into those “great things,” we can shift the conversation, blunt
the backlash, and finally achieve the comprehensive federal framework
patients deserve.

*Patients Have A Plan; They Need Our Support*

As the founder of Americans for Safe Access, Steph Sherer, described in her
recent Marijuana Moment op-ed, “It’s Time for Congress to Create a Federal
Pathway for Medical Cannabis Access,” the next phase of the fight for
access is comprehensive federal legislation. History has shown us medical
has to come first.

Patients created the moral and political foundation for cannabis reform.
They remain its strongest engine today. But patients alone cannot carry
this fight. If we want Washington to move, we must put resources behind
efforts that put patients and their needs back at the center of our fight.

*The Cannabis Businesses & Professionals United for National Medical
Cannabis is an Action Group of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) that is
uniting business stakeholders, professionals and investors who believe in
the power of cannabis medicine—and who are ready to finish what patients
started: building a national medical framework integrated into the U.S.
healthcare system.*

The post The Fight For Cannabis Reform Must Focus On Medical Patients—Not
Taxes And Banking—In Order To Win (Op-Ed) appeared first on Marijuana Moment
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