Trump’s stance on weed has been confusing, to say the least. He publicly expressed support for the plant and its users, but has since appointed multiple anti-pot figures to his cabinet, to the dismay of many of his supporters. Adding to the inconsistency of his stance on the issue, Scotts-Miracle Gro’s CEO—which makes cannabis cultivation products—recently alleged that Trump told him directly that he intends to reschedule cannabis.
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As first reported by Marijuana Moment, James Hagedorn told Fox Business that since being reelected, the president has told him “multiple times” in private that he plans on rescheduling marijuana. It is currently a Schedule 1 drug, meaning it’s classified as having high potential for abuse and is not currently accepted for medical treatment federally.
In 2022, former president Joe Biden ordered a review of the drug’s Schedule 1 status, and in 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a letter indicating that the agency recommends that weed be rescheduled to a Schedule III substance. If rescheduled, weed would be considered as having “a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.”
After the election, however, the rescheduling process stalled as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) ordered a delay of the proceedings—since then, things have taken a turn for the worse. In July, the House Appropriations Committee released a bill that proposes blocking the DOJ from using funds to reschedule or deschedule the plant. Since then, Trump appointed Terrance Cole, a loud anti-pot advocate, to become the DEA’s new head.
When asked about Cole’s recently-shown resistance to rescheduling, Hagedorn said, “Well, I think he’s a career law enforcement guy. I’m not surprised by it. I think what he needs to hear is a call from the president…saying ‘This is a promise he made during the campaign, and promises made are promises kept.’”
Hagedorn affirmed that his investment in the issue is partly personal because “people aren’t investing right now” and weed’s current Schedule 1 status means that his cultivation products are becoming harder to sell. This is unfortunately the reality of weed farmers around the country.
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If Trump did speak to Hagedorn and say the things he’s alleged to, he’s not living up to his promise so far. As the president continues to be pressured to act in favor of weed, his claims—both public and private—will be proven to have been reliable or not.