Marijuana has been reclassified, pending additional action at the federal level.
It’s still listed as an illegal drug, but an executive order signed Thursday by President Donald Trump moves marijuana from Schedule I status, alongside drugs like heroin and LSD, to Schedule III — on the same list as certain anabolic steroids and ketamine. Schedule I drugs are deemed as having high potential for abuse with no accepted medical component. Schedule III drugs have low to moderate potential for both physical and psychological dependence.
While the change could generate more research into medicinal benefits, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation still sees the dangers of marijuana use and sales. In saying the KBI will continue to enforce current state federal laws, Director Tony Mattivi says marijuana products sold today “are highly potent and pose a direct threat to public health.” He also believes medical research “will conclusively prove the connection between marijuana use and mental health disorders, especially in children and teens.”
Lyon County Attorney Amy Aranda says reclassifying the drug changes nothing for her and for her prosecutors with marijuana still illegal in Kansas.
The executive order isn’t the final step towards an official change. That still needs federal regulatory approval. And the legal penalties also don’t change. Cultivating or selling marijuana will still lead to prison sentences of five years to life, depending on the amount involved.
