Republican attorneys general argue the federal shift undermines state drug enforcement laws and public health policies.
Nebraska, Indiana, and Louisiana filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on May 22 to halt the Trump administration’s reclassification of medical marijuana. The states, led by Republican attorneys general, contend the move conflicts with existing state regulations and federal drug enforcement priorities.
The reclassification, announced earlier this month, would ease restrictions on medical marijuana research and prescribing. Previous federal policy classified marijuana as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin, with no accepted medical use. The lawsuit marks the first legal challenge to the policy shift.
No immediate market reaction was reported, though cannabis stocks and regulatory compliance firms may face heightened volatility pending the court’s decision.