GOP Rep. Lawler says it would be ‘wrong’ for Trump to reclassify marijuana

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said President Trump would be wrong to reclassify marijuana, calling it a gateway drug and opposing rescheduling even as Trump said he is “considering” reclassifying cannabis and the Biden administration had begun but not completed a move to Schedule III. The piece notes THC potency has risen from roughly 5% in the 1990s to about 15–20% today, that marijuana remains a Schedule I drug federally while Schedule III would signal lower dependence risk, and cites health risks and the fact that 42 states permit medical use and 24 allow recreational use. Lawler’s comments underscore GOP resistance and highlight potential political and policy hurdles to any federal reclassification amid concerns about substance-use disorder.

Analysis

Republican Rep. Mike Lawler publicly stated that it would be "wrong" for President Trump to reclassify marijuana, arguing it is a gateway drug, while the president said he is "considering" reclassifying cannabis and the prior Biden administration began but did not complete a move to Schedule III. Marijuana remains a Schedule I drug federally since 1971, a category the DEA defines as having no accepted medical use, whereas Schedule III drugs are defined as having a moderate to low potential for dependence and include ketamine, anabolic steroids and testosterone.

The article highlights rising THC potency—reported by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board as roughly 5% in the 1990s to 15–20% today—and cites the National Institute on Drug Abuse linking long-term use to respiratory, mental health, gastrointestinal issues and higher certain cancer risks, which underpin Lawler’s public health rationale. Forty-two states plus D.C. have legalized medical marijuana and 24 permit recreational use, creating a contrast between widespread state-level legalization and persistent federal classification.

Political resistance from GOP lawmakers, exemplified by Lawler’s remarks, introduces a meaningful political hurdle to federal rescheduling despite executive consideration; the sentiment signal is mildly negative and the market impact score is low (0.18), suggesting limited immediate market reaction but sustained policy uncertainty. Investors should therefore treat this as an unresolved regulatory story where concrete administrative or legislative actions—not statements—will change the investment landscape.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Avoid initiating large directional positions in federally exposed cannabis equities until formal DEA or administration action is filed and reviewed
• Favor an event-driven approach: wait for published federal rulemaking or bipartisan legislative movement before increasing exposure, hedge short-term political risk
• Monitor state-level legalization revenue trends, THC potency regulation developments and health-policy commentary as catalysts that could shift regulatory momentum and investor sentiment