Poll Finds Cannabis Users Souring on Trump Administration's Marijuana Moves, Skeptical Rescheduling Finishes This Year

A new quarterly survey shows marijuana consumers are growing less enthusiastic about the Trump administration's cannabis policies since the Justice Department began pursuing rescheduling. The latest NuggMD tracking poll finds 48 percent of cannabis users "approve" or "strongly approve" of the administration's marijuana actions, down sharply from 73 percent last quarter. Thirteen percent disapprove, while 40 percent report no opinion or neutrality. Breaking down the numbers: 15 percent strongly approve (76 respondents), 33 percent approve (166), 40 percent are neutral (202), 8 percent disapprove (43), and 5 percent strongly disapprove (23). In April, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche issued an order immediately reclassifying state-licensed medical cannabis and FDA-approved marijuana products from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. A separate order he signed triggered a hearing examining broader rescheduling of marijuana. Testimony in that DEA-judge-led hearing wrapped up last week; final briefs are due August 17, after which the judge will issue a recommendation and the DEA administrator will make the ultimate call. A separate NuggMD poll conducted this month found most consumers doubt rescheduling will be fully completed by year's end. "Rescheduling continues to be popular among cannabis voters, but our polling shows a clear divide between support for medical rescheduling versus recreational reforms," said Tyler Elson, NuggMD's director of content. "That or we're seeing consumers declare that they don't believe the DEA will get rescheduling done." He added: "I'm not surprised that support among consumers is down from the highs we saw after medical cannabis rescheduling. There have always been cannabis voters who draw a line between medical and recreational use. I think the White House was expecting the formal rescheduling hearing to maintain that momentum among cannabis voters. And right now that's not what our polling is showing." Asked how full legalization would affect their support, 39 percent said they'd support the administration much more, 15 percent a bit more, and 46 percent said no change; essentially none said support would decrease. The poll surveyed 510 cannabis consumers in legal-market states from July 9-15, with a margin of error of ±4.34 percentage points. DEA, tasked with defending rescheduling at the hearing, emphasized cannabis's medical benefits and relative safety compared to alcohol and other substances, while excluding reform advocates from participating. The rescheduling effort also faces multiple lawsuits from the drug testing industry, a pharmaceutical company, and legalization opponents. Last quarter's poll showed a massive support swing following Trump's executive order directing officials to finalize rescheduling. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in April the move proceeds because cannabis reform is "overwhelmingly popular" with voters and helps patients. In May, a House committee voted to block further federal steps toward implementing marijuana rescheduling.