Pentagon Memo Reaffirms Ban on Marijuana Use By Troops Despite Federal Rescheduling Push

The Department of War (DOW) sent senior Pentagon leadership a memo confirming that marijuana remains off-limits to service members and civilian employees, even as the Trump administration advances federal rescheduling of cannabis. The one-page document, dated July 9, states DOW "maintains a drug-free workplace to protect national security, public safety, and operational readiness." Under an order from U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in April, marijuana products regulated under a state medical program, along with FDA-approved marijuana products, moved from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. A separate administrative hearing is still weighing broader rescheduling. The new memo appears not to account for that shift already having taken effect, stating that the reform, "if implemented," "would not decriminalize marijuana under Federal law." Anthony J. Tata, under secretary of war for personnel and readiness, wrote: "Service members are reminded that the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) prohibits certain actions, including the wrongful use, possession, manufacture, or distribution of marijuana, and attempts to commit such acts. These offenses remain punishable under the UCMJ, even if a State or local jurisdiction legalizes the use of recreational marijuana or authorizes the sale of marijuana, including medical marijuana, at State dispensaries." Lynn Wagner, executive director of DOW's Office of Drug Demand Reduction, is named as a point of contact but did not respond to a request to verify the memo; neither did the Pentagon press office. Tata added that violators "may be held appropriately accountable, including through judicial, nonjudicial, or administrative action," and that civilian staff fall under DOW's Drug-Free Workplace Program. He noted the prohibitions "do not apply to formulations approved as drugs by the FDA with a valid prescription for a legitimate medical purpose." A Congressional Research Service report on the rescheduling order said certified patients holding medical marijuana from state-licensed dispensaries now have some legal protection under Schedule III, noting "the order appears to authorize end users to possess marijuana for medical use without a CSA-compliant prescription." Separately, the Army in April dropped its waiver requirement for recruits with a single marijuana or paraphernalia possession conviction. Military branches have repeatedly cautioned troops about cannabis and hemp products. In May, the Army reiterated its "zero-tolerance" stance, covering hemp-based lotions and hair products. Last year, an Air Force memo in Massachusetts barred CBD and delta-8 THC on bases. The Air Force flagged CBD hand sanitizer and hemp granola as readiness risks in 2022; DOD reaffirmed the CBD ban in 2020. The Navy barred CBD and hemp products in 2018, updating its rationale in 2020, while the Coast Guard barred marijuana use and dispensary visits in 2019.