Trump Signs Order to Reschedule Medical Marijuana to Schedule III
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 23 2026
0mins
In accordance with President Trump's December 18, Executive Order on Increasing Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research, the Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration announced the issuance of an order immediately placing both FDA-approved products containing marijuana and marijuana products regulated by a state medical marijuana license in Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, as well as the initiation of an expedited administrative hearing process to consider the broader rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. The new hearing, beginning June 29, 2026, will provide a timely and legally compliant pathway to evaluate broader changes to marijuana's status under federal law. Together, these actions provide immediate and long-term clarity to researchers, patients, and providers alike while still maintaining strict federal controls against illicit drug trafficking. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is placing both FDA-approved drug products containing marijuana, and medicinal marijuana products subject to a qualifying state-issued license in Schedule III under his authority to reschedule drugs to carry out the United States' obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. This action recognizes the longstanding regulation of medical marijuana by state governments and the need for a common-sense approach to this reality. "The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump's promise to expand Americans' access to medical treatment options," said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. "This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information." Publicly traded companies in the space include Aurora Cannabis (ACB), CV Sciences (CVSI), Canopy Growth (CGC), Cronos Group (CRON), Goodness Growth (GDNSF), Green Thumb Industries (GTBIF), IGC Pharma (IGC), Tilray (TLRY), Trees Corporation (CANN) and Trulieve Cannabis (TCNNF).
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Analyst Views on ACB
Wall Street analysts forecast ACB stock price to rise
3 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 3.670
Low
6.28
Averages
6.77
High
7.39
Current: 3.670
Low
6.28
Averages
6.77
High
7.39
About ACB
Aurora Cannabis Inc. is a Canada-based medical cannabis company. The Company's principal business lines are focused on the production, distribution and sale of cannabis and cannabis-derivative products in Canada and internationally. The Company's segments include Cannabis and Plant Propagation. Its adult-use brand portfolio includes Drift, San Rafael '71, Daily Special, Tasty's, Being and Greybeard. The Company's medical cannabis brands include MedReleaf, CanniMed, Aurora and Whistler Medical Marijuana Co, as well as international brands, Pedanios, IndiMed and CraftPlant. Its subsidiaries include Aurora Cannabis Enterprises Inc., Aurora Deutschland GmbH, Whistler Medical Marijuana Corporation, and Indica Industries Pty Ltd., among others. The Company is engaged in distribution wholesale medical cannabis in various international markets, including Australia, New Zealand, and the Caribbean. It has manufacturing facilities in Canada and Germany.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Global Market Presence: Aurora Cannabis serves medical cannabis markets across Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, leveraging its GMP-certified manufacturing facilities to continuously expand market share, aiming to meet the growing medical demand with high-quality products.
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- Executive Participation: The call will be hosted by Executive Chairman and CEO Miguel Martin and CFO Simona King, ensuring that investors can directly engage with top management, thereby enhancing investor trust and participation.
- Global Market Positioning: As a leading global medical cannabis company, Aurora is dedicated to improving patient lives through scientific expertise and high-quality products, serving multiple markets including Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, showcasing its strong international business capabilities.
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See More
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- Earnings Call Announcement: Aurora Cannabis has scheduled a conference call for June 11, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its Q4 and fiscal year 2026 financial results, with the report expected to be released before market opening, aiming to provide transparent communication to investors.
- Executive Leadership: The call will be hosted by Executive Chairman and CEO Miguel Martin and CFO Simona King, ensuring that investors can directly engage with top management, thereby enhancing investor confidence and company transparency.
- Global Market Presence: Aurora Cannabis serves medical cannabis markets across Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, leveraging its GMP-certified manufacturing facilities to continuously expand market share, aiming to meet the growing medical demand with high-quality products.
- Forward-Looking Statements: The company includes forward-looking statements regarding the timing of its financial report release, highlighting management's focus on market dynamics and expectations for future business development, aiming to provide investors with a clearer outlook on the company's prospects.
See More
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- Earnings Call Announcement: Aurora Cannabis has scheduled a conference call for June 11, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2026 financial results, which will be released before market opening, aiming to provide transparent information to investors.
- Executive Participation: The call will be hosted by Executive Chairman and CEO Miguel Martin and CFO Simona King, ensuring that investors can directly engage with top management, thereby enhancing investor trust and participation.
- Global Market Positioning: As a leading global medical cannabis company, Aurora is dedicated to improving patient lives through scientific expertise and high-quality products, serving multiple markets including Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, showcasing its strong international business capabilities.
- Brand Portfolio Advantage: The company boasts a portfolio of well-known brands such as Aurora® and MedReleaf®, and with world-class GMP-certified manufacturing facilities, Aurora continues to expand its global market share, further solidifying its leadership position in the medical cannabis industry.
See More
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- Dell Upgrade: Susquehanna upgraded Dell from neutral to positive, citing increased confidence in a sustainable 8-10% operating margin and a 6% free cash flow margin, which supports a potential rerating of its EV/sales multiple to 3x, indicating strong market potential.
- Viper Energy Initiation: RBC initiated coverage of Viper Energy with an Outperform rating and a $58 price target, highlighting its advantages in scale and core Permian focus, positioning it as a best-in-class mineral and royalty company.
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See More
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- Stock Surge: AKAN's stock has surged 300% this week, marking its best weekly performance ever, reflecting improved investor sentiment across cannabis stocks, particularly after the U.S. Justice Department moved state-regulated marijuana to Schedule III, significantly boosting optimism in the sector.
- Micro Float Advantage: With a public float of only 534,420 shares following multiple reverse stock splits, AKAN's stock skyrocketed 1,700% in April, outperforming peers like Trulieve and Canopy Growth, highlighting the sensitivity of micro-float stocks to buying pressure during market rebounds.
- Strategic Shift: AKAN is increasingly focusing on the Canadian and European markets while building a telecommunications infrastructure through its First Towers & Fiber unit in Mexico, which is expected to generate $2 million in contracted cash flow over the next decade, providing a hedge against the volatility typical in pure cannabis companies.
- Market Sentiment High: Retail sentiment for AKAN on Stocktwits is extremely bullish, with message volumes surging 231,800% over the past month, indicating strong investor interest in the stock, despite potential short-term corrections, as traders remain optimistic about its future performance.
See More
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- Data Accumulation Goals: Inceptio aims to collect 5 billion kilometers of driving data by the end of 2028 to support fully autonomous heavy-duty trucks, emphasizing the critical role of data in autonomous driving and the necessity for partnerships and regulatory approval to achieve this goal.
- Industry-Leading Mileage: Inceptio has recorded over 700 million kilometers of autonomous driving, significantly surpassing competitors like Pony.ai, which has logged 4.2 million kilometers, establishing a strong foundation for future technology validation and market penetration.
- Increasing Regulatory Challenges: Chinese authorities have suspended new autonomous driving licenses due to safety incidents, reflecting the regulatory risks faced by the rapidly expanding industry and underscoring the close relationship between technology and policy.
See More
AKAN Stock Surges Following Marijuana Reclassification
- Stock Performance: Since the marijuana reclassification, AKAN stock has significantly outperformed peers Tilray, Canopy Growth, and Aurora Cannabis, which have seen declines of 8%, 4%, and 8% respectively, while AKAN surged 32%.
- Market Reaction: In the latest pre-market trading, AKAN shares surged 32%, marking its fourth-largest single-day gain this year, reflecting strong market confidence in its future growth potential.
- Policy Impact: The U.S. Department of Justice's reclassification of medical marijuana as a less dangerous drug is expected to ease regulatory burdens on licensed operators, provide tax relief, and support research, driving AKAN's strong performance.
- Retail Trader Sentiment: Over the past 30 days, message volume for AKAN on Stocktwits has skyrocketed by over 106,200%, indicating extremely bullish sentiment among retail investors, with many predicting the stock could reach triple digits.
See More
