Washington and Oregon Weed Users Just Got Some Good News from Trump – What’s the Catch?

Earlier this week, President Trump declared the fentanyl drug as a "chemical of mass destruction." Were you surprised that today President Trump signed an executive order to declassify weed from a Schedule 1 drug to a Schedule III? This means drug companies can begin using cannabis and CBD for medical research purposes.

Weed Is Already Legal at the State Level in the Pacific Northwest

Recreational and medicinal** cannabis use is legal at the state level in both Oregon and Washington State. There's even a hefty cannabis tourism industry here, bringing in lots of money to the local economy.

There are state regulations, however, and in Washington State, not just anyone is allowed to open up a weed shop and start making legal money with it. You have to have a clean criminal background, which prohibits thousands of would-be weed shop entrepreneurs from profiting from this billion-dollar industry. Yes, I said billion with a B.

Read More: 20 Best Names for Washington Cannabis Shops

Drug Schedule Meanings

Back in 1970, the government made rules to control how people use what they classify as "drugs" at the federal level. It's what is called the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

There are currently at least 602 identified drugs sorted into one of the following five drug categories (schedules).

Schedule I:

• These are the most highly addictive drugs. They include ones like heroin, cocaine, opioids, and crack. Marijuana was just taken off this list.

Schedule II:

• Drugs and chemicals that have a high potential for creating substance abuse in users. These include drugs that doctors and psychiatrists prescribe in small doses for patients.

Schedule III:

• According to the DEA, drugs on this list have "a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence." Trump now considers marijuana to be a Schedule III drug.

Schedule IV:

• These are powerful drugs but do not have the potential for addiction or abuse. Doctors and other medical practitioners prescribe these for their patients.

Schedule V:

• These drugs are mostly over-the-counter (OTC) drugs you can buy at a grocery, market, or convenience store.

Can Your Boss Still Ban You from Using Cannabis?

Okay, so a new Executive Order has been signed. Does this mean your boss could still fire you for cannabis use? Simply, yes. If they so choose, employers in Oregon and Washington, especially federal agencies, can still hold their employees to a federal standard of prohibited cannabis, THC, and CBD use.

**Only medical patients are allowed to grow cannabis at home.