Marijuana is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, the same category as heroin and LSD.
As of 2024, 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana use, and 38 states permit medical marijuana.
In 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration began a formal process to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, though the rule has not been finalized.
A 2023 Gallup poll found 70 percent of U.S. adults support legalizing marijuana, up from 12 percent in 1969.
The Congressional Research Service estimates federal marijuana tax revenue under legalization could reach roughly $8.5 billion annually, while opponents cite National Institute on Drug Abuse data linking heavy use to cognitive and mental-health risks in adolescents.