The U.S. Department of Justice announced that the DEA will begin issuing federal registrations to qualified state‑licensed medical cannabis dispensaries, the first step in implementing the Attorney General’s April 23 schedule‑III order.
First Wave of Registrations
More than 900 dispensaries in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia have received federal registration after completing the DEA pre‑registration investigation.
Each applicant must operate under a state medical marijuana framework that aligns with federal law and pass the DEA’s security, recordkeeping and inventory controls.
“The American people deserve access to the best medical treatments in the world,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Regulated distribution will expand chronic pain treatment while safeguarding public health, and the DOJ will continue prosecuting illegal trafficking.”
Broader Application Landscape
A recent analysis by Marijuana Moment found nearly 7,000 medical cannabis businesses have applied for federal protections in the Trump administration’s partial rescheduling effort.
Americans for Safe Access called the move “a major milestone” in establishing a federal regulatory pathway for qualifying state activities under Schedule III.
“For the first time, the federal government is recognizing and registering the dispensaries patients fought to establish, delivering a tremendous victory for patient access,” said Steph Sherer, Founder and Executive Director of Americans for Safe Access.
Sherer added that the announcement marks three decades since California’s Proposition 215, illustrating the power of patient advocacy.
State‑licensed dispensaries must still meet federal requirements, including robust security, recordkeeping, inventory controls and other safeguards for controlled substances.
The Attorney General’s order applies only to defined qualifying medical marijuana activities; recreational use and other non‑covered activities remain under Schedule I controls, while broader rescheduling proceeds through a separate administrative proceeding.
