This election year, Capitol Hill buzzed with discussions about cannabis scheduling, hemp regulations, and the FDA’s evolving role in regulating cannabinoids. Yet, missing from these debates was one critical topic: the future of medical cannabis and protections for patients. As we head toward the 2024 election, it’s clear that cannabis policies will shift in the next Congress, impacting the lives of patients and families across the nation.
Patients must stay informed and engaged and ensure that elected officials understand the pressing issues affecting patient access and safety. Here are the five most important things every medical cannabis patient should know leading into this pivotal election.
1. The President’s Powers Over Cannabis Policy Are Limited
Presidential candidates’ positions on cannabis often make headlines, but the President of the United States does not have the power to change cannabis laws unilaterally. While the executive branch can advocate for reform, significant policy shifts depend on Congress. That means the outcome of 435 congressional and 33 Senate races in November will determine how medical cannabis is regulated but these candidates are not being pressed on their positions.
Consider this: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have both expressed support for moving cannabis to Schedule III and even legalizing it. But the reality is they cannot enact these changes alone. Even the current rescheduling process—now in the hands of the DEA, which is resisting the move to Schedule III—will be out of the 47th President’s control.
Patients should recognize that meaningful progress in medical cannabis policy depends on who is elected to the House and Senate. Candidates who understand the medical side of cannabis can champion essential legislation that prioritizes patients over profits. So, while presidential candidates may propose bold cannabis reforms, patients must focus on electing lawmakers who will fight for access, research, and patient protections at the federal level.
2. Patients Must Address Congress’ Knowledge Gap on Medical Cannabis
Many members of Congress remain misinformed about medical cannabis. Some mistakenly believe that adult-use markets provide adequate access
to medical patients, which isn’t the case. While recreational markets offer broader availability, they do not ensure consistent quality, patient-specific formulations, or affordability—all of which are crucial for medical patients. Additionally, some legislators assume that rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III will automatically expand access, overlooking the complexities and barriers cannabis medicines will still face post-rescheduling.
Patients need to break through these misconceptions and educate their representatives. It’s vital to emphasize that medical cannabis is not merely a step toward recreational legalization but a necessary component of patient care. Engaging with candidates and elected officials is the only way to shift the focus back to patients’ needs, fostering more informed and supportive policies in the next Congress.
3. Recreational Cannabis Laws are a Byproduct of Medical Cannabis, Not the Goal!
While recreational markets have emerged from medical cannabis advocacy, they do not address the specific rights and needs of patients. Unlike a robust medical model, the recreational framework lacks essential protections, such as those guaranteed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Act, or insurance coverage for prescribed treatments. Additionally, the recreational market doesn’t incentivize the development of specialized cannabis medicines, leaving patients without tailored therapeutic options.
Patients need more than just access to dispensaries; they require a healthcare framework that recognizes cannabis as medicine. This distinction is crucial for establishing coverage and legal protections that support patients in their daily lives. Voting for candidates who understand the difference between recreational and medical cannabis models ensures patient rights are embedded in future policies.
4. Cannabis Medicines Are Casualties of More Than One War
Medical cannabis faces challenges beyond the ongoing war on drugs. It is also caught in the battle against botanical medicines. The current systemfor defining medicine in the U.S. has failed to integrate plant-based medicines, defaulting to a purely pharmaceutical model, and cannabis is no exception. While rescheduling cannabis could be a step forward, it will reveal another battle that medical cannabis advocates have long anticipated—how botanical medicines are researched, approved, and covered by insurance.
The FDA currently lacks a clear pathway for approving and regulating botanical medicines like cannabis. While rescheduling might ease some restrictions, misguided policies could place cannabis under stricter pharmaceutical regulations, putting patients back where they started 25 years ago and creating new barriers to access. As patients, it’s crucial to understand these complex layers and advocate for policies that redefine medicine in the United States, allowing cannabis to be treated as a medicine.
5. Medical Cannabis Is on Every Ballot in 2024 & There is Still Time to Act!
Rescheduling cannabis to either Schedule II or III should change the conversation around cannabis policy, but it will not improve access for patients 
without additional action from Congress. That’s why comprehensive legislation, like the Medical Cannabis & Cannabinoid Act, is necessary. This act aims to establish a regulatory framework that addresses the full spectrum of patient needs—from research and safety to legal protections and insurance coverage.
Patients must make their voices heard by supporting candidates who prioritize medical cannabis reform. Medical cannabis patients deserve champions in Congress who will fight for a regulatory framework that ensures safety and access.
With only a week left until the election, it’s crucial that patients and advocates continue pressing candidates to pledge their support for medical cannabis reform.
The 2024 election is a defining moment for medical cannabis policy. It’s not just about which candidates win but about ensuring those elected understand and support medical cannabis patients’ needs. There’s still time to engage with candidates, attend town halls, and ask where they stand on medical cannabis.
Your vote can shape the future of access, research, and patient rights!
With only a week left until the election, it’s crucial that patients and advocates continue pressing candidates to pledge their support for medical cannabis reform.
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