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Despite a December 2025 executive order, marijuana remains a Schedule I substance, as the order merely directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to “expedite” a process that has been stuck in a bureaucratic swamp for years. Critics point out that Bondi, who has a history of opposing medical marijuana expansion and was once famously dubbed “the most aggressive opponent” of reform in Florida, has already missed a January 2026 deadline to ease research barriers. For now, her Department of Justice remains the bottleneck, keeping cannabis in the same federal category as heroin.
For security clearance holders, this delay is particularly treacherous. Even if Bondi eventually moves the needle to Schedule III, clearances aren’t guaranteed. Federal agencies still hold the power to deny eligibility based on “reliability and judgment,” and Bondi’s DOJ could still enforce strict internal policies that treat any medicinal use as a disqualifying conduct. Read the full story.
Linked article written by Chris Snowden. Published on February 5, 2026 by Federal News Network.
