Here’s Why Many Cops Support Trump’s Marijuana Rescheduling Move (Op-Ed)

OG article by Marijuana Moment

February 9, 2026

In this op-ed, former St. Louis police sergeant Gary Wiegert (1980–2015) argues many police chiefs, sheriffs, and prosecutors back President Trump's move to reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to III. Schedule I equates marijuana with heroin, denying medical value despite 38 states' legalization forms, creating federal-state conflicts that strain law enforcement resources. Officers waste time on simple possession instead of violent crime, trafficking, or fentanyl. Data from the Law Enforcement Action Partnership shows over 80% of 11.8 million drug arrests since 2011 were for possession, with cannabis at 35% of drug arrests and 16.5% of all arrests. Conflicting laws foster unlicensed operations linked to crime, lacking safety and taxes, while legal businesses face federal tax burdens. Rescheduling acknowledges medical uses, reduces abuse labels, enables fair competition, better regulation, and focus on real threats. Many officers, including veterans with high PTSD, could benefit from cannabis treatments. Support from groups like Law Enforcement Action Partnership views rescheduling as practical alignment for effective policing, dismantling criminal markets, advancing research, and promoting evidence-based safety—not politics.