Trump Budget Proposes Eliminating State Medical Cannabis Protections, Continuing D.C. Adult Use Cannabis Sales Ban, but Marijuana Moment’s Claims Lack Evidence

Jason Beck

Original High At 9 News Story

06-03-2025

The 2025 federal budget proposal, attributed to former President Donald Trump’s administration, seeks to remove protections for state medical cannabis programs and maintain a prohibition on legalizing adult use cannabis sales in Washington, D.C. The budget would eliminate a congressional rider, in place since 2014, that prevents the Department of Justice from using funds to interfere with state-legal medical cannabis programs. Known as the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment, this rider, introduced by Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), has protected patients, providers, and businesses in states with medical cannabis laws from federal prosecution.

“For years, we’ve fought to protect patients’ access to medical cannabis under state law,” Blumenauer said in a statement. “It’s disappointing to see this administration propose reversing that progress.”

The budget also upholds a restriction barring Washington, D.C., from using local funds to regulate adult use cannabis sales, despite D.C. voters approving Initiative 71 in 2014 to legalize adult use cannabis. The measure allows adults 21 and older to possess up to two ounces of cannabis, gift up to one ounce, and cultivate up to six plants (with a household maximum of 12). 

The federal ban on regulated sales has led to an unregulated “gray market,” where businesses provide cannabis as a “gift” with purchases like overpriced juice or art, raising concerns about safety and oversight.

“The District’s voters made their will clear, but Congress continues to block our ability to regulate cannabis sales,” said D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) in response to the proposal. “This restriction fuels an unsafe, untaxed market.”

Analysis: Lack of Evidence for Trump’s Direct Involvement

Marijuana Moment’s article, titled “Trump Wants To Delete State Medical Marijuana Protections From Budget While Continuing To Block Cannabis Sales Legalization In D.C.,” claims that Trump is driving the proposal to remove the medical cannabis rider. However, the article provides no direct quote, statement, or primary source (e.g., a Trump speech, tweet, or policy memo) explicitly showing that Trump personally called for the rider’s removal. Instead, it attributes the proposal to “Trump’s 2025 budget,” a common journalistic shorthand for an administration’s fiscal plan, typically prepared by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the president’s direction. These budgets often reflect bureaucratic or party priorities, not necessarily the president’s personal stance on every provision. The article notes that Trump’s budgets in 2019 and 2020 proposed similar cuts, but similarly lacks evidence tying Trump directly to those decisions. Without a primary source, the claim that Trump personally seeks to eliminate the rider appears speculative, relying on his association with the budget rather than documented intent.

Callout: Marijuana Moment’s Propaganda

Marijuana Moment’s assertion that “Trump wants” to remove the rider projects propaganda by implying personal intent without substantiation. This framing risks misleading readers by attributing the proposal directly to Trump, potentially to inflame opposition, rather than acknowledging the budget as a product of his administration’s broader apparatus. Such reporting undermines journalistic integrity, prioritizing narrative over evidence, especially given Trump’s past support for state cannabis autonomy, which complicates the article’s portrayal.

Verification from X Search

A search on X for evidence verifying Trump’s personal involvement in the rider’s removal yielded posts from Marijuana Moment and its staff, restating the article’s claim that “Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request proposes to delete” the rider. However, these posts provide no primary source, such as a Trump statement, budget document excerpt, or official announcement, to confirm that Trump himself called for the change. The absence of direct evidence on X supports the conclusion that Marijuana Moment’s claim is unverified, relying on the budget’s association with Trump’s administration rather than proof of his personal directive.

Relevant Context

The budget proposal aligns with a mixed record from Trump’s first term. In 2018, he endorsed the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act, which would have protected state-legal cannabis programs. In 2020, he suggested D.C. should have autonomy over its cannabis laws. However, his administration rescinded the Cole Memo in 2018, an Obama-era policy limiting federal enforcement against state-compliant cannabis businesses, indicating a stricter federal approach.

As of February 2025, 38 states, three territories, and D.C. have medical cannabis programs, while 24 states, two territories, and D.C. allow adult use cannabis. Eliminating the medical cannabis rider could expose state programs to federal enforcement, potentially disrupting patient access. In D.C., the sales ban has fueled an unregulated market estimated at $500 million annually in a 2024 report, with no tax revenue generated.

“This move threatens the stability of state medical cannabis programs that millions rely on,” said Michael Correia, director of government relations at the National Cannabis Industry Association. “We urge Congress to reject this proposal and protect patients.”

The budget requires Congressional approval, and previous attempts to remove the medical cannabis rider in 2019 and 2020 failed due to bipartisan support for its restoration. Congress will review the budget in the coming months, with advocates urging lawmakers to preserve the rider and grant D.C. authority to regulate adult use cannabis sales.