#1to3: The Social Media Campaign Urging Trump To Reschedule Cannabis — And How You Can Help

President Donald Trump says his administration is “looking at” moving marijuana from Schedule I, the same federal category as heroin, to the less restrictive Schedule III, and will “make a determination over the next few weeks.” The comments, made at a White House press conference on August 12, came after months of speculation and industry lobbying.

The potential shift would align with recommendations made by the Department of Health and Human Services last year and is now reflected in a new bill introduced in Congress: the Marijuana 1-to-3 Act of 2025.

From Rumor to Timeline

Speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room, Trump said:

“We are looking at reclassification, and we will make a determination over the next — I would say over the next few weeks, and that determination hopefully will be the right one. It is a very complicated subject. I have heard great things having to do with medical, and I have had bad things having to do with just about everything else. But medical, and, you know, for pain and various things.”

The remarks followed reporting that at a $1 million-a-plate fundraiser earlier this month, Trump told donors, including Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers, that he was interested in the change. Multiple outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and CNN, confirmed the exchange.

Congress Has a Vehicle: H.R. 4963

Filed on August 12 by Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), H.R. 4963 would direct the attorney general to move “marijuana” from Schedule I to Schedule III within 90 days of enactment. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on the Judiciary.

The GOP Math Is Changing

Reporting from GreenState shows the Republican voter base shifting. A recent survey found that 43% of GOP voters support legalizing cannabis for both recreational and medicinal use, while another 38% support legalizing medical only. Minnesota Republican Rep. Nolan West told GreenState, “Republicans need to move into the future. The new style of the Republican Party that is working class, younger than it traditionally is, is evident in the results of the election.”

Former Congressman Matt Gaetz argued that cannabis reform could be decisive in 2026: “If President Trump does this, the game is over for Democrats at the ballot box.”

What Schedule III Actually Changes

A detailed analysis from Dentons addresses common misconceptions. According to the firm, Schedule III would:

• Acknowledge that cannabis has medical value and a lower potential for abuse.
• Remove the 280E tax burden from state-licensed cannabis businesses.
• Expand opportunities for cannabis research.
• Leave state medical and adult-use programs intact in the near term.

Dentons notes that rescheduling would not legalize cannabis federally, nor eliminate the federal-state law conflict, but would deliver significant economic relief to operators.

Industry Voices

Paula Savchenko, Esq., founding partner of Cannacore Group and PS Law Group, said:

“We strongly support the administration’s consideration of marijuana reclassification and applaud President Trump for taking a data-driven, forward-looking approach. Moving to reschedule, or even fully deschedule, marijuana from a Schedule I controlled substance would be transformative for our country. It will create new opportunities for scientific research, bring fairness and consistency to outdated regulations, and supercharge economic growth in the legal cannabis industry. Just as importantly, it will open access to traditional banking, lift the crushing tax burdens that have held legitimate operators back, and unleash the full potential of an industry ready to give back through jobs, innovation, and billions in tax revenue. This is the kind of leadership that helps our economy thrive, empowers entrepreneurs, and improves the lives of millions of Americans.”

An update from Viridian Capital Advisors argued that fears of a Schedule III crackdown on recreational cannabis are misplaced. The firm sees rescheduling as aligned with Trump’s states’ rights stance, pro-business instincts, and opposition to opioids. It calls the idea of the FDA wiping out state-legal adult-use markets “highly unlikely,” noting that “we are talking about an industry that generates 400,000 jobs and billions of dollars in state tax revenues.”

The #1to3 Campaign

We are launching a social media push under the hashtag #1to3. The campaign urges supporters to tag President Trump and key lawmakers, amplifying the political and economic case for rescheduling.

How to take action right now:

• Send a pre-written letter to the White House and Congress via NORML’s action tool. Join almost 40,000 people who’ve already sent this letter.
• Contact your U.S. Representative and Senators to express support for H.R. 4963.
• Post on social media using #1to3 and tag @realDonaldTrump.

With both political momentum and legislative action in motion, the next few weeks could decide whether this long-debated change becomes reality. Supporters say the key is to keep the conversation loud, visible, and impossible for decision-makers to ignore.

The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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