Gov. Braun: Federal Cannabis Change Could Influence Indiana Policy Pace

12 August 2025

Indiana’s political debate over marijuana legalization may gain momentum as President Donald Trump considers reclassifying the drug at the federal level. Trump said on August 11 that his administration will decide within weeks whether to move marijuana from Schedule I, reserved for the most strictly prohibited substances, to Schedule III, where it would join drugs like codeine and anabolic steroids that are available by prescription.

While such a change would not legalize marijuana federally, it would be the most significant shift in national cannabis policy since prohibition began in 1970. Rescheduling could open doors for expanded research, give cannabis businesses access to banking services, and influence the pace of state-level reform.

Indiana’s Governor Mike Braun, a Republican, said on August 12th that Trump’s move could add “a little more fuel to the fire” for legalization in Indiana, particularly given that all four neighboring states have legalized some form of cannabis. Braun has indicated he is amenable to medical marijuana but wants law enforcement input on any changes.

The state’s Republican legislative leadership, however, remains resistant. Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray has expressed skepticism about medical marijuana’s benefits, suggesting it often leads to recreational legalization. House Speaker Todd Huston has called cannabis “a deterrent to mental health” and dismissed revenue arguments for legalization.

Despite leadership opposition, public opinion heavily favors reform. An IndianaCannabis.org poll found that more than 8 out of 10 Indiana adults support some form of legalization.

Lawmakers introduced multiple cannabis bills in the last session, including one from Republican Reps. Jim Lucas and Shane Lindauer that would legalize medical cannabis for patients with serious medical conditions.

For now, Indiana remains an outlier in the region, but federal action on rescheduling could force a reevaluation of the state’s prohibition stance, with medical cannabis potentially serving as a political middle ground.