The Drug Enforcement Administration is issuing its first federal registrations to state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries, the Justice Department announced Oct. 30. The initial registrations cover more than 900 dispensaries in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
The registrations are the first phase of implementing Attorney General Todd Blanche’s April 23 order, which established a federal regulatory framework for qualifying medical marijuana businesses under Schedule III controls while keeping federal oversight under the Controlled Substances Act. Each dispensary had to meet federal requirements, including a DEA pre-registration investigation, before receiving registration, the department said. State licensure alone does not grant federal registration. Registered dispensaries are subject to federal security, recordkeeping, inventory control and other safeguards for handling controlled substances.
The DEA is starting with dispensaries that applied within the order’s initial 60-day period and operate under a state regulatory framework consistent with federal law and U.S. international treaty obligations. It will continue processing dispensary applications through a phased process and is reviewing applications from medical marijuana manufacturers and distributors, which require additional review, including facility inspections, production controls and quota determinations. Qualifying applicants whose applications are pending may continue engaging in medical marijuana transactions with other qualified applicants and newly registered entities, subject to the order’s requirements.
“The regulated distribution of medical marijuana by the applicants that have been granted registration by the Drug Enforcement Administration will help ensure broader access to chronic pain treatment and the safety of the American people,” Blanche said. He said the Justice Department will continue prosecuting illegal marijuana trafficking.
The order applies only to defined medical marijuana activities and does not authorize recreational use or other marijuana activity, the department said. Marijuana not covered by the order remains in Schedule I, and the broader proposed rescheduling of marijuana is being considered in a separate administrative proceeding.
The Justice Department and DEA placed FDA-approved marijuana products and certain state-licensed medical marijuana products in Schedule III in April, following a December 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump directing the attorney general to expedite the process of rescheduling marijuana. HHS recommended moving marijuana to Schedule III in 2023, and the FDA supported that recommendation.
At the Becker's Fall Behavioral Health Summit, taking place November 4–5 in Chicago, behavioral health leaders and executives will explore strategies for expanding access to care, integrating services, addressing workforce challenges and leveraging innovation to improve outcomes across the behavioral health continuum. Apply for complimentary registration now.
