Monday, 22 December 2025 12:10 PM
Potential Schedule III Status Could Improve Legal Clarity for Patients Traveling from Colombia to the United States with Prescribed Medical Cannabis
CALI, COLOMBIA / ACCESS Newswire / December 22, 2025 / Sannabis S.A.S., a federally licensed and regulated medical cannabis operator in Colombia, today issued commentary on the ongoing U.S. federal process to reschedule marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) and the potential legal, policy, and international trade implications such a change could have for medical cannabis patients and compliant pharmaceutical suppliers.
The discussion follows recent actions by U.S. President Donald J. Trump to advance rulemaking that would reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, a category reserved for substances recognized as having accepted medical use and available by prescription under regulated conditions.
U.S. Federal Legal Context
Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under U.S. federal law, meaning it is deemed to have no accepted medical use at the federal level. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice initiated formal rulemaking to reclassify marijuana to Schedule III.
As of the date of this release, rescheduling has not been finalized, and marijuana remains subject to Schedule I restrictions. Any legal effects would only occur following completion of the administrative rulemaking process and publication of a final rule.
If finalized, a Schedule III designation would represent a material shift in U.S. drug policy by:
- Acknowledging accepted medical use under federal law
- Placing cannabis within the same statutory framework as other prescription medicines
- Subjecting cannabis to FDA, DEA, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection oversight rather than outright prohibition
Importantly, rescheduling alone would not automatically legalize cannabis or permit importation into the United States. However, it could establish the legal foundation upon which future regulatory pathways-such as prescription recognition, FDA approval processes, and controlled import mechanisms-could be developed.
Colombian Medical Cannabis Law and International Alignment
Colombia maintains one of the most structured and federally regulated medical cannabis frameworks in the world. Under Colombian law:
- Medical cannabis may only be prescribed by licensed physicians
- Products must be manufactured and dispensed through authorized pharmacies
- All products are regulated by INVIMA, Colombia’s national food and drug authority, which applies pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing, labeling, and safety standards
Colombia is also a signatory to international drug control treaties and has positioned its medical cannabis sector to comply with global pharmaceutical and export norms.
Potential Implications for Patients and Cross-Border Trade
Should marijuana be rescheduled to Schedule III in the United States – and should U.S. agencies later adopt implementing rules addressing prescription recognition, importation, or patient travel – patients holding valid medical prescriptions issued by licensed Colombian physicians could potentially benefit from greater legal clarity when traveling internationally, subject to U.S. federal, state, and customs requirements.
From a trade perspective, rescheduling could also:
- Enable structured, treaty-compliant international medical cannabis commerce
- Allow FDA-regulated pathways similar to other Schedule III substances
- Support bilateral pharmaceutical trade between compliant jurisdictions
Sannabis’ Role in a Regulated Framework
Sannabis S.A.S. operates within Colombia’s regulated medical cannabis system, working with licensed physicians and authorized pharmacies that prescribe and dispense medical cannabis to qualified patients in accordance with Colombian law.
The Company believes that any future cross-border medical cannabis framework must be grounded in:
- Prescription-based medicine
- Pharmaceutical manufacturing standards
- Regulatory oversight and traceability
- Compliance with international drug control treaties
Sean Hocking
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