DEA Registers 900+ Dispensaries Under Federal Medical Marijuana Order

More than 900 state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries can now operate under federal registration, the Drug Enforcement Administration said Friday. The registrations apply to businesses in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

The registrations are the first issued under an April 23 order from Attorney General Todd Blanche that placed certain medical marijuana activities under Schedule III controls. The order was issued under 21 U.S.C. § 811(d). Blanche said the registrations will help ensure "broader access to chronic pain treatment and the safety of the American people."

To receive registration, a dispensary had to apply within the order's initial 60-day window, operate under a state medical marijuana program consistent with federal law and U.S. treaty obligations, and pass the DEA's pre-registration investigation. A state license alone does not grant federal registration. Registered dispensaries must meet federal requirements for security, recordkeeping and inventory controls.

Federal controls under the Controlled Substances Act remain in place. The DOJ said it will continue prosecuting illegal marijuana trafficking and related criminal activity under federal law. The DEA said it will keep reviewing applications and issue additional registrations in phases.

The agency is also reviewing applications from medical marijuana manufacturers and distributors, which require facility inspections, production controls and quota decisions. Applicants who filed within the initial 60-day period and whose applications remain pending may continue medical marijuana transactions with other qualified applicants and newly registered businesses, subject to the order's requirements.

The order covers only defined medical marijuana activities. It does not authorize recreational marijuana or other activities outside its scope, and marijuana not covered by the order remains subject to Schedule I controls. A separate administrative proceeding under the Controlled Substances Act is considering the broader proposal to reschedule marijuana.

Blanche said the American people "deserve access to the best medical treatments in the world."

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