Cannabis is now a Schedule 3 drug and what that means.

What this changes for cannabis -

1. Cannabis will no longer be treated as having “no medical value” Schedule I status says a drug has no accepted medical use. Schedule III explicitly recognizes medical use, aligning federal law more closely with state medical programs.

2. Major tax relief for legal cannabis businesses (end of IRS 280E) Currently, because cannabis is Schedule I, businesses cannot deduct normal business expenses. Schedule III would eliminate 280E for cannabis, allowing deductions like rent, payroll, marketing, etc.

3. Still federally controlled — not legalization. Cannabis would remain illegal for recreational use at the federal level. DEA regulation would still apply. Interstate commerce would still be illegal.

4. FDA oversight becomes more relevant. Medical cannabis products could face greater FDA scrutiny, especially around: Manufacturing standards, Labeling, Medical claims, this could favor larger, more standardized operators.

5. Research becomes easier with fewer regulatory barriers for clinical research. More universities and hospitals could study cannabis without Schedule I restrictions. What would not change, State laws stay the same (legal states remain legal; illegal states remain illegal). No automatic expungement or release for cannabis convictions. No federal recreational legalization.

CCR was awarded an Elevate Youth Grant in early 2025. The Voices Rising college age youth mentor program was than designed and developed by CCR. Fourteen young adults completed the full training program, mentor sessions, and community project development and implementation. Participants represented diverse campuses, backgrounds and demonstrated strong commitment to learning, leadership, and substance use prevention. See link for a one year review of the projects.‍

Year 1 in Review.

For the fifth year in a row, use of most substances among teenagers in the United States has continued to hover around the low-water mark reached in 2021. The findings come from the latest report of the Monitoring the Future Survey, an annual survey of drug use behaviors and attitudes among eighth, 10th, and 12th graders that has been supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for 51 years. The data indicates that, compared to 2024, reported use of most drugs in most grades held steady in 2025. These are some of the key findings:

• Abstaining from, or not using, marijuana, alcohol, and nicotine remained stable for all grades, with 91% of eighth graders 82% of 10th graders, and 66% of 12th graders reporting abstaining in the past 30 days.
• Alcohol use remained stable among all three grade levels, with 11% of eighth graders, 24% of 10th graders, and 41% of 12th graders reporting use in the past 12 months.
• Cannabis use remained stable among all grades, with 8% of eighth graders, 16% of 10th graders, and 26% of 12th graders reporting use in the past 12 months. Of note, 2% of 8^th graders, 6% of 10th graders, and 9% of 12th graders reported use of cannabis products made from hemp, which include intoxicating products such as delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol, in the past 12 months.
• Nicotine vaping remained stable among all grades, with 9% of eighth graders, 14% of 10th graders, and 20% of 12th graders reporting use in the past 12 months.
• Nicotine pouch use remained stable among all grades, with 1% of eighth graders, 3% of 10th graders, and 7% of 12th graders reporting use in the past 12 months.
• Nicotine pouch use remained stable among all grades, with 1% of eighth graders, 3% of 10th graders, and 7% of 12th graders reporting use in the past 12 months.
• Heroin use among all three grades remains low, though values increased significantly from 2024, with 0.5% of eighth graders (compared to 0.2% in 2024), 0.5% of 10th graders (compared to 0.1% in 2024), and 0.9% of 12th graders (compared to 0.2% in 2024) reporting use in the past 12 months.
• Cocaine use also remained low and stable for 10th graders, with 0.7% reporting use in the past 12 months; though values increased significantly among the other grades surveyed, with 0.6% of eighth graders (compared to 0.2% in 2024) and 1.4% of 12th graders (compared to 0.9% in 2024) reporting use in the past 12 months.

Click here for News Release.

‍

December is designated as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month to raise awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, especially during the increased social gatherings of the holiday season. To help combat impaired driving, NHTSA reminds you: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and If You Feel Different, You Drive Different – Drive High Get a DUI. These campaigns, which run Dec. 11 through Jan. 1, aim to educate people about the dangers and consequences of impaired driving. During this period, law enforcement will be stepping up patrols nationwide to get impaired drivers off the roads.

CCR is so proud of our Elevate Youth - Voices Rising group for completing the mentor program. They have created prevention campaigns with real world implications on college campuses and beyond. The Voices Rising initiative is designed to empower young adults ages 18–26 as they step into leadership, civic engagement, and professional pathways. This mentorship program is rooted in trauma-informed care and positive youth development (PYD) principles, ensuring that every interaction with youth supports healing, growth, and self-efficacy.

Link to projects.