Now
38°
Thu
43°
Fri
48°
by Shelby Whitaker,WSBT22Reporter
FILE -Now that President Trump signed an executive order reclassifying marijuana, the future of the drug is still up in the air in Indiana. (WSBT file photo)
SOUTH BEND, IN (WSBT) — 40 of the 50 US states have legalized marijuana. Indiana is one of the 10, where it's still illegal.
Now that President Trump signed an executive order reclassifying marijuana, the future of the drug is still up in the air in Indiana.
WSBT tried contacting some of our local legislators about what this could mean for Indiana's future.
While the reclassification change does not legalize marijuana in Indiana, it may start more conversations throughout the state about allowing it in the future.
The state of Indiana was one of the first to ban marijuana sales without a prescription in 1913. Since then, marijuana efforts have been introduced a number of times in the legislative process. But nothing has changed regarding the legality of the drug.
WSBT contacted some of our local representatives both Republican and Democrat, including Jake Teshka, Tim Wesco, Maureen Bauer, and Ryan Dvorak about what this reclassification could mean for the state's future.
WSBT asked them, after last week's reclassification from the Trump administration, what could this mean for the future of marijuana legalization?
Could this topic be discussed in the next session?
Should Indiana make the change and legalize marijuana?
After attempting to get answers all day, none of the local lawmakers we contacted responded.
Since President Trump's executive order last week, Indiana attorney general Todd Rokita alongside six other State Attorney Generals released a joint statement, saying in part:
"…because of our long-held views, we are concerned with the issuance of this Executive Order, which directs the Attorney General to "take necessary steps to complete the rulemaking process related to rescheduling marijuana to schedule III."
All of Indiana's bordering states have legalized marijuana to some degree. Marijuana in Indiana remains illegal but the state does allow CBD oil for medicinal use.
At this point, it seems to still be somewhat unclear if this reclassification will spark new conversations for legalization in the Indiana legislature.
2025 Sinclair, Inc.