The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention proposes to add a question to an annual survey asking how often people smoke marijuana and if they do so for medical reasons, or if they just “do it for fun or to get drunk.”
The proposed National Health Interview Survey (2028) of the agency would include a questionnaire asking: “Do you use cannabis every day, most or all days, sometimes, or not at any time?”
The question asks if respondents use CBD products “everyday”, “most days”, “some days”, or “not at any time”.
People who say they do use marijuana occasionally would be asked a second question, which asks “For what purpose or purposes do you use marijuana?”
Choose from the following:
- To have fun or get high
- Pain relief
- Nausea
- Anxiety or stress?
- Sleep problems?
- Other medical reasons
The Federal Health Agency’s interest in medical cannabis use comes at a time when the Trump Administration is moving ahead with the process of redistribution of marijuana.
Attorney General Todd Blanche in April issued an order that immediately reclassified state-licensed medical cannabis, as well as marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to Schedule III.
A separate order signed by the acting attorney-general calls for a hearing to consider moving marijuana more broadly into Schedule III.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which is charged with defending the proposed rescheduling move, said in its final hearing brief filed last week that “marijuana no longer fits the statutory requirements for Schedule I because it has a currently accepted medical use within the United States and it has an accepted safety for its use under medical supervision.”
The agency said that, under the law, it must “significantly defer” to a “ten-month extensive study on the scientific and medicinal properties” of marijuana conducted by Health and Human Services Department (HHS), who recommended rescheduling.
DEA stated that there were currently over 30,000 practitioners in 43 U.S. states treating more than 6 million patients. “Such practices prove that there’s no longer an accepted lack of safety for the use of marijuana under a medical supervision. As such, marijuana doesn’t meet the requirements to be a Schedule I drug.”
There was also a statement that said “substantial proof sufficient to show marijuana’s abuse-and dependency profiles are better aligned with Schedule III than Schedule II”, or Schedule 1. The vast majority of marijuana users do not pose a danger to themselves or their communities.
In conclusion, DEA requested the judge to “expeditiously suggest” that marijuana should be moved from Schedule I to Schedule 3.
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Meanwhile, CDC is accepting public comments on the marijuana question and other aspects of its proposed 2028 survey redesign through October 20, CDC said on its website—though a Federal Register notice says that comments “must be received on or before October 19.”
The CDC NHIS 2026 and previous 2024 versions include a question asking, “How often have you used marijuana or CBD products in the last 30 day to help you get to sleep or stay awake?”
A CDC report on the 2024 results showed that 3.7 percent of adults used marijuana or CBD products as sleep aids.
The draft 2028 NHIS circulated by CDC doesn’t include the CBD and sleep question.
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