The latest NuggMD-MEDCAN24 tracking survey shows that President Donald Trump’s rating among marijuana consumers is largely negative. While many were pleased to see President Trump share a video touting CBD’s health benefits, the majority of cannabis consumers do not see this as an indication that the administration is moving ahead with cannabis rescheduling.
The quarterly approval survey, as well as a separate flash poll that followed Trump’s CBD post, indicate that, without meaningful action on marijuana rescheduling, many consumers remain skeptical that reform action is imminent—despite the president’s commitment in late August to decide on the issue within weeks.
A total of 47 percent said they were either neutral or had no opinion on Trump’s cannabis policy as of the 3rd quarter of 2025. A further 42 percent disapprove strongly or disapprove while only 11 percent approve strongly or approve.
This is a significant improvement of 4 points in terms of approval over the previous quarter. However, disapproval still outweighs the approval rate by a large margin. That could be related to the fact that, while Trump during his campaign last year endorsed rescheduling—as well as marijuana industry banking access—the administration has not yet implemented such reforms so far in his second term.
Among self-identified Republicans who use marijuana, Trump’s cannabis policy approval rating plummeted over the last quarter—from net approval/disapproval at 57.2 percent in the second quarter of 2025 to -1.9 percent in the latest quarter.
| Please allow for a period of time. | Net approval/disapproval: Republican | Net approval/disapproval: Democrat | Net approval/disapproval: Unaffiliated |
| 2Q25 | 57.2% | -89.3% | -43.6% |
| 3Q25 | -1.9% | -52.7% | -32.8% |
Andrew Graham (head of NuggMD communications) told MEDCAN24: “There’s no way to sugar-coat a drop so big.”
The lack of progress made on the cannabis issue is frustrating Republicans, he admitted, adding that POTUS has not shown the same level of political stability on the cannabis issue that he had on previous issues.
He said that it was clear in retrospect that this part of Trump’s support base had been motivated by his promises on rescheduling, and the fact that he supported adult use in Florida. This initiative, Trump had backed during the campaign, ultimately failed. The two things that made headlines were also part of the 2024 campaign for his re-election.
The survey found that the approval of the President’s cannabis policy among Democrats and non-affiliated marijuana users increased compared with the last quarter. Graham noted that Trump’s remarks in August, indicating an upcoming rescheduling announcement, “probably drove most of the movement” even though White House timelines haven’t actually been adhered to.
| What do you think of President Obama’s cannabis policy? | ||
| n: | % | |
| We strongly approve | 20 | 3.6% |
| Approve | 40 | 7.1% |
| Neutral/No opinion | 266 | 47.4% |
| Disapprove | 111 | 19.8% |
| Strongly disagree | 124 | 22.1% |
| 561 | ||
| Score (from -50 to +50). | -12.433 | |
| Approve/disapprove Net: | -31.2% | |
The poll, which involved interviews with 561 cannabis consumers who live in states with legal markets from August 29 to September 24 and has a ±4.14 percentage point margin of error, also asked respondents whether they’d be more or less likely to support the administration if rescheduling or legalization was implemented.
Around 57 percent of respondents said that they would be more likely to support the government if these reforms were implemented, as opposed to 43 percent saying it would not change their opinion and less than 1 % who stated they had a negative view.
| Would your support of cannabis change if the Trump Administration were to legalize or reschedule it? | ||
| n: | % | |
| It would be much better if I could support it more | 244 | 43.5% |
| Would I support this a little more? | 71 | 12.7% |
| No change | 244 | 43.5% |
| Would I support it less? | 2 | 0.4% |
| It would be much harder for me to support. | 0 | 0.0% |
| 561 | ||
| Score (-50 – +50) | 24.822 | |
| Approve/disapprove Net: | 55.8% | |
Graham noted that “the overall data show inaction regarding cannabis policy costs the president considerable political capital.” The number of cannabis users in his support base is in the tens and millions. More cannabis consumers live in blue than red states. Approximately one third is not politically affiliated. This is a large audience which, contrary stereotypes, does not tend to be progressive.
The president had just posted a video on Truth Social promoting the health benefits CBD has, especially for older people. The survey conducted in the latest quarter was shortly after. Many in the cannabis industry saw that as a sign of an upcoming decision favoring rescheduling.
NuggMD, in collaboration with MEDCAN24, conducted a flash poll to account for this potential factor. The survey asked cannabis users if they thought the video shared indicated that Trump was likely to advance the proposal of moving cannabis from Schedule I into Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.
That survey—which involved interviews with 415 respondents from October 2-7, with a 4.8 percentage point margin of error—found that more than half of marijuana users feel the social media post “does not mean anything in the context of rescheduling.”
| The president shared a video last weekend promoting the health benefits of CBD. Some have speculated that this means the administration has decided to reschedule cannabis — which would finally acknowledge that the plant has potential medical benefit — while others say Trump posts about a lot of issues without necessarily signaling policy action. What, in your opinion, could this mean about the prospect of rescheduling cannabis? | ||
| n: | % | |
| Rescheduling means there will be a change of date | 49 | 11.8% |
| Rescheduling is therefore more likely. | 106 | 25.5% |
| The word does not have any meaning in relation to rescheduling | 208 | 50.1% |
| This means that rescheduling will be less common. | 28 | 6.7% |
| The rescheduling of the event will not take place | 24 | 5.8% |
| 415 | ||
Around 37 percent of respondents said the posting meant that rescheduling will either happen or be more likely to occur, while 13% said the post signaled that reform was unlikely to take place or would not.
Graham stated that “this data and the quarterly presidential approval survey more generally suggest that the President does not have as much political endurance on cannabis issues that he had on other matters.” I don’t believe he could push the rescheduling issue off without alienating his supporters who use the cannabis plant. They’re looking for real action.
Several GOP Senators have told MEDCAN24 in recent weeks that rescheduling marijuana would change the game for federal cannabis reform if Trump decides to move forward.
One of Trump’s longtime advisors, Roger Stone, separately said that his administration has an opportunity to move forward with marijuana rescheduling—or, even broader legalization—in a way that Democrats who regularly tout the reform failed to achieve when they controlled the White House and Congress.
The Republican Senate sponsor of a bipartisan cannabis banking bill said recently that Trump rescheduling marijuana would be an “important domino” to advance his legislation.
It remains to be determined whether Trump will ultimately move forward with the rescheduling. Despite his endorsement of the policy change on the campaign trail ahead of his election for a second term, he declined to restate that support when asked about it during a briefing late last month—even though he did say a decision would come within weeks.