Idaho attorney general challenges Trump stance on marijuana risk

Sarah Cutler, The Idaho Statesman on Dec 19, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador on Friday raised “concerns” about President Donald Trump’s Thursday executive order calling for the downgrade of marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug. The administration called for the change to increase access to marijuana for medical uses, the order said.

“The federal government’s long delay in recognizing the medical use of marijuana does not serve the Americans who report health benefits from the medical use of marijuana to ease chronic pain and other various medically recognized ailments,” the order said.

But along with attorneys general from Nebraska, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Wyoming, Labrador on Friday argued that the drug should remain classified as a Schedule I — those with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. It was a rare public disagreement between Labrador, a Republican, and the Trump administration.

“We have seen firsthand the harm the drug has caused in our communities,” the attorneys general said in a Friday statement. “The negative impacts of expanded marijuana use, especially on children and adolescents, are worrisome. And the public policy challenges, such as the exponential increase in difficult-to-combat driving under the influence, are both significant and serious.”

The attorneys general have communicated their concerns to the Trump administration, their statement said. Damon Sidur, a spokesperson for Labrador’s office, did not immediately respond to a question about whether Labrador would consider suing the administration over the order.

“We will evaluate the order closely to determine how we can best continue to engage, protect the public health and ensure the safety of our citizens,” the attorneys’ statement said.