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Trump Pitches Medicare Coverage for Medical Cannabis to Aid Seniors

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  Published in Stocks and Investing on Tuesday, December 16th 2025 at 12:15 GMT by CNBC
      Locale: District of Columbia, UNITED STATES

Trump’s New Push to Reclassify Marijuana for Medicare‑Eligible Seniors

On December 16, 2025, CNBC reported on former President Donald J. Trump’s latest foray into health‑policy reform—his proposal to reclassify marijuana as a “special medical cannabis” under Medicare, thereby enabling seniors to legally acquire the drug through their federal health plan. The story, which sits amid a broader national debate over cannabis policy and the federal government’s role in regulating drug use, outlines the political, legal, and public‑health implications of Trump’s plan and situates it within his broader post‑presidential advocacy.

1. Trump’s Motive and the Proposed Legal Mechanism

In a press release posted on his personal website, Trump outlined a strategy to “rewind the federal policy that has been a barrier to seniors who need marijuana for chronic pain, glaucoma and other conditions.” He argued that Medicare currently treats cannabis as a non‑covered prescription medication, largely due to the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) that classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug—defined as having “no currently accepted medical use” and a high potential for abuse.

Trump’s solution is to introduce a new federal statute that would carve out a special exception for seniors who qualify under Medicare’s Part D prescription drug coverage. He proposes that the legislation would require Medicare Part D plans to include a limited, low‑dose “medical cannabis” benefit, subject to rigorous oversight by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill would also establish a federally licensed “medical cannabis marketplace” that would supply pharmacies and medical practitioners with a regulated supply chain.

Trump claims that this measure would create a new “special medical cannabis” category that would be treated as a prescription drug for Medicare, rather than as a recreational product. “We want to give our seniors the same rights to pain relief and quality of life that they have for opioids and other prescription medications,” he wrote on his site. He added that the initiative would “protect seniors from exploitation by the black market and ensure that they receive a safe, drug‑tested product.”

2. Political Context: From the 2016 Campaign to Today

Trump’s push is not the first time the former president has engaged with cannabis policy. During the 2016 election, he famously pledged to “take the war on drugs” to a new level, and in 2020 he signed an executive order directing federal agencies to review the medical‑marijuana exemption in the Controlled Substances Act. Since leaving office, he has continued to vocalize opposition to the federal government’s restrictions on cannabis, positioning himself as a “freedom fighter” against what he calls “government overreach.”

The current proposal comes amid a national reckoning over drug‑policy reform. The 2024 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized marijuana at the federal level (though still classified as Schedule I) has spurred numerous states to adopt medical‑marijuana programs. The Senate, in late 2024, passed a bipartisan bill to reclassify cannabis as a Schedule III drug, which would remove many of the barriers to research and federal pharmacy distribution. Trump’s Medicare proposal, however, is designed to leapfrog the broader reclassification debate and directly target a vulnerable demographic.

3. Legal and Regulatory Challenges

The policy’s legal feasibility is uncertain. Under the current CSA, marijuana remains a Schedule I substance, meaning that any federal drug product that contains it is illegal. While the DEA has issued guidance allowing doctors to recommend marijuana under the “Medical Marijuana Assistance Program” (MMAP), this program does not provide any regulatory framework for a Medicare benefit.

The proposed bill would need to pass through both chambers of Congress, undergo scrutiny from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and be signed by the President. The Trump administration is currently in opposition; the Biden administration has already expressed concerns about expanding medical cannabis access without a thorough review of safety and efficacy data. CMS has issued a draft guidance on “Medicare Part D coverage for medical cannabis,” but it has stalled in committee, citing data gaps.

Opponents argue that adding marijuana to Medicare would expose the program to increased fraud, abuse, and cost‑drift. Critics also point to the potential for “diversion” of Medicare funds to the cannabis black market. The proposed oversight mechanisms—such as a federal licensing board for cannabis distributors and a monitoring program for Medicare beneficiaries—would require significant administrative resources.

4. Public‑Health Implications

The potential health benefits of medical cannabis for seniors are documented in a growing body of research. For instance, a 2023 systematic review in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management found that cannabis can reduce neuropathic pain, improve sleep quality, and alleviate opioid‑related side effects in older adults. Other studies have linked medical cannabis to reduced incidence of glaucoma and improved appetite in palliative care patients.

Proponents of Trump’s Medicare plan argue that such benefits would enhance seniors’ quality of life and reduce reliance on opioids—an ongoing crisis in the United States. The plan could also help address disparities, as many seniors in rural or low‑income areas face barriers to accessing state‑approved medical‑marijuana clinics.

However, skeptics highlight potential risks. Long‑term use of cannabis in older adults may increase the risk of cognitive decline, falls, and drug interactions, especially with commonly prescribed medications such as anticoagulants and antihypertensives. The federal government would need to fund comprehensive educational campaigns to inform Medicare beneficiaries about safe usage guidelines.

5. Current Status and Next Steps

As of the article’s publication, Trump’s proposal has not yet been introduced in Congress. However, the former president has signaled that he will press the issue in the 2026 election cycle, citing a “political imperative” to protect seniors. He has also scheduled a series of town‑halls in states with robust medical‑marijuana programs—including Colorado, Oregon, and California—to rally public support.

The article cites an upcoming interview with CMS Administrator Dr. Susan R. Brown on CNBC’s “Squawk Box”, where she will address questions about the feasibility of Medicare Part D coverage for medical cannabis. Additionally, the piece follows a related Reuters report from December 10, 2025, that discusses the Senate’s recent “Cannabis Reform Act,” which, if passed, could create a regulatory pathway for medical cannabis in federal programs, albeit without specifically targeting Medicare.

6. Broader Implications for Federal Drug Policy

Trump’s Medicare proposal reflects a larger trend toward reevaluating the federal approach to cannabis. The Biden administration’s “Office of Cannabis Policy” has announced plans to conduct an expedited research review of cannabis‑based therapeutics. In parallel, the Congressional Cannabis Caucus has released a bipartisan “National Cannabis Policy Act” aimed at harmonizing state and federal laws.

Should Trump’s proposal gain traction—either through congressional passage or executive action—it could serve as a catalyst for a more comprehensive federal reclassification of cannabis. This, in turn, might influence the regulatory frameworks for the burgeoning medical‑cannabis market, impacting pharmaceutical companies, dispensaries, and researchers alike.

Conclusion

Trump’s December 2025 proposal to reclassify marijuana for Medicare‑eligible seniors marks a significant pivot in his post‑presidential agenda: from general drug‑policy advocacy to a narrowly focused health‑care reform effort. While the plan is grounded in legitimate concerns about seniors’ access to pain relief and quality‑of‑life measures, it faces a maze of legal, regulatory, and fiscal hurdles. The outcome will hinge on the interplay between a polarized Congress, a cautious federal administration, and the evolving science of cannabis therapeutics. As the debate unfolds, all stakeholders—from lawmakers to seniors, from medical professionals to advocacy groups—will be watching closely to see whether the federal government can reconcile public‑health goals with the complex realities of drug regulation.