AI Analysis of 40,000 Public Comments Reveals Strong American Support for Federal Cannabis Rescheduling

Johns Hopkins study uses AI to analyze 40,000+ comments, finding 92% of Americans support removing cannabis from the federal Schedule I drug list.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 30, 2026, 8:48 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from EurekAlert!

The Massive Scale of Public Engagement in Federal Rulemaking

The federal government’s recent decision to reclassify medical marijuana has been met with overwhelming public approval, according to a landmark study published in the journal Addiction. Researchers processed 42,913 individual comments submitted to the Drug Enforcement Administration during a 63-day window in 2024, representing the most significant volume of public testimony ever recorded on cannabis policy. This AI-driven analysis allowed the team to synthesize a vast array of personal narratives, ranging from patients describing life-saving therapies to entrepreneurs discussing the economic hurdles of the current legal landscape.

A Statistical Breakdown of American Perspectives on Reform

The data reveals a clear mandate for change, with 92.4 percent of all participants advocating for the removal of cannabis from the highly restrictive Schedule I category. While 28.9 percent of commenters explicitly supported the move to Schedule III, a much larger group, comprising 63.5 percent of respondents, expressed a desire for the government to go even further. Only a small minority of 6.7 percent opposed any alteration to the existing federal drug schedules, highlighting a rare moment of broad consensus across a diverse demographic of patients, healthcare providers, and business owners.

Economic and Therapeutic Drivers Behind the Push for Change

For those supporting the reclassification, the primary motivations were rooted in the practical benefits of the substance. Approximately 56.7 percent of supporters cited the therapeutic value of cannabis as their main justification, while 27.8 percent focused on the positive economic impacts for state revenues and the legal industry. Furthermore, 24.4 percent of these commenters emphasized the need for clearer federal oversight to improve public safety. These proponents often shared intimate experiences, with one medical professional stating that the substance serves as a legitimate medication that fundamentally improved their quality of life.