DEA Opens Application Portal for Medical Marijuana Registrations Amid State Lawsuit Over Cannabis Reclassification

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has launched a live application portal that allows state‑licensed medical marijuana operators to apply for DEA registration to manufacture, distribute and dispense medical cannabis. Applicants have a 60‑day window for submissions, with an expedited review required within six months. The process, which typically costs $10,000‑$15,000 including DEA fees, could give early filers a first‑mover advantage in a potential federally recognized market.

At the same time, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, joined by the attorneys general of Indiana and Louisiana, filed a petition in the D.C. Circuit to overturn the Justice Department’s decision to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana criticized the lawsuit, with executive director Crista Eggers saying, “Voters should be furious… Mike Hilgers is using the money of the very people he is fighting.” The lawsuit reflects ongoing resistance to the federal reclassification despite voter‑approved medical cannabis programs.