What marijuana rescheduling means for Indiana INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Advocates for cannabis reform believe President Donald Trump’s push to ease marijuana regulations could spark discussions about legalizations in Indiana.  Trump signed an executive order on Thursday ordering the U.S. att orney general to expedite the process of reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III controlled substance, like anabolic steroids. Marijuana is currently Schedule I, the same as heroin and LSD.  Despite the executive order, rescheduling can be a lengthy process, and it can be delayed by legal challenges. Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita joined six other state attorneys general arguing marijuana should remain a Schedule I drug, saying in a statement, “The negative impacts of expanded marijuana use, especially on children and adolescents, are worrisome.” Every state bordering Indiana has legalized cannabis to some degree. The topic has become an annual debate among Hoosier lawmakers, with opposition to marijuana reform pointing to its status as a controlled substance and the issues legalizations could create for law enforcement.  “We’re a bit behind in Indiana in trying to start some of these conversations,” State Rep. Kyle Miller (D-Fort Wayne) said. Miller supports legalization, and sees the president’s support for medicinal use as an opportunity for conservatives to reevaluate their stance on the issue.  Advocates for recreational use, like the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana (NORML), want to see marijuana removed from the controlled substances list all together, so it can be accessed and regulated state-by-state in the same manner as alcohol or cigarettes.  Still, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano believes Trump’s executive order and public support for rescheduling is more than symbolic.  “This is the most significant change in the federal government’s posture, with respect to cannabis policy, in over five decades,” Armentano said. “I think that this is clearly going to change the conversation in Washington going forward, and likely change the conversation in a number of states.”  At the Indiana Statehouse, there’s no legislation to legalize marijuana under consideration. Miller believes that could change. While he isn’t sure if the Indiana General Assembly is ready to end cannabis prohibition, he thinks the president’s executive action could help move some conservative lawmakers towards legalization.  “I think what it does is opens up a conversation, we can no longer say ‘Let’s wait on the federal government,’” Miller said. “It’s time for Indiana to act now, so we can put some kind of framework together for legalization.” ...read more read less