Dr. Oz Calls Out Hypocrisy Surrounding Medical Marijuana

Back in 2017, television surgeon Dr. Oz used a Fox & Friends appearance to speak out in favor of medical marijuana. The discussion centered on the opioid epidemic. His core argument was simple. Rather than a gateway drug, cannabis could function as an exit drug. In other words, it could help some patients move away from opioids like heroin and prescription painkillers. Here, we revisit that moment. We also look at how far the federal conversation has actually moved since.

The 2017 Argument

On the show, Dr. Oz pointed to a clear contradiction. The federal government treated cannabis as a gateway substance. Meanwhile, a growing body of research suggested it could help wean some patients off harder drugs. He also highlighted a practical problem that had constrained researchers for decades. Because cannabis was classified as Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act, scientists faced steep barriers to studying it. His broader point was that better-funded research could clarify cannabis’s role in managing chronic pain. As a result, the Schedule I label stood in the way.

Where the Science and the Law Stand in 2026

Public opinion and federal policy have shifted significantly since. For example, in August 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services recommended moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. Then, in 2024, the Department of Justice issued a proposed rule to do exactly that. The rule then entered a lengthy DEA administrative review. By spring 2026, the DOJ had issued a final order. This order placed medical cannabis products — both FDA-approved marijuana medicines and state-licensed medical-marijuana products — in Schedule III. However, broader rescheduling of marijuana as a whole remained unresolved. In fact, it was set for a formal DEA hearing in mid-2026.

Because the process is still evolving, operators should confirm the current status directly with federal sources. They should not assume full rescheduling is final. Schedule III is not full legalization. Even so, it formally recognizes accepted medical use. It also eases the punishing 280E tax burden on operators. Finally, it opens the door to the research Dr. Oz called for.

For dispensary owners, the rescheduling debate has always been more than a headline. It touches taxes, banking, and the legitimacy of the entire medical market. The lesson from nearly a decade of advocacy is clear: federal change arrives slowly and unevenly. Therefore, operators are best served by running compliant, well-documented businesses. A reliable dispensary POS system keeps them ready to benefit the moment rules change. That readiness matters everywhere we operate, including our dispensary POS software in Alabama. For the broader challenges dispensaries still navigate, see our guide to overcoming the biggest dispensary problems. In addition, you can follow the official rulemaking record through Congress.gov.

An Honest Take

It is easy, with hindsight, to frame a single 2017 TV segment as a turning point. However, reform did not hinge on any one celebrity surgeon. What that moment really captured was a mainstream shift already underway. That shift has taken years of formal review to inch toward federal action. The takeaway for operators is therefore less about who said what on morning television. Instead, it is about the pattern itself: policy follows public consensus slowly, and the businesses that endure are the ones built to outlast the wait.