Trump Set to Reclassify Marijuana as Less Dangerous Drug Next Year
President Donald Trump is expected to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana use early next year. Currently classified as a Schedule I drug—alongside heroin and LSD—marijuana has no accepted medical use under federal law. Schedule I drugs are deemed to have high potential for abuse with no accepted medical uses, while Schedule II drugs include substances like cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.
The president’s proposed reclassification would place marijuana in a less restrictive category, easing regulations and facilitating research, as well as offering tax incentives for cannabis companies. Earlier this year, Trump stated: “Some people like it, some people hate it. Some people hate the whole concept of marijuana because if it does bad for the children, it does bad for people that are older than children.”
Trump also added: “We’re looking at reclassification, and we’ll make a determination over the next few weeks, and that determination hopefully will be the right one. It’s a very complicated subject.”
In September, Trump posted a video on Truth Social advocating for Medicare coverage of CBD. Last year, the Biden administration announced it would reclassify cannabis as a Schedule III drug—which includes medications like acetaminophen with codeine—but the move never became effective.
Nearly 40 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical use, and nearly three dozen states and D.C. have made it fully legal. A White House official stated Thursday that no final decision on reclassification has been made.
Trump’s proposed changes would not make marijuana federally legal for recreational use.
