Trump Signs Executive Order to Reclassify Marijuana as Less Dangerous Drug

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, potentially moving it from Schedule I to Schedule III and opening new avenues for medical research. The change would not legalize recreational use nationwide, but it could alter how the drug is regulated and ease burdens on the cannabis industry.

The move would be carried out through the Drug Enforcement Administration and would aim to speed the federal reclassification process, though officials cautioned that timelines are uncertain. The switch could affect how marijuana is regulated, reduce certain taxes, and influence access for researchers and patients. Such a reclassification typically requires a public-comment period and additional agency reviews, a process that has drawn tens of thousands of responses from across the United States.

Trump said he had received a deluge of calls in support, telling reporters, “We have people begging for me to do this. People that are in great pain.” The president noted that the move could help patients and reduce the tax burden on a cannabis industry that remains largely illegal at the federal level.

Officials pointed out that the Justice Department under Trump’s Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, had proposed reclassifying marijuana to Schedule III as part of its own policy review, though Trump did not inherit broad Republican support for the change. A letter signed by more than 20 Republican senators, led by North Carolina’s Ted Budd, urged the president to maintain marijuana at Schedule I, arguing that the drug remains dangerous and that rescheduling could undermine road and workplace safety and public health. The missive also warned that changes would benefit competitors abroad, specifically mentioning China’s role in the cannabis market.

The political divide over rescheduling underscored a broader debate about federal policy, with many states already allowing either medical or recreational use. Federal law has lagged behind state actions, potentially leaving some people subject to federal prosecution even as state laws permit cannabis use. Gallup polling has shown a steady rise in support for loosening cannabis restrictions, climbing from 36% in 2005 to 68% last year, reflecting shifting public attitudes even as policy remains unsettled.

In addition to potential reclassification, Trump’s order calls for expanded research and broader access to CBD, the hemp-derived product whose health benefits remain debated among experts. A new Medicare program would allow older adults to access legal hemp-derived CBD at no cost if a doctor recommends it, said Dr. Mehmet Oz, who heads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The administration’s move also touches on related public-health concerns, including fentanyl, which Trump has highlighted as a focus of his second term.

The executive order’s timing and its exact trajectory remain unclear, and whether it will translate into a finalized reclassification will depend on the DEA’s review, public input, and potential legislative or regulatory hurdles. Still, supporters say the action could broaden medical research, enable patients to access potential therapies, and gradually align federal policy with many state laws. Opponents warn that even a Schedule III status is not a legalization bill and that risks to safety and public health would need to be carefully managed as the federal framework adapts.

Overall, the move signals a notable shift in federal drug policy. It arrives amid a climate in which public opinion and state experimentation have increasingly diverged from federal classifications, and it places political pressure on lawmakers to define a longer-term approach to cannabis in the United States.