The President of the United States, Donald Trumpyou should ask your government to reclassify the marijuana as a less dangerous drug, according to people familiar with the matter, a move that could represent one of the most significant changes in U.S. cannabis policy in decades. According to the CNBC channel, the Republican would publish a decree on Monday.
Trump discussed the plans with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz said people who were not authorized to speak publicly about the conversations.
The president has discussed the idea with industry leaders, the sources said, including Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve Cannabis Corp., and Howard Kessler, a payments financier who advocates expanding access to CBD, a compound found in cannabis that does not cause euphoria.
Currently, cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug, in the same category as substances such as heroin and LSD, considered to have no medical use and a high potential for abuse. According to sources, Trump plans to push for this product to be reclassified as Schedule III, which would place it in a tier of substances considered to have less addictive potential – on the same level as ketamine, Tylenol with codeine and anabolic steroids.
The reclassification would make it easier to buy and sell cannabis, representing a big win for businesses and investors in the sector, as well as patients who use medicinal cannabis. Cannabis companies have been pushing for reforms in Washington, and a reclassification move could ease tax burdens and barriers to the banking sector, attract more traditional financial institutions and investors, and boost opportunities for medical research.
Cannabis legislation in the United States is quite heterogeneous. Although it is prohibited at the federal level, states differ greatly in terms of legalization. More than 40 states and the District of Columbia allow medical marijuana use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, while about half allow recreational use.
Efforts to pass federal legislation to decriminalize marijuana have so far yielded few results.
Although Trump could seek changes to the current statute, including through an executive order, the rescheduling would likely not take effect until the administration completes a rulemaking process that has been on hold since January.
In August, Trump acknowledged deep divisions on the issue by saying a decision on marijuana classification could be made within weeks. At the time, he said he spoke with supporters of the reclassification, who emphasized the medicinal benefits of cannabis, and those on the other side, who argued that easing restrictions posed a risk to children. The president told attendees at a New Jersey fundraiser in August that he was considering the move, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The campaign to reclassify marijuana has gained momentum under President Joe Biden’s administration. In 2024, the Department of Justice recommended cannabis be included as a Schedule III controlled substance, leading to a formal review by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). However, progress has been hampered by legal challenges and delays by the agency, leaving the issue and the industry in a bind.
Opponents of the reclassification said the Biden administration’s justification for the change was based on flawed reasoning and downplayed health risks.
Kennedy had previously expressed support for decriminalization at the federal level. He has frequently spoken about his own experiences with addiction and said in February that he was concerned about high-potency marijuana, but that widespread legalization and decriminalization at the state level provided an opportunity to study real-world effects.
The move comes as the Trump administration seeks to crack down on drug trafficking and takes a tougher stance on another drug, fentanyl.
In July, Trump signed into law a law permanently designating all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs, increasing penalties for traffickers. The president has used the public health crisis triggered by the synthetic opioid to strengthen border security and combat illegal immigration, as well as to impose tariffs on the United States’ three largest trading partners, in part because of fentanyl trafficking.
The Washington Post previously reported on rescheduling plans.
About The Author
