The Trump administration has reclassified state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug, moving it from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. The change follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump and a subsequent order signed by acting attorney general Todd Blanche.
Previously, marijuana shared a Schedule I classification with heroin, LSD, MDMA, and synthetic opioids. By moving it to Schedule III, it is now categorized with substances such as ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone.
The Justice Department announced that the shift is intended to ease research barriers and open the door for more treatment options, while also granting tax relief. While the policy change could reward investors in the multibillion-dollar cannabis industry and make it easier to buy and sell the drug, it does not legalize marijuana for medical or recreational use under federal law, nor does it change current federal penalties.