President Trump signed an executive order Thursday fast-tracking a push to ease some restrictions on marijuana in one of the most significant shifts in federal drug policy in decades.
The move aims to reclassify marijuana as a less-dangerous drug within a few months and opens new avenues for medical research, inching closer to the moves by many states including New York to completely decriminalize weed.
Trump said he has received a deluge of phone calls supporting the move. He gushed over its potential to help patients cope with pain, nausea and other health woes.
“We have people begging for me to do this,” he said. “People that are in great pain.”
The switch, which was recommended by officials in President Biden’s administration but never implemented, would downgrade marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, a list that includes heroin and LSD. Cannabis would instead be a Schedule III substance, like Tylenol with codeine, ketamine, testosterone and some anabolic steroids.
Reclassification would not make marijuana legal for recreational use by adults on a federal level, as it is in nearly half the states. But it will change how the drug is regulated and reduce a hefty tax burden on the cannabis industry.
The executive order should speed the reclassification through a normally long and cumbersome approval process. Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Trump administration official, said it could be complete by spring 2026.
Most states have already approved marijuana for certain medical uses, and 24 states including New York have legalized recreational cannabis use. These state policies technically clash with federal law, but the federal government has opted against cracking down on cannabis businesses that are licensed by states.
Polling shows Americans are widely supportive of legalizing medical or recreational uses of pot.
During the 2024 campaign, Trump vowed to vote in favor of a Florida ballot measure to legalize marijuana recreationally in the state. The measure won drew about 56% of the vote, falling short of the 60% needed to pass.
“I believe it is time to end needless arrests and incarcerations of adults for small amounts of marijuana for personal use. We must also implement smart regulations, while providing access for adults, to safe, tested product,” the president wrote on Truth Social last year.
Not all conservatives agree. A group of 22 Republican senators and nine House GOP representatives have urged Trump to leave marijuana in the Schedule I category, pointing to health concerns along with worries about intoxicated driving and worker absenteeism.
“Facilitating the growth of the marijuana industry is at odds with growing our economy and encouraging healthy lifestyles for Americans,” the lawmakers said.
