In a landmark move, President Donald Trump on Thursday announced an executive order directing federal agencies to loosen restrictions on cannabis, signaling official recognition of its medical uses and reshaping the regulatory landscape.
The order instructs the attorney general to move marijuana from Schedule I — reserved for drugs with no accepted medical use and high abuse potential — to Schedule III, a less restrictive category under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The policy shift builds on a process initiated under the Biden administration but stalled in recent months.
Executive Action and Medical Justification
“Today I’m pleased to announce that I will be signing an executive order to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance with legitimate medical uses,” Trump said during the Oval Office signing ceremony.
Trump emphasized the human impact: “We have people begging for me to do this, people that are in great pain… including veterans and older Americans with chronic medical problems.”
Legal experts note that while rescheduling does not legalize recreational cannabis, it offers critical financial relief to the industry by lifting punitive tax policies that currently burden state-regulated marijuana companies.
“Unless a drug is recommended by a doctor for medical reasons, just don’t do it,” Trump added. “At the same time, the facts compel the federal government to recognize marijuana’s legitimate medical applications when carefully administered.”
