Former President Donald Trump has signed an executive order reclassifying marijuana under federal drug laws, moving it from Schedule I to Schedule III. The shift removes cannabis from the most restrictive category, recognizing its legitimate medical uses while keeping recreational marijuana illegal at the federal level.
The reclassification is expected to significantly ease restrictions on medical research, allowing scientists to better study marijuana’s potential benefits, risks, and therapeutic applications. Trump said the move would have a “tremendously positive impact” by making research more accessible and evidence-based. As part of the order, a pilot program would also allow Medicare reimbursement for certain CBD-based products, a non-intoxicating compound derived from cannabis.
Under the new classification, marijuana would be treated similarly to some prescription medications with accepted medical uses but controlled access. While the order does not change federal criminal laws or law enforcement practices related to marijuana arrests, it could reduce regulatory and tax burdens on legal cannabis businesses and improve their access to banking services. The change must still pass through the Drug Enforcement Administration’s formal rule-making process before taking effect.
The order also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to develop new research models using real-world evidence to examine the long-term health effects of medical marijuana and hemp-derived cannabinoid products. It further outlines plans to work with Congress to expand access to safe CBD products while restricting those that pose health risks, noting the widespread use of CBD among U.S. adults.
Although advocates have welcomed the move as an acknowledgment of marijuana’s medical value, critics say it stops short of broader reform. The order does not legalize recreational use, nor does it address federal criminal justice policies, even as a growing number of states have already legalized marijuana for medical or recreational purposes.