Trump signs order to reclassify Cannabis

The executive order calls on the US attorney general to expedite federal reclassification, creating fewer barriers for studies. United States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to federally reclassify cannabis as less dangerous.

The big picture: Democrats and advocates have long pushed for the change. But the Wall Street Journal reported in August that Trump, courted by cannabis lobbyists and check-writing executives, was considering finishing what his opponents started.

The Biden administration kicked off the review in 2022, but the effort stalled this January when an administrative judge postponed a hearing, leaving the rule in limbo as Trump took office. Speaking earlier in the week, Trump told reporters the change was popular “because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can’t be done unless you reclassify.”

Driving the news

The president's order would direct federal agencies to pursue reclassifying cannabis as a Schedule III substance, grouping it with drugs considered to have less abuse potential like Tylenol with codeine and anabolic steroids.

Currently, cannabis is listed as a Schedule I drug, meaning it has high abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Other Schedule I drugs include heroin, LSD and peyote.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid's Innovation Centers models will allow millions of Americans on Medicare to become eligible to receive CBD, as early as April of next year, said Mehmet Oz, the CMS head. Medicare beneficiaries suffering from certain conditions could be eligible for up to $500 of hemp-derived products each year. Medicare Advantage also agreed to consider CBD for the 34 million Americans it covers, Oz added.

The intrigue

While some of the president's allies opposed easing restrictions, Trump said last year he would vote for a Florida amendment to legalize recreational cannabis. That initiative ultimately failed. Trump's order would not make cannabis federally legal for recreational use. But it would open doors for medical purposes and ease cannabis companies' tax burden.

Because of cannabis's Schedule I status, companies currently can't deduct operating expenses under Internal Revenue Code Section 280E. Moving to Schedule III would release these businesses from what Brian Vicente calls a "crippling tax burden."

Industry Impact & Expert Reactions

• What they're saying The reclassification "marks the most significant shift in federal drug policy in over half a century," said Shawn Hauser, partner at Vicente LLP.
• Yes, but Douglas Berman (Ohio State University) tells Axios that the change comes against the backdrop of other federal changes, including a recent spending bill that criminalized certain hemp products.
• Reality check Rescheduling alone won't guarantee policies for nationwide access, Jordan Tishler, president of the Association of Cannabinoid Specialists, told Axios. "Only research and drug development that meets FDA's level of evidence will accomplish that."

By the numbers

Among U.S. adults, 64% believe using cannabis should be legal, according to a Gallup poll conducted in late 2025. While support is broad, it has dipped slightly from the 70% record in 2023, largely driven by a 13-point drop in Republican support over the last year.

A Pew Research Center survey from July 2025 found that 87% of Americans say marijuana should be legal in some form. Specifically:

• 54% support both medical and recreational use.
• 33% support medical use only.
• Only 12% say it should not be legal at all.

Support for full legalization for both uses is highest among White (58%) and Black (57%) adults, compared to 42% of Hispanic and 39% of Asian adults.

The Reclassification Process

The move on Thursday requires Attorney General Pam Bondi to expedite the process under the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). In the US, substances are divided into a five-tier classification system.

Cannabis was previously in the Schedule I category, alongside heroin and LSD. With Thursday’s order, it would be fast-tracked down to Schedule III, in a class with ketamine and anabolic steroids. Trump clarified that this change “is not the legalization” of cannabis and “in no way sanctions its use as a recreational drug.”

Background and Political Context

The change aligns with many states that have legalized cannabis. Former President Biden took several steps to lessen penalties, including a mass pardon for simple possession. Such convictions had disproportionately affected minority communities—Pew found that 74% of Black adults favor expunging marijuana-related offenses.

Despite the move, Trump faced pushback. Earlier this year, 20 Republican senators urged the president to keep severe restrictions, arguing a shift would "undermine efforts to Make America Great Again." However, public support has nearly doubled since 2005, reaching 68 percent in 2024 before the slight 2025 correction.