Donald Trump has signed an executive order reclassifying marijuana under United States federal law, moving it from the most restrictive drug category to a less severe one. The change shifts cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, acknowledging accepted medical uses while stopping short of nationwide legalization.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said the move would make it significantly easier to carry out medical research into marijuana's benefits and risks. The reclassification is also expected to ease some regulatory and tax burdens on legal cannabis businesses and improve access to banking services.
Recreational marijuana remains illegal
The order allows for expanded research and introduces a pilot programme to reimburse Medicare patients for CBD-based products. However, recreational marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, and the change will not alter existing law enforcement practices.
The decision still needs to go through a formal rule-making process led by the Drug Enforcement Administration. While campaigners welcomed the move as long overdue recognition of cannabis's medical value, many noted it falls short of full federal reform, particularly as dozens of states have already legalized marijuana in some form.
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