The president of USA, donald trumpsaid Monday that his administration could push for easing federal restrictions on dopereclassifying it as a less dangerous drug.
“We are considering it,” Trump told reporters when asked if an executive order on the issue was being discussed.
“A lot of people want the reclassification to happen because it would lead to a lot of research that can’t be done unless it’s reclassified, so we’re seriously considering it,” he said.
At the federal level, marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I(1) substance, at the same level as drugs such as heroin and the LSD. The government considers these drugs to have a high potential for abuse and have no accepted use for the medical treatment.
However, dozens of states in the United States already have legal programs for medical marijuanaand many have also approved its recreational use.
According to a recent report by Washington PostTrump intends to push for a reclassification to Schedule III, which includes substances considered to have medical value and lower potential for abuse.
That category includes the ketamine and the steroids anabolic.
Reclassification does not mean legalization or decriminalization, but loosening federal restrictions could have knock-on effects, such as lowering barriers to conducting research.
It could also have significant tax implications for companies that grow and sell cannabis legally.
The president of the United States cannot unilaterally reclassify a drug. Washington Post reported that Trump is expected to sign an executive order directing federal agencies to proceed with the reclassification.
The Democrat administration Joe Biden had already attempted reclassification, but efforts stalled and were not completed before Trump took office in early 2025.
