The Trump administration is moving quickly to loosen federal restrictions on medical marijuana, signaling a major shift in drug policy that could open doors to expanded research and clinical use.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Thursday that he had signed an executive order rescheduling FDA-approved and state-licensed marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, the category reserved for drugs with moderate to low risk of dependence. The move marks a sharp departure from decades of stricter federal positioning.
Schedule I status has long grouped marijuana alongside heroin, ecstasy, and LSD, all designated as having no accepted medical use and high abuse potential. The reclassification does not legalize marijuana nationally but removes barriers that have historically prevented clinical research and slowed medical development.
Blanche said the action fulfills a Trump promise to expand patient access to treatment options. "This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information," he said in a statement.
A hearing scheduled for June 29 will evaluate even broader changes to marijuana's federal status. A White House official told NBC News that the administration is working to implement Trump's December executive order, which directed expedited cannabis reclassification and increased medical research funding.
The potential shift reflects growing recognition that marijuana may help manage severe chronic pain, symptoms in terminal illness cases, and cancer-related conditions. Scientists have expressed optimism that reclassification could accelerate research into the drug's medical applications and mechanisms.
Not everyone supports the change. Medical experts have warned that marijuana use during childhood and adolescence could affect brain development, particularly in areas governing attention, memory, and learning. Some research has also raised concerns about long-term effects on male fertility.
The reclassification does not represent an endorsement of recreational use or a federal legalization effort. Rather, it aims to align federal policy with the growing reality of state-licensed medical marijuana programs already operating across the country.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "This is a genuine policy reversal that could reshape medical research in a field starved for federal resources, but the devil will be in how aggressively the government actually clears the path for studies."
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