Trump Weighs Order to Reclassify Marijuana

President Trump is considering what could become the most sweeping change to federal cannabis policy in decades, according to six individuals familiar with ongoing internal discussions cited by the Washington Post. He is expected to issue an executive order instructing federal agencies to pursue a reclassification of marijuana under federal law, shifting it from the most restrictive category of controlled substances to a less tightly regulated tier.

During a phone conversation Wednesday with House Speaker Mike Johnson, President Trump described a plan to pursue a rescheduling of marijuana rather than full legalization or decriminalization, several sources said. The proposal would move cannabis from Schedule I—where it is currently grouped with substances like heroin and LSD—to Schedule III, a category including medications such as Tylenol with codeine and certain steroid and hormone treatments. While the change would not legalize marijuana nationwide, it would ease restrictions on medical research and reduce tax and regulatory burdens for cannabis businesses operating in states where it is legal. As Axios notes, Schedule I drugs are defined as having no accepted medical use.

Trump, who said in August that he was evaluating a potential reclassification, would essentially be attempting to finalize an effort initiated under President Biden. In 2023, federal health officials recommended moving marijuana to Schedule III, but the process stalled at the Drug Enforcement Administration, and a planned administrative hearing never occurred. Experts note that while a president cannot directly rewrite the drug schedules, he can instruct the Justice Department and DEA to advance directly to a final rule, bypassing the pending hearing and accelerating the timeline.

According to three people familiar with the call, Wednesday’s discussion also included cannabis industry representatives, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz. Johnson reportedly voiced opposition to reclassification, citing research he said highlighted risks associated with the drug, while industry leaders argued in favor of the move. Sources say President Trump ended the call sounding inclined to proceed, although they stressed that no final decision has been made and the White House maintains that the matter remains under review. Attorney Shane Pennington noted that, if implemented, the change would represent “the biggest reform in federal cannabis policy since marijuana was placed in Schedule I in the 1970s.” Recent Gallup polling shows that 64% of Americans support legalizing cannabis.

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