In a move that could mark a turning point in America’s long and often punitive approach to marijuana, President Donald Trump on Thursday, December 18, signed an order recommending the easing of federal regulations on cannabis. The directive signals a potential rollback of decades of strict anti-marijuana policy and opens the door to significant changes in how the drug is treated at the national level.
Push To Reclassify Marijuana Gains Momentum
According to senior administration officials, Trump’s order instructs the attorney general to move swiftly toward reclassifying marijuana under federal law. If completed, the change would place cannabis in a category alongside drugs such as common prescription painkillers, ketamine, and testosterone, substances considered less dangerous than those in the most restrictive classification.
Such a shift would represent one of the most consequential federal marijuana policy changes in decades. While marijuana would remain illegal under federal law, the reclassification could reshape the cannabis industry, reduce criminal penalties, and remove long-standing barriers for researchers, banks, and investors. Still, cannabis laws would continue to vary widely across states, preserving a complex patchwork of regulations nationwide.
"We have people begging for me to do this, people that are in great pain for decades," Trump told reporters at the White House, underscoring the administration’s focus on medical use and patient access.
DEA Review And Research At The Center
The recommendation now moves to the Drug Enforcement Administration, which must review whether marijuana should be listed as a Schedule III drug under the US Controlled Substances Act. The agency will ultimately decide whether the reclassification proceeds. As of now, the full text of Trump’s order has not been made public.
Administration officials emphasized that the primary goal of the move is to expand medical research into marijuana and related products. By loosening restrictions, federal agencies hope to better understand both the risks and potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis. In a related step, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services plans to allow certain beneficiaries to use hemp-derived CBD products.
A Drug Widely Used, Yet Strictly Regulated
Marijuana remains the most widely used illicit drug in both the United States and globally. Data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that nearly one in five Americans uses cannabis each year. Despite its prevalence, and the rapid growth of cannabis-related businesses listed on stock exchanges, millions of Americans have been arrested over the years for marijuana possession.
Under current law, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I substance, the same category as heroin, ecstasy, and peyote. This designation indicates a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. By contrast, Schedule III drugs are viewed as less addictive and recognized for legitimate medical applications.
Limits Remain Even If Reclassified
Even if the DEA approves the reclassification, marijuana would still be considered a controlled substance at the federal level. Its use would continue to face strict regulations, and criminal penalties would remain in place under certain circumstances.
Still, the order has reignited debate over how the federal government approaches a drug that is widely used, increasingly commercialized, and at the center of ongoing discussions about pain management, criminal justice, and medical research. For supporters and critics alike, the coming months could signal whether this recommendation becomes a defining moment in US marijuana policy, or another chapter in a long-running national conversation.