Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to move cannabis out of the most restrictive drug category, a change that would loosen limits on research and certain regulations but stop short of making marijuana legal nationwide.
“I’m pleased to announce that I will be signing an Executive Order to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance with legitimate medical uses,” the president said.
The action allows for a pilot program that reimburses Medicare patients for products containing CBD, a widely used cannabis-derived compound that does not produce a high.
Under the order, marijuana would be shifted from Schedule I, a category that includes heroin, to Schedule III, which also includes ketamine. The move, however, would not legalize marijuana as some states have done, and would not change how law enforcement handles marijuana-related arrests, according to senior administration officials who spoke to the New York Times.
Placing marijuana in Schedule III would align it with certain prescription pain medications, while keeping recreational use illegal at the federal level. The change would still need to go through the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) formal rule-making process. The reclassification could make scientific research easier as well as ease burdens on legal cannabis businesses by reducing strict federal tax penalties and improving access to banking services.
For years, marijuana’s designation as a highly dangerous and addictive substance has been widely criticized. Moving it to a different category reflects a federal acknowledgment that cannabis has recognized medical benefits and a lower risk of abuse than previously classified.
