WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is moving to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug,
On Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order to move marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance.
“Today I am 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,” Trump said.
Prior to the executive order, marijuana was classified alongside drugs like heroin, ecstasy, and LSD. Under the new designation, it falls into the same category as drugs like Tylenol with codeine and anabolic steroids.
The president said the move is aimed at helping people suffering from chronic pain.
“We have people begging for me to do this,” Trump said. “People that are in great pain.”
Reclassifying marijuana eases federal regulatory hurdles for research, making it easier to study its medical uses and potentially expanding access for patients. However, Trump emphasized the order does not legalize marijuana or endorse recreational use.
“I want to emphasize that the order I’m about to sign does not legalize marijuana in any way, shape, or form, and in no way sanctions its use as a recreational drug,” he said. “It has nothing to do with that.”
The decision has drawn swift backlash from some Republicans. A group of GOP House members sent a letter to President Trump urging him to reconsider, arguing the move sends the wrong message to young people, empowers drug cartels, and threatens road safety.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, called the decision “troubling” in an interview with CBN News.
“It seems that the administration has kind of an incoherent policy when it comes to drugs,” Perkins said. “We have a hot war on drugs where members of our military are taking on drug traffickers, blowing up their boats in the Caribbean, and here we’re telling kids it’s okay to light up and smoke a joint.”
Perkins also believes the order is about more than just medical research.
“If you look at the executive order, it’s not only about medical use and research,” he said. “It also allows banking institutions to do transactions in marijuana. Bottom line, I think this is more about the economy and money than it is about the health and well-being of people.”
Concerns come as marijuana use among young people has reached historic levels. Nearly 18 million Americans reported using marijuana every day or nearly every day in 2022—surpassing daily alcohol use. That number is up from fewer than one million daily users three decades ago. And studies show a corresponding increase in Cannabis Use Disorder.
Medical experts warn marijuana can cloud memory, worsen anxiety or depression, and lead to addiction. It is also believed to pose heightened risks for individuals with genetic predispositions to psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia.
At the signing, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. acknowledged those risks but said much of the existing evidence remains “anecdotal,” noting that federal restrictions have limited large-scale scientific studies.
