Understanding the possible alterations in Trump's marijuana policy at the federal level
The federal policy on marijuana reclassification is currently in a pending state, awaiting resolution of an appeal. This follows the Biden administration's initiative in 2022 to direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to review marijuana's classification under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
In August 2023, HHS recommended moving marijuana from Schedule I (no accepted medical use and high abuse potential) to Schedule III (acknowledging accepted medical use with lower abuse potential). The Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel supported this criterion in 2024. The Attorney General proposed a rule to enact this change in May 2024, and DEA planned a hearing for January 2025, which was postponed due to an ongoing appeal by an involved party.
Recently, President Donald Trump’s administration has indicated that it is reconsidering this reclassification, with a decision expected soon. This continues a trend of growing bipartisan political support for rescheduling cannabis. Trump’s approach aligns with some prior Biden administration efforts but comes with the caveat that rescheduling marijuana does not legalize recreational use federally; the change primarily facilitates medical research, eases restrictions on cannabis businesses, and allows for prescription possibilities under federal law.
If implemented, key implications of moving marijuana to Schedule III include:
- Federal acknowledgement of accepted medical use, facilitating medical research and drug development.
- Easier access to marijuana-derived pharmaceuticals via prescription.
- Reduction of regulatory burdens on cannabis-related businesses, such as banking and tax challenges.
- The federal government continuing to defer to states on the legality of recreational and medical use, meaning state laws remain authoritative on these matters.
- Federal criminal penalties for marijuana-related activities could lessen but not disappear unless marijuana is descheduled (removed entirely from the CSA).
Support for marijuana legalization has grown significantly in recent years. According to AP VoteCast, about 6 in 10 voters across the country favour legalizing recreational use nationwide. Polling from Gallup shows support for marijuana legalization has grown from just 36% in 2005 to 68% last year. People ages 18-25 remained the most likely to partake in marijuana, with 35% reporting use during the past year.
The ongoing debate around marijuana reclassification underscores the complexities of drug policy reform in the United States. As the decision looms, stakeholders on both sides of the issue eagerly await the outcome, hoping for a shift that aligns with their respective views on the medical and recreational use of marijuana.
[1] NORML, "Marijuana Policy in the United States: The Current Landscape and Recent Developments," 2025. [2] The White House, "Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration's Commitment to Advance Racial Equity in Drug Policy Reform," 2022. [3] Congressional Research Service, "Marijuana Legalization: Background and Potential Implications," 2023. [5] The Washington Post, "Trump administration considers reclassifying marijuana, a move that could ease federal restrictions," 2025.
- The ongoing debate around marijuana reclassification in the United States highlights the intersection of science, medical-conditions, health-and-wellness, policy-and-legislation, and politics, as stakeholders advocate for changing marijuana's classification under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
- President Donald Trump's administration, in a recent development, has shown interest in reconsidering the reclassification of marijuana, potentially facilitating medical research, easing restrictions on cannabis businesses, and allowing prescription possibilities under federal law.
- In the realm of general news, the decision on reclassifying marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, if implemented, would have implications reaching beyond just drug policy, touching upon medical-conditions, health-and-wellness, and the wider economy, involving banking and tax challenges for cannabis-related businesses.
