President Donald Trump has signed an executive order expanding access to cannabis, marking what the White House says is the most significant shift in US drug policy in decades.
The order directs the US attorney general to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule 1 narcotic to a Schedule 3 drug, placing it in the same category as Tylenol with codeine.
Cannabis will remain illegal at the federal level, but the change allows expanded research into its potential medical benefits.
The US Drug Enforcement Agency says Schedule 3 drugs, which include ketamine and anabolic steroids, have a “moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence”.
Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said people had been “begging” for the change, particularly those suffering from “great pain” linked to cancer, seizure disorders and veterans with service related injuries.
He compared cannabis to prescription painkillers that have legitimate uses “but can also do irreversible damages”.
The new classification also carries tax implications, as state authorised cannabis dispensaries are currently barred from some deductions if they sell Schedule 1 products.
Alongside the rescheduling order, Trump directed White House officials to work with Congress to allow some Americans access to cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD.
Health officials have also been tasked with developing “methods and models” to examine the real world health benefits and risks of CBD.
A senior administration official described the move as a “commonsense action that will let us better understand and study” cannabis and CBD.
Most US states now allow cannabis for some medical use, and 24 states have legalised recreational use. However, cannabis has been classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic since 1971, meaning it is considered to have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
Trump’s move follows stalled efforts under the Biden administration, where a proposed reclassification became mired in administrative and legal challenges.
Advocacy groups welcomed the order. Tim Barash, chairman of the Coalition of Cannabis Scheduling Reform, said the decision represented a “fundamental shift” in government and social attitudes.
“This change will empower the 425,000 people working in the US cannabis industry and bring in new talent, capital, and awareness to an industry that has a positive impact on millions of people’s lives,” he said.
However, some Republican lawmakers criticised the decision. A group of 22 Republican senators warned in an open letter that marijuana use could undermine efforts to “re industrialise America”.
They cited concerns about health risks, including links to “impaired judgement” and “lack of concentration”.
In a separate letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, 9 Republican representatives said “no adequate science or data” supports rescheduling.
“Marijuana, while different than heroin, still has the potential for abuse and has no scientifically proven medical value,” the lawmakers said. “Therefore, rescheduling marijuana would not only be objectively wrong, but it would also imply to our children that marijuana is safe. That couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Polling shows broad public support for legalisation. A Gallup poll released in November found 64% of Americans support legalising marijuana, although backing has dipped among Republicans.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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