Trump administration weighs easing marijuana classification, cites boost to research and industry

Washington, DC [US], December 16 : US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) said his administration is "considering" reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a move that could ease restrictions on research and provide relief to the cannabis industry.

Trump's remarks came days after reports of that he is expected to sign an executive order directing federal agencies to move ahead with the reclassification process, The Hill reported.

"We are considering that. Because a lot of people want to see it, the reclassification, because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can't be done unless you reclassify. So we are looking at that very strongly," Trump said in the Oval Office when asked about the issue.

This was first initiated under former President Joe Biden, whose administration began the process in 2024 to shift marijuana to Schedule III under US drug laws. However, the process was not completed before Biden left office.

Marijuana has been classified as a Schedule I drug since 1971, placing it in the same category as heroin and LSD. According to the *Drug Enforcement Administration, Schedule I drugs are defined as having no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Schedule III drugs, by contrast, include substances such as ketamine, anabolic steroids, testosterone and Tylenol with codeine.

Trump had earlier expressed support for rescheduling marijuana during his election campaign. In August, he said a decision would be taken within "the next few weeks," but no formal action followed.

While rescheduling would make research easier and reduce regulatory hurdles for businesses, it would not fully legalise marijuana at the federal level. Penalties for use and possession would still apply, and the move would fall short of complete decriminalisation.

Democrats criticised the proposal, questioning Trump's intent. Senator Ron Wyden accused the president of misleading the public.

"He has not decriminalized cannabis or expunged the records of black and Latino Americans stuck in prison for minor drug offences. This is just an attempt to boost his pathetic approval ratings," Wyden wrote on X.

At present, 42 US states and Washington, D.C., allow medical marijuana, while 24 states permit recreational use.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor