Trump reclassifies state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug in a historic shift

[dalton99a]

https://apnews.com/article/medical-marijuana-rescheduling-justice-department-trump-cannabis-1d6722d3aae122b1a91f8e4b6c690268

Trump reclassifies state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug in a historic shift
By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and GENE JOHNSON
Updated 9:21 AM CDT, April 23, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s acting attorney general on Thursday signed an order reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug, a major policy shift long sought by advocates who said cannabis should never have been treated like heroin by the federal government.

The order signed by Todd Blanche does not legalize marijuana for medical or recreational use under federal law. But it does change the way it’s regulated, shifting licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I — reserved for drugs without medical use and with high potential for abuse — to the less strictly regulated Schedule III. It also gives licensed medical marijuana operators a major tax break and eases some barriers to researching cannabis.

Blanche’s action Iargely legitimizes medical marijuana programs in the 40 states that have adopted them. It sets up an expedited system for state-licensed medical marijuana producers and distributors to register with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

It makes clear that cannabis researchers won’t be penalized for obtaining state-licensed marijuana or marijuana-derived products for use in their work, and it grants state-licensed medical marijuana companies a windfall by allowing them, for the first time, to deduct business expenses on their federal taxes.

...

[Blues Heron]

1. Now you can fly with it (possibly)

Weird it still classifies wild cannabis as schedule 1. Make it make sens!

[MagickMuffin]

2. What's Greg Abbott to do? Texas is trying its hardest to keep it illegal

Perhaps Greg Abbott will give cannabis a go now that it’s been reclassified.

Time will tell.

[marble falls]

4. Trying hard to put it all into the hands of the "Seven Sisters" or a similar pot distributor scheme..

[Mysterian]

3. Too bad Democrats didn't do this

Trump gets credit for something good as he fucks up everything else.

[marble falls]

5. He's trying to attract younger voters.

[bigtree]

8. what does that credit amount to?

..even with this loosening it's still short of legalization and other restrictions and issues including expunging criminal records..

Besides, Pres. Biden started the process, so where's his credit?

05/16/24
Biden announces ‘major step’ toward reclassifying marijuana

“This is monumental. Today my administration took a major step to reclassify marijuana from a schedule one drug to a schedule three drug. It’s an important move toward reversing long-standing inequities,” President Biden said in a statement shared on social platform X.

“Today’s announcement builds on the work we’ve already done to pardon a record number of federal offenses for simple possession of marijuana. And it adds to the action we’ve taken to lift barriers to housing, employment, small business loans, and so much more for tens of thousands of Americans,” he added.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4668492-joe-biden-marijuana-weed-reclassification-schedule-i/

In October 2022, President Biden announced that
his administration would “initiate the administrative
process to review expeditiously how marijuana is
scheduled under federal law.” The first step in that
process was for the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), under the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS), to conduct a ‘medical and scientific’
review to determine if and how marijuana should
be categorized (“scheduled”) under the Controlled
Substances Act (CSA).

Marijuana is currently categorized as a Schedule I
substance. In August 2023, HHS transmitted its
recommendation to the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) that marijuana should
be placed in Schedule III of the CSA. Moving a
substance from one schedule in the CSA to another
is known as “rescheduling.” A shift to Schedule III
would lead to some changes, including:

• The government acknowledging that marijuana
has a currently accepted medical use, a lower
potential of abuse than drugs in Schedule I
and Schedule II, and a moderate to low risk of
physical dependence.
• Allowing marijuana businesses to make standard
business tax deductions.

Now, the DEA is reviewing the HHS recommendation
to make a final determination. This could either be
through issuing a final order or proposed rule, in
which case there would be a limited opportunity
for the public to provide feedback before the DEA
issues a final order.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4668492-joe-biden-marijuana-weed-reclassification-schedule-i/

___The tide began to turn in 2024, when former President Joe Biden started the formal process of changing marijuana’s classification. Delays caused by legal challenges and opposition from Republicans in Congress meant that the Biden administration wasn’t able to complete the change before the end of his presidential term. That left the matter in President Trump’s hands.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/article/the-trump-administration-is-reclassifying-state-licensed-medical-marijuana-heres-what-that-means--and-doesnt-mean-125620264.html

[Totally Tunsie]

6. So, no doubt he's found a way to make $$$ on this too...

or will DJT Jr. oversee MJ implementation?

[RockRaven]

7. Anyone surprised that the action doesn't match the hype?

If you are, seek help immediately!

[bigtree]

9. it's always been in the hands of Congress

...but it's still good that two presidents now, both republican and Democratic, have pushed the process forward away from classifying pot the same way they do heroin.

Neither proposal of effort was meant to legalize it. That's up to the states, or Congress, if they choose to get around to it.