President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday directing the federal government to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. The order instructs Attorney General Pam Bondi to complete the rulemaking process “in the most expeditious manner” allowed by law, building on a process initiated during the Biden administration. The change would not legalize recreational marijuana nationwide, but it would ease some federal restrictions and is expected to make cannabis-related medical research easier while affecting regulation and taxation for the state-legal industry.

Highlights:

• Schedules explained: Schedule I is defined by the DEA as having “no currently accepted medical use” and a high abuse potential, while Schedule III is defined as having a “moderate to low” dependence potential; Time notes examples like Tylenol with codeine and Valium among Schedule III drugs.
• State patchwork: Time reports that 40 states and Washington, D.C., allow medical marijuana and 24 states allow recreational marijuana, even as cannabis remains illegal under federal law.
• Health concerns: The Atlantic argues rescheduling conflicts with health-risk evidence it cites, including the CDC’s estimate that about 30% of users become addicted and research linking use to harms such as psychotic events and cardiovascular disease associations.
• Policy messaging: Another Atlantic analysis says the move may better align federal policy with state experimentation and could reduce research hurdles, but warns it could also send a misleading signal about marijuana’s risks.
• Market reaction: MarketWatch reported that marijuana stocks sold off after the executive order, despite analysts describing the action as the biggest federal reform step in decades.

This reclassification order will make it far easier to conduct marijuana-related medical research, allowing us to study benefits, potential dangers and future treatments, - President Donald Trump

Perspectives:

• White House (President Trump): The President framed the order as a way to speed medical research and respond to patients—mentioning conditions such as aggressive cancers, seizure disorders, and chronic pain—while emphasizing it does not legalize recreational use. (Time)
• Cannabis policy libertarians: Reason says rescheduling recognizes marijuana does not fit Schedule I criteria and will facilitate research and provide tax relief to the cannabis industry, but still falls well short of legalization because state-licensed businesses remain illegal under federal law. (Reason)
• Public-health critics: The Atlantic contends rescheduling mainly delivers financial benefits to cannabis companies and argues higher-potency products carry addiction and health risks that should weigh heavily in federal policy. (The Atlantic)
• Conservative skeptics: The Daily Signal reports some GOP lawmakers raised concerns about reclassifying marijuana, and the article focuses on President Trump’s blunt response to that intraparty opposition. (The Daily Signal)

Sources:

• Trump signs executive order to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug - cbsnews.com
• WATCH: Trump orders reclassification of marijuana, downgrading its drug schedule - pbs.org
• Trump Signs Order to Ease Restrictions on Marijuana - nytimes.com
• Trump Signs Order to Loosen Restrictions on Marijuana: What to Know - time.com
• Trump Orders the 'Expeditious' Reclassification of Marijuana - reason.com
• Rescheduling Marijuana Is an Enormous Mistake - theatlantic.com
• Trump Makes Blunt Remarks on Conservative Opposition to Weed - dailysignal.com
• Trump delivers ‘common sense’ pot reform — but stops short of full legalization - nypost.com
• Trump signs executive order that would reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug - boston.com
• Marijuana stocks sell off as Trump signs executive order to reclassify cannabis - marketwatch.com
• Trump orders marijuana reclassified as a less dangerous drug - lemonde.fr