Trump again says he’s considering reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III drug

President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated that he is considering whether to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, echoing similar comments he made earlier this year and during his 2024 presidential campaign.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, the president said he is considering an executive order to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug.

« We’re looking at it. A lot of people want to see it, the reclassification, because it leads to massive amounts of research that can’t be done unless you reclassify, » Trump said Monday.

« So we’re looking at it very strongly, » he continued.

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A White House official said Friday that « no final decisions have been made on marijuana redistricting. »

Marijuana’s current listing as a Schedule I substance places it in the same category as heroin, ecstasy, and peyote, suggesting that it has a high potential for abuse and currently has no approved medical use. Series III drugs include Tylenol mixed with codeine, ketamine, and testosterone.

A potential move to remove marijuana from the Schedule I controlled substance list and make it a Schedule III drug would make it much easier to buy and sell cannabis and make the cannabis industry more profitable.

Rescheduling is different than rescheduling marijuanabecause federal penalties for the use and possession of marijuana would remain. However, reclassification would loosen barriers to research and boost the multi-billion dollar cannabis industry.

The change can change the industry by lowering taxes and making it easier to get financing.

According to previous reports, Trump may ease federal restrictions on cannabis companies stockpiling psychoactive drugs.

Trump advocated changing the drug during the presidential campaign. He also said in August that he was reconsidering the classification.

But Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who supports the reclassification, accused Trump of trying to « gaslight » Americans to « think he just legalized pot » by changing the substance’s schedule.

« Trump is trying to make everyone believe he just legalized pot. Wrong. He hasn’t decriminalized cannabis or decriminalized blacks and Hispanics in prison for minor drug offenses. This is just an attempt to improve his pathetic approval rating, » Wyden said on X.

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The Biden administration had begun reclassifying marijuana, but did not make the change until the former president left office.

There have also been several invoices presented at the Congress Democrats and Republicans over the years have either downgraded marijuana to a Schedule III drug or removed it from the list of controlled substances entirely. Federal lawmakers have also sought to decriminalize the plant.

But these measures have not been signed into law.

More than 40 states have legalized medical marijuana, and 24 states and Washington DC have also legalized recreational marijuana.

Reuters contributed to this report.