President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order as soon as Wednesday that would reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug, effectively easing federal restrictions on cannabis, according to two senior administration officials familiar with the matter.
Under current Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) rules, marijuana is listed as a Schedule I substance — the strictest category, which includes drugs deemed to have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Moving it to Schedule III would place it alongside medications that the DEA says have a “moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence” and a lower abuse potential than drugs in Schedules I and II.
The shift would not fully legalize marijuana under federal law, but it would mark one of the most significant changes in national cannabis policy in decades.
Order expected to emphasize research and medical uses
According to the officials, the executive order is expected to argue that marijuana’s current Schedule I status has hampered scientific research, making it harder for scientists to study its safety, risks, and potential medical benefits.
The order is also expected to say that the long delay in rescheduling has not served Americans who might benefit from marijuana’s potential medical uses, particularly for chronic pain and other illnesses where patients and some doctors have pushed for more options.
Rescheduling to Schedule III would likely make it easier for researchers to obtain and study cannabis, potentially expanding clinical trials and opening the door to more FDA-reviewed products in the future. It could also have tax and regulatory implications for some cannabis-related businesses operating in states where marijuana is already legal.
Trump: Reclassification would allow “tremendous amounts of research.”
On Monday, Trump publicly confirmed that he was considering reclassification and framed the move largely in terms of supporting research.
“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,” he said.
In August, reports surfaced that the administration was weighing a move to reclassify marijuana. Trump acknowledged at the time that it was a “complicated subject,” but said he was interested in the idea because he had heard “great things” about medical marijuana from some patients and advocates.
The latest reporting indicates the White House has now moved from exploring the idea to preparing to act. CNN was the first outlet to report on the expected executive order.
What a Schedule III move would and wouldn’t change
Even if Trump signs the order, marijuana would not become legal nationwide. Federal criminal penalties for unauthorized distribution and possession could still apply, especially outside state-regulated systems.
However, Schedule III status would:
- Acknowledge that marijuana has accepted medical uses under federal standards.
- Ease some of the bureaucratic hurdles for clinical trials and university research.
- Potentially allow certain cannabis-related businesses to qualify for more favorable federal tax treatment than they do under Schedule I, depending on how regulations are implemented.
It would not, on its own, change state-level laws that either prohibit or allow marijuana, nor would it automatically expunge past convictions. Those issues would still require separate legislative or executive action.
Next steps in federal cannabis policy
The DEA and Department of Health and Human Services have been involved for years in reviewing marijuana’s status, and advocates have long urged a move away from Schedule I. Critics of the drug, meanwhile, warn that loosening federal rules could send the wrong message about risks, especially for younger users.
By choosing Schedule III, the Trump administration is signaling that it is willing to soften federal policy, particularly on medical research, while avoiding a full-scale legalization push that would require Congress.
As the executive order is finalized and released, lawmakers, researchers, patient groups, and the cannabis industry will be watching closely to see how quickly federal agencies adjust their rules — and whether this reclassification becomes a stepping stone toward even broader changes in U.S. marijuana law.
Sources:
DEA – “Drug Scheduling” (Schedule I–V definitions)
CNN – “Trump expected to sign executive order reclassifying marijuana as Schedule III
