Everything To Know As Trump Signs Executive Order Changing Marijuana Law In The US

Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that brings an end to more than 50 years of federal drug policy, directing agencies to treat cannabis in a similar category to common medications like Tylenol.

This change in federal policy would see marijuana moved to a Schedule III substance, a significant shift away from its current Schedule I status, which has long placed cannabis alongside drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

"I'm pleased to announce that I will be signing an Executive Order to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance with legitimate medical uses," Trump said in the Oval Office, referencing a federal stance on marijuana that dates back 55 years to the Nixon administration.

The executive order does not instantly change marijuana’s legal classification. Instead, it instructs the US Attorney General to update cannabis classification “in the most expeditious manner,” allowing the Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration to carry out the process as quickly as possible.

Despite recreational marijuana being legal in nearly half of US states, this move does not legalize cannabis nationwide. What it does mean, however, is a major adjustment in how the federal government views the drug, which could affect users, researchers, and businesses in different ways.

Trump signed the executive order calling for weed to be treated as a less dangerous drug Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images

What does Trump’s marijuana law say?

President Trump’s executive order, titled Increasing medical marijuana and cannabidiol research, opens with the statement: "Americans deserve access to the best medical treatments and research infrastructure in the world."

The order then highlights issues that many states have already recognized, including the widespread impact of chronic pain and the fact that many people already rely on cannabis-based products to help manage long-term conditions.

Even so, federal policy since 1970 has continued to classify marijuana as highly addictive and as having no accepted medical use.

The order also notes: "That oversight has limited the ability of scientists and manufacturers to complete the necessary research on safety and efficacy to inform doctors and patients."

It explains that the executive order is intended to speed up changes to marijuana’s legal status following a Justice Department ruling in May 2024 that recommended rescheduling the drug. That ruling required formal hearings, which this order is designed to bypass.

Trump’s order further outlines which cannabis products may be considered to have medical value, including cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and hemp-derived products.

The order also instructs the Attorney General to revise definitions related to cannabis products so that items containing CBD, the compound that does not cause a high, are easier to manufacture and sell. It may also relax limits on THC levels, the compound responsible for the psychoactive effects, within certain CBD products.

Millions of Americans are already using CBD to manage pain and sickness Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

What’s the difference between Schedule I and Schedule III drugs?

Cannabis has been classified as a Schedule I substance since 1970, meaning the government viewed it as having “a high potential for abuse,” “no currently accepted medical use,” and a “lack of accepted safety.”

Other drugs in the Schedule I category include cocaine, heroin, DMT, LSD, MDMA, magic mushrooms, and GHB.

Moving marijuana to Schedule III places it in the same category as substances like Tylenol and ketamine. However, this change does not make marijuana legal, and restrictions on its use will remain.

Under the updated classification, marijuana is still considered to have the “potential for abuse,” though at a lower level than drugs such as heroin. The law also acknowledges valid medical and research uses, while noting that its use "may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence"

With this change, cannabis-based medications would be available through a prescription from a licensed medical provider, with prescriptions needing renewal every six months or after five refills.

What will change under the new law?

Recreational marijuana use will remain illegal under federal law once the executive order takes effect. This means people cannot legally use cannabis in states where it is not already permitted, and current law enforcement practices around marijuana arrests will not change.

Trump emphasized at the signing that the decision “in no way sanctions its use as a recreational drug.”

Instead, the reclassification is expected to make scientific research into marijuana’s medical benefits easier and could improve profitability for companies involved in medical cannabis development.

While these changes may take time to fully roll out, they signal a major shift in how the federal government views cannabis and its potential role as a standardized treatment for conditions such as anorexia and nausea caused by chemotherapy.

Speaking with The Tennessean, State House Speaker Cameron Seton (R) explained: "There will have to be conversations about who manufactures it, who tests it, who distributes, which medical illness could it be used for, does this require FDA approval and a host of other questions,"