Why Trump could be about to loosen restriction on marijuana
- President Trump's administration is reportedly preparing to ease federal restrictions on marijuana, potentially reclassifying it from Schedule I to Schedule III under U.S. law, which would mark a significant shift in federal drug policy.
- The Drug Enforcement Administration may soon begin formal proceedings for this rescheduling, which would acknowledge marijuana’s accepted medical use, reduce research barriers, and potentially ease tax burdens on cannabis businesses.
- Despite rescheduling, marijuana would remain illegal federally, would not retroactively affect current prison sentences, but could lead to less severe federal enforcement in practice.
- The announcement could come soon, but no official timeline exists, and the process will require regulatory reviews, administrative hearings, and might face legal challenges before final approval.
President Donald Trump's administration is preparing to take steps toward loosening federal restrictions on marijuana, including a possible move to reclassify the drug under U.S. law, according to a report from The Washington Post, citing people familiar with the matter.
The report says an announcement outlining initial steps could come as soon as this week, beginning with an administrative hearing that would advance the process of rescheduling marijuana under federal law.
Newsweek has contacted the White House via email outside of regular working hours for comment.
A move to reclassify marijuana would mark a major shift in federal drug policy and could significantly affect medical research, taxation, and criminal enforcement tied to cannabis.
Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act—the most restrictive category, reserved for drugs considered to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.
Rescheduling it to Schedule III would acknowledge accepted medical use under federal law and reduce regulatory barriers for research, while also potentially easing tax burdens on cannabis businesses.
The Drug Enforcement Administration could soon begin formal proceedings to consider moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.
Schedule III drugs include substances such as ketamine and anabolic steroids, as well as certain combination medications containing limited amounts of codeine.
The report states the proposal would make it easier for researchers to study marijuana’s medical applications and could ease restrictions currently imposed on the cannabis industry.
Reclassifying marijuana would not mean that the drug is legal, and it would not change the sentences of individuals currently in prison for possession or dealing the substance.
While marijuana would remain illegal under federal law, rescheduling to Schedule III could reduce the severity and priority of federal enforcement in practice.
An executive order from December 2025 reads in part, “Marijuana is currently controlled under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). In 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services recommended to the Drug Enforcement Administration that marijuana be controlled under Schedule III of the CSA.”
Currently, with the Schedule I classification, cannabis companies pay an effective tax rate of about 60 percent of gross revenue before business reductions, according to a report in Forbes.
Rescheduling marijuana could alleviate this tax burden currently faced by cannabis companies.
The status of reclassifying marijuana came as Trump signed a separate, drug-related executive order that directed federal agencies to accelerate reviews of certain psychedelic drugs.
He said that the directive would “dramatically accelerate” access to research and potential treatments. He noted certain psychedelics had already been designated as possible breakthroughs by regulators.
While signing the executive order, Trump said in the White House on Saturday, “Will you get the rescheduling done, please?”
“Joe, they’re slow-walking me on rescheduling,” the president said, apparrently talking to podcaster Joe Rogan.
No official timeline has been confirmed. Any change would require regulatory review, administrative hearings, and could face legal challenges before final approval.