Trump reclassifies marijuana: A move to support medicine and ease restrictions
In a move representing a radical shift in US drug policy, President Donald Trump announced on Thursday a decision to reclassify marijuana (cannabis) as a “less dangerous” narcotic. This presidential decision is primarily aimed at opening the door to scientific and medical research exploring the therapeutic benefits of cannabis products and ending decades of strict federal restrictions that have hampered medical development in this area.
Under this new directive, marijuana will be moved from Schedule I of controlled substances—the category that includes highly dangerous drugs like heroin and LSD—to Schedule III. Schedule III includes substances with recognized medical uses and a lower potential for addiction, such as ketamine, certain steroids, and codeine-based painkillers. While this decision does not legalize recreational use at the federal level, it represents the most significant shift in U.S. drug policy in over 50 years.
Humanitarian and medical motives
In his remarks from the White House, President Trump emphasized the humanitarian aspect of the decision, stressing that the goal was not to encourage recreational use, but to alleviate the suffering of patients. Trump said, “There are people begging me to do this…people who are in severe and chronic pain, cancer patients who need better treatment options.” He explained that the new classification would make marijuana more readily available “for legitimate medical uses,” removing legal obstacles that had hindered doctors and researchers in prescribing effective treatments.
Ending decades of research stagnation
The significance of this decision lies in its historical context. Since the passage of the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, marijuana has remained classified as a Class I substance, meaning the federal government did not recognize any medical value for it. This classification made it nearly impossible for scientists to conduct rigorous, accredited clinical studies due to complex bureaucratic hurdles and the difficulty of obtaining the necessary funding or approvals.
Trump highlighted this crucial point, saying: “This decision will greatly facilitate the resumption of medical research related to marijuana, allowing us to study its potential benefits and risks and future treatments. This will have a tremendous positive impact on the development of new drugs.”.
The gap between federal and state laws
This move narrows the significant gap between federal and state law; dozens of US states currently have legal programs for medical marijuana, and major states like California and Colorado have approved recreational use. However, the inconsistency with federal law has remained a hurdle for research institutions and medical companies.
The downgrade to Schedule III is expected to ease barriers to medical research and accelerate clinical trials that previously required years of security and health approvals, heralding a new future for cannabis-derived therapies in the United States and boosting the pharmaceutical industry.
