Trump to reclassify weed? Plans to cut marijuana restrictions reportedly underway
President Donald Trump is reportedly expected to push the government to largely loosen federal restrictions on marijuana.
President Donald Trump is reportedly expected to push the government to largely loosen federal restrictions on marijuana. The plan has reportedly been discussed between the President and Speaker Mike Johnson.
Will Trump reclassify weed?
Trump's move would reduce oversight of the plant as well as its derivatives to the level that exists for common prescription painkillers and other drugs, The Washington Post reported.
An executive order from the president to federal agencies is coming up, and they'd be asked to pursue reclassification. Trump is expected to seek to ease access to marijuana in this way, as per the report. Notably, this does not mean marijuana will be legalized or decriminalized, but it intends to ease barriers to research and provide legal businesses a boost.
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The president had said in August itself that he was ‘looking at reclassification’.
“We’re looking at it. Some people like it, some people hate it. Some people hate the whole concept of marijuana because it does bad for the children, it does bad for the people that are older than children,” he had said.
Technically, Trump cannot unilaterally reclassify marijuana but he can direct the Justice Department to forgo a hearing and issue the final rule as per a legal expert who spoke to Washington Post. This process of reclassification had been started under the Joe Biden Justice Department and had stalled for some time after Trump took office.
The publication noted that the sources indicated that Trump was prepared to go ahead with loosing restrictions on the drug, but also noted that plans were not finalized.
What to know about marijuana classification
Marijuana is now a Schedule I substance, and on the same list as heroin and LSD. These are considered to be drugs which have a high potential for abuse and aren't accepted use for medical treatment, as per federal authorities.
Moving marijuana to Schedule III would allow it to be used for certain medical treatments as regulators say items on this list carry less potential for abuse. Nonetheless, this might create risks of physical and psychological dependence as well. Tylenol, some steroid and hormone treatments are also among Schedule III drugs.
Notably, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed interest in reclassifying marijuana.
