US classifies some cannabis products as less dangerous
The U.S. Department of Justice said it was immediately loosening restrictions on some marijuana products, accelerating the process of reclassifying the drug as less dangerous in one of the biggest changes to U.S. drug policy in decades.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has moved FDA-approved marijuana products and government-regulated medical marijuana from a group of drugs classified as highly addictive to a drug with low to moderate abuse potential.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the U.S. government will step up broader coverage of marijuana under federal law, moving the psychoactive plant from a so-called Schedule I drug to Schedule III.
The move would list marijuana alongside common painkillers, ketamine and testosterone, rather than its current status with drugs such as heroin and LSD.
The measures are expected to reshape the cannabis industry, reducing barriers to research for the drug’s potential health benefits, easing tax burdens and making it easier for companies to obtain financing.
Under the determined leadership of @POTUS, this Department of Justice is delivering on its promise to improve American healthcare. This includes: • Immediate rescheduling of FDA-approved marijuana and state-licensed marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule IIl • Issuing a new order,… pic.twitter.com/DUtqKQgavl — Acting AG Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) April 23, 2026
The announcement does not legalize marijuana in the United States.
“This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and effectiveness of this substance, ultimately providing better care to patients and more reliable information to doctors,” Blanche said in a statement. he said.
The move follows Trump’s December executive order directing the Justice Department to loosen marijuana restrictions.
The measure is expected to be a boon to the growing marijuana industry in the U.S. and benefit companies like Canopy Growth, Tilray Brands and Trulieve Cannabis.
Shares of marijuana companies listed in the US jumped following the decision.
Shares of Cronos Group, Aurora Cannabis, Canopy and Tilray increased between 6 percent and 13 percent.
“Today marks a pivotal moment for the United States. With President Trump’s decision to reschedule marijuana use, federal policy is finally aligning with science, medicine, and most importantly, patient needs,” Irwin Simon, Tilray’s chairman and CEO, said in a statement. he said.
Marijuana’s continued status as a Schedule I drug, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse and is not considered for medical use, has been widely criticized as anachronistic, especially as nearly half of US states have moved to legalize marijuana.
The drug is legal in some form in about 40 US states.
Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the world and in the United States.
Almost one in five U.S. residents use it once a year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Millions of people in the United States have been arrested for drug possession even as growing businesses traded on exchanges sell marijuana-related products.
Acting attorney general Blanche said the hearing will begin on June 29 to gather evidence and expert opinion regarding the reclassification of the drug.
