Trump signs order reclassifying marijuana as less dangerous | Trump administration

Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to remove marijuana from the most restrictive drug category; It’s a change that would loosen limits on research and certain regulations, but would prevent marijuana from being legalized nationwide.

“I am pleased to announce that I will be signing an Executive Order to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance with legitimate medical uses,” the President said.

The action allows a pilot program that reimburses Medicare patients for products containing CBD, a widely used marijuana-derived compound that does not produce a high.

Under the decision, marijuana will be shifted from Schedule I, a category that includes heroin, to Schedule III, which includes ketamine. But the move would not legalize marijuana, as some states have done, and it would not change how law enforcement handles marijuana-related arrests, according to senior administration officials who spoke to the agency. New York Times.

Placing marijuana in Schedule III would make it compatible with certain prescription pain medications while keeping recreational use illegal at the federal level. The change would still need to go through the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) formal rulemaking process. Reclassification could ease burdens on legal marijuana businesses as well as facilitate scientific research by reducing stringent federal tax penalties and improving access to banking services.

For years, the portrayal of marijuana as an extremely dangerous and addictive substance has been widely criticized. The move to a different category reflects federal recognition that marijuana has medical benefits and a lower risk of abuse than those previously classified.