Trump Administration Moves Marijuana to Schedule III: What It Means for Medical Use and Research

On December 18, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reschedule marijuana, marking a significant shift in federal drug policy.

The move comes as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that state-licensed medical marijuana and FDA-approved marijuana products will now be classified under Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, rather than Schedule I.

Previously, marijuana was grouped with drugs like heroin under Schedule I, defined by the federal government as having “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”

Why This Change Matters

Rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III recognizes its medical value and reduces regulatory barriers, enabling:

• Expanded medical research into marijuana’s therapeutic benefits
• Improved access to medical marijuana treatments
• Tax benefits for medical marijuana businesses

What’s Next for Recreational Marijuana?

While recreational marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, the DOJ has indicated plans to expedite its rescheduling to Schedule III. A new hearing is scheduled for June 2026 to further assess this transition.

Bipartisan Efforts and Past Progress

Efforts to reschedule marijuana have been a long-standing, bipartisan initiative. In 2024, President Joe Biden described his administration’s move toward reclassification as “monumental,” though the process was not completed before he left office. Biden also issued pardons for federal convictions related to simple marijuana possession.

In 2024, Trump signed an executive order directing the DOJ to accelerate marijuana reclassification efforts.

State-Level Legalization: A Patchwork of Laws

While federal law still prohibits marijuana, states have taken varied approaches to legalization:

• Medical marijuana: Legal in 48 states and the District of Columbia (Idaho and Kansas are exceptions)
• Recreational marijuana: Legal in 24 states and the District of Columbia

Despite state-level legalization, both medical and recreational marijuana remain illegal under federal law.

With this policy shift, the Trump administration has taken a major step toward aligning federal regulations with the growing acceptance of marijuana for medical use.