The U.S. Justice Department has announced a loosening of restrictions on certain marijuana-based products and a faster process for reclassifying cannabis into a less dangerous category. The move could become one of the most consequential shifts in American drug policy in decades.
The Donald Trump administration has moved FDA-approved cannabis-based medicines, as well as state-regulated medical marijuana, out of the category of substances with a high risk of dependence and into a group with a lower potential for abuse.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the authorities would accelerate the review of the substance’s status in federal law, paving the way for its transfer from Schedule I to Schedule III—alongside drugs such as common painkillers, ketamine, and testosterone.
Such measures are expected to lower barriers to scientific research, make it easier for companies to access financing, and ease the tax burden, though they will not amount to full federal legalization of marijuana.
“This reclassification will make it possible to study the safety and effectiveness of the substance, ultimately giving patients better treatment and doctors more reliable information,” Blanche said.
The decision follows an executive order signed by the president in December directing the Justice Department to review the current restrictions.