President Trump has rescheduled marijuana – here’s what that means
This week, the president rescheduled marijuana to Schedule III of the Controlled Substance Act, allowing improved use for medical marijuana and further broadening cannabidiol research
by Summer Lane | December 19, 2025
President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the rescheduling of marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance, noting its legitimate medical uses and many possibilities for medical research.
“I’m pleased to announce that I will be signing an executive order to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance with legitimate medical uses,” the president said on Thursday. “We have people begging for me to do this, people who are in great pain.”
In 2024, the president signaled his support for reorienting federal policy toward marijuana when he announced that he would vote yes on Amendment 3 in Florida – an amendment that would have made marijuana legal to use in the Sunshine State. The amendment did not pass.
“As President, we will continue to focus on research to unlock the medical uses of marijuana to a Schedule 3 drug, and work with Congress to pass common sense laws, including safe banking for state authorized companies, and supporting states rights to pass marijuana laws, like in Florida, that work so well for their citizens,” he wrote last September, before winning the November 2024 presidential election.
This week’s EO stops short of full legalization, but it directs government agencies to make it easier for Americans to “benefit from access to appropriate full-spectrum CBD products while still restricting the sale of products that pose serious health risks.”
The order also directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop research methods and models on how to further improve cannabinoid products.
“For decades, this action has been requested by American patients suffering from extreme pain, incurable diseases, aggressive cancers, seizure disorders, neurological problems, and more, including numerous veterans with service-related injuries and older Americans who live with chronic medical problems that severely degrade their quality of life,” President Trump said of the rescheduling.
Until now, marijuana has been considered a Schedule I drug, which means it has “no currently accepted medical use,” and, depending on the state, can be difficult to utilize for medical needs.
President Trump’s White House has argued that the lack of FDA approval and the further lack of research on marijuana’s use have left Americans suffering, noting that six in 10 Americans who use marijuana report doing so because they are in chronic pain.
“President Trump is paving the way for enhanced research and better information on hemp-derived cannabinoid products, helping to inform patients and doctors about their potential role in managing common health conditions,” the White House noted.
Photo: Adobe Stock
