Trump weighs marijuana reclassification

A balanced editorial analysis of Trump's stance on reclassifying marijuana and its policy implications.

Trump weighs marijuana reclassification

President Donald Trump said on Monday his administration is weighing a reclassification of marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3, with a decision expected in the coming weeks. He spoke during a White House news conference where he announced a federal takeover of Washington's police force and the deployment of the National Guard to address crime and homelessness in the capital.

The move would allow more medical research into cannabis and could bring tax benefits to the cannabis industry. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was considering the shift from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3. The Drug Enforcement Administration had shown support for reclassification during the Biden administration, signaling a potential alignment between health research and federal regulation.

The reclassification idea sits at the junction of science, health policy and political messaging. It would separate medical potential from criminal penalties and could broaden research access, but it also risks sending mixed signals while the administration pursues a hardline stance on crime in the capital.

If a decision arrives in weeks, regulators will watch how the DEA and lawmakers respond and how states adapt. The policy could boost research and give tax advantages to industry, yet critics may view it as a political maneuver rather than a health reform.

Highlights

The coming weeks will test how far policy and politics align in this long-running policy debate.