Trump to reclassify cannabis at federal level

According to several sources, President Donald Trump is preparing an executive order that would direct federal agencies to reclassify cannabis as a controlled substance. class III, This would be one of the most significant changes in federal drug policy in over 50 years.

The Washington Post, citing six unnamed people close to the discussions, reported that Trump met this week with House Speaker Mike Johnson, industry leaders, the Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mehmet Oz, Director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. While Johnson opposed the idea, the president reportedly ended the call by coming out in favor of moving forward with the project.

The White House maintains, however, that ’no final decision has been made«, even as speculation intensifies across the political spectrum and in the cannabis industry.

Long-awaited reclassification nears completion

Cannabis remains a substance of Class I under federal law, along with heroin and LSD, designated as having a high abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Visit reclassification project plans to reclassify it in the category III, reserved for substances with recognized medical value and a lower risk of abuse.

«This would be the most sweeping reform of federal cannabis policy since marijuana was classified as a Class I drug in the 1970s,» said attorney Shane Pennington, who represents businesses lobbying for the reclassification.

This measure does not amount to legalization at the federal level, but it would have far-reaching implications. State-licensed operators would finally be freed from the tax stranglehold of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. 280E from the IRS, which prevents companies linked to Schedule I substances from claiming standard deductions. Researchers would have easier access to the study of cannabis, and states reluctant to act might feel politically protected in modernizing their laws.

For the regulated industry, estimated at 32 billion dollars, The impact could reshape market conditions nationwide.

Industry influence and political calculations

The Washington Post reports that several cannabis industry leaders, whose names were not disclosed, were present in the Oval Office during the discussion, underscoring the growing proximity between major operators and the Trump administration. From managers of multinational operatorsx such as Charlie Bachtell, CEO of Cresco Labs, and Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve, who attended Trump's inauguration in 2025, have already forged ties with the White House.

Trump has already taken some politically unusual positions on the issue. Last year, he approved a ballot measure in Florida on adult consumption and expressed his support for reclassification during the campaign. In September, he also shared a video praising the medical benefits of CBD produced by The Commonwealth Project.

Strong opposition from prohibitionist groups

The mere possibility of a reclassification order has set off alarm bells among cannabis opponents. Kevin Sabet, director of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), The company released a video warning that reclassification would «give tax breaks to big cannabis companies» and «send a very bad message to young people».

Mr. Sabet added, «But in the end, President Trump listened to his associates and friends, not to science or data.»

Despite the concerns of the measure's few opponents, proponents say it reflects the medical consensus. Under the previous administration, federal health authorities concluded in 2023 that cannabis had «a currently accepted medical use», laying the scientific groundwork for the change.

Finishing what Biden started

If adopted, this measure would complete a process launched under the presidency of Joe Biden, The administration has initiated a scientific study in 2022 and proposed a regulatory amendment in 2023. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was to hold hearings on the issue, but these procedures were suspended after Trump took office in January.

The timing of the announcement remains uncertain. Insiders warn that Trump, described by some sources as receptive but not fully committed, could yet backtrack. However, the momentum is clearly building, with industry players and prohibitionist organizations seeing this policy change as imminent.

One thing is clear: a federal reclassification in the category III would reshape the landscape for cannabis companies, This was the most important federal re-evaluation of the plant in half a century.