President Trump’s administration has made a significant shift in the regulation of medical marijuana. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has signed an order reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, a less strictly regulated category. This change does not legalize marijuana for medical or recreational use under federal law, but it does ease some barriers to research and provides a tax break for licensed medical marijuana operators.
The order recognizes the progress made by states in implementing medical marijuana programs, with 40 states now having some form of medical marijuana legalization. It also sets up an expedited system for state-licensed medical marijuana producers and distributors to register with the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
The reclassification of medical marijuana is seen as a major policy shift, as the federal government has previously treated it similarly to heroin. The move has been welcomed by advocates, who argue that cannabis has medical benefits and should not be treated as a dangerous drug.
However, not everyone is pleased with the decision. Kevin Sabet, a critic of marijuana legalization, has expressed concerns that the move will give a “tax break to Big Weed” and send a confusing message about marijuana’s harms to the public.
The Trump administration has also announced plans to reclassify marijuana more broadly, with a hearing set to begin in late June. This could potentially lead to a further relaxation of marijuana laws and regulations in the future.
