President Donald Trump has announced that marijuana reclassification is on the table - but what would it actually change?
On Monday (August 11), Trump confirmed that his administration is actively considering reclassifying the drug, which has been under strict federal control for over 50 years.
"We’re looking at reclassification, and we’ll make a determination over the next - I would say, over the next few weeks, and that determination hopefully will be the right one. It’s a very complicated subject," he said.
The 79-year-old explained that while this may pave the way for pharmaceutical companies to become more involved in the marijuana industry, the issue is still polarizing.
"I’ve heard great things having to do with medical and bad things having to do with just about everything else,” he continued, adding: “Some people like it, some people hate it. Some people hate the whole concept of marijuana."
Trump's comments mark the first official confirmation that the government's rescheduling of marijuana is under review - a move initiated under the Biden administration and paused earlier this year.
Currently, the drug is listed as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, a category that includes heroin and LSD.
That designation means the drug is considered to have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
But a recommendation made in 2023 by the Department of Health and Human Services called for marijuana to be reclassified as a Schedule III drug - this would recognize its medical applications and indicate a lower potential for abuse. Substances in that category include ketamine and anabolic steroids.
If implemented, the shift would represent the biggest policy change by the Drug Enforcement Administration in over half a century. However, experts say the impact on the ground may be limited, at least initially.
According to The Hill, Paul Armentano, deputy director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), previously said the process of rescheduling marijuana - or trying to - has historically played out over years and even decades.
Heather Trela, a fellow at the Rockefeller Institute, told the outlet in April: “If President Trump made this a priority, I think this would move.”
Still, reclassifying the drug wouldn’t make it legal nationwide, and it wouldn’t fix the mix of state laws already in place. Some states allow recreational use, while others still issue fines or jail time for small amounts.
Selling marijuana outside of licensed dispensaries remains illegal, and federal prosecutors have generally avoided pursuing simple possession cases in recent years. However, rescheduling could open the door to more medical research and offer tax relief for marijuana businesses.
Under current law, companies dealing in Schedule I or II substances are banned from deducting business expenses like rent and payroll - a restriction that industry advocates say can push effective tax rates to 70% or higher.
Marijuana businesses would also face stricter supervision under DEA regulations, similar to pharmacies. Critics say this could burden dispensaries with heavy paperwork and create logistical problems for the DEA.
It could also bring up issues with international treaties, like the 1961 agreement that requires countries to criminalize cannabis. That was one of the reasons the DEA rejected rescheduling under the Obama administration in 2016.
Trump's stance on marijuana has evolved over the decades. Back in 1990, he told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune: “We’re losing badly the war on drugs. You have to legalize drugs to win that war. You have to take the profit away from these drug czars.”
During his 2016 campaign, he took a more cautious tone. “I do want to see what the medical effects are,” he told Fox News. “Medical marijuana, medical? I’m in favor of it a hundred percent.”
Despite vocal support, Trump’s first term saw little movement on cannabis reform. His administration rescinded Obama-era protections for state-legal marijuana in 2018, though Congress maintained barriers to federal interference in medical programs.
In 2024, his position shifted again. Trump backed Florida’s failed Amendment 3, which aimed to legalize marijuana for recreational use. And in a Truth Social post, he called for “smart regulations” and an end to arrests over small-scale possession.
“I believe it is time to end needless arrests and incarcerations of adults for small amounts of marijuana for personal use,” he wrote.
It’s still unclear whether the president's administration will move forward with rescheduling - or how soon it might happen.