&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Marijuana 'research' material but fentanyl a 'weapon of mass destruction'? Trump's explosive announcement on devil's lettuce")
US President Donald Trump on Monday (Dec 15) signalled that his administration is seriously considering easing federal restrictions on marijuana, reopening a debate that has long divided Washington and the states. This comes as Trump signed an executive order classifying fentanyl a "weapon of mass destruction".
What did Trump say about weed?
Asked by reporters whether an executive order on cannabis reform was in the works, Trump said the idea was under active review. "We are considering that," he said. He claimed that a lot of people were asking for reclassification for "research" purposes. "A lot of people want to see it, the reclassification, because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can't be done unless you reclassify, so we are looking at that very strongly."
Also read | Fentanyl more dangerous than a bomb? Trump classifies drug as 'weapon of mass destruction'
Is marijuana legal in the US?
Under federal law, marijuana, aka grass, is currently listed as a Schedule I substance, a category reserved for drugs like heroin and LSD, which the government says have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. That status has increasingly clashed with reality on the ground, where dozens of US states now allow marijuana, also referred to as Devil's lettuce, for medical purposes, and many permit recreational use as well.
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According to a recent Washington Post report, Trump is weighing a shift to Schedule III, a category that includes drugs considered to have legitimate medical value and a lower risk of abuse. Ketamine and anabolic steroids are classified at that level.
Does that mean marijuana would be legal throughout the US?
No, rescheduling would not amount to full legalisation or decriminalisation. But it could bring significant changes. Moving marijuana out of Schedule I would ease restrictions on scientific research, which currently requires multiple layers of federal approval. Researchers have long argued that the existing rules make it unnecessarily difficult to study cannabis for medical benefits and risks.
The move could also have tax implications for the growing legal cannabis industry.
But can Trump reclassify cannabis?
Trump cannot change marijuana's classification on his own. Any shift would require action by federal agencies, including the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Post reported that Trump is expected to sign an executive order instructing those agencies to begin the process.
Former president Joe Biden had also pushed for reclassification, but his administration did not complete the effort before Trump returned to office in early 2025.
