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The Trump administration is considering reclassifying marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under federal drug classifications, a move that would place cannabis in the same regulatory category as anabolic steroids, ketamine, and Tylenol with codeine, according to reporting by the Free Press.
Medical marijuana is currently legal in 40 states and the District of Columbia, with recreational use permitted in Washington, D.C. and 24 states spanning from New York to Colorado. Despite this widespread state-level legalization, marijuana remains classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law—the same category as heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl.
The proposed reclassification to Schedule III would ease federal restrictions on marijuana while stopping short of complete legalization at the federal level. Schedule III substances are recognized as having accepted medical uses with moderate to low potential for physical dependence.
Polling conducted in March 2025 by Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio found 66 percent of respondents supported legalized marijuana, with 70 percent backing rescheduling the drug to a less restrictive classification.
A senior White House official characterized the issue as politically favorable, stating: "For a lot of the base, it's an issue like gay marriage that people have gotten comfortable with. It's good politics." The administration expects to reach a decision by year's end.
Marijuana advocate Alex Bruesewitz told the Free Press that shifting to Schedule III "keeps cannabis as a controlled substance but allows for more testing for medicinal purposes," characterizing it as a "politically savvy move" with strong public support.
Congressional opposition to rescheduling has been minimal. Representative Pete Sessions, a Republican from Texas, recently wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi alongside eight other lawmakers expressing concern that rescheduling "would send a message to kids that marijuana is not harmful."
However, the limited pushback reflects broader societal acceptance of marijuana use across multiple generations since the 1960s and 1970s. Many dismiss earlier warnings about cannabis dangers and reject narratives linking marijuana to harder drug use, including those promoted in the 1936 film "Reefer Madness."
Federal marijuana policy has evolved significantly from Richard Nixon's war on drugs approach half a century ago. John Ehrlichman, a top Nixon aide who served prison time for Watergate crimes, stated in a 1994 interview: "Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did."
Ronald Reagan characterized marijuana as "probably the most dangerous drug in the United States" during his candidacy and later supported his wife Nancy's "Just Say No" campaign. By Bill Clinton's presidential run, his admission of trying marijuana but not inhaling had become a cultural punchline rather than a disqualifying revelation.
President Trump does not smoke, drink, or use drugs, a personal choice made in response to his brother's death from alcoholism. However, the administration appears supportive of federal policy reform reflecting state-level legalization trends and public opinion shifts.
Cannabis has transformed from an underground activity to a significant commercial industry estimated at $38 billion in 2024. Well-funded lobbying efforts now support federal policy changes, with organizations employing major consulting and public relations firms to advance cannabis industry interests.
Bruesewitz's consulting firm, X Strategies, is receiving $300,000 from American Rights and Reform, a pro-cannabis group, for media services. Mercury Public Affairs represents the US Cannabis Council. The industry's substantial economic scale has created professional advocacy infrastructure previously absent from marijuana policy debates.
Contemporary cannabis products contain significantly higher THC concentrations than marijuana available in previous decades. The increased potency raises questions about appropriate regulatory frameworks, particularly regarding youth access and impaired driving concerns.
Questions about homework completion, cognitive effects during development, and appropriate age restrictions remain part of policy discussions, even as many view marijuana's effects as preferable to alcohol in certain contexts, particularly regarding driving impairment.
The drinking age of 21 has not prevented younger individuals from obtaining alcohol, suggesting that age restrictions alone may prove insufficient for controlling youth access to regulated cannabis products.
The discrepancy between federal Schedule I classification and widespread state-level legalization has created operational challenges for cannabis businesses, including banking access limitations, tax complications, and interstate commerce restrictions. Rescheduling to Schedule III would not resolve all these conflicts but could ease some federal enforcement concerns and regulatory barriers.
Research into marijuana's medical applications has been constrained by Schedule I classification, which designates substances with no accepted medical use. Rescheduling to Schedule III would facilitate expanded clinical research into cannabis compounds' therapeutic potential while maintaining federal oversight.
The White House has not specified an exact timeline for the rescheduling decision but indicated expectations for resolution by year's end. Implementation would require coordination between multiple federal agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Food and Drug Administration, and Department of Justice.
The rescheduling process involves regulatory procedures that could take months to finalize even after a policy decision is reached. How rescheduling would interact with existing state regulatory frameworks and whether it would preempt state laws remains subject to legal interpretation.
This article reports on developments originally covered by the Free Press and analyzed by Fox News.
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