President Trump is reportedly planning to announce a long-awaited executive order on Thursday, directing his administration to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. The rescheduling process began in 2022 but has since stalled. Rumors have been swirling about the executive order for some time, but Trump is reportedly set to speak on the subject this week.
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GreenState reported on the potential presidential order on Monday, but the date wasn’t clear until CNN broke the news this morning. Still, that timing could shift, as Reuters quoted a White House staffer saying, while Trump, “…is currently expected to address marijuana rescheduling tomorrow [Thursday, Dec. 18], any details of this potential action until officially announced by the White House are speculation.”
President Trump addressed rumors about cannabis reform on Monday during a press conference. A journalist asked about an earlier report suggesting the president was “ready” to direct his administration to move cannabis to Schedule III. Trump said Monday the White House is discussing the matter, fueling speculation that an executive order was imminent.
“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,” Trump said.
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The Schedule I classification for marijuana means the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) finds “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” If cannabis moves to Schedule III, that would put it in a category with “a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence,” and could reduce restrictions on its usage for medical purposes.
A Schedule III designation would not mean cannabis is legal for recreational purposes. It would also likely not mean that people in jail for the plant would be released. There are rumors that Trump’s executive order could include some type of clemency for cannabis offenders, along with a push for banking access for marijuana companies, although nothing has been confirmed.
While cannabis restrictions under the DEA may be loosening soon, other federal policies are impacting the industry negatively.
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The recent budget bill, which passed to reopen the government, included language severely restricting the amount of THC allowed in products. The 2018 Farm Bill allows products with 0.3% THC by weight, but the new bill that was signed by Trump restricts that to just 0.4 milligrams per package, dramatically changing industry norms that have existed for at least seven years. Legislation to update these levels and avoid a legal nightmare for the industry is pending.
When and if Trump moves cannabis to a different legal status, GreenState will immediately update the story and share the news about implementation and impact on social media.
