President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to expedite the reclassification of cannabis in order to expand medical research.
The move marks a significant shift in federal policy that the White House says is driven by patients, doctors, and data, not politics.
A senior White House official said during a Thursday briefing that the order is designed to remove federal barriers that have long prevented researchers from studying cannabis-derived treatments.
“The president has heard from so many people who have talked about the potential benefits of medical marijuana and CBD use, but he’s also heard from patients and from doctors that there’s not enough research to inform medical guidelines and that many patients are using these products without talking to their doctor about them,” the official said.
Expanding Access To CBD, Revisiting Restrictions In “One Big Beautiful Bill”
Under the order, administration officials will also work with Congress to expand lawful access to CBD-based products.
CBD is a non-intoxicating compound found in cannabis plants and often touted for therapeutic benefits.
The White House is additionally seeking a legislative fix to a clause in the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which restricted allowable THC levels in hemp products.
Officials say they want Americans to have access to “full-spectrum” products containing higher levels of THC and related compounds, without lifting restrictions on products that “pose serious and potentially life-threatening health risks.”
Cannabis Reclassification Will Still Maintain Federal Illegality
Marijuana is currently categorized as a Schedule I narcotic, a classification dating back to the 1971 Controlled Substances Act signed by President Richard Nixon.
Schedule I substances are deemed to have “no medicinal value,” a designation that has hindered research for decades.
The new directive aims to move cannabis to Schedule III, allowing clinical research but keeping cannabis illegal at the federal level and under the Drug Enforcement Administration’s regulatory authority.
Medical Leaders Join Trump at Signing Ceremony
Trump was joined at the White House by:
• Dr. Michael Hogue, CEO of the American Pharmacists Association
• Dr. Ilana Braun, chief of adult psychosocial oncology at Harvard Medical School
• Jim Hoyt, national second vice president of the National Fraternal Order of Police and the American Legion
• Additional medical and law enforcement representatives
Critics Warn of Health Risks
Some medical professionals have voiced strong concerns about easing cannabis restrictions.
A February study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association sounded a warning about the risks associated with widened access.
“Though gaps remain in our knowledge about the health effects of cannabis use, the current evidence is enough to sound an alarm; cannabis is addictive; cannabis use disorder is on the rise; and those affected by cannabis use disorder are at an increased risk of premature death,” Dr. Laura Bierut and Dr. Fang Fang wrote.
READ MORE – Supreme Court Declines to Hear Challenge to Federal Cannabis Laws
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