RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Big changes could be coming to federal restrictions surrounding marijuana.
On Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at allowing further research into the drug. The order reclassifies marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, placing it among drugs the DEA considers less harmful and less addictive.
"It would finally allow people to have honest, evidence-based policy discussions that are rooted in science and the experiences of other states that have decided to implement sensible cannabis policies," said Morgan Fox, political director for NORML, which advocates for legal reform around marijuana.
For advocates like Fox, the executive order is not the ultimate goal, but it represents an important step forward.
"Cannabis would no longer be considered a drug with a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use," Fox said. "This is something that millions of patients know that thousands of researchers and physicians already know and would validate the experiences of those people in terms of federal policy."
The move could also shift the conversation around marijuana, even in states like North Carolina, where it remains illegal for both medical and recreational use. The Trump administration has suggested that the reclassification could facilitate more research into marijuana's potential applications.
"It would help ease some of the processes around research but a lot of the changes necessary in order to conduct research have already been made by the legislature," Fox said.
In North Carolina, Governor Josh Stein has established a cannabis advisory council to explore the regulation of THC products. The council, which includes lawmakers, advocates, and law enforcement officials, will guide discussions on potential legalization. However, public safety concerns, such as impaired driving, remain a priority for some officials.
"What about the people that smoke marijuana and then get in a vehicle and drive," said Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone. "We have combated drinking and driving with alcohol for years. That's a killer on our highways. Marijuana is an intoxicant, and you know, we don't need that going up and down the road either."
Stone said he could not speak to the drug's potential medical uses but hopes that any changes to marijuana's legal status in North Carolina are approached with caution.
"We've got to be very careful with this," he said. "The last thing we need is where it has the possibility to get around our kids and our community."
Before any changes take effect, marijuana must undergo the DEA's rescheduling process, which could face legal challenges.
