WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – President Donald Trump’s Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order Thursday that reclassifies state-licensed medical marijuana as a less dangerous drug.
The order changes federal restrictions on medical marijuana to allow for more medical research.
The Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration said in a press release that the order immediately reclassifies FDA-approved marijuana products, regulated by a state medical marijuana license, as lower-risk drugs, under Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. The change formally recognizes marijuana’s medical use.
Blanche said in a statement on X that the changes “will enable more targeted, rigorous research into marijuana’s safety and efficacy, expanding patients’ access to treatments and empowering doctors to make better-informed healthcare decisions.”
Under the decisive leadership of @POTUS, this Department of Justice is delivering on his promise to improve American healthcare. This includes:
• Immediately rescheduling FDA-approved marijuana and state-licensed marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule IIl
• Ordering a new,… pic.twitter.com/DUtqKQgavl
In the Oval Office, President Trump said the change is good for people looking for alternatives.
“A lot of people suffering from big problems, which this seems to be the best answer. They’re very happy about it. So the rescheduling is starting and that’s a big thing,” Trump said.
Administration officials also said Thursday that there will be an expedited hearing in June to more broadly reclassify marijuana under Schedule III.
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