Trump Orders U.S. to Ease Restrictions on Marijuana

The U.S. government will move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a major policy shift. The order from President Joe Biden's administration, following a review he requested, directs the Justice Department to formally begin the process. Marijuana is currently a Schedule I drug under federal law. This category is for substances with "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse," and includes heroin. The new proposal would move it to Schedule III, which acknowledges accepted medical uses and includes drugs like anabolic steroids and Tylenol with codeine. This reclassification does not make marijuana legal for recreational use. However, it would ease restrictions on medical cannabis research and reduce tax burdens for legal cannabis businesses in states that have already approved it.