One further development from this week On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order. This action will reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule III controlled substance. This historic step will put cannabis on the same level as select prescription pain killers, something that recognizes its deeply medical potential. The order does not, however, legalize or decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. It does nothing about racial discrimination in law enforcement practices leading to marijuana arrests.
The reclassification occurs at a time of increasing public support for cannabis. A recent Gallup poll shows 57% of Americans believe cannabis should be legal for both medical and recreational uses. At the same time, 32% are in favor of its legality only for medical use.
Legalization momentum
Twenty-four states have now legalized adult use and sale of marijuana. This dramatic turnaround is indicative of a larger trend in public support and state legislation.
In his announcement, Trump stated, “I’m pleased to announce that I will be signing an Executive Order to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance with legitimate medical uses.” He further stressed that marijuana reclassification would increase medical research into the substance. This amendment would allow for scientific study of the benefits, risks and long-term outcome of cannabis use and treatments.
The executive order is based on the fact that one in five U.S. adults has recently used CBD. Among seniors, almost 15% indicated they do the same. On the federal level, the legality of recreational marijuana isn’t addressed at all, as Trump’s order leaves that up to Congress (where it is illegal at the moment). Notably, the amendments described in the executive order stop short of proposing any changes to criminal justice laws related to marijuana convictions.
Just from the sheer narrowness of the order, one wouldn’t think that it would be received too positively yet, it is. Paul Armentano, a prominent advocate for cannabis reform, remarked that the executive order “validates the experiences of tens of millions of Americans, as well as those of tens of thousands of physicians, who have long recognized that cannabis possesses legitimate medical utility.”
This order is a critical advance in lifting obstacles to cannabis research. It removes some of the regulatory burden from its medical use. This decision doesn’t change the underlying legal framework for recreational marijuana. It continues to retroactively classify the substance as dangerous and highly addictive, a designation that has attracted important criticism.