Trump says he is still 'considering' marijuana reclassification

President Donald Trump said Monday that he is still "considering" whether to reclassify marijuana as a lower level drug, but appeared to be in favor of the move.

Trump floated the reclassification in August and said he expected to make a decision in the coming weeks. However, he has not followed up with a decision so far. The Biden administration did begin the process to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug in 2024 but did not finish before Trump took office.

The president's latest comments come after the Washington Post reported last week that Trump is expected to sign an executive order telling agencies to pursue reclassification soon. 

“We are considering that," Trump told reporters. "Because a lot of people want to see it, the reclassification, because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can’t be done unless you reclassify. So we are looking at that very strongly."

Marijuana has been a Schedule I drug since 1971, which is the same category as heroin, methamphetamines, and LSD, which have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. 

Meanwhile, Schedule III drugs include ketamine, anabolic steroids, testosterone, and Tylenol with codeine. 

A Schedule III designation would lessen criminal penalties for marijuana and allow new research opportunities and pharmaceutical companies to get involved in the sale and distribution of marijuana where it is legal.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.