President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing federal agencies to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. This shift acknowledges the drug's potential medical uses while placing it alongside substances like ketamine and codeine-laced Tylenol, which carry moderate risks of dependence.
READ MORE: Executive High: Trump Reclassifies Marijuana for Health Gains
The move builds on a process initiated under the Biden administration but stalled by inaction for years. Trump emphasized that the order facilitates essential research into marijuana's benefits and dangers without legalizing recreational use nationwide. "This reclassification order will make it far easier to conduct marijuana-related medical research," he said during the Oval Office signing, noting its "tremendously positive impact" on studying treatments for chronic conditions.
NOW - Trump signs executive order reclassifying marijuana from a schedule 1 to a schedule 3 drug, relaxing regulations. pic.twitter.com/nZdECCYzkN
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) December 18, 2025
From my view, this decision reflects practical governance over rigid ideology. For decades, the Schedule I designation — grouping marijuana with heroin and LSD — has hindered legitimate scientific inquiry, despite growing evidence of therapeutic applications for pain management, epilepsy, and other ailments. Easing these barriers aligns with federalism principles, allowing states to continue experimenting while the federal government catches up to reality. It also relieves undue tax burdens on medical cannabis providers, fostering economic efficiency without expanding government overreach.
President Trump has signed an order reclassifying marijuana from Schedule I (heroin, LSD) to Schedule III (Tylenol, Ketamine)
— The Redheaded libertarian (@TRHLofficial) December 18, 2025
It has medical purposes. This was the right thing to do.
pic.twitter.com/e06eb92I5l
It's reminded me of conservative commentator Michelle Malkin and her daughter. In 2017, the lifelong "drug warrior" famously talked about her daughter's use of CBD oil in an op-ed titled "Keep Your Hands Off My Daughter’s Marijuana." Malkin’s daughter, Veronica, suffered from a debilitating mystery illness that left her bedridden and gasping for air — a condition that failed to respond to a "alphabet soup" of traditional, FDA-approved pharmaceuticals.
I support AG Sessions on many core issues, but disagree with him emphatically on marijuana policy. And I'm not a doctor either.
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) December 7, 2017
Just an informed conservative mom==>https://t.co/4n608bHKTohttps://t.co/elPxd9U3nE https://t.co/FXnDI530oO
When neurologists suggested CBD oil, Malkin found herself caught between federal law and her child’s survival. She argued that the federal government's refusal to acknowledge marijuana's medical utility was not just a scientific error, but an affront to parental rights and individual liberty.
By shifting marijuana to Schedule III, the administration effectively answers Malkin’s plea to "let the scientists lead," moving the drug out of the same category as heroin and into the same category as prescription medications like Tylenol with codeine. For "liberty-loving moms" like Malkin, this policy shift represents the federal government finally stepping out of the doctor-patient relationship and acknowledging that, for many families, this is a matter of medical necessity rather than a cultural debate.
Yet the backlash from within Republican ranks merits attention. Lawmakers like Rep. Pete Sessions (TX-17) and Rep. Andy Harris (MD-01), along with a broader coalition, warned in a letter to the president that reclassification could send mixed signals to young people, fuel addiction trends, and indirectly benefit cartels profiting from black-market demand. These concerns are not baseless.
Marijuana use among adolescents correlates with higher risks of mental health issues and gateway patterns to harder drugs, as studies from the National Institute on Drug Abuse consistently show. Road safety data from states with liberalized laws reveal increased impaired-driving incidents, straining public resources. Trump's administration has otherwise pursued a tough stance on illicit drugs, designating major cartels as terrorist organizations and authorizing strikes against trafficking vessels.
This context underscores that reclassification targets medical oversight, not normalization of recreational habits. Still, conservatives should remain vigilant. Loosening federal restrictions risks normalizing a substance whose long-term societal costs — lost productivity, family strain, emergency room visits — often fall on taxpayers.
Ultimately, Trump's order strikes a balance: advancing science and patient relief without endorsing broader liberalization. It respects states' rights and evidence-based policy, but only if paired with robust enforcement against abuse and trafficking. Lawmakers on both sides would do well to monitor outcomes closely, ensuring this pragmatic adjustment does not erode the cultural and legal guardrails that protect vulnerable communities.
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