Trump Announces Reclassification of Marijuana as a Less Dangerous Drug

Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he will reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous addictive substance, a decision aimed at promoting medical research without immediately leading to federal decriminalization.

The American president stated that "people have been begging him" to make this decision, particularly mentioning those suffering from chronic pain.

He clarified that this is "not in any way a decriminalization" of marijuana for non-medical uses before signing the decree.

"I have always told my children, do not do drugs, do not drink, do not smoke," Trump added.

A senior government official described this decision as "common sense" during a press briefing, noting that marijuana and CBD products (a compound extracted from cannabis known for its relaxing properties) are already being used by many patients in the U.S. suffering from chronic pain.

In fact, the majority of U.S. states allow cannabis consumption for medical purposes, and more than 20 have also legalized its recreational use.

Eased Restrictions

This announcement is expected to facilitate more research on the addiction risks associated with these substances, the official explained.

Additionally, "millions" of beneficiaries of Medicare (the public health insurance for those over 65) will be able to receive CBD products prescribed for free starting next spring, as announced by Mehmet Oz, who oversees this health insurance system.

Although nearly three-quarters of Americans live in a state where this drug is legal, this new classification will maintain "federal criminalization," pointed out Cat Packer, an official from CRCC, a coalition of local leaders involved in these issues.

This announcement "falls far short of the necessary reforms," she lamented, asserting that "the American people overwhelmingly support legalization and an end to federal criminalization of cannabis."

However, this measure could have significant economic implications by easing the constraints on businesses growing or selling cannabis.

Specifically, marijuana is set to move from Schedule I, the highest category, to Schedule III.

Schedule I includes substances like heroin, LSD, or ecstasy, while Schedule III encompasses substances with moderate to low dependency risk, such as certain codeine prescriptions.

Cannabis, a derivative of hemp, was classified as Schedule I in 1970 under Republican President Richard Nixon, who declared a "war on illicit drugs."

This reclassification proposal will still be subject to the decision of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Former Democratic President Joe Biden had pushed for such a measure, but this change failed to materialize.