The Trump administration is expected to move soon to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under federal law, according to Axios — a step that would ease restrictions on medical research but would not legalize it.
The change also would not automatically affect sentences for people incarcerated on marijuana possession charges.
President Donald Trump signaled impatience with the pace of the effort during an April 18 White House event, saying his administration was slow-walking the rescheduling order and pressing aides to get it done.
Trump's remarks came four months after he directed the Justice Department to move marijuana to Schedule III.
Trump's Dec. 18, 2025, executive order directed the attorney general to take all necessary steps to reclassify marijuana as quickly as possible under the Controlled Substances Act.
Marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under federal law, a category reserved for substances deemed to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Hemp is treated separately under federal statute.
A move to Schedule III would leave marijuana federally controlled but place it in a less restrictive category used for drugs with accepted medical uses and moderate to low potential for physical dependence.
The shift must still go through the federal rulemaking process, which includes review by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Drug Enforcement Administration, publication of a proposed rule, a public comment period, and possible hearings before any final rule takes effect.
That process has taken years in the past, and a review that began under the Biden administration stalled before completion.
With the administration reportedly nearing action, the next formal step could come within days.
If that happens, it would mark progress toward one of Trump's stated drug policy goals while leaving questions about federal enforcement and conflicts with state marijuana laws.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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