President Donald Trump signed an executive order on December 18 directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to reclassify cannabis to facilitate medical research and expand access to CBD products, while maintaining restrictions on high-risk substances.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The order instructs federal agencies to accelerate the reclassification process, allowing research currently prohibited under cannabis’s Schedule I status—a category reserved for drugs deemed to have no medicinal value under the Controlled Substances Act.
“The president has heard from so many people who have talked about the potential benefits of medical marijuana and CBD use, but he’s also heard from patients and from doctors that there’s not enough research to inform medical guidelines and that many patients are using these products without talking to their doctor about them,” a senior White House official told reporters during a briefing.
Expanding Access to CBD and Full-Spectrum Products
The administration will also work with Congress to pass legislation increasing access to CBD, a non-intoxicating cannabis compound. While the recently enacted “One Big Beautiful Bill” restricted THC levels in hemp products, the White House seeks a legislative fix to permit “full-spectrum” products containing higher THC concentrations and other cannabis compounds.
The order maintains restrictions on products deemed to “pose serious and potentially life-threatening health risks.”
Bipartisan Support and Criticism
Joining Trump at the signing were Dr. Michael Hogue (CEO of the American Pharmacists Association), Dr. Ilana Braun (Harvard Medical School), and Jim Hoyt (National Fraternal Order of Police and American Legion).
Critics, including Dr. Laura Bierut and Dr. Fang Fang, warned in a February JAMA study that “cannabis is addictive; cannabis use disorder is on the rise; and those affected by cannabis use disorder are at an increased risk of premature death.”
Regulatory Shift Ahead
While cannabis will remain federally illegal under Schedule III, the reclassification shifts oversight to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), potentially easing barriers for medical research and regulated access.
The move reflects Trump’s push to balance expanded research opportunities with public health safeguards, as federal agencies and Congress work to refine cannabis policy.
Original article
Comments