Executive Order Directs DEA To Reclassify Marijuana As A Less Dangerous Drug

President Trump issued an executive order to reclassify marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to a less restrictive tier on December 18, 2025.

It directed the attorney general and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to expedite the rulemaking process to reschedule marijuana from the current Schedule I of the CSA to Schedule III. The goal is to expand access to medical marijuana and to cannabidiol products. However, the order does not go further to legalize recreational marijuana.

Schedule I drugs are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use, a high potential for abuse, and a lack of . . .