What to know about Trump’s reclassification of state-licensed medical marijuana |
What to know about Trump’s reclassification of state-licensed medical marijuana
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order under President Trump’s direction on Thursday to reclassify state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug — a major change in U.S. policy.
While the move does not legalize marijuana under federal law, it does impact the way it is regulated in the dozens of states that permit its medical use.
The order also provides a tax break to medical marijuana operators and provides a clearer pathway for those participating in cannabis research.
Here’s what to know about this decision:
What is the new classification?
The order directs the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to shift the classification of medical marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III.
The DEA ranks drugs from 1-5 in terms of their accepted medical use and the potential for abuse.
Schedule I drugs are the most highly regulated and are considered to have “no currently accepted medical use,” according to the DEA. Other drugs under this designation include heroin, LSD and ecstasy.
Schedule III drugs, meanwhile, are defined as having “moderate to low potential” for dependence. This regulation level also applies to ketamine, testosterone, anabolic steroids and........