President Donald Trump is expected to direct his administration to move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, according to people familiar with the matter, a move that could represent one of the biggest shifts in US policy toward cannabis in decades.
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Trump has discussed the idea with marijuana industry executives, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, the people said.
A White House official said no final decisions have been made on rescheduling. The Washington Post reported earlier on the plans.
Cannabis is currently labeled a Schedule I drug, putting it in the same category that includes substances like heroin and LSD, categorized as having no medical use and a high potential for abuse. Trump is weighing pushing to reclassify it to a Schedule III drug, according to the people, which would move it to a tier for substances seen as having a lower potential for dependency — on the same level as ketamine, Tylenol with codeine, as well as anabolic steroids.
Reclassification would make it easier to buy and sell cannabis, delivering a major victory for companies and investors in the sector as well as patients who use medical marijuana. Cannabis companies have been lobbying for reform in Washington and a reclassification decision could ease tax burdens and obstacles to banking services, help draw more mainstream lenders and investors and bolster opportunities for medical research.
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