President Donald Trump is poised to make one of the most significant changes to federal marijuana policy in half a century, as he is expected to sign an executive order on December 18, 2025, reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug. This move, first reported by CNN and confirmed by multiple senior administration officials, would ease federal restrictions on marijuana but stop short of full legalization, according to ABC News and The Washington Post.
Currently, marijuana sits alongside heroin and LSD as a Schedule I drug under the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) guidelines, which defines such substances as having "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse." By contrast, Schedule III drugs, such as some prescription painkillers, are considered to have "moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence," and less abuse potential than those in higher schedules. The executive order would align marijuana oversight with that of ordinary prescription painkillers, as reported by Investors Business Daily, a major shift in how the federal government treats the drug.
The executive order is expected to note that the current Schedule I classification has impeded scientific research into marijuana's safety and efficacy, particularly for medical uses such as treating chronic pain. "Because a lot of people want to see it, the reclassification, because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can't be done unless you reclassify. So we are looking at that very strongly," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on December 15, 2025, according to ABC News.
While the move would not legalize marijuana at the federal level, it could have wide-ranging implications for the cannabis industry and for medical research. As USA Today points out, reclassification would make it easier for scientists to study potential benefits and risks of marijuana use, and could ease operational challenges for businesses in states where marijuana is already legal.
The timing of the signing has been described as fluid, with some sources telling CNN and Marijuana Moment that while the order is planned for Thursday, it could shift depending on last-minute deliberations. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles reportedly requested input from affected federal agencies over the summer, with responses compiled by the Domestic Policy Council and presented to her in recent months.
Trump has long expressed interest in changing federal marijuana policy. During the 2024 presidential campaign, he supported a Florida ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana—though it ultimately failed—and pledged to focus on research and access for medical use. He also advocated for allowing marijuana businesses to obtain bank accounts and for universities to research the drug, as noted by CNN and Marijuana Moment.
Behind the scenes, the White House spent much of 2025 researching the logistics and potential impacts of rescheduling marijuana. On December 9, Trump and senior officials held a more than two-hour meeting in the Oval Office to discuss the issue, although no final decision was made immediately afterward, according to CNN. In the days leading up to the executive order, Trump also met with marijuana industry executives, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, as reported by Marijuana Moment.
Speculation abounds about additional provisions in the executive order. According to Marijuana Moment, the directive could include measures addressing cannabis business banking access and even Medicare coverage for cannabidiol (CBD) products. The order may urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act, which would protect financial institutions working with state-licensed marijuana businesses. Banking access has been a recurring challenge for the industry, frequently raised in congressional hearings, including a Senate subcommittee session on December 16, 2025.
Sources familiar with the draft executive order also suggest it could direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to revise rules to allow Medicare reimbursement for certain CBD products. Currently, both marijuana and CBD derived from federally legal hemp are ineligible for Medicare Advantage coverage, though CMS revised its proposed rule just weeks ahead of the expected order.
Trump's move comes amid shifting public attitudes and political calculations. As of October 2025, 64% of Americans supported marijuana legalization, according to a Gallup survey cited by USA Today, up from 36% two decades ago. Marijuana is now legal for medical or recreational use in 45 states. However, support among Republicans has dipped recently, and the issue remains politically charged.
Opponents of the policy change have voiced strong concerns. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), a leading prohibitionist, argued that Trump lacks the authority to unilaterally reschedule marijuana via executive order, though he acknowledged that Congress would face a "heavy lift" to overrule any administrative move, especially in a Republican-controlled legislature. Meanwhile, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) criticized the move as insufficient and politically motivated, suggesting it was "only an attempt by the president to gaslight voters into thinking he legalized cannabis to boost his pathetic approval ratings." Marijuana Moment also reported that a major drug testing industry organization warned the policy change could "have catastrophic consequences for the safety of the United States workforce and transportation sectors."
Advocates, however, argue that rescheduling is a "no-brainer." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and others have pushed for even bolder reforms, including full legalization and expungement of past convictions. Some sources told Marijuana Moment that Trump may even couple the executive order with clemency for certain federal marijuana offenders, though that detail remains unconfirmed as of publication.
It is worth noting that Trump is not the first president to consider rescheduling marijuana. Former President Joe Biden ordered the Department of Health and Human Services to review marijuana's classification in 2022, and in 2024, the administration proposed a rule to list marijuana as a Schedule III drug. However, that rule has been on hold since March 2025, leaving the door open for Trump's executive action to take center stage.
The news has already impacted the markets. Marijuana stocks climbed on December 17, 2025, in anticipation of the executive order, with investors betting that looser federal restrictions could boost the industry, according to Investors Business Daily.
While some details of the executive order remain in flux, one thing is clear: the move would mark a watershed moment in federal marijuana policy, recognizing medical value and reducing barriers to research and business operations. Whether it leads to broader reforms or stokes further political battles, the nation will be watching closely as President Trump prepares to sign the order.
With the stroke of a pen, Trump could set in motion changes that advocates have sought for decades, and opponents have long feared—ushering in a new era for marijuana policy in the United States.