In a move that could reshape the legal and cultural landscape of the United States, President Donald Trump has signaled that the federal government is seriously considering reclassifying marijuana, a substance long mired in controversy and conflicting laws. During a press conference on August 11, 2025, Trump openly acknowledged the complexity of the issue and hinted that a decision could be made within weeks. "Some people like it, some people hate it," he remarked, drawing a comparison to the divisive British spread Marmite. "I've heard great things having to do with medical, and I've had bad things having to do with just about everything else. But medical, and, you know, for pain and various things."
Currently, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug under the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), placing it in the same category as heroin, LSD, and ecstasy. According to the DEA, Schedule I substances are defined as having "no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse." This label, established in the 1970s, has long been criticized as outdated, especially as attitudes towards cannabis have evolved and research into its medical benefits has expanded.
The potential change on the table isn’t legalization per se, but rather a downgrading of marijuana to a Schedule III drug. This would place cannabis alongside substances considered to have a "moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence." While this wouldn’t make marijuana legal across all 50 states, it would represent a significant shift in federal policy and could have far-reaching consequences for criminal justice, healthcare, and the economy.
As of mid-August 2025, marijuana remains illegal on the federal level, but the reality on the ground is far more nuanced. Only six states have not legalized the drug for either medical or recreational use, and 24 states have legalized it for recreational purposes. This patchwork of laws has created confusion for consumers and law enforcement alike, as well as a booming black market in places where access is restricted.
The Department of Justice announced in May 2025 that it had begun a formal rulemaking process to consider moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The announcement followed a scientific review initiated by President Joe Biden on October 6, 2022, which involved the Attorney General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel. The process is rooted in recommendations from medical and scientific experts, as well as legal analysis.
"The Justice Department today announced that the Attorney General has submitted to the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking initiating a formal rulemaking process to consider moving marijuana from a schedule I to schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)," the department stated in May. The move, if finalized, would mark the first major change in federal marijuana policy in over half a century.
President Trump’s stance on the matter has been cautious but open. During his recent press conference, he reiterated, "We're looking at it. Some people like it, some people hate it — some people hate the whole concept of marijuana because if it does bad for the children, it does bad for people that are older than children. But we're looking at reclassification, and we'll make a determination over the next, I would say, over the next few weeks — and that determination hopefully will be the right one. It's a very complicated subject."
Reclassification would not automatically legalize marijuana nationwide but would have immediate effects on the legal system. According to the Wiberg Law Office, the higher a drug's schedule, the harsher the potential sentence for possession or use. A downgrade to Schedule III would therefore reduce the severity of penalties for marijuana offenses, potentially alleviating some of the burden on the criminal justice system and reducing incarceration rates for non-violent drug offenses.
Beyond the legal ramifications, the change could also impact the black market for cannabis. Dr. Carl Hart, a psychologist and neuroscientist at Columbia University, explained to BBC News, "When you legalise a compound, far more people would go to the legal market, just because it's simple and people don't have access to the black market. The illicit market would certainly dwindle." Easier access to legal marijuana could mean safer products and greater oversight, though critics warn of potential risks, especially for vulnerable populations like children and older adults.
The effects of marijuana on users are as varied as the strains themselves. As Healthline reports, the way cannabis affects individuals depends on the amount consumed, the method of consumption, and the user's own physiology. Smoking cannabis can produce effects within two to ten minutes, while edibles may take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours to kick in. Once the psychoactive compound THC enters the bloodstream, it can increase heart rate by 20 to 50 beats per minute for several hours, according to WebMD. Red eyes, euphoria, relaxation, and the infamous "munchies"—a sudden onset of hunger—are all common effects. However, some users experience anxiety or panic, particularly with certain strains or in high doses. The peak high typically occurs around 30 minutes after consumption and can last five to six hours, but impaired judgment may linger for up to 24 hours.
Amid the policy debate, public perceptions of marijuana's health risks remain contentious. Content creator Chris Notap recently sought to visualize the impact of smoking weed on the lungs with an amateur simulation. In a YouTube video, Notap constructed a bell jar filled with white cotton wool balls to represent lungs, then exposed it to smoke from three joints a day over 30 days—a total of 90 spliffs. By the experiment's end, the cotton wool had yellowed dramatically, the exhale tube (representing a throat) was clogged with black tar, and the glass chamber was visibly stained. "The bottom line is, this is what's going on in your body and what you have to deal with," Notap said. He added, "Kids, if someone offers you a cigarette, a vape pen or a joint, just say no thank you. Remember this one simple rule—there's only one thing that's meant to go into your lungs, and that's air."
Notap was quick to clarify that his experiment was "not a scientific experiment," but rather an attempt to provoke thought about smoking habits. The video sparked lively debate in the comment section, with some viewers questioning the realism of the simulation and others lamenting the "wasted" weed. "Watching 90 joints burn unevenly is hurting more than knowing my lungs look like this," one commenter joked, while another pointed out, "This is an inaccurate representation because no smoker holds smoke in their lungs that long."
As the U.S. edges closer to a potential shift in federal marijuana policy, the debate shows no signs of abating. The coming weeks may bring clarity on reclassification, but the broader questions—about health, legality, and society's relationship with cannabis—are likely to persist for years to come.