ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — President Trump said Monday his administration is “considering” rescheduling marijuana as a less dangerous drug, echoing comments he made earlier this year. The Washington Post reports an executive order could soon direct federal agencies to start the process.
Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I substance, alongside heroin and LSD, meaning it’s considered to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Health officials under the Biden administration previously recommended moving it to Schedule III, which includes drugs like ketamine and Tylenol with codeine.
For New Mexico, where recreational cannabis has been legal since 2021 and retail sales began in 2022, rescheduling could have major implications. Industry experts say it wouldn’t legalize marijuana federally, but it could ease research restrictions, reduce tax burdens for cannabis businesses, and allow local producers to pursue national partnerships.
More than 40 states have legalized marijuana in some form. Congress is also considering broader reform through the bipartisan STATES 2.0 Act, which would let states set their own cannabis policies.
