Trump Weighs Easing Federal Restrictions on Marijuana

President Donald Trump is considering a significant policy shift that could reshape America’s approach to marijuana, signaling interest in reclassifying the drug to a less restrictive category under federal law.

Speaking at a $1 million-a-plate fundraiser at his New Jersey golf club earlier this month, Trump reportedly told attendees he was exploring a move from marijuana’s current Schedule I status alongside heroin and LSD to Schedule III, a classification reserved for substances with accepted medical uses and lower abuse potential.

The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the meeting, noted that cannabis industry leaders have poured millions into political groups aligned with Trump. Among the guests was Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve, one of the nation’s largest marijuana companies, who urged the president to push for expanded medical research and a friendlier regulatory framework.

Why this matters:

• Reclassification could revolutionize the industry, making it easier to bank, research, and sell cannabis legally.

• Schedule III status would ease federal tax burdens that currently punish marijuana businesses.

• Medical access could expand nationwide, especially for veterans and patients in restrictive states.

The Biden administration had taken early steps toward reclassification but failed to see the change through before leaving office. Meanwhile, bipartisan bills have floated in Congress for years to either drop marijuana to Schedule III or decriminalize it altogether none have reached the president’s desk.

Public opinion has shifted sharply in recent decades. In 1995, just 25% of Americans supported legal marijuana; today, polls show that figure at over 70%. Currently, 40 states permit medical marijuana use and 24 states, plus Washington, D.C., allow recreational use.

Trump’s consideration of the policy comes as the GOP balances traditional law-and-order stances with libertarian-leaning calls for state autonomy and medical freedom. For many conservatives, the debate centers less on cultural acceptance and more on cutting federal overreach, supporting states’ rights, and tapping into a booming economic sector projected to surpass $70 billion in U.S. sales by 2030.

If Trump moves forward, it would mark one of the most significant federal marijuana reforms in U.S. history and it could become a defining issue heading into 2024.

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