Federal Marijuana Rescheduling Announced By Department Of Justice, Months After Trump Executive Order

Under an order signed by Blanche, marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license will move to Schedule III, as will any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

By Tom Angell, Marijuana Moment

The Trump administration is officially moving ahead with the federal reclassification of marijuana.

More than four months after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Justice to expeditiously finish the process of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Thursday announced that rescheduling is finally happening.

“The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options,” Blanche said. “This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.”

The process will happen in phases, DOJ said.

Under an order signed by Blanche, marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license will move to Schedule III, as will any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Then, beginning on June 29, there will be a new expedited administrative hearing process to consider the broader rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.