Trump Signals Historic Shift: U.S. Weighs Reclassifying Cannabis from Schedule I to III

December 15th, 2025, may go down in history as the day the American prohibition wall collapsed—at least partially. President Donald Trump has officially confirmed that his administration is “very strongly” considering moving cannabis to a more lenient legal category. While this decision doesn’t mean full legalization, it could trigger significant changes in the worlds of science and business.

Rumors of impending reform have been swirling in Washington for weeks, but the president only broke his silence on Monday. When asked by reporters during the signing ceremony (unrelated to cannabis), Trump admitted outright: “We’re considering it very strongly. A lot of people want to see this—reclassification—because it leads to a huge amount of research that can’t be done unless the classification is changed.”

“We are very much considering this” – what is the White House planning?

The Trump administration’s plan is to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. It’s a technical, yet monumental, change.

Currently, cannabis is in the same category as heroin and LSD —substances considered highly addictive. We previously reported that Donald Trump would remove cannabis from the list of the most severe drugs , and the president’s words on Monday seem to be the final confirmation of this direction.

This marks the official recognition by the US federal government that cannabis has medical uses and that its abuse potential is lower than that of hard drugs.

What is Schedule III and why is it a revolution for cannabis?

For the average user, this change may seem cosmetic—cannabis will still remain illegal at the federal level without a prescription. However, for the industry and science, it’s a breakthrough.

The End of a Tax Nightmare: Currently, cannabis companies in the US pay effective tax rates of up to 70-80%. This is due to Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code, which prohibits businesses trading in Schedule I substances from deducting tax-deductible expenses. Joining Schedule III removes this prohibition.

Research Boom: Scientists will gain easier access to the raw material, which Trump highlighted as the main reason for the changes. Current restrictions block the full potential of cannabis in combating such serious conditions as drug-resistant epilepsy, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis (MS), and alleviating the effects of chemotherapy. Moving cannabis to Schedule III will allow researchers to develop new drugs more quickly and move from anecdotal evidence to hard clinical data, benefiting millions of patients.

Political double voice: enthusiasm and accusations

The decision is not yet final, and a heated debate is ongoing in Washington. According to the Washington Post, the president met with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Secretary of Health) and Dr. Mehmet Oz on the matter.

However, not everyone is delighted:

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Ky.) expressed his opposition in a telephone call with the president.

The drug testing industry (NDASA) is sounding the alarm, saying the change could have “catastrophic safety implications” in transport and workplaces.

Senator Ron Wyden (Democrat) criticized the move from a different angle. He called Trump’s actions “gaslighting,” arguing that it was merely an attempt to salvage poll numbers, not the real reform voters want (i.e., full legalization).

On the other hand, Democratic representatives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez call the reform a “no-brainer.”

What’s next? We’re waiting for your signature

Although financial media outlets like CNBC have speculated that the announcement could come “as early as Monday,” the White House is keeping its cool. An administration spokesperson told Marijuana Moment that “no final decisions have been made yet.”

One thing is certain: If Trump implements this plan, it will be the most significant change to U.S. federal drug law in half a century.

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(Featured image by Elsa olofsson via Unsplash)

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