President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday directing major changes to federal marijuana and cannabinoid policy, aiming to expand research, improve guidance for patients and doctors, and remove long-standing barriers created by federal drug classifications.
The order instructs the attorney general to expedite the process of rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, a shift that would formally recognize accepted medical use and ease restrictions on scientific research. Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I drug, a category reserved for substances deemed to have no medical value and a high potential for abuse.
In addition, the order directs the White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political, and public affairs to work with Congress to allow access to appropriate full-spectrum CBD products while continuing to restrict products that pose serious health risks. The Department of Health and Human Services is also tasked with developing new research methods using real-world evidence to improve access to hemp-derived cannabinoid products and inform standards of care under federal law.
The administration said rescheduling marijuana would correct a long federal delay in recognizing its medical use and significantly expand research into safety and effectiveness. The move aligns with a 2023 HHS recommendation that acknowledged marijuana has a currently accepted medical use for the first time.
According to HHS, 40 states and the District of Columbia operate regulated medical marijuana programs. The department found that 30,000 licensed health care practitioners are authorized to recommend marijuana for more than six million registered patients across at least 15 medical conditions. The Food and Drug Administration has identified credible scientific support for marijuana’s use in treating anorexia related to medical conditions, nausea and vomiting, and pain.
Chronic pain affects nearly one in four U.S. adults and more than one in three seniors, with six in 10 medical marijuana users reporting pain management as their primary reason for use. One in 10 seniors reported using marijuana in the past year, with evidence showing improvements in pain and some measures of health-related quality of life.
Still, the administration noted that limited research and the lack of FDA approval leave patients and doctors without clear guidance, particularly as just over half of older Americans using marijuana have discussed it with their health care providers.
Schedule III status would allow studies to incorporate real-world evidence and models to assess health outcomes of medical marijuana and legal CBD products, including long-term effects in vulnerable populations such as adolescents and young adults.
The order also targets hemp-derived cannabinoid products, primarily those containing CBD, which are legal under federal law but lack a clear FDA regulatory pathway. Administration officials said that gap has led to inconsistent products and weak consumer protections, despite widespread use.
One in five U.S. adults and nearly 15 percent of seniors reported using CBD in the past year, with clinical studies showing some chronic pain patients reporting improvements.
Officials said the current legal landscape, including recent changes affecting full-spectrum CBD products, has left patients and doctors without adequate safeguards or guidance, underscoring the need for legislative action and new research approaches.
The White House framed the executive order as part of a broader push to improve health care access and affordability. The administration pointed to agreements with pharmaceutical manufacturers to align U.S. drug prices with those in other developed nations, an executive order requiring clearer pricing information before patients receive care, and efforts by HHS and the FDA to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the food supply.
Other actions cited include executive orders expanding care options for veterans, imposing higher standards of scientific rigor across federal agencies, and legislation signed in July providing a $50 billion investment in rural health care, expanded access to health savings accounts, and increased use of direct primary care. The administration also said it is accelerating approval of biosimilar medicines by reducing unnecessary clinical testing to expand options and lower costs for patients.
