US Reclassifies Medical Marijuana to Lower-Risk Category

Promises made promises kept

I had an epileptic friend whose fits were better controlled by cannabis than by any other medication.

I hope this change by the federal government paves the way for additional research on the potency of cannabis. I have read multiple reports about ill-effects from cannabis, such as symptoms of psychosis, which includes paranoia a form of psychosis. I have read and heard enough to consider the fact that eventually it may be necessary to impose potency limits on cannabis.

How many elder members of this forum puffed weed in the 60s and 70s and either experienced or had friends who reported being paranoid from weed? That was decades ago when the product was not nearly as potent as the product today's shops sell.

So further research may produce some very beneficial findings. It is a relief to hear the federal government doing something that many people will feel is positive.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The acting head of the US Justice Department has signed an order reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana as a less dangerous drug under federal guidelines, marking a significant shift in the government’s treatment of cannabis. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche approved the change on Thursday, moving marijuana from the most restrictive Schedule I category to Schedule III of the federal drug classification system.

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The adjustment places state-authorised medical marijuana in the same category as certain prescription medications including ketamine and testosterone.

Shift in Federal Drug Classification

Under the federal system administered by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Schedule I substances are defined as drugs with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule III drugs are considered to have a moderate to low risk of physical or psychological dependence.

Although the change aligns federal policy more closely with laws in many US states, marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

The order does not remove cannabis from the federal controlled substances list, legalise recreational marijuana nationwide or permit sales in the same way as alcohol or tobacco.

However, officials say the reclassification could ease some regulatory and tax burdens faced by the cannabis industry and make it easier for scientists to study the drug.

In a statement posted on X, Blanche said the decision would support more rigorous research and improve access to treatment options for patients.

Administration Plans Wider Review

US President Donald Trump announced last year that his administration intended to pursue reclassification of marijuana, though it would stop short of legalising the drug for medical or recreational use at the federal level.

Blanche said the Justice Department and the DEA will now begin evaluating whether marijuana more broadly should be reclassified to Schedule III.

The DEA plans to hold a hearing in late June as part of that review.

According to the Justice Department, the hearing will provide a legal framework to assess potential wider changes to marijuana’s federal status.

Process Began Under Previous Administration

Efforts to reconsider marijuana’s classification began during the presidency of Joe Biden.

In October 2022, Biden asked the Department of Health and Human Services to review the drug’s status under federal law.

At the time, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Attorney General Merrick Garland were tasked with initiating the administrative process.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommended in August 2023 that marijuana be moved from Schedule I to Schedule III.

The Justice Department later issued a notice of proposed rule-making in May 2024 to begin implementing the change.

A formal hearing on the proposal had been scheduled for January 2025 but was postponed shortly before it was due to begin following a judicial decision.

Widespread Use and Health Concerns

Marijuana remains the most widely used federally illegal drug in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 52.5 million Americans — nearly one in five — reported using cannabis at least once in 2021.

Recreational marijuana has already been fully legalised in 24 states and the District of Columbia for adults aged 21 and over, allowing possession and limited cultivation.

Public health officials say cannabis may have medical benefits but also carries risks. Research cited by the CDC links cannabis use to potential mental health issues, impaired driving and respiratory or cardiovascular problems.

About three in ten users may develop cannabis use disorder, a condition in which individuals struggle to stop using the drug despite negative health or social effects.

Health authorities also warn that cannabis can affect brain areas linked to memory, learning and decision-making, and may harm brain development in younger people. Use during pregnancy has also been associated with lower birth weight and possible developmental effects.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 24 April 2026

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and Thailand will follow soon?