WASHINGTON: Presi­d­e­­nt Donald Trump has sig­ned an executive order easing federal regulations on marijuana, a move that cou­­ld bring the most significant change in decades, tho­­­ugh it stops short of leg­alising the drug nationwide.

The order, signed on Thursday, directs the US attorney general to move swiftly towards reclassifying marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. If approved, marijuana would be shifted from Schedule I — a category that includes heroin and peyote — to Schedule III, which covers drugs with a lower potential for abuse and recognised medical uses.

Senior administration officials said the primary objective of the move is to expand medical research into marijuana and cannabis-derived products, allowing scientists to better evaluate both their therapeutic benefits and potential risks.

As part of the broader easing of restrictions, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is expected to allow some beneficiaries access to hemp-derived CBD products as early as April, officials added.

Speaking at the White House, President Trump said marijuana would remain illegal at the federal level and continue to be regulated under a patchwork of state laws. “We have people begging for me to do this, people that are in great pain for decades,” he said, while stressing that he has no personal interest in using the drug. “A lot of people do want it. A lot of people need it.”

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2025