U.S. may soon reclassify marijuana to allow medical research. What to know

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order that would reclassify marijuana and ease federal restrictions on research for potential new medical products.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order that would reclassify marijuana and ease federal restrictions on research that could lead to new medical marijuana products.

“We are considering that, yeah,” Trump told reporters Monday when asked about reports about the impending order.

“A lot of people want to see it, the reclassification, because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can’t be done unless you reclassify. So we are looking at that very strongly.”

Here is what you need to know:

Presently, under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act, marijuana is listed as a Schedule I substance like heroin, implying it has high potential for abuse and no medical value.

The new executive order would move it to the Schedule III classification that includes controlled substances such as codeine, morphine, certain stimulants, and some forms of steroids.

The reclassification would make it easier for researchers to obtain funding for clinical trials and for pharmaceutical companies to apply for FDA approval. As a result of its Schedule I status, bureaucratic and financial hurdles have largely kept drug companies from conducting the clinical trials necessary for regulatory approval of new marijuana-derived drugs.

Marijuana in any form has been illegal in the United States according to federal law. Forty U.S. states have enacted laws permitting the sale of marijuana products for medical purposes through dispensaries and 24 also allow recreational use among adults. These state-approved products will remain federally illegal under the Controlled Substances Act unless manufacturers apply for and obtain approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.