OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
11:04 AM – Monday, August 11, 2025
President Donald Trump stated that his administration is currently “looking at” reclassifying marijuana to a lower risk category. This comes at a time when many advocates have argued that marijuana helps them manage chronic pain, reduce nausea, ease symptoms of multiple sclerosis, anxiety, and more.
When asked at a press conference on Monday about the possibility of reclassifying marijuana, Trump said that his team was “only looking at” it, and that it was still early in their deliberations.
Marijuana has been classified as a Schedule I drug since the signing of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in 1970. This classification is defined in the document as having high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical uses in the United States, and a lack of safety for use under medical supervision.
However, some public figures allege that pharmaceutical companies have historically collaborated with the federal government to maintain marijuana’s Schedule I classification, thereby protecting their market for prescription painkillers.
Many marijuana users have reported replacing their pain medication with cannabis. Multiple peer-reviewed studies and surveys show that many chronic pain patients reduce or replace prescription opioids with cannabis, especially in states with legal medical marijuana programs.
The Biden administration had started the process of reclassification for marijuana in 2024 after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommended that marijuana be moved to Schedule III in 2023. In 2024, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposed a rule to move marijuana to Schedule III, but it has still been on hold since March 2025.
Transferring marijuana to Schedule III would put it in the company of drugs such as Tylenol, aspirin, and testosterone. These drugs are considered to have a lower potential for abuse, currently accepted medical uses in the U.S., and moderate to low physical dependence, according to the CSA.
“We’re looking at it,” Trump stated. “Some people like it, some people hate it. Some people hate the whole concept of marijuana.”
Trump also acknowledged that it’s a “very complicated subject,” and though he had “heard great things” about its medical use for issues including pain management, he had also heard “bad things” about “just about everything else.”
Nevertheless, Trump reiterated that they’re “looking at reclassification,” and that the administration may come to a decision over the next few weeks.
“That determination hopefully will be the right one,” the president added.
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