On Thursday, U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana as a lower-risk drug. This marks a significant policy shift long advocated by activists who argue that the federal government should not treat marijuana the same as heroin. The signing of this order does not federally legalize marijuana for medical or recreational use, but it does alter its regulatory status—moving licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I (classified as having no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse) to the more lenient Schedule III. The new policy also brings substantial tax relief for licensed medical marijuana operators and lowers barriers to conducting cannabis research. The Trump administration further stated it would initiate a broader reclassification process for marijuana and plans to begin related hearings in late June. Trump had instructed his administration last December to move quickly on reclassifying marijuana. Blanche said on Thursday that the Department of Justice is “fulfilling Trump’s promise.”
An executive order signed by Trump last Saturday eased restrictions on psychedelic research, potentially helping bring greater legitimacy to this long-marginalized field. According to reports, the move originated from a text message sent by podcast host Joe Rogan to Trump. Although research has shown potential benefits of psychedelics in treating mental health disorders, such studies have remained restricted at the federal level. Recently, Trump has faced mounting pressure from his base due to his unpopular war against Iran. Influencers like Rogan, who helped propel him to power, have opposed this war. To appease these groups, Trump decided to leverage the issue of psychedelics to placate Rogan and his audience.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863321506334729/
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