State-licensed medical marijuana reclassified in historic shift | AP News

A cannabis industry group calls President Donald Trump’s reclassification of state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug “the most significant federal advancement in cannabis policy” in decades.

Source: Trump reclassifies state-licensed medical marijuana in historic shift | AP News

This is a major federal shift on medical marijuana. This is progress. It is not legalization. Here’s what the shift actually means:

• Medical marijuana was reclassified federally
  The Justice Department reclassified state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, recognizing it as less dangerous and having medical value.
• It does NOT legalize marijuana federally
  Despite the change, marijuana remains illegal under federal law for both medical and recreational use.
• The shift reduces restrictions and brings benefits
  The new classification eases regulations, allows tax deductions for licensed cannabis businesses, and removes barriers to scientific research.
• It aligns federal policy more closely with states
  The move effectively legitimizes medical marijuana systems already operating in about 40 states.
• Broader marijuana reclassification is still under review
  The administration is beginning a wider process to reconsider cannabis scheduling overall, with hearings expected to start in late June.

This could reshape the future of cannabis policy in the U.S. But the bigger question of full legalization still remains. Stay tuned as the next phase unfolds.