Donald Trump is said to be looking to shake up US laws on marijuana, which would have a major impact on the multibillion-dollar industry, according to a Wall Street Journal article.
Cannabis is currently classified as a Schedule I controlled substance in the US, which means that federal law considers it to have a 'high potential for abuse' and 'no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States'.
In short, at a federal level, the drug is illegal, with the likes of heroin, LSD, and ecstasy also under the same classification.
But, despite its federal classification, 24 states plus the District of Columbia have fully legalised the drug, while others have opted to only allow it for medicinal purposes.
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And it looks like Trump has set his sights on changing up the way the drug is classified, which would have a major effect on how easy it is to buy and sell it in the US.
According to sources who spoke to The Wall Street Journal on Friday (8 August), Trump floated his plans at a fundraiser held at his New Jersey golf club, with tickets for the event going for a cool $1 million a pop.
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According to the report, one of the attendees at the fundraiser, which was held earlier this month, was Kim Rivers, chief executive of Trulieve, one of the largest marijuana companies in the country.
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The sources, who did not want to be named but claimed to have been at the event, said that Trump was mulling over the possibility of reclassifying the drug as a Schedule III substance.
Speaking of loosening the belt on federal restrictions for the drug, Trump allegedly told those in attendance: "We need to look at that.
“That’s something we’re going to look at.”
According to the government website, a Schedule III drug has a 'moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence', with 'abuse potential less than Schedule I and Schedule II drugs'.
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It's important to note that it wouldn't make the drug completely legal across the US, but it would help ease restrictions on it, including opening up more opportunities for medical uses and possible tax breaks for marijuana companies.
Common examples of drugs which fall under this category include ketamine, anabolic steroids and testosterone.
The possible change, which was also pursued by the Biden administration but never put into action, would make it easier to buy and sell the drug, making the already booming business potentially even more lucrative.
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In a statement to CNN, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said that 'all policy and legal requirements and implications are being considered' around marijuana.
“The only interest guiding the president’s policy decision is what is in the best interest of the American people," she added.
Which US states is marijuana currently legal in?
States where marijuana is fully legal:
Alaska
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Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Illinois
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Ohio
Oregon
Rhode Island
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
States where marijuana is legal for medical purposes only:
Alabama
Arkansas
Florida
Georgia (CBD oil only)
Hawaii
Indiana (CBD oil only)
Iowa (CBD oil only)
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
New Hampshire
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
Tennessee (CBD oil only)
Texas
Utah
West Virginia
Wisconsin (CBD oil only)
Wyoming (CBD oil only)
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News
Chloe Jackson