US reclassifies certain marijuana products as a less-dangerous drug

The US Department of Justice is reclassifying FDA-approved and state-licensed marijuana as a less dangerous drug, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Thursday.

The announcement does not legalise marijuana across the United States.

In a post on X, Blanche said the Justice Department was “immediately rescheduling FDA-approved marijuana and state-licensed marijuana from Schedule I to ⁠Schedule III”.

The department is also initiating an expedited hearing to consider the broader rescheduling of ‌marijuana, it said in a statement.

“This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with ‌better care and doctors with more reliable information,” Blanche said in a ⁠statement.

The decision to ⁠reclassify marijuana represents one of the most significant federal changes to marijuana policy in decades, removing barriers to ‌researching the drug’s potential use. The move follows a December executive order from President Donald Trump directing the Justice Department ‌to ‌loosen marijuana restrictions.