In a significant federal policy shift, President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring the Attorney General and DEA to accelerate marijuana's reclassification from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. Previously listed alongside heroin and LSD, marijuana’s downgrade places it with substances like ketamine, effectively simplifying the approval process for scientific studies. Trump emphasized this is not a legalization move but aims to boost research, reflecting growing public acceptance and state-level legalizations. The decision continues efforts begun under President Biden to reform marijuana policy, despite some Republican opposition citing drug safety concerns. The shift highlights the ongoing tension between federal drug laws and evolving societal views and state policies on marijuana use.