LEXINGTON, Ky. — President Donald Trump's acting attorney general on Thursday signed an order reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug, marking a major federal policy shift that advocates have long sought, according to LEX 18 News.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche moved licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I—reserved for drugs without medical use and high abuse potential—to Schedule III, which carries moderate to low potential for dependence. The reclassification does not legalize marijuana under federal law but significantly alters its regulation and creates substantial benefits for the medical cannabis industry.

The order grants state-licensed medical marijuana companies their first opportunity to deduct business expenses on federal taxes and eases research barriers by clarifying that cannabis researchers won't face federal penalties for obtaining state-licensed products. It establishes an expedited registration system for state-licensed medical marijuana producers and distributors with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

The move legitimizes medical marijuana programs in 40 states that have adopted them, representing a significant departure from decades of federal marijuana prohibition dating to the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. Kentucky has not approved medical marijuana, though the state has faced ongoing legislative efforts to establish a program.

Blanche stated that the reclassification would expand Americans' access to medical treatment options and enable research on cannabis safety and efficacy. Trump directed his administration in December to move quickly on the reclassification and expressed frustration about the timeline in January.

The administration sidestepped the lengthy review process undertaken by the DEA under President Joe Biden by invoking a federal law provision allowing the attorney general to determine drug classifications for substances regulated under international treaties. The Trump administration is launching a new administrative hearing process beginning in June to consider broader marijuana rescheduling.

Cannabis products not distributed through state medical marijuana programs will remain classified in Schedule I. Marijuana or marijuana-derived medicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration are similarly listed in Schedule III.

The policy faces opposition from some Republicans, with more than 20 GOP senators having urged Trump last year to maintain stricter standards. The administration's broader drug agenda prioritizes combating fentanyl and other dangerous substances.