Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche moved specific cannabis products from Schedule I to Schedule III classification, aligning them with substances like Tylenol with codeine. This order covers items approved by the Food and Drug Administration or those holding a state medical-marijuana licence. President Donald Trump directed this administrative shift last year to expand access and research capabilities for the drug.

Blanche announced a June hearing to potentially reclassify all marijuana more broadly through the rule-making process. Once published in the Federal Register, the change allows a 30-day window before taking effect, though legal challenges are expected to delay implementation for months. Morgan Fox of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws noted that two-thirds of Americans support full legalisation.

Removing the 1970 classification allows policymakers to discuss regulations without the stigma of a "high potential for abuse" label. Fox argues the real solution requires full de-scheduling to create uniform federal laws. Until then, businesses still navigate a complex patchwork of state permissions and restrictive federal tax and banking statutes.