The acting Attorney General of the USA, Todd Blanche, announced the reclassification of cannabis from category 1 to category 3, facilitating its medical use and paving the way for federal decriminalization.

The acting Attorney General of the United States, Todd Blanche, announced on Thursday an important decision regarding the reclassification of cannabis, moving it from category 1, which includes substances like heroin and LSD, to category 3, which includes substances with a moderate risk of addiction, such as certain codeine-based medications.

This decision, part of a presidential decree signed by Donald Trump on December 18, 2025, aims to encourage medical research on cannabis and prepare the ground for broader federal decriminalization. Although most Americans live in states where cannabis is legal, the decision does not decriminalize it at the federal level yet. Blanche also announced an expedited administrative process to evaluate a broader reclassification of cannabis, starting on June 29, which could have significant economic repercussions for the cannabis industry. This measure would allow for more rigorous research and expand patient access to treatments. Cannabis was classified in category 1 in 1970, during Richard Nixon's presidency.