US Reduces Marijuana Restrictions in Lift to Ailing Industry

April 23, 2026, 5:16 PM UTC

The US Justice Department reclassified state-regulated marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a major shift that could increase legal cannabis sales and help a struggling industry.

The directive signed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche moved licensed marijuana products from Schedule I — the same federal category as heroin and LSD — to the less strictly controlled Schedule III. The action stops short of fully legalizing the drug for recreational use nationwide, but it meets the demands of many advocates who have long argued for looser restrictions.

The move is likely to make operations easier for cannabis companies, including potentially ...

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