Trump Signs Executive Order to Reclassify Marijuana, easing restrictions

[ThatRobGuy]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/us/politics/trump-marijuana-reclassify-order.html

Trump signs executive order that could reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug

President Trump has signed an executive order that could reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug.

apnews.com

The Republican president said he had received a deluge of phone calls supporting the move and its potential to help patients. “We have people begging for me to do this. People that are in great pain,” he said.

Similarly, the Justice Department under Trump’s Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, proposed reclassifying marijuana to a Schedule III substance. Unlike Biden, Trump did not have open encouragement from across his party for the move. Some Republicans have spoken out in opposition to any changes and urged Trump to maintain current standards.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

I do not know how I should feel about this. On one side, I do see the medicinal benefits when properly prescribed. However, just like every state who legalized medicinal Marijuana, it quickly devolvedlved into people in mass running to their doctor to request a prescription for Marijuana for a their spontaneous and sudden "anxiety problems." Marijuana for a terminal cancer patients, sure. Marijuana for anyone claiming to have "anxiety?" No! As history have shown, every state who legalized Marijuana quickly devolved into a slum of pot-heads who eventually move to opioids and other harder drugs to get the high they desire, eventually leading to a growing sub-class of homeless druggies on the streets.

 

[BCP1928]

Or, as Fat Freddy said, "Dope gets you through times of no money better than money gets you through times of no dope."

 

[Pommer]

As history have shown, every state who legalized Marijuana quickly devolved into a slum of pot-heads who eventually move to opioids and other harder drugs to get the high they desire, eventually leading to a growing sub-class of homeless druggies on the streets

Has history shown this?

Part of the legalization of cannabis was divorcing the people who sold it (as well as other illicit substances), from their customers.
New (legal) suppliers only trade in cannabis.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

As history have shown, every state who legalized Marijuana quickly devolved into a slum of pot-heads who eventually move to opioids and other harder drugs to get the high they desire, eventually leading to a growing sub-class of homeless druggies on the streets.

I don't think there's much merit to the "gateway drug" theory.

A) Not only do the overwhelming majority of people who try marijuana not move to harder drugs, most don't even continue using marijuana.

B) The "gateway drug" argument falls flat because people don't often start it from the logical starting place and selectively draw the line on the "slippery slope" conveniently in the place that exempts the substances (like beer) that they happen to enjoy.

Marijuana often comes before other drugs simply because it's more available, not because it pharmacologically leads to other drugs. Likewise, cigarettes and alcohol often comes before marijuana, but nobody frames that in the same way with regards to beer and attempts to frame beer as "the top of the slippery slope"

 

[Oompa Loompa]

Has history shown this?

Part of the legalization of cannabis was divorcing the people who sold it (as well as other illicit substances), from their customers.
New (legal) suppliers only trade in cannabis.

Yes. And history has shown that when the Marijuana high is no longer enough, they turn back to those "divorced" sellers for stronger stuff.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

It's good that he's decided to continue Biden's work on this issue.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

Yes. And history has shown that when the Marijuana high is no longer enough, they turn back to those "divorced" sellers for stronger stuff.

[citation needed]

 

[Oompa Loompa]

I don't think there's much merit to the "gateway drug" theory.

A) Not only do the overwhelming majority of people who try marijuana not move to harder drugs, most don't even continue using marijuana.

B) The "gateway drug" argument falls flat because people don't often start it from the logical starting place and selectively draw the line on the "slippery slope" conveniently in the place that exempts the substances (like beer) that they happen to enjoy.

Marijuana often comes before other drugs simply because it's more available, not because it pharmacologically leads to other drugs. Likewise, cigarettes and alcohol often comes before marijuana, but nobody frames that in the same way with regards to beer and attempts to frame beer as "the top of the slippery slope"

It leads to harder drugs because people develop a tolerance to it. Why else do people make hybrids and genetically alter Marijuana to make it more potent? The weed people smoked in the 60's is not the same stuff smoked today.

 

[BCP1928]

It leads to harder drugs because people develop a tolerance to it. Why else do people make hybrids and genetically alter Marijuana to make it more potent? The weed people smoked in the 60's is not the same stuff smoked today.

That's right. And marijuana overuse is a social problem, just as alcohol, nicotine and other drugs are. But it's generally not a gateway drug because people don't like the high they get from other drugs--which is why they concentrate on making the marijuana stronger.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

It leads to harder drugs because people develop a tolerance to it. Why else do people make hybrids and genetically alter Marijuana to make it more potent? The weed people smoked in the 60's is not the same stuff smoked today.

While weed today is absolutely more potent than weed in the '60s, there doesn't seem to be any significant relationship between legalization and an increase in other drug use.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

It leads to harder drugs because people develop a tolerance to it. Why else do people make hybrids and genetically alter Marijuana to make it more potent? The weed people smoked in the 60's is not the same stuff smoked today.

That's not quite how it works.

For that subset of people who are habitual pot users and build up a tolerance, that leads to heavier pot use.

Same for booze. The person who's a problem drinker and is having 6 drinks per day, they don't say "Hmmm...the 6 beers aren't doing it for me anymore, I guess I'll try meth or heroin", they simply move to even heavier drinking. Having a chemical dependency to one type of drug often isn't alleviated or satisfied by replacing with an entirely different class of drug.

Now, the potency increase of the pot could be catering to the high-frequency users who've built up a tolerance, but that's still not connected to the opioid problem.

The opioid problem is multi-faceted. Obviously the Oxycontin issue was a major factor in that.

...and actually, marijuana being criminalized was increasing the exposure to harder drugs by way of the fact that the illegal street dealers often sell more than just one substance. Unlike a dispensary, where they only have the regulated pot... the pot shop owner isn't going to also be selling ecstasy and cocaine like a street dealer may.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Yes. And history has shown that when the Marijuana high is no longer enough, they turn back to those "divorced" sellers for stronger stuff.

That's not true... at least not based on anyone I've ever known.

If anything it's the opposite. The commercial dispensaries carry strains and strengths that pack a way bigger punch than any dirt weed you may get from a weed dealer standing on a street corner.

 

[durangodawood]

....The weed people smoked in the 60's is not the same stuff smoked today.

I wonder if the higher power stuff is actually healthier because you can get the same effect with less actual smoking.

Dont know. Just have wondered.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I wonder if the higher power stuff is actually healthier because you can get the same effect with less actual smoking.

Dont know. Just have wondered.

I think the other formats have led to a "less unhealthy way" of consuming.

I know several "regular consumers", and most have switched to the vapes, tinctures, and edibles.

The legal dispensaries have made those "less unhealthy" formats more available to people who are already consumers. Obviously most people wouldn't know how to make a vape or tincture themselves, and professionally made lab-tested edibles are far safer than something a "home baker" may try to make on their own.

"I know for a fact this lab-tested cookie has 40mg in it" is safer than a person trying to make their own and wondering "did I mix everything up well enough to where it's evenly distributed in the batch?" and finding out the hard way.

 

[durangodawood]

I think the other formats have led to a "less unhealthy way" of consuming.

I know several "regular consumers", and most have switched to the vapes, tinctures, and edibles.

The legal dispensaries have made those "less unhealthy" formats more available to people who are already consumers. Obviously most people wouldn't know how to make a vape or tincture themselves, and professionally made lab-tested edibles are far safer than something a "home baker" may try to make on their own.

"I know for a fact this lab-tested cookie has 40mg in it" is safer than a person trying to make their own and wondering "did I mix everything up well enough to where it's evenly distributed in the batch?" and finding out the hard way.

For sure the regulated industry is way more predictable and safe that unregulated - where you know neither potency nor whats even in it. Friends in the industry report very strict rules and enforcement re contaminants like pesticides, fungus, etc.

This is still a psychoactive drug with addictive potential tho. So be careful, people! Same with alcohol.

 

[Belk]

I wonder if the higher power stuff is actually healthier because you can get the same effect with less actual smoking.

Dont know. Just have wondered.

I don't know about healthier, but from what I have read there is a link between higher potency and more long term consequences. I know a couple habitual users and they have actually moved towards lower potency as they find it suits them better.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

That's right. And marijuana overuse is a social problem, just as alcohol, nicotine and other drugs are. But it's generally not a gateway drug because people don't like the high they get from other drugs--which is why they concentrate on making the marijuana stronger.

Correct. Different classes of drugs target different receptors.

So with regards to any sort of tolerance or chemical dependency, it's not as if drugs are interchangeable.

Just as a quick cheat sheet for folks:
Marijuana works primarily through the endocannabinoid system, binding to CB1 and CB2 receptors. This system is involved in many functions but isn't the brain's primary reward/addiction pathway.

Opioids (heroin, prescription painkillers) work through delta and kappa opioid receptors - a completely different system.

Stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine primarily affect dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin transporters & receptors.

Alcohol affects GABA and glutamate systems.

The fact that these drugs act on different receptor systems means marijuana use doesn't create cross-tolerance or some sort of craving for other substances. Your brain doesn't become "primed" for opioids or stimulants through cannabinoid receptor activation. There's no direct pharmacological pathway where using marijuana makes your brain crave chemically unrelated drugs.