Executive Order Eases Medical Marijuana Regulations in Illinois

The Trump administration has moved to ease federal restrictions on medical marijuana products licensed by states, in turn reclassifying them as a less dangerous substance.

The move will impact Illinois, in which medical and recreational marijuana use is legal. The move stems from an executive order signed by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. The order impacts medical marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or with a state license from Schedule 1, the highest level of regulation, to the less strict Schedule III, per MSN.

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The Department of Justice is also expediting the hearing process to reclassify marijuana under federal law. This would come after President Donald Trump's executive order on December 18th, which aimed at finalizing a push for reclassification that began under former President Joe Biden:

This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information - Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, per MSN

Schedule 1 drugs are considered the most dangerous of their kind. The DEA describes them as substances with "no medical use and a high potential for abuse." Medical marijuana has been lumped in with heroin, LSD, and ecstasy. Conversely, Schedule III drugs are designated as substances with "a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence," per MSN.

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That said, marijuana isn't legal at the federal level under Schedule I. No less, this executive order would make it easier for the marijuana industry to operate uninhibited by strict regulation.

Trump also recently signed an executive order designed to increase access to medical treatments that use psychedelic drugs. That said, his latest order will impact the state of Illinois' medical marijuana industry significantly. Read more on MSN's website.