Marijuana, or its derivative THC, continues to be a treacherous quagmire for security clearance holders and adjudicators alike. The latest complication of this quagmire occurred on December 18, 2025, when President Donald Trump signed a new executive order regarding the reclassification of marijuana from a Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule III controlled substance: “Increasing Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research.”
Was Marijuana Reclassified as a Schedule III Drug?
Not yet. While numerous media outlets reported that President Trump’s executive order reclassified marijuana from a Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule III controlled substance, it did nothing of the sort. Rather, the Order directs the Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to “take all necessary steps to complete the rulemaking process related to rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III of the [Controlled Substances Act].” In other words, marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance (for now).
