Trump shifts GOP drug policy with psychedelics and marijuana orders, fast-tracking research and rescheduling medical cannabis

Trump administration actions signal a new, more permissive Republican stance on drugs, combining moves to fast-track psychedelic research with an order to reschedule medical marijuana. A signed executive order aims to loosen research restrictions on psychedelics as potential treatments for mental conditions, backed by $50 million and instructions for the FDA to accelerate review pathways that could lead to approvals. Separately, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche ordered reclassification of state-licensed medical marijuana as less dangerous, even though recreational marijuana remains illegal under federal law. The shift is framed as partly political and partly driven by messenger advocates, including veterans and figures tied to the legalization and research push. The piece contrasts earlier Biden-era FDA caution around psychedelic therapy for PTSD and incomplete marijuana rescheduling, while also noting pushback from hard-line conservatives warning about increased marijuana potency and health risks.