President Donald Trump is weighing whether to shift marijuana to a less severe drug classification group after receiving millions from cannabis companies.
Trump confirmed that he was considering the possibility during a recent fundraising event at his New Jersey golf club, where a seat cost $1 million, insiders told The Wall Street Journal.
One of the fundraiser’s attendees was Kim Rivers, CEO of the cannabis company Trulieve, which is one of the firms that has donated large sums to Trump, according to insiders.
The Department of Health and Human Services currently groups marijuana in its highest classification group. Other Schedule 1 drugs include heroin, LSD, and ecstasy.
While marijuana remains a federally controlled substance, 24 states have legalized the drug for recreational use and 40 states have done so for medical use.
If Trump’s administration were to reclassify marijuana, it would make it easier to buy and sell the drug and boost profits for an already multibillion-dollar industry.
Trump has been vocal about the fact that he does not use drugs or drink alcohol. His late brother, Fred Trump Jr., struggled with alcoholism for much of his life before he died at 42 in 1981.
Administration officials told the Journal that Trump does not personally support marijuana and has on occasion complained about its smell.
However, one official told the paper that Trump is eager to tackle “80-20 cultural issues,” which have support from 80 percent of the public. Trulieve has reportedly shown Trump data showing that 80 percent of independent voters support legalizing and reclassifying pot.
Insiders said that Trump has also mentioned having friends in New York who use the drug to deal with pain.
The Journal reported that since coming to office, Trump has been aggressively lobbied by the marijuana industry—more than $1 million has been funneled into Trump’s PAC.
In a statement to the Daily Beast, a White House spokesperson acknowledged that a reclassification process was initiated under President Joe Biden but said that a final decision has not been made by Trump.
“All policy and legal requirements and implications are being considered,” said Abigail Jackson. “The only interest guiding the President’s policy decisions is what is in the best interest of the American people.”
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