The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has followed through on an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in December directing federal agencies to lift legal restrictions on marijuana, despite strong warnings from medical experts over the damaging societal impact of the narcotic.

On Thursday, the DOJ reclassified state-regulated marijuana, as well as certain cannabis-derived products that have received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, from Schedule I to Schedule III, moving them into the same category as Tylenol with codeine, anabolic steroids, and other far less potent drugs. The move continued a remarkable about-face for the Trump administration, which was staunchly opposed to loosening restrictions on cannabis during the president’s first term. Thursday’s action follows an executive order signed by Trump last weekend that ordered the FDA to expedite the approval of powerful psychedelic drugs like ibogaine to treat mental illness.

The DOJ’s rescheduling of marijuana was also justified for purported medical reasons, with a statement declaring that the action was needed to provide “immediate and long-term clarity to researchers, patients, and providers alike while still maintaining strict federal controls against illicit drug trafficking.” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche further stated that the action “allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.”

But experts say that the move will only contribute significantly to a decline in public health as the potency of current strains of marijuana continues to become stronger and stronger. Studies show that the average level of THC (the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces the “high” sensation) found in marijuana products has grown exponentially over the last three decades, as cultivation and selective breeding techniques have grown increasingly sophisticated. A 2023 Yale School of Medicine study noted that average THC levels were at 4% in 1995, but had risen to 17% by 2017 and have only continued to climb since then. Some strains average as high as 35%, with wax, rosin, and hash oils ranging from 60-90%.

As a result, medical emergencies related to cannabis use have surged astronomically, spiking 341% between 2006 and 2018. Personal accounts of adverse health events — even for one-time users — are also proliferating, and rates of addiction have jumped to 30% of users. The New York Times notably reversed its pro-marijuana stance in February, pointing out that daily pot users have crested to over 18 million people, while “nearly 2.8 million people in the United States suffer from cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, which causes severe vomiting and stomach pain.” In addition, chronic psychotic disorders linked to cannabis use are climbing, including cannabis-induced psychosis, bipolar, schizophrenia, and depression.

Health experts like Dr. Smita Das, an addiction psychiatrist at Stanford University, say that there have yet to be any studies produced showing that marijuana provides medical benefits, and that the health effects of the increasingly potent strains of marijuana now widely available have yet to be studied. What’s more, she expressed concern that the increased deregulation of the narcotic makes it seem safe. “We’ve already had kind of a decrease in risk perception related to cannabis over the years with the state legalization,” she observed. “[The DOJ rescheduling] will probably just add to that.”

Policy experts like Kevin A. Sabet, who serves as CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, say that it has become clear that pro-cannabis interest groups now hold sway in the White House at the expense of public health.

“Rather than infrastructure week or seniors’ week, apparently this is illicit drug week,” he told The Washington Stand. “With this move, we are now confronted with the most pro-drug administration in our history. Policy is now being dictated by marijuana CEOs, psychedelics investors, and podcasters in active addiction — it is a travesty and injustice to the American people of unprecedented proportions. The marijuana industry is the new Big Tobacco, and President Trump is welcoming them to the homes of families across this country with open arms.”

“Research into these drugs is necessary, but there are many ways to increase our knowledge without giving a tax break to Big Weed and sending a confusing message about marijuana’s harms to the American public,” Sabet continued. “Today’s marijuana is more dangerous than previously thought, not less dangerous. And until data shows otherwise, it meets current criteria for Schedule I. It’s a drug that should be carefully researched, of course, but not legalized through the back door.”

Sabet concluded by contending that the Trump administration’s decision to deregulate marijuana was not carried out lawfully. “The administration’s decision to advance marijuana rescheduling is illegal in multiple ways and, as such, we will be taking legal action immediately. The only thing today’s decision advances are the interests of an addiction-for-profit industry — and if the president isn’t going to use the Food and Drug Administration as the law requires, why doesn’t he simply abolish it?”