LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — A major shift in U.S. drug policy may be on the horizon. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order directing his cabinet to reclassify marijuana under federal law, moving it from Schedule I, the strictest category, to Schedule III.

If enacted, this would mark one of the most significant changes to federal cannabis policy in decades.

While the move would not legalize marijuana nationwide, it would formally acknowledge that cannabis has a lower potential for abuse than previously classified and could open the door for expanded medical research.

Experts say rescheduling could also affect federal prosecutions, banking access for cannabis businesses, and prescription regulations.

Here at home, Senator Tom Cotton, one of Arkansas’s most vocal opponents of legalization, responded cautiously.

“I’ll reserve judgment until I see the exact order. A lot of times, these stories get ahead of the actual decision,” Cotton said. “But I will say, marijuana today is nothing like it was in the 1960s. The THC content is much higher, much more potent, and poses greater risks, especially for kids.”

Cotton emphasized that while decriminalization has public support, full legalization and commercialization have not.

“Most Arkansans, again, have sympathy and understanding for kids that maybe have a joint or for someone who says they need it for medicinal purposes. But they never wanted, and I don’t think we want in our state, to go beyond decriminalization, to legalization, to commercialization.”

He warned that today’s high-potency products could bring unintended consequences.

“Especially the case given the extreme potency of today’s marijuana. The active ingredient THC is much, much stronger than it ever was 20, 30, 40 years ago.”

If Trump signs the executive order, the change could reshape access to medical cannabis, impact ongoing federal cases, and influence state-level debates on legalization.