BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) — The Trump administration moved FDA-approved marijuana products and state-regulated, medical marijuana licensed products to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act this week.

An order signed by President Trump’s Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Thursday immediately reclassified the products. Marijuana has previously been considered a Schedule I drug along with heroin, methamphetamine and LSD.

At the Mississippi Cannabis Festival at Biloxi Town Green Saturday, cannabis business owners said the decision to loosen restrictions on medical marijuana is a move in the right direction.

Local business owners react

“It’s something that has needed change for a very long time, because there’s people who have health problems, people with anxiety, and it helps them, you know,” said Lalita Garrett with Sticky Buds. “Pharmaceuticals does one thing, but a natural plant, this is from the earth, you know.”

Blanche said in a statement on X that the changes will allow for more targeted research into medical marijuana and give doctors a better opportunity to make informed health care decisions.

Nesha Macon with Kaya Life said the research is going to open more eyes to the benefits as well as the different products.

“I just feel like it’s going to bring more people to the program that’s not familiar with the medical part of it,” Macon said. “You have your oils, you have your edibles, stuff like that. So, with that knowledge being brought up around the community, that’s going to bring a lot more people to the program.”

An administrative hearing will take place June 29 to consider placing more marijuana products in Schedule III.

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