PEORIA (25News Now) – The general manager of a Peoria cannabis dispensary said an executive order signed by President Donald Trump this week holds the promise of more research to determine the medical benefits of using marijuana.
The president is calling it a long overdue shift in federal marijuana policy, recognizing legitimate medical uses while stopping short of legalizing the drug nationwide.
The order directs the U.S. Justice Department and other federal agencies to move marijuana from a Schedule I, where it has been for decades, to a Schedule III controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I drugs are defined as having no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, while Schedule III drugs are recognized as having medical value and a lower risk of dependence.
Examples of Schedule I drugs would include ecstasy and cocaine, while Schedule III drugs would include ketamine and certain steroids.
Illinois allows medical and recreational marijuana, but industry leaders said federal rules have long limited research and created confusion for consumers.
Federal officials said the reclassification could expand marijuana-related medical research, an area that has long been limited by its Schedule I status.
“It’s been kind of stuck in the same place for 30, 40, 50 years,” said Alex Penwitt, general manager of Ivy Hall cannabis dispensary on West War Memorial Drive in Peoria. “There hasn’t been able to be any medical research on what it actually does for people with certain ailments, so at this point it’s mostly anecdotal — people telling stories about what has worked for them and what hasn’t.”
He said expanded research could help move the conversation around cannabis away from stereotypes and toward evidence-based medicine.
“The people that we have coming in here every day, they are not just the burnout, deadbeat stereotype that everyone has put cannabis users under,” he said. “I help doctors, I help lawyers, your grandma, your sister, everybody comes in here.”
“Right now, when you put up those big, hot words like those other drugs and then you put cannabis into it, you immediately think cannabis is a drug,” he said. “That’s kind of the stigma we’re trying to break.”
The potential reclassification could also help address the stigma surrounding cannabis by separating it from drugs widely viewed as dangerous or addictive, he continued.
Despite the optimism, cannabis businesses will continue operating under Illinois law regardless of federal action. The executive order does not resolve broader issues such as federal banking restrictions or interstate commerce, which remain tied to marijuana’s status under federal law.
Reactions to the order have been mixed nationally. Supporters said it reflects changing public attitudes and medical understanding, while critics argue it falls short of comprehensive reform.
Trump reiterated during a ceremony that he discourages his own kids from doing drugs.
“If it’s abused, it’s never safe to use powerful controlled substances in recreational manners and especially in this case, if you take a look, illegal and unregulated drugs, very, very bad thing,” said Trump.
The reclassification process could take months or longer and would likely include public input before any final decision is made. For now, the order marks a significant shift in federal marijuana policy, even as the legal landscape remains divided between state and federal law.
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