Trump signs EO easing federal marijuana restrictions
President Donald Trump signed an executive order easing federal marijuana restrictions.
Are you wondering if you can smoke weed recreationally in Iowa after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that reclassifies marijuana as a less dangerous drug?
Does the order change any marijuana laws in Iowa? Here’s what to know.
What does Trump’s executive order on marijuana change?
Marijuana is currently classified by the federal government as a Schedule I drug, which the Drug Enforcement Administration describes as a substance with no “medical use and a high potential for abuse.” Schedule I drugs are considered the most dangerous and include heroin, LSD and ecstasy.
Trump has now changed marijuana’s classification to be a Schedule III drug, like ketamine and some anabolic steroids. That allows more research to be done on marijuana, and makes CBD – the nonintoxicating compound in marijuana – easier to access.
The switch does not decriminalize marijuana on a federal level. Federal law enforcement can continue to make arrests connected to marijuana, according to The New York Times.
Does the new executive order change Iowa’s laws on marijuana and hemp?
In short: no, not really.
Recreational cannabis is illegal in Iowa due to cannabis’ status as a controlled substance under Chapter 124 and Code 657 of the Iowa Administrative Code. Medical marijuana is legal, but only for people specifically approved to buy products from licensed dispensaries. They are also not allowed to possess more than 4.5 grams of THC over a 90-day period.
Hemp and marijuana are the same species, according to Healthline. They’re just two different names for cannabis. The main difference between the terms is how much THC each contains. Hemp products can be sold if they comply with state rules about their content.
In November’s appropriations bill that reopened the federal government, congressional members approved new limits on hemp products. Products containing more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will be outlawed starting Nov. 13, 2026.
That means THC-infused drinks, like Climbing Kites and Day Dreamer, might not be able to be sold in Iowa with their current THC concentrations of 2.5 and 4 mg. The new executive order does not address the restriction passed in the appropriations bill.
Do neighboring states allow marijuana?
- Minnesota: Fully legal
- Illinois: Fully legal
- Missouri: Fully legal
- Nebraska: Recreational marijuana is illegal, but medical marijuana is legal and small amounts of marijuana are decriminalized.
- South Dakota: Recreational marijuana illegal, medical marijuana legal
- Wisconsin: Recreation and medical marijuana illegal, CBD oil legal with no THC
- Kansas: Recreation and medical marijuana illegal, CBD oil legal with no THC
Many Americans support marijuana legalization
Marijuana is legal for medical or recreational use in 45 states and 64% of Americans supported legalization in a Gallup survey from October, up from 36% two decades ago. Support for legalization has dipped recently among Republicans, though, Gallup found.
Marijuana would not become legal at the federal level if the drug were reclassified, but it would make it easier for the industry to operate and for research to be conducted on the drug.
Former President Joe Biden considered reclassifying marijuana
Former President Joe Biden ordered the Department of Health and Human Services to review marijuana’s classification in 2022, and the next year HHS called for listing marijuana as Schedule III, which the DEA describes as “drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.”
The Biden administration in 2024 proposed a rule to reschedule marijuana, but it has been on hold since March.
Des Moines Register reporter Philip Joens contributed to this article.
Lucia Cheng is a service and trending reporter at the Des Moines Register. Contact her at lcheng@gannett.com or 515-284-8132.
