Trump Calls Himself the 'President of Common Sense' While Reclassifying Marijuana as Less Dangerous Drug

President Donald Trump is reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule I narcotic to a Schedule III.

The announcement, made on Thursday, Dec. 18, is a significant change in U.S. drug policy and could have major implications on research and economics surrounding the drug.

Noting that the schedule change "in no way" sanctions his approval of marijuana as a recreational drug, Trump signed an executive order that changes the drug's classification. The goal, he said, is to increase availability for patients, such as cancer patients, who use marijuana and its derivatives for medicinal purposes.

"We have people begging for me to do this, people that are in great pain," Trump, 79, told reporters after signing the order. "Hopefully this reclassification — which, by the way, polls at 82% — will help many of those patients live a better life."

"People say it's beyond good," he said of the drug's use in helping patients. "I promised to be the president of common sense, and that is exactly what we're doing."

According to the Drug Enforcement Agency's official website, Schedule I drugs are defined as "drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse." Examples include heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ecstasy, methaqualone, and peyote.

Schedule III, on the other hand, are drugs with "a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence." This includes ketamine, anabolic steroids, testosterone and products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit, like Tylenol with codeine.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.  

Despite the schedule change, marijuana will, for now, remain illegal on the federal level. (It is currently legal for recreational use in 24 U.S. states, two territories and the District of Columbia.)

However, moving the drug to a lower schedule could open up the possibility of more research, which is sometimes restricted for high-schedule substances. It could also allow businesses that sell marijuana in states where it is legal to get some additional tax deductions that are not available when Schedule I drugs are involved.

Trump campaigned on reclassifying marijuana during the 2024 election. In a Truth Social post on Sept. 8, 2024, he wrote. "I believe it is time to end needless arrests and incarcerations of adults for small amounts of marijuana for personal use."

"We must also implement smart regulations, while providing access for adults, to safe, tested product," he continued. "As President, we will continue to focus on research to unlock the medical uses of marijuana to a Schedule 3 drug, and work with Congress to pass common sense laws, including safe banking for state authorized companies, and supporting states rights to pass marijuana laws, like in Florida, that work so well for their citizens."

Months earlier, his predecessor, President Joe Biden, announced a similar plan to reclassify the drug. However, legal and administrative challenges prevented the Biden DOJ from making the change before he left office.