North Carolina Republican Sen. Ted Budd is criticizing President Trump’s decision to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug.
The change would ease federal restrictions on cannabis and allow for expanded research. But in a statement, Budd called the move a “shortsighted policy decision” that he said could harm public health, particularly among young people.
Budd also warned the reclassification could create safety concerns in transportation, arguing it would prevent the U.S. Department of Transportation from testing pilots and commercial truck drivers for marijuana.
“This decision risks serious unintended consequences for public safety,” Budd said.
Earlier this week, Budd joined 21 other Republican senators in a letter urging President Trump to reconsider the reclassification.
Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I drug, alongside substances like heroin, which are considered to have no accepted medical use under federal law. A move to Schedule III would place it in the same category as drugs such as ketamine and anabolic steroids.
