### Trump and Biden Support Eased Marijuana Policy, But Progress Stalls

A remarkable shift in federal drug policy appeared on the horizon last year, enjoying rare bipartisan support. The proposal intended to reclassify marijuana from its current designation as a Schedule I drug—a category that includes substances like heroin—promised to transform its legal landscape significantly. This reclassification would facilitate scientific research into marijuana's potential therapeutic uses without legalizing recreational cannabis at the federal level.

During his final year in office, former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. initiated efforts to downgrade marijuana from its most restrictive classification. In an unexpected move, Donald J. Trump, then a presidential candidate, publicly supported the initiative in September, noting its potential to "unlock the medical uses of marijuana."

However, the momentum that seemed so promising just months ago has come to a standstill. Resistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (D.E.A.), tasked with overseeing the federal drug classification system, has significantly slowed the process. This resistance during the Biden administration has laid the groundwork for a prolonged legal battle, according to both proponents and detractors of the policy change.

Since taking office, the Trump administration has not pursued the more lenient cannabis regulations that Trump had previously endorsed. Instead, a recently released drug policy blueprint from the administration made no reference to marijuana, and a known critic of cannabis legalization has been nominated to lead the D.E.A. This development raises questions about the future of federal marijuana policy and whether bipartisan support will be enough to overcome institutional resistance.