National Safety Council Statement on President Trump's Executive Order to Expedite Cannabis Rescheduling

Reclassifying cannabis as a less dangerous drug must be met with mitigating actions to prevent fatalities and serious injuries from impairment 

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the National Safety Council released the following statement regarding President Trump's signing of an executive order directing his attorney general to expedite the completion of the rescheduling process for cannabis. The move would reclassify cannabis as a less dangerous drug and expand opportunities for research. 

"President Trump's executive order to speed up cannabis rescheduling is a welcome move toward expanding much-needed safety research in this area, but to avoid adverse impacts on public safety, it must come with substantive risk mitigation," said Lorraine Martin, CEO, National Safety Council. "Because cannabis impairs psychomotor skills and cognitive ability, no level of cannabis use is safe or acceptable for drivers or for employees who work in safety-sensitive positions. The National Safety Council urges the Trump Administration to ensure that the positives of rescheduling cannabis do not exacerbate the already troubling statistics of impairment contributing to serious injuries and deaths in our nation's workplaces and on our roadways." 

It is unsafe to operate a vehicle or other complex equipment while under the influence of cannabis, due to the increased risk of death or injury to the operator and the public given the impact cannabis has on motor skills, lane tracking and cognitive functions. Data released by NSC shows approximately one-third of employees have observed cannabis use during work hours. According to the Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index released in 2024, cannabis positivity rates in 2022 following a workplace incident rose by 25%, reaching the highest levels ever recorded. Additionally, the leading cause of death for U.S. workers is transportation-related incidents. 

While there are inherent risks to rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III, this action would remove tremendous barriers to potential academic and scientific research opportunities and help safety practitioners better understand how cannabis use affects the public's ability to work and navigate our transportation system safely. 

For more information, visit www.nsc.org/getattachment/e6e02b9a-2844-4a5d-b5b3-222fc03d5b70/w-cannabis-impairment-safety-sensitive-positions-153 

SOURCE National Safety Council