Trump to sign executive order reclassifying marijuana: Officials

President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order as soon as Wednesday that will reclassify marijuana to a Schedule III drug, effectively easing federal restrictions on the drug, according to two senior administration officials familiar with the matter.

Marijuana is currently listed as a Schedule I drug, under Drug Enforcement Administrationguidelines. The change in scheduling would move marijuana to Schedule III, which DEA regulations say have "moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence" and less abuse potential than high schedule drugs.

While the move would not fully legalize the drug, the executive orderis expected to say the current scheduleof the drug is impeding the ability of scientists to research the safety and efficacy of marijuana's possible uses, the officials said.

The order is also expected to say that the long delay in rescheduling marijuana has not served Americans who couldbenefit from potential medical uses, especially to treat chronic pain and other illnesses.

On Monday, Trump said that he was considering the move, saying that it would lead to "tremendous amounts of research."

"Because a lot of people want to see it, the reclassification, because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can't be done unless you reclassify. So we are looking at that very strongly," Trump said on Monday.

In August,reports surfacedthat the administration was considering reclassifying marijuana.

Trump confirmed he was weighing the decision and said at the time it's a "complicated subject," but said he was interested in it because he'd heard "great things" about medical marijuana.

CNN first reported the news of the expected executive order.