American Legion national commander joins President Trump for executive order reclassifying cannibis

WASHINGTON — American Legion National Commander Dan K. Wiley stood alongside President Donald Trump in the Oval Office Thursday when the president issued an executive order to reclassify cannabis in a way that will allow FDA to legally conduct research into its therapeutic value for veterans.

“This is a really important executive order, and The American Legion has long advocated for this change,” Wiley said in the White House. “Cannabis being classified schedule 1 blocks large-scale, randomized clinical trials examining cannabis’ impact on PTSD, TBI, sleep disruption, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain … conditions strongly associated with veteran suicide.”

The American Legion passed a resolution in 2016 to reclassify cannabis to recognize it “as a drug with potential medical value.”

Wiley made clear that this move does not imply American Legion support for legalization of cannabis for non-medical use.

“Reclassification is not legalization and does not mandate use,” Wiley said. “It simply removes federal barriers to research and informed decision-making. It promotes transparency, clinician oversight, informed consent, and honest patient-provider discussions – reducing unsafe self-medication. Supporting reclassification demonstrates the Legion’s commitment to science, oversight, and saving lives through evidence-based public health policy.”