The Trump administration on Thursday signed an order rescheduling marijuana from its current, highly restrictive level to a classification that eases regulations regarding cannabis research. 

The move doesn't legalize marijuana or remove criminal penalties for use and possession, but it reclassifies marijuana from its current Schedule I — which is the same classification as heroin and means it has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical uses — to the lower classification of Schedule III. 

The move follows an executive order President Donald Trump signed in December, which is aimed at expanding medical marijuana research. 

"The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options. This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.