WASHINGTON, D.C. – Idaho Republican Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch are among a group of U.S. senators who signed a letter urging President Donald Trump to oppose rescheduling marijuana under federal law.

In the letter, the senators asked the president to maintain marijuana’s current classification as a Schedule I drug, arguing that moving it to Schedule III would undermine economic and public safety goals. Schedule I substances are defined under federal law as having a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.

Crapo and Risch joined more than two dozen Republican senators in signing the letter, which states that rescheduling marijuana would benefit foreign adversaries, including China, while creating costs for Americans. The senators cited federal health agencies and studies that link marijuana use to mental health issues, impaired judgment, workplace accidents, and traffic crashes.

The letter also raises concerns about marijuana use among young people and pregnant women, citing studies that associate use with developmental risks to babies and long-term impacts on brain health when use begins at a young age.

In addition to health and safety arguments, the senators pointed to economic implications. The letter states that rescheduling marijuana would allow marijuana businesses to claim federal tax deductions currently prohibited under Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code, which applies to Schedule I substances. According to the letter, industry researchers estimate companies could receive a $2.3 billion tax benefit if marijuana were rescheduled.

The senators argued that those funds would likely be used to expand marketing and operations, potentially increasing marijuana use and associated costs from workplace injuries and vehicle crashes.

Crapo and Risch were listed among the signatories alongside senators from multiple states, including Ted Budd of North Carolina, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.