Strait Of Hormuz Shipping Crisis, Marijuana Reclassification, Georgia Wildfires
Up First from NPR
NPR
4.6 • 59K Ratings
🗓️ 24 April 2026
⏱️ 13 minutes
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Summary
The Justice Department is moving marijuana out of its most dangerous drug classification for the first time, a major shift that could open up banking and tax relief for the legal cannabis industry, with a broader review of recreational marijuana expected by June.
And wildfires are tearing through South Georgia and Northern Florida with little warning, destroying nearly 90 homes.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by James Hider, Ruth Sherlock, Alfredo Carbajal, Rachel Waldholtz, Mohamad ElBardicy and HJ Mai
It was produced by Kaity Kline and Nia Dumas.
Our director is Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
And our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor
(0:00) Introduction
(01:57) Strait of Hormuz Shipping Crisis
(06:15) Marijuana Reclassification
(10:04) Georgia Wildfires
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | President Trump said he's prepared to wait for Iran to make a deal. |
| 0:05.5 | He also ordered the Navy to, quote, shoot and kill any boat laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. |
| 0:10.7 | The Pentagon says clearing mines could take up to six months. |
| 0:13.9 | I'm Michelle Martin, and this is up first from NPR News. |
| 0:19.6 | The federal government is moving medical marijuana out of the category reserved for the most |
| 0:24.1 | dangerous drugs. Medical cannabis will no longer be in the same category as heroin. |
| 0:28.6 | It's a major shift in federal drug policy that could reshape how marijuana is bought, |
| 0:32.7 | sold, and studied. And a fast-moving wildfire in South Georgia has destroyed nearly 90 homes. |
| 0:38.5 | It's just a heartbreaking thing to leave your home and not know what you're going to come back to. |
| 0:43.1 | The fires keep changing direction with the wind and people are being told to evacuate with almost |
| 0:47.4 | no notice. Stay with us. We'll give you news you need to start your day. |
| 0:57.0 | President Trump says he is prepared to wait for the best deal to end his war with Iran, |
| 1:02.0 | but he has also ordered the U.S. military to, quote, shoot and kill any boat trying to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. |
| 1:08.0 | In a few minutes, we'll speak with John Bolton, who served as |
| 1:11.4 | national security advisor in the first Trump administration. But we turn first to how shipping |
| 1:15.9 | through the strategic waterway is virtually at a standstill over fears of Iranian mines |
| 1:20.5 | and attacks on ships. The crisis is driving up prices and shortages of valuable commodities worldwide. |
| 1:26.7 | NPR International Affairs correspondent |
| 1:28.2 | Jackie Northam has been following all this, and she's with us now to bring us out today. |
| 1:31.9 | Good morning, Jackie. |
| 1:32.7 | Morning, Michelle. |
| 1:33.7 | First, let's talk about news that's just breaking now that Iran's foreign minister may travel |
... |
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