The Drug Enforcement Administration in the United States is set to reclassify marijuana as a drug with lower levels of danger.
According to reports by the Associated Press, this proposal, subject to review by the White House Office of Management and Budget, does not aim to fully legalize marijuana for recreational purposes.
The White House Office of Management and Budget is expected to acknowledge the medicinal benefits of cannabis and recognize that it has a lower potential for abuse compared to some of the most hazardous drugs in the country.
Upon approval by the OMB, the DEA will seek public input on the proposal to shift marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I substance, along with heroin and LSD.
The plan is to reclassify it as a Schedule III substance, alongside substances like ketamine and specific anabolic steroids, as per a recommendation by the federal Health and Human Services Department.
Following a period for public comments and review by an administrative judge, the final rule will eventually be published by the agency.
Regarding this development, Xochitl Hinojosa, the US Justice Department’s director of public affairs, stated: “The Attorney General has put forward a proposal to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.
“The DEA operates under the Department of Justice.
“Upon its publication in the Federal Register, it will trigger a formal rule-making process as stipulated by Congress in the Controlled Substances Act.”
This action follows President Joe Biden’s call for a reassessment of federal marijuana laws in October 2022.
The president has also taken steps to pardon numerous individuals federally convicted of simple possession of marijuana.
In addition, he has urged governors and local authorities to enact similar measures to expunge marijuana-related convictions.
President Biden highlighted in December, “Criminal records stemming from marijuana use and possession have needlessly hindered individuals from securing employment, housing, and educational opportunities.
“Numerous lives have been negatively affected by our ineffective approach to marijuana. It is time for us to correct these injustices.”