An adjustment is in the works within the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, with intentions to reclassify marijuana to a category deemed less risky.
Reports from the Associated Press indicate that the proposed alteration, subject to review by the White House Office of Management and Budget, does not equate to an outright legalization of recreational marijuana usage.
The White House Office of Management and Budget is expected to acknowledge the therapeutic applications of cannabis while acknowledging its lower potential for abuse compared to some of the country’s most hazardous substances.
Upon obtaining approval from the OMB, the DEA will seek feedback from the public concerning the relocation of marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I substance, grouping it with heroin and LSD. The proposed move places it in Schedule III, alongside substances such as ketamine and certain anabolic steroids, aligning with a recommendation from the federal Health and Human Services Department.
Following the public comment period and a review by an administrative judge, the agency will eventually release the final rule.
Xochitl Hinojosa, Director of Public Affairs for the US Justice Department, remarked, “A proposition to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III has been circulated by the Attorney General today.”
“The DEA operates within the Department of Justice.”
“Once published in the Federal Register, it will commence a formal rulemaking process as outlined by Congress in the Controlled Substances Act.”
This development coincides with President Joe Biden’s call for a reassessment of federal marijuana statutes in October 2022.
The President has also taken steps to offer pardons to numerous individuals federally convicted of possessing the substance for personal use.
Biden has urged governors and local officials to take similar actions to expunge marijuana-related convictions.
In December, Biden expressed: “The imposition of criminal records due to marijuana usage and possession has needlessly hindered access to employment, housing, and educational opportunities.”
“Our flawed approach to marijuana has adversely affected numerous lives. It is time we rectify these injustices.”