The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is planning to reclassify cannabis as a drug with lower risks if approved, according to The Associated Press. The proposal recognizes the medicinal uses of cannabis and highlights it as a drug with less potential for harm than other drugs in the country. Despite the fact that 24 of the 50 US states have legalized recreational use of marijuana and Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment has prohibited the prosecution of those complying with state cannabis laws, marijuana has been classified as a Schedule I controlled substance for over 50 years, sitting alongside drugs like heroin and MDMA. If moved to Schedule III, it would be in the same tier as drugs with medicinal benefits like ketamine and testosterone.
Yesterday, the Justice Department’s director of public affairs, Xochitl Hinojosa, said in a statement that “Today, the Attorney General circulated a proposal to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. Once published by the Federal Register, it will initiate a formal rulemaking process as prescribed by Congress in the Controlled Substances Act.” The DEA’s move, if approved, would mark the biggest policy change in its 50-year history and could have a ripple effect throughout the US, AP News reports. The reclassification of marijuana would not legalize it outright, but would highlight its potential medicinal uses and the potential it has to help people who use it.
Following the news, Louisiana Congressman Troy A. Carter commented that “This is a major milestone in our nation’s #DrugPolicy.” He explained that it’s a “step in the right direction to bring justice to those who have been disproportionately convicted for marijuana usage”. He added that “It is time for reform and I look forward to these changes I have fought for.”
It must also be noted that the move would not come into effect for several months until the public has had a chance to comment. The DEA’s plan to reclassify marijuana is a significant step in the right direction towards the legalization of marijuana and undertaking more research to further highlight the medicinal benefits of the drug
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