By The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) under the Biden administration will move to reclassify cannabis to Schedule III, meaning its medical benefits will be recognized by the federal government. Associated Press is beginning report today. By all accounts, this is a historic move by the DEA and federal government, as the plant has been misclassified as a substance with no recognized medical value for decades.
The DEA’s move to reclassify cannabis must first be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which would mark the first time in 50 years that cannabis has been approved for medical use. Moving to Schedule III was recently recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). By definition, Schedule I substances are criminally prohibited under federal law because they have a “high potential” for abuse and have no currently accepted medical use.
Leadership from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) revealed the pros and cons of Schedule III and why this move is so historic.
“While the DEA’s decision is not sufficient, it is the first time the agency has abandoned its ‘flat earth’ position on cannabis and established that the substance has legitimate therapeutic utility and is not subject to the same federal classification. “It means admitting it as heroin,” said NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano.
However, the discrepancy between federal and state law will not be completely resolved. Armentano continued, “Unfortunately, this measure if finalized, would continue to perpetuate the gap between federal marijuana law and most state marijuana laws. This is not in line with public opinion, as people would rather cannabis be treated like alcohol than like an anabolic steroid.
50 years on schedule I
For Scientific American, David downs reports In 2016, a law disgraced by former Nixon administration Attorney General John Mitchell was enacted that placed marijuana in this category as part of the classification or “schedule” of all drugs under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Classified.
U.S. leaders also commented on the DEA’s announcement.
“If today’s reports are true, we are one step closer to ending our failed war on drugs,” Rep. Earl Blumenauer said in an emailed statement. high times. “Marijuana was planned more than 50 years ago based on prejudice, not science. The American people have made it clear state by state that legalizing marijuana is inevitable. The Biden-Harris Administration is listening. ”
According to the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), moving cannabis to Schedule III is expected to reduce the undue burden of 280E on thousands of state-legal cannabis businesses. legal information officer reported that Schedule III removes the prohibition on tax deductions under Tax Code 280E.
“Removal of cannabis from its unreasonable classification as a Schedule I drug is long overdue and has recognized its therapeutic value, which has been widely accepted by the medical community and millions of medical cannabis patients for decades. I applaud the administration for finally recognizing this,” CEO Aaron said. Smith. “While this is undoubtedly a very positive first step, the rescheduling does not end federal marijuana prohibition and harmonize federal law with laws that allow some form of legal cannabis in the majority of states.” For this move to be meaningful on the ground, tens of thousands of state-licensed businesses that responsibly provide cannabis to adults will not be subject to federal sanctions or criminal prosecution. We need clear enforcement guidelines issued to the DEA and FDA to ensure that
“Furthermore, Congress must build on this development and pass comprehensive legislation to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and create a new regulatory framework for whole-plant cannabis products,” said Smith. added.
“The goal of federal cannabis policy reform should be to address the untenable gap that exists between federal cannabis policy and the cannabis laws of the majority of states in the United States,” he said. “Rescheduling cannabis factories to Schedule III does not adequately address this conflict. Existing state legalization laws for both adult use and medical use continue to conflict with federal regulations and, as a result, It would perpetuate the gap between state and federal cannabis policy.”
Cannabis industry reaction
The United States Cannabis Council (USCC) aims to be the voice of America’s regulated cannabis industry. “The U.S. Cannabis Council strongly supports the DEA’s move to reclassify cannabis to a lower level under the Controlled Substances Act,” USCC Executive Director Edward Conklin said in a statement. “President Biden and his administration should be commended for recognizing that cannabis was incorrectly classified as a Schedule I controlled substance and moving forward with an administrative review to reclassify it.
“The proposed DEA rule implements recommendations from the Department of Health and Human Services based on an extensive scientific review by the Food and Drug Administration. The eventual reclassification of cannabis to Schedule III would be the most important move in modern history.” It would mark significant federal cannabis reform and put the country on a clear path toward the ultimate goal of federal legalization…”
high times We also received a ton of comments from cannabis business leaders.
“Today’s decision by the DEA to change cannabis to Schedule III status marks one of the most monumental developments cannabis has seen in years, and it reverses the harm caused by the failed and discriminatory War on Drugs. “This is an important step towards getting back on track,” said CEO Matt Darin of Curaleaf. “We thank President Biden and his administration for helping us move this process forward. This ruling recognizes its well-documented therapeutic value and medicinal applications and It reflects an evolution in attitudes. Given that 92% of Americans now support some form of legalization, it’s clear that the country is ready to move on to this stage. As the industry undergoes regulatory change, Curaleaf remains committed to working with regulators, industry stakeholders, and the broader community to ensure responsible and sustainable growth for the cannabis sector. The future of the cannabis industry is real and we look forward to seeing what 2024 has in store.”
“AYR Wellness applauds the Drug Enforcement Administration’s historic proposal to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, consistent with science-backed recommendations made by the Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year.” of AYR Wellness.
It now rests with OMB in the White House to give final approval to the DEA’s move to reschedule cannabis.
