The United States Department of Health and Human Services has proposed a change to marijuana’s status as a Schedule I substance, a major step towards easing federal restrictions against the drug. If this revision is accepted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), marijuana would be reclassified as a lower-risk Schedule III controlled substance—a landmark policy shift that would advance the cause of legalizing the drug entirely.
According to the current classification, it is ranked alongside heroin, Fentanyl, and LSD as a Schedule I substance with high potential for abuse and no accepted medical benefits. The new recommendations from HHS would reduce that classification to Schedule III, significantly reducing restrictions on its consumption and distribution.
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The DEA, which has the authority to classify drugs under federal law, will now begin a months-long review process to determine whether the recommendations will be accepted. If implemented, marijuana will occupy the same category as ketamine and anabolic steroids, which are available with a prescription. While this decision would not legalize the drug at the federal level, the proposed rescheduling could clear a path for further scientific research into its medicinal applications while also stimulating the market for regulated cannabis.
It would also indicate significant progress towards reconciling the conflict between the harsh federal restrictions on marijuana and the state legislation that has approved it for recreational and medical use (23 and 38 states respectively). Support for decriminalizing marijuana use at the federal level has received increasing bipartisan support, with some leaders calling for even further measures to de-schedule it entirely.
“HHS has done the right thing,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday. “DEA should now follow through on this important step to greatly reduce the harm caused by draconian marijuana laws.”
I am committed to continuing to work in Congress to pass important marijuana legislation and criminal justice reform. pic.twitter.com/otigET36cZ
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) August 30, 2023
The HHS proposal comes shortly after the results of a study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse were released last week. According to the study, marijuana use has increased among adults between the ages of 19 and 30, with 44% of those surveyed stating they’ve used marijuana in the past year – a nine percent increase from five years ago.
Experts from other government departments believe the DEA will accept the HHS recommendation in the coming months. Howard Sklamberg, a former Food and Drug Administration official, additionally said this could “make it easier in some states to legalize and decriminalize marijuana.”
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