Top Democrats from some of the most influential House committees are pressing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to speed up the process of rescheduling cannabis.
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In a recent letter sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ)—ranking members of the Judiciary and Energy & Commerce Committees, respectively—made it clear that action is needed quickly, especially after a scientific review by the Biden administration.
According to Marijuana Moment, the lawmakers are arguing that cannabis has “less potential for abuse than other drugs” and also serves an “accepted medical use in treatment.” This aligns with what the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice have been recommending. They’ve both called for moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
In their letter, Nadler and Pallone acknowledged the Department of Justice's role in keeping the public safe from drug misuse. “We value the Department of Justice's steadfast commitment to prevent the misuse and diversion of controlled substances that pose a threat to public health,” they wrote.
They also praised the Biden administration for taking the initiative to review cannabis policy and urged the DEA to “swiftly complete this process and transfer marijuana to Schedule III.”
Looking Beyond Rescheduling
While the immediate push is for rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III—which would ease some of the federal restrictions on it—Nadler and Pallone didn’t stop there. They encouraged federal agencies to keep exploring other potential reforms.
They suggested that further down the road, it might make sense to consider even more relaxed classifications, saying that “continuing to assess whether schedule IV, schedule V, or descheduling may be appropriate” would help keep cannabis policy in line with the latest scientific and medical insights.
For many advocates and lawmakers, full descheduling—removing cannabis from the CSA entirely—remains the ultimate goal. Nadler has been a strong supporter of this, even sponsoring the MORE Act, which would fully legalize marijuana.
A Hot Topic in Election Politics
This renewed push for cannabis reform comes at a key moment, with cannabis policy becoming a bigger issue in U.S. elections, especially as the 2024 presidential race approaches. Both political parties are starting to position themselves on where they stand with cannabis.
However, we’re not likely to see final action on cannabis rescheduling until after November. The DEA has scheduled an administrative hearing on the issue for December 2, giving experts and stakeholders a chance to weigh in before any final decisions are made.
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