The DEA will take steps to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous narcotic, sources told The Associated Press, in a historic change in the country’s drug policy that could have broad repercussions across the nation.
The proposal, which has yet to be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), would recognize the medical use of cannabis and that the narcotic has a lower potential for abuse compared to some of the drugs. the most dangerous drugs in the country. However, the measure would not legalize the use of marijuana for recreational purposes.
The agency’s actions, which were confirmed Tuesday to the AP by five people familiar with the matter and who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the delicate regulatory review process, would leave behind the last major regulatory hurdle. before the agency’s biggest overhaul in more than half a century can take effect.
Once the OMB gives the green light, the DEA will accept public comments on the plan to remove marijuana from its current position as a Schedule I drug, which it shares with narcotics such as heroin and LSD. The measure would place marijuana in Schedule III, along with ketamine and some anabolic steroids, in line with the recommendation of the Department of Health and Human Services. At the conclusion of the public comment period and an administrative law judge’s review, the agency would eventually publish the final rule.
