Marijuana recommendation from Health Dept. hailed by senators as first step to easing restrictions

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has delivered a recommendation to the Drug Enforcement Administration on marijuana coverage, and Senate leaders hailed it Wednesday as a first step towards easing federal restrictions at the drug.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra mentioned Wednesday on X, the platform previously identified as Twitter, that the company has replied to President Joe Biden’s request “to provide a scheduling recommendation for marijuana to the DEA.”

“We’ve worked to ensure that a scientific evaluation be completed and shared expeditiously,” he added.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer mentioned in a observation that HHS had really helpful that marijuana be moved from a Schedule I to a Schedule III managed substance.

“HHS has done the right thing,” Schumer, D-N.Y., mentioned. “DEA should now follow through on this important step to greatly reduce the harm caused by draconian marijuana laws.”

Rescheduling the drug would scale back or doubtlessly do away with felony consequences for ownership. Marijuana is these days categorized as a Schedule I drug, along heroin and LSD.

According to the DEA, Schedule I medicine “have no currently accepted medical use in the United States, a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision, and a high potential for abuse.”

Schedule III medicine “have a potential for abuse less than substances in Schedules I or II and abuse may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.” They these days come with ketamine and a few anabolic steroids.

Biden asked the evaluation in October 2022 as he pardoned hundreds of Americans convicted of “simple possession” of marijuana beneath federal legislation.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued a observation calling for marijuana to be totally descheduled. “However, the recommendation of HHS to reschedule cannabis as a Schedule III drug is not inconsequential,” he added. “If HHS’s recommendation is ultimately implemented, it will be a historic step for a nation whose cannabis policies have been out of touch with reality.”

Bloomberg News first reported on the HHS recommendation.

In response to the Bloomberg document, the nonprofit U.S. Cannabis Council mentioned: “We enthusiastically welcome today’s news. … Rescheduling will have a broad range of benefits, including signaling to the criminal justice system that cannabis is a lower priority and providing a crucial economic lifeline to the cannabis industry.”