On Thursday, President Biden supported the Justice Department’s decision to categorize marijuana as a Schedule III substance rather than a Schedule I drug.
The president called the action “monumental” and said it aligns with his aim of “reversing long-standing inequities” surrounding the banning of marijuana in his X, formerly known as Twitter, video.
In his video speech, the president declared, “Look folks, no one should be in jail merely for using or possessing Marijuana.”
Why is a medicine listed as Schedule 3?
The Controlled Substance Act of 1970 established five categories into which the United States Drug Enforcement Administration classifies regulated drugs. These categories represent varying degrees of “abuse potential,” with five representing the lowest and one the highest, and also account for the drug’s medical use.
The DEA classifies narcotics classified as Schedule I, which include highly addictive substances including heroin, LSD, and ecstasy, and have no recognized medical value.
Drugs classified as Schedule V, on the other hand, have the lowest potential for misuse and are typically used for “antidiarrheal, antitussive, and analgesic purposes,” according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to the DEA, marijuana falls into Schedule III, which is reserved for “drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.”
According to the DEA, if marijuana is classified as a Schedule III narcotic, it will join testosterone and Tylenol (which has fewer than 90 milligrams of codeine).
Read Also: Rescheduling Milestone for Marijuana: Biden’s Historic Announcement
Is marijuana now legal after being reclassified?
Nope. This move by the DEA just reflects a change in the agency’s perspective regarding marijuana’s potential for abuse and its legitimate medical applications. It would not legalize marijuana on a national level. Cannabis will remain a substance under control.
However, according to the Pew Research Center, marijuana is allowed for recreational use in 24 states and Washington, DC, and for medical use in another 14 states.
When will things start to change?
There is now a sixty-day window for public comment on the report before it is adopted.
