In a move the president called “monumental,” the Biden administration on Thursday moved closer to reclassifying marijuana as a lower-risk drug by releasing its proposed relaxation of federal regulations for public comment.
“Today my administration took a major step to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug,” Biden stated in a video posted to social media. “It’s an important move towards reversing longstanding inequities.”
Biden made his first public comments regarding the potential rescheduling since his Justice Department suggested in April that marijuana be reclassified as a Schedule III prohibited substance, the same category as prescription medications like ketamine and Tylenol with codeine.
The proposed amendments would significantly alter federal marijuana legislation, and they would provide the president a political boost at a time when he is trying to increase his appeal to younger people.
Federal marijuana offenders have already been pardoned by Biden, who has also encouraged state governors to follow suit.
A senior administration official said that the Justice Department will officially lifting federal restrictions on cannabis starting on Thursday. The proposed rescheduling will be made available for public comment for 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register.
Subsequently, the Drug Enforcement Administration administrator may designate an administrative law judge to review the proposal’s evidence and issue a final scheduling recommendation. When the Justice Department decides on a final scheduling strategy, the process is over.
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“Today’s announcement builds on the work we’ve already done to pardon a record number of federal offenses for simple possession of marijuana. It adds to the action we’ve taken to lift barriers to housing, employment, small business loans, and so more for tens of thousands of Americans,” Biden stated. “Look folks: No one should be in jail for merely using or possessing marijuana. Period.”
The president’s advisors feel that rescheduling marijuana is an essential move to put the substance in a more appropriate category, despite the lengthy procedure involved.
Marijuana has been subject to the most stringent regulations for more than 50 years since it is classified as a Schedule I substance, which includes substances like heroin, bath salts, and ecstasy that are thought to have no recognized medical value and a significant potential for abuse.
In private, Biden’s advisors are aware of the possible electoral advantages of relaxing marijuana laws, which have become more widely accepted in society over the past ten years. These days, a lot of states permit its use for both recreational and medical uses.
