The Facts
The US Dept. of Justice on Tuesday forwarded its recommendation to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III controlled substance to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review and finalization.
Schedule I substances, such as heroin and LSD, have high abuse potential with no accepted medical use under federal law, while Schedule III substances, like ketamine, are prescription drugs that have low to moderate potential for abuse.
The Spin
The DEA shouldn't change course on marijuana, which remains a gateway drug and grossly threatens public health and safety. Reclassifying the substance, which has a high potential for abuse, as a less dangerous drug could only give a political boost to Pres. Joe Biden among left-leaning marginalized voters.
The Biden administration must end the federal prohibition on marijuana and address longstanding harms caused by the failed war on drugs. It's time the US corrects decades of outdated federal policy, acknowledges the medical benefits of the long-criminalized drug, and opens up the doors to more research and investment in the marijuana sector.
