US Justice Department Reclassifies Some Cannabis Products as Less Dangerous in Policy Shift
The US Department of Justice has officially reclassified certain cannabis products, a move that signals a notable shift in the country's drug policy.
On Thursday, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche altered the classifications for products containing marijuana that are either covered by the Food and Drug Administration or possess a state medical-marijuana licence. These will transition from a Schedule I narcotic, akin to heroin, to a Schedule III drug, aligning them with substances like Tylenol with codeine.
President Donald Trump initiated this reclassification process last year, aiming to expand access to and research into the drug. Despite this federal adjustment, marijuana retains its illegal status at the federal level. Nonetheless, the majority of US states have enacted legislation permitting either medical or recreational cannabis use, leading to a proliferation of legal dispensaries.
Mr Blanche affirmed in a statement that the Department of Justice is “delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options. This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.”
Additionally, Mr Blanche has ordered a hearing for June as part of a rule-making process to consider a broader reclassification of all marijuana. Once the rule change is formally published in the Federal Register, a 30-day period will ensue before it takes effect. During this window, legal challenges are anticipated, which could potentially delay implementation for an extended period.
Since 1970, the US had categorised marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance, asserting a “high potential for abuse” and “no currently accepted medical use.” The subsequent adoption of more lenient state laws has created a complex regulatory environment, complicating operations for marijuana businesses navigating disparate federal tax and banking regulations.
Morgan Fox of the National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (Norml) characterised Trump’s alteration as largely “symbolic,” yet significant. Mr Fox highlighted that over two-thirds of Americans support the full legalisation of cannabis, and he believes this reclassification will facilitate more serious policy discussions about lifting restrictions. However, Norml and other campaigners intend to continue advocating for full federal legalisation rather than a mere reclassification to Schedule III, aiming for a more uniform regulatory framework.
