According to a report by Tobaccoreporter on May 2, the Drug Enforcement Administration in the United States is planning to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, which could have significant implications for drug policy in the United States.
This proposed measure has not yet been reviewed by the White House management and Office of Management and Budget. It aims to acknowledge the medical benefits of using marijuana and recognize that the potential for misuse of marijuana is lower compared to some of the most dangerous drugs domestically. It also proposes reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III controlled substance.
However, it is not seeking to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes.
Five sources familiar with the matter anonymously discussed this sensitive regulatory review with the Associated Press and confirmed the agency's actions on Tuesday. This move clears the last major regulatory hurdle before the largest policy change in more than 50 years for the agency takes effect.
According to the Narcotics Bureau, the following are examples of Schedule I controlled substances:
- Heroin
- Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
- Cannabis
- Methamphetamine
- Methaqualone (Quaalude)
- Peyote cactus
According to the National Institutes of Health, California became the first state to classify possession of marijuana as illegal. In the 1930s, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics warned of increasing abuse of marijuana, leading 23 states to criminalize its possession by 1937.
By 1970, the Controlled Substances Act had been passed, and the federal government classified marijuana as a Schedule I substance.
The proposed rule change at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) follows the recommendation of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in August 2023, which suggests reclassifying marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. Any changes to the status of marijuana through the DEA rule-making process will not take immediate effect.
The American E-Cigarette Association expressed support for the Biden administration's decision to reclassify marijuana.
The Executive Director of the Vapor Technology Association (VTA), Tony Abboud, said in an email statement: "This decision clearly emphasizes the current government's commitment to listening to voters and demonstrates a willingness to acknowledge and accept scientific evidence from the real world and across the entire category."
In light of today's decision, VTA urges other agencies within the Biden administration, particularly the US FDA, to follow the same overwhelming evidence regarding e-cigarette products as effective harm reduction and smoking cessation tools for adult smokers.
In just the past year, the FDA's politically driven, rather than science-based, selective approach has resulted in the approval of over 650 new cigarette products. The VTA reiterates its call for the FDA to stop turning a blind eye to overwhelming scientific evidence that proves flavored nicotine options are beneficial for Americans looking to quit smoking, just as other government agencies do.
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