Marijuana Classification in United States: What does this imply?

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is all set to reclassify marijuana as a drug that is less dangerous. The Justice Department proposal would actually identify the ways cannabis are used in medicine. However, it will still not legalize the drug for recreational purposes. The proposal by the Justice Department would shift marijuana to Schedule III from Schedule I.

The changes

There isn't any major change with the proposal yet. The White House Office of Management and Budget must review the proposal. Then, the proposal will go through a public comment period and get reviewed from an administrative judge. This is actually a lengthy process.

However, a switch like this should still not be seen as a small one. Everything started when the President of the United States, Joe Biden instructed the attorney general and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to review the way marijuana was actually classified. Earlier when it was classified under Schedule 1, it was kept on par with LSD, ecstasy, heroin, and others.

Biden is in favor of legalizing medical marijuana. He considers legalizing it “where appropriate, consistent with medical and scientific evidence,” as suggested by Krine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary. therefore, an independent review becomes important in such a case.

Does marijuana reclassification imply legalization of recreational cannabis as well?

Well, that might not be the case. This is because the Schedule III drugs, including anabolic steroids, ketamine, and more are still considered as controlled substances.

Substances like these are subject to a variety of rules that permit for a few medical uses. Rules are also there for federal criminal prosecution of the ones who traffic these sans permission.

It is important to note that there aren't any changes expected to the medical marijuana programs licenses in a total of 38 states. Plus, there are no changes expected in the legal recreational cannabis markets in a total of 23 states. However, it is not likely that they would satisfy the federal production, and other requirements of the Schedule III drugs.