The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has sent its findings on marijuana to the DEA as part of the Biden administration’s efforts to possibly alter marijuana’s status in the US.
In October 2022, President Biden requested that the HHS secretary and the Attorney General conduct a review of how marijuana is currently scheduled under federal law. Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning the DEA considers it a drug “with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”
Schedule I substances also include heroin, ecstasy, LSD, peyote, and methaqualone (quaaludes).
Fentanyl, a medical pain killer, is listed as Schedule II and has been responsible for over 70,000 overdose deaths in the US last year. Cocaine, oxycodone, and methamphetamine are also listed as Schedule II drugs.
According to an HHS letter obtained by Bloomberg, the agency recommended reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III drug, or a substance considered to have “moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.”
Examples of Schedule III drugs include products with up to 90 mg of codeine per dose, anabolic steroids, and ketamine.
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States Legalizing Marijuana
Currently, 23 states and Washington, D.C. have enacted laws regulating the non-medical (recreational) use of marijuana for adults. Dozens of others have medical marijuana programs in place, but federal law still prohibits the growing, manufacturing, sale, and possession of any amount of marijuana.
“We can confirm DEA received a letter from the Department of Health and Human Services providing its findings and recommendation on marijuana scheduling, pursuant to President Biden’s request for a review,” a DEA spokesperson stated. “As part of this process, HHS conducted a scientific and medical evaluation for consideration by DEA. DEA has the final authority to schedule or reschedule a drug under the Controlled Substances Act. DEA will now initiate its review.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the process when asked about possibly rescheduling marijuana Wednesday, noting it is “independent” and led by HHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“[Biden’s] asking HHS and DOJ to take a look at it, to do an initial administrative kind of process or review if you will,” Jean-Pierre said. “It’s going to be an independent process. They’re going to certainly use the evidence. It’s going to be guided by evidence and so I’m going to leave it to HHS and DOJ to move that process.”
“We can confirm DEA received a letter from the Department of Health and Human Services providing its findings and recommendation on marijuana scheduling, pursuant to President Biden’s request for a review,” a DEA spokesperson stated. “As part of this process, HHS conducted a scientific and medical evaluation for consideration by DEA. DEA has the final authority to schedule or reschedule a drug under the Controlled Substances Act. DEA will now initiate its review.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the process when asked about possibly rescheduling marijuana Wednesday, noting it is “independent” and led by HHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“[Biden’s] asking HHS and DOJ to take a look at it, to do an initial administrative kind of process or review if you will,” Jean-Pierre said. “It’s going to be an independent process. They’re going to certainly use the evidence. It’s going to be guided by evidence and so I’m going to leave it to HHS and DOJ to move that process.”
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I want to call out many things on that picture but man xanax a low risk of dependacy??? 😆 cmon
ReplyDeleteThat list needs a revamp. Acid, Pot and Peyotr having higher risk of dependance and over all danger than meth and coke? Only a moron without any drug use experience would come up with those rankings. If having no experience ask around before scheduling. The weed when these schedules were created was low powered compared to today's stuff. You could toke old weed constantly without much empairment.
ReplyDeletePsychedelics are not compatible for a healthy, consumeristic, capitalistic society. If everyone did LSD, peyote and on a lesser stance pot, capitalism will collapse by altering the thought process of the masses.
DeleteMeth and coke are great for maximizing profits.
Those 3 were scheduled in the early 70s, so just during/after the hippie and anti war movements that Nixon was going after in creating the DEA.
Deleteyes ban all weed! 🙌🙌 see how those cocos act
ReplyDeleteNo thanks the blood pressure benefits I get from consuming a small amount of cannabis. That's a big negative
DeleteDicriminalize in weed in texas
ReplyDeleteInteresting development. The cynic in me says nothing comes of this--typical lip service circlejerk pablum from another grifter D.C. bureaucracy.
ReplyDeleteIt was made Schedule I because it's a bona fide gift from Mother Earth with value in terms of medicine and industrial applications. Can't have mad profits (lookin' at you, Pfizer!) if people can use something natural and with real medicinal value.
FF71
3:52
ReplyDeleteIn what must be the coincidence of the century, Circlejerk Pablum is the name of my favorite Merengue banda!
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Coca, meth, & fenty are schedule II but Yerba buena is schedule I.... what kind of backward ass society we living in?
ReplyDeleteDon’t forget mushrooms and LSD
DeleteLegalize marijuana worldwide look at Thailand for example
ReplyDeleteMake weed illegal make the potheads pay more lol
ReplyDeleteYou don’t “pay more” when it’s illegal
DeleteJust legalized the freaking thing like Tabaco or alcohol. its been know that alcohol cause many road accidents and deaths. while Tabaco specially cigarettes cause almost all mouth cancer with those hundred of chemicals and we still let it be sold in our stores. PLUS, We can tax it for decent roads, and public schools. Also it can be that legalized marihuana can be safer that what you get int he street. i mean just look at how some dealers put fentanyl. WHAT you guys think?.
ReplyDelete