Congressmember Earl Blumenauer, co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, says this 4/20 will be the last with marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act.
“This is the last 4/20 celebration that cannabis will be on Schedule I”, says Congressmember Blumenauer, who has been a member of the US House of Representatives since 1996.
Blumenauer predicts that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will officially reschedule marijuana this year, with the law change in effect well before 4/20, 2025. His remarks were made today during a press briefing.
Currently the DEA is conducting a review of marijuana’s scheduling status, prompted by a recommendation from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that it be moved to Schedule III. A move to Schedule III would allow marijuana to be prescribed nationwide, while not going as far as decriminalizing or legalizing it for personal use.
Blumenauer also says he’s “confident” that the House will pass the SAFER Banking Act to allow marijuana banking if it’s approved through the Senate. Senate Majority Leader recently said the bill would receive a vote by the full chamber in “the weeks and months ahead”. The measure has already been passed with bipartisan support through the Senate Banking Committee.
In the House, the SAFE Banking Act just gained its 115th bipartisan sponsor.
Blumenauer says “The public is not waiting anymore. They have led the charge in state after state and are responsible for much of the remarkable progress. This is the year that I think we can break the federal logjam. One thing is certain: This is the last 4/20 celebration that cannabis will be on Schedule I.”
For an updated timeline of the DEA’s marijuana scheduling review, click here. For a list of all 15 active marijuana-related bill in the U.S. Congress, click here.
