The Department of Justice (DOJ) plans to publish a notice today that details its proposal to reclassify marijuana to Schedule III, according to multiple officials with the Biden Administration.
The notice being posted comes a little over two weeks after the Department of Justice confirmed that marijuana is being moved to Schedule III. Today’s notice from the DOJ indicates that the move has been approved by the White House Office of Management and Budget. Once the notice is posted, a legally required 60-day public comment period will begin soon after.
Under current law, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, rendering it illegal for all purposes. By reclassifying marijuana to Schedule III, it will effectively be legalized nationwide for prescription use. This change will also provide numerous federal protections to state-legal medical marijuana patients and businesses, which are currently unavailable under the existing classification.
The DEA’s review of marijuana’s scheduling status was prompted by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requesting the change in August. HHS conducted their own year-long review after an executive order from President Biden, issued in late 2022.
For a list of the 10 biggest implications of marijuana being moved to Schedule III, click here.
[Update: Shortly after publication of this article, President Biden released a video officially announcing marijuana rescheduling. Around the same time, the DOJ officially published the proposed rules. For more information, click here.]
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