There have been over 31,000 comments submitted on the DEA’s proposal to reschedule marijuana.
Since the DEA published their proposal in the Federal Register on May 21, there have been 31,400 comments submitted. The comment period ends on July 22.
Of the over 30,000 comments—all of which can be viewed by clicking here—a slight majority (51%) are calling on the DEA to go even further than their plan to move marijuana to Schedule III and instead deschedule it entirely. When including comments urging the government to decriminalize or legalize marijuana, the number rises to over 70%.
Less than 10% of the total comments are seeking the DEA to reject its proposal and instead keep marijuana as a Schedule I drug, keeping it illegal for all purposes.
Marijuana has been a Schedule I drug since the Controlled Substances Act was enacted in 1970, indicating it has no medical value and is highly dangerous and addictive. The DEA’s proposal to move marijuana to Schedule III would recognize its medical value and permit its compounds and medicines to be prescribed nationwide, once they receive regulatory approval. It would also offer federal protections to state-legal medical marijuana businesses and patients, including allowing licensed marijuana businesses to take IRS tax deductions.
Polling released in May found that two-thirds of voters in the United States support the move to reclassify marijuana.
