The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has postponed its hearing on their proposal to reschedule marijuana until early 2025, citing a need for more detailed information on the participants set to testify.
Although DEA Administrator Anne Milgram approved over two dozen participants, Chief Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) John Mulrooney issued a preliminary order last Thursday, pointing out that essential background on the witnesses was lacking. This order requests updated details to establish participants’ relevance and roles in the forthcoming discussions.
While an initial meeting will still occur on December 2, the ALJ clarified that no testimony or evidence collection will occur during that session. Instead, attendees should arrive prepared with their availability for hearings slated for January or February 2025. Participants must submit missing information, including contact details and confirmation of their interest in the rescheduling proposal, by November 12.
Following an over year-long review, the Justice Department in May recommended rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. This led to a 60-day public comment period in which over 40,000 comments were submitted, with over 90% in support of either rescheduling marijuana or going further and descheduling it.
The full list of those testifying at the upcoming hearing can be found below:
- American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Dr. Natalie Hartenbaum)
- Veterans Initiative 22 (Shanetha Lewis)
- International Academy on the Science and Impact of Cannabis (Dr. Roneet Lev)
- Saint Michael’s College (Dr. Ari Kirshenbaum)
- Dr. Phillip Drum
- National Cannabis Industry Association (Aaron Smith, CEO; Michelle Rutter Friberg, Chief Lobbyist)
- Drug Enforcement Administration of Federal Narcotics Agents (Marshall Fisher)
- State of Connecticut (Erin Gorman Kirk, Cannabis Ombudsman)
- Smart Approaches to Marijuana (Patrick Philbin)
- National Sheriffs’ Association (No specific individual identified)
- Village Farms International (Shane Pennington, Administrative Law Attorney)
- Cannabis Bioscience International Holdings (John Jones, Treasurer and Director)
- Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (Kim Litman)
- Dr. Kenneth Finn
- The Commonwealth Project (Katy Green, Lobbyist with Platinum Advisors)
- Attorney General Mike Hilgers for the State of Nebraska (Attorney General Mike Hilgers)
- Hemp for Victory (Robert Head, Corey Burchman, Darinia Douchi, Victor Bohm)
- Massachusetts Cannabis Advisory Board (Ellen Brown, Chair of the Research Subcommittee)
- Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (Sue Thau)
- The Doc App, dba My Florida Green (Nicholas Garulay, President and CEO; Jason Castro, In-House Counsel)
- National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association (Jo McGuire)
- Cannabis Industry Victims Educating Litigators (David Evans Sr., Counsel)
- National Transportation Safety Board (Jennifer Homendy, Chair)
- International Association of Chiefs of Police (No specific individual identified)
- American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (Dr. Chad Kollas)
