A key witness for Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), one of the nation’s leading anti-legalization organizations, acknowledged during the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) ongoing marijuana rescheduling hearing that cannabis fits the legal definition of a Schedule III controlled substance.
During a cross-examination by the DEA, Dr. Bertha K. Madras, a Harvard Medical School psychiatry professor testifying on behalf of SAM, was asked whether marijuana meets the statutory criteria for Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. She answered “yes”, a source tells The Marijuana Herald.
The moment is notable given SAM’s long-standing opposition to federal marijuana rescheduling and broader cannabis reform. The organization has been among the most vocal opponents of moving marijuana out of Schedule I, arguing that such a change would normalize cannabis use and worsen public health outcomes.
The DEA hearing began June 29 and is scheduled to conclude no later than July 15. The proceeding is focused on whether marijuana should be moved from Schedule I to Schedule III under federal law.
The hearing comes after the Department of Justice and DEA in April placed FDA-approved marijuana products and state-licensed medical marijuana in Schedule III, while also launching an expedited process to consider broader rescheduling.
Although Madras still opposes rescheduling, her acknowledgment could become a key moment in the hearing record, particularly because the core question before the DEA is whether marijuana satisfies the legal and scientific requirements for Schedule III.
A final decision from the DEA is expected after the hearing concludes and the administrative law judge issues a recommendation.
