Democrats Advocate for Reclassification of Marijuana Away from Schedule I Status

Democratic lawmakers from both the Senate and House are calling on the Drug Enforcement Administration to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, stating that it is time for action.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, along with Reps. Barbara Lee of California and Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, are growing impatient with the DEA’s prolonged review process and are urging the agency to expedite the decision, as reported by The Hill.

According to the lawmakers, it has been nearly eight months since the Department of Health and Human Services recommended reclassifying marijuana to Schedule III, and 18 months since President Joe Biden instructed both HHS and the Department of Justice to begin the review process.

“It is time for the Drug Enforcement Administration to act,” they emphasized.

Schedule I substances are classified as drugs with no recognized medical benefits and a high potential for abuse. Last year, the Department of Health and Human Services recommended moving marijuana to Schedule III.

The lawmakers stressed the importance of correcting the current misclassification and expressed hope that the DEA would align with HHS’s medical findings on the matter.

Notable signatories of the letter include Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, along with Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, among others. House Democrats who joined in the call for action included Reps. Robert Garcia of California, Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, and Dina Titus of Nevada, among others.

As of now, the DEA has not provided a response to the lawmakers’ request.