DEA Decides to Keep Marijuana Schedule I Drug

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently responded to petitions calling for marijuana to be moved from a Schedule I to a Schedule II substance by stating its refusal.

According to a letter DEA Acting Administration Chuck Rosenberg wrote to petitioners, “It [marijuana] does not have a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, there is a lack of accepted safety for its use under medical supervision, and it has a high potential for abuse” (Ackerman, 2016).

The National Cannabis Industry Association responded by saying the “DEA’s decision flies in the face of objective science and overwhelming public opinion” and “Continuing marijuana prohibition forces critically ill people to suffer needlessly, leaves life-changing treatment undeveloped, and keeps patients and providers in limbo between state and federal laws” (Ackerman, 2016).

While the DEA refused to deschedule marijuana, it did put forth a new policy allowing people to register to grow marijuana for research and “commercial endeavors funded by the private sector” (Ackerman, 2016).

References

Ackerman, M. (2016). DEA: Marijuana to remain schedule I drug. Retrieved from https://www.thefix.com/dea-marijuana-remain-schedule-i-drug