Biden administration seeks to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug - WSJ

In the United States, President Joe Biden's administration is seeking to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, citing people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reported, writes UNN.

Details

The publication points out that this is a historic move that could make it much easier to buy and sell marijuana and make the multi-billion dollar industry more profitable.

"U.S. Justice Department officials plan to submit a proposal to the White House for consideration that would remove marijuana from the government's most stringent drug classification," the publication writes, citing sources. Marijuana has been listed as a Group I drug since 1970, along with LSD and heroin.

One person familiar with the matter said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland will tell the White House Office of Management and Budget in the coming days that the government should change the classification of marijuana.

The proposal reportedly may not be made public for several weeks, and it is impossible to immediately determine the extent to which the Biden administration will seek to loosen restrictions. The rule would have to go through the government's regulatory approval process, and that could take months.

The proposed change comes after President Biden pardoned thousands of people convicted of marijuana possession under federal law in 2022 and urged regulators to consider whether to reclassify the drug, saying "it doesn't make sense" that the government controls marijuana more tightly than cocaine or fentanyl.

Biden's allies hope the move will strengthen the president's standing among younger voters, who are particularly supportive of liberalizing marijuana policy. Biden will need their strong support in November, as some polls show him trailing his Republican opponent Donald Trump and losing ground among adults under 30, the publication writes.

The government's new policy could affect everything from marijuana cigarettes to marijuana-infused drinks to chewy candy. But even if marijuana is no longer a Schedule I drug, marijuana will remain illegal under federal law without other changes by Congress, the publication notes.

The U.S. Justice Department can still prosecute marijuana offenders, though in states where it has been legalized, it has largely maintained a non-interventionist approach to the industry. Officials have also said in recent years that they do not believe prosecuting federal marijuana offenses is the best use of their limited resources.

Supplement

Over the past decade, more than half of U.S. states have legalized marijuana for one purpose or another, and many Democrats and some Republicans are more tolerant of its use.

Marijuana is believed to be the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the country. According to a Gallup poll, the number of Americans who have smoked it has more than doubled since 2013, with 17% of adults reporting smoking it in 2023. But the federal government still categorizes it as a drug that has a high potential for abuse without offsetting acceptable medical use.

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