TODAY the federal government moved cannabis from schedule I (illegal for all purposes) to schedule III (legal by prescription) in the Controlled Substance Act, for the first time since the CSA was passed in 1970.
it’s not going to be legal, except under prescription (for the moment), but now that it has some recognised medical uses, there will be a lot more research done with cannabis, and it will be easier for researchers to obtain quality samples… and it will make it A LOT easier for cannabis-related businesses to get their business done without having to worry about breaking some federal law.
but, now that it’s headed towards legalisation, it’s time for the media to start calling it by its “official, scientific” name, and not by its “street” name, which is why i edited the article. i encourage everybody to do so, and inform the authors that it has been done. if we’re going to be dealing with a legal substance, it should NOT be referred to by the name (to quote peter tosh) of “a girl from cuba”. 😒
it’s not a total win, but, at this point, but considering everything, i’m going to count this as a win. 👍👍
time to celebrate with a fatty of homegrown goodness! 😉
In a landmark decision that marks a significant shift in federal marijuana cannabis policy, the Biden Administration announced today that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will reclassify marijuana cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance. This move will have widespread implications for both medical research and the legal landscape surrounding cannabis use.
Under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), enacted in 1970, substances are classified into schedules based on their accepted medical use, potential for abuse, and likelihood of causing dependency. Schedule I drugs, which include LSD and heroin, are considered to have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Marijuana Cannabis has been categorized under this schedule since the CSA’s enactment, a classification that has long been a point of contention among advocates, researchers, and lawmakers.
The reclassification to Schedule III, which includes drugs like ketamine, codeine and anabolic steroids, acknowledges marijuana cannabis’s accepted medical uses, effectively legalizing it nationwide for prescription use. This change will bolster medical research, as Schedule III drugs face fewer regulatory hurdles. Researchers will now have an easier time obtaining cannabis for studies, potentially leading to more robust evidence and developments in treatment options involving the drug.
Legally, the reclassification could ease some of the federal restrictions surrounding marijuana cannabis, particularly in banking and business operations for cannabis companies. Currently, because marijuana cannabis remains a Schedule I drug, many banks and financial institutions are hesitant to offer services to cannabis-related businesses, fearing legal repercussions. The shift to Schedule III could alleviate these concerns by providing a more stable legal framework, thereby encouraging more traditional business interactions and growth in the industry.
Furthermore, this policy change might influence state laws and enforcement. While it doesn’t legalize marijuana cannabis federally, it signals a more permissive federal stance and could spur more states to reassess their own marijuana cannabis policies.
The move to Schedule III may also have a political impact on November’s presidential election. Polling released in January found that rescheduling marijuana cannabis will increase President Biden’s favorability by 11%, a large increase in what’s expected to be a close election. The same poll found that 58% of voters support marijuana being rescheduled, with just 19% opposed.