Marijuana meets criteria for reclassification as lower-risk drug, FDA scientific review finds per CNN.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advocating for the reclassification of marijuana from a Schedule I substance to a Schedule III substance, according to documents posted online. Researchers from the FDA argue that marijuana exhibits a lower potential for abuse when compared to substances currently listed under Schedules I and II. This move comes in response to President Joe Biden's directive to review the scheduling of marijuana under federal law. The FDA's Controlled Substance Staff recommends the reclassification based on three criteria: lower potential for abuse, accepted medical use in the US, and a low or moderate risk of physical dependence in abusers.
The FDA's recommendation aligns with the stance taken by the US Health and Human Services Secretary, Xavier Becerra, and the attorney general, as part of the administrative process initiated by President Biden in 2022. The proposed Schedule III list, to which marijuana would belong, includes substances with a "moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence," such as ketamine, testosterone, and Tylenol with codeine.
The FDA's findings indicate that marijuana withdrawal symptoms, reported in heavy and chronic users, are relatively mild compared to withdrawal symptoms associated with other substances like alcohol. The recommendation emphasizes that the scientific evidence supports some therapeutic uses of marijuana, such as alleviating anorexia, pain, and nausea and vomiting resulting from chemotherapy. However, it underscores that the analysis doesn't imply the establishment of safety and effectiveness for marijuana for specific health conditions.
Rescheduling marijuana could have wide-ranging implications, including opening up avenues for further research, providing cannabis businesses with greater operational flexibility and access to banking services, and potentially relieving firms from the 40-year-old tax code restrictions on credits and deductions related to the sales of Schedule I and II substances.
Ultimately, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will have the final authority to make any changes to marijuana's scheduling. The process will involve a rulemaking phase, including a public comment period, before any final scheduling action is implemented. This potential reclassification reflects the evolving landscape of cannabis policies and could have significant ramifications for the burgeoning cannabis industry, which has seen remarkable growth since the legalization of adult-use cannabis in various states across the US.
