Marijuana Reclassified as a Less Dangerous Drug
In May 2024, the Justice Department made a historic move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, which is the biggest shift in U.S. drug policy in decades.
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In the move, marijuana will be federally recognized for its medical uses and acknowledged as having less potential for people to abuse and become addicted to than other dangerous drugs.
Marijuana Is for Medical Use Only
Despite the move to reclassify marijuana, it will only be able to be used for medical purposes. Those hoping this new ruling would mean they could use it for recreational use might feel slightly disappointed.
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What it will do is put it as a Schedule III drug alongside the likes of ketamine and some anabolic steroids. This will take it out of the Schedule I category, which is alongside heroin and LSD.
Many U.S. States Have Legalized Marijuana
Despite this new ruling, many U.S. states have already legalized marijuana for medical purposes. Some have even gone as far as to allow it to be used for recreational use.
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This comes as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has recently published a review, which states that there is scientific evidence that supports the use of marijuana in some circumstances and that it has less potential for abuse than drugs in Schedule I and Schedule II.
President Joe Biden Has Endorsed Marijuana’s Reclassification
One person who has endorsed marijuana’s reclassification is President Joe Biden. Biden says it is “an important move toward reversing longstanding inequities.”
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Political commentators have also noted that as the U.S. presidential election is scheduled for November 2024, this new move could help bring in some younger voters, as well as those who have long required marijuana for medical purposes but have been denied it up until this point.
Joe Biden’s Marijuana Hypocrisies
While Biden may have now legalized marijuana (at least for medical use), some have rejoiced in this announcement, but others are old enough to be able to point out his hypocrisies by doing this.
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In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Biden posted that no one should be jailed for using marijuana for medical reasons. However, in 1994, he advocated for the Crime Bill, which saw people imprisoned for this very thing.
Joe Biden Scheduling Mass Marijuana Pardons
Due to many being criminalized and sent to jail over the last thirty years due to being caught smoking marijuana, especially those who were using it for medical purposes, Biden is trying to rectify this.
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The Biden administration will be granting two rounds of mass pardons for those who were wrongly imprisoned for using marijuana for medical purposes, as Biden now believes that no one should be in jail for using or possessing marijuana.
Public Comments on Marijuana Legalization
As the Justice Department is now making the move to reclassify marijuana, the next stage of the process is likely to be a lengthy one as it will involve public opinion.
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The Drug Enforcement Administration’s next step is to take public comments. The comments are to be made over a 60-day period, and once this is over, there might be a review from an administrative judge, which could take quite a while.
Many Groups Agree With Reclassifying Marijuana
Upon the news that marijuana could be getting reclassified, many groups have come out to show their support of this latest move after people have been criminalized for over thirty years for its use.
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Since marijuana has not been found to have the same levels of abuse as heroin and LSD, which are drugs that marijuana is currently in the same category as, this change could be a historic moment for the U.S.
Reclassifying Marijuana Could Cause Major Problems
While many are in agreement of reclassifying marijuana, others are saying this could be a dangerous move and could lead people to become addicted to more dangerous drugs.
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Some studies have also found that adults who smoke marijuana are more likely to end up in hospital than those who don’t. Despite this, others have shown marijuana has a lower risk of cognitive decline, improved sleep quality and lower anxiety and stress levels.
What the Public Are Saying
One of the main priorities right now is to find out what the public thinks. An initial survey has revealed that many are in favor of reclassification.
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88% believe marijuana should be legal for either medical or recreational use, 57% say it should be legal for both uses and just 11% believe it shouldn’t be legal at all. Most Americans also believe legalizing it will benefit the economy and create a fairer justice system.
Marijuana Stocks Have Gone Up
With the news of the potential reclassification of marijuana, stocks and shares of the drug have already gone up in price.
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Shares in various marijuana groups have gone up between 8% and 18%. While this might not seem like a lot to some, this is good news for the stock market, and if the reclassification actually goes ahead, the shares could go up even more.