The United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) will change the classification of marijuana so that the drug is considered less harmful, according to a report this Tuesday (30) published by the Associated Press news agency.
Today, marijuana is classified in the same category as drugs like heroin and LSD. With the change, it would be equated to substances such as anabolic steroids and ketamine (also spelled as ketamine or ketamine, due to its origins in English – ketamine).
This is not a legalization of marijuana for recreational use. In this new classification category, marijuana will still be a controlled substance, with use restricted by regulations. People who traffic will still be subject to criminal proceedings in Federal Court.
If there is a change in category, around 15,000 stores that sell marijuana will need to register with the DEA as if they were pharmacies and ensure that they meet the requirements to be able to sell the drug.
Furthermore, the classification change will allow for further studies – as marijuana is still in a category of very hard drugs, researchers have difficulty conducting scientific studies with cannabis.
Five different people confirmed to the news agency that the DEA will change the classification of marijuana.
Reclassification by the DEA must be approved by other administrative bodies within the US government.
Biden had already talked about change
In October 2022, President Joe Biden said he wanted to change the marijuana rule. He also stated that he has plans to pardon thousands of people who have been convicted in Federal Court for possession of marijuana. Biden also asked governors to do the same with convictions in state justice systems.
“Criminal records for use and possession of marijuana impose unnecessary barriers for people to access jobs, housing and education. Many people’s lives have been turned upside down by the failed approach to the issue of marijuana. Now is the time for us to fix this,” said Biden.
This move could help Biden among younger voters.
An opinion poll carried out by Gallup last year showed that 70% of adults support legalization – the highest number ever recorded. In 2000, the percentage of those who supported legalization was 30%.
But isn’t marijuana already legal in the USA?
In many US states, local laws are different from federal laws. In recent years, 38 American states have legalized marijuana for medicinal use and 24 have legalized recreational use.
These changes in state laws have allowed a marijuana market estimated at $30 billion a year to develop.
However, federal restrictions hinder companies in this sector, which have difficulty accessing some financial services, for example.
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