Biden administration moves towards reclassifying marijuana

The Biden administration announced on Thursday that it had started the process of moving marijuana from a schedule I drug to a schedule III drug, which marks the most significant step in decriminalizing the drug in 50 years.

The move comes after the Department of Health and Human Services recommended the reclassification, the Associate Press reported, which would not legalize the recreational use of the drug on the federal level, but would make the penalties for using such a drug less severe. In order to decriminalize it federally, Congress would need to vote to remove it from the Controlled Substance Act. 

The rule-making process includes opening up the subject to public comment for a 60-day period, holding an administrative hearing on the possible change, and then final approval from the Drug Enforcement Agency.

“This is monumental. Today my administration took a major step to reclassify marijuana from a schedule one drug to a schedule three drug. It’s an important move toward reversing long-standing inequities,” President Joe Biden said in a video posted on X. “Today’s announcement builds on the work we’ve already done to pardon a record number of federal offenses for simple possession of marijuana. And it adds to the action we’ve taken to lift barriers to housing, employment, small business loans, and so much more for tens of thousands of Americans."

Biden added that no one should be criminalized for using marijuana. Schedule III drugs are "defined as drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence," according to the federal government. Marijuana's designation as a schedule I drug, puts it at the same level as drugs like heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy, which have no medicinal use and have a high risk for abuse. Marijuana has been used to help fight nausea and other painful symptoms.

The move comes after Biden expressed his intent to ease federal restrictions on the drug last month. Marijuana is already cleared for recreational use in 24 states as of April, per CBS News.