Marijuana legalization advocates have had high hopes that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) would legalize marijuana for recreational and/or medicinal purposes, particularly in light of more states softening their laws. However, the DEA has announced that it will keep marijuana illegal for everyone.
Although some states have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use, they remain in defiance of the federal law. The DEA stated that it will still consider marijuana a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, which is determined by the Food and Drug Administration https://theriversource.org/marijuana-will-remain-illegal-under-federal-law/(FDA).
At this time, the DEA only allows one facility in Mississippi to conduct research on marijuana, and the DEA has softened the rules a bit so that marijuana can be grown more easily. But aside from that, the DEA is not budging.
Why Marijuana Was Asked to be Removed as a Schedule I Drug
The report is quite interesting, and if you have time, we encourage you to read it. In the report, the DEA addressed the reasons why marijuana has been asked to be removed as a Schedule I drug.
- Marijuana has accepted medical use in the U.S.
- Studies have shown that smoked marijuana has proven safe and effective.
- Marijuana is safe under medical supervision.
- Marijuana does not have the abuse potential for placement in Schedule I.
DEA Fires Back with Their Own Findings
The DEA clearly does not agree with these statements. After gathering data and requesting the appropriate scientific and medical evaluations, here is what they found:
- Marijuana has a high potential for abuse.
- Marijuana lacks accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Currently, there are no FDA-approved marijuana products, and it’s not certain whether the potential benefits of marijuana outweigh the risks.
- Marijuana has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the U.S. Despite popular belief, there are no adequate and well-controlled studies proving marijuana’s effectiveness.
What do you think about the DEA’s findings? Are you surprised that they are keeping marijuana as a Schedule I drug? Or do you support their decisions?
