Biden hails 'monumental' steps toward easing marijuana rules as rescheduling process moves ahead

Source: CNN Politics

Published 1:01 PM EDT, Thu May 16, 2024


Washington CNN -- President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday took another step toward reclassifying marijuana as a lower-risk substance, opening for public comment its proposed loosening of federal rules in a step the president deemed "monumental." "Today my administration took a major step to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug," Biden said in a video posted to social media. "It's an important move towards reversing longstanding inequities."

It was Biden's first time speaking out about the proposed rescheduling since his Justice Department recommended in April that marijuana be rescheduled as a Schedule III controlled substance, a classification shared by prescription drugs such as ketamine and Tylenol with codeine.

The proposed changes would amount to significant changes to federal marijuana law, and could provide a political boost to the president at a moment he is working to bolster his appeal among young voters. Biden has already pardoned federal marijuana offenders and urged individual state governors to take similar steps.

On Thursday, the Justice Department is taking the next formal step in the process of easing federal restrictions on cannabis, according to a senior administration official. The rescheduling proposal will appear publicly in the Federal Register, opening it up for a 60-day public comment period.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/16/politics/joe-biden-marijuana-rules/index.html

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