The United States is considering loosening federal regulations on cannabis, with the Department of Justice looking to recommend reclassifying it from a category 1 substance, along with heroin, to a category 3 substance, similar to some codeine medications. This recommendation is part of a reclassification process that could have significant economic impacts, encouraging medical research on cannabis and reducing regulatory and tax burdens associated with its use. While the White House has not commented on this development, the majority leader of the Senate Democrats, Chuck Schumer, has expressed support for changing restrictive laws around cannabis to align with scientific research and public opinion.
President Joe Biden has previously taken steps to remove federal convictions related to cannabis possession, aiming to address issues such as limited employment and housing opportunities for those previously convicted. This move is seen as part of a broader effort to rethink penalties associated with marijuana use. The House of Representatives, under democratic leadership, has previously passed bills aimed at removing cannabis from the federal list of dangerous drugs, but faced opposition in the Senate in both 2020 and 2022. The push for cannabis reform has been ongoing, with advocates arguing for an end to federal prohibition to address the negative impacts of the decades-long “War on Drugs”.
The legalization of cannabis in Canada in 2018 led to border control agents in the United States imposing lifetime entry bans on Canadians who admitted to previous cannabis use during checks. Despite this, over half of American states have already legalized cannabis, with some allowing only medical use and others permitting both medical and recreational use. Public opinion in the US is overwhelmingly in favor of cannabis legalization, with a majority of Americans supporting its use for medical and/or recreational purposes. This shift in public perception has been reflected in policies at the state level, with a growing number of Americans living in states where cannabis is legal in some capacity.
The potential reclassification of cannabis by the federal government in the US is seen as a positive step towards aligning policies with scientific evidence and public opinion. This move may lead to increased research on cannabis and reduced legal barriers for both medical and recreational users. The ongoing conversation around cannabis reform highlights the evolving attitudes towards drug policy in the US, with a focus on harm reduction and addressing the social impacts of drug prohibition. As the federal government considers changes to cannabis regulations, there is a growing recognition of the need to adapt laws to reflect current knowledge and public sentiment regarding cannabis use.
