US Justice Department moves to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous drug; Biden says, ‘this is monumental’

financialexpress.com:

The US Justice Department on Thursday announced a formal proposal to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, marking a significant shift in generations of the country’s drug policy. The proposed rule, sent to the federal register, recognises the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledges its lower potential for abuse compared to some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs. This plan, approved by Attorney General Merrick Garland, stops short of legalizing marijuana outright for recreational use.

Under the proposed rule, marijuana would be moved from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, which includes heroin and LSD, to a Schedule III substance, placing it alongside ketamine and some anabolic steroids. 

This change follows a recommendation from the Health and Human Services Department, which conducted a review of the drug’s status at the urging of President Joe Biden in 2022.

Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana.

So today, the <a href=«https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=» https:>@TheJusticeDept

is taking the next step to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug under federal law.

Here's what that means: pic.twitter.com/TMztSyyFYm

President Biden has been a vocal advocate for revisiting marijuana laws. He has pardoned thousands of individuals convicted federally of simple possession of marijuana and has encouraged governors and local leaders to do the same. “This is monumental,” Biden said in a video statement. “Far too many lives have been upended because of a failed approach to marijuana, and I’m committed to righting those wrongs. You have my word on it.”

The proposed reclassification initiates a 60-day public comment period, after