Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said Wednesday that federal health officials had delivered "a scheduling recommendation for marijuana" to the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Senate Democrats confirmed that HHS's advice was to ease up. President Biden had asked HHS to review marijuana's legal classification last October, at the same time he pardoned thousands of Americans convicted of "simple possession" of the drug.
Currently, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, like heroin and LSD. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said HHS urged the DEA to make it a Schedule III drug, the same tier as ketamine and some anabolic steroids. "HHS has done the right thing," Schumer said. "DEA should now follow through on this important step to greatly reduce the harm caused by draconian marijuana laws." The DEA's review of the proposed policy change could take months.
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