Gillibrand calls on DEA to relist marijuana as a Schedule III substance – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has asked the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance.

Under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), controlled substances are listed under five schedules, with Schedule I classification being the most restrictive due to the perceived lack of medical value and the higher potential for abuse of the substances. Gillibrand noted that she believed “that marijuana should be descheduled entirely,” she nonetheless recommended that it be removed from its Schedule I ranking.

“Marijuana is simply not comparable to other Schedule I substances like heroin, LSD, and MDMA,” she said in a letter to the DEA. “Moreover, marijuana enforcement has for decades disproportionately targeted communities of color. This means that people of color are more likely to have criminal records for marijuana possession and to face needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities as a result. It is past time to end overly restrictive federal marijuana policy and I urge the DEA to do so immediately.”