Biden Administration Announces Plans to Reschedule Cannabis: From Schedule I to III

Washington D.C., District of Columbia United States of America
Biden administration plans to reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to III
Change could make it easier to research cannabis, potentially spur growth in legal industry
DOJ will determine marijuana has medical benefits and potential for abuse
HHS review concluded marijuana is less harmful than other dangerous drugs and has credible evidence for medical use
Public comment period and lawsuits expected after DOJ decision
Biden Administration Announces Plans to Reschedule Cannabis: From Schedule I to III

In a significant shift in drug policies, the Biden administration has announced plans to loosen federal cannabis restrictions, marking the biggest change in over half a century. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to move marijuana from schedule I to schedule III on the Controlled Substances Act. This means that cannabis will be determined to have some medical benefits and a potential for abuse.

The decision follows an executive order issued by President Biden in October 2022, instructing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct a review of cannabis research and recommend if a change in federal classification was needed. In August 2023, HHS sent a letter and a comprehensive review to the DOJ, concluding that marijuana is less harmful than other dangerous drugs and has credible evidence for its medical use.

The move could provide political support for Biden, particularly among young voters who generally support marijuana legalization. It will also make it easier to research the substance and potentially spur growth in the legal cannabis industry, which recorded $35 billion in sales in 2023 and is projected to surpass $70 billion by 2030.

However, a public comment period will follow the DOJ's decision on cannabis scheduling, and lawsuits challenging the move are expected. Anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana plans to file a citizens' petition to have the DOJ move cannabis back into schedule I if they decide to move it out of that category.

Marijuana has been a Schedule I drug since the 1970s, which is defined as a substance with no accepted medical use and high potential for abuse. The change in classification will clear the way for more research on the benefits and risks of cannabis for the treatment of medical conditions.

Despite this progress, there are still obstacles to marijuana research. Some studies show that the level of THC, the main intoxicant in marijuana, being sold to consumers today is significantly higher than what was available decades ago. High THC levels pose more health risks and have been a concern for researchers.

The rescheduling of cannabis will also translate to more research on its medical benefits and potential risks. However, there are still challenges that need to be addressed, such as limited access to marijuana for research purposes due to the current classification as a Schedule I substance.


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Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • How will lawsuits challenging the move impact the rescheduling process?
  • Will the public comment period significantly delay the implementation of this change?

Sources

96%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Scientists welcome new rules on marijuana, but research will still face obstacles

National Public Radio (NPR) Rhitu Chatterjee Friday, 03 May 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, which is defined as a substance with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. The Biden administration proposed this week to classify cannabis as a Schedule III controlled substance,
    • The rescheduling of cannabis will also translate to more research on the benefits and risks of cannabis for the treatment of medical conditions.
    • There is very little known information about what is in cannabis products on the market today. Some studies show that the level of THC, the main intoxicant in marijuana, being sold to consumers today is significantly higher than what was available decades ago, and high THC levels are known to pose more health risks.
    • Research on cannabis has been lacking surveillance of these kinds of impacts for decades.
  • Accuracy
    • Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, which is defined as a substance with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
    • The current Schedule I status imposes many regulations and restrictions on scientists’ ability to study weed.
    • Reclassifying the drug as Schedule III puts it in the same category as ketamine and Tylenol with codeine. Substances in this category have accepted medical use in the United States, have less potential for abuse than in higher categories and abuse could lead to low to moderate levels of dependence on the drug.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority when quoting neuroscientist Staci Gruber and Dr. Andrew Monte. The article also contains inflammatory rhetoric with phrases such as 'high potential for abuse' and 'potential risks of the drug'. However, no explicit fallacies were found.
    • ][The Biden administration proposed] this week to classify cannabis as a Schedule III controlled substance, a category that acknowledges it has some medical benefits.[/
    • ][But the change in classification won't significantly expand the number of sources for the drug for researchers, says Gruber.][
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Marijuana’s Health Effects Are About to Get a Whole Lot Clearer

The Atlantic Magazine Jeremy Berke Friday, 03 May 2024 10:30
  • Unique Points
    • The Drug Enforcement Administration plans to recategorize marijuana from Schedule I to the much less restrictive Schedule III.
    • ,
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (90%)
    The article contains a few informal fallacies and appeals to authority. It also presents dichotomous depictions of marijuana's effects without acknowledging nuances. However, it does not contain any formal logical fallacies.
    • . . . since the 1970s, it’s been placed in Schedule I, a highly controlled group that includes drugs like heroin, with a high potential for abuse and no medical use.
    • Rescheduling marijuana will broaden access further still, which makes finding better answers to those questions even more crucial.
    • The National Institute on Drug Abuse . . . has a directive to study the harms of cannabis use rather than any potential benefits.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Biden administration weakens weed restrictions, backtracking from decades of policies

Politico News Site Name: POLITICO Full Legal Name of News Site: Politico LLC Location of News Site: Washington D.C., USA Tuesday, 30 April 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • The Department of Justice will significantly loosen federal cannabis restrictions, marking the biggest shift in drug laws in over half a century.
    • 24 states have legalized possession of cannabis for adults, representing more than half of the U.S. population.
    • 38 states have established medical marijuana programs.
    • The DOJ decision would move cannabis from schedule I to schedule III on the Controlled Substances Act, which means it is determined to have some medical benefits and a potential for abuse.
    • In October 2022, President Joe Biden issued an executive order instructing the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a review of cannabis research and recommend if a change in federal classification was needed.
    • In August 2023, HHS sent a letter and a 252-page review to the DOJ recommending the change to Schedule III, concluding that marijuana is less harmful than other dangerous drugs and has credible evidence for its medical use.
    • Biden’s moves to loosen weed restrictions could provide political support, particularly among young voters who generally support marijuana legalization.
    • Moving cannabis to schedule III will make it easier to research the substance and potentially spur growth in the legal cannabis industry, which recorded $35 billion in sales in 2023 and is projected to surpass $70 billion by 2030.
    • The reduced tax burden for cannabis businesses under schedule III may also lead to increased profitability.
    • A public comment period will follow the DOJ’s decision on cannabis scheduling, and lawsuits challenging the move are expected.
    • Anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana plans to file a citizens’ petition to have the DOJ move cannabis back into schedule I if they decide to move it out of that category.
  • Accuracy
    • Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, which is defined as a substance with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. The Biden administration proposed this week to classify cannabis as a Schedule III controlled substance.
    • Moving cannabis to schedule III will make it easier to research the substance and potentially spur growth in the legal cannabis industry.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

What marijuana reclassification means and the effects of rescheduling

The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Fenit Nirappil Wednesday, 01 May 2024 16:20
  • Unique Points
    • Attorney General Merrick Garland has recommended marijuana be reclassified from a Schedule I substance.
    • Garland’s recommendation could boost the bottom lines of legal marijuana businesses.
  • Accuracy
    • Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, which is defined as a substance with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
    • Reclassification would not legalize or decriminalize cannabis, but it would ease barriers to research.
    • The Biden administration proposed this week to classify cannabis as a Schedule III controlled substance.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

96%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Justice Dept plans to reschedule marijuana as a lower-risk drug

CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Alicia Wallace, Tuesday, 30 April 2024 18:17
  • Unique Points
    • Marijuana was previously categorized as a Schedule I substance with no accepted medical use and high potential for abuse
    • The US Department of Justice made the recommendation for rescheduling
  • Accuracy
    • The Biden administration plans to reclassify marijuana as a lower-risk substance
    • Marijuana is expected to be rescheduled as a Schedule III controlled substance
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication