The Drug Enforcement Administration announced in early 2024 that it might take motion President Joe Biden's call to reclassify marijuanathereby moving it from the Schedule I category, which has been tightly controlled since 1970, to the less restrictive Schedule III status of the Controlled Substances Act. The triggered an extended process of hearings and reviews that is not going to be accomplished until after the presidential election in November.
The news sparked strong reactions from critics: 25 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, who opposes any changes to federal marijuana laws. They argued that the choice “was not properly researched…and merely responds to the popularity of marijuana rather than the actual science.”
As Philosopher and drug policy expertI deal with evaluating arguments and evidence fairly than politics or rhetoric. So what are the arguments for and against reclassifying cannabis?
Planning under the Controlled Substances Act
The Controlled Substances Act placed every banned drug in one among five schedules based on known medical use, addictive potential and safety. Schedule I Drugs – which, along with marijuana, include heroin, LSD, psilocybin, ecstasy (MDMA) and Quaaludes – are probably the most restrictive category.
List I substances is probably not lawfully used for any purpose, including medical or research purposes. However, an exception for research purposes will be made with special permission from the DEA. The criteria for inclusion in Category I is that the substance has a high potential for abuse, is incredibly addictive, and has “no currently recognized medical use.”
Appendix IIwhich is barely less restrictive than Schedule I, includes drugs which can be addictive and potentially unsafe, but additionally have recognized medical advantages. These include strong opioids equivalent to fentanyl, but additionally cocaine, PCP and methamphetamine. Although still highly regulated, Schedule II drugs will be used medically with a prescription or administered by a licensed physician.
Appendix III is far less restrictive and is meant for substances with legitimate medical advantages and only a moderate risk of abuse or dependence. This category includes low-dose morphine, anabolic steroids and ketamine.
Schedule IV — which incorporates the sedative Valium, the weak opioid tramadol and sleeping pills like Ambien — is even less restrictive.
The least restrictive category is Schedule V, which incorporates cough syrups containing codeine and calcium channel blockers equivalent to gabapentin and pregabalin. All medications listed require a physician's prescription and should only be sold through licensed pharmacies.
What debt restructuring would mean for marijuana
The push for replanning is essentially to bring federal laws consistent with those of the states medical marijuana programs which – as of October 2024 – are legal in 38 states plus the District of Columbia.
Adding marijuana to Schedule III wouldn’t change its legal status in states where it’s banned. It would legalize marijuana on the federal level, but just for medical purposes. Recreational use would still be banned nationwide, even whether it is currently the case legal in 24 states plus Washington.
However, rescheduling may not make access to medical marijuana easier for patients and will even make it significantly harder for some. Currently, it’s fairly easy to get a medical marijuana card in most states. In Washington DC, where I live, patients can self-certify.
If marijuana is reclassified to Schedule III, medical marijuana programs would require a physician's prescription like all other listed substances. And it could only be distributed through licensed pharmacieswhich might put medical pharmacies that now sell it with out a Food and Drug Administration license out of business.
However, rescheduling would give legitimacy to medical marijuana as a real medicine. And the intent of the move is to enhance access, even though it's unclear how rescheduling might accomplish that.
Assuming that rescheduling would have the intended effect of expanding access to medical marijuana, should or not it’s postponed?
Medical Use of Marijuana
Although there are three criteria for Schedule I within the Controlled Substances Act, the DEA actually relies on them only the criterion of medical use. This was the idea for the DEA's proposal to reclassify marijuana. The proven fact that nearly 75% of Americans live in a state with a medical marijuana program suggests that marijuana has an accepted medical use.
Even more essential is Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act Already accommodates dronabinolThis is Delta-9 THC, the energetic ingredient in marijuana. Although dronabinol is synthesized within the laboratory and never extracted from the cannabis plant, it is precisely the identical molecule. The FDA has approved THC in the shape of dronabinol in 1985 for the treatment of anorexia as a consequence of HIV/AIDS and nausea and vomiting as a consequence of chemotherapy. It makes quite a lot of sense to position marijuana on the identical schedule as its important energetic ingredient.
Another Argument for debt restructuring is that it might open up recent avenues for medical research into the results of marijuana, which is currently being explored is hampered by its Schedule I status. This work is crucial since the System of cannabinoid receptors The way through which marijuana produces its therapeutic and psychoactive effects is significant to almost every aspect of human functioning.
Research has shown that cannabis is effective not only within the treatment of nausea and AIDS but additionally chronic pain and a few symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
There is sweet evidence for this too Marijuana may help treat other medical conditionsincluding Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS), glaucoma, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, migraines, post-traumatic stress disorder and Tourette syndrome. Retaining marijuana in Schedule I significantly hinders research that might develop more practical treatments for these conditions.
Weigh risks and advantages
Those who’re against debt restructuring quote possible health risks reference to marijuana use. Heavy usage comes with one increased risk of developing schizophrenia. However, the chance of schizophrenia is increased by cannabis use comparable to brought on by watching excessive television, eating junk food, or smoking cigarettes.
Long-term marijuana use can even cause this Sleep problems and reduced visual-spatial memory. It can even cause gastrointestinal distress, equivalent to: Cannabis hyperemesis syndromewhich is characterised by nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Although the symptoms are extremely unpleasant, they’re temporary and only appear after consuming marijuana. The disease disappears in individuals who stop using it.
Consuming marijuana may also be addictive. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about three in 10 regular marijuana users meet the diagnostic criteria for Cannabis use disorder.
All of the above concerns are valid, even though it is price noting that practically no effective drug is free from undesirable unwanted side effects. And while marijuana will be habit-forming, it’s not that addictive E.g. alcohol, tobacco, oxycodone, cocaine, methamphetamine or benzodiazepines. None of those other drugs fall into Schedule I, and alcohol and tobacco don’t fall into the list in any respect.
Unlike most other prescription medications, marijuana use comes with many advantages. For example, in states where marijuana has been legalized, Workers' compensation payments have fallen by a mean of 21% amongst people over 40. Researchers consider it is because marijuana helps staff higher manage chronic pain. Using marijuana for pain management also helps reduce dependence on opioids. One study found that in U.S. counties with one or two marijuana dispensaries, a mean of 17% fewer opioid-related deaths in comparison with counties without pharmacies.
Research also shows that marijuana use will be helpful Prevent Alzheimer's by blocking the enzymes that produce amyloid plaques. It also shows promise in reducing an individual's risk of developing a disease Type 2 diabetes by helping the body regulate insulin and glucose levels.
All of those advantages contribute to providing marijuana users with an overall profit lower rate of premature deaths as a non-user.
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