DEA Attorney: Cannabis to be Rescheduled on August 1st
[Update, August 11, 2016: Unfortunately the DEA has decided not to reschedule cannabis, but instead has opened the door for more research. We apologize for misreporting this story.]
According to the Santa Monica Observer, on August 1st the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will reschedule cannabis from a schedule 1 controlled substance, to a schedule 2 controlled substance, allowing it to be used and researched for medical purposes.
According to the Observer, a DEA attorney who wishes to remain anonymous made it clear that the agency, on August 1st, plans to remove cannabis as a schedule 1 drug – which indicates that it has no known medical value – and place it as a schedule 2 drug, allowing it to be used for medical purposes (other schedule 2 drugs include cocaine and Oxycontin).
“Whatever the law may be in California, Arizona or Utah or any other State, because of Federal preemption this will have the effect of making THC products legal with a prescription, in all 50 states,” the attorney told the Observer.
According to the attorney, the change has a lot to due with the fact that cannabis prohibition has become a “big drain” on resources, noting that a majority of Americans now support legalizing cannabis for all uses, not just medical.
In April, the DEA announced that it’s considering rescheduling cannabis, with a potential for it to be done before the end of summer.
Rhonda
A long time waiting.Great for all.
Anita Toth
Oh wow! Big step in the right direction. I would love to, at the end of a busy day, chill out on the back porch with the bong, enjoying the birds singing, and watching the sky change colors, all of them beautiful. Cannabis definitely helps ease chronic pain of hardware in my back and arthritis in my fingers and joints. It also relieves stress; Cannabis makes it possible for me to work. I am 67 years old, and, believe me, I’ve tried just about everything. Pot works!
Teri Colone
Just wanted to say Thank You.
If this is true…..you will have saved my life.
You will be saving people that are desperate for pain relief.
Ptsd/anxiety also.
This will Change the World!
Be very proud of this. It means the government has some kindness after all!!
That is a good thing!
Regina Nelson
DESCHEDULE not reschedule!
Timothy beck
I hope that happened. Because I’m hiv poz and help me or hiv community people to need medical.
Well as not only hiv but rest of reasons like psd etc if so your government will help us stay health care and don’t let kill by whatever reason so far USA hositpal had pay bills or whatever more cost what marijiuna cost us that huge step help.
If that so, must be rock
Prof
But what if FDA steps in and regulates like pharmaceutical. That industry requires expensive five phase multi year trials to prove a claim. If industry is allowed to treat as herbs or supplements then fine so only have to be careful of claims. If they treat as full pharmaceutical then most current operations will go back to black market. It could only move regulation from DEA to FDA.
Paul Davis
This is very bad news. They’re effectively handing over a billion dollar industry to big pharma and shutting down private dispenseries and a massive source of revenue for states that have legalized recreationally.
I predict this will cause an explosion of legal challenges by many states.
This is NOT good news.
Declassify not reclassify.
I sincerely hope this single anonymous DEA source was deliberately sent out to test the public reaction to schedule II. There’s still two weeks left before the deadline the DEA gave itself is up.
It would actually be much better for the DEA to declassify so they can completely wash their hands of it.
Rob
Now they will regulate it like prescription drugs. NOT GOOD AT ALL PRICES ARE GOING TO BE SKY HIGH, START YOU MILL TODAY
annoyed us citizen
great its being treated like cocaine and oxycontin what kinda dumb fucking country is this!
Anonymous
I hate to be a harbinger of negativity…… & I am not an attorney, but this does NOT mean that the federal government “has a heart”. I only means they have taken THE VERY SMALLEST STEP they could possibly take because of pressure applied by the people, to try & get us off their back. This also does not mean that STATES must accept it; i.e. many states have tougher gun regs than the fed……so if your state (like Kansas or Texas) is a particular hard ass, dont count on them allowing doctors to prescribe
Beth
Well it is about time that the government resets that. It should of never been a schdeule 1 in the first place. We all have to thank those Good Ol’ Boys back in the day afraid to allow the Mom & Pop Farmers to make any monies off of their Hemp farms. Hopefully this is the first step in order for the Federal Government to get off their Asses and make this legal acros the board. Can you imagine how many Taxes the FG is missing out on. Come on Guys wake up…..
vickia52
yeah! now what about ohio’s law going into effect about sept. 14 !
Anonymous
Very awesome news for many folks needing medicinals for survival!!
karl
If it was true.. it still is a smack in the face.. in my opinion.. Schedule 2 ….. ” “Schedule II/IIN Controlled Substances (2/2N)
Substances in this schedule have a high potential for abuse which may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.\
Examples of Schedule II narcotics include: hydromorphone (Dilaudid), methadone (Dolophine), meperidine (Demerol), oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet), and fentanyl (Sublimaze, Duragesic). Other Schedule II narcotics include: morphine, opium, and codeine.
Examples of Schedule IIN stimulants include: amphetamine (Dexedrine, Adderall), methamphetamine (Desoxyn), and methylphenidate (Ritalin).
Other Schedule II substances include: amobarbital, glutethimide, and pentobarbital.”””
Widowswine.
Yes!! I hope this is true, I am so ecstatic!
Rebeccs
Is nobody realizing you won’t be going to dispensary? Marijuana will be available thru prescription at your local CVS, RiteAid, Walgreens, etc… and not in flower form. The article I read says items “similar” to edibles because smoking is dangerous. I make my own budder, edibles, and I vape, and use vaped flowers for budder also. Marijuana I’d about to become big pharmas next wonder drug. Awesome right, no side effects blah blah. But I have MS my MS meds cost anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 a month. Nothing but profit considering most ms drugs cause more harm than good. So how much is an item similar to an edible going to cost?
Bridget wilbanks
What about Alabama
David
About time they wake the f@ck up.
jeff
Alright then carry on;))
robert
a step in the right direction, more needs to be done, eventually it needs to be taken off the scheduling and totally legalized like alcohol and tobacco.
Anonymous
I agree
Norton
What this means is that Big Pharm is firing the DEA and moving its business to the FDA, just a tactic switch in its overall strategy of forcing patients into high margin synthesized products instead of no margin plants anyone with a slightly green thumb can grow in their backyard or closet
Anonymous
Does anyone live in Co or Ca… Looking for a new friend:)
Austin
But you can buy all the booze you want… Declassify it already! We’re ready for the end of this prohibition. Let us be free! After all it’s an herb that grows, just like a flower. Stoners are peaceful people, bc they’re always happy! You never here of a stoner getting high, and crashing into a crowd or tree.
Nicki
Some of us that have life altering illnesses , this could be a step in the right direction . Come on , I mean weed is a plant plain and simple . You don’t have to add anything to it or anything . I suffer from ptsd , anxiety disorder , and bipolar . Marijuana helps with all of my ailments . I also have a great nephew who suffers from seizures and marijuana helps him very much .
Sir graves
This is BAD!!! If you read what they are up to. They will outlaw shops as someone above stated and had it to big pharma. They want it sold at pharmacies mot shops bas the lawer for the DEA STATED THIS WILL EFFECTIVELY REMOVE SHOPS ABILITY TO CONDUCT Business.
Not only that the lawer says that this will also make CO and Washington State no longer have legal recreational weed, you would have to have a prescription. No more legal weed. That is what they are up to bthey are shutting down legalization by states and making it a industry run by pharmacys like CVS.
ALSO, lawer states that there would no longer be smokable medical weed it will all be edibles.
Sorry about typos and everything I am anxious to het this info out and am making errors.
Anonymous
where does it say these things?
Michele
Just another way for the government to control what we do. I am all for every state legalizing marijuana, if you’re on pain medication, now they want you to go to pain management, . I quit smoking marijuana because I get urine tested for all sorts of drugs, marijuana being one them. Everyone’s pain levels are different than the next, I’ve been on pain medication for over 6 years, haven’t ever changed the type of pain drug nor have I asked be increased on dosage. I used marijuana for recreation in high school, but found it helped with my PTSD, anxiety, and my bi polarism. Just can’t smoke it now BECAUSE of MONTHLY urine tests ( another big cost home to our insurance companies) …. It’s all about pharmaceutical companies being able to put big prices on it, raping our insurance companies. Thing is, we as the consumers, can write our Congress men and women, state representatives to put a STOP to these pharmaceutical companies, for when this goes through all those that worked hard to get these shops open, will be forced to close down, and in debt. DEA has control over a lot of stuff, I’d much rather weed be legal than alcohol, but I’m sure most alcoholics would disagree. Lol
Anonymous
Bastards!
Jennifer
So does that mean if caught in possession of marijuana without a prescription then its the same punishment as having an oxycodone????
bill
yes, that is how I see it working, too. The feds will make it worse FAR before they do us any favors. You know how much more terrified I am at this moment to get caught with an unprescribed pill than a bag of bud? A shitload more! lol once it leaves schedule 1 to become schedule 2, the charge for possession will change to- possession of an unprescribed medication, conspiracy charges, and transferring prescribed medication to a non prescribed party, which are all fucked up charges when it comes to cannabis. (the exact charge names are probably not right, im not a lawyer man, just saying…haha) but point being you KNOW this is to fuck us and throw us under the bus even harder.
Lisa
I would love to not have to worry about taking prescriptions. I feel I have been a test rat in all the doctors office. I have severe anxiety with hyperthyroid. And marijuana helps so much with my mood swings and help controlling my weight. Also helps with insomnia.
vickia52
Seems the government and the supreme court are too old! I’m 62 ,bu I’m nowhere the thinking that of the one’s ruining our country! Unless lowered enough, or de-classified altogether, we will lose all the headway we’ve made..
Jon W
Enjoy your new genetically modified Monsanto weed/edibles everybody. How much you wanna bet they end up taking all the CBD’s and CBN’s out and replacing them with something stupid like morphine or fentynol? Leave it to our government to F-up a wet dream.
Rich
They announced the decision WOULD be made by the end of the first half of 2016, not that it possibly would.
Cannabis has NO business being in the same category as morphine, dilaudid, fentanyl and oxy! May as well stick alcohol and cigs in class II as well for all the sense it makes.
It should be REGULATED AND SOLD ALONG SIDE BOOZE!
The DEA is NOW putting cannabis in the same category as drugs that kill dozens of Americans each day AND cause physical dependence.
So they’re admitting that Americans have been LIED TO SINCE 1930 yet they still have their heads so far up their asses that they can’t even remove it from the wrong category and UNschedule it as it should be.
The fact that they STILL cling on to whatever control they can keep on cannabis PROVES that they are SELF SERVING SCUMBAGS, with NO interest what so ever in what Americans want.
It’s called TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. Ever heard of THAT?