DOJ Officially Moves to Reclassify Marijuana as Schedule III

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) officially moved to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III controlled substance on Thursday, marking a major shift in US policy on cannabis that has been years in the making.

The DOJ issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to the Federal Register, which jumpstarts a 60-day public comment period, followed by a possible review from an administrative judge.

“This proposal starts the process, where the Drug Enforcement Administration will gather and consider information and views submitted by the public, in order to make a determination about the appropriate schedule. During that process, and until a final rule is published, marijuana remains a schedule I controlled substance,” a statement released May 16 by the DOJ reads.

A DOJ spokesperson told Medscape Medical News that although the proposed rule was submitted this week, it is unclear how long it will take for it to officially appear on the Federal Register site.