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Tag: DEA

  • DEA Backs Cannabis’ Medical Utility at Hearings

    DEA Backs Cannabis’ Medical Utility at Hearings

    Today (June 29), the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration administrative law judge opened formal hearings to determine whether cannabis should be moved from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. The proceedings, scheduled to run through July 15 with a brief Independence Day recess, stem from President Donald Trump’s December 2025 executive order and will determine whether Schedule III status should be extended to all cannabis, building on an April 2026 interim order that reclassified only FDA-approved cannabis products and state-licensed medical marijuana. A final rule extending Schedule III to all cannabis would provide broad tax relief to state-licensed operators by exempting them from the Section 280E federal tax provision.

    The hearings have drawn criticism from cannabis reform advocates, who protested outside DEA headquarters after the agency limited participation to organizations and individuals opposed to rescheduling, arguing that supporters did not meet the legal definition of an “interested person.” Advocacy groups, including Students for Sensible Drug Policy and NORML, criticized the exclusion of medical experts, legal cannabis businesses, and reform organizations, while also objecting to the DEA’s decision not to livestream the proceedings. Although the agency said it will publish transcripts after the hearings conclude, critics argued that the lack of real-time public access undermines transparency.

  • Trump Reclassifies/Downgrades Marijuana

    Trump Reclassifies/Downgrades Marijuana

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order today (December 18) directing the reclassification of marijuana as a less dangerous drug, marking a significant shift in U.S. federal drug policy. The move would downgrade cannabis from a Schedule I substance—alongside heroin and LSD—to Schedule III, a category that includes ketamine and some anabolic steroids. While the change would not legalize recreational marijuana nationwide, it could ease regulations, lower tax burdens on the cannabis industry, and expand opportunities for medical research.

    The order is expected to accelerate a review process already underway at the Drug Enforcement Administration, which typically involves extensive public consultation. A similar reclassification effort was proposed under former President Joe Biden, but Trump’s decision has drawn mixed reactions within his own party. Some Republicans strongly oppose any change, arguing marijuana remains harmful to public health and safety, while public opinion has shifted sharply in favor of legalization, with recent polling showing more than two-thirds of Americans support a less restrictive approach.

    Trump’s order also calls for expanded research into cannabis and increased access to CBD products. While the president has emphasized a tough stance on drugs such as fentanyl, he has framed marijuana policy as an area where federal rules should better reflect state-level changes. More than 20 states have legalized recreational marijuana or allow medical use, though federal law has continued to impose stricter limits and potential criminal penalties.

  • Report: FDA, DEA Lack Ability to Enforce Hemp Ban

    Report: FDA, DEA Lack Ability to Enforce Hemp Ban

    Last week the Congressional Research Service (CRS)—the nonpartisan investigative office that advises U.S. lawmakers—issued a report warning that both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) do not have the resources (i.e. funding, staff, and infrastructure) necessary to enforce the new policy set to take effect in 2026 that would ban “intoxicating hemp products.” The measure, added to last month’s federal spending deal, redefines hemp to prohibit products containing more than 0.4 mg of total THC per package, effectively banning popular hemp-derived cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC, HHC, and high-THCA products.

    “It remains unclear if and how federal law enforcement will enforce the new prohibitions,” the CRS was quoted on December 3. “Both FDA and DEA may lack the resources to broadly enforce the laws prohibiting intoxicating hemp products on the market.”

    Industry participants cautioned that an unfunded ban could drive unregulated and illicit sales. Dino Awadisian, founder of Mamba Brand, said the lack of a regulatory framework risks expanding the black market and called for structured federal oversight instead.

    “A law with no funding is not enforcement—it’s theater,” Awadisian said. “This will not protect the public. It will only reward unsafe, unregulated, and untraceable products.”

    The report also flagged potential new restrictions on hemp and cannabis seeds, which could be regulated based on genetic potential rather than THC content, exposing seed distributors to legal risk. Industry advocates are urging lawmakers to replace prohibition with nationally funded licensing, testing, age restrictions, and packaging standards.

  • U.S. Drug Agency Schedules Cannabis Hearing

    U.S. Drug Agency Schedules Cannabis Hearing

    The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled a Dec. 2 hearing on its proposal to lower the classification of marijuana to the less dangerous level of Schedule III, according to a public announcement late Monday.

    The DEA had never issued any timeline for its process to potentially change the Schedule I classification of cannabis for the first time since the Controlled Substances Act went into effect in 1970. Still, some in the cannabis industry had hoped for a final decision before the U.S. election.

    The DEA had already received 43,000 comments on its proposal, initially made on May 21, with a comment period that closed late in July. The DEA said the comments included requests to hold a public hearing.

    DEA administrator Anne Milgram said she would determine who will participate in the hearing and name a presiding officer to run the meeting, which will take place on Dec. 2 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time at 700 Navy Drive, Arlington, Virginia.

    The government said the meeting may also be moved to a different location, continued from day to day, or recessed to a later date without notice.