Earlier this month, it was announced that the DEA will be rescheduling marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance. This means that the DEA is finally officially recognizing that marijuana may be used for some medicinal purposes. While this is great news for recreational and medical marijuana users alike, not everyone is on board with this impending change of classification.

The group, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (or SAM for short), sent out an email at the beginning of the month, asking for donations to fight against this change and “if necessary, pursuing legal action.” Donations will go to what they call a “Rescheduling Legal Defense Fund.”

SAM is concerned that reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III controlled substance will give cannabis companies tax write-offs and “continue the normalization of high-potency THC drugs.” While they are correct that it will finally be a bit easier for legitimate cannabis companies to turn a profit, their concerns about “high-potency THC drugs,” don’t necessarily support their argument: after all, when has a prohibition-era mindset ever truly worked at eliminating the use of a substance? Wouldn’t there be a higher chance of federal regulation if marijuana were, in fact, legalized?

What Does the Rescheduling of Marijuana Mean?

To be clear, rescheduling marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance does not mean that it would be legalized. However, moving it to Schedule III will put it in a category that more accurately describes its medicinal properties and the fact that it is less likely to be abused than other Schedule I drugs. 

Marijuana has become increasingly decriminalized in recent years, and a recent poll showed that 70% of American adults support legalization. While this proposed change won’t federally legalize marijuana, it’s quite possible that this could be a step in that direction. Check back in with the Real Tested CBD blog for more updates on the federal rescheduling of marijuana and those who are opposed to it.

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