The DEA is gearing up for what could be its largest policy change in 50 years: taking marijuana from a Schedule One drug to a Schedule Three.
As a Schedule One drug, marijuana is considered to be on the same level as heroin or LSD.
By moving it to a Schedule Three, the DEA would be acknowledging the medical uses of marijuana and saying it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs.
But 10 News spoke with the deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, who said even with this change, the federal government is lagging behind.
“It continues to perpetuate that conflict going forward. Because all of these state laws that are out of compliance with marijuana being Schedule One will continue to be out of compliance with marijuana being Schedule Three,” said Deputy Director of NORML, Paul Armentano.
Armentano told us that if the proposal passes White House reviews it will still be several months of public comment and more before anything actually happens.