DEA hearing on proposed federal marijuana rescheduling to begin Monday
A long-awaited federal hearing on whether marijuana should be reclassified under U.S. drug law is set to begin Monday, marking a pivotal step in a debate that has divided physicians, policymakers and advocacy groups over the drug’s medical value, public health risks and regulatory future.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said formal proceedings on the proposed move to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act will take place at DEA headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.
The proposal would move marijuana from the most restrictive category of controlled substances, which includes drugs considered to have no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, to Schedule III, a category that includes drugs with accepted medical uses and moderate to low potential for physical dependence.
Supporters argue the change would better align federal policy with current medical practice and encourage additional research. Opponents contend the evidence does not support rescheduling and warn it could further expand the commercial marijuana industry.
“This isn’t simply a political issue — it’s a medical, scientific and public health issue,” said Dr. Patricia Hurford, a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation who recommends medical cannabis for some patients.
Hurford told Straight Arrow she hopes the hearing examines evidence on marijuana’s therapeutic benefits, potential for misuse and dependence, patient safety and the broader regulatory implications of changing its federal status.
She said rescheduling could provide greater legitimacy and consistency for patients while helping reduce stigma surrounding medical cannabis. However, she cautioned that significant challenges remain, including a lack of large, high-quality clinical trials, inconsistent product quality, limited physician education and ongoing concerns about impaired driving, adolescent brain development, dependence and marijuana use during pregnancy.
“My hope is that marijuana is ultimately treated like any other therapeutic option,” Hurford said. “Its medical use should be guided by science rather than stigma or ideology.”
Hurford said additional clinical research, national manufacturing standards, evidence-based prescribing guidelines, better education for health care providers and continued monitoring of long-term safety would be necessary regardless of marijuana’s federal classification.
Organizations opposing rescheduling are expected to argue the proposal does not meet the legal or scientific standards required under federal law.
“Tomorrow is the most consequential drug policy proceeding in a generation,” said Dr. Kevin Sabet, president and CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana and a former White House drug policy adviser. He said his organization plans to argue that today’s higher-potency marijuana products are associated with increased risks of psychosis, addiction and harm to developing brains.
Sabet also argued that rescheduling would primarily benefit the marijuana industry by allowing companies to claim federal business tax deductions currently prohibited under Section 280E of the tax code.
“We would be giving a tax break to companies that have become the new Big Tobacco,” Sabet told Straight Arrow, adding that he believes rescheduling would not create additional safeguards for children or adolescents.
Smart Approaches to Marijuana has also challenged the administration’s order in court, arguing the proposal did not follow the rulemaking process required under federal law.
The hearing comes as marijuana use continues to expand across the country despite its federal status. An estimated 3.7 million patients use medical marijuana in the United States, while 40 states allow medical cannabis programs and 24 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational marijuana.
The debate reflects a broader divide among physicians, researchers and policymakers over whether federal law should be updated to reflect growing state legalization efforts while balancing concerns about public health, product regulation and scientific evidence. Proceedings are expected to include testimony from experts representing a range of medical, scientific and advocacy organizations.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
