FDA Commissioner Says DEA Has No Reason to Delay Cannabis Rescheduling Decision

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf said this week that there’s “no reason” for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to “delay” its cannabis rescheduling decision, Marijuana Moment reports.

Califf made the statement during testimony on Thursday before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, suggesting he does not believe the DEA is purposefully dragging its feet on last year’s rescheduling recommendation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Notably, it was reported in February that some DEA officials are skeptical about the recommendation to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.

“[The] timing of a regulatory decision is something that would be up to the DEA, not up to me. There’s no reason for DEA to delay. They have to take into account all the regulations that are in play.” — Califf, in the report

The commissioner also responded to criticism by Texas Rep. Pete Sessions (R) that the rescheduling effort “did not base its assessment in scientific facts or realities” and “completely ignores the realities of a drug that is causing enormous consequences” for U.S. children and adults.

“Let me remind you that a Schedule III does not put marijuana on the market in the United States,” Califf said.

Meanwhile, a group of 14 GOP lawmakers last year asked DEA Administrator Anne Milgram to reject the HHS recommendation to reclassify cannabis. Meanwhile, a dozen Senate Democrats requested in January that President Biden (D) remove cannabis from the federal drug schedule entirely.