Senate Democrats Urge Biden to Deschedule Cannabis

Twelve Senate Democrats this week called on the Biden Administration to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in a letter to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), according to an NBC News report. Cannabis has been considered a Schedule I substance, since 1971

“The case for removing marijuana from Schedule I is overwhelming,” the letter argues. “The DEA should do so by removing cannabis from the CSA altogether, rather than simply placing it in a lower schedule.”

The senators’ call for the complete removal of cannabis from the federal drug schedule comes following a recommendation by the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) that cannabis be moved from Schedule I to Schedule III under the CSA. The DEA has since argued that it should have the final say regarding the federal status of cannabis.

The letter, led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), carries the signatures of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and nine other senators.

“The Biden Administration has a window of opportunity to deschedule marijuana that has not existed in decades and should reach the right conclusion — consistent with the clear scientific and public health rationale for removing marijuana from Schedule I, and with the imperative to relieve the burden of current federal marijuana policy on ordinary people and small businesses.” — Excerpt from the letter by Senate Democrats

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden (D) stands to see his voter approval ratings potentially increase by up to 11% if he were to follow the HHS recommendation to reschedule cannabis, according to a recent survey.

A recent Gallup poll recorded 70% support among Americans for legalizing adult-use cannabis, an all-time high for the pollster since it started posing the question more than 50 years ago.