The US Justice Department has proposed a major drug reform, seeking to reclassify cannabis as a less dangerous substance. This marks the biggest shift in US drug policy in over 50 years. President Joe Biden praised the move as a crucial step toward addressing long-standing injustices. This change comes as Biden, who once supported strict crime laws, now aims to gain favor with younger voters in an election year.
While the plan does not fully legalize marijuana for recreational use, it proposes moving cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance. This reclassification would distinguish it from more dangerous drugs like ecstasy and heroin, placing it alongside substances with a lower risk of abuse, such as anabolic steroids and ketamine.
The reclassification is expected to boost the legal cannabis industry by facilitating access to banking services and investments. Biden’s administration has previously issued mass pardons for federal cannabis possession convictions and continues to advocate for decriminalization, although full legalization remains opposed.
