A federal proposal to reclassify marijuana is a move in the right direction. But in some important ways, it is only a token step.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reportedly is seeking to reclassify cannabis as a less-dangerous drug; under current federal policy, it is regarded as a Schedule I substance akin to heroin, LSD and other drugs deemed to have no accepted medical use.
The proposal, which was revealed this week and reportedly is supported by the Department of Justice, would move marijuana to Schedule III, acknowledging that it has some medicinal value and is less prone to addiction and abuse than Schedule I drugs.
As with any substance — including alcohol — marijuana can contribute to addiction and to negative outcomes for users. We do not advocate for the use of any mind-altering substance. But suggesting that cannabis poses the same physical and social dangers as MDMA (ecstasy) or other powerful substances has no foundation in science or common sense.
As David Culver of the U.S. Cannabis Council told The Washington Post: “This is going to help to normalize cannabis more than anything that’s ever occurred in the U.S. since they started the war on drugs. This is the most significant federal cannabis reform in modern history.”
For years, the impact of marijuana’s status under Schedule I has extended beyond a moral statement against drug use. The classification has strictly limited research into the drug’s effects and potential benefits. It also has had economic implications.
In 2012, Washington voters made the state one of the first to legalize the recreational use of cannabis for people 21 and older. Now, 24 states allow recreational use and 38 allow medical marijuana. In 2022, Washington’s marijuana industry generated $1.4 billion in revenue; but because of federal prohibition, operators are not allowed access to standard banking systems. It seems inconceivable that a legal billion-dollar industry would be an all-cash business, but that is the absurdity that has been created by an antiquated federal policy.
That is where the reclassification would fall short. As a Schedule III drug, marijuana still would be subject to federal restrictions. Congress should pass legislation to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and should support the SAFER Banking Act.
The SAFER Banking Act (S. 2860) was introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and is co-sponsored by Washington Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. It counts four Republicans among its 35 sponsors. The legislation would ease access to traditional banking functions — business loans, mortgages, payment processing, etc. — that financial institutions currently are reluctant to provide.
Reclassifying marijuana or allowing growers and retailers to do business with banks should not be viewed as an endorsement of the drug. But it should be viewed as an acknowledgement of reality. According to public surveys, cannabis use has surpassed the smoking of cigarettes, and federal policy should reflect the situation.
Critics suggest that marijuana is a “gateway” to the use of more dangerous substances. That is a reasonable concern, but as the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports, “Alcohol and nicotine also prime the brain for a heightened response to other drugs and are, like marijuana, also typically used before a person progresses to other, more harmful substances.”
That summarizes the issue. Federal policy should regard cannabis as similar to alcohol and nicotine rather than demonize it with a specious classification.
