The U.S. Government has released hundreds pages of documents related its ongoing review of marijuana’s status under federal laws. This is the first official confirmation that the Drug Enforcement Administration recommended to the Controlled Substances Act, (CSA), that cannabis be placed in Schedule III.
The 252 pages explain that cannabis has “a medical use currently accepted in the United States,” and a “potential abuse lower than drugs or other substances listed in Schedules I or II.”
The federal health officials found in their review that “more than 30,000 healthcare providers across 43 U.S. states are authorized to recommend medical marijuana use for more than 6 million registered patients with at least 15 medical problems.”
The documents were obtained by Matt Zorn after he filed a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA). He wanted to get the rescheduling memorandum.
via Matt Zorn, On Drugs blog
Zorn confirmed the Schedule III recommendation by publishing the documents on his On Drugs Blog Friday. The documents included a letter from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, in which the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health states that marijuana “meets the findings for controlling in Schedule III”.
The documents are largely devoted to the eight-factor government analysis of scheduling drugs. They emphasize the relative importance of marijuana abuse potential in comparison with other drugs.
The review examined both the current acceptance of medical marijuana and whether scientific literature supported those uses. HHS noted that the majority of U.S. States have legalized medical marijuana. It also stated that many medical cannabis programs are in place and actively monitor medical usage and product quality.
The memo states that “the review of available information identified mixed results of effectiveness across indicators, ranging between data showing inconclusive conclusions to substantial evidence in favor, depending on the sources.”
It states that “the largest evidence base exists for the effectiveness of marijuana use in pain indications (in particular neuropathic)”.
The agency concluded that “most authors concluded that marijuana is beneficial in treating pain, with a range of effects ranging from moderate to low, based on evidence of low to medium quality.”
However, the FDA review “didn’t find any support” that marijuana was beneficial for anxiety or epilepsy. The memo also states that the FDA found the risks of adverse effects associated with marijuana treatment for PTSD “may be greater than any limited benefits in observational studies.”
The agency stated that “overall, there are not enough high-quality clinical data supporting the use of cannabis for PTSD.”
The review found that marijuana treatment for Crohn’s Disease had “some positive evidence”, though the effects were “mostly subjective and did not affect disease activity”.
The agency concluded that “on balance, the available data indicate there is some credible support for the use of cannabis in the treatment of pain; anorexia associated with certain medical conditions; nausea and vomiting (e.g. chemotherapy-induced), with varying degrees of support and consistency of findings.”
The federal health officials’ recommendation, while not as positive about marijuana’s medicinal benefits as some supporters might have hoped, stated that “none [of the] systematic reviews that were included in our…analysis revealed any safety concerns which would prevent the use of cannabis in indications where there is some credible scientific evidence for its therapeutic benefit.”
Documents state that the National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA, is on board with agency analysis.
Earl Blumenauer, founder of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus and representative from Oregon, commented on the new information. He said that it continues to make progress towards ending prohibition.
The congressman stated that “even though this was long anticipated, it’s still a welcome development.” “It’s another step towards the inevitable legalization cannabis and ending the sad chapter of failed war on drugs.”
Prior to Friday, the only documents made public were a highly redacted version of the memo released to Zorn last month and a a href=”https://www.marijuanamoment.net/feds-release-250 pages-of… Before Friday, the only documents made public were the highly redacted version released to Zorn in the memo last month, and the single page recommendation disclosed in October.
The first news of the rescheduling recommendation by the health agency broke in August. While it was widely believed HHS had recommended a Schedule III classification–alongside substances like ketamine and Tylenol with codeine–the documents released to Zorn on Friday are the first to formally confirm that detail.
In a letter sent to Congress earlier this month , the agency reminded Congress that the final decision on rescheduling rests with DEA.
The letter stated that “DEA has final authority to schedule a drug, reschedule it, or remove it from the Controlled Substances Act after considering relevant statutory criteria, regulatory criteria, and HHS’s medical and scientific evaluation.” “DEA is currently conducting its review.”
The statement was made in response to a letter sent by 31 bipartisan legislators, led Earl Blumenauer (D) of Oregon. In that letter urged DEA to take into account the “merits’ of legalization when it conducted its review. The initial letter also criticized placing cannabis under Schedule III as opposed to removing it from CSA’s control.
Cannabis advocates and observers have speculated about the timing of any announcement regarding rescheduling. CRS, for its part in September, stated that the DEA was “likely to” follow HHS’s recommendation based at least on previous precedent.
The governors of six U.S. States — Colorado, Illinois, New York City, New Jersey and Maryland — sent a letter to President Joe Biden late last year, urging him to reschedule cannabis by the end this year .
The letter of the governors states that “rescheduling marijuana aligns with a product that Americans can rely on.” It cites a survey that showed that 88 percent support legalization, whether for medical or recreational purposes. We may disagree on whether cannabis legalization for recreational use or cannabis use in general is a positive thing, but as governors we all agree that the cannabis market is here to remain, states have established strong regulations and support the state-regulated market is important for the safety of Americans.
Colorado Governor Michael Bennet was one of the earliest state officials to respond to HHS’s recommendation to reschedule marijuana. Jared Polis, a Democrat, also wrote to Biden earlier in September, saying that while he expected the DEA to “expeditiously complete” its review and move cannabis to Schedule III, a policy change would need to be accompanied by further administrative and Congressional action in order to promote health and safety, economic growth, and other factors.
Six former DEA directors and five former White House Drug Czars sent a letter to the Attorney General and current DEA Administrator voicing their opposition to the recommendation of the federal health agency to reschedule cannabis . The letter also included a questionable statement about the relationship between criminal penalties and drug schedules, which could have exaggerated the impact of incremental reform.
The DEA and Office of National Drug Control Policy directors under both major parties’ presidents are among the signatories.
The attorneys general of a dozen state took a different approach on Friday. They told DEA that rescheduling was a public safety imperative.
reform may actually threaten the legalization of marijuana at the state level.
Download the complete HHS marijuana documents here:
12 State Attorneys General Tell DEA To Reschedule Marijuana As ‘Public Safety Imperative’
Photo by Mike Latimer.
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