White House ready to soften line on marijuana

The US Drug Enforcement Administration will reportedly reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug. Currently marijuana is classified with drugs like heroin and LSD as Schedule I: “no currently accepted medical use” and “a high potential for abuse”. That technically places it beyond Schedule II drugs like fentanyl and cocaine. If the White House approves the proposed change marijuana would be listed alongside drugs like ketamine and steroids and face less regulation. What the change would not mean is a federal legalisation of marijuana for medical use. But the move would fall in line with President Biden’s campaign to reduce criminal sentencing for possession and use of weed – a nod to the youth vote ahead of the election. Technically, 38 states have already legalised medical marijuana and 24 have legalised using it recreationally. Last month, Germany became the biggest EU country to legalise recreational cannabis use.