In a surprising turn, a group of physicians and medical cannabis advocates has withdrawn a lawsuit that accused the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of stalling and mishandling the marijuana rescheduling process. The lawsuit, originally filed in 2023, alleged that the DEA was improperly interfering with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) recommendation to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.
Schedule I is the most restrictive category in U.S. drug policy, reserved for substances considered to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Cannabis has been classified this way since 1970, despite decades of scientific evidence and real-world medical use supporting its benefits. Schedule III, on the other hand, would recognize marijuana as having medical value, placing it in the same category as drugs like ketamine and anabolic steroids. This move would dramatically shift how cannabis is regulated, researched, and accessed.
The doctors behind the lawsuit claimed the DEA was stonewalling the process by inserting itself inappropriately into scientific decisions that should be guided by medical and public health experts. They cited internal delays, a lack of transparency, and political motivations as major barriers to progress. But after months of legal back-and-forth, the group chose to drop the case—not because they were wrong, but because continuing the battle could delay the rescheduling process even further.
In an official statement, the physicians said their goal was to “advance reform, not slow it down.” They now hope the DEA will act swiftly to adopt HHS’s findings, which concluded that cannabis has accepted medical use and a relatively low potential for abuse compared to other controlled substances. The Biden administration has also signaled support for reform, although critics warn that bureaucratic inertia and DEA resistance could still block or water down the impact.
Rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III wouldn’t legalize it nationwide, but it would be a major milestone. It could allow doctors to prescribe cannabis more freely, enable research institutions to study it without facing federal penalties, and make medical marijuana eligible for insurance reimbursement in some cases. It could also reduce tax burdens on cannabis businesses, who under current law are banned from writing off basic expenses because of marijuana’s Schedule I status.
Still, cannabis advocates say that rescheduling is just one step. The ultimate goal remains descheduling—completely removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act to regulate it like alcohol or tobacco. For now, the push for rescheduling remains the most immediate path toward progress.
The lawsuit’s withdrawal sends a message: strategic compromise can sometimes move the needle further than courtroom battles. But the pressure is on the DEA to follow the science, honor the HHS recommendation, and take real action toward reforming outdated cannabis laws.
At High Science, we believe the cannabis conversation must be grounded in facts, compassion, and common sense. It’s time for the law to catch up with what patients, doctors, and researchers already know: cannabis is medicine, and it’s here to stay.
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