Attorney General Merrick Garland Initiates Process To Reschedule Cannabis With DOJ Legal Review, Where’s The DEA?
Shortly after President Joe Biden revealed plans to reclassify cannabis as a Schedule III substance Thursday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) followed with an announcement that Attorney General Merrick Garland has formally initiated the rescheduling process with the submission of a legal review.
The notice, released in a DOJ press statement Thursday, includes a proposed rule that will be published in the Federal Register, kicking off a 60-day public comment period. Additionally, the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) provided an opinion that supports the cannabis rescheduling action from a legal standpoint.
“The rescheduling of a controlled substance follows a formal rulemaking procedure that requires notice to the public, and an opportunity for comment and an administrative hearing,” reads the DOJ press statement.